BALI, the place which is the amalgamation of an aquatic life to dense forest and from High Mountain with erupting LAVA volcanoes to the deep step farming (rice terraces) of Tegallalang. For us, it was a pure mystical island which was getting unveiled more we delve into its beauty. As we were roaming around on a rented 2-wheeler, the crossings in Bali amazed us, with the life-size figurines’ inspired from EPIC tale of Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Also, there are tons of places where people flock to the incredible beaches and Instagram worthy brunch spots popping up all over the island.
The best experience one can get in Bali, is just rent a scooter and roam wherever and everywhere as your heart desires. Just get all out and get lost in the magnificent beauty of Bali. Each part of it is a tale, story and a paradise in its own. One only needs to soak-in in the nostalgia of Bali.
The highlight of our trip was just wandering in the streets of Ubud.
Tanah Lot
A place where sun embraces the ocean by spreading its rays all over the ocean bed. A place where you can hear the best sound of water when it crashes against the giant rocks at the shores. A place which gives you an infinite look of an Ocean with no limits.That place we call as, “Tanah Lot”!! and we must say there is a LOT to see, hear, feel and specially get MESMERISED with its limitless serene and composed chemistry.
We drove approx. 20 kilometres northwest of Kuta to reach here and it has got one of Bali’s most iconic temples because of its spectacular seaside setting on a rocky islet surrounded by crashing waves.
For the Balinese people, it is one of the most sacred of all the island’s sea temples. (The largest and holiest Hindu temple). Although foreigners can’t enter any of the temples, but one can still walk across to the main temple at low tide, and it’s fun to wander along the paths taking photos and soaking up the magnificent setting.
After enjoying the setting a bit, you can explore the small shops near the temple and also relax and enjoy food at one of the restaurants and cafes here. We explored a small cafe named “Natys” which had delicious smoothies and lip-smacking food options.
Suggested Time: I would recommend to visit Tanah Lot at the onset of sunset as the view is totally breathtaking.
A fun part of our visit to Tanah Lot was that we end up spending so much time there that we were the last ones left over the place….. Lol!!! The streets were completely empty, all shops closed and also we were the last one at the cafe as well. We totally had the vibe like “Jaise ki hum Ratlam ki sunni galiyon mai ghoom rhe ho” (totally like Shahid and Kareena in Jab We Met , Lols!!!)
We had the most amazing time here which is clearly evident from our happy faces 😀
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
If you want to explore Bali’s beautiful rice fields, then Tegallalang rice terraces is a must-see. About a 30-minute drive north of Ubud, Tegallalang Rice Terraces are one of the most famous and perfect areas to photograph with god-gifted Instagram frames and background like iconic landscapes, swings and multi-stepped farming.
One can either enjoy the lush landscapes at one of the many restaurants and cafes overlooking the fields or could get down and go for a walk on the terraces amidst the paddies.
But be aware of the locals as they ask for donations along the most popular trails through the rice fields here, and many request fees for entrance and parking along the road.
One thing that is sure not to miss is the swing over these terraces – it will definitely be one of the most unique experiences of your life.
Suggested Time: Early morning or late afternoon.We did a blunder by visiting it late evening as we could not enjoy its beauty for a long duration and also we end up coming down the terraces in pitch dark with our mobile flashlights. To be honest, we both were scared because it was just like going through the jungle in dark all alone.
About a 90-minute drive from Ubud, there is also another famous Jatiluwih rice terraces which cover more than 600 hectares of rice fields along the hillsides of the Batukaru mountain range and tend to be less crowded than Tegallalang. We didn’t get time to visit it but we did hear it is beautiful.
Genta Agrotourism
If someone asked us to define “Serendipity” then for us this place is a real connotation of it. The place actually came out of no-were and after visiting this place we were spell bounded with its content, presentation or the entire aura and energy. Abhinav was completely in love with this place.
We were lost and were looking for some coffee plantation till we stumbled upon this place by accident and were surprised to experience such kind of arrangements someone actually does in order to worship nature and its creations. Coincidently, it was also beautiful tea and coffee plantation in Ubud but not the one we were looking for through references of local people.
The property is owned by a very lovely lady named Helena who was so kind enough to host us even though we were very late (as always ;), it was almost dark… lol!!). And honestly I loved the vibe she carried. She was smart, strong, beautiful and a sweet lady. And Helena – if you are reading this, I really wanna tell you that you inspire me.
This place has got bunch of arrangements like a small coffee refinery with amazing garden view consisting of small hovels created by shipwrecks and used material to conserve the wood waste. They also grew some interesting plants, herbs and vegetables inspiring from the culture and preaching of Bali tradition. We had an edu-tour around the property hosted by Helena, and a gang of pets (papa the father of 3 dogs and LUAK) around.
I did roast some coffee beans in the refinery and Abhinav crushed them in the pestle mortar while getting introduced to Mr. LUWAK (the most expensive coffee is treated from this animal’s poop :P) . All we can smell around was the #COFFEEINTHEAIR like #LOVEINTHEAIR with some pretty faces, smiles and calmness around the place.
We also tried and tasted more than 20 types of coffee from chocolate coffee to lemongrass, citronella flavored tea and also a purple colored tea prepared from flower named “butterfly pea”.
They also have a very cute shop at one of the corner which offers a gamut of products from beauty care to health care to wide range of organic cosmetics which one can’t resist.
Ubud Art Market
The Ubud Art Market, referred to by locals as ‘Pasar Seni Ubud‘ is an artisan/handicraft/tourist market in the centre of Ubud Town. It’s open every day roughly from 8am to 6pm and is an absolute #mustvisit spot when you’re in Ubud.
Roaming around the streets of Ubud is itself a magical experience. You gotta wander through the streets to know what I mean. The place has got a vibe of its own. Everything there is an experience to be gained whether it be roaming around the market, shopping, exploring the food at restaurants and cafes, culture, traditional dance and extra extra. I was totally in love with that place. The local market has so much to offer that you sure would get baffled at what to buy and what not to buy. Here you can find beautiful silk scarves, lightweight shirts, handmade woven bags, baskets or hats, statues, kites and many other hand-crafted goods. A lot of the goods found at the Ubud Market are made in the neighbouring villages of Pengosekan, Tegallalang, Payangan and Peliatan.
‘Shopping’ here is not always about an actual purchase. Viewing the various items on display from one stall to another is a highlight on its own, showing the craftsmanship and the artistry of the Balinese.
Pro Tip: Bargaining is essential. Start at about half the asking price and go up till a compromise is reached.
Goa Gajah
Goa Gajah is a significant Hindu archaeological site which dates back to the 11th century, built as a spiritual place for meditation. Proper dress is required to visit the place, knees must be covered by both men and women. Sarongs are available for rent at the entrance.
Goa Gajah is locally known as the Elephant Cave because of its close proximity to the Elephant River. The Elephant Cave itself is actually quite small. As you enter through the dark, narrow passage, the cave abruptly ends in an intersection. The left passage contains a small niche with a statue of Ganesh, the Hindu deity and the right passage holds a small worship area with several stone lingam and yoni in honor of Shiva.
The complex also contains 7 statues of women holding water pitchers that depicts seven holy rivers of India; Ganga river, Sarasvati River, Yamuna river, Godavari River, Sindhu River, Kaveri river and Narmada river.
Other than the religious and archaeological significance, the real beauty of Goa Gajah is its gorgeous surroundings. The Elephant Cave only takes minutes to explore, however rice paddies, gardens, and stone steps leads to an all together beautiful settings.
Many visitors climb the long flight of stairs down into the shady valley where a small waterfall awaits which is perfect spot for some cute Instagram photographs.
You really gotta try the coconut water – it is quite big and filling and really quenches your thirst after taking so many stairs all the way up. Also it just costs about 20,000 rupiah.
Getting to Goa Gajah: The Elephant Cave is located just 10 minutes southeast of Ubud in Central Bali, Indonesia.
Entry tickets: 15,000 rupiah (INR 71)
Hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Open: Daily
Suggested duration: 1-2 hours
Campuhan Ridge Walk
Campuhan Ridge Walk is a free and easy nature trek, located right in the heart of Ubud town. It is a really beautiful paved path along the Campuhan ridge offering some spectacular views, it definitely showcases the natural side to Ubud. While the hike lets you enjoy cool fresh air and probably the most gorgeous hillside vista in the region, it also allows you to shed off some calories too with its 2 km hill track.
There’s no need to dress in your hiking gear as it can be just a simple stroll that takes as long as you choose. There are points that are uphill and downhill but nothing too strenuous.
Sunset time is perfect as its way cooler and the warm lighting that beams onto the trail makes for the perfect Instagram shot.
To get to the trailhead, look for Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas. Once you are there, look for a sign directing you to the hill, and keep walking. There are instructions on how to find the entrance to the walk, but there’s so much signage now that it’s easy to spot the start of the trek. Unfortunately, we could not complete the hike as we were running short of time. We definitely would have loved to explore the Campuhan Ridge Walk Swing.
Just be sure to carry water bottles with you as you won’t find anything in between.
Best Time to Visit: Either early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not too hot.
Timings: Opens from 5:30 AM–7:00 PM
Traditional Balinese Spa/ Massage at Cantika Zest
We went to the Cantika Zest for their amazing traditional balinese spa services with a beautiful setup. The setup provides an open view to the forest. The massage was super relaxing. We both were totally knocked out during the session…. lols!!!
They also provide a very refreshing drink after the session.
They have a small store where you can purchase total organic cosmetics which they make in their premises itself. Their products range includes shampoo, conditioner, beauty masques, soap, massage oils, face cream, bath salts, lip balm and more which is entirely made with plants grown in their garden.
They also conduct workshops where their owner Jasi personally teaches you how to make your own products with herbs from the garden. They also explain how you can obtain the same results using different ingredients, available in your country.
Scuba Diving at Tulamben
We booked our excursion with “Bali Scuba”. They took us to the Tulamben Beach. It is a small fishing village on the north-east coast of Bali. And as soon as we reached there, I was speechless as the view was absolutely spectacular.
And I don’t know what is about beaches that I’m totally nuts about it, that’s why I was jumping all over the place. Well another explanation for my behaviour could be my excitement for SCUBAAAAAAA DIVING!!!!!!!
Woaaaaaaaah!!!! I still don’t know how we did it but we did it. And it was a completely mind-boggling experience of our lifetime. We went 12 meters down the surface around the wreck of a ship which got devastated and submerged due to the eruption of Mt. Agung in 1963 where it became encrusted with coral and a home to other sea life..
WOW!!! Just wow! And yes huge thanks to our Instructor Abhishek for getting us through all this safe and sound.
Bali has one of the most beautiful and colourful aquatic life. If you guys visit Bali then you really need to see the beautiful underwater life there. I just gotta say – “Dive into Happiness”. Also, we found out an aquatic animal inside us while experiencing the one of adventure from our bucket list.
Green School
Unfortunately, we could attend the tour of the place as our timing didn’t match.
But for anyone who is interested in exploring the green concepts of farming- this is the place. We had heard a lot about this place and really can’t wait to go back to Bali (especially Abhinav) to explore their concept.
Tips for Bali
- Buy a sim card with a good internet coverage as it would be your biggest saviour and would get you anywhere you wanna go with the help of Google Maps. We used the sim of the network provider simPATI which had really affordable plans and had good coverage in even the remotest parts of Bali.
- We recommend renting a scooter to get around Bali as it is cheap, convenient and easily sweeps you from the traffic in no time. We rented the bike at a cost of IDR 80,000 per day.
- Petrol is really cheap on the island but finding it is a real struggle. So fill your tank all the way up as and when you find it as petrol pump are not easy to locate. But yes, at most of the places local shopkeepers do keeps the fuel in their shops.
- Ubud is a good place for vegetarian food.
Best Time to Visit Bali
During the summer months in Bali which are June, July, and August when the weather is driest and the days are sunny.
Our Resorts
Patra Bali
The best part of the resort was its location- it was right next to the beach. IT HAD PRIVATE BEACH. WOAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It had super delicious breakfast buffet which was our favorite part. We actually used to stuff ourselves because for the rest of the day we just used to roam like hippies due to which our lunch was always compromised.
Kamuela Villas Semiyank
The property was extravagant. We booked a private pool villa. The setting of the place was super romantic. We enjoyed our stay there.
Cafe & Restaurants
Grandpa’s Coffee and Eats
It is a super cute little café in Ubud which offers energizing coffee to refreshing juices and smoothies to lip-smacking food options for breakfast, burger lovers, Italian lovers to Mexican lovers. This café got it all. We tried their smoothies which was superbly refreshing and also their carbonara pasta which left us drooling all over. It opens daily from 8:00AM to 10:00PM.
Gelato Secrets
They have their outlets spread across the whole island. Do indulge in the sweet taste of these gelatos which range from fruits to vegetables to spices to all the natural ingredients Bali has to offer.
Kakiang Garden & Cafe
A real blend of weather, baked food and yes company for sure!!
Alchemy Holistic
This restaurant is a mini paradise for people who enjoy a complete raw and vegan meal. Honestly, this was not a place for us.
Milk & Madu
I have heard they have offer just amazing dining and breakfast options are their specialty. You can give it a try. We went there for only smoothies. I tried their Berry Smoothie which was really tasty.
Halal Ubud Burger
It was a street side cafe having an open kitchen. You could actually see your burgers being made right in front of you.
UNO Ristorante Italiano
Located in Ubud, this Italian restaurant tops our list because it serves just absolutely delicious and lip smacking food. It’s just OUR FAVOURITE. We liked the food so much that we end up dining there 2 times in 2 days itself. Their pizza was total heart winner which was made in the traditional oven.
Natys
Natys is a super cute small cafe in the street besides Tanah Lot Temple which had delicious smoothies and lip-smacking food options. And smoothies were so fresh and yummy that you gotta crave for more.
Smile!!!
Bali was a fun and memorable trip filled with love and smiles and memories to be cherished for a lifetime………
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