Bali Chronicles – Unveiling Paradise

Join the travel writing competition “Freestyle Explore – Your Way” by Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen narrates a self-guided Bali trip with her bestie, exploring every nook and cranny of this worldly paradise!

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Someone once said, visiting Bali is stepping into a realm of true paradise. My preparations for this solo adventure took place just a month before. After browsing through airlines, I had two options: First, Air Asia with a layover, round-trip fare of 3.6 million VND. Second, Malaysia Airlines, also with a layover in Kuala Lumpur for a few hours, round-trip fare of 4.2 million VND including 30kg checked baggage and in-flight dining. My bestie and I opted for Malaysia Airlines. Our journey unfolded from 23/02/2018 to 27/02/2018

We booked our SIM card through the Klook website and also reserved a car via Klook.

Reserve a room at Kuta: Opted for Sukabeach Inn through booking.com, and in Ubud, stumbled upon View while casually strolling.

Upon landing, my companion and I swiftly completed procedures, greeted by the Klook team with SIM cards at the exit. Incredibly professional. After securing our cards, we hopped into a taxi headed to Hotel Kuta. Bali's traffic mirrors Vietnam's—narrow roads bustling with motorcycles and cars, yet everyone maintains good etiquette.

Checked into the hotel, explored Kuta's streets, and captured moments. Thanks to Malaysia Airlines, two complimentary meals covered us, so we skipped dinner that night.

Evenings in Kuta are vibrant, being close to the beach and filled with numerous bars. There's a Hard Rock bar reminiscent of SG, surrounded by a plethora of seafood. Just passing by, the enticing aroma of various shrimp and fish will draw you in.

We decided to rise early and stroll to the beach. The sea in Kuta has a deep green hue and isn't entirely pristine.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed a morning meal. Breakfasts in Bali mainly consist of fried rice with eggs or sandwiches with butter, accompanied by fruits and fresh juice. We checked out, contacted our skilled driver for a full-day exploration of Bali's heavenly destinations, spanning 8-10 hours.

1. Our first stop, Tanah Lot Temple – one of Bali's renowned temples. Entrance fee is 60,000IDR/person, parking fee 5,000IDR. Our driver secured a parking spot for us. Words can't capture the beauty here. The journey from Kuta Hotel to this temple took about 1.5 hours.

2. Ulun Danu

The journey to this temple was an adventure. Our driver promised to take the solitary route, zooming through fields and ascending mountains. With no houses in sight, we sat in the swaying car, feeling dizzy and nauseous. After over 2 dreadful hours, we arrived at the temple in pouring rain. Thankfully, our driver had an umbrella, and we braved the rain to enter. The entrance fee was 50,000IDR/person, but the rain added a romantic touch to Ulun Danu. Despite the rain, tourists flocked to witness the beauty.

After leaving Ulun Danu, it was past 3 PM. The driver took us back to the hotel in Ulun, a journey that took over 2 hours. On the way, the driver made a stop at a place called Luwak Coffee (also known as Civet Coffee). Although this coffee is famous, our initial hotel choice was too far from Ubud's center and seemed desolate. Following the driver's advice, we canceled our reservation and asked him to select another hotel. Initially planning to book the driver for 3 days, we later decided not to continue as he drove quite fast and was too adventurous for our liking. We gathered more information, booked another driver, and the hotel in Ubud recommended by the new driver was Tunjung Bungalows. Positioned in the city center, it felt eerie at night, making two girls uneasy. After one night, we decided to explore and find a better hotel for the rest of our stay.

First night in Ubud: Exhausted from a full day, we opted for a nearby eatery and returned to rest. There was a restaurant close to the hotel named Donbiu Warung, offering delicious food and friendly staff. For the following days, we stuck to this place for our meals.

As planned, we booked a different driver, an elderly and cheerful man.

Finished breakfast at the hotel, met the driver at 9 AM, and set off.

The next starting point in Ubud is Bali Swing, a swinging experience from a 20m height over terraced fields. Ticket price is 200,000IDR/person for solo play and the highest tier, or cheaper for couples at 250IDR for 2. Both of us, being thrill-seekers, opted for solo play at the highest tier.

The initial nervousness as Bali Swing staff prepared to hoist us up was palpable, but once elevated, everything was fine. The sensation of free-falling from above during the 12 swings was exhilarating. The last swing had a memorable tip: they advised extending our arms for the best photo.

Next destination: The Terraced Rice Fields. As it was raining in Ubud, we only took photos and left without strolling through the fields like other tourists. Then, the driver took us to see Mount Kitamini, a beautiful mountain with a stunning adjacent lake.

Next destination: Perhaps the most awaited spot for us, the Mother Temple – Besakih. There were rumors that the temple might be closed due to the aftermath of a volcanic eruption. However, luckily, it was open when we visited. The journey from Kitamini to the Mother Temple was around 2 hours, passing through scenic routes, orange orchards, flower gardens, and bamboo forests.

Arriving, we were overwhelmed by the majestic scenery. The scene inside the temple was breathtaking, and humorously, when entering the temple, the dense fog made us think it was raining. Many local people were there to guide visitors. We were led by a nearby guide who later received a nominal fee for his guidance. An interesting detail was the abundance of locals selling flowers and offerings on the way up the mountain. A Malaysian lady even flagged our car down and bought a box of flowers, bracelets, and necklaces for 50,000IDR.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped to visit the sacred water temple - Pura Tirta Empul, Tampaksiring – Gianyar Bali, where many people bathe.

Just like other temples, you have to wrap a sarong to enter. Checked into a new hotel in Ubud called Ubud Views, I'd give it a 4* for its charming staff and visually appealing decor. In the evening in Ubud, we went to the Ubud Market, an art market. However, it seemed more lively during the day, so we strolled around and decided to buy gifts the next day.

Early morning walk to the Monkey Forest. It took about 15 minutes on foot from our hotel, and true to its name, it's a place full of monkeys because there are so many of them.

Being the first two to buy tickets to the monkey forest, we felt a bit scared. Learning from the Batu Caves in Malaysia, we didn't carry any food with us, just backpacks. Luckily, the third person, a solo Western tourist, joined us, and we became friends. Everywhere there were signs saying, “Do not look into the monkeys' eyes,” but how can you not look at them when you come to see them? Haha. After walking a few hundred meters, a monkey jumped onto my friend's hair and another onto my backpack. Luckily, there was a staff member nearby who helped shoo the monkey away from me. In general, if you really like monkeys, you can play with them, but if you come to observe like us, it's quite an interesting experience.

Leaving the Monkey Forest, we strolled through the art market to buy gifts for friends, checked out of the hotel, and booked an Uber to return to the Legian area.

From Ubud to Legian, it took a little over 1.5 hours. Prior to that, we had booked Dua Dara Inn Kuta. Checked in, strolled around Beachwalk Center, and enjoyed the cleaner beach in this area compared to Kuta. The atmosphere here was lively as well. It was the weekend, so we went to admire the sea and listen to music at BeachWalk Center, where two girls and a boy sang beautifully.

Our flight was at 3 PM, so we took advantage of the morning to walk along the beach a bit before heading to the airport.

Our flight from Bali to Kuala Lumpur had a transit of over 5 hours before flying back to SG. It was our first time experiencing sleeping at the airport. Overall, we had a trip to paradise full of emotions, excitement, worries, and joy.

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