One of the biggest problems you’re going to face on your stay on Bali, is going to be how to make more room in your belly and only try to eat three meals a day. The aroma of delicious Balinese cuisine is following you everywhere and you can find warung (local food stall) next to the other where ever you go. Traditional Balinese meal contains all six flavors from sweet to bitter and there are familiar shades of South India, Malaysian and Chinese food. The key thing anyway seems to be this: the hotter the better. The Balinese food itself is not hot, only spicy, but the amount of chili they add to your plate is something what you need to be careful with, especially at your first meals. Having a dinner in a warung will probably cost you only 10 000-15 000 Rupiahs which is 1-2 Euros. Cheap indeed.
The best drink with your lemongrass and garlic stuffed chicken file is a bottle of spring water, what costs usually 3000 Rupiahs. For beer drinkers, you can have your ice-cold bottle of Bintang for 15 000 Rupiahs.
Because of the different kind of bacteria, approximately 50% of foreign travelers coming to Indonesia are going to suffer some kind of stomach flu, usually on the second holiday week. No panic, it’s very normal, usually caused by bacteria or food poisoning and normally lasts for couple of days. There’s a name for it, and Bali belly it is. The important thing to remember is not to take any ImodiumAkut but just let everything out. If you feel feverish or you won’t feel any better after two-three days, it’s recommended to go to BIMC clinic.
To avoid this unfortunate surprise, here’s couple of tips you should remember while staying in Bali:
1. Hygiene hygiene hygiene. Wash your hands often enough and always before dinner.
2. Drink only bottled water. If you have a tender tummy, don’t use the tap water even to brush your teeth.
3. Don’t’ drink the sea water (yes, fact of worth mentioning).
4. Make sure the food you’re eating is freshly and well cooked.
5. Eat only in busy restaurants and warungs with a high turnover of customers.
6. Drive the motorbike mouth shut when it’s raining.
7. Do not try to drive behind the garbage truck will you.
8. Forget that Arak, not kidding.
Fresh and well cooked seafood is something you should try on, but it might not be the best option for fine dinner if you’re prone to tender tummy.
