Indonesia Pt. 3: Wrapping up Bali

A rice paddy on our hotel property.

10 days- 7 in Seminyak, 3 in Ubud

We had a fantastic time in Bali. The weather was beautiful, the food was delicious, but best of all the people were amazing! Bali is just one of several thousand islands that make up Indonesia.  It is a very unique place, like nowhere we had been before. The Hindu religion was very prominent and was clearly visible in every day life of the people of Bali.

The climate: Very tropical! The weather was hot, in the 90s by day and 80s by night. Lush rainforests and pretty beaches. Rain showers would come through quickly and very hard and then leave as fast as they came.

The people: We were able to speak to and interact with many locals in Bali. From the countless drivers we had scoot us around the island, to staff at our hotels, and people off the streets, this by far was the friendliest culture we have encountered.  We thought it was impossible to top New Zealand, but Bali has done it. Many of the locals are poor and depend on the tourism industry for a livelihood. 

The culture: The people of Bali are quite fascinating. The people rely on themselves because the government is very corrupt. On Nelson’s village tour the guide explained that because they receive no help from the government, if there is a family in need in their village they all pitch in an equal amount to help out that family. They return the favor when needed and the care for each other. The people live everyday as though it is their last. They have a daily prayer or ceremony to thank God for another day on earth. They all seem to have a positive disposition and want to make enough money to meet their needs. It was amazing to us how many people were quite happy with the job they were performing or the task they were doing. At first we thought everyone was working their tip, but then we realized they are just happy! Us New Yorkers were definitely caught off guard but after awhile we found their way of life quite refreshing.

The food: Their food was delicious and unique. They cook with a lot of spice. Don’t be fooled, just because you don’t see spicy peppers in the dish, doesn’t mean its not there. Many of their dishes are made with a paste of hot chili peppers, garlic, and ginger. Because westerners are not used to this amount of spice the locals say that you may get, “Bali Belly,” or an upset stomach just because you are not used to their spices and ingredients. They have several common rice and noodle dishes including Nasi Goreng, a popular fried rice dish usually with chicken. There are a countless number of exotic fruits available for very cheap. Breakfast buffets at hotels are usually served with western style eggs and toast, but also rice and chicken dishes common to Bali.

The cost: Bali was relatively cheap. We found very cheap accommodation at luxury places for about $50US a night including breakfast and wifi. The food and drinks in the touristy area of Seminyak were more expensive than the northern town of Ubud. On average for the island a meal for two was around $12-$15US.

Must do’s:

Ubud: We fell in love with this tiny town and wished we had stayed longer. It was a bit less touristy than the beach area but the people were so friendly. Rent a motorbike and go exploring. The rice paddies and scenery was beautiful and very remote.

Temples: We checked out several temples with the help of our driver/guide. Uluatu was very cool but a bit touristy with the show etc. Try to go to others that are a bit off the beaten path.

Cheap shopping: we were able to buy several items we needed like new sunglasses, sun dresses, beach bags etc. for very cheap (thanks to Nelson's superb bargaining). If you need a cheap item like these while traveling, hold off until you get to Bali if you can! 

Funny/Memorable moments:

We met a young boy featured in our pictures trying to sell postcards near the rice paddies. When he heard we were from America his eyes lit up! He rummaged through his fanny pack of belongings and finally pulled out a US nickel that someone had obviously given his as a tip. He asked us, "How much is this in Rupiah?" We felt terrible that the amount was so low but told him what it was worth in his currency. He smiled and put it back in his pack for another day.

We had a bit of an adventurous time on our motorbike. We rented a bike in Ubud at about 6pm and went to get dinner. It got dark fast and we realized we weren't quite sure how to get back to our hotel as we had only just arrived and taken the hotel shuttle into town. We asked around and took off on our night adventure. With vague instruction like "turn at the market" (what market?") and "go over a bridge," (what bridge?) we finally arrived after stopping 3x to ask directions. We felt such sense of accomplishment when we arrived!

The next night we went to a very local restaurant in Ubud. The restaurant was owned by a husband and wife and had maybe 4 tables. The food was delicious but the service was amazing. They treated us like family, talking to us about where we are from and what we had done in Bali. At the end of the night as we were getting ready to head back to our hotel (about 15 mins away by motorbike) the skies opened and it began to pour down! The couple felt terrible that we were going to head out in the rain that they went into the back and came out with 2 rain jackets for us and said, "Just bring them back tomorrow!" It was a good thing we had those, otherwise our clothes would have been wet for days! 

We would recommend Bali to anyone! The old, young, adventurous, or those who want to relax. There is something for everyone. Go with an open mind and it will be even more rewarding. Next up, we spend a long weekend in Singapore, the retail capital of Asia!