A weekend in Bali…nice to see you again!!!

I just got back from Bali (27-30/6) and It was amazing…Really enjoy and love the trip so much – I can’t wait to go back and are already discussing when I could find some time to make the journey back. The main goal for my trip to Bali was really relaxation – it had been a while since my last holiday and I needed to just unwind somewhere away from my daily lives and jobs. My three days in Bali and at our resort Ramada were amazing. There were so many aspects about my stay that I loved that.

This is my fourth times visit Bali. I really appreciate it’s culture and stunning beauty, with the pictures, you’ll see why. It wasn’t just the scenery, or the Balinese culture that permeated through every joss-stick scented alley, but the people themselves that made this place special. Their sense of cultural identity is so strong that it seems that they can fight against the mass development of tourism and keep Bali…well, ‘Bali‘. It’s certainly left an impression on me.

Reaching the Ngurah Rai Airport around 5.30 pm. I was surprised with the traffic congestion in front of the airport. It takes too much time for the car to pass the exit gate. I just remembered if this week was the holiday session for Indonesia’s student after national exam. No wonder if in the arrival terminal, I could see many teenager and also kids want to spend their holiday in Bali. After I arrived in Ramada Hotel. It was a nice place for you to lie down, take naps, and watch the waves. My room had a great view, directly facing the ocean and beach. My suite was on the ground floor. However, I saw that some families with children took rooms on the ground floor which would be nice too, because children could just run out on the lawns and play.

Each morning, I had breakfast at the hotel. The Ramada Hotel was unique in that it was the only place I stayed that had a breakfast buffet. The buffet was great, and plus you could order as much as you wanted to from an ala carte menu. At the buffet there was sushi, fresh fruit, meats and cheeses, Indonesian specialities, porridge, and more.I usually loaded up at the buffet and ordered a few a la carte dishes as well, such as French toast.

The Ramada Hotel also had a very good afternoon tea offering each day. Afternoon tea in Bali is a slightly different affair than the Western version – usually it’s only sweets, maybe a savory or two,  and a much smaller overall portion. You could take your tea anywhere – in the room, by the pool, in the lobby, etc and it was complimentary.

My first agenda after arrived in hotel was dinner then I was going to Jimbaran, also to enjoy the scenery of afternoon sunset. But the weather in Bali today such a terrible for tourist. Most of the day, the heavy rain pouring down the island and this could make my agenda would be skip or cancel with this unconditional situation. But the show must go on. I really didn’t care about the rain. After arrived in Jimbaran, the rain didn’t stop yet and I just sit down to the restaurant and enjoy meal for dinner before watching spectacular Kecak & Fire dance performance.

Yes, A must-see for first time tourists to Bali is the compelling Kecak Fire dance performances. Derived from an old Balinese ritual called the sanghyang, Kecak is a trance dance driven by its participants’ repetitive chanting in “communicating the wishes of the gods or ancestors”. No musical instruments are used for this impressive routine that would sometimes have over 100 bare-chested male singers sitting in a circle, uttering ‘chak… chak… chak’ rhythmically and repetitively. I felt very fortunate to be able to witness this dance.

After dinner, I was eager to have a night walk but the rain didn’t stop yet. I was a bit dissapointed, as I will be staying in hotel for only two nights, and i really want to experience nightlife in Bali. Instead, I spend the remaining night surfing the internet at the hotel lobby because the hotel restaurant closed early at 9 pm. But after I thought that the rain in Bali wasn’t disturbing to enjoy the night. My friend and me had an idea by decided to walked out the hotel and try to reach the nearest restaurant or cafe.

The next day my journey and my friend on the water for the day has begun. …. At this time, we’re going to Nusa Lembongan Island. It is a small island between Bali and Nusa Penida in the Badung Strait and is the perfect location for family holidays in Bali, with few tourists and pristine unspoilt beaches for a quiet, peaceful, and restful vacation. It is a tropical island located approximately twelve miles off the mainland. It is quickly becoming one of Bali’s most popular attractions. This small paradise island is a world away from the hassles and the hectic pace and lifestyle of South Bali and its crowded beaches and large Bali Hotels and Resorts.

Our mission in this island is to enjoy the beauty of the underwater spot by doing some activities such snorkelling, free diving and swimming. Of course on the island we didn’t miss to enjoy the atmosphere of the village, we just walked through the narrow street to see the main activities of seaweed farmers were harvesting their catch for sale and then be used as food for tourists. Nusa Lembongan looks isn’t so different from the situation in the village of Bali mainland. Many temples that we can find around the Nusa Lembongan Island and hard to find rice fields on this island. Since most of the population living as fishermen and seaweed farmers and half of them who work in the hotel and resort as a waiter or a tour guide.

After we satistied with Nusa Lembongan by doing some water sports. We escape to continue the journey to the south- eastern part of the Island. Experience the Art & Culture, visits where the tourist goes in Bali, It’s an art and culture experience which feature the artist villages, gold & silver smith, the woodcarver at work and the painting gallery. The lush green countryside of Bali can be enjoyed, viewing the picturesque rice terraces, Mountain View and lakes while learning on the people way of life, culture, art and its artistic talents on handicraft product. An experience journey to Ubud, the center of Bali, features the culture and way of life of Balinese combined with the beautiful scenery of its nature and artistic temples.

On the road to Ubud, We stopped at Tegallalang countryside is located at 5 km northern part of Ubud Village and own the magnificent view of rice terrace. The rice terrace is designed very beautiful with exquisite hollowing rice field and precisely located on the hill bank. In this place, you will see the Balinese farmer do their rice field in oblique area complete with its system irrigation. You will enjoy the beautiful panorama of valley with rice terrace and coconut trees ornament it. Tegalalang Rice Terrace is one of the tourist icon in Ubud Bali and many visited by tourists every day.

We were so thrilled with our day and it was an absolute pleasure spending it. Whenever we look at the fan, we think about our time in Bali and in particular our day with our wonderful journey.

Thank you very much for reading along and Bali….we shall meet again soon!

PS : It seems i didn’t feel really good to capture some photos..and also describe the journey..sorry ;(