Bali - The Famous Spiritual Paradise
Personal Blog - Indonesia - Bali - Beach - Vibes - Nature
The tropical paradise of Bali is hailed as one of the best and most well-known vacation spots in the world, particularly for Australians and others in the West. The island is full of activities for everyone and anyone, such as those looking for a spiritual nature yoga escape, hiking for mountain and waterfall views, or relaxing by the beach. Our fairly relaxed Bali itinerary is aimed at getting a little taste of it all. And it is such a classic summer paradise destination that we absolutely had to go sooner rather than later.
Itinerary
Day 1
We arrived at the airport and got onto our Grab to go to our hotel. Almost immediately, the driver brought up that we would run into very bad traffic, which was expected from all of our TikTok Bali prep. Seeing it in real life was eye-opening. The roads of Seminyak and Canggu are extremely narrow, and there are dozens or even hundreds of scooters passing by every single minute.
We reached the hotel after a two-hour drive and were greeted by the staff as we alighted. To learn more about our check-in process and overall stay experience at COMO Uma Canggu, read more about it here: COMO Uma Canggu Premier Collection Experience.
Note: Grab and Gojek are definitely the way to go for transport around the island. No need to rent a car or scooter unless you want to have some fun in the backroads with the latter.
We received a tour of the property before arriving to our upgraded residential suite, so we obviously had to spend some time being awestruck and wandering around the room.
Our first food stop was a chic cafe called Penny Lane. The natural aesthetic and decor blends both the clean minimalist look with naturally vibrant walls and pillows. The lush greenery hanging from the walls and ceiling made it feel like a hidden oasis in the middle of the jungle. A good picture could be taken from any angle in here, so there’s no shortage of content for the Gram.
The cuisine could be describe as modern Balinese, with several Western dishes thrown onto the menu for any tourists with weak stomachs. Our meal consisted of some fried mac n’ cheese balls, mee goreng, and the Out N’ In Burger. The last one is a play on the Californian burger franchise In’N’Out, and somehow Penny Lane has managed to nail the taste of their special thousand island dressing.
We did some window shopping as we walked several kilometers down the road, hitting several stores that Mon wanted to see along the way. Shopping is abundant in Canggu, from cute boutiques to the large variety found at open-air bazaars like Love Anchor. We spotted many stray dogs, chickens, and even cows grazing about.
Our dinner was at Bottega Italiana, an Italian restaurant with 5 locations around this central part of Bali. The place itself is quite small but has a lovely outdoor patio to let you soak in more Bali vibes as you eat. They offer many choices for pasta type as well, so you can mix and match different combis. The duck Ragù di Anatra and Crema di Zucchine paired with pappardelle and tagliatelle both hit the spot, the latter being one of the most unique and refreshing pastas I have ever had.
We enjoyed the hotel for the rest of the night by hitting the gym, soaking in a warm bath, and ordering delivery. We stayed up until 3AM, at which point we had a car waiting to pick us up for our next activity.
Day 2
The driver drove us for two hours to the base of Mount Batur. At this point, we transferred to a jeep that was capable of taking us up the dirt trails of the active volcano. The ride was bumpy as expected, but we eventually reached the lookout point. Many other jeeps came up soon after. All the drivers went up to a hut to hang out and prepare a banana sandwich breakfast for everyone. They were also very enthusiastic about taking pictures for us, matching the vibe of the internet-famous Balinese waterfall photographer.
The sunrise was absolutely stunning. Each phase of the rise was a memorable marvel to behold.
Book this experience on Klook! → The Mount Batur Sunrise Experience by 4WD Jeep
On the way back from the mountain, we stopped by a coffee plantation (find name) where we got to see coffee bean trees, watch the grinding and preparation process, and finally sample different types of freshly prepared coffee and tea. Our favorites were the coconut and pandan coffees, and I even bought a pack of the coconut home!
We made it back to the hotel in time to rest before Mon’s in-room mani-pedi appointment with a nail technician from Nailtine Studio while I sat at the table cosplaying a digital nomad to work on this blog. The service was performed on our balcony, adding a bit more luxurious flair to the experience. We ordered some Indonesian delivery to munch on afterwards and the mee goreng especially was delicious.
The hotel has its own attached beach club exclusive for staying guests. It features a regular rectangular swimming pool and several beds looking out to a panoramic view of the ocean, including three hanging beds. We enjoyed our 1-for-1 cocktails and lounged poolside into the late afternoon. Afterwards, we moved to COMO Uma Canggu’s incredible main pool, which stretches across one whole length of their residential building. I tried to give Mon some swimming lessons here to prepare her for snorkeling later this trip, with some mild success.
We enjoyed the beautiful sunset on the beach before heading out for dinner. Because the menu was so extensive, and because we missed out on the outdoor seats the night before, we ended up at Bottega Italiana again. This time, we got to sit right outside the entrance. The black pig Ragù di Cinghiale and Basilico Pesto were our choices of pasta sauce today, and both were incredibly delicious despite not being as unique as the selections from the day before.
The last activity of the day was a massage at Jamu Spa. It had a very traditional vibe, from the wood brown surroundings to the mixtures and products laid out on the main table. All the products they make and use are organic and eco-friendly, so it takes the extra step to give you a spiritual experience with nature. I went for a classic Japanese shiatsu massage while Mon was more adventurous and chose the lymphatic drainage massage. I think both of us fell asleep, but that was because the messages were so relaxing!
Day 3
Mon got to enjoy a private pilates class this morning here.
It was not until our last day at the place that we got to enjoy the hotel breakfast. Breakfast was a semi-buffet with a wide variety of salads, juices, fruit, pastries, and hot a la carte offerings. Thanks to the late checkout we were kindly offered due to our Premier Collection booking, we spent another good hour and a half at the beach club soaking in the afternoon sun.
After endless searching for facial treatments, Mon ultimately went for a facial bar called FaceDay. The bright rainbow-color aesthetic energizes you and really feels like it improves the entire treatment experience. During her treatment, I went to walk around to look for a rash guard for snorkeling the next morning. Everything that I came across in this area was super pricey, felt just like I was in Singapore or the States.
We rushed into our cab right after the treatment finished so we could be punctual for our next booking, a sunset horseback riding experience hosted by Bali Polo Club. This is bookable on AirBnB here: Sunset Horseback Riding Beach & Ricefield Tour.
When we arrived, we were directed onto a dirt path that lead to the stables. Check in was quite smooth; the host sized our feet for boots and provided fresh socks as well. We each grabbed helmets then went out to the paddock to mount our steeds, —- and —-.
The crew consisted of two handlers walking alongside the horses and a third guy on a moped taking pictures of us along the path. The peaceful trot through the rice paddies had super beautiful views. We reached the beach with perfect timing as the glowing orange sun was beginning to set. The crew helped to position the horses to capture pictures as best they could, even when the horses were beginning to grow impatient by the end!
The rice paddy views on the way back now had the sunset glow above the horizon, and we arrived at the stable when the sky finally became dark. I applaud them for the perfect timing throughout the experience.
Both of us were super hungry afterwards, so we went to Bottega Italiana once again since we were in the area. We did not even set up a reservation for this visit, so we sat at the bar seats in front of the pastas display. The servers even recognized us! For our third and final visit of the trip, we went with only one new addition of the sausage and cheese Nduja E Pecorino, and we ordered the Crema di Zucchine since we felt it was their best creation.
Then, we took a cab from Canggu to our next accommodation. Seminyak ICON by Karaniya Experience contains individual villas with private swimming pools, which is a unique boutique stay option commonly found in Bali tourist hotspots.
The villa was separated into two areas, one for the living room/kitchen and the other is the bedroom/bathroom. The bed looks out to the swimming pool and day bed at the opposite end, and the outdoor area feels like a private spiritual garden that is perfect for lounging around.
We delivered a local Indonesian spit-roasted pork dish called babi guling because we had not tried it during the whole trip so far. We also ordered some Vietnamese food that I was craving since we had actively chosen to go to Bottega Italiana instead of the highly rated Vietnamese restaurant nearby there.
Day 4
The next morning, after having a tasty breakfast from the villa, a driver picked us up to go to the renowned Blue Lagoon area for snorkeling. We were brought into a prep area to change and get life jackets. The workers were also kind enough to rent a Nemo rash guard to Mon. Unfortunately the black rental had a huge hole on the side!
The boat crew took our group to two different snorkeling spots in the area. Mon got the hang of swimming and very quickly abandoned the supporting pool noodle. We saw many beautifully colorful fishies throughout the two hours in the water, and the overall experience was super fun. The crew were very helpful to provide a waterproof pouch for my phone and for adjusting Mon’s snorkel mask when it got tangled in her hair.
On the drive back, we were both completely exhausted and slept the whole way back.
Book this experience on Klook! → Blue Lagoon Beach Snorkeling Experience in East Bali
While we showered, played around the pool, and prepared for our next activity of the day, Mon wanted to have a taste of the best bak kut teh that Bali could offer. We ordered that plus a Chinese-inspired noodle dish for lunch. The noodles were incredible, and the bak kut teh was served with an impressive serving of ribs.
Disclaimer: The delivery bak kut teh was likely not the best Indonesia had to offer because it was delivery. Will need to try it piping hot next time!
Our next destination was a limited time pop-up café and pop-up store by luxury designer Dior, located at Sundara Beach Club by Four Seasons Bali Jimbaran Bay hotel. The event ran from July 15 to September 10, 2023. The café – beautifully decorated with the Dioriviera Summer Capsule Collection pink animal print on nearly all furniture and enhanced by the backdrop of the lively beach below – was unfortunately standard in terms of food, especially for the inflated price point. The cocktails were very nice though, and the ambience could not be matched by anything else.
The store contained many Bali-exclusive items, all coming together to set that beach babe “I’m HER” look. The large animal statues also serve to highlight the collection’s theme.
We had thought about going to Palmilla Beach Club at the very south of Uluwatu, but the drive would have eaten up two precious hours of our last full day here. Therefore, we chose to rent a day bed at the Sundara pool front, order a spread a delicious food, and enjoy the sunset views from the spectacular beach club we were already at. The beach was lively with locals playing around, the pool was pleasantly warm, and I got Mon a lovely Sakura perfume from the Diorivera Cosmetics Store next door. It was a fitting end to our final evening in the luxurious Island of the Gods.
When we came back to our villa, we realized that we were able to rent a huge flamingo float to play with in the pool. So of course we had to. And we ended our day satisfied, knowing this was one of the best summer vacations that we could have ever imagined.
Day 5
Our final Bali tourist activity on our trip was to enjoy a floating breakfast from our villa pool. Not only is the breakfast super photogenic, it will very filling as well. We spent the entire morning taking pictures of the breakfast, floatie, and each other before heading off to the airport.
Gallery
Bucket List
- Palmilla Beach Club
- Finn’s Beach Club
- La Brisa
- El Kabron Sunset Bar
- Ubud
- Lempuyang Temple
- Nusa Penida
Vibes
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