Bali Ayu (Beautiful Bali)

The Island of Bali is located in central Indonesia with many natural attractions and temples throughout the island. Its capital is Denpasar and the official language is Bahasa, but English is spoken through out the Island by many of the locals.

I got a great opportunity to visit Bali and it's surrounding areas in June for a friend's wedding and it was a wonderful experience. The people are very friendly and hard working and the Island has a number of beautiful beaches and breath taking places.

There are a number of places you can stay in Bali, but we chose to stay in Seminyak at the beautiful Villa Sekar Taman I. Seminyak is filled with great restaurants and boutiques.

Villa Sekar Taman I

The streets are lined with money changers as well, so you always have a place to change money, but beware of those little money changers with extremely high exchange rates. They are high for a reason and that's not because they are that generous, it is because they attract you there with their high rates and try to swindle you. Always use official money changers!

Spas! What woman does not love being pampered? Bali is highly infested with Spas at very cheap rate compared to a lot of developed countries. You can have a good 1hr massage for as low as $8. Your options are unlimited and there are spas everywhere. You can go to them or they can come to you for in-villa Spa service.

Ku De Ta is a paradise by the ocean. It's a restaurant/lounge by the ocean. Great food, drinks, and great music for dancing. Quite romantic setting. A little on the pricey side when compared to other places in Bali, but the ambiance is well worth the visit.


Ku de Ta

If you however want the same atmosphere as Ku de ta, but want to go easy on the wallet, you may check out The Breeze at the Samaya. This is luxury on a dime compared to Ku de ta and you get basically the same effect and relaxation. However, it does not hurt to check both places out.


The Breeze

Located in Kintamani is Mount Batur, the second most active volcano in Bali. Trekking up this mountain with flash lights for the sunrise is worth the sight and it's magical.

Mount Batur

After your hike up and down Mount Batur, you can journey to Ubud area to view the spectacular Tegalalang Rice Terrace and do some shopping for crafts. The town of Ubud is known for its crafts and there is plenty of them at very good prices.

Tegalalang Rice Terrace

As earlier mentioned, Bali is loaded with Temples and most of their temples are set in some interesting places. Tanah Lot and Uluwatu temples are 2 of the ones we visited. Both unique in their structure and location and very interesting places to visit.

Tanah Lot is a temple on a rock. It is a Hindu temple on a big rock surrounded by water and it almost seems like an island floating on the sea. The view is dazzling!

Tanah Lot

Uluwatu Temple is a cliff hanging temple that has some interesting settlers, Monkeys! Whatever you do, make sure you do not lose sight of your belongings and don't make a mistake of having too many bells and whistles on you, because you will be targeted and stripped of your blinging stuff. You will have to pay a stiff penalty in order words bribe the monkey through a local to get your stuff back. The monkeys are very smart negotiators perhaps they should try out for The Apprentice. Don't shy away from visiting Uluwatu because of the monkeys, just accessorize modestly. Tuck away the sunglasses.

Uluwatu Temple

Dreamland beach sure lives up to its name for avid surfers. Riding high on the waves is a surfers dream and that my friend is what you will get at this beach.

Dreamland Beach

Jimbaran! You can't mention Jimbaran without talking about the great seafood restaurants aligned along the shores of Jimbaran beach. Nothing beats having a delicious sunset seafood dinner with live singing and dancing performances coupled with the therapeutic sound of the might waves of the ocean

Jimbaran Seafood Dinner

Kuta market, this happened to be my favorite market of all the markets we visited because that was where i got the best deals from. You have to hone your haggling skills in this part of the world to survive. Whenever you are told the price of an item, make sure you start haggling from a third of that price and even walk away to another store, be assured that if your price is good for them, they will call and chase after you to buy.


Kuta Market

Lembongan Island, though Lembongan Island is not in Bali, it can be reached with a 30 minute speed boat ride. You will not regret the 30 minute nauseating(for some) ride to this perfect holiday hideaway with pristine un-spoilt beaches. This island has lovely white sand beaches and loaded with all kinds of water sports. Great for snorkeling, Seawalking, kayaking, and jet skiing.

Lembongan Island

That's my review of Bali as i saw it. Add Bali to your lists of places to visit and you will not regret it. Terima Kasih(Thank You) for visiting my blog!

I Can't and Couldn't Even if i Wanted to...

A wise man once told me that anyone that says he/she does not like money does not have any. In my opinion, the same goes for travelling. Anyone that says i don't like travelling or seeing other places has not been to a fun one just yet. What is there not to like about having fun and meeting people? I do know that there may be some limitations here and there that could prevent people from travelling even though they would like to and those are the limitations that i am going to address today and hopefully help you see how to work around it.

Bear in mind that these are not in any particular order of importance, but they are all relevant issues.

Cost: For some this is the biggest obstacle to getting around and seeing the world around them. Yes, we do need money for travelling, but that should not stop us from going. This is were careful planning and strategizing is needed to best make your money go a long way. You can start to explore within the country you live in. Go visit a different state or city within your state for a change. Take a weekend trip, drive there(which is cheaper than flying). Do a group trip! When you travel with multiple people, You can split cost for gas for car, car rental, hotel/villa reservation, even food(you may decide to get a condo/villa with a kitchen and cook). You make your own budget and work around the budget. Not only is travelling as a group(with the right people) cheaper on your wallet, it is fun!!!! What you learn while travelling is much more valuable than the money you think you have to spend. Exposure is very important and valuable in life.

Time: Another excuse that i have heard over the years is "oh i don't have time or can't take time off" Listen, if you drop dead today, that company you work for will replace you in a jiffy and life goes on. Take a break and enjoy yourself. You don't need an exceess amount of time to travel. A weekend trip is good, one here and one there adds up. Everyone needs a break from work and their environment every now and then. You need it, take it and go some where! Most people i know have vacation days. Those are given to you to use not to be wasted. You are getting paid for them anyway, so use them. Give your self a break from overtime. Don't overwork your body and brain, they need to rest and recuperate.

Comfort Zone: Some people live in places where they think the world revolves around them and they never have to go anywhere. Please! every city, state, or country is not the same. There is always something unique to a place to see and learn and that's what makes travelling fun. The fact that you get to see something new and learn about people and their culture is more than enough reasons to travel. Don't be afraid of leaving your comfort zone. You might find out when you venture out that what you thought was the best life ever isn't. Think about the new connections you will make and the great conversation piece you begin to have with people.

Lack of Information Information is power and this is true to anything you do. Have good information about things. Some don't travel because they just don't have the information on where to go and what to do while there. They don't want it to be boring and turn out to be a waste of time and money, but don't know how to spice it up. In this day and age, i think we have more than enough resources to research on things. If you don't know what to do, get someone that can help you do it. That may not be your forte, but it is for some of us, so ask for help! There are blogs like mine out there that have information on travels. Internet has made things easier so use it.

There are many more other reasons why people don't travel, but these are the ones that i can think of right now. You may comment and send me your questions on any of the above or others not listed. I am here to help.

... o no, yes you can!Please go on a small tiny winy trip and let me know your experience! I am so looking forward to hearing from you.

Bon Voyage!