Everything About Bali

It’s a fine Monday morning. I just said goodbye to beautiful Bali* knowing that I will come again one day. Sipping my coffee in the airport. Are you one of those people who have to get a coffee before boarding? Unfortunately, I am. It's almost like otherwise I wouldn’t know that I am flying. The barista wrote ‘Have a good day, Fatimah’ on my cup. Aww, I love you too! Did I tell you how awesome people are in Bali? They are incredibly kind, helpful, and always wear a smile. Even in one of the most touristy areas, I managed to strike up conversations with many locals during my stay, and everyone was just so friendly.

So I’ve come to the end of my short Bali vacation and returning to reality in a few hours. I am not heading home yet, just back to work. However, I might have just had one of the most amazing holidays ever. Bali is beautiful in its own right. But I think my entire experience was pretty wholesome apart from the island itself.

I came here alone. My second time traveling solo in Asia, with many more such trips to come. I absolutely loved it. I’ve travelled around a few times with and without friends, but my absolute favourite is the ones when I’m by myself. There is just a unique joy in traveling alone, not just because of the ultimate freedom it offers but also the endless opportunities to make friends, delve deep into your thoughts, and experience personal growth. Judging by the reactions of the people I met on my journey when I told them I was traveling alone, I could say it is some deal if not a huge one.

UPON ARRIVAL

So, about Bali, first of all, they use the Indonesian rupee as currency. You don’t need to exchange money before your trip. There are ATMs everywhere, and I used my English debit card to withdraw money. I didn’t lose much money due to conversion. You can also use your credit card in certain places, like big restaurants or shops, but cash is still widely used, and not all places accept credit cards. I did not purchase a SIM card at the airport. I arrived almost at midnight, and everything was closed. But there are many places in the city where you can get a SIM card. My deal was 10 GB of internet for 250K Indonesian rupiah (IDR).

Jakarta has two international airports: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) and Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport (HLP). In Bali, however, there is only one airport: Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS), also known as Denpasar Airport or Bali Airport. I flew from CGK to DPS, which took around 2 hours. CGK is very big and has more than one terminal. The one I landed in was not the same as the one I was supposed to depart from for Bali, so I had to take a cab. However, there is also a ‘Sky Train’ which you can travel between terminals. I didn’t check the terminals and assumed I would reach my gate within a few minutes after landing, but it turned out to be a 15-minute cab ride and cost me a lot – thanks to the driver who took advantage of my anxious mood. I didn’t realise how much I paid until after I had some data and calculated the currency conversion. But anyhow.

Bali Domestic Airport is very small, so nothing to watch out for. Just make sure that buy some luggage allowance for your domestic flight if you’re traveling with check-in luggage. Even though international flights usually provide a 20 kg luggage allowance, domestic ones do not do the same. Flights are fairly cheap between Jakarta and Bali, mine was around £50. I booked my domestic flights through booking.com (a big mistake). Booking doesn’t allow you to change or cancel your flight, even if you booked a flexible one. And it is impossible to reach out to a real person on booking.com. So book directly through domestic airlines’ official websites. 

CATERING & OTHER EXPENSES

Food and drink prices are relatively low, and I think I don’t need to say their cuisine is quite delicious. One thing I absolutely adored was being able to eat halal meat everywhere. I still double-checked before ordering, as I noticed pork on the menu in some places. My local friend explained that Bali is a touristy area. I believe they use halal meat in their meals. Because whenever I asked if the meat was halal, they just laughed, lol. Coconut juice, in particular, is phenomenal. I also tried some of their snacks as well but nothing stood out as particularly special. Since I booked all of my hotels with breakfast included (another mistake, you wouldn’t want to eat the same thing every day), I haven’t tried different breakfast options. But from what I’ve seen, it is a classic Asian breakfast. I didn’t go on a budget trip, so I booked relatively nice hotels (also a mistake) but accommodation prices are also affordable regardless.

For transportation, download the Grab and Gojek app to your phone and you can easily call a taxi or even better, a motorbike for a very reasonable cost. The only time I overpaid for a taxi was to and from the airport. I usually use ‘booking’ to book my airport taxi, but it tends to be a bit expensive. Walking in the city is also a fairly reasonable option but remember that walking 20 minutes in your home country and Bali might not feel the same. The weather makes it very difficult to walk long distances and with many motorbikes on the road and a lack of proper pavements, it can get a bit dangerous. Also, I’ve seen a lot of construction on the roads and not many warnings/ attention lines, so you better watch out where you step. But overall, it is quite safe and sound. I didn’t encounter anyone trying to take advantage of me, even though I obviously looked like a tourist. This last point is very dear to me because this level of honesty and trust is not common everywhere. Although Bali may not be a wealthy country, you can easily see that no one is after your ‘tourist money’. In fact, I overpaid a few times by mistake, and they always called me afterward to return the excess money. This might be seen as the ‘bare minimum’ but for a fairly touristic place, I believe it deserves a shout-out.     

CANGGU

In my short visit, I managed to discover Canggu and Ubud. I purposely avoid Seminyak. I had also planned to visit Uluwatu, but when I hurt myself a bit while surfing, I had to take one day off from touristing. Speaking of surfing, it is fun until you try to stand up on the board. Why did no one tell me it is one of the most challenging things ever? The ocean was very wavy, making it almost impossible to swim, so I decided to give surfing a shot. There are several beaches in Canggu and almost all of them provide surfing lessons. A 1.5-hour lesson costs 350K IDR (£18). It starts with the instructor explaining and demonstrating the basic rules on the sand. Then you move to the sea. They also provide a long-sleeve surfing shirt, but no leggings. Guys, wear leggings! I can’t stress enough how important this is. The moves are pretty straightforward forward actually. You have to swim with the board, lift yourself against the waves, and stand on the board, facing the waves. I was fine with the first two, but the standing part didn’t come easy. In fact, I fell off the board at least 5 times before actually being able to stand. Then I continued to fall off even though I managed to stand for a few seconds. Again, very strong waves. And it turns out I don’t have the natural talent, lol. I ended up scraping both my knees, to the point of bleeding. Luckily, there was a pharmacy just next door to the hotel. Did I have fun? Yes. Would I do it again? Probably not. Maybe with the appropriate attire but still very unlikely.

Apart from having the most beautiful beaches, Canggu also has the best sunsets. I know the sun sets in the same way everywhere in the world. But not really. It was quite magical watching the sunset from the beach every evening. Once it starts to set, it goes down very quickly. But the few moments of orange-red color fusion disappearing on the big waves of the ocean is definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

You can also find many yoga, meditation, and massage centers around the city. You have to experience some sort of spiritual atmosphere in Bali, regardless of its forms. I tried one of the yoga centres called ‘The Practice’, quite a famous one. Despite some of the online comments saying this place is just a bougie place for Instagrammers and far from the real deal, I completely think the opposite. So, I booked a session called ‘yin and sound healing yoga’ and it turned out one of the most unforgettable experiences for me. I had done yoga and meditation before, so I wasn’t unfamiliar with the elements of it. But the fact that our teacher chanted, played an instrument, and sang some songs while we were doing the movements took it to a whole new level. It was truly a beautiful experience, and I couldn’t come back to reality for a few moments afterward.   

UBUD

Then Ubud. You have to stop by Ubud if you’re coming to Bali. Canggu might not be one of the must-see places if you’re not into surfing or nightclubs. But Ubud is definitely surrounded by all the cultural and religious places to see. I started my day trip with a Kecak dance show in Pura Dalem Taman Kaja. It is played every morning from 9:30 to 10:30, depicting a battle between good and evil, enacted by mythological creatures. The entrance fee was 150K IDR (£7.5). There is also another show called Fire Dance which is shown at Uluwatu temple every day between 17:30 and 18:30. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to this one, but I’ve been told that it is much better than the morning one.

The next stop was Tegenungan Waterfall. I personally love waterfalls as they always fascinate me. It was a rather small area with too many people, but still great. The entrance fee was about 20K IDR (£1), and you can bring a swimsuit since there is a chance to get into the water near the waterfall. But it is prohibited to pass a certain point to get too close to the source where water falls down. It was definitely worth seeing, and there were a few other places on the premises like the swing, the glass bridge, or the upper side of the waterfall where you can get a cooler photo, I guess, but I didn’t go.

The next stop was Ubud temple, which is also a must-see in Ubud. You’re supposed to cover your shoulders and knees before stepping into a temple as a respect. I was wearing a long skirt, but they still gave me a longer skirt to put on. The entrance fee was 20K IDR (£1) and I quite enjoyed exploring the garden. There is also a ‘Gates of Heaven’ type of place where you can take that famous mirrored photo.

The following stop was a Coffee Plantation, which I was glad about since I was feeling caffeine-deprived by that time. Although I am a coffee addict, I don’t drink as much coffee while I am traveling. Few reasons… I have a specific coffee that I enjoy drinking, and most places in Asia do not provide oat milk. What I mostly saw was the Nescafe-type granular coffee, which I don’t prefer. Moreover, you’re in the heart of tropical fruit paradise, so why waste your appetite on coffee when you can enjoy endless affordable tropical fresh fruit juices? I will never get tired of ordering a delicious fruit plate or smoothie. I am coming from a country that produces fairly delicious fruits, but the mangoes in Asia just hit differently. Back to the coffee plantation. This place is called Lumbung Sari House Of Luwak Coffee, and there’s no entrance fee, which took me by surprise. Because you receive a tour of different plants and coffee seeds and are served 15 different teas and coffee samples without a charge.

Our tour guide was a young boy, almost my half-age, and explained the story of scrumptious coffee from the plant to the cup. There’s this famous coffee called Luwak coffee in Bali, and it is derived from coffee beans that are partially digested by an animal called Indonesian palm civet before being excreted. So, it is basically being produced from the waste of an animal. Of course, the outer layer is removed, and the beans are cleaned before roasting. But the idea still haunts me. When our guide mentioned in the beginning that they were making the coffee from a certain animal, I couldn’t understand how they were using the animal. But basically, they feed this animal with arabica beans and arabica beans only, and when it poops, they collect those and put them through a bunch of processes which, according to what he claimed, leaves no waste in the end. And they do all these steps by hand. No machinery is involved.

After the tour, the samples arrived. I tried traditional teas and coffee. I recommend drinking water in between to cleanse your palate. There’s a menu where they list all the products, and they put the samples in the same order so you know what you are drinking. My favourite one was avocado coffee. It was just so smooth and flavourful. At first, I wasn’t so sure how the avocado taste goes with the coffee flavour, but it was absolutely delicious. I also tried ‘animal waste’ coffee despite everything, but it was just so strong, even for me. After the tour, the guide takes you to the shop and you have the opportunity to buy the coffees you’ve tried. I was suspicious at first about how they make money if they offer all the samples for free, but this is how they get their money back.

I also chatted with the guide a bit. Here in Bali, everybody was friendly and ready to talk, and they can communicate with you in English very well. When they learned about my name or where I came from, the second question was usually whether I was Muslim or not. And when they learned that I am Muslim, they became so pleased with this information. And it was no different with this young kid. After telling him I am a Muslim, he replied with ‘Me too’, accompanied by a big smile. He said that he had just started working at this plantation, and it was his first month, still in his training. He apologised for his English a few times, which was quite unnecessary because he was able to tell us all about the plantation very fluently. I asked him if he was also going to school or something, and he mentioned that he had never gone to school and had learned English all by himself, just by listening and interacting with the tourists. Again, he is just a kid under 18 from what I've seen, and he was able to give us strangers a comprehensive tour of the plantation. When I was applying for part-time student jobs at the university, I used to worry whether my English would be sufficient. I had already been living in the UK for a few years and was doing my PhD when I had those concerns. Hats off to this young kid for having this much courage in his heart. I will never forget you or the life lesson you taught me.

Our last stop was the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which was an amazing experience. I interacted with monkeys not so long ago in Morocco, but that was a short visit in comparison, and I was more focused on feeding the monkeys rather than observing their interaction with each other. So, this place is a vast forest where thousands of monkeys live freely and most importantly in their natural habitat. You’re not allowed to feed them or disturb them. You’re simply expected to stroll around while they go about their daily lives. I’ve seen monkeys drinking water from a bottle, eating sweet potatoes, trying to crack a nut, carrying their babies around, looking for lice on each other’s bodies, and many other not-so-crazy monkey activities but was quite fascinating to me since I was seeing for the first time.

For example, I didn’t know monkeys have lots of lice on their bodies and need constant grooming. I also didn’t know that sweet potatoes were one of their main foods. I saw many monkey families around and one thing I noticed was that parent monkeys purposefully restrict their babies from eating solid food. You can see those little hands trying to reach for the food from their mama’s hands but never succeeding. I also had an almost romantic moment with one of them which became the ultimate highlight of my day.

A monkey was sitting on one side of the bench, and I sat on the other side. We looked at each other for a while, and then I slowly reached out my hand. He was hesitant at first but extended his hand as well, and we ended up holding hands for a few precious seconds until he realised that I didn’t have any food in my hand. The rest of the story is him hissing me and me running away…

LAST WORDS

Of course, there are many more places you can explore in Bali. I met so many people here and there, and we have exchanged our travel itineraries. And these people have been in many other places that I never even heard of. Some of the people I met told me that Bali takes at least a few weeks to travel if you want to do it right. People usually rent a car or a motorbike when traveling between places. I used a motorbike in Canggu and hired a driver with a taxi for Ubud. Also, I didn’t have much time to explore other places. In my case, it was more like a few days of treating myself before getting back to work. The older you get, the more you tend to believe that, ‘you deserve certain things’ since you’ve worked hard. And I somehow convinced myself that I deserved this out-of-nowhere holiday, lol. Totally worth it.    

Bali offers a wide variety of experiences. Some people come here to lose themselves, while others come to find themselves. Either way, I believe there is something for everyone. Although it was a bit too touristy for me in some ways (maybe I’ll come to that later in another post), I truly enjoyed my time here. Farewell my dear Bali, for now. We will meet again.  

* This trip took place three weeks ago, and I've only now found the time to edit my draft.