BALI GUIDE - BONITO'S FAVORITES
With most of our production handmade in Bali, we definitely go there often! We put together a Bali guide that shows Bonito’s favorite places. Going to...
Bonito Jewelry started while our founder Julia Sousa was doing volunteer work at the Green School. She lived there for 4 months and that's where she started producing and creating Bonito Jewelry. Until today most of the pieces are handmade in Bali, so we often visit this destination to help with production and logistics.
We put together a Bali guide that shows Bonito’s favorite places. Going to Bali soon? Make sure to add these to your travel bucket list.
PLACES TO STAY
Our Founder Julia loves to go to Outsite for her stays in Bali. There she finds a beautiful coliving space where she can work and relax as it is equipped with everything you need, even a like minded community to connect with. Bonito girlbosses - this is the place to stay while in Bali!
Innovative designs meet a sustainable vision at Bambu Indah - the paradise in the middle of the jungle. This hotel is built from locally sourced bamboo to construct extraordinary, almost entirely handmade unique houses and bespoke furniture. All the food is grown and prepared locally with organic produce growing right outside of your bamboo home for a true farm-to-table experience.
resort Uluwatu Surf Villas clifftop is a sacred space to rebalance and get away. With unique dwellings, wholesome cuisine, soulful movement through yoga, and world class surfing, this spot definitely makes it easy for you to enjoy the best of Uluwatu.
RELAX AND UNWIND
The place to go to unwind and be restored to your full vitality. Maria and her staff only use non toxic and natural ingredients. Overlooking rice fields, they do great mani-pedis and massages. Important note: they have complimentary unlimited kambucha! Julia reckons is the best spa in Bali!
Amo spa is in the heart of Canggu. The beautifully decorated spa has a cafe and workspace as well as a few pools (cold, freezing, room temperature and super hot). Upstairs you can find all the imaginable spa treatments: massage, facials, mani-pedis, hair, makeup, etc.! Additionally, their products are mostly natural, organic, non-toxic, vegan and cruelty free! We love it!
Tjampuhan Spa is dedicated to the therapeutic properties of water. Composed of several semi-open treatment pavilions and a great hot/cold spring water jacuzzi created within a stone cavern, the spa has sourced a collection of Balinese healing and beauty treatments.
ENJOY NATURE
Pantai Gunung beach (Uluwatu)
Pantai Gunung is a beautiful - almost deserted - little white sand beach with very few tourists (keep it a secret ;P). This spot is protected by a coral reef at a hundred meters and allows you to go for a quiet swim without waves crashing around you. There is no restaurant on the beach, so consider packing food if you do not want to come and go. Remember to go plastic free and also bring the rubbish back with you!
Melasti Beach (Uluwatu)
Imposing limestone cliffs, beautiful crystal-clear water and a stunning clean beach - welcome to Melasti Beach. On top of that, the unique road leading to the beach - a spiral delight - allow you to admire the beautiful layers of rock formation.
Mount Batur (Kabupaten de Bangli)
Mount Batur is one of the only uphill hikes you can do in Bali, so it's very very popular. Most recently, it has become a bit too popular, with lines of people climbing the volcano before sunrise. BUT, it is still worth going to see the view from the top (if you are lucky to have a clear morning sky)! Make sure to check the weather and to bring warm clothing with you.
EXPERIENCE CULTURE
The Green School is Julia's favorite place on earth! She dreams of creating her own alternative-school in the future once she has enough funds saved from her enterprises. John Hardy, the founder of Green School, coincidently had a journey that is very inspiring to Bonito. He started as a jeweler in Indonesia, and ended up selling his business in 2010, and created the Green School shortly after.
The Green School is an alternative educational school, where the standard american curriculum is kept, but with alternative subjects added to it: agriculture, drama, sustainable education and more. The entire school is made of bamboo and it's completely nature friendly! Checkout John Hardy's Ted Talk to get a better understanding of what the future of education looks like - click here!
Bali is renowned for its bright and richly cultural ceremonies. If you spend more than a few days on the island you will be certain to see some kind of temple festival, colourful march, or ritual. While always remaining respectful of the culture, we encourage you to watch and interest yourself! These ceremonies are an absolute delight for the eyes!
Tirta Empul sacred water (Ubud)
For over a thousand years, Balinese Hindu worshipers have been drawn to Pura Tirta Empul (Holy Water Temple), whose sacred springs are said to have been created by The God Indra and possess curative properties. This tradition still continues almost unchanged. We come to this place to marvel at its beauty, and bathe in its refreshing blessed water. Tip: go early to avoid the tourist crowd!
GET ACTIVE
Samadi Yoga offers a large diversity of yoga classes from self practise to restorative styles as well as many workshops. Its in-house restaurant offers healthy and local vegetarian food that will definitely make your belly happy. Samadi puts on a pretty cool market on Sundays - check it out!
Julia loves the concept of this fitness center. Downstairs you'll find fitness classes that are circuit based: 45min, 10 different stations. You can start at any time in the morning or afternoon, so this is perfect to move on holiday without following a strict schedule. Upstairs you'll find a room for yoga classes, which are taught by the beautiful soul of Erin, Julia's favorite yoga teacher!
Yoga Barn is located in the heart of Ubud, but it's surrounded by the jungle that makes you completely forget where you are. They have all sorts of yoga classes here that are spectacular. Julia's favorite is the Healing Meditation. Everyone must experience this! During this 1h30min session, 3 musicians play different instruments while you lay down in deep healing meditation.
EAT GOOD FOOD
The spot to take an insta shot … with your favorite Bonito Jewelry maybe? Make sure you try the açai bowl!
All the food here is locally resourced, with most of the options being vegetarian, this is where you'll find some of the best dishes in Bali. A bonus: they have a sliding poll and a tobogan inside!
As you would know - we love to give back! This indonesian restaurant is 100% Plant Based (vegan) and gives 100% of its profits to the people and the places that need it most.
The coffee is delicious, the wifi is excellent, and the croissants are soft, but beyond the basics of what is essential to our work space, the lounge is full of art!
Put your #1 outfit on and enjoy latin asian fusion exquisite dishes. Don’t forget to check out the bathroom, we hear it’s pretty cool ;P.
GO OUT IN STYLE
Straight out of a movie, the details in this bohemian hub are impressive. La Brisa is our go to place to watch the beautiful Balinese sunset with a delicious cocktail in hand as well as swaying palm trees and a hot soundtrack to top it all off.
Now you could go to Pretty Poison - the hot spot to be to watch some pretty sweet skateboarding, but we have something even more epic for you. Right next to Pretty Poison you'll see a 7Eleven type of shop. Go in, open the fridge, and inside you'll find the Black Cat bar!
#DOINGBONITO
Environmental trash walk in the morning
Humans, animals and plants all need unpolluted water to survive. Bali struggles to keep its water clean as rubbish often ends up in the ocean. Connect on Facebook with Canggu TrashWalk. They have trash walks every weekend at the beach. Even if you don't go with them, if you are walking at the beach, pick up the rubbish you see! We are all responsible for the world we live in!
