What better way to mark a big birthday or to celebrate a special anniversary than by booking a trip to Bali? The Island of the Gods offers the perfect backdrop for any celebration – here’s everything you need to know about throwing an epic party in Bali.
Venue
One of the best ways to celebrate a special occasion in Bali is to stay in a fabulous villa with a private pool. Besides offering that extra dose of luxury, staying in a villa will make the logistics that much easier as you can host your party at the villa – Bali villas usually come with generous living areas and beautiful gardens. Booking a villa also means you and your group (or part of your group, depending on the number of people) get to stay under the same roof, instead of everyone being scattered off into different hotels. If you’re looking to host a big group, you can book a large villa like Villa Anam with its 10 bedrooms or book a whole villa estate like Nyaman Villas which can host a whopping 40 guests.
If you are planning to host a party at your villa, make sure you mention this while making the booking. If it’s a smaller gathering limited to the people staying overnight in the villa, it will likely not affect your booking. However, villas do require prior notice for larger events and most often an event fee and a banjar fee which is paid to the local village community will apply. The fees will depend on the villa. The banjar fee is usually around IDR 3,500,000 – 5,000,000 (USD $240 – 345). It’s also good to remember that practically none of the villas in Bali allow you to book the venue simply to host a one-night event. Most if not all villas have a minimum stay policy which could be anything between 2 nights in the low season to 7-10 nights during peak season.
Another option is to host your party in your favourite restaurant or club, as a lot of beach clubs and restaurants in Bali do allow for private event hire. Cocoon Beach Club in Seminyak and Loop Pool in Canggu are great options for hosting private events in style.
Whether your hosting your party in a villa or at a restaurant, always check their terms and conditions carefully before booking and check if the venue allows you to bring outside food, caterers, sound systems or entertainment.
Food & Catering
Another perk of staying in a villa is that the villa staff can do much of the work for you. Many villas in Bali come staffed with a private chef and those that don’t can usually organise one for an extra charge. The food is usually priced either based on a priced menu or on the cost of groceries. Some villas add a grocery surcharge, usually around 20%, on top of the price of groceries to help cover the cost of transport and other expenses.
Here are a few our favourite villas which are staffed with incredible chefs and are suitable for hosting events.
Casa Mateo is one of our favourite culinary villas in Bali – in other words, our team loves the food here! Casa Mateo is staffed with a great chef (last time we visited we had a gorgeous three-course meal in the garden) and the spacious six-bedroom villa with its huge gardens is perfect for hosting parties. We also love the location which brings you just around the corner from Eat Street.
Another Seminyak favourite, The Cotton House is a beautiful white villa with eight bedrooms spread around a large garden, so the setting is ideal for celebrations. When our team stayed at The Cotton House, one of us was celebrating a birthday and the gardens were perfect for some team-building goofiness. The food was gorgeous and the staff were brilliant with their impromptu song and dance when it was time to bring out the birthday cake.
Dea Villas in trendy Canggu is a great option if you’re planning to host a bigger group. Made up of four private pool villas, the estate can be booked as a huge 12-bedroom option when needed. The head chef and his team can create both Indonesian, Asian and international dishes. For a special occasion, we can also recommend their set barbecue dinner sets. The drinks menu is also great.
Another great villa in Canggu, Villa Beji with its huge gardens, six bedrooms and 21-metre pool is perfect for hosting an unforgettable party in Bali. Villa Beji’s staff are experts in organising gorgeous poolside barbecues with fairy-lights twinkling in the trees. As this villa specialises in events, live entertainment can also be arranged.
Hidden away from the crowds on peaceful Saba Beach, The Ylang Ylang is a beautiful beachfront villa which can accommodate dinner parties and intimate events for up to 20 guests at no additional charge. The villa is staffed with a skilled personal chef, with an extensive suggestion menu covering both Asian and international cuisine. The Ylang Ylang’s location is luxuriously private so having great food on site is crucial – luckily, Chef Kadek is more than up to the challenge.
However, there is a limit to just how much a single chef can do. If the number of party guests is more than double the number of in-house guests, most villas require outside catering to be organised. In other words, if there are 10 people staying at the villa and you want to organise a party for a total of 21 guests, you will need to organise outside catering.
If you want to use outside catering, there are plenty of great options covering a variety of cuisines. And again, before lunging for your check book, remember to make sure your chosen venue allows for outside catering.
International Cuisine: Bali Catering Company
Bali Catering Company is one of the best in the biz and offers a huge array of nibbles and more substantial munchies for parties of all sizes. Go for tapas, opt for a degustation menu or splurge on an epic brunch spread. Bali Catering Company also does bar catering and bakes fabulous cakes – but more on that later.
Indonesian Food: Merah Putih Catering
Add some refined local colour to your celebration with a little help from Merah Putih Catering. This company comes from the same folks behind the highly rated Merah Putih restaurant in Seminyak, so you can expect spectacular food and exceptional service. Merah Putih offers both barbecue buffets and family style sit down dinners – they even have a designated “day after” brunch. Merah Putih Catering’s services also include free flow bar catering.
Mexican Food: Taco Beach Grill
Taco Beach Grill brings a piece of spicy Mexico into your Bali celebration. One of the most popular Mexican restaurants in Bali, Taco Beach Grill’s specialty is their unique babi guling taco, which brings together the Mexican staple and Bali’s famous suckling pig. Adding a festive spin to any occasion, Taco Beach Grill has previously catered for events hosted by everyone from Rip Curl Indonesia to the US Navy(!)
Vegan Food: Kynd Community
One of the most Instagrammable cafes in Bali is now also bringing their unique brand of plant based magic to private events. Kynd Community’s menu is filled with trendy treats like smoothie bowls and salad bowls and everything is 100% vegan, so this is a great option if you’re looking for munchies for a plant powered bunch.
Grazing Plates: Island Graze
A grazing what you say? Island Graze offers stunningly beautiful platters of seasonal fruits and vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, fresh breads and dips. This is a great tapas style option for parties and one that guests are bound to photograph – a lot. Island Graze also offers fruit platters and can customise their plates to cater to vegetarians, vegans, gluten free diets and more.
Sweet Treats: Poule De Luxe
If you’re looking for adorable sweet nibbles for your shindig, look no further than Poule De Luxe. This bijou Batubelig café specialises in cream puffs, macarons and bakery goods (oh my!) which make for a trés chic addition to any celebration. If you’re looking to cater to special diets, their macarons and chocolate fondant are gluten free. Poule De Luxe is a master of creating gorgeous dessert tables.
Ice Cream: Gelato Factory
This one is bound to be a big hit with the kids and why not adults for that matter. The popular Gelato Factory ice cream shop can arrange a truck filled with your favourite gelato flavours to be parked at your party. Trust us, this is just what the doctor ordered in the famous Bali heat!
Alcohol
For some people, this might be the most important part of the whole party – the booze! If it’s important to you that everyone’s glass stays perpetually filled, it’s good to do some planning beforehand.
Alcohol is expensive in Bali, so it might be a good idea to bring your own bottle from overseas – and to ask your guests to do the same. Just remember to not overdo it as Indonesian regulations allow each passenger to bring along one litre of alcohol. Anything exceeding one litre must be declared at customs and is subject to duty fees. Luckily, there’s also a great local option for handling your tipple needs.
The Boogaloo Bali is a one-stop-shop for all your boozy needs in Bali. Not only do they offer 24/7 alcohol delivery(!), they also offer bar tenders for hire. To get off really easy, The Boogaloo Bali can also organise bar catering to your party. Depending on what you need, The Boogaloo Bali can organise both free flow bars and cash bars.
Birthday Cake
A party without a cake is just a meeting! A birthday cake is a crucial part of a successful celebration and luckily, there are more than a few fabulous bakeries to satisfy you sweet cravings in Bali. Here are a few of our tried and tested favourites for sourcing a birthday cake in Bali.
Bali Catering Company’s beautiful cakes are truly some of the best on the island. Their New York cheese cake is a firm favourite at our office and really, you can’t go wrong with any of their mouth-watering options: chocolate mud cake, passion fruit delight, white chocolate cappuccino… and more. Cakes are available in several sizes, ranging from a petite 6-8 person number to a generous 35-portion spectacle. The cakes are priced from IDR 250,000 (USD $17) and up.
Along with Bali Catering Company, Bali Bakery is one of the b-day heavy hitters on the island. They offer a nice selection of cakes (try the fruitcake and tiramisu) and there are usually premade cakes waiting in the bakery, so you don’t have to pre-order a cake if you’re in a hurry. Bali Bakery staff can also add a customised well-wish text to the cake. Bali Bakery currently has three locations: Kuta, Seminyak and Denpasar (also convenient if you’re staying in Sanur).
Thyme & Caramel
If you’re hosting a party with a few vegans attending or want to cater to those following a gluten free diet – or else just want to treat your guests to a pretty-as-can-be cake – Thyme & Caramel is one of your best bets on the island. The passion project of 16 year old Arielle, Thyme & Caramel specialises in gorgeous, handcrafted cakes which are both vegan and gluten free. There are plenty of flavours to choose from, ranging from their signature thyme and caramel to the delectable rich chocolate and pumpkin espresso. The 22-centimetre cakes are priced at IDR 450,000 (USD $31) and cute cupcakes are also available.
Ruth’s is another great option for cakes, especially if you’re staying in or around Sanur. Ruth’s specialises in American style desserts, which is something of a niche market in Bali. I recently attended a friend’s birthday party with both a carrot and a chocolate cake from Ruth’s and they both tasted ah-mazing! These cakes are also a great option if you need to store them for a while as the moist cakes just get better if you leave them in the fridge overnight.
Kids’ Parties
Parties in Bali are not just for the grownups – it’s also a fabulous setting for hosting an epic birthday bash for your little ones. These companies offer great options for making the big day extra special, Bali style.
Putri Siren helps your little girl live out her wildest Little Mermaid dreams. This local company offers beautiful mermaid tails perfect for pool parties and they can also organise mermaid themed birthday parties at your villa. Priced at IDR 3,500,000 (USD $243), the party package includes everything from 10 mermaid tail hires to party decorations and photography and of course, a mermaid themed birthday cake!
Julia Costumes offers a full range of fancy dress costumes in two locations – one on the outer edge of Sanur and the other in Kerobokan, just 10 minutes from Seminyak. Julia Costumes stocks costumes for both adults and kids and you’ll likely find what you’re looking for here, whether that’s a princess dress or a superhero costume.
Glo Spa
Now this is something that both the kiddos and the grownups can enjoy. Glo Spa can arrange a private spa party at your villa and tailor the event based on whether it’s the adults or the kids who want to indulge – or both. Glo’s kid friendly “princess parties” include spa treats, milkshakes, party nibbles, lollypops and of course, a gift bag with your very own tiara! Glo Spa has locations in Seminyak, Canggu, Sanur and Nusa Lembongan.
No matter what decoration you’re after, you’ll probably find it at Smile Balloon & Party Shop. This one stop shop stocks a huge range of balloons, party lights and party accessories and it’s a great place to hit if you’re planning a themed birthday party for your kids. Smile stocks everything from Sponge Bob napkins to Disney princess letter banners. Their balloon range is also impressive. Smile Balloon & Party Shop lists over 2,000 party products on their website so you can have a look see before heading to their store on Sunset Road.
One Stop Shops
If all the party planning is giving you a headache, why not leave the whole thing to the pros? These party planning professionals can handle the whole hoopla for your so that there’re nothing left for you to do expect show up and enjoy the party!
Last Hurrah Bali can make your Bali party dreams come true. This party planner has exquisite taste (just take a peek at their website or Instagram) and they can help organise everything from food catering to bartending and event styling. And when we say they can help you with everything, we do mean everything – they can even organise tepees, floral arches and photo booths for your party.
Plan A Bali is another great option for a one stop shop party planner in Bali. Besides organising beautiful Bali weddings, Plan A specialises in throwing epic birthday parties tailored to meet your individual needs. Unlike most event organisers in Bali, Plan A does not offer generic packages but instead, everything is a la carte. This means you can plan the event exactly as you want it and you do not have to pay for inclusions you don’t want or need.
Though it’s easy to get dizzy just looking at all the options available, try to remember that hosting a party is supposed to be fun! If you’re not sure where to start with planning your party in Bali, why not contact our team? Our villa specialists can help you find the perfect venue for your event and our concierge team can assist in organising all the essential extras from birthday cakes to dinner menus.
