Balinese Dancer

Ah, Bali… gentle and delicate like the petals of a flower.

It may sound like a contradiction for some, who only know this island in Indonesia from news reports of the bombings that took place here in 2002 and 2005. But rest assured, Bali is a tranquil island paradise — a little chunk of heaven that rises from the crystal-colored sea like a jewel, offering everything from awe-inspiring volcano hikes to nature walks through rain forest, medicinal gardens and verdant rice paddy fields.

Bali is famous for its exotic dance performances, exceptional surfing and scuba diving, and most of all, the spirit of the place, an unnatural calm and beauty, that permeates every blade of grass, batik print, and smiling face.

On Bali, the people speak softly and the music tinkles like wind chimes. Birds sing, taking care to not disturb you, and the blue skies and breeze are muted and kind. The pace is mellow, the people are relaxed, and smiles flow freely.

Everything is ornate and decorative: elegant gardens, contemplative statues, wood carvings of curling flower motifs, and colorful tasseled umbrellas. I am surprised that the air isn’t naturally perfumed or sweet to the taste, it would be fitting if it were.

Because of Bali’s size, it’s possible to traverse much of the island in several days via rented motorbike or hired car, but who comes to paradise with so little time? I spent three weeks here. Starting in Kuta, I traveled to the central city of Ubud, and then headed to Pemuteran, on the northwest coast, and then down the eastern coast, to the small fishing village of Lipah.

Ubud

Ubud is the cultural and artistic center of Bali, with palaces and temples, the constant mellifluous sounds of music floating in the air, Frangipani petals behind everyone’s ear, and the delicate craftsmanship of Balinese carving and painting at every turn.

Ubud is the place to visit art galleries and experience traditional Balinese dance, and offers great shopping in the boutiques that line the city’s streets and the markets selling handicrafts. Here, you can pamper yourself at a spa one day, and take long walks through rice terraces, villages, and jungle forests another. There are also many classes on offer: cooking, music, dance, jewelry making, and batik print making to name a few. A stay in Ubud is not complete without a visit to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary, a cool jungle forest that houses three holy temples and troops of Balinese macaques, always on the lookout for a snack. You can purchase peanuts and bananas just outside the sanctuary’s entrance.

Rice paddies in Bali

In addition to its many cultural attractions, Ubud offers accommodation for any budget and has some of the best food on the island. It’s also a good jumping-off point for cycling tours, rafting trips, volcano hikes and onward transportation to other parts of the island.

Pemuteran

Pemuteran has an aura of self-induced isolation, with little else than a string of private resorts that line a black volcanic sand beach. Located in the far northwestern corner of the island, Pemuteran is less developed than other popular areas of Bali, but it’s far from primitive – most of the accommodation here includes elegant bungalows set in vibrant gardens. For those looking for quiet days spent lying by the pool with a view of sea and mountains (the beach itself is rocky in most places), Pemuteran is a great place to spend a very relaxing few days.

The area has good snorkeling about 3km offshore, and is used as a base city by scuba enthusiasts heading to dives sites on Pulau Menjangan. While in Pemuteran, check out the Reef Seen Turtle Project, and take a guided hike in the Bali Barat National Park.

Lipah

Located on Bali’s less-touristed eastern coast, the tiny beachside village of Lipah (population 50) is one of many like it, including Amed, Jemeluk, Bunutan, Lehan, and Selang.

The beach at Lipah, Bali

These towns cover approximately 10km of black-sand beach on coastline that offers sweeping views of the ocean, with hundreds of colorful fishing boats that line the beaches and bob in the water of inlets.

Aside from the experience of living in a small Balinese fishing village, the east coast offers excellent snorkeling and scuba. Make sure to check out the coral garden and tropical fish at the Japanese fishing boat wreck, a popular (but quiet) snorkeling site located close to Lipah, and accessible from the beach.

There are also many dive sites in the area, such as the popular Liberty wreck, located at Tulamben. For landlubbers, inland trails wind from the coast up Mt Seraya – a great way to get the best views or to witness a sunrise.

–Cheryn Flanagan

Browse all of Viator.com’s tours and activities in Indonesia, including things to do in Bali. Also check out the English-language Jakarta Post newspaper for the latest news from Indonesia.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Asia, Best of the Viator Blog, Destinations, Suggested Itineraries, Travel Inspiration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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