Getting There

Penglipuran lies some 28 miles (45 kilometers) northwest of Denpasar, the capital of Bali. Since most tourists stay in the southern part of Bali, here are some easy reference points and estimated travel duration:

1. Ubud – 1 hour
2. Canggu – 1 hour and 10 minutes
3. Sanur Beach – 1 hour and 15 minutes
4. Nusa Dua – 1 hour and 20 minutes
5. Kuta Beach – 1 hour and 30 minutes
6. Seminyak – 1 hour and 40 minutes

Due to the lack of public transport, Penglipuran is only accessible by means of private vehicles. Although it is possible to hail a one-way ride from your hotel to Penglipuran using ride apps, I would caution against it as taxis and e-hailing services can be limited in Bangli district. To avoid being stuck in Penglipuran with no rides back to your hotel, here are some of the options you can consider:

1. Rent a scooter
   • if you have an international motorcycle license and are confident driving around Bali, this is the option for you
2. Charter a car with or without personal driver
   • book online with Klook or any local car rental services
3. Join a tour
   • if you join the right tour it can save you both time and money (the costs for scooter or car rentals are sometimes comparable to day tour packages)

Admission Tickets

The cultural village imposes an entrance fee for all visitors. For international visitors, an adult ticket costs IDR 50,000 while a child ticket costs IDR 30,000. Rumors are that the village is moving towards electronic ticketing starting September 2022 but as of now cash remains the only accepted payment method.

Penglipuran Village

Once you get the logistics out of the way, it is time to explore and enjoy Penglipuran for all it has to offer. The whole village is 112 hectares and you can easily spend 1-2 hours here. Given its higher elevation, Penglipuran has a cooler and rainier climate than most parts of Bali. Make sure you check the weather before your trip and bring an umbrella or raincoat if necessary.

Once inside the village, you will quickly notice neat lines of traditional Balinese houses that share similar designs and styles. Most of these houses have been home to local villagers for generations and some even double as family-owned stores and warungs. Depending on the day and time of your visit, you might be lucky to see Balinese women carrying food offerings with their heads to an ancestral temple and children playing on the streets after school.

Towards the north end of the village lies an elaborately-designed temple called Penataran Temple where locals gather for religious rituals and functions. Immediately next to the temple is a communal stage where you will find young villagers perform the religious kecak dance (fire dance) to tourists. Beyond the walled residence, there is a vast area of bamboo forest that makes up almost half of the village and has been carefully preserved for centuries. The bamboo forest is the main reason behind the village’s reputation for sustainability efforts.

The post Penglipuran Village: Bali’s “Cleanest” Little Secret first appeared on My Endless PTO.

No trip to Phuket is complete without a visit to the iconic Big Buddha. A world-famous religious and cultural symbol of Thailand, Big Buddha stands (or technically, sits) 148-feet-tall atop Nakkerd Hill in Chalong, overlooking the island of Phuket. Big Buddha is a statue of the Maravija Buddha and is accompanied by a smaller Buddha statue. The sheer sight of Big Buddha and the panoramic island views offered make it an unskippable attraction in Phuket.

1. Beware of taxi/ride scams

I was caught off-guard by the taxi monopoly situation at the site where taxi drivers would crowd the entrance/exit of Big Buddha and aggressively fend off drivers they suspect are working for ride-hailing services. These taxis were asking ฿800 for a one-way ride back to Phuket Town. Unfortunately I witnessed quite a few tourists with no other alternatives agreeing to the price without second thoughts. I eventually secured a ride via inDriver again but my driver was followed by the taxi mafias and had to lie that he was there to take photos to get himself out of the situation. Just when I thought we were safe, my driver attempted to offer “side trips” (in hopes of charging extra, of course), drove in the wrong direction (which I caught very quickly as I already grew suspicious of him), then made an unannounced stop at the gas station when he asked for gas money (he claimed that he paid an entrance fee to pick me up at Big Buddha, which I knew was false as my first driver did not when he dropped us off). I was fortunate to be extra alert on all his scam attempts but I could only imagine how easy it is for many to fall victim to these scams, especially as a tourist who does not speak Thai.

2. Consider hiring a driver or joining a day tour

Because transport is obviously a struggle if you do not have your own, I would highly recommend hiring a personal driver for your visit to Big Buddha. There are numerous ways you can do so: visit Klook or Tripadvisor to rent a private driver or speak to your hotel or one of the many local travel/tour agencies. I personally like upfront price transparency, cashless transactions, and customer support when needed – all of which explain my preference for online booking sites like Klook.

If you want to avoid planning for your trip altogether, you can consider joining a half-day or full-day tour which includes Big Buddha as a destination. I spent ฿495 on my rides to and from Big Buddha, which could already afford me a half-day island tour of Phuket. The transport fees alone might be enough to justify joining a tour instead.

3. Check the weather

Phuket receives a generous amount of rain all-year long, even when the monsoon season is over. It goes without saying that you should check the local weather before deciding when to visit Big Buddha or anywhere in Phuket. Another thing to note is that rain showers in Phuket can be extremely temperamental and sometimes scattered, so it is always a good idea to bring along an umbrella and/or raincoat in preparation of sudden downpours.

4. Cover your shoulders and legs

When visiting a sacred, religious place like the Big Buddha, make sure to dress modestly and cover your shoulders and legs. Previously you were able to loan a sarong or shawl for free if you arrived without appropriate clothing but you would now have to buy one for ฿150.

5. Avoid going down the stairs leading up to the Big Buddha

The main stairs leading up to the Big Buddha allows only one-way traffic. There is a security officer at the halfway-point of the stairs making sure no visitors go back down using the stairs. They have a designated exit route for visitors to get back down and it is fortunately not very far from the main stairs if you want to walk up to the statue again.

I hope you find these helpful for your next visit to Phuket Big Buddha. For more travel tips and stories, please visit my homepage and stay tuned for more!

The post 5 Things to Know Before Visiting Phuket Big Buddha first appeared on My Endless PTO.

A little bit about myself. I started traveling the globe as a digital nomad in 2021 when I temporarily had the opportunity to work remotely full-time. In early 2022, I got laid off in retaliation for refusing to go back to office in-person on a regular basis. I left my toxic 9-5 gladly and continued traveling the world without looking back. Since then, I’ve travelled to 9 countries, 16 cities, and counting.

The post About Me first appeared on My Endless PTO.