Bali, the weekend getaway

If you are looking for a beach & sun weekend getaway, Bali is the answer. It is just 1.5 hrs away by flight from Jakarta. So what can you do in Bali? One can visit the local temples, eat great food, play water activities (snorkeling, diving, para-sailing, etc.), sunbath or even enjoy the night life. If you want to fully enjoy Bali, a weekend getaway is not enough. There's just so many thing that you can do there. It is the perfect place to go with your friends, family and/or your loved ones. 

I visited Bali 3 times in 3 months (once a month?!) and I still couldn't get enough of the island. The combination of the sun, beaches & friendly people will make you fall in love with the island. 

Here are some of the places/things to do in Bali that I highly recommend:

Recreation:

- Water Rafting 

- Water Sports (Para-sailing, banana boat, jet ski, etc.)

- Snorkeling & Diving 

- Hike in rice padi fields

- Visit Temples (Uluwatu Temple, Monkey Forest, Tanah LotTemple)

(at the Monkey Forest Temple. Notice that I did not wear sunglasses/umbrella. This is because the monkeys in the temple will snatch those from you!)

(view of Tanah Lot Temple, you can actually get wet during high tide)

Beaches:

There are beaches all around Bali that serve to different purposes. I prefer a quiet and secluded beaches and these 2 beaches provide such peace & tranquility. These are two of my favorite beaches in Bali. 

1. Padang Padang Beach (Another clean beach with many Caucasians sunbathing)

(view of Padang Padang Beach)

(Padang Padang Beach)

2. Karma Beach (there is an entrance fee for this. I think about 130,000 IDR, but you get to use that to purchase food/drink. It is a private beach, therefore it is really clean and not many people go there)

(view of Karma Beach from the top)

(Karma Beach, a small & private beach)

(the clear water at Karma beach)

Food:

- Naughty Nuri's (serves really awesome pork ribs)

- Mamasan (Asian Fusion Restaurant and you will need to make reservations ahead of time)

- Jimbaran (Menega Cafe) (a MUST go for dinner. They serve seafood by the beach, literally!)

- El Kabron Cafe (Mexican restaurant that is on top of the cliff. So you can imagine how beautiful the scenery is)

Lounge/Cafes:

- Potato Head Garage (a good place to chill and relax with your friends. Get the sofabed if possible. So you can actually lie on it while hanging out with your friends. They serve good drinks & food with good music)

- Ayana Rock Bar (best place to watch sunset. Start coming in at about 4pm if you want to watch the sunset. Otherwise, the line to get into the bar can get really long and you will miss the sunset)

- Kudeta (My least favorite lounge as it is situated too close to the beach. But it is still a good place to hangout.)

- SkyGarden (this is more like a nightclub with beach attires. It is a 5 storeys club house with different gendre of music at every level. A lot of Caucasians like to go here) 

Bali is also the new hotspot for many Indonesians to get married. If you want to avoid inviting over a thousand guests to your wedding, Bali is the answer. Couples who get married in Bali will invite about 250 people to their wedding. However, the cost of Bali wedding with 250 guests is equivalent to Jakarta's wedding with over a thousand guests. 

(a good's friend wedding at Banyan Tree, Bali)

(Pretty decorations)

 (the bride & groom the night before the wedding)

So there you go! I hope you will visit the beautiful Bali. And of course if you are an Indonesian, IT IS A MUST that you visit the island. :) 

With lots of love,

Claraaaa <3