The Bali Travel Blog
The Bali Travel Blog will keep you posted on the latest additions and updates such as:
* new pages that tell you about my new discoveries in Bali such as sights, beaches, restaurants, hotels etc.
* dates of important events that you might want to see and experience
* updates of existing pages so you'll always have the most recent information
* other websites addresses that I think are worth a look.
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Feb 2, 2012
Kuta Beach Bali - Our one day itinerary
Kuta used to be popular for its beach and waves. Today it's also famous for its shopping, restaurants and nightlife. To be truthfully honest Kuta is not our favorite village in Bali as it has become over crowded and the uniqueness of Bali has in our opinion disappeared. Kuta could be any other beach village in the world.
Nevertheless, despite our views on Kuta when we were staying there we could easily fill a day full of activities.
We also wanted to try out surfing so once in Kuta we headed straight to the beach around 9.00 am. Every day you can find Balinese instructors waiting around on the beach and they teach you the basic surfing techniques at a very reasonable price.
There are many surfing schools in Kuta as well which offer whole day surfing lessons, but if you just want to try it out for a couple of hours than one of the many local surfers are a perfect option.
After two hours of fun, struggling in the waves, finally standing on the board and getting sunburnt it's time for lunch. You can get pretty hungry from all that activity. Luckily Kuta has tons of restaurants to choose from. Local restaurants serving Indonesian food to restaurants that have wraps, pizza's and hamburgers on their menu.
After lunch and a shower it's time to head to Tanah Lot, one of the most famous temples in south Bali. Its location is unique as the temple is only accessible at low tide. The drive to the temple will take you along beautiful ricefields.
You can either stay at Tanah Lot to watch the sunset but we headed back to Kuta beach where everyday people settle down in the sand to watch the amazing sunset which seems to be getting more spectacular while staying in Bali.
Once it gets dark and the temperature is not that sizzling hot anymore it's time to do some shopping or even better get a foot massage. The latter is a popular activity in Kuta and I'm not surprised ;-)
Shops and massage places are found everywhere along Poppies Lane and Jalan Legian. Here you will find many restaurants too which will be perfect for dinner.
Kuta area is the best place in Bali to enjoy night life. There are many bars and clubs in town and since recently there are even Bali performances at the Kuta Theater at Jalan Kartika. The little shops are also open till very late so if you feel like late night shopping than you won't be disappointed.
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Jan 30, 2012
1st of February - Galungan
Tomorrow the Balinese will celebrate Galungan, one of their most important holidays. This 10 days holiday celebrates the victory of good over evil and it is believed that ancestral spirits will return to join the festivities, visit homes of descendants and receive offerings.
When you are traveling through Bali you will witness the Balinese dressed in their best outfits carrying offerings on their heads. The streets are also decorated with 'penyors' which are tall bamboo poles decorated with palm leaves.
As a traveller it is one of the best times to see how beautifully the Balinese celebrate their holidays and conduct ceremonies.
Jan 23, 2012
Ubud Bali - Our One Day itinerary
Ubud is one of our favorite villages in Bali because there is so much to do. You can easily fill a whole day (or more) with cultural and relaxing activities. To give you an idea on what you can do in one day this is what we did once when we were in Ubud.
Goa Gaja Temple Complex
After having an early breakfast head to Goa Gaja at around 8 o'clock in the morning. It is about a 20 minutes drive from Ubud center.
The origins of this temple complex are still a mystery but the name comes from the elephant sculpture that can found at one of the temple entrances. You can also stroll around the pools and if you are lucky you will witness the Balinese preparing for ceremonies.
From here you continue your journey to Tampaksering, a beautiful ancient complex set amid the ricefields. It is quite a walk down to get to the tombs dedicated to the members of the royal family but the ricefield landscape makes it very enjoyable. Try to bring a hat because by the time you are there it can be pretty hot.
Click here for details on sights around Ubud
Monkey Forest Ubud Bali
For lunch head back to Ubud where there are dozens of great restaurants that serve Balinese and Indonesian food but also western, organic and other delicious creations.
When the heat becomes bearable again head to the famous Monkey Forest located down the road of Monkey Forest street. The big trees provide refreshing shades and besides meeting the mischief monkeys you can walk down to the river and visit a temple.
From here it's time to relax at the spa. Make sure you book ahead so you don't have to wait. We highly recommend going to Pertenin Spa or Botanic Spa.
Bali Dance Performance in Ubud
Once you manage to get away from the relaxing massage table it's time for the evening program.
Every evening there are different dance performance taking place in Ubud which start between 6.30pm and 8.00pm. Depending on which one you choose you can either have a snack or a early dinner before the performance starts.
After the performance you can have a delicious dinner by candle light or head to the few bars in Ubud for a drink and live music. The Laughing Buddha Bar on Monkey Forest street usually has a band playing all kinds of music.
If your mind is more set on dancing than Ubud Jazz Cafe on Jalan Sukma is a great option. Besides Jazz the dance floor gets pretty crowded on Wednesday when the band plays Latin Grooves.
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Jan 21, 2012
Kintamani on the edge of losing its edge
The Kintamani area is one of Bali's natural wonders and comprises of the volcanic Mount Batur with walls from 1267m high to 2153m high and scenic Lake Batur which sits in one of the worlds biggest calderas.
Now Kintamani is losing its edge because the local people keep on annoying travellers with stuff you consider twice of buying. Anyone interested in a bow and arrow or calendars with signs you don't understand? We've predicted it already a long time ago, same counts for the religious sight of the Besakih temple where local 'tourist guides' love to jump on you as well once you get out of the car.
Tourist numbers to this sight are down and keep on falling and to make matters worse the quality of the water in the lake is decreasing as well with algae popping up. Nowadays local people use too much fertilizer for their plots of land and fish farms harming the water supply for rest of Gianyar Regency as they receive water from this biggest fresh water lake in Bali.
Most travellers visiting this area come on day tours from Bali's most popular places such as Kuta, Nusa Dua, Sanur and Ubud and stop at one of the buffet restaurants from where you have the best view.
Since the problem of annoying tourists in the villages of Kintamani and Penelokan is widely known the local and central government still prefer to collect entrance fees without blinking an eye.
Isn't it about time that somebody wakes up and does something about it?
Jan 20, 2012
Free tickets for the Kuta Theatre
For those Bali Travel Life readers who are interested in visiting the Kuta Theater we are able to hand out 12 entrance tickets for free. Just contact us via email and don't forget to share with us your Kuta Theater experience.
The Kuta Theater brings up a Balinese Theater Show in a clever way. The play "Lights of Faith" tell us more about the old traditional friendship crushed in modern culture.
It's fun, hilarious & educating. There are at least six story morals in one hour performance. Daily show at 5 & 8 PM except Wednesday.Reservations +62 361 762750, the 12 free tickets are valid until April and it's first come, first serve ;-)
Jan 6, 2012
Things to do in Kuta
There are several great things to do in Kuta and it's not only surfing but a whole lot of of other things too, check them out here...
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Jan 6, 2012
Bali Beach Resort | Bali luxury resort
Looking for a Bali Beach Resort which is actually located right at the beach? This list covers all types of resorts set along famous Bali beaches.
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Jan 4, 2012
Bodyboarding in Bali
Just got a question from one of our Australian website visitors about which Bali beaches are the best for bodyboarding and I thought this would be a perfect item to share on the Bali Travel Blog as well.
Among the best beaches for bodyboarding in Bali are Kuta beach and Legian Beach where the reef is far out and where you can easily stand in the water without the strong undercurrents which you can find at Seminyak Beach, Canggu Beach and Seseh beach.
The more north you go along these west Bali beaches the more dangerous it gets.
Another one of the great Bali beaches for bodysurfing is Dreamland Beach on the Bukit in the southern part of Bali. The other beaches in this part of Bali such as Balangan Beach, Uluwatu, Nyang Nyang Beach, Green Bowl and Bingin are not suitable for bodyboarding, only for surfing.
Furthermore Jimbaran beach is a good place to do some bodyboarding but then you also need to be a bit lucky with the winds since the waves do not reach the heights you get at Kuta Beach and Legian Beach.
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Jan 2, 2012
Bali Holiday Villas - Quality time at Munduk Moding Plantation
One of our favorite places to stay in Bali is the villa complex Munduk Moding Plantation which is ideally located in the mountains and plantations. Compared to south Bali you can say that this place is pretty remote.
But the stunning views from their private villas, attentive service and the sense of being far from the crowd makes Moding Plantation an excellent place to relax and spend quality time together.
Besides taking a dip in their beautiful infinity pool you can stroll around their premises or go on longer hikes towards Lake Tamblingan and the Munduk waterfalls. You can even go horseback riding or jump on the mountain bike to explore the area. Munduk Moding Plantation offers all kinds of tours to other parts of the island too.
When we stayed at Munduk Moding Plantation there were only two other guests. But today they have become quite popular so to avoid disappointment book far ahead. To read more about Munduk area have a look here. More information on Munduk Moding Plantation can be found by clicking on the link below.
Dec 26, 2011
Travelling with a disability in Bali
For those travelling with a disability in Bali it might come as a surprise to you but the island is not well equipped to handle travellers who could you use some special assistance.
Even though Bali island is one of the tourist hotspots in South East Asia it is still part of Indonesia which is a developing country and where infrastructure isn't on top of the agenda.
Nonetheless Bali is transforming itself slowly and more facilities are being opened to facilitate those travellers with a disability. Especially when you stay in resort villages such as Sanur, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa you'll find proper ramps, footpaths, elevators and specially designed rooms.
Other popular places such as Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Jimbaran are not well equipped to handle these kind of travellers and Ubud, Candidasa, Amed and Lovina are completely a no-go zone if you want to move freely. Their footpaths (if there are any) are often lined with potholes and many hotels have tough to access entrances, let alone having elevators and easy access to rooms or bungalows.
From all the places we've been to the best village equipped to travellers with a disability Sanur beach comes out as the best village to spend your holiday. Here their footpath along the beach goes on for miles on end with various shops, coffee houses and restaurants.
Moreover there's even a special tour company which focuses mainly on travellers with a disability. It's called Bali Access Travel and they can be found on Jalan Tamblingan not too far from the Uluwatu Shop, the Sports Cafe and Picaddilly restaurant.
Dec 21, 2011
6 Favourite low-budget Bali accommodation options
There are so many place to choose from when planning your holiday on the island but to make it a bit easier for you we've listed 6 of our favourite low-budget Bali accommodation options worth staying at here:
Ida's homestay : this low-budget Bali accommodation is picture perfect with little huts built on a palm grove right at the seaside in Candidasa. Rooms and bathrooms are basic but it's one of those places you wished you could stay longer at. Everything here is made out of wood and you will not find any nails, but most importantly it's cheap...
Lecuk Inn: located on Jalan Kajeng in Ubud and close to all the action with the best rooms in the big white house with partial rice field view or ravine view. Super value for money while staying at the back of a Balinese courtyard with lovely people.
Kedin II: there are not that many good options in the hustle and bustle of Bali Kuta beach but this one definitely deserves to be mentioned. Rooms and bathrooms are basic but there's a swimming pool and this guest house is located close to the beach, shops and clubs.
Kembali: right on the beach in Amed you'll be having your private bungalow with sea view, semi-outdoor bathroom, American King-coil Mattress and a lovely verandah to sit on for hours. One of the best and cheapest Bali accommodation options in this part of the island.
Adi Assri: located in northwest Bali in the village of Pemuteran this place ticks all the boxes for a great place under the stars. It isn't exactly a backpackers but still is very reasonable priced, especially when you choose those rooms with mountain view.
Keke Homestay: located on a small side road of Jalan Tamblingan in Sanur this small and cheap Bali accommodation has value for money rooms, hot water, mosquito netting and air-conditioning if you like. Breakfast and chitchat with the Balinese family is included.
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Dec 19, 2011
5 unspoiled Bali beach resort villages
Being an island Bali is blessed with different types of beaches ranging from powder white ones to black volcanic beaches.
The Bali beach resort of Kuta Beach, Seminyak Beach and Nusa Dua Beach must be the most popular ones but there are many 'unpopular' or as we like to say unspoiled ones catered mainly to travellers who love culture, privacy and peace of mind.
Here are 5 of our favorite Bali beach resort villages we love to go to and which always leave us with unique experiences.
Balian: This bali beach resort is located on the island's west coast and only known by surfers who seem to have a special nose for these places. The beach is volcanic black and goes on for miles on end. There's a handful of accommodation options ranging from more upscale places to cheap budget places.
Bingin: Another surfer's paradise but this time located in the southern tip of the island but with loads of budget options and some stretches of good beach. Nonetheless most people come here for the excellent waves and laid-back atmosphere.
Balangan: Picture perfect with some of the finest stretches of beach, some accommodation options, perfect waves and even some watering holes to chill at. Hard to find but definately also hard to leave.
Candidasa: This Bali beach resort village is located on the island's east coast and doesn't get the stream of visitors it actually deserves but hey that's good enough for us. Here you'll find palm fringed resorts, great restaurants and is the ideal place to visit one of the most interesting parts of the island.
Pemuteran: located on the edge of Bali's only national park this village has unspoiled beaches, fantastic accommodation options in all price ranges and amazing underwater wild life at nearby Menjangan Island. Romance, peace and quiet are the main ingredients here.
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Dec 17, 2011
Experience Amed - Top 5 Things to do in & around
Far far away from all the crowds and busy streets you can find a string of little fishing villages off the coast of East Bali. Together these villages are known as Amed, of which one is actually called Amed.
Unlike the south of Bali, Amed area started its tourism development much later and today you can see that it is more quiet, deserted even in off-peak seasons making it ideal for those who wish to loose the crowd while enjoying fantastic views over an clear blue ocean and to enjoy the laid back attitude of the local Balinese.
Besides adapting to the easy going pace of life, there are some active things to do too. Here are 5 things you can do during your stay in Amed.
1. Seasalt: Besides fishing the local people collect sea salt. Along the street you can find salt neatly piled up for sale. At the restaurant Garam you can learn the different stages of salt processing.
2. Diving and Snorkeling: The number one reason why travelers head to Amed is for the colorful under waterworld. You can follow PADI courses here too. Amed has a couple of good diving and snorkeling sites so you can easily spend a couple of days in the water.
3. Hiking: This might not be the most popular hikes in Bali but if you want to be treated with an amazing sunrise you can hke to the summit of Mount Seraya. There is a trail east of Jemuluk Bay.
4. Jukung trip: The ocean around Amed is amazing and towards the end of the day it is fun to jump in one of the traditional fishing boats and cruise along the coast. It's a perfect way to cool down from the heat and witness Amed's spectacular mountain landscape from the water.
5. Day trip East Bali: East Bali has mountains, agricultural and rice field landscapes making it ideal to tour around while visiting great cultural sights such as Besakih Temple and Tirta Gangga water palace.
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Dec 15, 2011
Transporting goods around Bali island - Incredible balancing skills
Cars are still too expensive for the majority of the Balinese. So what other option do they have other than public transportation? The motorbike. Like all Asian countries the motorbike is the most popular way to move around in Bali and you will see hundreds of them driving around or parked along the street.
Since the motorbike is often their only form of transport it's amazing how the Balinese have been able to make use of these two-wheeled vehicles to transport all kinds of goods. Not just shopping bags or a box, but a lot of goods. You won't believe what you see when you travel through Bali the first time. Not only do a family of four hop on one motorbike but the Balinese manage to transport much much more...
Just scroll down and learn...
Mattress delivery. Who needs a pick-up or van?
Toy on wheels. Not only one of my favorite things to see on a motorbike but I bet children know the sound of his engine from far away...
A lot of empty plastic bottles do make a heavy load. Still wondering how they tied it all up like that...
You might not see the driver, but believe me there is a motorbike somewhere under there...
Not a motorbike, but you have to admit it is still pretty impressive...
Dec 12, 2011
Where is what in Bali? - Getting familiar with the Bali Map
If you are going to a destination for the first time it often takes a bit of pre-research to figure out where everything is located and what the distances are.
For Bali it makes planning your trip much easier if you get an idea on where you can find the most popular villages and landmarks.
You are likely to enter Bali through Ngurah airport which is located in the south. From here you can reach any village in Bali of which the furthest is about a 4 hour drive.
Tuban is just a 10 minutes drive from the airport. Kuta is connected to Tuban followed by Legian, Seminyak and Canggu. Depending on the traffic it will take you about 20 to 40 minutes to get to your hotel or villa. Jimbaran is located south of the airport and is just 15 minutes away.
A highway connects the south-west coast with the south-east coast so from the airport you can easily reach Sanur, Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa within 45 minutes.
South Bali offers numerous types of accommodations for any traveler who wants to enjoy a beach or surf holiday with access to great restaurants, clubs and shops. From here you can do day trips to the north such as Ubud.
Ubud is located more or less in the heart of Bali and is about 1 hour drive from the south. You'll appreciate Ubud more if you stay there longer than one day plus this cultural village is ideally located to explore the rest of Bali.
Great sightseeing trips from Ubud are Jatiluwih rice fields, Lake Batur, the waterpalace Tirta Gangga, Pura Besakih temple or the wonderful landscape around Rendang and Sideman.
Towards the east of Bali and about 2-3 hour drive from the airport you have Padangbai, Candidasa and at the outmost eastern tip Amed. All three coastal villages haven't experienced mass-tourism such as the south nevertheless there are allot of places to stay and great things to do such as snorkeling, diving and exploring east Bali.
From here you can also visit all the sights as mentioned for Ubud. But from the east it's easier to reach great hiking and walking trails.
The north-east of Bali is very dry and doesn't attract much travelers unlike north-west Bali where you can find Lovina, famous for its dolphins. Lovina is about a 4 hour drive from the south.
Pemuteran and Menjangan island is further west and is popular for their magnificent diving and snorkeling sites. Nature lovers would enjoy Bali National Park which is located just around the corner or you can head to the villages Munduk or Batukaru in central Bali where you can walk all types of trails in the refreshing mountain climate.
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