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Tegalalang Rice Terrace Guide for 2021

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No trip to Bali is complete without a visit to one of the island’s gorgeous rice terraces. You’ll see them everywhere as you motorbike or drive around, but if you want to visit the big kahuna of rice fields, Tegalalang Rice Terrace. This is the famous rice terrace near Ubud that you’ve probably seen in everyone and their mother’s Instagram photos. It’s touristy and most people visit for the photo opp, but these fields really are stunning. Unlike some places around the world that have been spoiled by tourism, the Tegalalang Rice Terraces are definitely still worth visiting despite their notoriety. That being said, you can definitely ensure you have a less crowded and overall better quality experience if you follow some basic tips.

How to Get to Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Also known as the “Ubud Rice Fields,” it makes sense that most people stay in Ubud to visit Tegalalang. Driving to the rice terrace, Ubud is only a 20 minute taxi or motorbike ride away from the city center. The rice fields are a great start to a day of exploring things to do around Ubud. We recommend renting a motorbike in Ubud, so you can then jet off to some local waterfalls or the water palace. But if you’re nervous on a bike, there are a ton of taxis that will take you to the fields from Ubud.

You can also visit from Canggu/Seminyak area, but it’s a bit further out. It’ll take you about an hour and a half depending on your form of transportation and traffic. For the most part it’s a really beautiful and peaceful drive up to the Ubud area.

If you drive a motorbike to the rice terraces you can park anywhere along the main street.

Best Time to Visit Tegalalang Rice Terraces

The best time to visit the rice terraces are sunrise. We know, getting up early is a pain! But if you really want to get the most out of your visit, early morning is the best. We left Ubud at about dawn to get to the fields just as the sun was rising. The office wasn’t even open yet, so we skipped paying the entrance fee. Not only are there much less people, but it’s so much cooler at this time of day. The rice fields are exposed to the sun with very little shade, so after the sun comes up you’re pretty much baking under the heat.

Tegalalang rice terraces get pretty busy so if you want those sweeping photos of empty rice fields, you’ll want to beat the crowd. When we were there at sunrise there were only a handful of other visitors, but as the morning progressed it started to get busy. The early morning is also a great time for photography because the lighting is really even throughout the rice terrace. As the sun comes up, you start to get a bad glare and stark contrast on the fields that look bad in photos. You also get nice misty rays of light coming through in the early morning.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace Entrance Fee

There is an office on the other side of the main road to purchase an entrance ticket. The ticket costs 10,000 rupiah per person. There doesn’t seem to be anyone checking if you got a ticket, but considering the low price we were fine paying. As I mentioned the first time we visited was before it officially opened so we didn’t pay the entrance, but the second time we visited mid-morning and our driver dropped us at a parking lot by the payment desk.

How to Navigate Tegalalang Rice Terrace Ubud

Many companies offer a Tegalalang rice terrace tour, but they are easy enough to navigate on your own. You can enter the rice terrace at a number of entrances. The street adjacent to the terrace is lined with cafes and shops, so you just duck into one of their entrances and go through. As you walk the steps down, take a moment to look out and see just how vast these terraces are. It’s a huge place and there are tons of paths you can take. The first part of the terrace is shaped like a valley, so you’ll walk down, cross off the small river and can start walking up to the other side. The paths are step and mostly made of dirt which can get a bit slippery in the wet season. There are some concrete and wooden steps, as well as hand rails in some parts to make it easier to get around.

We recommend going straight down, coming back up the other side and continuing over to the rice terrace on the other side of the hill. There are fewer people on the other side because it’s far to walk. The paths aren’t super clear and you may start following one only to realize that it’s not going where you wanted or just ends abruptly, then have to turn around and start over. It’s all part of the fun!

There are cafes and little shops dotted throughout where you can buy snacks or drinks. You may get stopped from time to time by farmers who want a donation to visit their section of the rice fields. I don’t think there’s a set amount to pay, but 10,000 rupiah seemed like a good donation. When we first visited in 2018 it felt like there were more farmers asking for money. We even came across one woman who brought out a wooden stick with a bunch of nails in it to stop us from going any further without payment. When we visited again in 2019, we only came across one farmer asking for a donation.

Farmers may also come up to you with the traditional rice baskets balanced by a bamboo stick. If you take their picture they’ll ask for some money. They’re probably making way more from photos than from actually growing rice, so we applaud their initiative!

Traveling to Ubud, why not check out all the other amazing things to do, see and experience in our Ubud Travel Guide!

Rice Terrace Swings

There are several Ubud swings made famous by Instagram, but Tegalalang rice terrace has some pretty epic ones. We’ve all seen the photos of young women in flowy dresses swinging across the rice fields. There are a fews swings at Tegalalang, so you can take your time deciding which one looks best. The prices vary depending on which one you choose. Our friend paid 300,000 and got to ride one single-person swing, one double-person nest swing, as well as take photos another nest and a wooden love heart. The price is probably negotiable, especially if there’s a group of you paying.

The swings do have harnesses so you won’t fall off. It does look a little crappy for photos when you first get on, but once you’ve been pushed out you can barely see the harness. Unlike other Bali swings where we’ve heard that you get a limited amount of swings, the guys working these swings seemed pretty chill. There was no wait in line and they made sure we got all the photos we wanted.

What to Bring to Tegalalang Rice Terrace

Make sure you bring a water bottle (extra points for an eco-friendly reusable bottle or purchase one at a shop on your way in. The sun is no joke at Tegalalang and you can get heat stroke pretty quickly. You may want to bring in some snacks to keep you energized along the way. Of course you can always buy something at one of the little cafes on the terrace. Bug spray is also a good thing to bring because there are mosquitos around.

Make sure you bring small notes for the entrance fee and to pay farmers along the way. Other than that you’ll want to pack light for when you visit Tegalalang. You’ll be walking up and down some steep paths so you’ll be grateful if you don’t have much to carry!

What to Wear to Tegalalang Rice Terraces

First and foremost you’ll want to make sure you’re staying cool. The last thing you want is to get the perfect photo opp and then pass out because of the heat. The long flowy dresses do look amazing amongst the rice fields and on the swing. But make sure you have a shawl or something to cover yourself with in between the photo shoots. We also highly recommend bringing a hat, you’ll be so grateful you did! Here are some outfits that we think would look amazing amongst the rice terraces.

Looking for another stunning Bali rice terrace? Check out our complete guide to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces!

Where to Stay Near Tegalalang Rice Terraces

There are plenty of places to stay in Ubud, from hostels to guesthouses to luxury villas. These are some of our favorites:

Puji Bungalow – This is where we stayed the first time we visited Ubud. It’s simple, cheap and they have a great pool overlooking a rice terrace. We highly recommend this as a great budget accommodation in Ubud.

Pajar House – This super cute guest house is a popular choice in Ubud. The rooms are midrange, about $40-50 USD per night.

Goya Boutique – This gorgeous luxury hotel is upscale without breaking the bank. Just a ten minute walk from the the Ubud temple, Goya has an amazing location. The hotel also has a beautiful infinity pool.

Hanging Gardens – This is the hotel with the famous tiered pools that overlook the jungle. If you’re going to splash out on a Ubud hotel, this is a good choice. It’s not cheap but each villa comes with its own private infinity pool! Doesn’t get any better than that!

Things to do Near Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Pura Tirta Empul

This water temple near Ubud is the perfect place to visit after your trip to Tegalalang. You’ll most likely be dripping with sweat from the rice terrace so visiting water temple is perfect. We recommend bringing a bathing suit. They have changing rooms where you can put on your swimmers and then put on a rented sarong that you’re allowed to get wet. Then you’ll enter the temple, get in a pool of water and dunk yourself under a series of water fountains. Each fountain signifies a different blessing. Pura Tirta is a bit touristy but there are plenty of locals in the water with you, placing offerings and going under the fountains.

Pyramids of Chi

Ubud is all about health and wellness, and that includes some new age techniques like sound healing. The Pyramids of Chi are a sound healing experience just outside of Ubud. Basically you book a session and your group lays down in a large pyramid shaped tent for about an hour. During this time you’re laying in the dark while they play different instruments. It’s pretty trippy and we really recommend it if you want to try something different during your visit to Ubud! Plus the Pyramids of Chi are only a 15 minute drive from Tegalalang.

Pengempu Waterfall

This may not be one of the most popular waterfalls in Bali, but Pengempu is one of the closest waterfalls to Tegalalang rice terrace and an easy addition to your Bali day trip. It’s also pretty secluded and relatively unknown so you may even have the whole place to yourself!

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces Travel Guide for 2021

The landscape of Bali is undeniably beautiful, from the coastline to the traditional architecture of the cities. But there’s nothing more stunning, or iconic, than the Bali rice fields. Maybe it’s the perfectly engineered geometric shapes of the fields or the mesmerizing shades of green, but the Bali rice fields are a natural beauty.

As you explore the island of Bali you’ll see fields of green to your left and right, they’re everywhere! But if you want to visit the bigger fields, it takes a bit of planning. When it comes to the best rice terrace in Bali, the island has some beautiful ones on offer. The Tegalalang rice terrace near Ubud is the most famous one and a top pick for Instagrammers looking for the perfect shot. We loved visiting the Tegalalang rice field, but when we visited the Jatiluwih rice terrace, it absolutely took our breath away. The Jatiluwih rice terrace is not only less crowded and easier to navigate, but it’s equally as beautiful as Tegalalang rice terrace. Here are our top tips for visiting the Jatiluwih rice terraces.

Take a walk with us through the Jatiluwih rice terraces in our video below.

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How to Get to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

The Jatiluwih rice fields are located in central Bali. It’s about an hour to an hour and a half drive up from Canggu, depending on traffic and whether you ride a motorbike or go by car. The length of time to travel from Ubud to Jatiluwih rice terrace is about the same, an hour and a half.

On your drive up from Canggu or Ubud you’ll start to catch a glimpse of the vast rice terraces. Eventually you’ll pass a checkpoint where a guard will signal you to pull over and purchase an entrance ticket. If you pass the first checkpoint, there’s a second one waiting for you. And if you pass both (like we accidentally did!) they’ll find you when you go to park in the parking lot across from the entrance.

The Jatiluwih Rice Terrace entrance fee is 40,000 rupiah per person. Compared to the Tegalalang rice terrace entrance fee of 10,000, this seems a bit steep, but it’s still only $3 USD. The entrance fee includes parking. Also, you won’t be asked for donations at different areas of the rice field like at Tegalalang. There is simply one entrance fee and that’s it.

Best Time to Visit Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

When planning a trip to Jatiluwih there are two things to take into consideration, the time time of day and the time of year. Although you can visit the rice terraces at any time of year, if you visit during the rainy season then you’re more likely to get randomly rained on in the middle of the day. Bali’s rainy season is typically early November to the end of March, with torrential downpours more likely to occur in the afternoon.

That being said, the weather is super unpredictable and you could just as easily get stuck in the rain in June. So if you’re visiting Bali at the beginning of end of the year don’t be put off by the chance of rain, just don’t forget to pack your umbrella!

When it’s not rainy season, like most places around the world, the best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon. The sun is considerably less hot and the lighting is much prettier for photos. The cooler morning and evening air also means less sweat drenched clothes as you climb up and down the terrace paths.

Spending some time to Ubud? Check out our Ubud Travel Guide for all the best things to do, see and experience.

Navigating the Bali Rice Terraces

Jatiluwih is actually really well laid out, which makes it easy to navigate. Guides and drivers may offer you a Jatiluwih rice terrace tour, but we enjoyed going through on our own. At the entrance, and dotted throughout the paths, there are maps that show you all the routes you can take. There is one main concrete path that circles through the field and from there you can take little offshoots. To get around you can walk, ride your motorbike, rent electric bikes and or rent a regular bicycle. We chose to park our motorbike at the main parking lot and walk through.

There are several hikes available, all of which are laid out on the map and can be navigated by sign posts. There are several points of interest to see along way, including an outdoor amphitheater, a UNESCO monument and a few small temples. We arrived in the late afternoon, so we mostly stuck to the main paths. You could probably walk the entire thing in just a couple of hours, depending on how often you stop for photos.

While you’re exploring you can walk off the main path and into the fields themselves. At first I wasn’t sure if this was allowed, but I had multiple farmers pass me while I was trekking into the fields and they all gave me an enthusiastic waves. So I guess it’s game on! Obviously, be careful you don’t fall over and ruin someone’s crop. I actually found the trails in the Jatiluwih rice terrace easier to walk through than at Tegalalang. It can still be hazardous, though, as some of the paths look like a trail but are really just long grass with no sturdy ground underneath.

Looking for another amazing rice terrace in Bali? Check out our complete guide to Tegalalang Rice Terrace.

What to Bring to Jatiluwih Rice Fields

While the hikes around Jatiluwih aren’t as grueling as trekking through Tegalalang rice terrace, you’ll still want to make sure you have plenty of water. There are several shops and a couple of warungs around the rice terrace, so you can pick up a bottle or better yet, grab a coconut to keep you hydrated! Shout out to the eco-conscious warung owner who has bamboo straws for her beverages!

You’ll also want decent walking shoes, so you can keep up your stamina for exploring. There isn’t much shade on the main path, so a hat and sunscreen are key. We didn’t encounter any bugs, but it’s never a bad idea to have bug spray with you in Bali.

What to Wear to Jatiluwih Rice Terraces (for the ladies!)

We visited on a day with lots of cloud cover and it was surprisingly cool. But considering the lack of shade, it looks like it can get really hot on a sunny day. Clothes that keep you covered up are a must, as is a good wide brim hat.

Because there are a lot less people at Jatiluwih rice terrace, it’s a perfect opportunity to get some epic photos of yourself. Flowery dresses look beautiful in the terrace, especially in colors like white or red that contrast the green. There aren’t any photo props like the nests or swings near Ubud, so don’t expect any staged Instagram photos. But the rice terraces are pretty easy to walk into so it’s not hard to get a shot of you surrounded by green!

Where to Stay Near Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

Adhi Jaya Suite – Probably the closest Jatiluwih accommodation to the rice terraces. This hotel has simple rooms with stunning views of the terrace. Considering the proximity to this tourist attraction, the rooms are affordable at around $20USD/night.

D’wan Tea Mountain Side – If you want something a little fancier, this secluded homestay is built into the mountains. The rooms are gorgeous and the views are stunning. They also make tea on site.

Sang Giri: Mountain Glamping Camp – Perfect for those that want to feel outdoorsy sense of camping without giving up their creature comforts. It may be the most expensive camping you ever do, but the luxury tents make it all worth it.

Things to Do Near Jatiluwih Rice Terraces

The area near the rice terrace is called Jatiluwih Green Land, an appropriate name considering just how green the rice fields are! There are several things to do in the Jatiluwih area:

Yeh Hoo Waterfall

This is a small waterfall that you may just come across accidentally as you explore the rice terraces. It’s a perfect spot for taking a dip after a hot afternoon trekking through rice!

Angseri Hot Spring

These hot springs are only about a 15 minute drive from the rice terraces. Angseri Hot Springs are pretty unknown and you may find that you’re the only tourists there. From the entrance you have about a 1 km walk through the jungle to get to the spring. It’s not a fancy spa type hot spring, but a natural heated pool surrounded by lush trees and rocks.

Hike Mount Agung

You can actually hike the famous volcano in the center of Bali! It is active, but you can still hike up as long as you don’t go super close to the crater. Unlike Mount Batur, Mount Agung is a pretty challenging hike and takes about four hours to climb up. You need to be in good physical condition to do this trek. Most travelers go up late at nigh,t so they can catch sunrise at the top. If and when you make it up (you can do it!) you’ll be rewarded with stunning views and the feeling of being amongst the clouds.

Best Things to Do in Ubud, Bali In 2021

For as long as Bali has been a travel destination, Ubud has been one of the island’s most popular cities. As you drive in to Ubud you wonder how such a hot spot can exist amongst the dense jungle that surrounds you. And then, through the giant trees with overhanging branches, a small bustling city emerges.

The center of Ubud is really only a few streets, but they pack as much in as possible. The traffic can be insane and the shops are crammed in right next to each other, but somehow Ubud still manages to be a place of serenity. Unlike the crazy party town of Kuta or the cool surfer vibe of Canggu, Ubud is all about wellness, clean living and getting in touch with yourself.

With its endless amount of vegan restaurants and healing centers, Ubud might feel pretentious to some, but if the hippie life isn’t your jam, there are plenty of other things to do in Ubud, Bali that don’t involve releasing your chakras. We recommend getting a taste of everything, from exploring the gorgeous natural sights, to getting a taste of the local culture, and yes, even dipping your toe in the wellness waters. These are our recommended best things to see in Ubud.

Getting to Ubud

Getting to Ubud is as easy as jumping on a bus, hiring a private car or renting your own scooter. Because Bali is such a small island it’s a convenient place to travel to no matter where you’re staying in Bali. Whether you’re coming in from Kuta, Sanur, Canggu, the Bukit Peninsula or the north, traveling to Ubud is an easy location to get it.

What to Do in Ubud: Nature

Unlike the rugged coast of the Bukit Peninsula, or the sandy shoreline of Canggu, Ubud is a lush green oasis in the middle of Bali. From levels upon levels of stunning rice terraces, to wild life and adventure activities. Here are our top suggestions for things to do in Ubud for the nature lovers.

Visit a Bali Rice Terrace

You can’t go to Bali and not visit a rice terrace! Rice is a huge part of the Indonesian diet (hello Nasi Goreng!) and it’s pretty cool to see where it all comes from. As you travel around Bali you’ll likely see rice fields everywhere, but visiting the big terraces is an awesome experience.

The most popular Ubud rice field is, of course, Tegalalang rice terrace. This beautiful rice field is only 20 minutes from Ubud and it’s a gorgeous sight to see. The entrance fee is only 10,000 rupiah and you can easily spend a couple hours wandering the different paths around the terrace. They also have the iconic Bali swings and nests for photos.

If you’re looking for an equally stunning, but a bit less crowded, the Jatiluwih rice terrace is a great alternative. Although further from Ubud (you have to drive about an hour and a half), Jatiluwih is definitely worth visiting. The path around the rice terrace is easier to navigate than Tegalalang and because it’s less popular, it’s easier to get photos where you’re the only person in the rice field.

Read our complete guide to Tegalalang Rice Terrace for information on how to get there, entrance fee, the best time to visit and more!

Ubud Monkey Forest

As soon as you drive close to Ubud you’ll start to notice monkeys on the side of the road. That’s because you’re driving past the Monkey Forest! The forest itself is really beautiful and you’ll feel completely enveloped by the lush trees around you. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth of monkeys; there are over 600 in the forest!

The monkey’s go about their daily business and are mostly interested in whether you’re going to feed them or not. You can buy bananas at the front desk to feed them, but it’s prohibited to give them any outside food. The monkeys are able to smell food in your bag and may try to take it from you, so we recommend not bringing any food with you. Personally, we don’t like to feed wild animals because it creates a dependence on human interaction, so we recommend just enjoying watching the monkeys as you walk through the forest. There are also rumors of thieving monkeys so be sure to keep your sunglasses and valuables tucked away.

The forest is sacred to the local people and there are temples throughout. However, only three temples are accessible for foreigners – Pura Dalem, Holy Water Temple and Cremation Temple. The Ubud Monkey Forest entrance fee is 50,000 rupiah.

Tegenungan Waterfall

This impressive waterfall is about a half hour drive outside of Ubud and definitely worth a visit. When you arrive you’ll pay 20,000 rupiah entrance fee and then walk down a set of stairs to the waterfall. Tegenungan is one of the most popular waterfalls near Ubud, so chances are there will be a bit of a crowd by the falls. When we went we had to wait our turn to get a shot in front of the waterfall without any other people in it. To the right you’ll find a swing that you can hop on for photos at an extra charge.

Admittedly Tegenungan waterfall isn’t the most secluded spot, but at 25 meters in height it’s pretty impressive. Plus you can wade into the water for a refreshing dip.

Campuhan Ridge Walk

We loved the Campuhan Ridge Walk and highly recommend it if you’re visiting Ubud! The entrance to the Campuhan Ridge Walk is just outside of the Ubud city center. The walk is mostly flat and easy, with stunning views of the rice terraces on either side. There’s very little shade cover, so you’ll want to start really early in the morning and make sure you’ve got plenty of water and a hat. As soon as the sun starts to get hot, you’ll basically be baking during your walk.

The entire nature trek is 9 kilometers, so you can definitely get your steps and really work up a sweat. Be on the look out for the free version of an Ubud swing. Not far into the path there’s a small swing tied to a tree that is a fun, free alternative to the swings around Ubud that you have to pay for.

White Water Rafting

If you need to cool down a little and want some adventure, do some white water rafting in Ubud! The Ayung river is a perfect mix of rapids and relaxation. As you cruise down the river you’ll be able to take in the lush jungle and breathtaking gorges that surround you. This a great activity for anyone who wants to see a different part of the Ubud landscape, while getting your blood pumping!

What to See in Ubud: Culture

Ubud has long been regarded as a cultural center of Bali, way before travelers started doing downward dog on their yoga mats. If you want a real taste of Balinese and Hindu culture during your trip, Ubud is a great place to learn about it.

Pura Taman Saraswati

This is an easy one to visit, considering this temple is located in the heart of Ubud. The temple was built to honor the Hindu goddess Saraswati. The architecture here is simply stunning. One of the temple’s most popular features is the water garden, filled with floating lotuses. If it’s not too busy, this is a lovely spot to come by yourself and enjoy a moment of introspection.

Pura Tirta Empul

This water temple is one of our favorite things to see in Ubud. We stumbled across this place after our first visit to Tegalalang rice terrace and, boy were we excited about cooling off in the water! Not only is the Pura Tirta Empul water temple a great opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the local culture, but you actually get to participate as well!

When you first enter you’ll be given a sarong if you’re not already covering your knees. Then right before you enter the water temple you need to rent a water sarong that you can actually get wet. There are changing rooms to put on a bathing suit under the water sarong.

Once you’re good to go you’ll get in the water and dunk yourself under each fountain to purify yourself. Each fountain represents a different blessing. There are local guides that you can pay to explain the history and process, but we found most locals who were bathing were happy enough to explain the blessings to us. There are a couple of water spouts that you shouldn’t go under, as they’re reserved for post-funeral, so be sure to check with the locals. And make sure to save some time before or after bathing to walk around the nearby temples, they’re stunning!

Goa Gajah

Goa Gajah, also known as Elephant Cave, is another popular temple to visit near Ubud. When you arrive you’ll walk down a flight of stairs to the cave entrance. To walk into the cave you’ll enter through the mouth of a demon carved into the rock. Inside you’ll find paintings, shrines and small statues. It gets pretty busy at Elephant Cave, but considering its proximity to Ubud it’s still worth a look.

Things to Do in Ubud: Health & Wellness

Unblock those energy lines, loosen up your chakras and awaken the spiritual curiosity within when you spend time exploring Ubud. With a range of holistic healers, classes and workshops to find your inner balance, Ubud is the perfect place to experience something different. Here are a couple of our suggestions for the best activities for the soul in Ubud.

Pyramids of Chi

One of the newer wellness activities in Ubud, the Pyramids of Chi is an experience hard to grasp until you’ve actually been there. Basically, you enter a large pyramid shaped tent and lay down on one of the thin mattresses on the floor. The pyramid is almost entirely pitch black, but they give you a weighted eye mask to ensure total darkness.

For the next hour a sound healer plays a variety of instruments, including gongs, drums and the Didgeridoo. The sound healing is meant to release your chakras and heal your energy. They hold different sessions throughout the day, but the standard “Ancient Sound Healing” session is 300,000 rupiah. Even Jules, who is usually a skeptic with all sorts of new-age healing, found the session enlightening and definitely beneficial. If you end up booking a session we’d love to hear what you thought of the experience.

Yoga Class at The Yoga Barn

Even if you’re not a practicing yogi, it’s worth going to the famous The Yoga Barn for a class. Known as one of the best yoga studios in the world, The Yoga Barn has a variety of classes from beginner to expert. One of the biggest draws to the classes is the opportunity to practice overlooking a beautiful jungle landscape. Classes fill up, so be sure to get there early to get a spot in the front. You can put your name down and then grab a juice at the studio’s cafe.

Ubud Market

Don’t think shopping is a form of wellness? You’ve clearly never heard of retail therapy. And the Ubud market is the perfect place to get your retail therapy fix! Made famous by Eat Pray Love, this market is located in the center of Ubud. You’ll find pretty much everything here, from beautiful traditional wood carvings to cheap plastic sunglasses. A lot of the shops carry the same stuff, so be sure to get a sense of the prices before purchasing. Haggling is definitely recommended!

Where to Eat in Ubud

Being the health and wellness capital of Bali, there are some amazing Ubud restaurants on offer. Here is our list of top recommended place to eat in Ubud.

Breakfast in Ubud

Watercress – This cafe is pretty well known in Ubud. It’s definitely on the pricier side of what you can pay for breakfast in Bali, but the food is worth it. They have a variety of healthy choices and delicious coffee!

Habitat Cafe – Specializing in Pan-Asian cuisine, this modern cafe serves up a diverse range fresh and authentic dishes. Conveniently located next to the Monkey Forest, you can have a cup of coffee and share a slice of banana bread with a new furry friend.

Lunch and Dinner in Ubud

The Fair Warung Bale – We’d go so far as to say this is one of the best restaurants in Bali, period. Not only are they serving up an incredible fish curry and Tom Yum soup, but they give 100% of their profits back to helping local people pay for medical procedures and health care. So awesome!

Warung Makan Bu Rus – An excellent local restaurant that serves up traditional food with an incredible amount of flavor. The first time we visited Ubud we ate here on numerous occasions!

Dessert in Ubud

Tukies Coconut Shop – You can’t go to Ubud and not eat at Tukies. There are actually three locations, so it’s hard to miss. These little shops serve up the best coconut ice cream in the world. Their secret? It’s topped with young coconut slices, roasted coconut chips and a sweet coconut brittle. It’s best to go during your first day in Ubud so you can keep going back everyday.

Let’s Help Lombok Rebuild Tourism

At Don’t Forget To Move we love when we’re able to combine our passion for travel with our love of giving back. On a recent trip to Lombok we had the opportunity to do exactly that; working to help promote an amazing organization that is helping rebuild schools, as well as helping promote Lombok tourism in the hopes of bringing back more tourists.

We got to explore the beautiful island of Lombok and we made sure to do it in a sustainable way. During this trip we engaged in responsible tourism activities like visiting traditional villages, touring a pottery cooperative and doing eco-friendly tours. We visited the stunning waterfalls of Lombok, soaked in the sun on the Lombok beaches and enjoyed everything there was to see and do.

Along with supporting responsible tourism we also partnered with an organization called Classroom of Hope, who are doing an amazing job building earthquake safe pop up schools in the region!

Why Does Lombok Need Help?

Last year, Lombok suffered a series of devastating earthquakes in July and August. It caused significant damage, with over 500 deaths, leaving people displaced and property destroyed. Amongst this damage was the destruction of over 400 schools. Even now, months after the earthquake, some students are left to get their education in tents or not attend school at all.

Coming from a non-profit background, we know that educating the youth is the key for a prosperous future. That’s why we’ve chosen Classroom of Hope as the beneficiary for this partnership campaign. They are doing an incredible job all over the world, building schools in developing countries, helping students return to a safe learning environment.

In Lombok, they are partnering with a local organization called the Pelita Foundation who are using local materials and the local workforce to get these pop up schools built. Classroom of Hope and Pelita Foundation are doing incredible work and we’re excited to be able to support them with your help!

What is a Responsible Tourist?

Not sure if you’re a responsible tourist? Even if you don’t feel like Captain Planet when you travel, you’re probably engaging in some responsible tourism activities without even knowing it! Here are some ways you may be a responsible traveler:

Shop at locally owned shops
Pick up trash on the beach
Visit an animal sanctuary/rescue center
Use a reusable water bottle
Eat at locally owned restaurants
Ride a bike or walked somewhere instead of using a taxi
Use public transportation
Bring reusable grocery bags
Stay at an eco-hotel or hotels that have green initiatives
Refuse to ride an elephant or do other activities that exploit animals
Ask permission before taking photos of locals
Volunteer at an organization
Travel locally to avoid taking a plane
Travel to eco-friendly destinations

Why Responsible Tourism?

Not only is responsible tourism our favorite way to travel, it’s an incredible way to help support destinations that have experienced disasters like Lombok. Before the earthquake, tourism was a significant part of the economy in Lombok. But when the earthquakes hit, tourists were nervous to continue visiting. Now, businesses in the tourism industry, including mom and pop restaurants, are missing a significant part of their income.

As tourists we have so much opportunity to do good, just by visiting a place. Where and how we choose to spend our money overseas plays a huge part in the prosperity of a country. By visiting Lombok and using our money for responsible tourism activities, we’re supporting livelihoods and supporting a sustainable economic development of this beautiful place. By eating at locally owned restaurants and shopping at local shops we’re giving our money directly to the people of Lombok so they have the chance to rebuild.

This gorgeous region of Indonesia has so much to offer. We hope you’ll help us give back to Lombok and visit this beautiful island!

Host on Airbnb and Earn Money While You Travel

One of the biggest things holding back would-be travelers from taking the trip of a lifetime is…. (you guessed it!), money! For many people, it’s easier to go traveling when you’re just out of school and go backpacking for a few months. You’re happy to live the cheap hostel life and there are very few commitments keeping you back home. But as you get older, you tend to settle into life a bit more and start having real responsibilities. Things like your mortgage, car payment and other bills make it difficult to ditch your real life for an adventure, even for just a week or two.

Luckily, there is a way to not only keep paying your bills while you travel, but possibly make a little spending money as well – listing your place on Airbnb.

Most of you will be familiar with the Airbnb platform. Apart from being an incredibly useful service to find accommodation while traveling, they’re also a pioneer in founding and developing the sharing economy. Airbnb has helped create a safe and secure platform of hosts around the world, so you can always find accommodation that fits your budget. Whether it’s crashing on someone’s couch in the living room or renting your own private villa, Airbnb has it all. Airbnb has become so popular around the world, you can now stay in crazy accommodations like castles, tree houses, igloos and windmills.

Chances are you’ve been traveling recently, you’ve probably stayed in Airbnb at some point. And while most people probably look at it from the consumer end (booking rooms / houses) there is a WHOLE other element to Airbnb that a lot of people aren’t utilizing…. hosting!

For every room, house or apartment that you’ve been a Guest at with Airbnb, there’s a smart and savvy host behind the listing that has worked out a way to make money from their listing. These people are making an income, and many of them are traveling the world using this income.

Benefits of Hosting on Airbnb

Picture this. You’ve got a nice little apartment with your partner and you’re planning to go away on holiday for 2 weeks. You both love to travel, so this isn’t the first time you’ve ventured off on a holiday, whether it be for the weekend in the snow or a month long backpacking trip to Central America.

You’ve got a mortgage to pay, as well as the expenses of your trip, so money is tight. The whole time you’re traveling your beautiful house is going to sit there, accumulating bills, while you spend even more money on your trip. How can you avoid the financial pitfalls of traveling? Easy answer, list your apartment on Airbnb!

Since 2008, Airbnb has been perfecting a platform that helps travelers all over the world find affordable accommodation, and hosts create a flexible schedule to list their places exactly how they see fit. As a host, you control all aspects of your listing and can set it up to suit your life and lifestyle.

This is undoubtedly one of the best features of Airbnb for a host. You control your schedule and when you want to list your place, as well as how much you want to list it for, how long and whether there’s a minimum or maximum stay. You can choose to put it up on the weekend while you’re off on a short trip, or list it for months at a time. The flexibility of the program is by far the most appealing aspect for hosts.

And the beauty of hosting is that while you’re traveling, you’ll be making money! Not only does that help pay the bills back at home, but it also helps fund your travels while you’re off exploring the world. Wouldn’t it feel nice, as you’re kicking back with some margaritas poolside in Mexico, to know that your place back home is paying for the next round, as opposed to your savings account?

Better still, while you’re traveling you can use Airbnb to find accommodation as well, and then pay for it with the money you’re earning from Airbnb. What a satisfying feeling it would be to stay at someone else’s listing while you’re traveling, knowing that back home your place is paying for this stay. It’s about as meta as it gets in the travel tech space.

Who Can Be an Airbnb Host

Anyone who is looking for a little extra cash to help fund their next adventure and interested in opening up their home to the world! If you’ve got a spare room, house or apartment while you plan your next trip, you too could be an Airbnb host.

And while anyone can be an Airbnb host, that doesn’t mean Airbnb just open the flood gates and forget about standards. In the interest of providing a safe, secure and enjoyable experience for both host and guest, Airbnb does have a few community standards that hosts must adhere to. These aren’t intended to be restricting, but just to ensure a high level of hospitality and safety is provided to the guests. It’s not different than any expectations at a bed and breakfast or hotel.

Costs to List on Airbnb When Traveling

You may be wondering if there’s a monthly fee or any starting costs to posting your accommodation. Nope! Being a host doesn’t cost you anything! It’s absolutely free to sign up as a host on Airbnb and make a listing. Airbnb will only ever charge a small service fee (generally 3% of total booking) once a reservation has been made.

Is Hosting on Airbnb Safe

In a short answer, yes, very safe! Airbnb is not only a practical service, but they’ve got your back. Each guest that joins Airbnb is required to provide information that helps confirm their identity. All guests need to provide a verified phone number and email address, and if you want to be extra secure you can elect to have guests be ID verified and have recommendations from other hosts.

Think of it like a secure social networking site, where you have a profile and you can provide different levels of verification to prove who you are. Airbnb does the same, to make sure you know exactly who you’re dealing with when hosting. When you get contacted by a potential guest you can view their profile, see if they have any reviews and also see what level of verification they have. Only once you feel comfortable do you need to accept their inquiry.

Aside form Airbnb’s thorough verification process, they also offer protection in the very unlikely scenario that something happens to your place. As a host you’ll be covered by Airbnb’s $1M USD in property damage protection, as well as another $1M USD in accident insurance.

How to Get Started as an Airbnb Host

Becoming an Airbnb host is a super simple, streamlined process. It’s designed for you to worry less about the technical side, and more about the benefits of being able to rent your place while you’re away.

When creating your listing, you control how you want to host. With so many customizable features for Airbnb hosting, you can set up your listing exactly how it suits your lifestyle. Choose when your listing is available, what time check in / check out is, what the maximum / minimum amount of nights a guest can stay and more!

Join Airbnb as a host and start to earn money while you travel!

What Should I Charge?

When it come to setting your price, Airbnb helps you along the way. With their Smart Pricing tool, Airbnb gives you assistance on what your listing price should be based on location, time of year, space available and amenities. Of course you can always choose to set your price exactly how you want, but this tool helps you get started.

Once you’ve started receiving some bookings, or when demands are higher, you might decide to bump up the price. Or if you’re having a slower month and want to entice more people, you can drop the prices a little.

You can also add a cleaning fee into your price, as well as discounts to encourage longer stays. If you’re traveling for a long time it might be easier to offer a weekly discount to entice people to stay longer than just a couple of days. Longer staying guests means less hassle while you’re off relaxing on a Caribbean beach.

It’s really that easy. You’re in control of how you host, how much you charge and when you want to host. Guests inquiring about your place can get in contact with you through Airbnb’s messaging service, which means you don’t need to disclose any personal information like your number or address until you’ve finalized a booking.

To get started listing your place and financing your own adventure, sign up here!

Recommended Trips to Take While Listing Your Place on Airbnb

So now you’re all set with your place listed on Airbnb, here are a couple of trip ideas to inspire your next adventure!

Northern Spain Road Trip

Rent a car and take off on your very own Northern Spain road trip adventure through rugged coastlines, mountains tops and delicious food and culture. Visit small Spanish villages in the countryside, where the adobe brick houses bake under the harsh afternoon sun, and the only way to cool down is with an ice cold beer or jug of sangria. Stop off in different towns along the way and live like locals do, wandering through the streets at night, stopping off for tapas and drinks at various bars along the way.

Bali

Swap your place back home for a beautiful villa, with its very own plunge pool that overlooks the lush green rice fields of Bali. Take in the smell of incense at the local temples, as you zoom past on a scooter and on to your next adventure. Eat delicious, $1 roadside nasi goreng and sip a cold beer to escape the humid evening heat. Or head across to the incredible Nusa Islands and explore the surf breaks, jagged coastlines and unique island culture.

Australia

Head Down Under, as you explore all the natural wonders that Australia has to offer. Whether you’re taking a road trip down the east coast, stopping off along the way to see all the amazing beaches, or posting up in a cute coffee shop in Melbourne and watching suburban life go by. Australia offers a range of different adventures or relaxing vacations for you to enjoy. Even if you’re from Australia, take advantage of renting out your place while you travel other parts of this beautiful country. As a fellow Aussie, I know you haven’t seen it all!

This post was created in partnership with Airbnb. For years we’ve been big supporters of Airbnb and have used it countless times throughout our travels. As always, we would never promote a product or service we didn’t personally use, trust and support.

Trover App for Travel Photos

Disclosure: This post has been written in collaboration with Trover. In 2019, Don’t Forget To Move became an official Trover ambassador and we couldn’t be more excited to share this amazing company with you. As always, all views and opinions are our own and we would never promote a product or service that we didn’t fully support, trust and use.

If you’ve been checking out our social feeds, you may have noticed that we keep referencing this thing called Trover. Some of you know what it is, many of you don’t. A few of you immediately went on and created a Trover account for yourselves because you figured it must be legit if we’re promoting it (you know who you are and we love you for it!). Whichever column you fall under, we wanted to hop on here to pull back to the curtain and answer the question – what is Trover?

In a nutshell, Trover is a travel photo sharing app and website. We know, we know. Who needs another social media account? In a world where we’re glued to our phones, is another social media network really necessary? Hear us out..

Trover is awesome because it’s 100% travel focused. That means when you go on to their app or website, you’ll only find travel related content. No more logging on to Instagram for travel inspo and then realizing you’ve spent the past 4 hours looking at meme accounts. Trover is all travel, all the time.

When posting photos, you can give descriptions, tips and exact locations for your uploads, allowing other users to visit your recommended locations. You can create lists of places you love and search other people’s lists to find nearby locations you never knew about. Trover is all about creating a community of travel-obsessed users who love sharing their favorite places with each other.

Here are some of our favorite features on the Trover app and website:

Discoveries

On Trover, your photo posts are called discoveries. Creating discoveries is super easy. You just upload your photo, geo-tag the location and create a description about the location. You then have the option to automatically share the photo on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. Once you’ve published you can also share the content on Pinterest, or send it via email. It’s all super easy.

Discoveries can be anything from your favorite white sand beach in Cambodia, the viewpoint from an incredible hike, or simply your favorite spot for a latte in the city. Whatever lights your fire around the world.

You can also search for other people’s discoveries by location or hashtags to find exactly the inspiration you’re looking for. Scroll through the feed, liking and commenting on your favorite discoveries to engage with your fellow Trover community member. Found some inspiration for your next adventure? Add them to a personalized List to curate your favorite content.

Lists

One of our favorite features of Trover is the ability to make lists. Personally, we tend to post photos out of chronological order, some from recent trips and others from years ago. Our feed can get jumbled with a mix of different trips and places, so being able to create lists dedicated to specific destinations is really helpful. Lists are basically a collection of any set of themed discoveries, whether they are your own photos, or photos from other Trover users.

For example, a user who wants to check out our Maldives content for their upcoming trip can just visit our Maldives list rather than have to scroll through our feed. There they’ll find all our favorite white sand and crystal clear water beaches shots in one!

And lists don’t always have to be destination based. If you go to Trover’s Explore section, you can see that they have featured lists like “Weekend Getaways USA” and “Ancient Ruins & Temples.” These lists are then separated by location. So if you want to find ancient ruins and temples in Cambodia, it’s easy to narrow the list down. You can also save other people’s photos to your list to create a personalized bucket list for future destinations! As you create your list, it will automatically update locations on the list’s map, which basically creates a ready made itinerary for you!

Maps

Since Trover is all about practicality, it makes sense that there’s a really functional map feature. When you add photos on your account, you can pinpoint their exact location. Your followers can then plan their itinerary around visiting your recommended places.

Every user has a world map on the top right corner of their feed that shows everywhere they’ve posted discoveries of. So if you’re really digging someone’s content, you can see where else they’ve been and keep getting travel inspiration from them!

Or map is dotted all over the world, so there are plenty of fun adventures to check out!

Nearby

Trover has a feature that allows you to find nearby destinations that have been tagged by other users. So if you’re off exploring for the day and want to find some nearby recommended spots, you can just hop on the “nearby” section and see what you can find.

Trover doesn’t curate the content by amount of likes, comments or other manipulated stats, they simply show you the closest photos from your exact geo-tag to give you an idea of what’s around.

This is also great if you’re in your hometown and want to have a spontaneous adventure. Sometimes it’s fun being a local and seeing your home through a traveler’s eyes! The app also tells you exactly how far the recommend places are.

Contests

Every month Trover hosts a contest around a different theme. An example of a theme in the past was “perspectives.” To enter, users simply upload a new discovery (must be a new photo!) and used the hashtag #Perspectives in the description. Trover chooses a winner every month to win a $1500 Expedia voucher! Pretty awesome prize just for uploading photos!

Trover also does a great job of featuring their favorite accounts. They have a few lists that they continuously update including What’s Hot, What’s New, Top Trovers and Discovery of the Day. You may just found yourself and your discoveries featured on one of these lists! This helps promote your account to other Trover users, and they can follow you to see future discoveries.

Why We Love Trover

Trover is a fun way to stay involved with the travel community even when your trip ends. As opposed to Instagram, where you might post shots of your travels and get comments like “pretty” or “so jealous!” Trover commenters are much more likely to ask for tips and recommendations. For travel addicts like us, sharing this information with people who will put it to good use keeps us excited about traveling even when we’re at home.

To be honest, we’ve recently been disillusioned with Instagram as a travel tool. At one point, we loved sharing shots from our travels and seeing other user’s recommended destinations. But the lines between fashion, lifestyle and travel are blurring on IG. Destinations are becoming a backdrop to the main focus of the newest trend of watches or a popular bikini line. And with the pressure of getting as much engagement as possible, it’s hard not to succumb to the trends. We’ve been guilty of following the herd to keep our likes up. And to be honest, we’re just sick of the “likes” rat race.

Trover bring us back to what social media was originally about – connecting with people all over the world who share your passion. We’re excited to continue using it to get in touch with people who love travel as much as we do! There’s less pressure to post “perfect” photos, or worry about posting too often or not often enough, or posting at the exact right time for your audience. With Trover you can share the places that you love around the world and engage with other users who will hopefully love them too!

7 Unique Things to Do in Lisbon

Lisbon is one of those cities that people instantly fall in love with. There’s something about the colorful houses, the iconic blue and white tiles and the maze of narrow cobblestone alleys that instantly charm visitors. Many tourists stick to the same itinerary, but there’s so much more to see in this gorgeous city. Here are 7 unique things to do in Lisbon if you want to get a little more off the beaten track.

Visit the Oldest Bookshop Still in Operation

For my fellow book nerds, you can’t miss a visit to Livraria Bertrand, the oldest running bookshop in the world. Opened in 1732, this landmark is a true relic of literary history. It even won a Guinness World Record! The bookstore is open everyday, so it’s easy to pop in when you have some free time. If you can, plan to spend an afternoon perusing its many rooms and snuggling up on a leather couch with a new book.

Explore the Local Food Culture

One of the best ways to learn about a new city is through its food! You can go around exploring on your own, but if you want a sure hit we recommend you to look for a quality food tour. You will both taste the top delicacies and find the best places where to eat each of those! There are plenty of food tours in Lisbon, but we suggest checking out Withlocals.

Their Lisbon food tour includes 10 delicious tastings, and you will be in the company of a local foodie! When we tried it, accompanied by a local host called Silvia, we got to try all of the city’s local delicacies including Portuguese sausages and Pastel de Nata, the country’s famous Portuguese tarts!

The tour also includes tasting some local libations, including a traditional Imperial beer and Ginjinha liquor, a delicious sour cherry alcohol we personally fell in love with, and you do not want to miss. Along the way, you’ll stop at some of the city’s iconic streets and most beautiful viewpoints, which is always a nice addition.

LX Factory

If you want to see the Lisbon of the future, visit the very cool LX Factory. This industrial complex has restaurants, bars, shops and impressive street art. This site was once a fabric factory, and it’s really cool to see how the youth of Lisbon have revitalized it and made the space their own. It definitely has a hipster vibe with cool coffee shops and an impressive bookstore. On Sunday, they have a flea market with pop up stalls that are perfect for unique souvenirs.

Time Out Lisbon

After a long day walking the cobblestone streets of Lisbon, you’re bound to be starving. For the ultimate choice in the city’s best food, head to Time Out Lisbon market. Located down by the water in Cais do Sodre, near Bairro Alto, this market has every food and drink you could want.

From traditional Portuguese meals of fresh fish or sausage, to international dishes like sushi and pizza, they’ve got it all. You buy your food from individual stands and then grab a spot at a communal table. If you’ve got a big group, this can be pretty tricky at peak hours. In the middle of the big market hall are drink vendors with an excellent beer and wine selection.

The Floating Head of Diogo Alves

This is for those that really want to see something unique (and don’t have a weak stomach!). In the University of Lisbon, there is a preserved head of a Portuguese serial killer from the 1800’s. Back then scientists believed they could learn something about characteristics of a killer from the shape of their head.

After Alves was hanged for his crimes, scientists at the university decided to preserve his head for research purposes. And it still resides in a jar, well preserved, on a shelf in the university’s Faculty of Medicine. Unfortunately, it’s not generally open to the public, so you’ll have to buddy up to a student or sweet talk your way in.

Drinks in Bairro Alto

If you’re looking for true Lisbon nightlife, Barrio Alto is the place to be. This neighborhood is filled with small bars that are tucked into its maze of cobblestone streets. They’re nothing fancy, and it might take ages to get a drink, but once you do you can take your plastic cup out onto the street and mingle. Meet new friends and roam around until you find the next cool bar.

Stay for Festas de Lisboa

If you’re really devoted to partying in Lisbon, come in the summer for the city’s big festivities. Throughout the beginning of June the streets become more and more decorated with red and green flags and pop up bars start to open on the corners of Barrio Alto. The city starts buzzing with parties until the final culmination on the night of June 12th for the festival of Lisbon’s patron saint, Santo Antonio.

The narrow alleys of Barrio Alto and around the city are packed with partygoers reveling in the street. It’s also known as the Sardine Festival, so the streets are lined with cooks grilling up Sardinha no Pão, whole sardines in a bun. Don’t forget that these sardine still have their bones in them, so you may hear a big crunch if you bite right in! This festival is Lisbon in a nutshell (or a sardine bun!) and if you’re around for this time of year, you’d be crazy to miss it!

JetBlue For Good: Volunteering in the Dominican Republic

Thanks to JetBlue for inviting us on this trip and having us document this incredible program! As always, all opinions are our own and we would never recommend or promote something that we didn’t fully support and believe in. This article may also contain affiliate links. If you book through our links you help keep this site running to absolutely no extra cost to you!

What happens when you tell nearly 100 volunteers to pack their bags for a trip to a mystery destination to do some good? So. Much. Fun! And that’s exactly what happened in our recent partnership with JetBlue on their Check In For Good campaign!

Last year, the company sent volunteers to three locations (Houston, Jamaica and Bahamas) to work on some incredible giving back projects. This year JetBlue knocked it out of the park again, by sending nearly 100 volunteers to “Destination Good” for a four-day trip.

JetBlue Contest

To win a spot at Destination Good, the trip was opened up as a contest to the public. To enter, each person had to answer questions about what it means to them to be a volunteer. Nearly 50 winners were selected (out of 45,000!) and each winner was allowed to bring along one guest.

The catch? They had no idea where they were going! All they knew was that they’d be joining the other winners in New York to fly to “Destination Good,” a secret location where they would engage in volunteer activities. The only hints they got for the location were:

Bring a passport
It’ll be somewhere warm
JetBlue flies there (obviously!)

Of course, we were working with JetBlue, so we knew where Destination Good was, but it was really hard not to tell our family and friends where we were going! We were sworn to secrecy and didn’t want to risk spoiling the surprise for the winners!

When the volunteers arrived at the airport, they each received a blue envelope revealing where they were headed. And the secret’s out now – it was the Dominican Republic! Cheers were heard echoing throughout the airport, as each guest found out they were about to board a plane to this gorgeous tropical destination!

The second surprise happened at the gate when JetBlue revealed their beautiful new JetBlue For Good plane! We would all be traveling to the Dominican Republic on its maiden voyage, full of the volunteers, JetBlue staff and crew. Everyone was super excited that we were heading to the Dominican Republic and the plane was buzzing with excitement from the moment we took off, to the moment we touched down in Punta Cana!

Watch the summary video below

JetBlue For Good Program

JetBlue For Good focuses on three core pillars to give back: community, youth & education, and the environment. During our time in the Dominican Republic we would be working on giving back projects that helped address the need in these three areas.

The large group of enthusiastic volunteers was split into two, Team Blue and Team Orange. Over the next three days we worked on two amazing school projects, as well as a vital program to help protect marine life.

Day 1: Partnering with The Dream Project

On the first day we visited a school that works in partnership with The Dream Project, a local organization helping over 7,500 youth throughout the country receive a better education. We went to the Padre Cavalotto Special Education School, a special education school catering to children with disabilities and special needs, and began our day getting to know the school’s 175 students. We all formed a large circle and played games. Pretty soon, the volunteers were getting hugs from students and everyone was running around laughing.

The positive effect of playing with children can be greatly underestimated. It may seem like all we’re doing is playing silly games, but the organizers of The Dream Project actually identified play time as a need that JetBlue could fulfill. They let us know that these kids don’t generally get many visitors or much attention aside from their teachers, so having this genuine human interaction is very meaningful.

And the positive impact doesn’t end when the volunteers go home. A lot of work actually came before the volunteers even arrived. JetBlue financed the repair of the school’s broken roof. The roof leaked whenever it rained (and if you’ve ever been to the DR, you know it can rain). This led to disrupted classes when the students had to be moved out of the rooms. Having a brand new roof will help the teachers and students focus on what matters most – their education. To further support them with their educational goals, JetBlue also donated 500 books to the school.

With a new roof finished, the volunteers were able to come in and give a fresh coat of paint to six classrooms and one library. When we first arrived, the paint was chipping and construction from the roof had caused corrosion and stains. The fresh paint not only covered these imperfections, but the shade of color was chosen because it has a calming effect on the students. From the first project, the attention paid to these little details showed us just how committed JetBlue is to doing good.

Day 2: Painting at a Local School

Our second day of volunteering was focused on community, as well as youth & education. We went to another school that already had a relationship with our hotel, Paradisus Palma Real. A few weeks before we arrived, JetBlue had worked with the hotel and local contractors to build the school an entirely new basketball court. Before, the court was in disrepair, with cracked concrete making it difficult for the kids to play basketball. It was also closed to the youth of the wider community because no one was able to supervise the court.

Now, with the funding and support from JetBlue and the Paradisus Palma Real, the court has been completely redone. They’ve also been able to coordinate with the neighborhood to have designated community members be responsible for opening the court up to kids after school hours. In addition to the students of the school, more than 900 kids will be able to use this basketball court. This provides young adults from the five surrounding neighborhoods a safe place to play and get exercise.

Our role as volunteers was to revamp and beautify the space for the students. The other group of volunteers spent their first day at this school starting a beautiful mural on the outside wall surrounding the court. On our day, we finished the mural and added recycled plastic water bottles that were cut up and painted to make the wall into a 3D art piece!

At the end of the day we brought the kids out to show them the finished wall and gift them with basketballs and other play equipment. The rest of the afternoon, the court was full of kids running around, shooting baskets and asking about different parts of the painting. The kids were beyond excited to have a brand new court that looked beautiful and was safer to play on!

Day 3: Helping Marine Conservation

On our final day, we focused on the third category of giving back – the environment. For this project JetBlue partnered with local marine conservation group, Fundemar. Fundemar runs a coral reef restoration program, including coral nurseries, rescue centers and transplant zones, which serves to help protect the coral against climate change.

In the Paradisus Palma Real auditorium all of the volunteers gathered together to construct ocean buoys. The staff of Fundemar led us in a workshop and each pair built and spray painted their own plastic buoy. Like many other coastal countries around the world, coral reefs in the Dominican Republic are under threat by climate change and marine pollution. These buoys help signify to boats which areas have fragile coral reefs, so they can avoid dropping anchor. We ended up creating 60 buoys that will be placed into the ocean to protect the local coral reef beds.

Project Summary

Overall, we were really impressed with how JetBlue for Good approaches its social impact initiatives. During the trip there was a real focus on partnering with local organizations and working on projects that will continue to do good long after the volunteers had gone home. The local partners were groups that JetBlue had previously established a relationship with. The special education school, for example, was a project that local JetBlue crewmembers in Punta Cana identified and had already been working with.

Collaborating with local groups also helped JetBlue address what needs they could meet in the community. We spoke with Icema Gibbs, the head of Corporate Social Responsibility at JetBlue, who emphasized that these initiatives weren’t created by a bunch of execs sitting in a New York office and assuming what the needs of the communities are. Crewmembers are a part of their communities in all JetBlue cities, and the local crewmembers in Punta Canta played an active role in guiding the #CheckInForGood trip.

We worked with local crew members in the Dominican Republic make those local connections and to ensure we were having the biggest possible impact. These partnerships also ensure the sustainability of these projects and allow JetBlue to continue to support the education and environmental initiatives.

Other JetBlue for Good Projects

JetBlue’s mission to do good isn’t just isolated to the JetBlue for Good month of November. They’re doing good around the world, all year long. Last year 22,000 JetBlue crewmembers volunteered over 180,000 hours of their time.

For example, JetBlue runs volunteer activities for Martin Luther King Day of Service, as well as provides “GreenUp Grants” to organizations in the cities they serve for Earth Month! They also run a summer reading program called Soar with Reading, encouraging kids to read by giving out books through book vending machines!

With all of these incredible initiatives, it’s obvious how committed JetBlue is to doing good. Throughout the #CheckInForGood trip, we were continuously impressed with the attention to detail and the effort put in to each project. From the painting of the first classroom on day 1, to the making of the last buoy, we have no doubt that every volunteer walked away feeling ignited to do more good. And most importantly, we know that the communities JetBlue serves in the Dominican Republic will continue to thrive with their support.

Digital Nomads and Tax: Taxes For Expats Review

This post was written in collaboration with Taxes For Expats. We received partial tax preparation services in exchange for creating a review. As always, this review reflects our honest opinion on the service.

Travel bloggers and other remote workers tend to be risk takers. We’re ready to work hard and take on any challenge that life throws at us. But there’s one word that has us all running and hiding under our covers, TAXES. If you’re anything like me, taxes have been one of those scary parts of adulting that I can never quite get my head around.

Throw in confusing-as-hell rules for digital nomad taxes, less than perfect financial organization and a business/life partner from another country and it’s enough to make you wish you didn’t earn any money at all. But over the last couple of years our blog has become more and more successful (hooray!) and that means taxes are inevitable (boo!). Luckily, as the digital nomad trend grows, more companies are starting to address our unique needs. Taxes For Expats is one such company that’s working to make taxes easier for… well, expats!

US Digital Nomads and Taxes

US citizens are moving abroad at a growing rate, but the US also has one of the strictest tax residencies for their citizens. They’re not letting you get out of paying taxes just because you live in another country! This can make for some super confusing questions come tax season. And there are a lot of regulations and loopholes that standard tax professionals may not know about.

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Taxes for Expats focuses solely on working with US residents living abroad so they are 100% up on the changing lax laws for expats. They work with clients living in over 190 countries around the world. Their team of tax professionals know their stuff and can guide you through even the most confusing situations. We worked with Taxes For Expats on preparing our taxes for the 2017 financial year. Here’s what we thought about the experience.

Using Taxes For Expats

Before connecting you with your tax preparer, Taxes For Expats will ask you to fill out a tax questionnaire. This questionnaire will ask you all the standard stuff they’ll need to know to do your taxes for you, including your employment and income information, deductions and how long you spend in the US vs outside the US. The form is straightforward and easy to fill out online.

It can be a bit overwhelming to collect all that information, but I would recommend just filling it out to the best of your ability. If you have any questions, you can schedule a 30 minute introduction call and they will connect with a customer service team member, but in my experience the tax preparer they connect you with after the questionnaire will be much more knowledgeable than the person on the call. Chances are you’ll be going back and forth on email with your preparer with questions anyway, so I would recommend filling out the questionnaire to the best of your ability so you can get the process started.

After the questionnaire, your tax professional will look over your answers and assess what services you’ll need. They will then send you an electronic engagement letter with a list of recommended services and prices for each. They won’t start preparing your taxes until you’ve approved the total cost. This ensures you’re comfortable with how much you’ll be paying and there’s no surprises in the end. They have a list of their prices here so you can review before starting your questionnaire.

After you’ve approved the costs, you’ll sign the engagement letter and they’ll start preparing your tax return. The standard turn around time is 15 business days, so if you’re like us and wait until the last minute- keep this in mind! They do offer rushed services, but we found the whole process to be very speedy.

Taxes for Expats Review

From the questionnaire to the tax preparation, everything is done online, which I know will appeal to the digital nomads out there. If you’re old school and feel a little unsure about giving up all your info without even a phone call, rest assured that you’re in good hands with Taxes For Expats. They have a team of professionals that are all CPAs or enrolled agents and their work is double checked by at least two other team members. After they finish your tax return they e-file it for you (in some cases the IRS doesn’t accept e-filing, in which case you’ll have to mail it in.)

The whole process went smoothly for us and having them file our return was a huge weight off our shoulders. Our only frustration was that we were looking for a bit more guidance in tax strategies for our specific situation. The service is really a straightforward tax preparation service, rather than a tax advice service. Perhaps that’s due to the nature of being online vs in person.

Because our situation is so complicated, next year we’ll most likely find someone we can sit down with and really gain advice on the best way to approach our taxes. Our tax preparer was quick in responding to our questions via email (and we had a lot of them!). I found the communication to be professional, but to be honest, at times a little short and lacking the warmth an in person tax professional might provide. But when it comes to taxes, I value expertise over friendliness and she definitely knew her stuff. Overall, using Taxes for Expats definitely made our tax preparation much easier. Everything was handled in a timely manner and we even ended up getting a refund!

If you feel confident in your basic level of tax knowledge and prefer to have everything done online and via email, Taxes for Expats is a great option. Overall, we would recommend Taxes for Expats for US citizens living abroad and looking for a tax preparer who is knowledgeable about the in and outs of this area of taxes.