Bali, Bali, Bali!

Bali, one of the biggest provinces of Indonesia also happens to be the most commonly sought after travel destination in the whole country. Although this particular province has a reputation for partying, it really has so much more to offer. The island of Bali offers so many cultural experiences in the forms of nature, art, spirituality and communications with islanders who have lived there for their entire lives. Bali is a place of many sensual experiences: it can be a place to relax & unwind, to explore & discover or to party & get excited!

The first time I went to Bali, I was absolutely flabbergasted with just how stunning the entire island was. I was with my family at the time and we did a lot of travelling around the province. We started off in Ubud and I can honestly say that if this is your first, second, third or hundredth time to Bali you should still visit Ubud. It’s a truly magical place and all the citizens of Ubud are so kind and genuine to every person they meet. There are so many places to visit in Bali, so I’m just going elaborate on three of the most commonly visited areas of this wonderful province.

Rice Terraces in Ubud

Ubud is known as the cultural heart of Bali. Many tourists who want to break out of that so-called “tourist mode” are advised to go to Ubud to step into a cultural world of their own. The traditionalism in Ubud is astounding, with nightly traditional performances and Hindu-Balinese ceremonies taking place on a daily basis. Another place which is absolutely teeming with traditional creativity is the Ubud Art Market or as it is locally known as Pasar Seni Ubud. These markets are quite busy the majority of the time and they are open daily: it really lets you grasp the concept of what Bali markets are like. Located opposite of the Ubud markets is the royal palace, known as Puri Ubud by the locals. During special occasion seasons, there are traditional performances at the royal palace which are absolutely incredible! I was invited to one of the ceremonies they host annually and it is definitely one of the most spectacular events I have ever been a part of.

Ubud: The Royal Palace

Another amazing area of Ubud you just have to visit, is called the Padangtegal Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary or more commonly known as The Monkey Forest. If you love nature and animals, then I can 100% guarantee you will love The Monkey Forest! This was my absolute favourite part of Bali and I will go there again when I have the chance. These monkeys are free to do as they please as The Monkey Forest is located on a nature reserve, which also happens to be part of a Hindu temple complex. When you enter the nature reserve, you are given the option to buy bananas to feed the monkeys whilst you’re there. The experience of feeding these cheeky little monkeys was one I’ll never forget. It’s almost impossible to hide bananas from these little guys, they can sniff them out from anywhere! Ubud is the best place to go if you haven’t been to Bali before or even if you have; you could pretty much spend all of your time in just the one area!

Cheeky little monkeys inhabiting "The Monkey Forest"

We also visited Kuta for a short while and visited the beautiful beaches that it is renowned for. It’s amazing just how different certain areas of Kuta can really be. Kuta is actually a relatively large part of Bali, it consists of North, South and Central Kuta. In the centre of Kuta, it’s pretty much party central. Although, towards the outskirts of Kuta, the beaches and the natural flora and fauna is quite a sight. Central Kuta is where the party is at – if you’re looking to go to Bali to party. North and South Kuta however, are actually very different to what you might already know about Kuta. These areas are fantastic for exploring, because they are somewhat bigger than the areas of Ubud. One part of South Kuta, known as Nusa Dua, is specifically renowned for relaxing. The iconic “Nusa Dua Beach, Hotel and Spa” is one of the best places to experience authentic Balinese heritage and culture. Here’s the link for their website à https://www.nusaduahotel.com/#

South Kuta: Bali Villas

If you’re into the cultural aspect of travelling and want to understand and appreciate traditional Balinese culture, then it’s really important you know all about the temples and shrines of Bali. In Bali there are hundreds of them! The task at hand is to decide which ones will be the most beneficial for your knowledge and give you the best insight to what Balinese culture is really like. I visited many Temples and Shrines when I was in Bali and I must say that Tanah Lot Temple was certainly an eye-opener. Tanah Lot is located in the Beraban village of the Tabanan regency, approximately 20km northwest of Kuta. The name given to the temple, Tanah Lot, actually means “little temple on the sea”. It was given this name because the temple can only be accessed at low tide. At high tide, the temple is inaccessible and looks as though it is floating. Surrounding the island are many sea-snakes which are believed to be deities by the Balinese people. These snakes are generally very passive and in a rare occasion that they do leave the water and come ashore, there are guards who protect them from visitors. Most of the snakes living on-shore are considered very precious and visitors are able to pay the snakes money to be blessed by them. This temple has some very weird and wonderful facts about it, so it is definitely worth visiting the Tanah Lot Temple if you ever happen to find yourself in Bali.

These are just a few of the main go-to destinations for tourists, but there are many, many more to be discovered by you!

Tanah Lot Temple

*Note: There’s only one aspect of Bali that some tourists might find a bit unsettling, which is the barter system. At most Balinese shops & markets, the owner will generally have prices set to a very high amount (in comparison to the prices of your home country). Many people get ripped off by these prices, hence you need to know how to barter. Bartering is quite simple and is done all over Bali, you just need some confidence to be able to do it. When looking at items you wish to purchase, keep in mind how much these would cost in your home country and then convert it to the Balinese Rupiah in your head (keep in mind that $1 Aus. ≈ 10 000 Rp, $1 US ≈ 13 000 Rp and €1 ≈ 14 000 Rp). Then when you go to purchase your items, make sure that you don’t go over the amount of money you are willing to pay or are happy to pay. Just remember that in Bali, a lot of the markets sell similar items, so if you’re not happy with the prices of one store, you may be able to get the same item for a better price at another store.

~ Bali