BALI GUIDEBOOKS

Every major guidebook company from Lonely Planet to Let’s Go makes a Bali guidebook.

Most guidebook companies also make a book on Indonesia as a whole, as the country’s territory and diversity of places to visit make for enough material for a full guidebook.

If you’re only planning on visiting Bali, getting a specific guidebook for the island is a good idea. For example, Lonely Planet’s book on Bali and Lombok gives good in-depth coverage of Bali and the surrounding islands.

If you’ll be visiting lots of places in Indonesia or Asia, getting a larger guidebook like The Rough Guide to Indonesia is a good idea. If you’re good with scissors, you can cut out the chapters you need and leave the rest of the book at home to save room as you pack your bags.

Once you know what size Asia, Indonesia or Bali guidebook you need, shop around for an guidebook that fits your travel style. If you’re backpacking, Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, and the Rough Guide are some of the best Bali guidebooks.

If you’re going upscale, look into guides like the LUXE guide to Bali that offer more high-end suggestions for hotels, restaurants, and shopping in Bali.

If you love sightseeing, consider picking up the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Bali and Lombok. With photos and illustrations on every page, the Eyewitness Bali guidebook is great for explaining the details of Bali’s many historic buildings, beaches, and religious landmarks.

On a budget? A lot of the best deals on Bali guidebooks can be found on websites where travelers that have just returned from Bali are selling their books. If you’re lucky you can get a copy with good notes and suggestions written in!

One last tip on finding the best Bali guidebooks: check the date the guidebook was published. If it is more than a year old, don’t buy it. Things change so quickly in Bali that an old guidebook will be of little use to you today.