What to Wear on Your Solo Trip to Bali | Solo Female Travel

After the Hollywood movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love,’ Bali became one of the top travel destinations among solo female travellers. Although I had not watched the movie before visiting the island, I was intrigued by its beautiful scenic views, historical sites, mouthwatering cuisine, and stunning beaches. After I visited Bali, I realised how much I had fallen in love with this island. There is something magical about this island that can only be experienced through a visit. 

The fashion style of Bali is mostly bohemian. Considering the fact that Bali is an island, you can expect the fashion style to be a bit laid back and easygoing. Most female travellers I saw during my solo trip wore dresses, skirts, shorts, tank tops, kaftans with matching statement jewellery. 

Because of the tropical atmosphere in Bali, there is no fixed dress code that you have to follow. If it’s a sunny day, you go with a sundress or shorts and a tank top. If you find the day to be a bit chilly, wear jeans with a jacket and throw in a cute beanie with it! 

Here are some general outfit ideas if you are starting with your outfit checklist for your solo trip to Bali.

1. Dresses

If you are planning on visiting a beach or just going for a lazy lunch, dresses will work perfectly for both. These are feminine and very comfortable to wear. Dresses will make a great alternative for jeans or tight jeggings. And if you end up visiting Bali during the summer season, these will be a life saviour. 

You can pack different types of dresses. For instance, if you plan on wearing a dress to the beach, then a full-length dress will do. And for dinner at a fancy Balinese restaurant, you can pack short-length dresses. 

Some of you might wonder why you should even dress up for dinner since you are travelling alone. A sweatshirt with a pair of comfortable shorts while stepping out for a meal will work, too. While there is no harm in wearing the most comfortable pair of clothes you own, having an amazing night in a fancy restaurant is reason enough to dress up for yourself!

Also, when you visit temples and other religious places, make sure you wear full-length dresses. Although there are no restrictions as such, it is better to be safe than sorry. And carry a scarf or a thin shawl in your handbag too. If you wear sleeveless tops/dresses, scarves can come in handy when you visit temples.

A tip…

Since Bali is a tropical destination, you will be visiting a lot of beautiful places. I would suggest you pack some floral and colourful printed dresses as well to click some aesthetic photographs for your next Instagram post!

2. Tops

T-shirts, shirts, and tops are a MUST without saying. These are casual and comfortable. And can be worn with jeans, shorts or even dungarees. For hot and sunny days, cotton tops will work like magic. You can pack different light-coloured shirts and t-shirts to wear when you’re exposed a lot to the sun. 

While packing shirts, you can keep the count minimal with just two or three pairs. Even though shirts give a very formal kind of vibe, you can surely pair them up with jeans or shorts to create a casual look. 

When it comes to tank tops, I would say pack only those that are comfortable. You should be able to spend a good six to seven hours in a tank top without feeling uncomfortable at any point during your long day tours. Again, pack a lot of different colours so you can mix and match them to come up with different looks with just a few pieces of clothing.

A tip…

You can never go wrong with white. I would suggest you pack your favourite white t-shirt and shirt to rock them with any type of look. And also, pastels are subtle and perfect if you want to add a dash of colour to your look. These colours will definitely make your photographs look stunning!

3. Bottoms

When it comes to bottoms, you can never go wrong with a good pair of jeans and shorts. You can pack denim and cargo shorts, whichever you feel more comfortable in. What makes jeans and shorts the perfect bottoms is the fact that they are easy to wear and take off while you’re using a public restroom. And the best part is you do not need to wash them frequently! You can easily wear your shorts on the beach and while exploring other tourist places.

However, remember that you may not be allowed to enter the sacred sites and temples when you’re in your shorts. Since these are religious places, I would suggest you either wear jeans paired with a top or full-length dresses. 

Along with shorts and jeans, you can also pack long skirts with you. Yes, long skirts. Although these might not sound that fashionable, trust me, with the right top and some stunning jewellery, you can rock the look! 

A tip…

When it comes to jeans and shorts, your classic black and dark blue ones will work the best. You can pair them up with any colour of shirt or t-shirt. 

However, if you do want to experiment a little with coloured bottoms, you can surely go ahead with that. But remember, you will have to pack shirts and t-shirts in colours that match your coloured bottoms. The last thing you want on your Bali trip is a massive suitcase with no way of utilising the stuff that you have packed!!!

4. Outerwear

Outerwear such as a hoodie, sweatshirt, cardigan, or jacket can come in handy if you are visiting Bali in the colder months. Also, even during the summer months, the mornings can get a little chilly. If you make plans to explore Bali in the early morning, then don’t forget to pack a light cardigan, jacket, and sweatshirt in your backpack.

When it comes to colours, I guess anything that you already own will work just fine. If you still want me to suggest, I will pick classics like black or beige. These two colours look good with any coloured outfit.

A tip…

Packing clothes is one of the most important things to do before you embark on your solo trip. And the best way to avoid unnecessary clothes in your luggage is to check the climate around the time you are visiting Bali and pack accordingly. For winters, thick sweaters, hoodies, jackets, and sweatshirts will be useful. For summers, a light cardigan or a jacket can be helpful to beat the early morning chills!

During my solo trip to Bali in November, I packed a good amount of sweatshirts and jackets. And I tried to use these pieces of clothing with my dresses and jeans to create different looks.

5. Footwear

You can carry different footwears that go well with the clothes that you have packed. For instance, if you are wearing dresses, sandals or flip-flops can work. And comfortable sneakers and shoes go well with jeans/shorts.

And also, if you plan on taking a trek to Mount Agung or Mount Batur (two of the most famous), then you should definitely wear trekking shoes that have a good grip. For trekking, your good old sneakers and converse will not work, so one good pair of trekking shoes is a MUST!

For beaches, flip-flops will be the perfect option. These can easily be worn and taken off. You can either pack a good pair of flip flops or purchase one from the markets in Bali for low prices (this option will also make up some space in your luggage so you can carry other essential items!).

A tip…

When going on a solo trip, it is best to pack only the essentials and no extras. The same goes with footwear as well. You may own plenty of different footwear but packing only the necessary ones (the ones you are confident about wearing on the trip) is the key.

6. Jewellery

As I mentioned earlier, Bali’s atmosphere has a more bohemian vibe to it. Metallic coloured necklaces, earrings, bangles, and nose pins are definitely a hit. This means that you can layer up your jewellery, and it will still look stylish. However, make sure you don’t go overboard with the jewellery. This can look too forced and ruin your whole look.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of jewellery, I still packed up very minimal jewellery. A long metallic necklace, two pairs of earrings, and lots of colourful bangles were my statement jewellery pieces for the Bali trip. I paired these few pieces of jewellery differently with my outfits, and it made a massive difference to the final output. I think I looked good, but I’m not sure though lol. 

A tip…

Although jewellery does not take up too much space in luggage, I would suggest you pack only the ones you feel you can actually wear out there in Bali. Also, less is more. So when you are pairing these jewellery pieces up with your outfits, try to keep it simple yet stylish!

7. Swimwear

Your Bali trip will be incomplete if you don’t visit at least one beach on the island. Now, you don’t have to visit all of them, but a few should definitely be on your list of beaches to visit in Bali. And for these occasions, you will need swimwear! So pack up all your cute bikinis and swimwear to have a great time at the beaches.

You can either sunbathe on the beach or take a step ahead and go for the water adventures offered by the Bali beaches. 

Now while you go for water sports, a bikini may not be that comfortable. If it’s surfing, yes, bikinis can work, but if you try parasailing or other such water sports, bikinis could be a little uncomfortable. So in such cases, keep a pair of shorts in your handbag. For tops, I guess your bikini bra can work perfectly fine. But if you do not feel comfortable trying out water sports in your bikini bra, you can carry a t-shirt with you and wear it on top of the bra when your turn comes for the sports!

Also, you can carry a beach sarong wrap with you for when you go to the beaches. The sarong can act as a cover-up on the beach. 

This brings me to the next important essential you need for the beaches – sunscreens. Yes, it is not a clothing item but is very, VERY essential. Regardless of whether you are wearing just your bikini or a sarong, the chances of you getting tanned are quite high. So, slap on a good amount of sunscreen on all your exposed body parts before hitting the beach. You can also reapply the sunscreen if needed.

A tip…

While packing, try to pack colourful bikinis and swimwear. Now black is classy, but against the backdrop of Bali’s clear blue water, your pictures in bright-coloured swimwear will look out of the world!

So, have you packed everything you need on your solo trip to Bali?

Bali does not really have any restrictions as such. You are free to wear anything you like. However, you might have to cover yourself up when you visit temples (and there are plenty of those in Bali) and sacred sites. Other than these, you are good to wear as you please in public.

For beaches, you can wear any type of bikini or swimwear, with no restrictions on those. But you might have to change from your swimwear into something like shorts and a tank top once you leave the beach. 

So, book your tickets, get your bags packed, and head to Bali to have one of the most memorable times of your life. Trust me, you will not regret visiting this beautiful island! And don’t forget to let me know your Bali experiences as a solo female traveller in the comments below. Happy travelling! 🙂