Bali - Part 2

Hi, and welcome back to my Bali travel series. If you've missed Part 1, you can read it here. In Part 2, we will be exploring Bali's beautiful beaches, green paddy fields, majestic volcanoes and cliff-side temples. Additionally, Bali also offers water sport activities like surfing, paragliding & white water-rafting. Read on for a sun-drenched fun time!

What to do

1. Visit breathtaking temples

View at Uluwatu

Picturesque spot at Uluwatu

Uluwatu is one of Bali's famous cliff side temple set amidst breathtaking scenery of the ocean. For me, it was a calming place with many nice scenic spots. It takes about 45 mins to explore the grounds and enjoy the views.

Entrance of Tanah Lot

Grounds of Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot (Temple by the sea)

Tanah Lot is another popular tourist site that features a few temples by the sea. The one pictured above is Pura Tanah Lot which translates to "temple by the sea".

2. Leave your heart at Bali's beaches

Bali is full of clear sandy beaches filled with cute surfer dudes, blue skies and romantic sunsets. You can just chill out, watch the sunset, get your yoga on or even go surfing.

3. Get your adrenaline pumping - Water Sports

Paragliding in action

Turtle at Animal Sanctuary

All kind of animals at animal sanctuary

One of the activities that will suit all ages and gender is water sports and Bali is filled with choices. Prices are cheap as well if compared to Malaysia. There are a few places for water sports such as Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua, etc. Normally, you can just ask your driver/tour guide to suggest somewhere that is nearby your hotel or suitable to your itinerary.

The most important thing to remember is to haggle. Normally, the vendors will charge a high fee at first. But you can definitely bargain it down. Start bargaining at 60% off the quoted price and slowly reach an agreeable price. Also, if you take packages (ex: a few water sport activities at one go, you can get a cheaper price than ordering ala carte). Water sport activities to try include Paragliding, Jet Ski, Surfing, Flying Fish, etc.

Me and my water rafting mates

Another water sports activity that I would recommend is Water Rafting. When i went in 2014, the cost for 2 hours of water rafting plus a buffet lunch was RM75. Rafting was so much fun but be prepared to get totally soaked so do bring an extra set of clothes. No experience is needed and all you really need to do is paddle according to the instruction of the raft master. The 2 hour journey featured lots of laughter, some cardio, beautiful sights and cool water splashes. At the end, i jumped off the raft and floated along the river, watching the world pass by without a worry in the world. It was the best feeling yet...

4. Good Carbs, Bad Carbs - Rice Fields in Bali

Tegalalang Rice Terraces

Rice is a staple food in Bali. Heck, rice is a staple food in most parts of Asia. Well, I have a love-hate relationship with rice...it spoils my diet but tastes oh-so-good in the form of nasi lemak, nasi goreng and what-not.

Fret not though, visiting the rice fields in Bali is a guilt-free activity. One of the popular rice terraces in Bali is called Tegalalang and it features rows and rows of paddies. You can even climb up the terraces like pictured above but some of the paths are quite narrow. A pair of good walking shoes is advised.

5. Majestic Volcanoes

Bali is home to a few volcanoes and Mount Batur is one of the popular ones. You can view it from a distance or even trek along it to enjoy breathtaking views. If you want to admire Mount Batur from a distance, you can dine at the many restaurants situated in the area which will have seating facing Mount Batur. For the adventurous, check this website out for tips on conquering the mountain.

For those who are thinking of visiting Bali, I would highly recommend it. The cost is around RM 1,400 inclusive of flight, accommodation, personal driver around Bali, food and entrance fees for activities (temple, water sports, etc). RM 1,400 will buy you pretty good quality in terms of accommodation and food. So, if you are on a budget, you can just choose less expensive places to stay and eat.

To get around Bali, having a personal driver is recommended. Most of these drivers can speak a bit of English and drive air-conditioned vans. I was charged RM500 for a 4 day trip that included 4 people...so each of us only had to pay RM125. The van could actually sit up to 7 people. You can contact the driver through Facebook.

Lastly, do visit Trip Canvas for more info on Bali as they have lots of good articles & info. I hope you found this blog post useful. I had a lot of fun writing it and relieving the memories.

Thank you for reading :)

#Bali