Celebrating Christmas in Bali

Celebrating Christmas in Bali? Is that a thing? Who does not want to spend Christmas lying on the beach with beautiful weather in Bali? The following spots in Bali are the best places to celebrate Christmas, and all have their charm.

Gili islands

OK, they secretly belong to the island of Lombok, but let’s start with the most beautiful islands near Bali: the Gili islands. The Gili islands are little paradises northwest of Lombok and are all ideal travel destinations for those who love to escape the Christmas scenes. You will celebrate Christmas here in one of the fragrant restaurants, where you will best hear a carol pass by. You will mostly see and experience the heavenly peace in a wonderful setting. The deep blue sea, laidback atmosphere and friendly locals are well worth the flight of some 16 hours. Gili Trawangan is the busiest island of the three, where you can also catch a party. Gili Air is just a bit quieter, but indeed no less cosy, followed by Gili Meno, where you will find the most tranquillity.

Uluwatu

Uluwatu, especially the Uluwatu temple, is an absolute sight in Indonesia. You will find the Uluwatu temple on the Bukit Badung peninsula, south of Sanur. The temple is extraordinary. Because the temple is built on a very steep and high rock of about 250 m, it offers an insane view. So the perfect place in Bali to celebrate Christmas. The sunset here is stunning. Very few other evenings can match that! The temple is made of coral stone and is one of the island’s most important temples. Near the temple is the beach, which is ideal for surfers.

Seminyak

Just north of over-famous Kuta lies the always sunny Seminyak, an absolute hotspot in Bali to celebrate Christmas. Although an overnight stay here can be more expensive than in most other places in Bali, Seminyak is a rising star among world travellers. The resort offers everything for a beautiful holiday without Christmas worries. The food here is superb, especially the local Balinese cuisine. This is also an excellent place for Christmas shopping in one of the many boutiques where you will find that one Christmas dress you didn’t know you were looking for. You should also visit the sea temple Pura Petitenget, which protects the coastline from evil spirits. End the day with a lovely beachfront dinner at one of the famous lounge clubs like KuDeTa or Potato Head.

Ubud

Very different in Ubud, located in central Bali amidst beautiful rice fields. Since the success of the bestseller Eat Pray Love, which is partly set in Ubud, tourists have been flocking here. Should you celebrate Christmas in Bali and end up in Ubud, you will find many people with the same good idea! Best known as a cultural hub, Ubud is an artsy little town in the middle of the Balinese jungle. Just walk along Monkey Forrest Road, where at the end, you will find the jungle filled with macaques. The authentic Indonesian culture is something you run into daily here. Colourful religious ceremonies, dance performances and events make Ubud an exuberant place where you can completely disappear

Amed

Amed is our last Christmas-less paradise in Bali. No crowded beaches and overcrowded restaurants and bars here. Amed didn’t even have asphalted roads until recently and is an unknown among Indonesia’s beach resorts. Take advantage of that! Vast beaches on the edge of dense jungle give you every opportunity to recover from the busy Netherlands. From the volcanic island, you have perfect views of Lombok. A day on Amed looks like this: sleep in one of the thatched beach huts on the beach, then score breakfast at the small eateries. You start the day with a meditation session on the beach before diving into the lukewarm sea. In the afternoon, venture into freediving before heading into the evening with a cooling cocktail on the beach.