A Perfect Mixture of Culture, Beach Life and Adrenaline Awaits You in Bali

The Republic of Indonesia found its independence in 1946, and since then, the little island of Bali has grown and developed into the go-to island out of over 18,000.

Only 140 kilometers from east to west, Bali island has nine regions. From the white cliffs and sandy beaches of Badung to the endless monkey-filled jungles of Ubud to the dolphin-watching areas in Buleleng. The hotspots of Bali, where the tourists flock are in the south and central areas of Bali. Areas like Sanur, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua have something for everyone there. Every region of this beautiful island has temples, culture, and once-in-a-lifetime things to experience.

The pandemic hit Bali hard, like every other destination. So the Balinese people looked for other ways to make money and survive. They knew they would be back in no time. 

Of course, some small shops, cafes, warungs, and beach hawkers left and went home. The locals went back to their roots and found inventive ways of making money, like adding a new lease of life to seaweed farming. But everything you once loved about Bali or heard about it is still here. 

The surf is still full, ex-pats still hang out and work at their favorite coffee shop, and more tourists come through the arrival gate at I Gusti Ngurah Rai. Traffic and the roads are better as the pandemic gave time to fix broken things. Restaurants, cafes, and beach clubs are thriving. You can expect to see areas in the Badung region filled with tourists and locals alike.

Now that the borders have opened up, getting to Bali is pretty easy no matter where you come from. 

If you come from the East and other places in Asia, this is just a hop and skip and a short flight away from paradise. 

Airlines like Batikair, Airasia, and Singapore Airlines fly direct from Singapore. 

In other Asian countries, airlines like Japan Airlines, Korean Air, China Airlines, and Cathay Pacific make their way to the rice paddies island. 

Jetstar has opened its doors, giving direct flights to Bali from Australia with much joy from Australians; they can go back to the island they love. 

From the other side of the world, flights from America can be done with American Airlines and Delta. However, there will be some layovers. 

The same goes with places in Europe; mostly Qatar airways are the company to go with. 

Bali is an island for everyone, from backpackers to families to people in business alike. This island has a whole range of 4-star and 5-star hotels available. 

Visitors will be met with elegance, culture, and tranquility when staying at one of the island’s leading world-renowned hotels and villas. You can expect nothing but luxury and excellence when staying at hotels like St. Regis, Anantara, Bulgari, The Hilton, and Ritz Carlton, to name a few. Expect infinity pools overlooking the Indian Ocean, 24-hour private butler services, on-demand spa services, and private cultural shows and dancing during your stays. It’s no wonder Bali has been voted the number one travel destination for many years. 

Arguably one of the wealthiest cultural destinations, Bali has something for everyone’s taste. With painters, woodcarvers, jewelry makers, Legong dancers, weavers, and musicians, you can smell, taste, and hear the culture everywhere you look. 

There are nightly events up and down the island to see and hear more about the history of Bal and the Hindu culture. You can watch the unique displays of dance and hear the traditional Gamelan being played, feel the spirits connect with you, and watch a traditional shadow puppet show. Or learn with a local how to make the traditional Canang Sari (offering) and be blessed by a local priest under a waterfall or at the famous Tirta Empul. You can connect with your spirituality easily in Bali as it is all around you.

We create beautiful, inspiring experiences for businesses in a variety of industries at the DMC collective. For your association, our professional and diverse team can offer incentive trip suggestions. What important to us is that you, the client, receive what you require. For incentive travel, we strive to go above and beyond. Whether you want to pick the Presidents club incentive and give your employees the VIP experience, and choose the Winners Circle incentive Bali and the DMC Collective can provide you with everything you will need 

Thanks to its lush green landscape and beautiful coral reefs, Bali is a hot spot for fun. Some of my favorite companies and activities for companies looking to reward and give some unique experiences to their employees are as follows;

Have you ever climbed an active volcano? Well, in Bali you can do just that and climb Mount Batur with your employees. You can find everything you need for your next team-building event by offering trekking, walking, waterfall, jeep, and rafting tours. 

BikeBali from The DMC collective has everything you would want to provide for an incentive travel program. Some of the amazing adventures that aways are to bike around Ubud as a team- with two options available. The hardcore- this isn’t for the faint of heart. Hardcore bikers will be panting after attacking the hills and mountains of the jungle. Or the scenic route- leisurely bike around looking at temples, locals in the rice fields and kids playing in schools. To finish off the team bike travel, there is a camping experience overnight. Roast marshmallows and sing camp songs with your employees and coworkers and connect on a deeper level. 

Go on to cook yourself some delicious traditional Balinese cuisine in a local’s home and kitchen. Then, add a boost of adrenaline with white water rafting on the Agung river. Get yourself into a raft or on the back of a quad bike and get wet and muddy with these guys. If that isn’t enough you can hire a guide and go on a two day, over night trekking experience through the jungle and experience sleeping under the stars in nature. Miles away from the office. 

Endless laughter can be found at outbound places, the perfect location for team-building activities to come together and learn more about each other and build trust in your business. Climb over assault course, find clues and solve puzzles and riddles, capture the flag and bring your team together. 

Cycle through the air and the jungle with on a bike, take to the skies paragliding, and watch the surfers hit the waves in Uluwatu. If you want more up in the sky experiences, try taking a helicopter ride over Bali. Or if under the sea is more your thing, you can put on your space helmet and chill with the fish and do some sea walking.

People and locals alike flock to the sandy shores wanting to surf. The DMC Collective helps to provide you cand your employees lessons and retreats to learn something new on holiday. If your team would rather be under the waves instead of riding them Bali is renowned for its scuba diving locations. Having Amed shipwrecks, turtle spotting in Nusa Lembogan and swimming with manta rays in Nusa Penida it is perfect for all of the water babies out there. 

Find your Zen and say namaste with the endless yoga and wellness retreats on the island. Offering workshops, guides and lifestyle activities to reconnect with yourself. These retreats always have the most picturesque locations, dreamy spas and treatments and the healthiest in vegan and vegetarian food. It is the perfect reset. 

If you want to take a little bit of Bali home with you, the following businesses I love supporting and know that they are making a difference. 

Ride abound like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love, but this time on a Bamboo Bike. East Bali Bamboo Bikes is a great business supporting impoverished communities east of Bali. So, get yourself a stylish bike for those early morning rides from the office home. 

If you need something to fill a gift bag, Bottles for Earth is an ideal buy. They are offering customized designs on refill water bottles to minimize the plastic problem. Save the planet and promote your business at the same time. We can get behind that. 

Su-re is a beautiful sustainability and resilience business with the think-do-be tanks. It allows you to be a gift maker and purchase sustainable coffee, cookies, and other snacks to take back home.  

Give back with Kopernik, and help support locals to learn and develop more inventive ways of becoming sustainable. Or one of our favorites, Sungai Watch, has the beach and river clean-ups introducing inventive recycled barriers to stop Bali from being flooded with pollution. 

Rich in culture and rich in mouthwatering food. Some of our favorite fine dining experiences include Avante Garde Room4Dessert for award-winning cocktails paired perfectly with desserts upon desserts. Amidst the jungle in Ubud, you can find Aperitif from the Viceroy Bali. Think 8-course degustation menu using the freshest ingredients with an Asian twist. 

The best Sunday Bali Brunch can be found at Starfish Bloo at the W Hotel Seminyak. An ultimate foodies paradise with fresh oysters, roast dinner, Asian cuisine, and a donut wall perfect for everyone. For Meditteranean cuisine, head to Cafe Del Mar in Canggu with white-blue interiors and paella to die for. 

If you are looking to go more local, head to Jimbaran Fish Market and try some of the local cuisine. Pick what you like and watch them grill it there right in front of you. You can always hear the tinkering of the bakso cart, a delicious local meatball soup. The locals love Bakso Mukbang restaurant where you can even eat the soup out of a coconut. 

If you want to try more local get the dish of Indonesia- Nasi Campur. This is like a pick and mix lunch. You can and point at whatever you want meats, eggs, vegetables, rice etc. and then the price is added up at the end. Made’s Warung is a favorite. Driving along the streets of Bali you will often see suckling pigs in café windows. This is Babi Guling a Balinese favorite. We like to eat at Warung Nasi Babi Guling Men Agus on the road to Tanah Lot. 

Hidden gems that the expats love to eat at include Kynd– a vegan eatery with too many photo opporunities. Head to Ubud Market early in the morning for burbur Bali a delicious warm and hearty porridge. Travel all the way to the very far west to try the best ayam betutuh from Ayam Betutu Men Tempeh in Gilimanuk.

Finally, an experience like no other, head to Le Petit Chef at the Grand Hyatt and have the littlest chef in the world cook and prepare the food for you. Using state-of-the-art 3D technology, props and music, have a 5-course meal. 

1- One day of the year, everything switches off in Bali. The wifi, the internet, and any open flames. Even the airport is closed down. This is called Nyepi- the silent day. It is a holiday that celebrates the Hindu New Year. It is a day of solitude and reflection as all evil spirits have been scared away by the Ogoh Ogoh parades the night before.  

2- It is homed to the most expensive coffee in the world. Luwak coffee comes from the droppings of the Luwak, a cat-like creature that eats the coffee cherries. The poop is collected, washed, roasted, grounded, and then made into a delicious, less acidic cup of coffee. 

3- Thursdays are traditional by law. In a push to keep and preserve Bali’s heritage, the governor has required the local people that work in any service industry to wear traditional Balinese clothing. 

4- Bali’s landscape is one of nine UNESCO Cultural sites in Indonesia. The subak watering system, which was created as far back as the 9th century, feeds water to the many rice fields across Bali, and that’s why you will see lush green fields all year round. 

We at the DMC Collective pride ourselves in creating inspiring events across the globe in all business sectors. We know that an incentive must create memories. It must allow the guests to enjoy an experience in a destination that they wouldn’t do themselves. 

No matter the client, we will go above and beyond to guarantee that all of you get the service you deserve delivered: our new innovative ways to connect employees to experience fun outdoor events or luxurious intimate connections. 

Contact and talk to the team today, and make Bali your one-stop destination for all your MICE needs in Asia.