Indonesia

April 2015: We went to Bali for one week during Spring Break. I don't think it was quite enough time to do everything we would've liked to, but we had a great time. We are not big beach loungers (maybe 1-2 days) so we spent most of our time in Ubud, then a couple of days in Seminyak. We flew in and out of Denpasar with Qatar Airways, which is about a 60 min drive from Ubud, and super close to Seminyak.

highlights

Ubud . Bike Tours . Accommodations .

lowlights

. Scams . Seminyak Prices . Mosquitoes . Evil Monkeys

ubud

We loved Ubud! We stayed at Ubud Wana Resort. It was in a quiet area, and quite a large resort. This is a newer hotel, therefore it was very modern looking (not traditional Balinese if that's what you're looking for). But it was comfortable, with 3 pools, an open air lobby, and all of the staff knew our names. They have a shuttle that takes you into the middle of Ubud, but it's only a 15 minute walk. However, the walk to the centre includes walking beside Monkey Forest, so do not carry any open food or drinks with you. The monkeys WILL take it. Other than that, Ubud has a couple of great streets to shop, walk, and eat at (Monkey Forest Road and Raya Ubud Road). Right around the cross street is a little outdoor market. On Raya Ubud you can also find museums and temples. Ubud has a lot of great food and so much variety. Monkey Forest Road also has a lot of villas and other types of accommodation if you would like to be right in the centre.

monkey forest

Monkey Forest was alright. The trees and waterfalls were beautiful, as well as the temple inside. And of course...monkeys everywhere! We got some great shots of monkeys, but beware! I didn't bring anything with me except a small bag and a water bottle. One monkey decided to take a leap at my water bottle as I was holding it, but he missed. There are people selling bananas for a hefty price. So if you really want to feed them, go for it! 

Bike tour

One day we took a bike tour down a volcano. It was a really cool way to see more of the lush Bali countryside. There are a lot of tour companies that do a similar tour, but we decided to go with Bali Eco Cycling. They picked us up at our hotel and took us up to the top of the mountain for a buffet breakfast that had a great view of Mt. Batur. However, the day we went was rainy and cloudy so we didn't get the spectacular view that I know was there. On the way up we stopped at a lookout point over some rice fields. After we ate, we got our bikes and headed down the mountain, making a few stops on the way.

1. First stop was a coffee plantation where you can taste different coffee and teas, including their famous Luwak coffee (I think you had to pay to taste this one).
2. We rode through some rice fields and got to stop and learn a little more about the process.
3. We visited a local home. They talked about traditional life, and showed us around the property.
4. We stopped for a lunch buffet, which was delicious.
5. We stopped at an old, giant tree (I think it's a tembusa tree)

seminyak

We were in Bali, so how could you NOT go and see the beach? We spent the last few days in the beach town of Seminyak. Most of our friends who went stayed in Kuta Beach, which is not far from Seminyak, but has more of a party scene I think. We wanted something a little quieter, so we chose Seminyak. We stayed at Mutiara Bali Boutique Resort & Villa. It was about a 10 min walk to the beach, in a quiet area, and had a really large and very cool semi-outdoor bathroom (but still very private). The town of Seminyak has a lot of trendy restaurants and shops, and lots of tourists. A friend recommended a restaurant to us, so we made reservations and had a 5 course meal on the beach. The restaurant is called Ku De Ta, and besides the club-like house music blaring through the restaurant, it was a delicious and beautiful restaurant. The beaches are huge, beautiful, and the perfect spot to watch the sunset. 

food, drink, massage

You can get any type of food in Bali, and it's all very delicious. Look up some great restaurants wherever you are...they won't be too expensive. The local beer is Bintang, which is good and easy to drink. Everywhere you go someone will be sitting outside of a shop or house asking "Massage?". Trevor found a decent little spa where he got a deep tissue massage (he was nearly in tears at the end), while I got a pedicure (I am a wimp and don't particularly like massages). So if you like massages, then Bali is definitely the place for one.

would we go again?

I would definitely go back to Bali. We loved Ubud, so we'd probably spend some more time there. But I would also like to go and visit some of the other islands. Komodo island of course (who doesn't want to see a vicious dragon up close, with only a stick to save you if they try to attack?). But I would also like to go to the Gili islands and stay right on the beach. I don't think there's a ton to do there, but I would love to be able to step out onto the beach and watch the sunset for a few nights.