“AND IF ALL ELSE FAILS, BALI IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA”
Bali has so much versatility to offer in terms of beaches, paddy fields, fruit orchards, volcanos, dragons, luxurious stays and lot of activities, sprinkled with a dab of mystic Hindu mythology. A unique Hindu island in a Muslim country where references of Ramayana are part of daily lives, is something, which can only be experienced.
This blog post is about our 7D/6N vacation in Bali in the month of Dec 2013.
Bali was the first travel destination for my wife Nikita and me, post our marriage. We took a direct flight from Kolkata and a return flight (hop Singapore) to Bengaluru. That was our first experience flying with low cost SouthAsian flights and we really struggled getting anything vegetarian on board. Though VoA was one of the easiest to obtain, do watch out for some airport fee which is charged in local currency when you fly out.
We had booked a private luxury pool villa in seminyak region with Uma Sapna.
Day 1: Uluwatu Temple
Uluwatu temple is perched over a steep cliff where one can witness traditional Balinese dance in the form of Ramayana recitation after sunset every day. It is best to book a local taxi-cab to visit places around Bali. While visiting this place, one must show respect to the local traditions of this hindu temple. There are lots of monkeys in this temple but we didn’t find them a nuisance.
While our way back to the resort, we took a brief stop over to visit Jimbaran Bay beach. As it was already dark, we decided to head back to our resort and call it a day.
We did not find a lot of challenge in finding vegetarian food around but I must admit that we had to stick to western fast food chains and found less opportunities to try local cuisine. Our resort did offer few varieties during our regular breakfast but the only name which sticks today is Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng.
Day 2-3: Tanjung Benoa
Our next 2 days of stay in Bali was filled with water activities and a half day tour to nearby Turtle Island. The ride to turtle island is a fun one where one gets to watch colourful marine life through glass bottom boat.
As water sports are mostly in the first half of the day, we decided to use our evenings for some leisurely activities. On one day we booked a session for a couple with Prana Spa and other day we went for a dinner by the beach side.
Day 4: Ubud – Kintamani
Do you remember the book ‘Eat, Pray, Love‘ where the author spends months in Italy, eating, before heading to India in search of spirituality (Pray) and finally arriving at Bali and falling in love? This book and the movie based on it made Ubud a sought after destination for tourists. Ubud is known as the cultural capital of Bali and truly so, one can enjoy a wide range of disparate activities in this part of Bali.
We spent whole day roaming in the paddy fields and visiting an art center. We also visited a coffee plantation and witnessed manufacturing of Kopi Luwak.
We chose a serene spot for our lunch while visiting Kintamani area, which is an active volcano. The view which we got from the restaurant was transfixing.
Day 5: Nusa Dua – Paragliding
Though lesser known, Bali has quite a few places where one can go for Paragliding. We booked a session for tandem paragliding with Bali Paragliding Tandem tours. We enjoyed every bit of it as it was the first experience for both of us and we only hoped for it to last longer. For me the take off was fairly smooth but I had a minor crash landing on the cliff. After the little misadventure, the operator decided to land my wife on the sandy Pandawa beach.
Day 6: Rock Bar – Ayana Resort
Rock Bar is a small hidden gem in Bali which is situated on a cliff with Indian Ocean as backdrop. The bar itself is part of Ayana Resort. This place is famous among tourists to watch sunset and enjoy drinks amidst waves crashing by the side. Getting to the venue is an experience in itself.
GB Hacks:
- It might be a best option to hire a reliable cab from resort itself and use the same person as city guide as well.
- While visiting Uluwatu temple, one can get Sarong or scarf there itself.
- Bali is an extremely safe and tourist friendly destination. However, during the month of Ramadan, one needs to exercise caution as there are certain restrictions.
Kedia's Travelogue 