A couple of weeks back, I did a quick weekend trip to Bali, mostly because the tickets were cheap but also because it was a place I had enjoyed a lot the last time around and could see myself visit again. And of course, the fact that it has visa on arrival for Indians was a big factor! This trip was a bit different than the last one though, as it was to a more resort-ey part of Bali unlike the last time which had a more cultural flavour to it.
The moment I landed in Bali, even on a late Friday night, I felt a kind of calmness and purity in the air, and the feel of a slow pace of life in a different world altogether; and that is when I realized what it was that had drawn me to Bali again! It was this feeling of a different slow world, away from the city life we all live in and the feeling, that yes life can be like this too...
Anyways, so I was there for 2 days and stayed in Nusa Dua which is essentially the 'manicured lawns' kind of resort area of Bali, at a place called Kind Villa Bintang which though not the most upscale resorts around, was a very nice quiet beach hotel.
The pool at the resort looked sublime at night with the sound of the sea and the twinkling lights everywhere. The restaurant next to the pool had a good menu plus was open 24 hours, so quite comfortable and convenient.
The first day, I had a very laid back relaxed day. I went to the local shopping area called 'the Bali Collection' which has a western mall-like feeling, with shops selling tourist ware. Its good if you are really craving for a western experience, else I would definitely suggest not to spend time shopping at such kind of places when in Bali. The stuff is overpriced and the environ very touristy. Anyways since I was there, I had lunch at a place called 'the lounge' just because it was playing hindi music (even though it wasn't serving Indian food!)!
In the evening, I walked along the beach next to the hotel, which was not that great actually. The beach has lot of wild weeds scattered all along which during the low tide looked even worse. There are lot of water sports happening there though which is good. In the evening, I took a walk along the road crossing all the resorts on one side and cafes and restaurants and spas on the other. The highlight of the day for me was the visit to the spa: costs vary from exorbitant to dirt cheap! And you can totally pamper yourself by getting the Balinese massage which is very relaxing. An interesting thing I noticed was that it was not just tourists who were all massage crazy; looks like the locals also come in for massages regularly. Its just part of their daily life, which was a surprise to me.
The next day I took a tour of two of the famous temples on the Island, Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. Tanah Lot is a small temple on a rock in the sea, it has a great location and looks even better at sunset when most people visit it. I however went there during the day but it was graceful nevertheless; the small temple perched on top of a huge rock with water all around. The grounds all around are green and have cliffs overlooking the water making it a nice spot to spend some time (minus the crowds that is!)
One thing I was surprised about though, was there was an entry fee to go to the temple which feels very unlike a place of worship. I however got a 50% discount because for some reason, they thought I was a native Indonesian! And a letdown I felt was that you are not allowed to enter the temple unless you are a Hindu (which worked for me) and dressed in the traditional Balinese dress. I would have loved to spend some time there, just feeling the calm and quiet inside.
The other temple I visited was Uluwatu, at another strategic location on a cliff with green waters meters below lashing at the mountains. Its another calm and serene location except that again the temple is closed to outsiders and you can just see it from the outside which though interesting lacks the same charm as entering and praying inside the temple. Also you need to beware of monkeys here as they are said to be pretty aggressive.
I ended my stay at Bali with a lunch at the Intercontinental at Jimbaran beach. The beach was vast with good yellow sand, would suggest staying somewhere here rather than in Nusa Dua as its a lot better if you care about the water. Had lunch at the resort which was too pricey. But otherwise the resort looked rather luxurious and a fun place to hangout at!
What had struck me most about Bali the last time and even on this trip was the people on this little island; helpful, simple, mostly smiling and ready to help; and most of them understand English very well too which is good. They look very cute wearing the traditional dress and love conversing with Indians, talking about Hinduism and Hindi movies too! And although, this time around I did see an increase in commercialization here, I felt Bali still retains its old-world charm(and I just hope it doesn't get lost anytime)!
You see the Balinese culture all around you, whether it is the dances or the temples in each village of the stone structures everywhere. If you are fond of history and culture, this is definitely the place to go. So much to explore and learn and enjoy! I was also amazed by the different kinds of flowers all along the island, its really beautiful.
The weather this time of the year was quite warm, so I would suggest sleeping during the hot afternoons or at least staying indoors and venturing out only in the mornings or evenings. Tourism is still quite cheap here which makes it easy to do a wide variety of activities. I had a great time again here and wouldn't mind coming again, to explore more about this very different island which has a lot of variety to offer.
The moment I landed in Bali, even on a late Friday night, I felt a kind of calmness and purity in the air, and the feel of a slow pace of life in a different world altogether; and that is when I realized what it was that had drawn me to Bali again! It was this feeling of a different slow world, away from the city life we all live in and the feeling, that yes life can be like this too...
Anyways, so I was there for 2 days and stayed in Nusa Dua which is essentially the 'manicured lawns' kind of resort area of Bali, at a place called Kind Villa Bintang which though not the most upscale resorts around, was a very nice quiet beach hotel.
The pool at the resort looked sublime at night with the sound of the sea and the twinkling lights everywhere. The restaurant next to the pool had a good menu plus was open 24 hours, so quite comfortable and convenient.
The first day, I had a very laid back relaxed day. I went to the local shopping area called 'the Bali Collection' which has a western mall-like feeling, with shops selling tourist ware. Its good if you are really craving for a western experience, else I would definitely suggest not to spend time shopping at such kind of places when in Bali. The stuff is overpriced and the environ very touristy. Anyways since I was there, I had lunch at a place called 'the lounge' just because it was playing hindi music (even though it wasn't serving Indian food!)!
In the evening, I walked along the beach next to the hotel, which was not that great actually. The beach has lot of wild weeds scattered all along which during the low tide looked even worse. There are lot of water sports happening there though which is good. In the evening, I took a walk along the road crossing all the resorts on one side and cafes and restaurants and spas on the other. The highlight of the day for me was the visit to the spa: costs vary from exorbitant to dirt cheap! And you can totally pamper yourself by getting the Balinese massage which is very relaxing. An interesting thing I noticed was that it was not just tourists who were all massage crazy; looks like the locals also come in for massages regularly. Its just part of their daily life, which was a surprise to me.
The next day I took a tour of two of the famous temples on the Island, Tanah Lot and Uluwatu. Tanah Lot is a small temple on a rock in the sea, it has a great location and looks even better at sunset when most people visit it. I however went there during the day but it was graceful nevertheless; the small temple perched on top of a huge rock with water all around. The grounds all around are green and have cliffs overlooking the water making it a nice spot to spend some time (minus the crowds that is!)
One thing I was surprised about though, was there was an entry fee to go to the temple which feels very unlike a place of worship. I however got a 50% discount because for some reason, they thought I was a native Indonesian! And a letdown I felt was that you are not allowed to enter the temple unless you are a Hindu (which worked for me) and dressed in the traditional Balinese dress. I would have loved to spend some time there, just feeling the calm and quiet inside.
The other temple I visited was Uluwatu, at another strategic location on a cliff with green waters meters below lashing at the mountains. Its another calm and serene location except that again the temple is closed to outsiders and you can just see it from the outside which though interesting lacks the same charm as entering and praying inside the temple. Also you need to beware of monkeys here as they are said to be pretty aggressive.
I ended my stay at Bali with a lunch at the Intercontinental at Jimbaran beach. The beach was vast with good yellow sand, would suggest staying somewhere here rather than in Nusa Dua as its a lot better if you care about the water. Had lunch at the resort which was too pricey. But otherwise the resort looked rather luxurious and a fun place to hangout at!
What had struck me most about Bali the last time and even on this trip was the people on this little island; helpful, simple, mostly smiling and ready to help; and most of them understand English very well too which is good. They look very cute wearing the traditional dress and love conversing with Indians, talking about Hinduism and Hindi movies too! And although, this time around I did see an increase in commercialization here, I felt Bali still retains its old-world charm(and I just hope it doesn't get lost anytime)!
You see the Balinese culture all around you, whether it is the dances or the temples in each village of the stone structures everywhere. If you are fond of history and culture, this is definitely the place to go. So much to explore and learn and enjoy! I was also amazed by the different kinds of flowers all along the island, its really beautiful.
The weather this time of the year was quite warm, so I would suggest sleeping during the hot afternoons or at least staying indoors and venturing out only in the mornings or evenings. Tourism is still quite cheap here which makes it easy to do a wide variety of activities. I had a great time again here and wouldn't mind coming again, to explore more about this very different island which has a lot of variety to offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment