What to do in Bali (aside from Kuta)

When I was planning a trip to Bali, my surfer friends, who made Bali their 2^nd home told me to stay away from Kuta Beach (with conviction). This kept ringing in my head until I finally a book a flight and step on Bali soil.

Kuta Beach has been known as the Bali’s tourist hub. So it means, in a place with the impression of being packed with foreigners, Kuta is the packed of the packed.

This became one of my deciding factor on where to stay in the island. It was a toss between Canggu or Ubud. Eventually I decided to follow my friend’s advise to stay in Canggu. I was really happy with this decision. The only thing now is to know where to go and what to do when most of the 'happening' attractions are around Kuta Beach.

Bali is known as Indonesia’s main tourist spot. It mainly attracts Australians and expatriates looking for an affordable place spend their holidays. An Island province of Indonesia located between Java and the west of Lombok that includes the main island of Bali and a few smaller islands (Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan)

Visiting Bali after our 11-day trip with the #TripOfWonders team (check my blog about this trip) is a no brainer. It is something that should happen and I will not forgive myself if I didn’t grab the opportunity to experience the sought after island paradise.

I stayed in Bali for 5 days and the goal was to do as much as I can but on a very relaxed and chill pace (a lot of sleeping involved). So here are the places I went in my 5-days stay in the beautiful Island of Bali.

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CANGGU BEACH

Canggu Beach is an automatic attraction to experience as I spent 5 days of my 5-day stay in Bali. So every time I open my eyes, I am already exploring ......CANGGU! 

[caption id="attachment_4808" align="alignnone" width="800"] CANGGU, BALI'S SURF CAPITAL[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4810" align="alignnone" width="800"] Deus Temple (HQ). Hipster heaven![/caption]

I arrived in Bali during night time, so I really didn’t see anything on the road during our drive from the airport (Denpasar). I first stayed in a hostel (eHome Stay Canggu) in one of the quiet neighborhoods in Canggu. It was a pleasant few days where I was able to rest and read a book, but when I moved to Canggu’s Echo Beach at one of its famous surfer’s hotel (Frii), I began to fall in love with this neighborhood.

[caption id="attachment_4806" align="alignnone" width="800"] eHome Stay -- can't argue that I am in Bali then[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4811" align="alignnone" width="800"] Frii Echo Beach. I highly recommend this place. My was just by the pool (one of those doors)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4796" align="alignnone" width="800"] My very modern and hipster room at Frii Echo Beach[/caption]

Canggu Beach is a coastal village filled with black sand beaches with (almost all) surf breaks popular to surfer’s from around the world (even those who are from the Philippines).

A quiet alternative to the busy Kuta. I feel that I got transported to a place that is a hybrid of Australia’s Melbourne and Surfer’s Paradise. Maybe because a big chunk of Canggu’s expat community are from Down Under.

Aside from the surfer’s beach, the country side of Canggu are field with rice fields. I remember riding the motorbike and all I can see are rice fields from either side of the streets. It was a very peaceful sight (made me sing a bit --- like I was shooting a music video haha).

TANAH LOT TEMPLE

Around 30 minutes motorbike from Canggu, known as the most picturesque the temple in Bali, Tanah Lot is one of Bali’s most important landmark (www.bali-indonesia.com). Famous for its offshore location and majestic sunset.

[caption id="attachment_4805" align="alignnone" width="800"] Sunset at Tanah Lot Temple. It was cloudy but still very magical[/caption]

I was introduced with this temple when I was google searching the BEST SUNSET IN BALI. Being located at the west side of the island, it is easy to predict that Tanah Lot will be on top of the list.

It was indeed magical. The place was a bit crowded though, but enough to have a good view of the sunset. Aside from the temple, there are several restaurants and souvenir shops around.

BESAKIH TEMPLE

Known as the Mother Temple of Bali and the most important temple of the whole island (www.bali.com).

[caption id="attachment_4797" align="alignnone" width="800"] Pathway in between temples[/caption]

It is like a village of temples. What our guide told us, most of the temples here are owned by different families around Bali. Even his family owns one (a big compound one). This complex of temples is actually what makes Besakih very picturesque and interesting to tourists.

Because of its size, even though there are a lot of people there, it really doesn’t feel to crowded (or maybe we just arrived early). Going there, we rented a van (with a driver) and hired a guide recommended by my friend's homestay owner. Just a warning, because it is a known tourist spot, there are people who look at tourists as cash machines. We were tricked to buy a flower which they told us a requirement to go to the temple, like the sarong we were wearing. Lo and behold, it wasn’t really needed and we can get away without the flower (tsk).

[caption id="attachment_4795" align="alignnone" width="800"] Nope, the fower aint mandatory[/caption]

Apart from this experience, visiting the Besakih Temple was a good place to start our trip around the heart of Bali’s cultural heritage.

KINTAMANI BATUR VOLCANO

A must-do stop for tourists who are traveling North East of Bali, Kintamani is famous for its panoramic view of the active Batur Volcano and Lake.

[caption id="attachment_4798" align="alignnone" width="800"] The view of Mount Batur from the main road[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4799" align="alignnone" width="800"] One of viewing stops to get a  full view of the volcano[/caption]

If properly planned, you can actually trek and get closer to the caldera (getting a guide and proper gears are pretty much advisable--especially if you are trekking a volcano). In our case, with our day trip, we just settled with having a lunch with a view.

[caption id="attachment_4800" align="alignnone" width="800"] Indeed, this is lunch with a view[/caption]

TEGALLALANG RICE TERRACES

Ubud is the location of Bali's famous rice terraces. A traditional irrigation system in most mountainous regions in South East Asia. You can see this kind of irrigation system in the Philippines as well.



What I like about the rice terraces in Tegallalang, is its location. The valley is literally along the main road. I am still puzzled if they made the road as an access to the terraces or it just so happen that the terraces became famous? And its easy-accessibility is just a plus point.

[caption id="attachment_4801" align="alignnone" width="800"] We caught a local lady working on the rice paddies[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4802" align="alignnone" width="800"] My attempt to trek the terraces[/caption]

Because of its location, visitors can clearly see the step-rice paddies even when driving. For those who want a little stretch from  hours of sitting in the car, you can easily trek the whole stretch of the famous terraces and get a pretty decent photo you can boast in Instagram.

A little warning, if you see locals/farmers carrying what looks like a fresh harvest of the day, and can’t help to take photos, have your tip money ready in your pockets. I am still figuring out if they do the ‘carrying of the harvest’ just for show to charge guests.

Tip (additional attraction): Near the Tegallalang Rice Terraces is a good place to try coffee luwak. The most famous coffee in the world. Yes, this is the poop coffee. To be honest, I still don’t know how I feel about patronizing this coffee. I have seen in some videos how civet cats are treated in order for them to poop more coffee beans. If you are not guilty, Alas Harum Agro Tourism is a good (and not to expensive) place to try it and they assured us that they are taking care of their civet cats properly.

UBUD MONKEY FOREST

I saw this monkey forest in one of the episodes of the amazing race. The Ubud Monkey Forest is a nature reserve and a Hindu temple complex (with 3 Hindu temples).

It is one of Bali’s most visited tourist spots. There are over 700 Balinese Long Tailed Monkeys roaming around the whole sanctuary which I must say scary at some point. You can purchase a banana and wait for the monkey to climb over you and take the banana out of your hands (or head).

[caption id="attachment_4803" align="alignnone" width="800"] Just one of the 700 Balinese Long Tailed Monkeys in the sacntuary[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4804" align="alignnone" width="800"] Can you guess how many money are in this photo?[/caption]

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After my short stint in Bali, it is pretty hard not to fall in love with the island.

Although there are a lot of similarities in the Philippine landscape, there are still something about Bali that makes me want to come back and visit again....

.......Maybe next time I will give Kuta Beach a try and embrace the chaos.

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Lombok and The Gili Islands: Sasak Sade Traditional Village 

Travel Blog: Short Trip in Sri Lanka - My Impressions of the Green Paradise

Before writing a more detailed blog/s about my trip to Sri Lanka, I thought of sharing first my impression of this beautiful country.

I came to Sri Lanka as a complete stranger, I didn’t know anyone in this country or even from this country (who is in Dubai). Well you might be wondering why I decided to visit this country? Why not? I have been reading how beautiful the beaches and how rich the culture of Sri Lanka are and this two elements combined together creates a perfect get away ( and yes, I need to get a way for a little while ^^).

As I searched several blogs, trip reviews and travel agencies, I went to Sri Lanka along with a friend of mine expecting a wonderful adventure a head of us.

Almost all of the countries (including the Philippines - which I am a passport holder) can apply for a visa upon arrival. Although it is quite easy to get a visa at the airport, the line can be too long and it will eat up a lot of your time (which for sure you would rather spend in touring the country).  What me an my friend did was to apply online prior to our flight to avoid the lengthy queue.

Sri Lankan Immigration introduced ETA System (Electronic Travel Authorization) in 2012. Now travelers can obtain ETA to Sri Lanka online. ETA is linked to your passport electronically. When you arrive in Sri Lanka, you just need to show your passport and (tada!!!) the Immigration Officer will find you in their system right away and will give you a small visa sticker.

With our short trip (meaning we only got a portion of this country can offer), below are the things that I got from it!







Sri Lanka is indeed a GREEN PARADISE.

From the airport until our final location, all we saw were never ending green landscapes; valleys, trees, mountains and more trees. This was really a different view from all the skyscrapers in Dubai.



………..more trees!!!



Thick green mountains, water falls, lakes and beautiful beaches, you can all find it here.

Sri Lanka is  a small island nation, so you can go from coast to coast easily. You can hop on a train (mostly recommended) or rent car (which we did due to the short time we have —but I will try that train ride soon). You will be in a mountain area now and after just 5 hours on the road you will find yourself standing on a sandy beach.

If you are thinking of booking a private tour, with a private car to roam around Sri Lanka, you can check out http://www.travel-srilanka.eu and choose from their wide selection of tour packages.



The city of Kandy, where we stayed overnight was no different as well. Even though this is one of the biggest cities in Sri Lanka, the town is very clean and as you can see in photos below, the natural landscape is picturesque.

I even saw my first cherry blossom tree here. ^^







We were so lucky that our driver was very helpful and when we mentioned about wanting to see the beaches, even though it was not part of our tour package, he went out of his way and brought us in this magnificent sunset view.

More than the green forests and terrains, Sri Lanka is famous for its beaches. After seeing this, I am not wondering why any more.



Another thing that I love about Sri Lanka is their diverse and amazing wildlife. Being a tropical country, Sri Lanka is a haven for different types of animals (and insects). Even though bugs can become annoying, instead of complaining, just appreciate that you are one with nature. (if you will just complain about bugs, just stay inside your hotel room—-sometimes I am guilty of this).







Speaking of being one with nature, it was a privilege having a close encounter with these beauties. This was the closest I’ve been with an elephant. I got to ride on its back and even scrubbed and bathe it. Although, what I felt, before, during and after was pretty much a roller coaster of opinions and emotions, I must say that this is one of the highlights of my trip. More of what I think about the Elephant Orphanage in another blog soon.





Aside from the rich natural beauty, Sri Lanka is also rich in culture. Everywhere you look, you can see traces of what Sri Lankan believes and also bits of its history.

Being a Buddhist nation, temples and different statues of Buddha can be seen everywhere. Although we didn’t visit a lot of temples, our trip to the Tooth Temple in Kandy gave us a glimpse of the Sri Lankan devotion to Buddha.

Sri Lanka is a location for 8 Unesco Heritage Sites, this speaks well about the Sri Lankan culture and heritage.









Sri Lanka is also a nation rich in festivities and arts. We saw a full-length show of different Kandy Traditional Dance gracefully performed by the local artists.



I also saw how PASSIONATE the locals are with their crafts. I’ve seen Sri Lankan laborers in Dubai and I know for a fact that they are one of the most industrious people in the world.

On our way to the tea factory, I saw these women plucking tea leaves under the scorching sun. I actually tried it and it was really hard. What I loved about this is that these beautiful ladies with their surely aching back still has a smile in their face ready to greet us.

One sad thing though, tourism really took its effect in some of the areas in Sri Lanka. I can say that I was a little shocked (but understood why) that a lot of people who helped us expected a tip right away. Tipping became a norm and can range from 500-1500 Sri Lankan Rupees. That is why whenever someone took their time to help us without actually expecting anything in return I was really happy and we appreciate it very much —-there are still a lot of them out there ^^.





Everyone offered us a big warm smile wherever we go! (that kid at the center smiled after I took this photo :P)





I really am not that familiar with Sri Lankan food, that is why before going here, I consulted blogs (and youtube videos) in order to know what to expect. After having a taste, I can say that Sri Lankan food has this interestingly flavor. Somewhere in between Indian and Thai food, most of their cuisines are spicy and blended with curry and coconut milk.

I will not pretend that everyone will like it, but it can be an interesting adventure for your taste buds.







If you are planning for a  trip where you can just unwind, be embraced by nature and immersed in the culture, you should consider visiting Sri Lanka. Either for a short or long trip, I am sure you will love this place the way that I loved it (even more).