Summer vacation in Indonesia – the Island of the Gods, Bali

This is a vacation we will long remember. About ten days ago, my son booked a seven-day holiday in Bali for us to celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary—a destination I had long wanted to visit. The flight from Belgrade, including a layover, took a full 23 hours.Before leaving, I got in touch online with some fellow countrymen who already spend part of the year in Bali. Thanks to them, someone was waiting for us at the airport.My wife wanted to see the beaches first, so our first day began with a drive to the southwest coast.
Then we headed south to Kuta and went to the most beautiful beach in the southeast—Nusa Penida.Swimming in Bali is not recommended because the Indian Ocean is very rough with high waves. Tourists mostly swim in the pools within their accommodation. Especially in the north. While we were visiting the beaches, I noticed that the beaches in the north were black and the beaches in the south were yellow. Now I will describe what we visited on the first day. We visited the Tanah Lot and Uluwatu temples and went for a quick swim at the safest beach—which didn't particularly impress me, though the view of the sea and the sunset was stunning.
Tanah Lot Temple is located on a rock 300 meters from the coast and is strictly reserved for Hindu worshippers, but the view alone makes this place worth visiting. It is believed that a sea serpent still lives at the foot of this rocky island to guard the temple from evil intruders.Uluwatu Temple is situated on the edge of a 70-meter-high limestone cliff and was built to protect Bali from evil spirits. Monkeys live around the temple. We attended the Fire Dance, which is performed daily within the temple complex.Of course, an evening ride in those unusual boats was a must. People take them out early in the morning to watch dolphins—though they say the waves drench you before you even set off! Haha. We were lucky enough to go for a ride in a fast boat and avoid that kind of trouble.















The next day, we headed towards the town of Ubud. They say that if you want to get to know Bali, you should visit Ubud—and it certainly didn't disappoint. We did have to rent a scooter, though, since the places we wanted to visit weren't accessible by taxi. In Ubud, we found accommodation in a bungalow with a pool, so we didn't miss out on swimming, and we were captivated by the beauty of the area and the peaceful atmosphere.First, we wanted to visit the rice terraces. We drove about 10 km and were left awestruck by their beauty.We arrived early in the morning, before the crowds set in. These terraces are a great spot for a leisurely walk, taking photos, trying out the famous Ubud Jungle Swing, and riding the bicycle on a wire. We simply enjoyed the view and then went for breakfast. The place is highly commercialized, featuring numerous cafes and restaurants.

We used the remaining days of our vacation to visit temples and other landmarks, and—of course—we enjoyed ourselves. We had to pay an entrance fee wherever we went; you even have to pay just to drink water from a tap.We visited the nearby village of Penglipuran and learned about its traditions and customs. In front of every house, there were various statues and palm-leaf decorations. That day, we also went to the "Monkey Forest." The monkeys aren't dangerous, but they are skilled thieves. We bought bananas to bribe them so they wouldn't snatch our belongings. It's best to arrive empty-handed, though—hehe.We also visited a coffee plantation.

We spent the remaining days visiting temples, as there are so many here that it is impossible to see them all.Tirta Gangga is a water palace.In the park there is a beautiful pond with koi fish, as well as a swimming pool where you can swim and the king's country house.

TIrta Empul as the water temple has several holy springs. They are said to have been created by the god Indra and it is believed that the blessed water can purify those who bathe in it.Just like in other temples and holy places around the island, you will need to wear a sarong before entering its premises. It is also possible to rent it on the spot, with a small donation. In the inner courtyard is the main area of ​​the temple, the so-called. jaba tengah. There, holy springs of water erupt from 30 nozzles and flow into a large, crystal clear pool. Worshipers stand in long lines to bow their heads under the stream of water in a purification ritual known as melukat. We also waited for about 2 hours.For the rest of the day, we visited the lakeside temple—Ulun Danu.

We visited many places but also enjoyed swimming in our bungalow's pool. Still, a seven-day vacation isn't enough to see the whole island. Regardless, we enjoyed ourselves and were very impressed by what we saw. We were pleased with the food, and the people are very friendly.

Thank you for reading my post.

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