Advertisement
Published: October 19th 2015
Edit Blog Post
I never thought that I would enjoy Bali so much that I had to go back a year after my first trip- this was 2014. Most people know Bali as a surfing paradise. And if you are not a surfer or is not a beach person, going to Bali may not be a part of your travel list. Although, yes, Bali is indeed a surfer's paradise, it offers so much. The places I visited last year where different from the places I went to this year. Aside from the culture, temples, rice terraces and monkey forest, Bali also offers great food. And if you're adventurous, you will definitely enjoy your stay here. Let me share the places we've explored on both of our trips. This may be quite a read but my hope is to encourage you to set your heart in traveling to Bali because it is more than just a surfing spot.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces, located in Ubud, is one of the most popular tourist attractions and Bali destinations. I thought that rice terraces should be in a countryside or open fields. But this one is just beside the road, literally beside the road. Our tour guide, Dada,
told us to get off the car and cross the street. There are stalls, shops and small restaurants fronting the street, slighting concealing the rice terraces. But when we went around it we were greeted by this amazing rice paddies. I had to stop and take it all in before I can continue walking. There are stone steps and pathways that you can walk on and it will lead you closer to the rice paddles.
Anyone who has seen the movie or read the book "Eat, Pray, Love" will surely know Ketut Liyer. He is the famous medicine man and fortune teller. Tourists, and even locals, would flock his house to have their fortunes read by Ketut. And if you don't want to know your fortune like us, Ketut is nice enough to pose for some souvenir photos. You just have to wait in line, though. Well, you can explore around his compound while waiting for your turn, which is what we did. Going around, we learned that they offer accommodation/room rentals as well. We also saw an authographed photo of Julia Roberts with Ketut while they were filming the movie. Oh, and did you know that Ketut is
almost 100 years old?
Before leaving Ubud, we got a chance to explore Ubud Village. This is considered to be the center of Ubud, with markets, shops, restaurants, bars and coffee shops lining up the streets. They even have an Ubud Art Market where you can buy different art pieces and paintings you can bring home. We also went inside Ubud Palace or Puri Seran. It was originally designed as a residence for the King of Ubud. The intricate design embodies the Balinese culture and architecture. Another interesting find here is the Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, a Hindu water palace. The pathway leading to the temple is surrounded by water, with Lotus flowers floating on it.
Another popular destination is the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. It was named UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Balinese Subak System. Jatiluwih is located in Tabanan province, in the center of Tabanan Regency. This beautiful landscape is about two hours away from the airport, farther than most of the tourist destinations, but definitely worth the trip. Jatiluwih is more expansive than Tegallalang. It is more like a complex where a community, mostly made up of farmers, live. And since Jatiluwih is
a long drive from the airport, restaurants and even small inns line up the street just across the terraces. It is surely a nice and comforting sight to behold when you wake up in the morning or while having a meal. It tends to get cold in this part of the countryside, especially during the last quarter of the year. so make sure you have light jacket or cardigan with you.
Also on the Northern part of Bali is Taman Ayun Temple. It is a huge complex consisting of different Balinese temples, located in the Mengwi District of Badung Regency. In and around the temple compound are beautifully landscaped gardens designed to invite tourists to explore the surroundings. There are areas inside the compounds where tourists are prohibited to go for it is a sacred place of worship. People can only go inside during worship or when offering sacrifices.
Pura Gunung Kawi is funerary complex. It consists of 10 rock cut face shrine, imitating the real statues. It was said that these monuments were dedicated to Anak Wungsu and his queens. Wungsu is a part of the Udayana Dynasty.
Trekking is not our strong suit so we
did not go to Mt. Batur, Bali's most active volcano, but we were able to see it from a vantage point. Most tourists would opt to take a trekking tour of the mountain to see the sunrise. And I've seen photos of it and it is indeed magical. We have to settle for looking at it from a distance.
Going to Bali will not be complete without a visit to Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is a rock formation that houses the Pura Tanah Lot pilgrimage temple. This striking rock formation is surrounded by sea water. And if it is low tide, tourists can walk by the sea. Be mindful, though, of the splashes of water when it hits the rock. Tanah Lot is most famous for its sunset. Can you just imagine the throngs of people who come here around sunset? It is most crowded during this time. We were lucky to get there an hour early so we were able to get a good spot to view the sunset.
Another must-see when in Bali is the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan located at the shores of Lake Bratan, in the mountains near Bedugul. This temple complex is more
commonly known as the Lake Temple. Offering ceremonies were held in this temple for the river goddess Dewi Danu. When we started researching about Bali, this one really ticked my interest. I don't know why, but it did. Seeing it up close brought a sense of tranquility to me, amidst the many tourists around. It was really picture perfect for me.
We didn't get to go to Uluwatu the first time we were in Bali. So, this year, we made it a point to stop by Uluwatu and visit the famous Uluwatu Temple. Also known as Pura Luhur, this temple is located on top of a cliff overlooking the sea. From the main entrance, tourists has an option to take the long, scenic route to the temple or the more shorter one. The long route will give you a better view of the sea while walking along the path leading to the temple. The shorter one is a straight route. Our tour guide warned us that there are monkeys roaming around the complex. Some would be perched atop a tree branch or some would be sitting on the ground. We were told to keep our shades or anything that
the monkeys can grab, especially food. And if they come near you, NEVER feed them. We did see monkeys while we were walking (oh, by the way, we took the shorter route since we are so tired from all the walking we did already) but they just stayed where they were and didn't move at all. Whew!
Our last stop for both trips was Kuta since it is near the airport. We got to see some beautiful beaches and lots of surfers ( I call them surfer dudes). Aside from Kuta Beach, we went to Nusa Dua and Double Six. Nusa Dua is where you will find the more upscale hotels and resorts. It is more peaceful in that part of the city. I would have loved to take up surfing lessons but time was not on my side. There were so still so much to go to, places to eat and shopping areas to see. Maybe next time I will be able to factor in surfing lessons in our itinerary.
Food is definitely good in Bali. I shall share that with you next time.
Photos taken by my good friend, Mike Plana
Advertisement
Tot: 4.248s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 6; qc: 47; dbt: 0.0313s; 3; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb