Jul 10, 2016 06:41 PM
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It has been a few years since I visited Bali but every moment of it is burnt into my memory so I certainly hope this review is not at all stale.
If you don’t know, then Bali is a small Island which is part of Indonesia(far east, north of Australia – look it up). It is very much a tourist destination and makes most of its income from tourism. Little known to Europeans but the playground of Australians, to whom it is a major tourist destination. But even though it has it’s touristic areas most of Bali is an unspoilt paradise waiting to be discovered – if you know how to look.
We went to Bali as a family trip for two weeks and found a villa in the region of Sanur which is to the south tip of the Island. There is so much about Bali that I want to say that I will break it up into what I hope is manageable chunks and I will forgive you now if you skim as this will get a little long. But I hope that if there is any possibility that you could visit this magical place then you read my review and hopefully you will get a feel for what it has to offer.
Bali is a tropical paradise. It is part of the Indonesian archipelago, right next to Java. It has a population of 4 million and differs from the rest of Indonesia in being an almost totally Hindu enclave within Indonesia which otherwise is one of the largest Islamic countries in the world. This makes it have a totally different culture from Indonesia and its acceptance of alcohol and western behavior in general makes it a hot tourist destination for nearby Australia. The Island is only 95 miles wide and 70 miles north to south. It has a number of active volcanoes and is surrounded by coral reef.
This is a tricky one. We stayed in Sanur near the south of the Island, which is lovely. We hired a two bedroom villa with private pool for a very reasonable price – you need to scan the internet for the best buys in this area. Our villa had two gorgeous air conditioned bedrooms and a typical Balinese outdoor living area – it is common in Bali to have living room/kitchen etc exposed to the elements as the elements are so friendly. The living area overlooked a super pool. The villa came with a lovely maid called Ketut who cleaned for us and cooked our breakfast. This is a typical arrangement for villa hires.
As we did not stay anywhere else I cannot give any sound advice. Bali has many luxurious hotels if that is what you are after and Sanur is a very nice location, being one of the older parts of the Island. I would steer well clear of places like Kuta and Seminyak which are where all the young Australian set visit for wild partying etc. We went there to have a look and though the beaches are nice it is not a nice area overall and has some of the more seedy aspects of Bali(like anywhere in the far east you will find such areas). But if seedy is what you are after then go for it – but that is not the real Bali.
I can vouch for Sanur which has a gorgeous beach with a promenade where all the best
I am not a religious person but from a cultural point of view you cannot ignore this in Bali. The Balinese religion is basically Hindu with a good dose of Buddhism and Animism thrown in. It permeates everything you see in Bali. There are temples everywhere, even mini temples are built in the gardens of almost every house and along the roadside. You will see trees everywhere decorated with chequered cloths which is a part of their animistic tradition. You will see incense burning everywhere and little flower arrangements all over the pavements as offerings to the gods. The Island has many, many temples, some in magnificent settings. You cannot go to Bali without going to some of the temples as they are definitely a high point. You have to dress appropriately to enter them but they always provide sarongs for you to cover up with. And often they have some odd signs saying women who are menstruating should not enter. There are many splendid temples to see. The beautiful Tanah Lot on an island in the sea is unmissable as is Pura Ulun Dan Bratan set in a lake. See as many of the temples as you can as they are truly stunning and have a unique Balinese architectural style.
Bali is one of the best places in the world for diving. This is not something I have ever tried before but while there my wife took an open water PADI qualification. I, as a non swimmer was not so adventurous but the dive team my wife was with still took me and my two sons out for a day’s diving(you don’t actually need to be able to swim – just sinking with style will do) and it was one of the most memorable days of my life. We were driven to the north part of the island to a black volcanic beach at a place called Tulamben and had to enter the water from the beach. I was pooing myself entering the water as you get lashed by the waves and the weight of the scuba gear makes you feel very vulnerable but the superb guide convinced me that I really should submerge myself and after literally taking the plunge I did not want to come back out. We dived down to about 15 metres around an old world war two wreck(the USS Liberty) and the sea life to be seen in the crystal clear water was magnificent, Angel fish, rays, shoals of silver fish, and lots of other weird stuff I could not name. I was just like being in Finding Nemo but for real.
If you do go diving you will need to get a reputable PADI approved dive company and it is probably best to go to the north of the Island as I believe the diving in the south around areas such as Sanur is not so interesting(even though Manta Rays can be seen in this area).
Thanks
