A short trip and a memorable climb

It was a last-minute visit to Bali at the tail end of another business trip to Singapore and therefore we lacked any sort of planning. Therefore, my experience is limited compared to the average visitor to Bali. We stayed in Nusa Dua and probably that was our only regret. It is an overhyped beach town created for the Western (or I should say Eastern since Australia is East of Indonesia) tourist. There is limited beach areas and non-existent waves. Most of the resort hotels are located here but they are simply overpriced for what they offer. Probably the beaches on the East side of the Bali island would have been a better choice. There are the usual tourist trap things to do like coffee plantation trips, rice field trips, eating at a so called authentic Balinese restaurant, wood carving and batik workshops, but you can avoid most of that. The most memorable part of our trip was the climb to Mt. Batur. It is a moderate climb for someone with average fitness level. You will have to go with a local guide. The best is to start the climb around 2:30 AM to catch sunrise at around 7:00 AM. But be ready for the eventuality that you will get clouds covering up the eastern sky. The climb itself is worthwhile though. It is difficult enough to challenge you but easy enough that you can do it even without planning for it. Carry something warm as it gets cold on top. Of the many temples Uluwatu was memorable as it sits on a cliff with the ocean waves beating down. Overall Bali is a great one time trip. And another thought in Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth Gilbert finds Eat in Italy, Pray in India and Love in Bali. I would switch that a little Eat in India, Pray in Bali and Love in Italy!

Click on the images to enlarge. Click again to close and come back to the gallery.