Secret Bali Life’s guide to partying on a budget in Bali
As Bali has continuously become more and more popular as a tourist destination, the price of going out has unsurprisingly risen with the inflated demand the area has seen. But, despite this, the island is still synonymous with backpackers and budget holiday-goers alike; mainly for the great conversion rate most Westerners can take advantage of in Indonesia. So, here’s our top tips on how to keep the party going, without a fearful log in to your online banking the next day…
Using Secret Bali Life to bag early releases of tickets or guest list.
If you hadn’t already noticed, we run a marvellous website (if we do say so ourselves) that keeps you up to date on all things music and events in Bali. And, if you’re not already using it for your weekly dose of event insight, you really should be using it for the fact we regularly post guest list and early bird ticket links. They’re there for a reason, and you can usually bag them for a heavy discount off the full priced general admission releases. As we run all things promotional, get in the habit of checking our social media and website to catch those best deals, and read the lowdown on the events everyone wants to be, or be seen at.
Instagram accounts that promote discounts and deals.
You can always count on the good ol’ Gram to have your back when you need it, and this is ever the case when it comes to sourcing those well-deserved discounts and deals. There’s a few accounts recently that spill the tea, so to speak, on where you can grab a couple of cocktails on the cheap-cheap. Our favourites are @thecanggupedia, @balihighlights and @uluwatuhighlights, who’s stories are always filled with happy hour info and back-to-back bargain content.
Take full advantage of ladies free-flow nights.
A few island venues favour the females amongst us, and if you fit into that demographic, say sayonara to paying for your drinks. Of these, ShiShi, Havana and Hatch are the big boys offering some good value ladies nights in Bali.
Get used to ordering in your pre-drinks.
We all know that having some pre-drinks will save you a small fortune when going out, so we’ve even got you covered when it comes to our trade secrets in this department. Boogaloo is a great delivery service that offers very competitive pricing for those bulk buys on beer, or good value on bottles 24/7. In addition to that, Gojek and Grab often offer some killer discounts when it comes to buying your groceries in-app, and this equally applies to alcoholic beverages. So make sure you grab a snap up a few Bintangs along with your Mie Goreng next time you see a discount on the app and spend the difference when you actually make it out of your villa (if you don’t peak too early).
Check venue Instagram pages for giveaways, and actually enter them!
If there’s one thing Bali venues love, it’s giveaways. Check the Secret Bali Life Instagram stories, as well as the accounts of the venues you’re hoping to hop in to so you make sure to catch the giveaways the second they’re out. And enter them! Your chances of winning are higher than you think a lot of the time.
Catch a venue before free-entry ends.
Many venues in Bali will have a free entrance before a certain time, this cap is usually around 9-10pm. Try saving some extra cash by getting there before the cut off, and if you’re worried about the ‘busyness’, most people have the same idea, so you’ll likely enter the venue just as things properly get going.
Always Gojek home!
A Gojek home is always cheaper than a hospital bill from BMIC, enough said.
BONUS TIP FOR THE GIRLS: There are loads of desperate crypto bros on Tinder and Hinge who will probably bank roll your entire night, but be ready for a sharp exit around 3am…