Island of the gods

Whether itʼs surfing, trekking or meditating that floats your boat, Bali proves its a tropical destination for one and all.

words NICKY ADAMS

Before booking a trip to Bali I asked around incessantly for opinions and found that people very much fell into two camps. Comments ranged from ‘I absolutely love it, would go every year if I could’ versus ‘too much traffic, too commercial’.

After a little deliberation matched with airfares that made it cheaper than a trip to Fiji, our family decided to take the plunge.

Arriving in Denpasar airport late afternoon, the general lack of clear instruction in immigration was confusing, but introduction of E-gates meant those with children of 14 and over could avoid all queues and zoom through. A little pre-planning meant we had booked a driver to pick us up (anyone who has been to Bali will usually be able to pass on a contact) and because traffic is notoriously bad post 4pm we had decided to stay cheaply close to the airport in Kuta with a view to starting the trip properly the next day. Our driver (Wayan) returned to pick us up at 9am, and without much idea of what we really wanted to do, other than end up in Ubud, Wayan took charge of the immediate itinerary and we hit the road.

Weaving through streets where around every corner there is a stunning temple, meant that even without a specific tourist attraction in mind, everything felt exciting and vibrant. Ubud is both a town and a district. The area is thick with rainforest and known for its breathtaking terraced rice fields, while also being an arts centre and cultural capital. Bali is predominantly Hindu in faith (with Muslim, Christian and Buddhism all much smaller denominations), and Ubud is home to many ancient relics of religious significance. Stopping at one of the ‘Big Swings’, where you take your life in your hands while you fly through the air over steep drops down to lush green rice terraces, the breathtaking scenery gives the combined benefit of adrenalin rush and top tourist attraction rolled into one. The same location offered a journey through the process of manufacturing Luwak, the well-known Balinese coffee produced via the intestines of a civet. Yes, the coffee beans are eaten and pooped out by civets. Freakish though it sounds, the product is delicious, and was one of many superb Balinese coffee blends – I’ll admit to returning with an addiction for strong filtered coffee.

Ubud can be done as a day tour, however I would highly recommend it as a destination worthy of longer. The streets are packed with sights – amongst the many, while here we visited the authentic Neka Art Museum, traditional Art Market, Saraswati Temple and the magnificent Ubud Palace. Shop after shop offers multiple artisan gifts, along with jewellery and clothes – and a covered market is an emporium of delights. It takes a while to get the hang of the bartering system – tempering guilt at haggling with the desire not to be ridiculously ripped off, makes this a learning curve. Shopping and temples aside, Ubud boasts some amazing restaurants and multiple boutique hotels which are of the highest international standard but at a fraction of the price. As a family of five we preferred two bedrooms, and as one of our children has a nut allergy we wanted to be able to prepare our own food, which we could achieve by staying in the villa part of a hotel. This came with a lounge, kitchen and our own pool. At the higher end of the accommodation options, the service (cocktails) and facilities were unsurpassed. There was also a great deal of reassurance knowing the hygiene standards were exacting and water used in everything was purified, so ice was safe and plentiful. Here in Ubud there are plenty of accommodation options available, at a price point to suit any budget or individual needs.

With monkeys roaming the streets, pilfering from store owners and tourists alike, there is an authenticity to Ubud that, despite the crowds, cannot dull its charm. I had heard differing opinions on the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (too touristy/biting monkeys), but desire to experience it outweighed the fear of a showdown with a fearsome primate. Forewarned is forearmed – and I would say that if you have few ‘removables’ and treat the monkeys with respect you would be unlucky to be targeted (although one did steal my daughter’s ice block out of her hand as we left). Watching them swing around you, frolic in front of you, tend to tiny babies and generally go about their business was nothing short of magical.

Writer Nicky and the family at their villa, located between Legian and Seminyak.

Knowing the 40-minute drive to the coastal town of Seminyak would take much longer than this in traffic, combining a change of location with more sightseeing seemed a great option. Our trusty driver came to pick us up, and together we worked out a route, which took in Tibumana (the not-so-secret secret waterfall) and Tirta Empul Temple, which is considered the most sacred temple amongst the Balinese Hindu community. All the time weaving through scenic countryside of rice fields and multiple other less known attractions. Feeling that we had well and truly ticked the tourist box, once we arrived at our beach destination, there was no guilt in the following days centred around mooching, shopping, eating, drinking and enjoying the blazing heat. If beach is important to your trip, then there are breathtaking beaches to discover, and Bali is a well-known surf destination.

Seminyak/Legian beach is a cool spot, by night dotted in multi-coloured bean bags and cranking out music to chill to as the sun goes down. But for beach alone it would not have the biggest pull. However, the area itself is everything you could want and more. The shopping is frenzied but friendly, the hassling is minimal and in good spirits – if you want a more refined experience there is a mall surrounded by street after street of high-end boutiques. There are also some key restaurants and hotels to visit; Double Six, with its sunset roof top bar makes a wonderful evening hang out. If you want to try local fare but are feeling cautious, then go mad on the tropical fruit – passion fruit is not as we know it, coming in at much sweeter, watermelon can be found with bright yellow fresh, rambutan (lychees) are sweet and flavoursome. We loved the mangosteen fruit, a segmented milky white flesh, the snake fruit (salak) was crunchy and almost chestnutty. If you really want to try something unusual then look no further than the durian – I literally couldn’t explain the taste other than as custardy caramalised onion. Not one I’ll be adding to my fruit salad.

We rented a villa (Andari Villas) that was close to the famous Double Six area; located between Legian and Seminyak, while central its position on a side street meant we experienced the best of both worlds (as well as have our cleaning, catering and washing seen to by a resident maid, and security at the end of the street). Outside the hub-bub – which we could dip into and then out again at will; inside was a sanctuary spread over three bedrooms, two lounges, five bathrooms, kitchen and private pool.

The utter tranquility meant we could stay and chill to our hearts’ content. If massage is your thing, then Bali will be your heaven – of all the things that are ‘affordable’ massage knocks the rest out of the park. We were able to have a masseuse come to the villa for an amazing poolside massage, an hourlong treat costing the same as a couple of coffees in NZ. Of course, tipping, while not expected, is something you want to do – when we tend to be cashless it’s worth trying to remember to always have something to hand.

No matter if your idea of the perfect holiday is active resting or totally zoning out, Bali really does bring it all to the table. Plan ahead and work out what you want from the trip, pack the hand sanitiser and it really is a glorious island paradise.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Other highly recommended spots include Canguu and Sanur.

• Surfing opportunities are next level – Kedungu, Padang Padang, Medewi.

• Restaurants to try – Sardine (Kerobokan), Chandi (Seminyak)

• We travelled at the start of the dry season, some rain, but sightseeing was amazing regardless.

• Add activities such as cook schools, meditation, or yoga retreats – go by recommendations.

• Pack medication. We took charcoal tablets, but arm yourselves with painkillers for stomach ache, and something for nausea.

• Scooters are a fun, efficient way to travel – check out reviews for rentals.

• Waterbom Bali is family fun.

• We stayed in a variety of accommodations with prices starting from $200 per night for five inclusive of breakfast for two rooms in the hotel and three rooms in the villa.

• While we only managed to get away for a week, I would recommend at least 10 days.

• Go by accommodation recommendations if possible as quality varies hugely.

Organise visas in advance as they can be tricky. If it feels daunting, ask an expert

– travel agent or small operator. Locally Sandy Crooks (Clarke Rd Kitchen),

arranges and leads exclusive group tours to Bali.