Bali:  Seminyak

🌿 Bali in November: A Gentle Pause

This trip to Bali was about slowing down. Reading. Resting. It was a deliberate pause, a chance to breathe.
November turned out to be a beautiful time to visit. The rainy season had just begun, which meant sun-drenched mornings followed by gentle afternoon downpours from around 1 or 2pm. The air was hot and humid—so if you're heading there at this time of year, pack light clothing and don’t forget an umbrella or raincoat.

Although I’ve visited Bali many times, this was my first time staying in Seminyak—and I’m so glad we chose it.

Our accommodation was a 15-minute walk from the beach, with countless shops, a supermarket, and every kind of beauty and tattoo store you could imagine. If you’re after a massage, a manicure, or a new tattoo (or seven!), Seminyak has you covered—and most places are surprisingly affordable.

Locals told us the tourist season had ended, and it felt wonderfully quiet. No queues, no crowds—just space to explore at our own pace.
We used Grab (similar to Uber) for transport. From the airport to our accommodation cost 140K Rupiah; the return trip to the airport was just 70K. Easy, efficient, and budget-friendly.

I’d return in a heartbeat.

The beach - Seminyak / Legian beach

Try a surfing lesson! Along Seminyak and Legian Beach, you’ll find a string of surf stations offering one-on-one lessons or simple board hire. We gave it a go (well—not me, but someone braver did!) and were absolutely rapt with the experience.

Our instructor, Raphael, had them standing and catching waves within the first hour. By the second lesson, they were paddling into waves solo—I was the one on the beach taking videos.

Each session cost 300K Rupiah (around $30 NZD), and it was worth every cent.  I’m absolutely giving it a go next time.

The beach itself is dotted with lounge chairs and umbrellas—just pick your spot and settle in.

We paid about 100K Rupiah for a chair and umbrella, and could stay as long as we liked.

As the sun sets, the beach transforms. Strings of lights flicker on and live bands begin to play.

Walking along the sand after dark was one of the most peaceful, heart-filling moments of the trip.

A full day out exploring

We hired a local driver for the day—easily arranged through our resort reception.

For 600K Rupiah (around $60 NZD), we had about 10 hours of flexible, door-to-door travel. He took us everywhere we wanted to go, with no rush and plenty of local insight.

Our itinerary included:

Bali Zoo: A lush, well-kept space with plenty to see.

The Giant Swing: We opted for the zipline instead—thrilling and scenic.

Coffee & Tea Plantation: A peaceful stop for tastings and a glimpse into local production.

Tegenungan Waterfall: A stunning natural spot, there are a lot of stairs but its worth the climb if you are up for it.

It was a lot of driving, but also a fabulous day out.

Let's talk food

Having experienced the dreaded Bali Belly on a past trip, we played it super safe this time.

We stuck to cooled boiled or bottled water for drinking, washing, and brushing our teeth—and kept hand sanitiser close, especially after handling money.  It worked. No tummy troubles, just full bellies and happy taste buds.

The food in Bali was incredible.

My favourites? The Chicken Satay from a local Warung (I could’ve eaten it daily), the classic Nasi Goreng, and the French toast from The Brunch Club—crispy-edged with caramlised peaches and marscapone.  Delicious!  We also tried their famous fluffy pancakes—more soufflé than standard. They were fun and fancy, but not something we’d rush back for.

Drink-wise, Bali delivered. I loved the Brown Sugar bubble tea from MixUE, and sampled my way through a variety of iced coffees.

Getting there and back

We flew with Air New Zealand, direct from Auckland to Denpasar.

The flight took around 8.5 hours on the way up, and just under 7 hours on the return.

If you can snag this direct route, I highly recommend it—it saves the extra time and hassle of transiting through Australia and gets you to Bali with far less fuss.