Feb 2004 : Bali

Travel Title: Bali Trip 2004

When: February 2004

About The Trip:

Purpose: To explore Bali, Indonesia as much as possible.

Days/Nights: 5 Days 4 Nights

Arrangements: ~~Travel Agent~~ / Self-guided Tour

Route: Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA – Denpasar, Bali – Kuta – Uluwatu – Nusa – Sukawati – Ubud – Kintamani (1 night) – Singaraja – Lovina (1 night) – Banjar – Kerambitan – Baturiti – Badung – Tanah Lot – Kuta (2 nights) – Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA

Traveling Method & Time:

Kuala Lumpur – Denpasar = aeroplane (≈ 2 hour 45 minutes)

Denpasar – Kuta = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Kuta – Uluwatu = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Uluwatu – Nusa = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Nusa – Sukawati = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Sukawati – Ubud = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Ubud – Kintamani = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Kintamani – Singaraja = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour 15 minutes)

Singaraja – Lovina = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Lovina – Banjar = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Banjar – Kerambitan = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour 40 minutes)

Kerambitan – Baturiti = in a rented car (≈ 1 hour)

Baturiti – Badung = in a rented car (≈ 45 minutes)

Badung – Tanah Lot = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Tanah Lot – Kuta = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Kuta – Denpasar = in a rented car (≈ 30 minutes)

Denpasar – Kuala Lumpur = aeroplane (≈ 2 hour 45 minutes)

Details:

1. Denpasar – Denpasar is Bali’s capital city and there is where the Ngurah Rai International Airport of Bali is situated. Bali, the island of thousand temples, not only famous for its breathtaking view of rice-terraces and sandy beaches overlooking the Indian Ocean, but its unique cultural attraction has always been the main reason for travelers to explore the island so full of myths. Nevertheless, renowned for its outstanding natural beauty and being home to a unique and vibrant culture, Bali’s reputation as an island paradise far exceeds its small physical size. Although Indonesia declares Islam as its dominant religion, Bali however is the only state of Indonesia that devotes Hinduism largely covering almost 90% of the island’s population. Combination of both Buddhist and to a lesser degree Hindu beliefs, laid the foundation for modern Balinese-Hinduism.

2. Kuta Beach – While we were there, we had to agree that Kuta Beach was cotton white and lively, cafes and bistros lining up the shore, some surfers showing off to the onlookers how skillful they were at ‘playing tricks’ with the ocean water, craft vendors pestering the tourists with their fine arts. All these could be seen on this very beach. Eventhough Kuta had once been marred by the 2002 bomb blasting tragedy, somehow the incident did not succeed to discolor its beauty. And right at the end of the beach stood the most talked about Hard Rock Hotel of Bali. And as we moved towards the interior part of Kuta town, we came across a tourist spot called Legian, where we could see lots and lots of shops selling souvenirs, coral crafts, beachwear, Red India stuff and massage centers. It’s like a huge shopping area and of course, I went crazy (who wouldn’t) and rambang mata! Moving further ahead, we came across Planet Hollywood of Bali. We did not miss the chance checking out the bomb blast areas – Sari Club and Paddy’s Pub. At one junction, there stood a huge monument with all the bomb-blast victims’ names written on it.

3. Uluwatu – Done with Kuta, our next destination was Uluwatu. We made our way southward the next day stopping only at few temples (pura) we saw along the trip. I was fascinated to see young Balinese women place floral offerings to the gods in front of every doorway. We visited the Uluwatu Temple which was situated in the center of Uluwatu town.

4. Nusa – Nusa is about 1 hour from Uluwatu, on the east side of the island. Here, we could see more and more exclusive hotels and beautiful beaches. This part of Bali is more serene as compared to the busy Kuta. Those who love silence and serenity, Nusa is the right place.

5. Sukawati – From Nusa we moved northward to Sukawati. Upon reaching this small town, we watched Legong and Kecak dance show (also known as Dance of the Virgins) at an art museum (ARMA). In legends, Legong and Kecak are the heavenly dances of divine nymphs. Accompanied by the gamelan gong (the full Balinese orchestra), the dancers would move artistically to the melody.

6. Ubud – Ubud is small town approximately 1 hour from Sukawati. In Ubud you can see village houses and green scenery. We took our time to try out the ancient spa at Ubud Sari Spa Center. The things I liked about this particular spa center were its treatment, its tropical jungle setting and its open-air jacuzzi.

7. Kintamani – From Ubud we made a stop at a village of Kintamani Highlands, where the majestic volcanic Mount Agung and Mount Batur could be found resting serenely. Oh my, it was really really cold up here. We managed to climb to the top of Mount Batur. Standing 1,717 metres above mean sea level, the first historically documented eruption of Batur was in 1804, and it has been frequently active since then. The mountain’s last eruption was reported in 2000. As we descended down, some small temples could be seen from afar.

8. Singaraja – Singaraja is the old colonial capital of Bali and also the largest city in North Bali. Here, one should rise early and hire a fisherman to take you out to the sea to see dolphins. And of course, you can witness a beautiful sunrise at the same time. You can also do the snorkeling or diving too. Wel, we didn’t do all that since we didn’t have the time but we managed to take photos at Yudha Mandalatama Independence Monument, a monument to commemorate the independence struggle against the Dutch in the 1940’s.

9. Lovina – Situated just a few minutes from Singaraja, Lovina is the perfect place for beach lovers to spend time under the sun and get tanned. Hire a fisherman here and they will take you to the sea for a dolphin watching. Again, we missed this chance of our lifetime, haaaaa….

10. Banjar – Making our way down back to Kuta, we stopped by at the infamous Banjar Hot Spring.

11. Kerambitan – We checked out an old palace called Puri Anyar and guess what, on that day, we got so lucky, we met the king and queen that owned the palace themselves.

12. Baturiti – When you arrive this place, take a moment to enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Beratan.

13. Badung – My first encounter with the infamous commodore dragons happened here at the Reptile and Crocodile Farm in Badung.

14. Tanah Lot – The breathtakingly beautiful sea temple, Pura Tanah Lot is one of Bali’s most popular places of interest. To get to the temple during high-tide, one has to go on a boatride. When it is low-tide, one can just walk to the temple.

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