Three Weeks in Bali Part 1- South Bali

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In our time in Bali, we managed to see quite a bit, which made for a lengthy blog. So, I've decided to separate it into 4 blogs: Southern Bali, Central Bali, Northern Bali, and Diving in Bali. At the end of each I'll include my do's and don'ts. Enjoy!

Bali is a beautiful, small yet diverse island with a vibrant culture and eclectic environment. In order to truly experience Bali, it is best to visit different parts of the island. The south is a major tourist destination and surfer hotspot. The north is known for black sand beaches and relaxation. Central Bali is home to rice terraces and traditional handicrafts. There are amazing experiences to be had in each part of the island, so if possible, don’t limit yourself to just one location. It is difficult to strike a balance between limiting oneself and trying to cram too much into a short trip. Although there is more I would have loved to see, and more time I would have loved to spend in each city we saw, I am glad to say I was able to get a feel for what the island has to offer at a comfortable pace.

Upon landing in Bali, we hopped into a taxi to make our way to our hotel in Kuta, in the Southern part of the island. It is worth noting that although the airport is called “Denpasar International Airport,” it is actually quite far from the city of Denpasar. Admittedly, I did not have a glowing first impression of Bali. Kuta was dirty, crowded, and full of rowdy people on the hunt for parties and debauchery. Our hotel was nothing near what was advertised and was centrally located in a noisy construction zone. However, as we began our tour around the island I became more and more enchanted with it.

SOUTHERN BALI

This is primarily a big tourist destination for surfers, and is definitely party central! However, it is also a place to find delectable food delicacies, fantastic shopping, and eclectic nightlife.

Denpasar: Although this is a major city on the island of Bali, it doesn’t appear to attract many tourists. Perhaps that is because it is extremely crowded and full of cars, with temples and sights few and far between. If you’re interested in checking out the capital city, hire a driver from your hotel inSouthern Bali to take you for a half-day trip. That should be plenty of time!

As in other parts of the island, Denpasar has several Hindu temples. Most notable, however, are the markets, specifically Badung Central Market, which, if visited in the morning hours, offers a spectacular view into the life of Balinese people.

If your time in Bali is limited, don’t spend too much of it in Denpasar. A half-day of shopping and slight sightseeing is plenty!

Mengwi: The main purpose for visiting this small town slightly north of Denpasar is to take in the sights of the beautiful Taman Ayun temple. The name of this temple translates to “beautiful garden” and it most definitely lives up to its name. This temple was built in 1634 but maintains its natural, soothing beauty. The grounds are well kept, lush and green. The temple buildings show their age but look so magnificent and striking. The central courtyard holds many 5-, 7-, and 9-tiered shrines. This was one of my favorite temples inBali; everything about it was amazing!

Kuta: Partytown is perhaps the best way to describe this area ofBali. Tourists from all over the world gather here to party, shop, and eat. There aren’t any specific sights to see in Kuta but wandering the streets is an experience I would definitely recommend. Your time in Kuta will be spent winding through narrow alleyways of shops and restaurants, weaving between motorbikes and cars, and leaping over stray dogs. Kuta is perhaps one of the best places to get your souvenir shopping out of the way.

Southern Bali is known for massive waves, not to be tackled by the inexperienced or lighthearted. Swimming is not allowed at many of the beaches, but surfers are liberally sprinkles on the waves. I highly recommend an early morning stroll on the beach. Bring a coffee and a jaffle (Balinese breakfast “sandwich”) and sit in the sand, watching surfers tackle one colossal wave after another. Some of the best surfers in Bali can be seen strutting their stuff in Kuta. Come in the early morning hours, or near sunset to see them show off their skills.

The hotels in Kuta are generally inexpensive, and geared towards young, budget travelers. There is no shortage of inexpensive lodging here, just give yourself time to walk around and ask the various hotels and hostels.

Legian: A 20 minute walk up from Kuta is Legian, a slightly more upscale area but still reasonably priced and lively. I definitely preferred Legian to Kuta; it still has plenty of nightlife and fine dining, but not as much rowdy public drunkenness as Kuta. The beaches are not as crowded, however not many experienced surfers make their way to this beach. Again, there aren’t many specific attractions in Legian, just as there aren’t in Kuta, but it’s another wonderful place to stroll the beach and the shops.

Seminyak: Further up the road from Legian is Seminyak, Kuta’s sophisticated older brother. Perhaps a little pricier than Legian, this area offers finer dining and nicer hotels for those not interested in the party scene. Although this area may feel off limits to the budget traveler, it shouldn’t feel intimidating. After an hour of frustrating searching, we found a fantastic little hotel in the heart of Seminyak for only 150,000IDR. It was a small, no frills bungalow-style hotel but it was exactly what we needed. Ask a local to point you to Hotel Bayu Perdana, located at Jl. Abimanyu no 99x.

The dining in Seminyak was fantastic! If you are going to splurge on an exquisite meal in Bali, let this be the place. We splurged on two. One was a wonderful seafood meal we enjoyed while gazing at the ocean. The other was at a French steakhouse called Le Relais de L'entrecote. Apparently, this restaurant is modeled after a chain of prix fix restaurants inFrance. The restaurant specializes in Australian beef steak, for which you can choose one of three secret sauces. The steak comes with unlimited (and amazing) french fries. The entire dinner came to about $20 per person, whereas inFrance the same menu would have cost closer to $100. To date, this was the best steak I have ever had, period.

Jimbaran: Located just south of the airport, this area doesn’t get a lot of tourist activity. The main reason for visiting this tiny fishing village is, well, for the fish. A driver will happily take you to this dining destination, where you can walk the street lined with seafood restaurants, all eager to lure you in. The menus at all the restaurants are virtually identical, as are the prices. We opted for a whole grilled red snapper. The order came with soup, salad, drinks, and fruit. The best part (other than the food, of course) was enjoying the meal on the beach just as the sun was setting. Any seafood lover should not miss out on the opportunity to dine in Jimbaran.

Bukit Peninsula: South of the airport, the Bukit Peninsula is home to the majestic Uluwatu Temple, one of Bali’s nine key directional temples. This temple is perhaps best visited around sunset, as it adds to the fantastic beauty of the cliffs and temple grounds. Dating back to the 11th century, this extraordinary temple rests on some of the most beautiful cliff sides inBali. Walk along the pathways to get a view of both sides of the temple but beware of the monkeys! These monkeys are trained to steal your belongings and trade them for food. However this trade can only be accomplished with the aid of a guide, who will ask for money in return for his good deed. One more thing about the monkeys, they are morbidly obese. Although many tourists found this to be adorable, my heart ached as I watched obese monkey after obese monkey rest on the fence. People really need to stop feeding these poor monkeys; there is nothing cute about obesity in primates. I digressed, the temple is beautiful. Simply put: visit it, watch the sunset, and enjoy the tranquility.

Tanah Lot Temple: This is another one of the key nine directional temples inBali, and perhaps the temple with the most stunning views. It is located about one hour north of the Kuta region, and, just like Uluwatu, it is best visited around the sunset. Although this temple can get pretty crowded around this time, once you find a place to sit and enjoy the sunset, you will understand why this is the best time to come. The temple buildings are carved into rocks and cliffs in such a way that it seems as though they have always been there. During low tide small pools of water form, and algae is visible, making for some great experimental photography. Twilight at Tanah Lot is truly stunning!

Bali Dos and Don’ts

Do hire a driver if you can spare the money. We hired a driver several times during our trip and it made thing so much more enjoyable. We were able to choose where we wanted to stop, what we wanted to see, and the pace at which we wanted to travel. The price ranged from $30-$50 for a full day (10-12 hours), which I think is totally worth it.

Do haggle! This is my tip for any destination inSoutheast Asia. Haggle to your heart’s content! It may seem awkward at first but it is definitely worth it. Start by asking the price, and follow with a counteroffer of 50%!o(MISSING)f that price. What will follow is a back and forth, at which point you can decide if the item is worth it. If you leave without purchasing the item in question, chances are the store owner will follow you with a dramatically lower price. Haggle for beach chairs, haggle for souvenirs, haggle for basically everything.

Do beware of the monkeys, especially at Uluwatu Temple. These crafty monkeys will steal your belongings and offer to exchange them for food. Of course, in order to do this successfully, you will need the help of a “guide,” who will generously offer to help you, in exchange for money. The monkey forest is also home to some clever monkeys, one even stole my chocolate croissant as we were walking on the street outside of the forest!

Don’t shy away from trying local food specialties. I cannot stress this enough. So much of the cultural experience is tied into the food. Many Balinese people speak English, so if you have dietary restrictions or can’t handle spicy food, you can be accommodated.

Don’t miss out on seeing a traditional Balinese dance performance. I highly recommend seeing it in central Bali, as the performances in Southern Bali are geared towards tourist and tend to have much less authenticity.

Don’t forget to make time for diving. Even if you have no prior experience, many dive shops will take you on an “introductory dive” at a calm dive site. Even there, the sea life will be beautiful and varied. At the very least, take a snorkeling trip to Tulamben and swim through a WWI-era shipwreck with swarms of sliver fish.

Top 3 “Keep on you at all times” Items:

1. Sarong: All temples will require you to wear one upon entry. It’s better to have your own and save on sarong rental fees.

2. Sunblock: I cannot stress this enough, the sun inBali is harsh and strong, reapply regularly.

3. Bug spray. I have never been so covered in bug bites as I was inBali. Even worse was that I had allergic reaction to them, requiring me to get antihistamines at the local pharmacy. So yes, bug spray, use it often!

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Photos

The Thinker
Uluwatu Temple