Overdevelopment is rife on the south-west coast,but these satellite island stays offer a step back to more mellow times.
Sidemen on the east coast of the island offers a quieter,more immersive Bali for those who relish a slower mode of travel.
In three decades,the destination has been transformed from a tropical paradise into a centre of mass tourism.
You won’t see multi-storey hotels,corporate logos lining streets or Lycra-clad influencers in this quiet village.
Recent incidents in Laos and Fiji have stirred fears about alcohol safety in Bali,which has its own history of bar poisonings.
Bali is on track to have its busiest tourism year on record,but 70 per cent of visitors flock to the hot spots of Canggu,Seminyak,Uluwatu and Nusa Dua.
There are two ways of visiting Bali. You can flop at a beach resort,shuffle around souvenir shops and add nightclub bags to your eyes. Or you can do this.
It’s Nyepi[Hindu New Year] and Bali is silent – airports closed,travel restricted,restaurants shuttered – a stark contrast to its usual heaving streets.
Some experiences require an open mind;others a deep pocket. But all of these unique experiences put relaxation and self-care front and centre.
The holiday isle’s east coast offers a step back in time for disillusioned visitors.