Cult x Adventure - Bali Series #2
Amalgamating culture and adrenal chills at Bali
Yup, hope you read the Intro piece of the Bali Series.
Else, what are you waiting for?
Go, catch up the first piece, so that we increase your hype ahead🤯
So, we landed at the Denpasar Airport around 7 PM - went straight to the immigration, it was a fast process. You will also be asked to fill a Customs Declaration form online, for which you again have kiosks and desktops set there.
After which, you will be given a QR-code to be verified, and move ahead of a custom check.
Then we crossed the duty paid shops, SIM card kiosks and currency conversion points.
❌ DO NOT use any of these shops or the forex conversion inside the airport, you are just a step ahead of being scammed there. Outside the airport, things are way cheaper and the currency conversion rates are the best.
Also, if you are looking for any e-SIM, then try Klook, which worked with different packages (only DATA), and it was pretty convenient with strong signals wherever we went. The packages you get there in the airport are costlier,
Since, we were waiting for one of our other friend, we had time to grab something before leaving the airport. FYI, beef options are widely available there, so just be careful if you are trying to order anything.
We had already booked our cabs (Toyota Hiace for 9 people) for the whole duration of our stay at Bali (except for Nusa Islands)
So, we took the cab and started for the homestay we had booked near Ubud Centre. You can also take two wheelers for rental, if you have a international driving license.
On the way, you will be able to see many forex conversion points, which gives you an attractive rates.
✅ PRO TIP - Whatever country you are coming from, try to convert your local currency to USD (at your localities) before you step inside Indonesia.
USD being one of the strongest currencies here (others being Yen, Australian Dollars), they have the highest rates. For example, INR with 180-190 conversion for IDR, was being given at IDR 120/INR, very deeply discounted)
You will also see 7x11s, in the local format - M-Mart, IndoMart, and many other supermarts. Most of them have all the ready supplies anytime.
After we reached, we dozed off for the night, after a very long flight, and for the next day to start early.
Ubud Centre
This is the place around the Ubud Palace - where you can see street markets all around you.
BARGAIN, BARGAIN, BARGAIN is the only key thing while street shopping. You can get anything for dirt cheap prices, but the quality is also not that good - can be trusted for just 3-4 times of usage; but something at that price is worth it.
We visited the palace, just a small complex of architecture, hardly you can be there for 10-15 mins
ATV Rides
Then we made our way to the ATV Adventure Rides. There are multiple providers for ATV in and around Ubud - check for the one which has more number of terrains like caves, paddy fields, mud, farm, etc., and lets you drive for at least an hour.
We paid like INR 3500 for the drive, ad we actually loved it. It was a different experience, and nowhere in India, you can witness such activities.
Tanoh Lot
Tanah Lot means "Land in the sea" in the Balinese language. The main deity of the temple is Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, who is the sea god or sea power. These days, Nirartha is also worshipped here.
Then, on the way back, we went to Tanoh Lot, a beach temple, in the west cost of Bali.
All the temples I visited in Bali - hats off to the management and it created huge respect on them for maintaining the culture.
Tanoh Lot, was such a serene and neatly maintained temple, and I would suggest you to go around the sunset, as it is the west coast.
None of the temples in Bali allow outsiders inside the sanctum sanctorum; it is meant only for the temple management.
So, after all these, the first day came to a rest point.
Next day was planned for an early wakeup call, because something more special?!
Canyoning
You can probably find this activity only in Indonesia, so DON’T MISS IT!!❤️
Canyoning is an outdoor recreational activity that includes hiking, climbing, abseiling, swimming and even cliff jumping in a natural landscape. Canyoning is all about exploring hard-to-reach natural areas by mostly following a water route down through numerous natural rock formations.
There are numerous waterfalls in Bali and multiple points for this sport. It is also open through different seasons, based on water levels there. We chose the Yeh Lampah Waterfalls, which included flying fox, hiking, rappelling, sliding, swimming.
It was such a great and different experience, and strongly recommend for everyone. It was completely safe and secured by the experts.
They will provide breakfast and lunch along with the package, based on your fitness levels, you can choose different waterfalls - the only change is different types of activities at different heights.
Ulun Danu
Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, or Pura Bratan, is a major Hindu Shaivite temple in Bali, Indonesia. The temple complex is on the shores of Lake Beratan in the mountains near Bedugul.
On the way back, we chose to stop at Ulun Danu temple, the best and beautiful in my whole list. We almost spent like 2 hours here because the temple is just aside a lake, which is backdropped by a mountain and a foggy sky during sunsets.
One side of Bali is beaches, and the other side is mountains. So, both beach abd mountain people, Bali is covered for you🫶🏼
Just some purchases for the next day’s breakfast in the local mart, we retirred back in the homestay.
Just hold on, there is more to cover about Ubud - food, shopping, we got you covered!
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