Paradise Found - Bali, Indonesia

> > by Rhonda Bannister

The Balinese people are warm and welcoming and have a genuine connection to Australians, in fact they love seeing us in their homeland more than any other nationality and they’re not afraid to let you know with wide smiles and hearty handshakes!

With a rich spiritual culture of worship and temples, ceremony and festivals, community and family plus an exotic history spanning centuries of artistic excellence, the Balinese are unique in Indonesia with their own language, songs, food, dress and their gentle, Balinese-Hindu religion.

Known as The Islands of the Gods, Bali is a land of colourful splendour with white and black sand beaches, luminous green rice paddies, a tropical kaleidoscope of lush plants and flowers, verdant rainforests and towering volcanoes. Its compact size means that most of the wonderful scenery and attractions are easily accessible through day trips, no matter which area you decide to base yourself in and because each tourist area is different, if you’ve never been to Bali before, it’s handy to know what each offers.

Kuta is probably the best known area for the couple who likes to party hard at its pubs and bars and then spend the day on its famous beach.

Just north of Kuta is lovely Legian, near the action but far enough removed that it’s much more sedate. Legian is where you’ll find fabulous little restaurants and bars, boutiques selling handmade shoes, jewellery, clothes, fabrics, etc.

A few kilometres north of Legian you’ll find Seminyak, home to many of Bali’s finest restaurants, cocktail bars, lavish spas and uber-trendy boutiques. It’s the stylish, sophisticated choice for fashionable couples.

Other beach resort areas include the very much quieter Jimbaran which lies on the western side of Bali’s narrow isthmus, well away from the hustle and bustle but with a lovely village atmosphere; Sanur, Bali’s original tourist enclave on the southeast coast with a mellow, village ambience and bars and cafes spread along the beachfront and to the south, the Bukit Peninsula where the unbelievable surf breaks are Bali’s most popular.

The area of Nusa Dua/Benoa is known for its world-class hotels, golf course, manicured parks, white sand beaches, water sports, up-market shopping mall and restaurants.

No visit to Bali would be complete without at least a couple of days in the romantic, mountain area of Ubud. From the mist-wrapped rainforest and gurgling rivers to the ancient palaces and temples scattered throughout the hills and ravines; the lovely little hamlets that dot the roads coming into and out of the town to the peaceful back roads and fields just perfect for a private picnic, Ubud could just be the most romantic place on the planet.

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Indonesia

Best for secluded romance
Hire a motor bike, pack a picnic and a bottle of Champagne and head toward Uluwatu Temple at the southern tip of the island on the Bukit Peninsula.

This area is home to some of the world’s most glamorous resort brands - think Bvlgari, Allila and Karma and also to some of the island’s most spectacular views and beaches, including the postcard perfect Balangan, a classic surfing beach devoid of Kuta’s tourist throngs and a perfect spot for romantic sunset drinks. You’ll have to share the beach with local board riders but they’ll be more interested in the curling wall of water breaking over the reef than in you.

Time your visit on a weekday when it will be more secluded and enjoy a long, romantic walk along the pearly shores.


Best for party animals

The streets and laneways along the seven kilometre beachside strip from Kuta to Seminyak are known as ‘party central’ which is a veritable smorgasbord of pubs, clubs and bars with names like Space, Champagne Bar, Liquid and Spybar with new ‘Chill Out’ bars and in-house DJs springing up every month or so.

Latest kid on the block is Potato Head, a popular place for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night partying on the beachfront at Petitenget and of course Seminyak’s KuDeTa is still the capital of cool and one of the island’s best loved restaurants and nightspots.

Nightlife here starts late and goes until the early hours of the morning so an afternoon nanna nap is advisable!


Best for Robinson Crusoe

On the island’s east coast under the shadow of the mighty Mt Agung is Pasir Putih’s Blue Lagoon, a pristine beach of white sand and sparkling blue water known to locals as an underwater paradise of coral gardens and colourful fish.

Blue Lagoon and Pasir Putih are rare, white sand beaches in an area that was once inundated with volcanic lava so the rest of the coastline usually has black sand beaches sprinkled with volcanic rocks.

So far this area is unfrequented by hordes of tourists so if you’re lucky you’ll have the entire beach to yourselves. Bring a picnic and bask in the sun in almost total seclusion.

Pantai Pasir Putih is about a 20 minute drive from Candidasa which in turn is a two hour drive from Denpasar. If you want to explore more of the east coast, and you should, stay at Candidasa which has a wide range of waterfront accommodation and restaurants and then continue exploring this beautiful, traditional part of the island not seen by most tourists.


Best for sexy sophistication

For a day out that’s more Greek Isles than Bali, head to Nammos Beach Club at Karma Kandara Resort in the south of the island. The only way down to the beach club is to hoof it down 350 steps or, and I like this way much better, jump on the travelator which will take you from the chilled-out bar area on top of the cliff down to the squeaky clean white beach.

Once you’re down you’ll be blown away by the set-up which includes a covered deck with kitchen and bar, secluded couples lounges and, on some evenings, an in-house DJ spinning a wide range of sexy music.

Park yourselves on a daybed in a private pavilion overlooking a pristine sweep of jewel coloured ocean and enjoy freshly caught seafood, wood-fired pizzas, signature cocktails or a cold beer. It’s not cheap but it is sexy sophistication with a capital S!


Best for the culture vulture

Located about 45 minutes from Seminyak, the Pura Tanah Lot Temple sits on a huge rock in the ocean which is only accessible at low tide. This is one of Bali’s most spiritual places of worship and has been part of Balinese mythology for centuries, but of course with the advent of tourism, it has become an iconic draw-card and hordes descend upon it every day.

In the 80s the temple and the rock it sits upon had to be renovated and restored so you cannot go any further than the rock face cave where you can receive a blessing from a Hindu priest. Legend says this sacred sea temple is guarded by a giant snake and that sea serpents guard the cave so beware the sting of the asp when praying!

Like every where else in Bali, markets here have taken on their own life-force and you have to navigate your way through the alleyways of stalls selling the exact same thing that you find at every other marketplace. Between them and the rows of tourist buses disgorging their daily quota of tourists you might start to feel a little bit spiritually jaded, but without a doubt, this is one of Bali’s best spots to witness the sun’s golden orb settling into a dark blue ocean in a technicolour sky – truly a stunning sight!