Bali. What an amazing and beautiful country to visit!
The best time of year to go is between June and November, when the temperatures are above 30 degrees, and when there is little, if any, rainfall. I travelled in late May. Stepping off the plane into glorious sunshine, I grabbed a taxi to our first port of call, the luxurious Oberoi Bali Hotel, located on Seminyak Beach, the most beautiful beach on the island.
The resort is nine kilometres north from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport and 15 kilometres from Denpasar City, the capital of Bali Province, and is set amidst 15 acres of tranquil gardens, recreating a traditional village. What first caught my attention were the outside showers, which took some getting used to!!! After freshening up, we ventured by local taxi into nearby Kuta, to visit the bustling local markets and later, to enjoy some of the very upbeat local nightlife.
After a few days of relaxation, we hired a Mini Moke and headed off around the island. Following a map is very easy as there are few roads across the stunning countryside. Travelling through the centre, we passed through many rice terraces, quite a sight when they cover the whole hillside, to Ubud where we visited a local temple and just wandered through a nearby village and stopped to chat to the friendly, local shop owners.
Continuing on our journey, we headed up past Lake Batur and Kubutambahan to our next destination, the beautiful Lovina Beach. This was the highlight of our visit to Bali, and we were up at the crack of dawn for a boat excursion on a typical fisherman’s boat to see the dolphins in the bay whilst the sun came up. After the trip, the fisherman invited us to meet his family and to dine with them that evening, eating the Dads’ fresh catch of the day. Our journey then continued back across the middle of the country by the way of some hair-raising roads to the incredible sight of Tanah Lot Temple at sunset. Finally, refreshed by a night’s sleep, we headed back to Denpasar for our onward flight to Lombok.
Lombok is a much quieter island with a more traditional way of life, and it is definitely worth visiting for a few days to experience the contrast between the two islands. It’s not called “an unspoilt Bali” for nothing, as it receives relatively few tourists in comparison. Here, travelling around we saw stunning natural landscapes and a way of life that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. Virtually all small to medium business are family run, selling a wide variety of goods, many of which are handmade onsite by the family members, and you can pick up some great deals on beautifully crafted traditional items.
All in all, this is one of my favourite holidays, and I can’t wait to go back again.
Travel Blog by Mandy Shilling
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