What should I pack for Bali?

How hot is Bali at the moment?

Will I need jeans and jackets at all?

 

Those are the commonly asked questions amongst Bali newbies when planning a trip to Bali.

It is true that Bali weather is mostly hot and humid. As much as we would love some snow and cold breeze in between, Bali’s sunshine is eternal and the only non-summer season we have here is the rainy season at the end of the year (which is still hot, by the way!)

Based on this weather situation, the main Bali basic needs we would recommend you would be nothing more than a pile of cotton tees or singlets, shorts, and sandals. But to be more specific, the next question you should ask yourself before you start throwing things inside the suitcase is…what kind of Bali trip are you going to have?

 

Go with the flow

“I don’t really have a plan, just whatever floats my boat”

If this is you, then you won’t need to worry much about which outfit to bring, and which shoes to match, because most of the time, as mentioned above, you will be wearing singlets, shorts, and sandals 😉 Some other general Bali essentials that you cannot miss: sunnies, hats, sunscreen, Bali belly reliever (just in case!), totebags, and purses – we suggest leaving your wallet and valuables in the hotel and carrying just enough amount of money daily in your little purse. What else is there that people often forget but important?  Mosquito repellent lotion or spray!

    Photo by kisforkani.com                                                 Photo by media.roxy.com.ph

 

Going cultural

Planning on visiting Balinese temples, sacred places, and attending Balinese ceremonies? If so, you will need to pack some “proper clothes”. By proper, we mean trousers or knee-length skirts for women. If you want to have a full on cultural experience and take part in some of the ceremonies like full moon, melaspas, or melukat, depending on how big it is, you might want to pack some nice blouses, shirts, sarongs, or kebaya (Balinese traditional outfit) if you have one.

   Photo by pbs.twimg.com                                                                     Photo by thistravellife.com

 

Viva la fiesta

Every day is a weekend in Bali indeed, because there are non-stop parties happening every single day. We have international DJs playing in numerous Bali night clubs and beach clubs, not to mention, the daily events like sunset hours, ladies nights, and what not. If the main reason of spending your holiday in Bali is to party, then you know what you need to bring with you. But since it’s Bali, you might want to bring comfortable tops and bottoms instead of fancy dresses as most likely you will be drenched in sweat, and most of our parties are outdoors. Swimmers are acceptable for pool parties and beach parties.

 

   Photo by S.K.A.I Beach Club

 

The Instagramers

Whether you blog for fun or blog for a living, chances are…you already plan ahead on which places and spots to visit for cool photos to share to your followers. In this case, packing for a trip wouldn’t be world’s hardest mission. Ladies, our only suggestions will be…pack up a lot of cute bikinis! You can never take too many pool photos, sunset photos, and “cocktail in hand” photos.

  Photo by Michael Cools                                     Photo by Ginting Efraim

 

Fit and fab

It is pretty explanatory that if you’re going on a fitness trip, you will need your active wear and other equipments depending on which sports you’re into; say surfboards, or a pair of runners. Heads up – Bali is home for martial arts academies, and it is amazing how much the communities have grown in the past few years. If you’re up for trying or sharpening up your skills in Muay Thai, Jiu jitsu, Capoeira, Aikido (and the list goes on) most of martial arts academies provide some basic gears like boxing gloves and uniforms, but you may want to consider adding dry fit tops, leggings, or rashies to your packing list 😉

 

  Photo by Bali MMA                                                                                       Photo by Canggu Aikido Dojo

 

Festive celebration go-ers

Bali is so multicultural that we celebrate almost everything in the world; from the big celebration like Christmas, to Halloween, Thanksgiving, Melbourne Cup, Cinco de Mayo, you name it. If attending any of these festivals is part of your Bali holiday plan, then be prepared with some suitable costumes, make up and accessories, because in Bali, celebrations and festivals are serious business and we go HARD!

   Photo by Mexicola                                                     Photo by Jenja