Can't choose between Bali and Sri Lanka? We decided to compare our impressions of Bali and Sri Lanka and describe the main pros and cons that we noticed during our vacation. Of course, the impression of the place is influenced by the mood and the people with whom you travel, but there are some things that we cannot influence. We hope that this article will help you look at Bali and Sri Lanka from a different perspective and decide on a vacation destination that suits you best.

Bali

pros

1. 1. You can fly through Singapore, up to 4 days transit stay is free (if you have a ticket for a flight to a third country, because if not transit, you need a visa).
   2. Bali does not require a visa. (up to 30 days stay)
   3. In many places you can pay by card, but almost always with a commission of 1.5-3% (what we have seen).
   4. There are beaches with white sand, but in a rather pretentious area where everything around is expensive, the coastal line is 5 * hotels and beach clubs, where there are no inexpensive cafes nearby (if you look, you can eat at prices slightly lower than in Moscow).
      

      There are low tides on the beach, the water goes far and becomes very shallow, there is almost nowhere to swim.

      

   5. You can find bike rentals almost anywhere (almost, but not everywhere).
   6. Rice terraces (entrance fee may apply).

      

   7. Surfing.
   8. Some places have a Starbucks coffee shop.

      

   9. More civilization and shops.
   10. There are waves almost everywhere, but there is also the sea, where the waves can be small).
       

       and the ocean, in some places also small waves.
       

       
       
   11. Pleasant climate.
   12. There are volcanoes, including inactive ones, that you can climb (not cheap).
   13. Lots of waterfalls worth visiting.

       

   14. The locals (Balinese) are responsive and in which case they rush to help.
   15. There are taxis, street ones (expensive and they try to breed) and ordering a taxi through the Uber, Grab applications (cheaper, but when recalculating the cost per km, it turns out like a taxi in Moscow. In many places around the island there are signs calling not to use applications for ordering a taxi, how much once called, there were no problems). There is also a Go Jack motorcycle taxi, but for two it is more profitable to take a taxi car.
   16. All the drinking coconuts that we came across there were gigantic, there was a lot of one for two.

       Large cocoon, more than a liter of coconut milk

Minuses

1. No public transport, ie. there are some Kura-kura buses, but they were more expensive for two than a taxi through Grab.
2. Drove-bred, many street taxis greatly inflate the price of the trip, and if the taxi driver has a meter, at the end of the trip it may turn out that it is “broken” and the taxi driver will name the amount himself, naturally in his favor.
3. The police are scammers, if there is no international license and you are stopped on a bike, they can say that this is a very serious violation and you need to give all the money you have (this is not so, to pay off the normal price is about 50 thousand local money).
4. They earn on everything, for a waterfall (to go to it) - pay, for a volcano - pay, for a beach, or rather parking near the beach - pay, for entering the territory - pay (here the driver had to pay, got on this in Jimbaran, although on there was no toll collector on the neighboring road). Doctors and those sold pills three times more expensive.
5. Quite expensive cafes, if you want to eat non-local food like rice with hellishly spicy chicken or fish, you will have to pay something like in Moscow cafes, but if the place is less touristy, then you can find very tasty food at a normal price.
6. There are places where the locals do not speak English at all, but a SIM card with internet and google translator can fix the situation.
7. Far from everywhere the roads are of normal width, in many places they are right along the width of a minivan, no more.
8. Tasteless local tea (which is in hotels).
9. They say that in most places Luwak coffee is fake, but we didn’t even try it, because we don’t understand coffee anyway.
10. Entrance to most temples is for locals only.

1) The rate at the airport is not favorable, it is better to change in the city, but you need to look at the rate in advance in order to know approximately how much you should receive after the exchange, because there are scammers who write a very high rate and when exchanging some of the money they clean up for themselves, and you you may not even notice. It is better to exchange in banks.
2) Be sure to read about the reverse flow, it will come in handy in life.
3) Taxi drivers at the counter at the airport, at the exit from the airport, greatly inflate the price, it’s worth estimating how much it costs to get to the hotel using applications and either find wi-fi and order a taxi through the application, or find someone who is cheaper.

Sri Lanka

1. 1. You can fly through Dubai, where a visa is free for 30 days (they didn’t check if they let you with an Israeli stamp in your passport).

      

   2. There is public transport (trains, buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, bikes).

      

   3. There are rental bikes, but you have to look.
   4. Tea plantations (we did not go on a tour, but in principle you can go to them for free).

      

   5. The train from Nuwar Eliya to Ella, the road is beautiful, if you take a first class ticket (about 500 rubles per person, and 2 and 3 class less than 100 rubles per person, but does not guarantee a place), then you can not crowd with locals and not be afraid that your they will take a seat in the carriage, although we spent the whole journey on the footboard of the carriage.

      View from Nuwara Eliya to Ella

   6. Surfing.

      Learning to surf in Sri Lanka =)

   7. Less civilization and shops.
   8. More historical places to visit.
   9. Tourists are not so bred for money, for example, the ascent to Adam's Peak is free.
   10. More religious overall than Bali.

       

   11. We met more kind people who were ready to help.
   12. Tasty tea.
   13. There is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, you can see how the elephants are bathed.
   14. There are no volcanoes that can delay a flight.
   15. Blue intercity buses are funny and cool, in the evening such a bus looks like a disco on wheels, because there is blue lighting inside and music is playing)).

   Minuses

   1. Almost nowhere you can use a card with money, there are no terminals and ATMs, cash is accepted everywhere.
   2. You need to make a visa, it used to cost about $ 40, you can do it via the Internet, quickly and conveniently.
   3. No Starbucks.
   4. Waves (I don’t remember places where they would be very small, we apparently weren’t in such).
   5. Some buses have either been used for a long time, or are poorly maintained, and may break down along the way.
   6. Buses do not stop completely at stops, but slow down and people jump into them on the go, a couple of times they started to go very slowly for us so that we could jump in with our suitcases.
   7. if the attraction is closed, you will know about it after the fact. Excursions to them are still held, and then it’s like “oh, we didn’t know.” (Lighthouse Dondra).

   1) Keep track of the days of the full moon, they have a day off on this day and few people work, it may have less effect on tourist places, but public transport may not run.
   2) It is better to take a taxi at the airport at the official counter, as it will most likely be cheaper.

I have been asked to do this post for a very long time, and I promised to do it a bunch of times, but there is still no time .. Yesterday, something appeared in the mood to quit everything and do it, and in a couple of days I mastered it. I tried to be very brief, but the post still turned out to be huge.

Attention! It's all purely SUBJECTIVE! Although I lived in some countries for a year or two, everything is still built solely on my own experience, which can be very different from other people.

For more than 5 years of continuous travel, I have lived in principle in all the main countries of Southeast Asia, where everyone goes on vacation or winter.

These are: Indonesia (Bali, Java and other islands), Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Nepal, India (Goa). Now it's Vietnam.

She also spent several days in Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, and lived in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, for a month. Well, in general, it was in all the capitals of all the main countries of Southeast Asia.

Now, in principle, I don’t care where I live, inside everything has changed a long time ago and the whole planet is my home. But, a very desirable condition for me is the presence of the ocean nearby. Somehow I find it easier and more pleasant when he is here, behind my back. We do not like cities and we love the sea, even if we go to it once a month. Only once in five years we lived without the sea - in the north of Thailand, in Chiang Mai, and rather quickly went south and lived the next year on Koh Samui on the second line - with the sea within half a minute of availability. We then returned to Koh Samui again, because the island is very pleasant and comfortable for life.

In five years, I have never been bored enough to want to return. We flew to Russia for the first time this summer, to show the child, to see everyone. It was very pleasant, but after a couple of months I already wanted to go back, somewhere else, and we flew to the next new country for us - Vietnam.

Somewhere in the third year of travel, a small camera broke down, plus at the same time, euphoria and the desire to share everything with everyone subsided, just life began, without a camera window, I fell out of love with taking pictures myself even more, and therefore there were very few photographs from the last countries.

In Vietnam, we now have the owner of the house - a very cool friend of about 60 years old (although he looks 45), he lived in the USSR in the 80-90s for 20 years. He speaks excellent Russian, listens to Lyube, Yuri Antonov and Alla Pugacheva. Our child is called “my dear Tymofiy” and is generally very positive and easy to communicate with.

In all countries there are many delicious, fresh and natural vegetables and fruits, often it is possible to live near fishing villages, where there is a wide variety of fresh seafood. True, they became a little expensive after the jump in the dollar.

As for food, if you don’t like even a little spicy (like me), it’s better to ALWAYS say for each dish that you need to completely “know spicy” and convey to them with all your appearance that this is important for you) Even in this case in India they often brought me a very spicy dish, even if I said it was for a child.

In most Southeast Asian countries, it is bad with dairy products, except for India and Nepal. But still, almost everywhere there is cottage cheese, sour cream, produced by Russians from fresh products. But expensive.

Internet approximately the same in all Southeast Asian countries with some nuances. Almost everywhere it is mostly mobile and basically there are no unlimited plans.

It is difficult to say whether the Internet is weak or strong) Compared to another 2-3 years of difference, it may seem hoo to me in some other country. And if you compare it with Russia, of course, the Internet is weak everywhere.

Much depends on where you live, in particular, even in two different houses with a difference of 100 meters, the speed and stability may vary. We came up with a lot of things to strengthen the mobile Internet - a taller router, a modem on a cable and on a bamboo stick in a rain bag much higher under the roof. Such things sometimes simply saved when it turned out that not a single Internet catches in a house rented for several months. And sometimes everything is fine and it turns out a long stable period with the Internet. And then you move somewhere and again it is almost gone.

Now the situation with the Internet in Thailand is getting better and better. In Goa, for example, we also brought unlimited Internet to our house. There is always Wi-Fi in guest houses, but a lot also depends on the number of residents and how much they like to watch movies online in the evenings.

People in Southeast Asia mostly very open and friendly, positive and relaxed. On the one hand, this is very, very nice. When you live for years, almost never meeting with gloomy faces, aggression.
On the other hand, they are just as relaxed in business and they also have many religious and national holidays, and if you do some business with them, then “tomorrow” can easily stretch for a month or even more.

Plus, they also have such a “trick” - they really don’t like to say “no” and sometimes they can point in the wrong direction at all, but they don’t admit that they don’t know the way. Or they will say that they will do something - they will bring it into the house, they will not do anything else.

For some reason, in Southeast Asia, such a thing as karma is felt more strongly. All more or less mature and conscious people do not need to be explained that the laws of the universe like a boomerang, cause and effect, and other laws of energy distortions really work, although sometimes they are delayed and therefore little realized. In general, the meaning is that if everything is in order with your karma, then you will live calmly and safely, receive various pleasant miracles from Asian countries as a gift. If somewhere you have a bias with categoricalness, such things as claims, bias, resentment, malice and other inadequacy are strongly expressed, then you will definitely get an answer in some form. Although, of course, illnesses or difficult situations are not always the answer for something, and sometimes vice versa, a blessing with the goal that you reevaluate and change something in life. Everything is subtle here, but the fact that the energy of these countries is stronger and more mobile has been noted for a long time.

What else..

Most countries may ask for a return ticket(if you, for example, take a one-way ticket). You can make a return ticket, for example,.

If you have an accident in any Southeast Asian country and a local resident suffers, you can be almost sure that in any case the police will be on his side. And in some cases, you can also seriously get from the locals. Drive very carefully! And be sure to always have insurance. This is really important, posts often appear in communities that someone has crashed in an accident and is in the hospital without insurance, where huge bills are issued and all Russians begin to chip in to help the person.

Insure on such trips, Liberty24 is usually best advised right now. There you can insure even if you have not returned to Russia for a long time. But it’s hard for me to judge by the quality of their services – I haven’t used them yet. But despite this, I continue to insure every period of my stay in a new country, although it has now become quite expensive.

BUT! Forgot to include insurance in the list above. But we can say that these are other costs. It will cost approximately $50 per month. The longer the payment term, the cheaper.

And now, I will briefly go over the countries (only my subjective feelings):

I am trying to write here only some things that have some practical use for understanding what is waiting in this country. Without enthusiasm and descriptions of the best places.

THAILAND

Generally:
At first, we flew to Phuket, somehow disappointed (it was still under New Year, everything was expensive and somehow uncomfortable) and immediately flew to the north of the country - to the city of Chiang Mai. We lived there for two months, in principle a wonderful city, there is a wonderful zoo where there are pandas and you can feed many animals from your hands. There are beautiful temples, in particular, an excursion to this snow-white temple of one famous innovator, excursions to the preserved villages of the Karen tribe (with long-necked women), which are actually more recreated for tourists. But then we met the New Year in hats and jackets, got frostbite on our ears and went to the sea.

We mostly lived in Thailand on the island of Koh Samui for about a year.

In addition, we traveled around the south of the country on a motorcycle, independently made vizarans to Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma), traveled along the Golden Triangle, stopped by Krabi and other places, traveled a lot in the Muslim non-tourist south, where no one speaks English, lived a little on the island of Koh Lanta.

Koh Samui is a beautiful island, developed, yet calm enough to feel relaxed, nice to relax with children and, for example, drive a scooter, even if you don’t know how to do it well.

Koh Samui

beaches of Koh Samui

It’s good there and on the small neighboring islands - we went there with friends to snorkel and just take a walk on the snow-white sand.

On Koh Samui, we even somehow took part in the annual international sailing regatta.

Visas:
Since recently, everything has become very confused with visas, I don’t know all the details now. They promise to make more convenient long visas for Russians over the next few months.

So far, there seems to be a single tourist for 3 months and a double (when you need to leave the country once for another neighboring one). These visas must be obtained at the embassy or through a travel agency and then extended from travel agents in Thailand.

Houses:
Thailand (in particular, I'm talking about Koh Samui) is beautiful because it's really possible to rent a house on the first line (that is, with the sea a few steps from the house). In addition, there is never a tsunami on Koh Samui thanks to the bay.

2017

Generally:
I thought for a long time that Vietnam is about the same as Cambodia. It turned out not at all. More civilized, more interesting and more pleasant. The sea is better. In Mui Ne, where we settled, there are activities such as surfing, windsurfing and, of course, kiting (because the wind blows here most of the time, and the heat is much better tolerated).

At sea, most often there are waves, but not the same as, for example, in Sri Lanka, where it was often scary to enter the water. The sea is like Goa good beaches, there are medium waves, there are very calm beaches.

And the presence of a large number of Russians makes Mui Ne very similar to Goa. Mui Ne is also called the “Russian village”, this is true, there are a lot of Russians here and many locals know our language. There are Russian doctors and other specialists. But there is not that special spirit here, there are no freaks and hippies, as in Goa.

But in general, Vietnam is an excellent combination of comfort, cheaper prices than in most other Southeast Asian countries, as well as friendliness, new, clean houses, including within walking distance from the sea. So we stay here for more than half a year.

There is a good live group in Russian in Mui Ne Telegram - @real_muine_locals Contact us, they will always tell you everything there!

Visas:
To get a visa, it is best to issue an invitation online from a travel agency for $ 15 per person for 3 months. Then at the border you will get a visa for 3 months free of charge (for Russians). Then we extend it with the help of a travel agency or make a visa run to the border with a neighboring country. Not expensive. If you need a trusted agency in order to quickly make an invitation online, write to me, I will share it.
In general, Vietnam is a comfortable country to live long. How long - has not yet specified) But in general, cheap and loyal.

Houses:
In Mui Ne, you can easily rent a house or a guesthouse in a five-minute walk by the sea. The main difference from the same Goa is that there are much more clean modern houses and guest houses, everything is comfortable and pleasant, there is a lot of greenery and flowers, it pleases the eye, there is no devastation.
It is probably impossible to rent a house in Nha Trang, only apartments and expensive ones. Or hotel rooms for long stays. Most of the hotels are facing the sea. There are offers from 100-150 dollars a month for a room or apartment.

Transport:
Ordinary scooters, motorcycles. The average rent is $100-150 per month. You can buy a scooter, the average price is 250-300 dollars. This time we did not shoot, but bought. Before leaving, we will sell for the same price, it turns out that we went for free.

People, language:
The language is complex, people are very friendly, but they hardly understand English. It's good that some speak Russian, and in general a lot of Russians, otherwise with such English it remains only to explain on the fingers, and then it rarely turns out successfully.

Food:
The first country where on every corner there are dishes of crocodiles, snakes, cobras, ostriches, kangaroos, frogs, insects and so on. Haven't tried it and don't plan to.
The same baguettes as in Cambodia (where there was also a French colony), Vietnamese coffee according to its brewing system and with condensed milk. Everything is delicious and varied. Mui Ne is a fishing village, so there is a lot of seafood. Lots of green tea - pu-erh and others. Natural 100% cocoa, own coffee, many different healthy products. In every pharmacy, honey with ginseng, "magic" lingzhi mushroom and much more. I like)
Prices are probably cheaper than in many other countries - Bali, Thailand.

Infrastructure, entertainment:
In Mui Ne, it is still little understood. Seasonality here is quite pronounced - everything comes to life from November. There are clubs, restaurants with live music.
The main entertainment here is kiting, surfing, windsurfing. There are a lot of schools and those who do this. They promise that the whole sea will be occupied by skiers.

We also lived a little, for example, in Nha Trang - this is the most popular Vietnamese resort. It's full of entertainment all year round. Clubs, restaurants, music, children's parks, etc.

INDONESIA (Bali and other islands)

Generally:
A beautiful country and the island of Bali is especially wonderful.

Bali is one of the favorites on my list, although when we live there for a long time, we are drawn to go somewhere else.
On the one hand, this is such a curly island in every sense, such a village of hobbits. It is much richer and much less populated than the other islands of Indonesia. In the same neighboring Java, there are as many people as in Russia (150 million, only the density is huge - 1061 people per 1 square km). In total, Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands and more than 250 million inhabitants. Bali itself has about 4 million inhabitants, the total area of ​​the island is 6 thousand square kilometers.

Bali has a lot of greenery, flowers, especially in tourist places. Lots of frangipani flowers. There are a lot of beautiful carved houses. No high-rise buildings are being built here.

But Bali is not a bounty island at all.

It is huge and different. And there is also the other side of Bali - this is rubbish along the roads, serious traffic, traffic jams, garbage in the sea (depending on the season, specific beaches, etc.), corruption, there are many ordinary, not the most beautiful, rather poor houses.

In addition, everywhere except the south the sand is black or gray.

There's a "South" in Bali is a peninsula and south coast where surfers and tourists are concentrated. We mostly live in the south, but we also lived in Ubud for a while.

Have Ubud- this is a town where yogis, raw foodists and vegetarians, lovers of all kinds of creative activities, mostly love to live. Ubud is the bohemian capital of Bali, a town where artists and a variety of artisans live and exhibit, sell their products. There are many art galleries, pleasant interesting cafes and very beautiful carved stone houses in emerald moss. Balinese in general are very talented people. In the evenings, many of them voluntarily gather in amateur circles, theaters, play, sing, and dance. All houses are very beautiful, almost every house has its own beautiful temple in the yard. But Ubud is 1.5-2 hours from the sea, including traffic jams.

Ubud is famous for rice fields.

There is an East- Amed and other places where diving and snorkeling reign. It is also very beautiful here, there are much fewer people. We traveled east to north during the rainy season and unlike the south, where it rained daily, it was dry and very pleasant. The island is large, and the weather and beaches on it are very different.

There is a "North"- This is Lavina, the old capital of Bali - Singharaja. There is already black sand on the beaches. First of all, people come here to swim with dolphins - either on boats at dawn to look for dolphins in the sea, or to swim directly with small dolphins in the pool.

There is a West– we haven’t been there yet) Tourists or expats rarely live there.

Bali is for many primarily surfing. There are a lot of Australian tourists here.

The "chip" of Bali is a variety of beaches. There are many surfers, "secret", in the rocks, almost no one is the same in essence, all are very different. And a powerful ocean. These are big waves, strong sea smells, bright colors (boats, sailboats, kiters, flags).

There are black beaches with an admixture of volcanic sand - but it is not pleasant to swim and sunbathe on them.

There is some very dense, strong and kind energy in Bali. I felt it as soon as I flew there, and I had the feeling that I had flown home. We lived here for more than 2 years, managed to feel and understand a lot during this period. And I think we will definitely be back. It is very good to raise a small child there - there are many excellent kindergartens, there are good international schools. There is a famous international Green School with very interesting and innovative schooling ideas.

Visas:
Now Russians can fly to Bali without a visa at all and stay for 1 month. But those who want to live longer need to immediately apply for a special tourist (social) visa, which can be extended for another 4 months directly in Bali with the help of agencies. There is a good detailed post about what and how for this visa.

That is, Russians can live for 5-6 months, depending on how long they initially give this tourist (social) visa - for 1 or 2 months. Then fly out of the country to some neighboring country such as Malaysia and again get the same visa and live again for 5-6 months. And so on. There are no restrictions on living a certain number of days a year for Russians.

Houses:
Settling very close to the sea is not realistic.

But you can settle in 5-10 minutes from the sea on a bike. If you are planning to surf, then it is most convenient to settle somewhere “on Bukit” - i.e. on a peninsula where surfer beaches are concentrated. If you have a family vacation with children, Nusa Dua, Seminyak is the best. If you want to light up at parties, this is Kuta.

In Bali, you can rent good houses with 2-3 bedrooms, with a swimming pool for 400-500 dollars. We rented an average house for about $250-400, rented both guest houses (a floor or an apartment in a guest house) and studio apartments, various options.
Once we filmed great house with 4 bedrooms and a huge hall and a beautiful garden and pool for $ 400 per month for a company. But he was quite far from the sea (2 hours drive) and was in an ordinary local village, where there were no other tourists or whites, and almost none of the inhabitants understood English.

One of the guesthouses we stayed in Ubud:

Transport:
You can rent almost any scooter, motorcycle, car. The police stop quite often, raid tourists without international rights or without helmets. But usually you can get off with a fine of about 300 rubles. The traffic is quite intense and there are often traffic jams in the center. Although, we must pay tribute to the Balinese - they recently built a large road across the sea, they are doing something, they are unloading the main road.
Riding a bike is unrealistic - heavy traffic, no paths for cyclists. There are public buses "Kura kura". Taxi is expensive.

People, language:
Few of the locals speak Russian, unlike those in Cambodia and Vietnam. But their own language is very simple.
There is a common language - Indonesian. There is also Balinese. In general, in Indonesia, each island has its own language and a person from Bali will not understand the own language of the neighboring island of Lombok. Therefore, on all the islands of Indonesia, everyone mostly speaks Indonesian. The language has no declensions, conjugations, articles, practically no tenses and a very, very simple pronunciation. For example, “kaki” is a leg, “lacki” is a man, “kaki laki” is a man’s leg) You can learn Indonesian at least for everyday conversations very quickly. This is a huge plus for the country.

The Balinese amaze with their attitude to spirits - they make offerings to spirits once or twice a day, their attitude towards death - festive cremations (we were once at the cremation of a member of the royal family) and their constant ceremonies, holidays, festivals.

Also on each island they have their own religion. We rode a motorcycle to different islands to the east of Bali (with the help of a ferry we moved on a motorcycle between the islands). These are the so-called Lesser Sunda Islands - Lombok, Sumba, Flores, Komodo and Rincha (where giant Komodo monitor lizards live). For a month we traveled around Java (there we also got married and registered a child - in the capital of Indonesia, the city of Jakarta). And when you go from Bali, you see this picture: Bali (mostly Hinduism plus their beliefs in spirits) - Lombok (mostly Muslim) - Sumba (Christians, their own religion, a little Islam) - Flores (mostly Catholic).

We traveled around these islands for about a month and it was the best trip in all five years, very interesting. We watched the Komodo dragons, even managed to go to an island with an erupting volcano, got into an earthquake on the island of Flores, which often happen there (after all, this is the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes bordering the Pacific Ocean), looked at the colorful lakes in the crater of the Kelimutu volcano, we almost reached the Indonesian Papuans (half of the island of Papua belongs to Indonesia) and there were many other interesting things.

We also traveled in Java for a total of a month and saw the famous temple complexes of Borobudur and Prambanan, drove close to the recently erupted Merapi volcano, visited the city of Jogjakarta, looked at huge tea plantations, there were a lot of interesting things.

Borobudur temple complex

stroked the Komodo dragon in the capital of Indonesia - Jakarta

Prambanan temple complex in Java

at the site of a major eruption of the Merapi volcano in Java

But to live, of course, is best in Bali.

Food:
In tourist cafes there are a lot of delicious things, a variety of directions.
But directly the usual Indonesian food is not quite diverse, mainly fried rice with seafood, chicken or vegetables, all sorts of fried overcooked pieces of meat or dough, dishes with tofu. Nothing particularly interesting.

Infrastructure, entertainment:

In Bali, there are trendy shopping centers, and huge supermarkets, and art parties, nightclubs, pool parties, concerts are held (for example, on the Old New Year, Cord began to come and perform for free, etc.). Of all the countries in Southeast Asia, Bali is probably the most suitable place if you want to live quite fun and varied. Lots of foreigners. Lots of Australian youngsters who come here to surf and drink.

Bali is such a mixture of preserved, rather little spoiled culture and life and modern amenities, surfer tourists and party-goers.

In Bali, my husband and I did a course on how to go to Bali for a long time. The course has not yet been completed, I do not have time to finish a number of chapters, but even now there are already great amount interesting and valuable, practical information, including details about renting houses, etc. But due to the fact that it is a little unfinished, it costs only $30, plus my help and answers to questions. If so, write to my contacts.

GOA (INDIA)

Generally:
At first I didn't really like Goa, but then I really liked it. We lived there last season for 9 months (although the official season is 6). I am talking about North Goa - it is usually referred to as "Goa". But there is also South Goa, where there are less populated areas and beaches.

We arrived there in September, when another 2/3 of the shops, cafes, shops were closed. In early November, everything magically opened up and started working. But there was almost no rain even at the beginning of autumn, it was quite pleasant to live. The further to winter, the more interesting, livelier it became, the sea and beaches are cleaner. Supermarkets were opened with delicious products, such as fresh dairy products and all kinds of organics, with Ayurvedic cosmetics.

Goa is a very relaxed place. Most of all I like long beaches with shacks - open cafes with mattresses and sunbeds. Many are going to sunset (sunset), music starts playing, someone is doing yoga, someone is spinning poi or something else. When we arrived in Goa, we almost did not work for the first month, we only went every day to cafes and beaches. The child was also very comfortable there both on the beach and in shek - he was then about 6 months old.

We left Goa in June. There is very comfortable weather in the season, no high humidity and intense heat - from November to March it's just fine. In January it gets quite cold in the evenings, but there are enough jackets and pants. In March, the heat begins slowly. In May-June, it is really already strong, but in general it is quite possible to live. The main rains are in July-September.

There are several distinct areas (villages) in Goa - Arambol, Ashvem, Mandrem, Morjim, Siolim, Vagator, Baga, Calangute, etc. All of them differ in their spirit, people, prices. We also lived in the center - Siolim, Mandrem, and spent a lot of time in Arambol - there are the hippest beaches with sheks, where most people come to watch the sunset. Baga, Candolim, Calangute and other areas - charter package tourists are usually brought there and in spirit these areas are very different from Arambol and others. It turns out that you can visit Goa and not even feel its real hippie atmosphere.

Arambol

Visas:
Indian visa is obtained only at the embassy for 3 or 6 months. In Russia, an Indian visa is usually given for 6 months. In other countries, they can only give for 3 months. We specifically went to Sri Lanka again to the town of Kandy in the mountains to get there for 6, because in the capital of Sri Lanka for the first time we were given a visa for only 3. We thought that 3 would be enough for us, but we wanted to stay longer . As a result, we lived in Goa for 9 months. The cost of a 6-month visa for 1 person is $100.

Houses:
There are many two-story houses where you can rent an apartment with 1-2 bedrooms. You can live right by the sea in a guesthouse or in a house or apartment.
We expected lower prices. My husband lived in Goa about five years ago and, according to his recollections, everything was cheaper. At first we rented a large apartment with a good, new renovation for about $ 400, practically opposite the sea.
Then, with the onset of the season, it became very noisy there - constant music, fireworks, drunken Russians sing "it's time to rejoice," and it was expensive, given the recent doubling of the dollar. And we moved to a house in the country (outside the tourist areas) for about 250-300 dollars. There we had our own large yard, where we could light a fire in the evenings and bake something, right behind the yard there was a river. Cows, dogs, monkeys, chickens came to visit us, beautiful birds flew in - the child was interested in life.

Transport:
You can rent scooters, or the legendary, beautiful Indian motorcycles Royal Enfield can be more expensive. We rented different scooters and motorcycles. The price, as elsewhere, is 100-200 dollars per month.

People, language:
Indians most often speak English well, albeit with a strong accent. It is sometimes difficult to understand them, but in general it is possible to communicate normally.

People are very kind and open. Mostly Catholics in Goa. Our hostess repeated to us a hundred times that she was happy to rent the house to us, because this is how little Dzhizas will live in her house - well, that is, Jesus, that is, a white child) And now I will be like a daughter to her. Constantly brought something "delicious" to a 6-month-old baby - for example, soda, chips, spicy fried pies. But in general, the owners were the nicest people, we even thought to come next year to Goa, too, and to the same house, so we agreed with them, but now we liked Vietnam so much that we decided to stay here to live.

Indians are very open in expressing their emotions - not only women, but also men happily ran up to the child, they even took pictures and videos of him alone, picked him up, glowed with happiness.

Food:
The food is very tasty. I immediately attacked the cakes, after Nepal I felt weak for them. The cafe has a variety of cuisines, including, of course, Russian and, for example, Israeli, because. many Israelis come to Goa.
But often very spicy, and it was in Goa that they didn’t want to hear me that I want something not spicy at all. Even kefir with vegetables was peppered.
Delicious pressed cottage cheese - paneer. Well, in general, everything is fine with dairy products - our neighbors brought fresh milk from under the cow every morning to our house.

Infrastructure, entertainment:
Trance parties, freak festivals, concerts, all kinds of Russian parties and more. There are many interesting Russian people in Goa. For fun, the husband starred with friends in an Indian movie, which has even been released, he was still well paid for it.

CAMBODIA

Generally:
In Cambodia, the sea is only in one part of it - in Sihanoukville, well known to many. We lived there for several months. The sea is calm, nothing special. The town itself is not big, sharpened for tourism, there are many guest houses. Quite a lot of Russian restaurants.

We were in the capital Phnom Penh, and in the famous temple complex of Angkor Wat, and in the floating village, and in other interesting places.

But in general, Cambodia somehow didn’t catch on for a long stay. All in all, I don't want to go back there.

Visas:
I don't know how it is with visas in reality. We were offered and we took a business visa inexpensively right at the border and lived quietly for six months. I don’t know what’s next with the extension, there’s no time to look for conditions now, see for yourself. But it seems easy to leave and call in or extend for a long time.

Houses:
With houses in Sihanoukville, things turned out to be more difficult than it seemed to be in Cambodia. Maybe because we were there in the very season - we celebrated the New Year there. We went there in the hope that everything would be much cheaper than Thailand. I don’t remember how much we rented accommodation there, for 200 something dollars, but the cheapest solution for us was to stay in a hotel room. Houses were more expensive and there were almost none. Houses are all some with a touch of abandonment, compared to Thailand devastation. It is also impossible to rent a house by the sea. But the hotel was half empty, overlooking the sea from the mountain, with its large terrace, and everything was pretty nice.

Transport:
So-so with transport. Jungle and off-road riding and enduro bikes are common in Cambodia, we filmed one for a while.

People, language:
It is not enough to really study the Khmer language, they did not try. People are simple, smiling, laugh a lot, despite the difficult military past.

Food:
The French colonial style is felt both in houses and in food. Only there, in a simple small shop, I saw a couple of options for brut champagne, cheese, salami - there was nothing like this in Thailand and Bali, I was surprised. Plus, of course, baguettes, frogs, a variety of very large menus in restaurants, Cambodian coffee with condensed milk and ice (as in Vietnam). Everything is quite interesting and tasty.

Infrastructure, entertainment:
There is nothing special to do in Sihanoukville in terms of entertainment, the infrastructure is underdeveloped. Quite a lot of Russian restaurants, well, Russian in general.

PHILIPPINES

Generally:
The first feeling from the Philippines is devastation. And devastation in some Mexican style. Well, perhaps because this is a former Spanish colony, everywhere there are figurines of Christ the Virgin Mary, names and names of people like Jose, Pedro and so on. And everything is colorful, the same jeepneys - bright buses, converted from American jeeps, painted, decorated, each is a completely unique work of art.

We lived on the island of Panglao, near the island of Bohol, where we also often visited. Were in the capital - Manila.
We did not get to the popular islands of Boracay, etc. Didn't swim with whale sharks. But the famous "chocolate hills" with tarsiers have been seen eating raw sea urchins.

Incredibly clean sea, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else. But often at the bottom of the beaches there are stones, corrals - on many beaches it is almost impossible to swim without slippers. Although the main beach of Panglao - Alona has a sandy bottom.

There we wonderfully snorkeled over a huge hollow, went to very beautiful islands. In principle, we are not engaged in diving yet and have not tried it there either.

This country has a rather high crime rate - there are guards with machine guns on the windows of kiosks and shops, in shopping centers, it is not recommended to leave things unattended on the beach. I don’t know if it’s because of Catholicism that there is such a difference with other Southeast Asian countries, or because of something else .. But everything was in order with us.

For some reason, I am still drawn to come there, for some reason I still have warm feelings from the Philippines. But often the memories and aftertaste of the country are also associated with the people with whom you spent time there. We were good friends there with a local guy, and with one Norwegian, and friends came to us, lived nearby for quite a long time.

There is no direct flight to Panglao and other popular islands, so Russians fly there less often than to many other countries in Southeast Asia. But still, there were a lot of Russians.

I also remember the wonderful Filipino street dogs. Very lazy and kind. We also picked up a wonderful, very smart dog there, which we had to leave later. We flew to Bali, and it’s almost impossible to bring dogs to Bali, and it’s difficult to travel with a dog.

Visas:
Visas can be extended on the spot, as a result, you can live in the Philippines for about two years without leaving. Convenient for long stays.

Houses:
We were looking for houses only on the island of Panglao. Therefore, I can only talk about this island. It was quite easy to find a house near the sea (you can also find it within walking distance, but it will be more expensive), average prices are $ 200-400 per house. We had a huge garden, a big house, our own fruits on the trees, three coconut palms - my husband often climbed for a coconut in the morning, and silence. It was very pleasant to live there.
We only had mobile Internet, very confused - we had to pay every five days, there was no longer term, but on the whole it was quite stable.

Our home in Panglao

Transport:
I do not remember. The usual conditions for scooters.

People, language:
A country where they speak English very well. I'm so used to the fact that I need to distort my pronunciation, simplify it so that the local population in other countries understands me, and then any saleswoman could correct my pronunciation towards the correct one.

Very musical people - they sing a lot in karaoke, bars and clubs, they organize festivals, they constantly sing, cleanly and in good English.

The main religion is Catholic Christianity. And there was a feeling that they really believe. At the same time, in the Philippines, for example, you can easily go to well-known healers.

Very cheap alcohol, even the local population drinks quite a lot of drinks like rum with Coca-Cola, beer. But at the same time, hardworking people, drunk the day before, do not stop them from working in the morning.

Food:
The food is simple. They love pork very much, they like to cook a lot of dishes for the holidays. But in general, the food is very simple, I didn’t remember any nuances of Philippine cuisine.

SRI LANKA

Generally:
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is huge. The part of Sri Lanka where everyone goes is a long coastal zone, where there are several villages, the most famous of which is Hikkaduwa, then after some interval there is the equally famous Unawatuna. We lived for almost half a year in Hikkaduwa. Plus, we went to a famous hotel with elephants - this is the view we had from the window:

You could look at the elephants there as much as you wanted and as close as you wanted, wash them and touch them.

In general, it turned out to be, one might say, a little more civilized and more expensive India.

A country in which, with all its advantages, there are quite large disadvantages for a long stay:

Everything is quite expensive, expensive houses. We rented not a small house, two-story, with a garden and monitor lizards and mongooses to boot, but it cost us $ 400 a month (including electricity and everything).

– not very good with local cheap cafes, there are practically no “edals” open during the day

- we lived from spring to August and all this time there were very strong waves - it was unrealistic to go into the sea without fear, lifeguards stood everywhere and drove tourists out. With a small child, it was somehow possible to swim in only one bay.
Although, as readers write to me, this is only during this period, and from autumn to winter the waves are completely normal)

The waves were deafeningly loud, plus in 2004 the tsunami that severely affected Thailand, Indonesia and other countries also claimed about 50,000 lives. This coastal zone was covered with waves over 15 meters high, it was very scary - we looked at the photos in the Tsunami Museum. Therefore, due to the noise of the waves and the fear of the tsunami, it was impossible to force ourselves to settle on the first line, and we settled on the other side of the road, but even there the sound of the waves was clearly audible. Plus, a train passes along the road several times a day and its beeps were also constantly heard.

Visas:
You can stay here for up to six months - you will need to extend the initial visa at a travel agency or at an immigration center.

Houses:
Houses, as I said, are quite expensive, on average - 400-500 dollars, and the owners did not want to bring down the price in any way, despite the fact that it was not the season. Almost none with modern renovations. Quite large monitor lizards, mongooses are frequent inhabitants of the garden, but they are quite safe and protect from snakes.

Transport:
I vaguely remember, it seems a common situation - there are basic scooters, motorcycles.

People, language:
The people are very open, everyone carried the child in their arms from the age of three months and try not to let these smiling people who immediately took him in their arms. Timosha cried at first, maybe because of the dark color of his skin, but then he really liked it, he smiled.

So he grew up in one or another village in his arms and has already become a very open and cheerful child, for which I am very grateful to Asia, and in particular to Sri Lanka and India.

Food:
The food is spicy, red pepper is added everywhere. Of the main Sri Lankan dishes - curry rice, kotu (a dish of dough or noodles, chopped vegetables and meat). In general, nothing particularly interesting in the national cuisine was remembered. Except, perhaps, the big clay bowls of buffalo yogurt. They were sold like that - in these thick-walled bowls, which it was not clear later what to do with.

Infrastructure, entertainment:
Here in Sri Lanka, it was not entirely clear to me what tourists should do here for a long time .. Swim, at least at this time (from spring to late summer) - mostly only in the pool or in some more peaceful place bay, which still needs to be reached every time. Excursions - through mines with semi-precious stones, look at elephants, a turtle farm, look at sometimes large turtles sailing. There are quite a few sights, entertainment such as clubs, cafes with live music, probably there are practically no - I don’t remember such. Is it just to live and live, as we did. And spending a lot of money on Sri Lanka - I would rather recommend another country. Although in Unawatuna the waves were smaller and it is more touristy.

The pool and the sea nearby are often found in this area of ​​Sri Lanka. But it’s easier in the pool, it was often scary to swim in the sea in those months when we were there - from spring to the end of summer.

NEPAL

Generally:
A very, very colorful country - the most interesting and original of all where I have been. The first feeling is the poorest and most destroyed of all where I have been. Now after the big earthquake, I'm scared to imagine what's going on there. Everywhere dust, broken roads.

We lived a couple of weeks in the capital - Kathmandu. Bright and pleasant impressions, very, very tasty, small restaurants on the roofs of old colorful houses. Beautiful pieces of local craftsmanship. Music with the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" is heard everywhere.

Then we went to a quieter place - to Pokhara. 6 hours on a difficult road along a serpentine road and we are in a town stretching in a valley at the foot of high mountains. We lived there for a couple of months.

Usually, everyone goes to Nepal to make a trek to the highest peaks of the world - thousands of people, because. in Nepal, out of the 14 world 8-thousanders, there are 8 pieces. The conquest of all 14 eight-thousanders of the planet is a very cool achievement among climbers and is called the "Crown of the Earth" - so far only a few dozen people have been able to do it. And including Everest (Chomolungma) is also located in Nepal. And it is precisely from Pokhara that all the tracks come out, many tourists come here and just live, and for this purpose. It is not necessary to climb to the top, you can just take a small track near the foot.

We saw thousands of people only like this from the plane. The rest of the time they were covered by clouds. They begin to disperse from October.

In Nepal there are famous, very beautiful stupas, temples, we also visited a temple with a crematorium in Kathmandu, we watched how the dead were burned at the stake on the river bank. There are a lot of red bricks, all kinds of antique products and decorative elements, colorful people, women in saris, immigrants from Tibet.

my husband did a time lapse on the most famous square with a stupa in Kathmandu. Now, after the earthquake, it is partially destroyed.

Tours to the mountains begin in October-November. We were there in August-September, and I was pregnant, so despite the fact that there seemed to be such a chance, we did not use it. Yes, and I'm not exactly a fan of tracks)

Lights are constantly turned off. Often. If it is not yet the season, then some hotels or houses do not turn on the generators, and as a result, you have to sit without electricity up to 5 times a day, on average from 1 to several hours. In general, the feeling is that there is always no light, it is impossible to work. I then had only one battery with a planted resource. It was after Nepal that I ordered myself another new one and a second new double (!) And they are saving me perfectly now in similar situations.

In general, living in Nepal is not as comfortable as in other countries, but, in principle, it is possible to get comfortable and get used to turning off the lights or having batteries.

Another minus of Nepal is that it is not a warm country all year round - somewhere in October-November, colds begin, in general it is very cold in winter. That is why they sell so many warm jackets, hats, pants and blankets - Nepalese go home in all this, because the houses are not heated.

But it is a very cheap country compared to many others. Here you can get a job even for $ 100 a month, or you can find something very, very simple, such as a room, even for 50.

The islands of Sri Lanka and Bali, located quite far from each other, have a lot in common. Therefore, it does not surprise me when tourists ask which is better: Sri Lanka or Bali. We decided to compare these two islands and help you decide which of these islands suits you best. The sizes of the islands are very different, but they are united by the fact that in a relatively small area you can find many very interesting sights. The beaches in both cases are very similar. These are not the most beautiful, but quite good beaches, where high waves are often observed. Both islands are among the TOP surf spots in Asia.
Now let's look at how these islands are different from each other.

Sri Lanka

The period from December to April is the best time of the year in Sri Lanka in terms of weather. True, this applies only to the western and southern coasts of the island, but these coasts are the most popular among tourists. This is where most of the famous hotels are located.

You need to get to Sri Lanka on flights with transfers, but usually the flight time to this country is relatively short and averages 9-10 hours. Many popular resorts in Sri Lanka are relatively far from Colombo airport. As a rule, the distance from Colombo airport to the resort is 90-110 km. This means that you will most likely have a long drive to your hotel. Also, you may have to pay for a taxi if you want to get to the hotel on your own.
There are many hotels in Sri Lanka, and most of them are located either near the beach or relatively close to it. There are many hotels on this island that offer an all-inclusive concept for their guests.
Excursions in Sri Lanka are quite diverse. You can visit places like old royal cities, tea plantations, elephant nursery, Royal Botanic Gardens. In addition, you can watch animals in national parks or for whales in the resort areas of Mirissa and Trincomalee.
Nightlife in Sri Lanka is relatively quiet, although the resort of Hikkaduwa is positioned as the best place for young people.

Bali

The biggest difference between Sri Lanka and Bali is the weather. In Bali, the high season lasts from May to October, while on the popular southwest coast of Sri Lanka, the weather is very rainy at this time of year. So when choosing a suitable place to stay, it is important to consider when you are actually going to vacation.
You will also have to get to Bali on flights with transfers, but the duration of the flight will be much longer than the duration of the flight to Sri Lanka. For example, the total flight time from Moscow to Colombo averages 9.5 hours, while the flight time to Denpasar in Bali averages 15 hours.
The popular resorts of Bali are located very close to the airport, which means that you do not have to spend a lot of time traveling from the airport to your hotel. If you want to order a taxi or a transfer from the airport to the hotel, then you will spend relatively little money on this.
Hotels in Bali are quite diverse. There are good beach hotels with a large area, but there are also many small city hotels, which include a small building with a few dozen rooms, a small pool, a restaurant and some other amenities. Often these hotels are located far from the beaches.
The sights of Bali are considered one of the main reasons for the popularity of the island. It offers a large number of excursions for every taste, but still there is a bias towards culture and history. That is, most excursions are trips to different temples and historical sites.
As for the nightlife, it is much more interesting than in Sri Lanka. In the popular resorts of Bali, there are many bars and clubs where you can have fun until the morning.

As you can see, despite the fact that Sri Lanka and Bali are very similar, these islands still have many significant differences. If you can determine what is most important to you, then it will not be difficult for you to choose the right place to stay.

So, it's decided: the next vacation will be spent on a distant, exotic, wonderful island. Maybe in Sri Lanka. Or maybe Bali. The point is small - compare and choose. But these two amazing corners of the world are so different that it is almost impossible to compare them. On each island there is something that will appeal to one tourist, but not to the liking of another. They can compete only in the cost of the flight.

Let's start with the fact that flying to Bali “for cheap” will not work at all: it is too far, so the ticket price will be a significant part of the cost of the trip. There is no way to spend a significant amount on the road - it is better to choose Sri Lanka, which will cost much less.

Both islands are popular destinations, many airlines fly there - there are plenty to choose from. However, there are almost no direct flights from Russia. “Almost” means that during the high season, tour operators can organize tours to both islands charter flights. But usually a ticket for a charter can only be bought as part of the tour. If the desire to be in the ranks of package tourists has long evaporated, then you need to deal with regular flights. The greatest choice, of course, with a departure from Moscow.

The main companies operating flights from Russia to Sri Lanka with one change:

• air arabia,
• FlyDubai,
• etihad Airways,
• emirates,
• Qatar Airways,
• China Eastern Airlines,
• srilankan Airlines,
• Turkish Airlines,
• S7 Airlines,
• Korea Air.

The most pleasant prices can be expected from the budget Air Arabia and FlyDubai: from $ 500 in both directions, but in some cases you will have to pay extra for luggage.

And here is a list of companies operating flights to Bali, also with one transfer:

• etihad Airways,
• emirates,
• Qatar Airways,
• Turkish Airlines,
• Korean Air,
• China Eastern Airlines,
• China Southern Airlines,
• singapore Airlines,
• Aeroflot.

The ticket price starts from $760 round-trip. Yes, in both cases, examples of high season prices are given. , but even in the most heavenly corner, rest at such a time is an amateur.

Even more attractive prices need to be “caught”. This is done in the following way. In advance (more than 3 months, and even better - half a year), having decided on the date of departure and finding out the average price for a ticket, you need to regularly check the websites of airlines and the websites of search engines-aggregators of air ticket offices. Everything is easier with airlines, subscribe to the newsletter - receive messages. Search engine sites should be viewed once every two days, at least. Both the airlines themselves and the air ticket offices often arrange discounts.

It is better not to take tickets with two, and even more so with three transfers, even if you really liked the price. The road is tiring, and having wound more than a day between heaven and earth, you will have to rest for two days from a difficult road. For residents of the European part of Russia, it is better to purchase a ticket with a transfer in the UAE or Qatar - conditions during the flight and at airports are better, the journey will take less time.

Taxi, train, bus and other means of transportation

With public transport in Sri Lanka, everything is in order and it is very cheap. However, the benefits may seem debatable - after traveling through the terrible heat in a 3rd class carriage, or a Normal bus (the cheapest) with no signs of air conditioning. By the way, from the Bandaranaike airport to the railway or bus station located in Colombo, you still need to get by bus. Almost all resorts are located quite far from the airport and the capital, the road will take from one and a half to 6-7 hours - a feature of Sri Lanka. Naturally, a taxi for such distances costs a pretty penny.

A bus ticket airport - bus station (or railway station) when converted into Russian currency costs about 20 rubles. The cost of a train ticket in a 3rd class car to Bentota (distance from Colombo 60 km) - the most respectable and well-equipped resort, is about 25 rubles, for the most budget bus - just over 30 rubles. A taxi from the airport (the distance to Bentota is about 90 km) will cost at least $ 45.

Fortunately, there are also intermediate options: private buses of varying degrees of comfort. Their disadvantage is that there is no clear schedule, they depart as they fill up. They cost 2-3 times more than the state ones. Within the resort, you can travel by tuk-tuks - this is an alternative type of taxi, a three-wheeled motorcycle with a roof.

But . Here, the best way to get around is a taxi, not even a very democratic airport one. For example, to the most comfortable resort - Nusa Dua (distance about 15 km), they will ask for no more than $ 11.

Another solution is to rent a car, this can be done right at the airport. Sri Lanka and Bali are places where sitting in one place for the whole vacation does not make much sense, and the distances are decent.

1. Renting a car in Sri Lanka will cost from $18 per day. With a driver - 2 - 3 times more expensive. You can arrange a rental in advance via the Internet - there are plenty of rental agencies, and you can get it only in Colombo, Negombo or the airport. To drive a Sri Lankan car, you need to be over 23 years old, have a driving experience of 2 years, get a temporary license from the Department of Road Traffic in Colombo. The procedure will take about 2 hours and will cost about 500 rubles (in terms of Russian money). But it is more convenient to issue an international driver's license ahead of time, where Sri Lanka will be on the list of allowed countries. Insurance is required.
2. . With a driver - 3 times more expensive. International driving license is also required, you can pre-arrange a rental via the Internet and get a car already at the airport. Driver must be at least 21 years of age. You can rent a car anywhere - even in a hotel. Of course, you still need to take out insurance in Russia.

: both in Sri Lanka and Bali.

Traffic in both countries is on the left side, and the driving style is a little chaotic. Therefore, renting a motorbike is only for experienced drivers with strong nerves and a quick reaction. Beginners should not be tempted by the low price of renting a moped.

Housing

In general, the resorts of both islands can be found relatively. “Decent” means unpretentious, small in size, but more or less clean. Will suit those who came to explore the island, and not with the level of development of hotel service.

As elsewhere in the world, during the high season, the best options in terms of price / quality ratio are snapped up like hot cakes. It is recommended to book a room in advance, immediately after buying a plane ticket (not vice versa).

• Housing prices in Negombo, the most affordable resort in Sri Lanka and closest to the airport, in the high season start from $ 7 - 8 / day for a double room with all amenities.
• Prices in Kuta, the most popular resort in Bali, during the high season also start from $7-8/day per room.

Things to keep in mind: Many booking systems offer the option of paying on the spot, upon arrival, cancellations without penalty, and regular promotions with significant price reductions. You need to monitor hotel offers carefully and regularly, when a suitable option is found, book immediately. If it comes to mind to change the travel route, you can safely refuse the reservation and find another accommodation. There are a lot of booking systems. As in the case of air tickets, there are search aggregators where you can compare the offers of several systems for the same hotel.

National dishes are relatively cheap and quite edible. Many cafes and restaurants perfectly serve European cuisine.

Citizens of the Russian Federation require a visa to visit Sri Lanka. It must be submitted electronically. How it's done? Very simple. A visa must be issued in advance, on the official website eta.gov.lk. There are no problems with obtaining a visa: now the site has a Russian version, which clearly explains how to fill out the form and pay a fee of about $ 30. This visa is valid for one month. It is advisable to take a printout of your visa with you.

For a visit - if the period of stay does not exceed 30 days.

Planning a route

Both during a holiday in Sri Lanka and in Bali, settling in one resort is categorically not recommended. Because there are a huge number of amazing places on these islands, and it is worth trying to see at least a small part of them. And there are no such resorts from where it would be convenient to make sorties to different parts of the island.

Very close to Bali there are numerous interesting islands. For example, the amazingly beautiful tiny Gili archipelago is a paradise for divers and lovers a relaxing holiday Outdoors.

A trip to Sri Lanka or Bali may not appeal to those who imagine a good resort as a mix of perfectly equipped beaches with a gentle entry into the sea, endless wide embankments lined with countless cafes and shops, grandiose entertainment complexes and colossal shopping centers. There are no such resorts - except perhaps Nusa Dua in Bali.

The islands will appeal to those who travel “with a purpose”. First of all, in order to catch a wave or admire the beauty of the underwater world. Southwest Bali is especially attractive for surfing, Uluwatu in the south is one of the best surf spots in the world. The “capital” of surfing in Sri Lanka is Weligama, located on south coast islands, good location and Arugam Bay, to the east.

In terms of diving and snorkeling, the best places in Bali are Amed and Chandidasa in the east, and Lovina in the north. The resorts of Hikkaduwa and Beruwala in the southwest, as well as Trincomalee and Pigeon Island in the east, are great for exploring the underwater world of Sri Lanka.

Both islands will give a lot of unforgettable impressions to connoisseurs of historical and architectural monuments. There are many stunning places in Sri Lanka, but first of all, these are the three ancient capitals that form the “Golden Triangle” in the center of the island: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Bali is famous for its landscape with a special irrigation system - Subak, created and existing in accordance with the traditional beliefs of the locals. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is highly recommended to visit the town of Ubud - it is the cultural capital of Bali. Bali is also known as the island of a thousand temples. The best of the best:

• Pura Besakih, the main and largest on the island, located at the foot of Agung volcano,
• Uluwatu, built on a high coastal cliff, is the most popular attraction,
• Pura Goa Lavah, striking a colony of huge bats.

Families with children, the elderly, beach lovers, as well as fans of comfortable hotels and developed infrastructure, need to approach the choice of a resort as carefully as possible. In Sri Lanka, it is worth taking a closer look at Negombo, Mount Lavinia, Beruwala, Bentota. On Bali the best choice will be Nusa Dua and Sanur.

Nightlife lovers should think carefully before making a choice in favor of Sri Lanka. Because there are almost no opportunities for fun pastime here. Of course, there are plenty of discos and bars in Colombo, but very bad beaches. Only Negombo and Mount Lavinia, two places in the immediate vicinity of Colombo, are worthy of the attention of party-goers. In Bali, there is no problem with noisy parties only in Kuta, the resort closest to the airport.

Sri Lanka is located just north of the equator and is located in the subequatorial monsoon climate zone. During the year, the amount of precipitation and the strength of the winds change significantly, and temperature fluctuations are small. The high, dry season starts in November and lasts until the end of March. This is the best time to visit the resorts of the southwest and south, as well as for visits to the central regions. The air temperature during the day on the coast is +30⁰ ... +33⁰, the water in the sea: +27⁰ ... +30⁰. The highlands are cooler and rainier.

From March to October, showers and winds rule in the west and south, so Sri Lanka may be of interest only to unpretentious tourists, staunch surfers and divers, although this is the high season on the northeast coast. The fact is that in the resorts of the northeast there are only weak traces of the tourist infrastructure. The best time to travel to Sri Lanka: the end of January and February.

Bali, a few degrees south of the equator, enjoys an equatorial monsoon climate, with little temperature fluctuation throughout the year and distinct dry and wet seasons. The high season starts at the end of May and lasts until the end of October. At this time, daily temperatures are +27⁰ ... +30⁰, the water in the sea "cools" not lower than +26⁰ ... +28⁰. The best months to visit are July and August.

And yet, with the right time to travel to Bali, not everything is so simple. If the west and south from November to April are not suitable for recreation - there are storms, the sea throws garbage ashore and it is impossible to swim, then the east coast is much friendlier. In the rainy season, you can even go diving here, although the sea gets a little cloudy. However, this period is not suitable for excursions: hot and rainy.

Purchases

The list of useful things that you can bring from Sri Lanka or Bali is very long. First of all, these are all kinds of spices and fruits. Then come batik and jewelry. Sri Lanka is rich in all kinds of precious stones - sapphires are especially good,. Well, how can you not buy tea in Sri Lanka, and in Bali - branded coffee called luwak.

So which is better? Perhaps, vacation dates will help you make a choice in favor of one or another island: if it falls between November and March, then Sri Lanka is suitable, and from May to October it is better to relax in Bali. The cost of the flight also contributes its “five kopecks”: a family or a company will save a lot if they decide to choose Sri Lanka: the price for a ticket to Bali is 50% more expensive. Otherwise, they are so good - each in its own way, that it is worth visiting both.

The possibility of scuba diving will allow everyone to see the rich water world of the Indian Ocean.

There are many professional spa centers in Bali. In them you can lie down and enjoy a massage, as well as undergo a number of wellness treatments for the body and face. The masseuses on the island are proficient in various types of massages - from traditional Balinese to reflexology.

Visitors to Bali will appreciate a huge number of restaurants - French, Italian. If you wish, you will try different cuisines - Indonesian, Chinese, Thai. Many cuisines and dishes will not leave any tourist hungry!

Sri Lanka or Bali? The choice is difficult, but possible! On each island you will find something to your liking - to dive, have a tasty and exquisite meal, just lie on the beach, search for sunken ships or relax with a spa salon. Now, having learned what they offer in Sri Lanka and Bali, decide where this time you will spend an unforgettable vacation!

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