5 Things to Know Before Traveling to Bali

1. Make sure your passport has at least 6 months validity!

One of the easiest mistakes travelers make when booking a flight to Indonesia is skipping over the fine print. If you aren’t planning on carrying weapons of mass destruction, firearms, or illegal paraphernalia across the border, it’s pretty safe to assume you can just scroll down to the little ‘I agree’ check box at the bottom and move along to the next task on your travel agenda. BIG MISTAKE! Did you know that it’s possible to be denied entry to Indonesia if you do not have a minimum of 6 months validity (from your return date) left on your passport? I speak the truth.

A gal I knew was traveling through Australia with her boyfriend, and had planned on spending the last leg of their vacation in Bali. Their tickets were purchased, bags packed, but when they went to board the plane, she was denied entry, as her passport was set to expire 5 months later. Talk about a buzzkill. My brother and his wife booked their honeymoon in Phuket, Thailand, and had a similar issue. His passport was set to expire ONE DAY shy of the 6 month validity date. Long story short he had to have a new passport expedited so he could attend his own honeymoon.

You can read more about the entry and visa requirements here.

2. Make sure your passport contains 2 blank pages.

Yah, this one seems a little silly, but according to the Department of State Travel, your passport must contain a total of 2 non-stamped pages in order to enter Indonesia. Who knew?

3. Bring bug spray!

You may end up walking around smelling like a pest control vehicle, but at least you wont look like you have the chicken pox by the end of the night! I highly recommend Off Deep Woods or Repel 100, which has a much higher Deet content. ‘Cause ain’t no body got time for Zika.

4. Don’t be afraid of ‘Bali Belly’

Now I’m not saying it’s a good idea to drink the water, but most places with high tourist populations DO have their ice imported. I traveled around Indonesia for a full week and didn’t get sick once! Praise Jesus. I indulged in blended smoothies, fruity iced cocktails, and plenty of the local cuisine, and my tummy remained in tip top shape. It’s smart to stick with cooked foods and fruits with a peel as locals tend to wash their fruits and veggies with tap water. Try to eat at restaurants that look busy. It’s usually safe to assume the busier the place, the better the food. Indonesia ranks high on my list of some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten. I highly suggest trying the mie goreng and cafe Luwak while you’re there. It is wise, however, to visit your local physician and have him or her prescribe medication to have on hand, juuuuust in case. Always better to be safe than sorry!

5. Watch out, they bite!

If you have any intention of visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, know that the likelihood of an unplanned bite is more common than you think! Take it from someone who knows! (Insert highly unamused emoji here).

My cousin and I visited Ubud in May of 2017. The Monkey Forest was high on her list of must-see destinations, so who was I to say no? Plus, I’m always down for a good time!

The monkeys, or macaques, are cheeky little fellas. They roam the sanctuary fearlessly, bouncing along the walls of the 14^th century Hindu temples. Tourists pay around 50,000 IDR to enter the park, and interact with the monkeys. Local banana stands will sell you a hand of bananas, but be wary, once those little guys get word you have food, they’ll be all up in your business like a Wendy interview.

Before entering the park we were advised to remove any jewelry and stow away any personal items we would regret parting with. The monkeys have been known to swipe your belongings, and hold them for ransom until you hand over some ‘naners. In other words, you cross the Monkey Godfather by letting the banana ransom go unpaid, you can kiss that new Michael Kors watch goodbye. And if you’re lucky, you won’t have to say hello to his little friend.

I was hesitant to feed the macaques at first, and even told my cousin I would pass this time around. Happily providing my services as her personal photographer instead. But of course, once Kate bought her bananas, the cutest wittle baby monkey, leaped onto her shoulder for the perfect photo op. My heart melted. If my accident prone cousin could effortlessly feed a wild monkey, I could too.

WRONG.

I bought my hand of baby bananas, and stood patiently next to a similar sized monkey, waiting for him to delicately hop up on my shoulder, like Kate’s monkey had. Instead, the little monkey scampered off, just as I turned to see the largest possible monkey in the forest, headed my way. Due to his massive size, I got a bit skittish as he jumped on my… I’d say back… but it was kind of a mix between side, back, arm and head. Needless to say, King Louie wasn’t in the mood for my banana shenanigans. He wrapped his little hands around my arm and bit the shiz out of my elbow to let me know how thoroughly disenchanted he truly was.

Long story short, one of the park stewards rubbed some hand sanitizer on it, said, “don’t worry, no rabies” and sent me on my way. Two seconds later I was on my phone googling, ‘I just got bit by a monkey, am I going to die?’ According to Dr. Agustin Fuentes from the Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, the monkeys in the sanctuary are monitored by the Primate Research Center of Udayana University and are perfectly healthy. But, if I started foaming at the mouth or growing monkey fur, I told my cousin to put me down go on without me.

Lesson learned, if you want to feed the monkeys in Ubud be sure to:

1. Sit down or plan on standing really still.
2. Hold the banana high above your head and do not wave your arm around.
3. And don’t scream, as it will startle the macaque and cause them to bite.