We chose Bali as a stop on our journey because of fond memories from our previous visits in 2003 and 1995. The Bali of 2016 is a very different island than the one of our memories. Proximity to Australia and Singapore, increased tourism from Europe, and the flood of tourists from Asia have all resulted in rampant commercialisation of Bali as a tourist location. As it turned out Bali was a “holiday from our holiday”.
We spent ten days in Bali, split around our week in Flores. Our fast paced travel came almost to a screeching halt when arriving in Bali.
We started our time in Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali, away from the beaches that are so popular. This is the area filled with rice fields, temples and volcanoes.
The traditionally chilled out hippie hill side retreat of Ubud is no more. It has been replaced by a vast array of shops, cafe’s, restaurants, and hotels of every standard. It is still possible to find some quiet bungalow style accommodation if you look hard but you have to get out of central Ubud. Views of the surrounding rice fields are now more limited because of all the development.
There is noise from traffic everywhere in the main town, with the streets often gridlocked through the day. Expensive hotels take up some of the best hilltop or valley side locations. The serene experiences and zen style come at a high price.
Just by chance we stayed at Gajah Biru Bungalows which is out of town, and is Ubud “old school” in terms of style. We were close enough to walk into the rice fields and explore some of the many paths that take you away from the roads.
Our best afternoon was spent wandering around the rice fields and small pathways, far from the heart of Ubud. We happened upon the Sunflower Cafe where we enjoyed some cool juice drinks and waited out a tropical storm for a few hours. This was a great return to “how it used to be”.
From our perspective Ubud is now best enjoyed by staying away from the main town which offers little of the vibe which made it famous. Instead, stay in the surrounding area, find somewhere overlooking the rice fields, and relax into tranquility.
After our week on Flores and neighbouring Rinca and Komodo Islands we travelled back to Bali for five days in Sanur.
See post – Rinca and Komodo Islands
As a treat we decided to stay in a private villa so we could pamper ourselves after our first four months of travel. Given the adventurous nature of our Flores trip the villa stay was very welcome. Booked through Airbnb, The Colonial Villa was situated along a dead end street in the residential area of Sanur. It is a “walled” property, so after entering through the gates you get transported to another world of isolation, privacy and in this case luxury. With our own pool and the lovely open sided Balinese style living area we decided to just hunker down for our five night stay.
We spent our time relaxing, swimming, reading and doing schoolwork. Although it was the rainy season in Bali, most of our days were hot and sunny.
Dave ventured out for a few runs through Sanur and along the beach. Traditional fishing boats still line the fine beach at Sanur.
The entire beachfront is now developed, with mainly large hotels. As with much of South-east Asia the beach is strewn with litter, either washed up or left behind. It has become an endemic issue and is spoiling many otherwise beautiful beaches.
On previous visits to Bali we have toured extensively and so this time we were happy to just relax in Ubud and Sanur. For other visitors you might consider hiking the volcano, rafting, cycle riding, surfing (on the east coast) or doing a residential yoga retreat!
There is much for the tourist to do in Bali and some amazing accommodation options. It’s very significantly developed now, so if you want something more original like the Bali of twenty years ago, then you’ll need to venture further east to Lombok, Flores or north to Sulawesi.
Saying that we loved this post from Our Globetrotters – Avoid the Bali Crowds:Uncovering the Hidden Gems.
WHERE WE STAYED
Gajah Biru Bungalows in Ubud. We stayed in the two bedroom Jasmine Villa which had its own pool and gardens.
The Colonial Villa in Sanur booked through Airbnb – highly recommend for a truly luxurious stay on the island of Bali. Our review of the villa is copied below.
Exceptional. It is the most amazing property with outstanding staff. The design, construction and furnishing of the property is of the highest quality you will find. It is also excellently maintained. There is a huge amount of space. Bedrooms are massive, bathrooms luxuriant, shared spaces plentiful, gardens are verdant, and pool area perfect. Ketut and the team are sublime – they are super attentive but also inconspicuous. We ate all our meals in the house because the food was so good and the surroundings so lovely. We will definitely return one day and carry very happy memories from our time there. Williams Family
2 Comments.
Sounds like the villa was just what you needed to re-group after your horrendous experience in the ‘plastic boat’. Thank goodness it all ended well.
Hi Kay. The villa in Sanur was a holiday from our holiday! It was great and came at just the right time. We have learnt a valuable lesson in boat travel in less developed countries.