Beautiful Bali

Sitting on the shore,

With you so close by my side,

Watching the horizon,

And the slowly receding tide,

An orange red glow,

Slowly spreads across the calm sea,

The beauty of nature,

On display here for you and me...

{©2005 Jan Brooks}

Two states - random coffee dates - soul mates: is our sweet & short love story. Given all the choices on earth me and my hubby opted to go to Bali for our honeymoon.  A place I fell in love with instantly after reading Eat Pray Love. And I am so glad that we visited our dream destination.

Bali is a land that seems to have a magnet at its very heart. It is a feeling that is difficult to understand unless experienced but once visited you are surely compelled to come back and you may even want to stay forever, such is its pull. A truly beautiful tropical island inhabited by remarkably artistic people, breathtaking panoramas of cultivated rice terraces, impressive volcanoes and pristine beaches.

With my sweetheart at the Sea Temple

We spent four days in Bali in February 2012 and had a wonderful stay at the Bali Kuta Resort by Swiss-Belhotel. Conveniently located in the heart of Kuta the spectacular location allows easy access to entertainment venues, tourist attractions, exclusive shopping and sightseeing. We were in for a surprise the moment we entered our room - lovely décor, rose petals and a delicious heart shaped chocolate cake were arranged for us. Such gestures stay as sweet memories forever.

    Our room  

There are many hotels and resorts in Bali. One can look at the other options too depending on an individual’s choice. Heard the villas in Ubud are fabulous and would love to stay there during my next visit. Hubby dear hope you have made a note of the same :-)

We pre booked our trip (excluding flight & hotel which we booked on our own) through a local agent, John Bali, whose contact we got through a friend. The agent got us the best of deals and his guide showed us around the place by private car. A half day city tour (around 5 hrs) costed us US $35  and a full day tour (around 10 hrs) costed us US $41. This does not include the cost for entry tickets, food, beverages & shopping. It only covers the cost of the private vehicle. The tour guide a jovial person really made our trip a very memorable one. He explained to us the culture and significance of each of the places and also gave us ample time to click pictures.

Spectacular glimpse of Bukit Peninsula 

The visa process is simple. 52 countries are eligible for visa-on-arrival when visiting Bali and Indonesia. A transit visa for up to 7 days costs US $10, and a tourist visa for up to 30 days costs US $25. When departing from Bali, you are subject to the airport departure tax which can be paid in cash in Indonesian Rupiah only, so save some bills for the trip out. The airport departure tax is US $15 (IDR 150,000) for international departures and US $1.4 (IDR 40,000) for domestic departures. Attached is the link for further details :

http://www.balistoreluggage.com/blog/indonesian-visa-on arrival regulations/#sthash.pRLw0QaL.dpuf

Although commuting is easy, the local transportation system in Bali is not one of the best. Hence renting a two wheeler or booking a private car or taxi are better options. Pick up and drop from the airport till our hotel and return costed us US $12 each way.

A garden at the sea walker resort

Bali boasts a tropical climate with just two seasons (wet and dry) a year and an annual average temperature of around 28C degrees. Dry (between May to September) and wet (between October to April). However even in the wet monsoon it is still likely to be sunny for a good part of the day. May, June and July are generally considered to be the best time to travel to Bali in terms of the weather.

Golden sand and blue sea 

The local cuisine is out of the world. Satay chicken with peanut sauce, fried rice with shrimp and eggs, grilled squids…..ok I am droooooooling now. Veggies don't be disappointed. One will find a variety of food options (both veg & non veg) in restaurants at Bali.

Nasi Goreng - National dish of Indonesia

Our itinerary was pre planned. We covered the following places on the first day. 

1. Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park

As we entered we were spellbound by the stunning panoramic views of Bukit Peninsula surrounding the park. A few steps away was the magnificent Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue which is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and his mount Garuda, the mythical bird who is his companion. After seeing the entire park we sat down to relax and enjoyed some chilled coconut water. One can also enjoy traditional music & dance performances or rent & ride a segway at an additional cost.

Tickets : US $8
Location : South Kuta

Attached is a link for further details :

http://gwk-culturalpark.com/

Magnificent Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statute

2. Uluwatu Temple

Our next halt was at the famous Uluwatu temple surrounded by the Indian ocean. The encapsulating ocean view, cliff hanging temple and the golden sun rays beaming from the clear blue sky made us go wow - we were overwhelmed by the beauty of nature.  In addition to these one can also see the uluwatu cave and the kecak dance performance at an additional cost.

Tickets : US $2
Location : South Kuta

Note : You need to be properly dressed to enter. Sarongs and sashes can be rented at the entrance. The temple is inhabited by large number of monkeys, who are extremely adept at snatching visitor's belongings including bags, cameras, shiny objects like watches, eyeglasses and colorful hair bands. Keep a very close grip on all your belongings and stow away your eyeglasses if at all possible.

The cliff hanging temple

3. Jimbaran Beach

Ok. So it was 7 pm and we were tired and hungry. Our tour guide decided to take us to Jimbaran beach. So lucky were we - arrived on time and got to see the gorgeous sun set. The sky turning from blue to orange. We had a lovely candle night dinner by the beach along with live singing, fresh grilled sea food and traditional Balinese dance performances. Must do must see for every couple who visits Bali.
Tickets : NA (free entry)
Location : South Kuta

Live singing

Perfect set up near the beach

   Delicious drinks & candle night dinner 

4. Exotic Balinese Massages - Not to be missed at any cost

And last but not the least - a perfect way to end the day. A full body spa - ohhhhhhhh - was so relaxing. 
Most of the spas offer foot massage, foot scrubs, full body massage, shoulder massage, neck massage, facials, sun tan treatments, etc. 
Tickets : Lulur Orchid Spa - US $30 (2 hours package including drop till hotel)
Location : South Kuta

Luxurious rose petals bath

And here goes our itinerary for the second day.

5. Sea Walker

Yeah. Day two and we were pretty excited. Our tour guide picked us up early morning and dropped us at the Grand Mirage resort. After reaching there we quickly changed into our costumes and got all set for our first underwater expedition. We were shown a few videos and given some training. Later we were taken by boat to the middle of the ocean where we were taken 8 feet under water using a ladder. As we went inside we could see 1000's of fishes and even feed them. The encounter with fishes and the underwater world was spectacular. This activity is completely safe and can even be done by non swimmers.

Tickets : US $75 (including pick up & drop from hotel, lunch & mineral water)

Location : Sanur

Attached is a link for more details :

http://www.clubaquabali.com/

Look at me - so happy - yo yo yo

Do watch our experience at the Sea Walker activity! Please find the link below,

Bali Sea Walker Video

6. Ubud and Mas Village

After the amazing sea walking activity we drove down to Ubud. On our way we halted at Mas village famous for its artistic wooden carvings and artifacts. We found that most items were a bit over priced but worth visiting once. You are allowed to take pictures. 

Artistic wooden carvings on display

Pretty baskets - I wanted to buy all of them

Tegalalang rice terrace

We later visited Ubud village. Ubud is surrounded by spectacular rice field terraces and heavenly greenery. 

Tickets : NA (free entry)
Location : Ubud

7. Mt. Kintamani (Active Volcana) & Lake Batur 

Our next getaway was Mt. Kintamani. This wonderful mountain has an active volcano, dizzying views in all directions and a lake named Batur. One can also enjoy snacks & lunch at the local restaurants with lake view.

Tickets : NA (free entry)
Location : North Bali

Mt. Kintamani

8. Shopping & Bargaining

On the way to our next destination we stopped at Batur for street side shopping. I went crazy seeing the colorful display of outfits, bags and footwear. Spent an hour here and bought 100's of things while my hubby and our tour guide relaxed in the car. Hats off to their patience.

Tickets : NA (free entry)
Location : Uluwatu

Note : It is good to bargain but not for items which are already low priced.

Go crazy shopping

9. Kecak Dance

The day ended with us watching the traditional kecak dance. The performers emote slowly with their voice, expressions and dance steps - and natch, we were completely mesmerized. Taken from the Hindu epic Ramayana, the Kecak dance is perhaps the most dramatic. The dance tells the story of Prince Rama and his rescue of Princess Sita. There are dozens of different dances - all part of the fascinating Balinese culture.
Tickets : From US $35
Location : Uluwatu

Attached is a link for more details :

http://www.viator.com/tours/Bali/Bali-Kecak-Dance-Fire-Dance-and-Sanghyang-Dance-Evening-Tour/d98-3665DPS57K

Balinese Beauties

Kecak Dance

                                                   
And the following on the third day.

10. Taman Ayun Temple
After eating breakfast to our heart's content we were all set for day three. Our first halt was at Taman Ayun Temple. This is a Royal Temple of the Mengwi Empire, located in Mengwi Village. Taman Ayun translates as "beautiful garden" and is regarded as one of the most attractive temples of Bali. One can view the main temple from outside, also see the royal meru shrines and climb a tall tower built in the garden for taking some great pictures.
Location : North Denpasar
Tickets : US $1.5

Taman Ayun Temple

11. Bali Botanical Garden

We next drove down to the Bali Botanical Garden.  A vast expansion of green lawns surrounded by different varieties of plants, shrubs, trees and cactus. Was such a refreshing change. It also had some wonderful scenic points.

Tickets : US $5
Location : Bedugul

Attached is a link for further details :
http://www.botanicgardenbali.com/ 

Garden Entrance

Four Layered Fountain

12. Ulun Danu Temple

This is one of the most beautiful temples in Bali situated in the middle of the lake. Built in 1926 and is dedicated to Dewi Batari Ulun Danu, goddess of lakes and rivers. One can also enjoy boating here (depending on the weather).
Location : Bedugul

Tickets : US $3

Ulun Danu Temple

13. Tanah Lot (Sea Temple)

Our last destination was the sea temple. Tanah Lot is probably the most famous of Bali's temples and means "land in the middle of the sea". The temple sits just off the coast on a rock, which is quite spectacular.The temple is visited quite often at sunset and provides an opportunity for great photos. 
Location : South Kuta

Tickets : US $3

Tanah Lot Sea Temple

Most of the above activities can be pre booked by local agents or by staff at your hotel.

Tipping & Etiquette

Major hotels: Tipping is not mandatory. However, if you want to tip, perhaps provide 5 to 10% of the total bill.

Restaurants: Some restaurants will include 5 to 10% service charge to their bill. But if they don't levy any service charge, you can tip between US $1 to 10% of the total bill.

Taxi drivers: Tipping is not mandatory. Although all taxis are metered, some drivers do not carry either coins or small notes, or may not be able to locate them when required. Many passengers round up their bill.

Car-hire drivers: It is not mandatory, however if service is satisfactory a basic US $1 tip is deemed appropriate. Full day car hire drivers generally expect a larger tip.

Airport porters: Normally have a mandated US $0.50 rate per bag. You don't have to use them, but for very little money they can be a big help especially going through customs and it makes a difference to them.

Medical Facilities
Attached is a link providing details about hospitals and clinics in Bali.
http://www.bali.indonesia.embassy.gov.au/blli/medical.html

Bali Map

Your valuable feedback and comments would be highly appreciated. Also if you have any questions regarding Bali please feel free to write to us.