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For our first wedding anniversary celebration, my husband and I decided to visit Bali, Indonesia before Christmas. It was both our first time to visit this beach destination that has been on my bucket list for a long time, so my husband made sure to pull out all the stops. We wanted the complete Bali experience: stay in a villa, get a Balinese massage, check out the hippest beach clubs, drink and dine at the most popular restaurants and bars, visit the most iconic temples, and explore the best tourist attractions we can fit in a short span of time—without straining ourselves too much, since my husband is not a fan of packing too many activities in our daily itinerary.

Finns VIP Beach Club, Canggu

Jessie & I were very clear about what we wanted to do in Bali: eat, drink in the coolest bars and beach clubs, and check out the night scene. Of course this includes a stop in the very new and very hip Finns VIP Beach Club, the new neighbor of Finns Beach Club that’s also a must-visit in up and coming Bali hotspot, Canggu (pronounced “chang-gu”). We were attracted to Finns VIP’s white beach beds (versus the latter’s black ones), and we were really pampered and treated like VIPs by their super friendly butlers. We could have stayed there all day, if only we didn’t need to drive to Tanah Lot to visit the temple at sunset.

Our villa offered airport pickup and free pickup and drop off to anywhere in Seminyak—the area where we stayed. It’s the area of Bali that has some of the best beach clubs, hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars, and shops. I’d daresay it’s the best place to stay in Bali because all the places you’d want to visit are so close to each other!

Upon the recommendation of our friend, I was able to book a private vehicle for the other days when we’d venture out of Seminyak to places like Canggu, Uluwatu, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta, and my second favorite area in Bali, Ubud—which was featured in one of my favorite books, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Sunset in Kuta

Bali is known for its beautiful sunsets that can rival that which we witness in our very own Boracay. We were chasing sunsets throughout our Bali trip, and it was sometimes tricky because of the timing of our transit and the weather. Still, we caught a truly spectacular one on our last day in Bali, which we spent at this hotel in Kuta, just a short drive from the airport. Speaking of transportation, we hired a driver to take us around Bali for a reasonable price, and it was worth it! I didn’t really need to use Google Maps much, except to estimate the time between destinations and to quickly research places to visit or bars we can check out.

Thanks to technology, I didn’t even bother grabbing a map from the airport. I had already planned to use Globe Roam Surf for the duration of our trip, so I know I could use mobile apps like Google Maps to find where I need to go and look for places to eat, grab a drink, and shop.

I’m on Globe Postpaid, and I’m so glad Globe Telecom offers more reasonable roaming rates, especially when you’re abroad for several days or weeks. Read on for the latest Globe roaming promos and how this has helped me and my husband enjoy Bali to the fullest and share our experiences on social media in real-time—as you can see throughout this post.

Uma Pakel Giant Nest, Ubud

Two tourist activities in Bali that everyone does for the ‘gram are the Bali Swing and Giant Nest photo ops. Our guide, Andre, used to be a photographer, so he took lots of really good couple and solo shots of Jessie and I—it felt like we were having our prenup part 2! We used my Globe iPhone 8 Plus to take pictures, so I just sent all of them to Jessie through Viber and Facebook Messenger immediately after, and he was able to post them on Facebook and Instagram in real-time. I had to settle for IG stories because he already posted the best ones, haha.

I love how Globe’s telco partner in Indonesia, Telkomsel, had signal wherever we went—from the beaches of Seminyak, to the rock cliffs of Uluwatu Temple, and all the way up to Ubud’s jungles and rice terraces. And I must say the internet speed is decent, too!

Potato Head Beach Club, Seminyak

Thanks to Globe Roam Surf, I was able to announce a Globe promo for friends and family back home in the Philippines while my husband and I enjoyed our drinks at Potato Head, one of the most popular beach clubs in all of Bali and always on everyone’s itinerary.

There are several roaming options you can avail if you’re on Globe Postpaid like I am. One is Roam Surf 599, valid for 24 hours. All you need to do to activate this is to turn on your mobile data and data roaming in your settings when you’re abroad. No need to register! You’ll automatically be charged P599 for unlimited all-day data roaming.

What’s more, once you’re subscribed to Roam Surf 599, you can also avail of this exclusive offer until Dec. 31, 2018 only: You get 30 minutes of outgoing calls and unlimited texts to all networks for FREE, also valid for 24 hours! To avail of the freebie, dial *143#, choose Roaming&Intl, then Data Roaming Promos, and select Roam Surf Plus. Or, even easier (which is what I did in Bali, naturally), just text ROAMSURFPLUS to 2884 toll free. This freebie can only be availed if you have an active Roam Surf 599 subscription, and only in the following countries: Australia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia—fortunately!

My husband and I both enjoyed the promo and freebie, because we didn’t have to spend on renting pocket wifi—I just used my iPhone as a wifi hotspot and he was able to enjoy mobile internet, too. Plus, I just let him use my phone to make business calls and texts, so he was still able to keep business operations going even while we’re away, without having to spend extra on roaming charges because I already have the freebie. (I’m such a great wife, with a little help from Globe, hahaha.)

If you don’t wish to be charged the default rate of P599 the next day (i.e. you’ll be staying at the hotel or an establishment that has free wifi all day), just turn off your mobile data and data roaming or put your phone on airplane mode until you’re ready to subscribe again. This flexibility is the reason I preferred to use Roam Surf 599.

Rock Bar VIP area, Ayana Resort, Jimbaran

Most restaurants, bars, and beach clubs we visited in Bali had free wifi, but not Rock Bar in Ayana Resort, where my husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Thank goodness I was on Globe Roam Surf, I could post this glorious sunset photo in real time. The place is always packed, so come before 4PM if you want to secure a good spot. As an anniversary treat to us (also because we were ordering way too much champagne for two), Rock Bar upgraded us to a prime spot reserved only for guests of the resort.

Another roaming option for jet-setters who will be traveling for a longer period is Roam Surf Longer Stay, with data roaming getting more affordable the longer you use it! Roam Surf 3D lets you get all-day roaming valid for 3 days for only P1,499; Roam Surf 5D all-day data roaming good for 5 days for P2,299; Roam Surf 7D valid for a whole week for P2,999; Roam Surf 15D valid for 15 days for P4,999; and Roam Surf 30D valid for 30 days for P8,999. Register for the Roam Surf Longer Stay promo you prefer based on the length of your stay once you arrive abroad. Make sure to wait for the activation message confirming that your subscription to the long validity offer is successful before turning on your mobile data and data roaming.

Rock Bar, Ayana Resort, Jimbaran

We had to come really early and wait a while to snag good seats at the highly popular Rock Bar, but it was worth it for this view: just look at the view of the glorious rocks, the glistening sea, and the beautiful sky!

Globe’s Roam Surf promos allow you to maximize your travel experience through hassle-free connectivity in several countries around the world. You can easily share the excitement to loved ones back home, or simply post your trip highlights on social media as we did.

Floating Breakfast

My husband wanted us to stay in a villa to complete our Bali experience, and of course this should include enjoying a floating breakfast in our private lap pool at least once during our stay! We did have to pay an additional fee for this, but it’s worth the experience. I still prefer my breakfast served on solid ground, though (the pool is super cold, haha), but we did scarf down everything on that floating breakfast tray, which includes Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice); Mie Goreng (Indonesian fried noodles); continental breakfast of bacon, ham, sausage, and Eggs Benedict; plus fresh fruits, juices, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. We really enjoyed the daily breakfast at our villa, floating or otherwise!

For more information on Globe Roam Surf, visit their website.

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