Bali, Indonesia
We travelled to Bali in 2015. Bali (province of Indonesia) is a short flight from Australia, and perfect for a quick getaway. Bali is beautiful, inexpensive and is quite popular with Aussies as a holiday destination. Also, Indonesian food is yummy! ❤️
The Food
Traditional Indonesian food in Nusa Dua was both tasty and inexpensive
The food at the resort we stayed (see below) was really tasty. I remember looking at the bill and scratching my head when I saw a figure of 120,000 (ish) rupiah. I had a good laugh when I realised we only paid about 15 AUD for a complete meal for 3 people. Its one of the main draws of Bali, food is great and doesn't cost a lot.
One quick way to become a millionaire in Bali is to convert all your currency to rupiah :) Rice is quite common and in fact I remember it being served for breakfast everyday at our resort.
Puri Bendesa, Nusa Dua
The resort where we stayed was really nice and peaceful with a lot of greenery. I remember the fresh tropical air as we drove in Nusa Dua. Nusa Dua is the quieter side of Bali. If you want to experience the nightlife, clubs and the touristy spots, Seminyak and Kuta are more appropriate.
Our villa at Puri Bendesa
Nature
Bali has a lot of natural beauty. If you really want to appreciate the natural beauty of Bali, its best to travel to the quieter side of Bali away from the main city. We hired a guide who took us on a guided tour to the more secluded and lesser visited parts.
We woke up at 2am, were picked up at 2.30am (it was going to be a 2.5 hour drive) and were taken to the Ulun Danu temple and witness an early sunrise at 5.30am. It was cloudy day which is why the pictures aren't very orange and bright, but it was a beautiful temple. It was quite chilly and foggy.
Foggy and chilly morning on our drive to the temple
People
The highlight of the trip (food was a close second) for me was the people. The people are very warm and welcoming and always have a smile on their face. They're happy to slow down a minute and chat with you. The few interactions I had with people were always positive and I was always interested to know more about them, their way of life and if they liked living in Bali.
The lovely people of Bali
As we drove around, we met many people, some hanging outside their homes and others at work. They were always happy to stop and have a chat. I tried the famous 'Kopi Luvak' which is expensive and organic coffee famous in Bali. I'll let you Google what the fuss is all about. The second to last photo in the set above is a coffee roaster at work.
Small market in Nusa Dua / Cloudy day
On our last day we visited the market which was quite colourful and had many people from surrounding villages selling clothes, statues and small trinkets.
My experience in Bali was quite different from the usual beaches, water sports and nightlife that people go there for. The things I remember about the trip are the greenery, friendly chats, food and the calm.