Ubud and beyond in the island of gods - Bali

Ubud the cultural capital of Bali is the most popular of all and is frequented by travelers every time they visit Bali. Some come here in quest of spirituality and join a yoga retreat, some come here to explore the cultural side of Bali, the adventurous ones like to get off the beaten track and the ones suffering from wanderlust like me make Ubud as their base to go in search of the most magnificent sites that can be witnessed around the rivers, forests, mountains and waterfalls of Bali. I travelled to Bali with my family – my parents, husband and my son who was then 5 years old. We based ourselves in the heart of Ubud for the last 2 weeks of our 4 weeks vacation in Bali. We stayed at a family run hotel very close to the Sacred Monkey Forest overlooking the rice paddies. There is a wide range of hotel accommodations to choose from for every kind of traveler; luxury wellness retreats, 5* Balinese Hotels, family run hotels, guest houses and hostels for budget travelers. Spiritual Experiences: Sacred Monkey Forest – You can spend upto 2-3 hours or more at the forest exploring so its recommended to set half a day aside for the trip here. We went here after breakfast and were out just before lunchtime. There is a nominal entrance fee to get into the forest for adults and children. The walk in the forest itself is very refreshing and it is a spectacle to watch the families of monkeys and how they interact with each other in their natural habitat. Balinese Monkeys also known as Wanars have deep rooted connections in Hindu Mythology and so are worshipped and considered sacred by Balinese people. Tirta Empul Temple: No visit to Bali is complete without a visit to the holy Tirta Empul Temple. We hired a guide who explained to us the religious beliefs of Balinese people and also the story behind why this temple was built. The process of the ritual involves with making an offering of Canang Sari, a square shaped tray woven out of palm leaves that are filled with flower petals, incense stick, rice and money. Balinese people follow Hinduism and are strong believers of Karma. The ritual involves setting an intention and sending out your prayers to the universe to wash your bad Karma and start a new by washing your body, mind and soul in the holy spring water flowing from the waterholes of the Tirta Empul Temple. Cultural Experiences: Gautama street in Ubud is vibrant at night and buzzing with energy. The night shopping markets have people hustling and bargaining over their purchases. There are ample of warungs and restaurants to choose from to dine in. If you are inclined towards learning a traditional skill or two then you can sign up for sculpting, pottery, batik printing and mask making classes in this area. There are a couple of theatres in the area showcasing the traditional Kecak and Legong dances which is not to miss. These dances depict episodes from Indian Mythology of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Of all the restaurants that we tried in Ubud my favourite one was the Liap Liap serving Indonesian grills. Another quirky French bistro called Café Du Monyat on Monkey forest street is quite a treat during lunch hours with the options of vegan and gluten free dishes on the menu. Off the beaten Track: Downhill Cycling is a full day adventure that starts in the morning before breakfast and you are back in Ubud just before tea time. We got picked up from our hotel with our local guide and were taken to the Tegalalang Rice Terrace first and then to Laksmi Bali for Coffee Luwak experience followed by our cycling adventure. The guide showed us around the rice terrace and explained to us the process of how rice is grown using the traditional irrigation system of Bali called Subak. Our next stop on our way was the Luwak Coffee experience at Laksmi Bali after a further 15 mins drive into the village. Here we were given a tour of the uncommon method used in processing Kopi Luwak, the worlds most expensive coffee. It gets produced from the coffee beans that have been digested by an animal called Luwak. This was a rather fascinating experience for my little one and us adults alike. We were offered a Luwak Coffee and tea tasting experience at the Coffee house but we choose the later. After this tour we then headed to Kintamani village which was the starting point of our downhill cycling adventure. We were given a safety briefing and the right bicycle according to our riding capabilities. 4 hours of downhill cycling at 50 Km per hour, gliding through the rice paddy fields and scenic villages, stopping over to interact with the locals was the most fun experience and the highlight of our holiday in Bali. A must do when in Bali. Lovina – We were north bound in the wee hours of morning on the empty streets of Bali in our pick up transfer with our local guide to reach in time for sunrise at Lovina beach to watch the dolphins. After a 3 hour drive we reached the bay and the guide arranged the tickets for us to get on to the Dolphin Sunrise Cruise. Not only did we witness the spectacular show by the dolphins in the wild but we were also grateful to share the moment as a family and watch the most beautiful sunrise ever with the hues of pink, purple and golden of the morning sky. Amed – This place is a far cry from the upscale tourist hot spots but a great place to spot marine life. The Jemeluk bay is full of family run hotels and Scuba Diving Schools that cater mainly to professional Scuba Divers and Diving beginners. We made a snorkeling day trip to this bay that is over a 2 hour drive from Ubud. There are a couple of 5* hotels too within a few kms drive to Amed. The sand here is black and pebbly so it is advisable to take beach shoes if you plan to visit. The rest of the equipment for both Scuba diving or Snorkeling can be hired on site. You can also rent a sunbed from a Warung for free as long as you dine with them during the day. Wanderlust: There were two things that were a must do for me while I was in Bali. One was to experience the Bali Swing and the other one was to get my Instagram picture sorted on the Birds Nest. After a lot of research I came across a place called Dtukad River Club which had not only the Bali Swing and the Birds Nest but also that gave us access to the Blangsinga Waterfalls. We spent the day at the pool of Dtukad River Club which is around 40 mins drive from the centre of Ubud. Sustainable Bali: Refer to my previous blog on the Green School Effect Bali on my webpage