Relaxing Journey
For some people, Bali is just another travel destination with its various attractions, surfing, preorganized tours and parties. But others seeking to explore it off the main tourist paths, find themselves and get inspired. Bali is a perfect place to recharge. For many of us, who live in metropolitan areas, Bali would be an escape from the urban jungle to a beautiful tropical one, with the sound of various insects and frogs on a rice fields and pitched roofs. The island represents mostly rural territory, with a “gentle” urban development soaked in a lush greenery. That is what local people appreciate and protect, opposing any construction to be higher than a coconut tree. Traditions and strong beliefs play a very important role in people’s life. That is something that attracts curious tourists and makes Balinese culture unique. However, you should be prepared, that some locals might not be as cheerful and friendly as you thought, especially when it comes to parking or exploring attractions on your own. Be aware of illegal parking fees, especially near tourist attractions and beaches, which you can easily access for free if you park at a walkable distance and out of sight from the tent with a “parkirman”. But don’t get carried away with the idea of free parking, refuse intrusive sellers with a smile and try to fully experience all the goodies that the island offers you.
Yoga
As they believe in Balinese culture, to bring balance and happiness into your life, start with working on yourself, your mind and soul. To try that out, we headed to yoga meditation class at “The Practice”. For those looking for traditional practices, classes scheduled in the morning. Evening practices targeting those who want to relax and stretch after an active day. You will know what I mean after surfing, climbing mountain Batur or a long ride on a motorbike. What was important for me at finding a yoga school is the ambience and “The practice” met the requirement. It is situated in Canggu, the area that has developed recently and gained fame of being cool and popular among surfers. The building itself is a beautiful bamboo construction with a yoga classroom facing rice fields. During the practice, you can observe the nature and connect to the beauty of Bali.
Spa Treatments
Out of various spa options you would probably be looking for something reasonably priced and high standard. From my experience, there are few things you want to pay attention choosing the right spa. First, try to find one that specializes only on face and body treatments. Often in Bali, spas combine manicure and pedicure services and massage treatments, so that you have a risk getting unprofessional massage from a nail artist. Ambiance is also important; some spas can be in a very busy area and you will hear all the noise from the street, especially if it’s in a center of Kuta or Seminyak. Unlike in Thailand, in most spas its necessary to book the massage in advance. I have tried spas in different parts of the island and the most relaxing and enjoyable massages I got were in a very cozy and hidden spa in Seminyak, named “Murano Spa”. The interior setting is the traditional Balinese spacious rooms with bath and shower. Pleasant music, intimate light, professional hands of masseur and complementary tea create a great impression. The price is moderate, 100k/hour massage.
The east coast of Bali would be attractive for those who like to stay by the less wavy ocean, explore black sand beaches, enjoy snorkeling, hike the volcano and make day trips to Ubud. If you ever decide to spend some time in Sanur in a peaceful villa, try a “Koa Spa” for massage. What is attractive is that the place is truly kept at a high standard by the owners. The produce their own skin products and massage oils, you can choose upon arrival which oil fragrance you want them to use for massage. Also, there is a cute shop with clothes and accessories attached to the spa. The prices for services are lower than in Seminyak, 95k/hour for massage. The treatment is a matter of taste, but I would recommend to try traditional Balinese massage, that combines different techniques, such as acupressure, reflexology, stretches and aromatherapy.
Spiritual Places
Sekhumpul Waterfall
It is believed in Bali that fresh water is holy water. Head to the north of the island to wash away all your sins, refresh and explore the tallest waterfall in Bali. It’s a breathtaking scenery. The path to the waterfall is also a part of an experience, watch for huge durians hanging on the trees and women taking bath in the water channels.
Rice Terraces
The most popular among tourists are Tegallalang rice terraces, however I don’t recommend them if you are looking for a peaceful walk among real rice terraces. But I have to admit that they got some real business talent at Tegallalang. How to charge you a higher price for a ticket, and not to scare potential customers? Easy, – call it a donation instead of the ticket. How to make sure everyone pays a “donation”? Easy, – make it compulsory! How to make customer “donate” more than just couple of coins? Even easier, – don’t accept coins and don’t provide change. One may think that all the options are exhausted by now, never have I been so wrong. To make even more money out of customers, there is a second (!) donation point half the way through the rice field.
As an alternative to Tegallalang, we discovered fantastic rice terraces right at the entrance to Gunung Kawi Temple. The advantage is that you just pay for the entrance to the temple and get an opportunity to walk among the rice terraces, sprinkle yourself with the holy water from Pakerisan river and see massive shrines carved from the stone dated by 11th century. This sacred place is quiet, at least when we got there an hour before sunset. There is also a small workshop where local artisans / monks produce tents from palm leaves and looking after small farm with the livestock.
Secret “Round Sand” Beach (proceed with reading only if you’re a secret keeper)
If you are looking for a perfect beach, to relax and escape from the crowd, I will share our secret beach that we occasionally discovered at the very south point of Bali. Park near the temple and walk down the stairs. Watch for wily monkeys that are sneaking around the temple. We left chocolate bar wrap inside the compartment, they teared it apart and left footprints all over the motorbike. The beach has a very special sand, mostly consisting of very large-grinded, perfectly rounded remains of corals. The reef is just about 100 meters away, that is why there are no big waves on the beach. If you lucky to get there during the low tide, you can walk along the cliffs to the left to find some weird looking fisherman’s houses and caves where they store their boats.
There many more ways to relax and recharge on Bali, everyone will find his/her own perfect retreat. What was surprising for me and my husband, that not many tourist have travelled on their own in Bali, I believe that the most exciting experience to explore the island and its secrets is riding wild and free on the motorbike. Create your own itinerary or enjoy unexpected discoveries to fully plunge into this paradise.
How to find it…
