Bali has been pretty high on my list of places to go to since I was 23 years old. I have always been a spiritual person with a great love for the Buddhist & Hindu religions and so it was my calling to go visit this magical place for the last decade. My first time in Bali was in September 2016 and while it was a bit of a rookie trip; I was mesmerized with this gorgeous island and made my way back one year later in September of 2017.
Bali is a pretty large island with barely any infrastructure or highways and as a result pretty hard to get around. A trip from the east side to the west side which is roughly 30 miles can last up to 2 hours by car. We didn’t want to spend our days in the car and so we carefully selected a couple of areas to focus on during my first trip there. We chose an area called Sanur for our home base. The hotel we stayed at is called Tandjung Sari which is a boutique resort with 12 individual bungalow villas. This quaint little slice of absolute paradise is right in the heart of Sanur on the Bali Sea. We enjoyed our very own private bungalow fully equipped with a private outdoor shower (a Bali favorite!), a daybed where you can start your day with sun salutations, and unique touches such as: matching Balinese pajamas, hats and sarongs for the beach.
As we were steps from the beach, each morning we enjoyed a pot of Balinese coffee and a menu which boasted everything from westernized cuisine to Indonesian breakfast favorites. Our go to; banana bread made by our amazing chef and fresh in season fruit with a beautiful view of the Bali Sea. Once we wandered out of the hotel, there were plenty of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping and massage parlors where one can enjoy an amazing back massage for as low as $10 USD.
Sanur was the perfect quiet nook to enjoy the beaches, great restaurants and a certain Balinese je ne sais quoi ! The main street was lined each morning with offerings to the Gods; incense & candles atop each of the incredible statues which Lisa and I were in constant awe of!
When we weren’t out exploring; you could always find us on the beach enjoying some French Rose or relaxing in our amazing bungalow! Photo above is a peek at what the inside bath + outside shower looked like. An outside shower was a wonderful treat a couple of times a day 🙂
Bali has thousands of temples and on our way to Ubud, we made a stop at Batuan Temple which is a Hindu temple where one can find the statue of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is the deity of transformation in the Hindu religion. Prior to entering both men & women are given their traditional garment and once inside the temple you are free to wander around and visit the different altars.
Ubud was as lush as can be with incredible hidden nooks, alleys with secret houses, and beautiful infinity pools overlooking the jungle! My second trip to Bali I stayed in Ubud for 3 days and really got the chance to relish in Ubud’s charm! We stayed at Kamandalu Resort which was the perfect combination of new world luxury and Balinese charm. We stayed in a private bungalow which also boasted an amazing outdoor shower and a daybed where many naps were had! I always woke up to birds chirping away and such a serene peacefulness.
Our resort offered daily yoga, relaxation in the amazing infinity pools, but we did venture out quite a bit into town for dinners and checked out our share of Secret Houses and Gardens to indulge in amazing Balinese food. When in Ubud, do have one of their amazing dragon fruit shakes or acai bowls in any of their health cafes. When you are done with the hustle and bustle of the main town, do explore some hidden waterfalls and breathtaking rice fields.
Picture above is one of the secret gardens we had dinner at, it is opposite the Four Seasons. Do remember to bring your mosquito repellent as it is in the jungle and while they do have citronella candles, I still got bit quite a bit.
On the way to Ubud, don’t forget to check out the Sacred Monkey Forest. It is an absolute treat! It is a sanctuary full of monkeys of all sizes that are free to roam around and can be found on every single tree, path, and corner! Be careful feeding them and follow instructions from the forest employees. They are devious little things and I’ve seen them steal people’s personal items. It was hilarious watching them and it is quite the tourist attraction but you really can’t miss it if you go to Ubud.
The Gilis are a chain of islands off the coast of Bali and while there are about 13 of them, only 3 are pretty well known to tourists. We visited Gili Trawangan and stayed in Eco Villas on the quiet north side of the island. We had an amazing villa with a breakfast nook on the patio, outdoor showers, and a hammock which I found myself on every single afternoon. We were steps from the gorgeous turquoise waters and only a mini horse ride away from the bustle of the downtown Gili T area. Staying on Gili T was one of the most unique experience of my travels. It is an island where the only mode of transportation is on a horse & carriage, there are no cars, completely remote and most of the time while trying to get to town we had to go through a dark forest with no lights on these funny horses. The downtown area is pretty busy with tons of bars, restaurants and full moon parties on the beach. To say the least we had an absolute blast and ate fresh octopus and other seafood right on the beaches every night followed by fun parties. During the day we relaxed on the incredible pink sand beaches followed by mesmerizing sunsets.
Bali is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. Each corner is different than the next, the streets are lined with statues of the Gods and each God offers protection or offers prosperity to their island. Bali in Balinese is called the Island of the Gods and for that reason it’s people are constantly giving thanks, giving offerings full of flowers, incense and in some cases food. My favorite part was the Balinese people and their outlook on life. Their generosity and gratitude to their land and their gods can be felt everywhere. I am planning another trip to go back in June of 2019 which I will explore some more waterfalls, secret gardens and islands. The flight from California is about 25+ hours but totally worth every second.
Bali, I love you, I can’t wait to come back ❤
World Adventures by Fz 