Post Pandemic Bali, Indonesia Trip 2023

Hello again and welcome to my blog! Please pardon me for my absence for quite a while, I am sure you all know the reason why. The past pandemic has caused chaos to all of us thus affecting the lives of humankind, and at present the effect of it has been reduced and almost everything is going back to the way it was before. This blog will be my first post after the pandemic and I am sharing my experiences in Bali, Indonesia which is my first trip out of the country after the lockdowns.

 Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar

Well, actually Bali was not on my bucket list of places to go to, but it was the first place that got in my mind when I heard that it was not that strict to travel out of the country. The reduction of health requirements and protocols gave me the go signal. So off we go! Honestly, I am having a hard time pronouncing their language (Bahasa) especially with the names of places where we will go, we hired a private car which was recommended to us by a friend of ours living in Indonesia and luckily he can understand English. We chose the town of Ubud as our place of destination because of its rural setting and natural surroundings. It is known for its lush rainforests, mountain landscapes and ancient holy sites. As we were heading to the town of Ubud I had a feeling of deja vu because the setting is almost the same as to some rural areas in the Philippines. The tall banyan trees along the way, the vendors on the streets, old ancient structures and the mountainous areas that I can see from afar!

 Nutmeg trees at Sangeh Monkey Forest

 Sangeh Monkey Forest

It rained when we arrived on our first destination, the Sangeh Monkey Forest. It is a sacred and protected jungle dwelt by hundreds of Balinese monkeys and tall nutmeg trees, there are Hindu temples also in the area where monkeys usually stay. I was scared of monkeys so I never had the chance to get close to them or feed them. It was very quiet when we were there maybe because it was raining and there weren't much tourists around. There is an entrance fee and a dress code, so bring a scarf or sarong to avoid inconvenience.

 Beratan Lake Resort

 Temple at Beratan Lake Resort

And because we had enough time before our hotel check-in, we headed north of Ubud into the town of Bedugul. It rained harder when we arrived and we went to a place called Beratan Lake Resort, which was then being flocked by tourists. The place is cold and foggy because of its high elevation. And the sight of the Beratan mountains and lakes gives an impression of abundance of basic needs in the region. A botanical garden in the park shows an array of plants and flowers in different forms and colors while the fruit market sells a variety of their harvests. I bought strawberry, banana and snake fruit and they were bigger than the usual size I've had. There is an entrance fee to the park but no dress code. 

 Babi Guling

Well before heading to our hotel accommodation we stopped by a restaurant for lunch and ordered the traditional food in Bali, which is Babi Guling. It is a must try if you are not a vegetarian, in case you visit Bali. It is composed of roast pig, pork cracklings, crispy pork innards and served with rice, soup and cold tea..delicious! There are a number of stores selling this traditional dish so it won't be hard to find one.

 Yes Mt. Batur!

On our second day in Bali, we woke up very early in the morning because we booked a hiking tour to Mt. Batur. Hiking was still in our itinerary since it is one of our favorite outdoor activities and it was good to know that there is a tour package for it so we won't be doing it by ourselves. Anyway, Mt. Batur is an active volcano its elevation is 1,700 meters above sea level and it last erupted year 2000. It was still dark and cold when we started hiking together with a lot of tourists from different parts of the world. It was an easy climb in the beginning, but as the slope becomes steeper our climb becomes slower. After some struggles in the dark, we reached the peak and it was a good feeling to be up there unfortunately we didn't see the sunrise because it was foggy but then it was still a celebration for another wish fulfilled! We had breakfast of egg and bread while having a chat and coffee with some new friends before the descent. There is an environmental fee for the climb and wear comfortable clothes and trekking shoes.

 Gate to Heaven at Lempuyang Temple

We woke up earlier on our third day for the next tour, and this time we will go to the eastern part of the Ubud. Our first destination for that day was the Lempuyang Temple or famously known as Gate to Heaven. This temple is one of the oldest and most admired temple in Ubud because of its beautiful location with Mt. Agung as its background. The first level is visited by tourists and where the most popular photoshoot of the gate is done, while the rest of the temple is for Hindus. I think, some tourists goes here just for the photo with reflections, and we are one of them, honestly the photography is stunning even though it was only a camera trick. By the way, there is an entrance fee and there is a long line of tourists for photoshoot, so be early. Wearing of sarong is required in the temple which is provided at the entrance.

 Tirta Gangga

Next destination, Tirta Gangga. A royal water palace constructed by the former King of Karangasem, it consists of natural bathing pools, water fountains and fish pond. The water from river Ganges that flows to the water palace is believed to be sacred and have healing powers. Tourists can feed the fishes and bathe in the natural pools.There is an entrance fee to the water palace but no dress code. You can wear clothes suited for the place for photoshoot.

 Tukad Cepung Waterfalls

 Stairs to the cave.

Our next stop is the Tukad Cepung waterfalls. This body of water is located in a cave and there's a stairway on the forest trail leading to the opening of the cave but be careful because some steps are steep and uneven. Hiking along the peaceful verdant surroundings while listening to the soft sound of stream adds excitement to see the waterfalls and witness it being lit by sunlight. By the way there is an entrance fee to get there, there are eateries in the area where you can buy food and drinks. Don't forget to bring extra clothes you might get wet.

 Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Our third day was full of fun, because I didn't realize that we have more time to visit more interesting places that was not in our itinerary, thanks to our driver and guide for his kindness and hospitality. Our last stop in Ubud is the Tegalalang Rice terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rice terraces boasts of attractive landscaped rice paddies, the traditional irrigation that comes from the rivers and mountains in the area, and the pathways that are firm and easy to walk on. Aside from taking a walk on the rice paddies, there are swings which are suspended on coconut trees, ziplines which crosses the valley of rice terraces that one can enjoy for a fee. There is an entrance fee and the best time to visit is during sunrise or sunset. Back at the hotel, we prepared our things for our next trip the following day to Nusa Dua.

 Batu Bolong Temple

 Tanah Lot Temple

Before we depart Bali, we moved to a place closer to the airport in Denpasar the capital city. We booked a room in Nusa Dua, a resort area in the southern part of Bali. It is known for its beautiful beaches, luxurious hotels and perfect place for family vacation and company conventions. But before check in time we had the opportunity to visit some places along the coast, we took time to pass by it because we don't have much time anymore! There are temples along the coasts which are very popular to tourists and photographers the Tanah Lot and Batu Bolong temples. These temples are Bali's scenic temples and have close spiritual connection to Balinese Hinduism. They are the most photographed temples especially on sunsets where it can create a dramatic composition. There is an entrance fee and strict dress code for Balinese, only Hindus are allowed to enter the temples to pray.

 Kuta Beach

We also had the chance to have lunch beside the famous Kuta Beach in Kuta a place for beach lovers and surfers in the Indian Ocean. It offers spectacular sunsets and a very entertaining nightlife for those who likes partying. There are shopping malls, boutiques, hotels and restaurant in Kuta, but I think it is already overcrowded with tourists and locals so I advise you to go somewhere else if you want peace.

 Broken Beach

Well for our last tour in Bali, we booked a day tour in Nusa Penida, and island located in Southeast Bali and to get there we need to take a 2 hour ferry ride from the port in the mainland. The main attractions are the white sandy beach, rock formations and rich marine life. The most popular are the Broken Beach and Kelingking Beach. The Broken beach is a beautiful cove with an arch tunnel on its wall formed maybe for hundreds of years that has turned to be a natural bridge. On the other hand the Kelingking Beach was awarded as the Most Instragrammable Beach in 2021 because of its unique and cute feature like of a dinosaur with its mouth opened.

 Broken Beach

 Kelingking Beach

Oh well, I took so many pictures and videos of them, I think this island is a must-see in Bali. Well, it's time to say farewell to Bali, there are still many beautiful places to explore but due to time limit maybe we will plan another visit in the future. Bali, a very romantic and unforgettable place, simple but beautiful.

Just a few tips if you're planning to go to Bali, it is convenient to book a tour package to save time and money instead of doing it yourself. Respect the locals. Bring sarong in case it is required in a certain place you'll visit. That's all for now folks and thank you for reading.