I can’t stress this enough but get in early with your flights.

As I said in a previous post, looking at sites like Webjet, Google Flights, ‘I Know the Pilot’ (thanks Pen!) and Skyscanner will give you an indication of the cheap flights.

Skyscanner is my favourite because it has a functionality where you can search an entire month to find the cheapest days to fly. If I can figure out how to link to a “how to” guide for this, l will.

As I said previously, afterpay is available for some of the airlines and if you are a maybe, you can pay a little bit more to either change the date or get a voucher if you have to cancel.

The airlines that fly here are the budget Aussie airlines - Jetstar and Virgin, and some budget Asian airlines - Batik Air and Air Asia.

I’ve flown both Batik Air and Air Asia and they are unsurprisingly better than the Australian airlines.

If you know me, you’ll know I have a penchant for injuring myself and mishaps - so I’m a huge fan of insurance.

I book insurance on the date I book my flights so that anything that happens prior to flying is covered and I would suggest adding on the “bike” extra because you are going to be getting around on scooters, with you driving if you dare or as a passenger on gojek or grab.

Cars are just impractical for Canggu.

My only suggest for insurance is that you don’t go with Travel Insurance Direct (remember when I spent like 18 months of my life fighting them, with the help of the ombudsman, to pay me for breaking my leg in Singapore?! I do).

Beyond that, just make sure you have insurance, and study the terms and conditions like say, I don’t know, you get drunk and lose your beats headphones and iphone, and would like to be reimbursed by your insurance, you need a police report made in the first 24 hours.

As I mentioned on the other page, I have some status level with Booking.com that automatically gives me upgrades and discounts so if you find something you like, let me know and I’ll sort it for you.

For Hostels, Hostelworld.com is your go-to site. I think my status is pathetic on there so that will be up to you to book.

Most places (on Booking and Hostelworld) have an option to cancel for free before a certain date (usually three days before) and you can pay on arrival.

AirBnB is also an option I guess (I didn’t immediately think of this tbh).

For locations for accommodation, consult me but as a general rule:

- Canggu (as a suburb or a greater area) is where most of the stuff will be happening. While Batu Bolong, Batu Belig and anywhere down that way is considered “downtown”, things are fairly spread out so you tend to be good. With the exception of three clubs that are next to each other at the beach end of Batu Bolong, noise finishes at 10pm. It’s convenient in terms of walking to places for coffee, food, shopping or the beach.

- Berawa - where I live, which is like a suburb of Canggu that’s slightly inland. I live here so I clearly like it.

- Pererenan - Close enough to downtown Canggu but a bit more of the quiet cafes and rice paddies vibe (good location)

- Seseh - Total rice paddy vibes, totally quiet. Maybe 15 mins on a bike from downtown Canggu.

- Umalas - the last decent suburb before you hit the hustle and bustle of Seminyak. Kinda like Pererenan but without a beach.

You can either apply for a visa in advance (leave at least 3 business days for it to process) or do a VOA (Visa on Arrival).

You can pay for your VOA when you arrive at Denpasar airport and they accept Indonesian and Australian cash, and cards.

The cost is $50AUD and it’s valid for up to 30 days.

First things first, DON’T exchange money in Australia prior to leaving, and if you must, only exchange a small amount. The rate is shit, the charges are shit, it’s just a bad idea, ok?!

If you are old school and like paying for things in cash, bring Australian dollars (notes) but make sure that the notes are perfect because 99% of exchange places will not accept a note is it has a blemish, a slight rip or any other damage. I know of ONE place in the whole of Bali that let’s you get away with it.

For those of us who use cards or tap and pay with our phones, congratulations - it’s pretty much everywhere!

I emphatically implore you to get a WISE account set up. You can use it for free on Apple pay or whatever the android equivalent is and/or pay like $10 for them to send you a physical card.

You can use the physical for tap and pay with a great rate and no transaction fees, and you get two free withdrawals from ATMs a month.

If you are stubborn and want to use your Australian card and attract unnecessary fees, let your bank know you are going overseas first.

Prior to getting to Bali, download and activate either Gojek or Grab or both, linking it to your travel card.

Gojek and Grab are virtually the same thing and through it you can book transport (bike where you’re the passenger or a car), order food, alcohol and anything you can think of, order medication and I’m sure other stuff that I can’t think of.

It’s honestly the best.

Pretty much everything that you’d need to prepare you for a holiday in the tropics is here and a lot cheaper.

Electrolytes are between 5c-50c AUD per sachet, I haven’t bought sunscreen but I’m sure it’s not bad, antibiotics, after sun care, it’s all here and if you can’t find it, it’s highly like I already have it.

Strangely though, tampons are hard to find, expensive and in high demand so if you menstruate, bring them just in case.

Bali is as cheap or as expensive as you make it.

Shopping (clothes, jewellery, handbags, etc) everywhere but Kuta and Legian, where you have to haggle on prices, is comparable to Australia.

Food, depending on where you go, again is comparable to Australia.

“Drinks” is one of those “it depends” things. Takeaway pre-mixed drinks and local beers (bintang) are about $4 a can or a bottle. In a pub or restaurant, Bintangs are usually between $4-5. Spirits are super cheap compared to Aus to buy and drink at home but at clubs can be expensive. Wine is hard to find and it’s hard to find good wine AND it’s expensive here for some reason.

Transport is super cheap. I pay about $1 AUD wherever I go.

For the love of God, do not put your phone on international roaming!

Telstra (those smarmy capitalist bastards) charge me $10 A DAY to use international roaming but you can buy a local sim for as little as $7.50 AUD to use while you’re here. I’d suggest not to buy it at the airport (everywhere has wifi) and get it during the daytime when you’re here. You just need to show your passport (physically or with a photo) and they set it up for you.

I’ve been told that you can obtain an e-sim online or something but I’ve never done that so, can’t help with that one, buddy.

It’s also important/helpful, to download WhatsApp while you’re here. It’s the way you contact everyone, like booking a seat at a restaurant or seeing if a pharmacy down the street has something you’re looking for.

All the cool kids have WhatsApp.

- Wear practical shoes because the roads are very bumpy and it’s easy to fall over.

- Don’t drink the water. Brush your teeth with bottled water.

- Indonesians are genuinely some of the nicest people in the world but theft happens everywhere in the world. I tend to wear a crossbody bag and have a strap attached from my bag to my phone. (This serves multiple purposes because I’m great at losing my phone, dropping my phone, putting it down and walking away, etc.).

(That’s all I can think of right now but I’m sure I’ll add more).