bali, indonesia

Going from Australia to Bali, we felt like we were on the Byron Henry Tour of the world! 

We had heard a ton about Bali from friends and instagram, so we had an idea of what it would be like. There were both expected and unexpected experiences that made it a memorable trip! 

First, let's start with the unexpected:

• Rainy season - For about 6 months, it rains every day in Bali. Sometimes all day and other times for an hour. We saw a little bit of both and made the best of it.
• Shopping - As for the shopping scene in Bali...RUN don't walk! The beautifully designed and merchandised shops in Bali could easily hold their own in NYC. Everything is so well made and super inexpensive. We could not believe how many cool clothing and home decor boutiques there were on every corner. 
• The culture: the Balinese people are extremely proud of their culture and religion. At all times, we were surrounded by statues and beautiful temples.

Now, the expected:

• Bali is like a crowded sanctuary. Beyond the millions of people on scooters, every place we went felt so calm and peaceful. Hard to believe we felt isolated on an island with a population of 4.5 million.
• The food: From the traditional Indonesian food to the Australian backed restaurants, we loved the food! The quality was high and the prices were low. 
• Monkeys: Our funniest encounter so far. We heard about the monkeys - check them out, but don't get too close. On a walk around our hotel we encountered a group of monkeys. As we approached with a hotel staff member, most started to retreat to the trees. However, one monkey came charging at us. Our guide suddenly yelled "RUN", knocked Patrick's phone out of his hand, and we all sprinted away. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and we are laughing about it shortly thereafter. 

Finally, we were amazed by the number of times we heard "I was visiting Bali and fell in love, so I moved here and opened up ______". Most restaurants, bars, and shops we went to had this in common. Made for a very cool collection of unique places.

All in all, we loved Bali. Everyone has a different experience there and we probably will too when we come back. It is a tropical island rich in culture, food, home decor, and women's fashion boutiques. Next time, we will be sure to stay somewhere on the west side or southernmost tip closest to the best beaches.

places

• East Bali
  • Alila Manggis Hotel
• Ubud
  • Alila Ubud Hotel
  • Restaurants: Bridges
  • Shopping: OH Deco, Blink, Paulina Katarina, Flockk, Gle
• Canggu
  • Restaurants: The Lawn
  • Shopping: Cove Island Essentials

things

• Mount Batur Sunrise Trek
• Catch & Cook Balinese Cooking Class
• Water Palace