"Back from Paradise" a Bali Travel Page by cadzand

As a child - I must have been some 7 years old, which is a loooooong time ago :-(( I received a picture book of Bali, as a birthday present.
It opened a brand new and unknown world to me. The beautifully couloured pictures showed the all-day live of the Balinese, the many temples and their ceremonies, the rice-terraces. These colourful and exotic images fascinated me so much, I always would have visited this paradise. Impossible ! At that time, Bali was almost at the end of the world and travelling there was impossible for my low budget. Almost no one could afford those high airfares then. Times have changed since. There are no "ends of the world" any more and travelling around has become much more affordable.
So, last october I took the opportunity to go and visit the paradise of the Gods. Follow me on my tour, while I'll try to give you my impressions of heaven......

I hope the Bali map makes it more comfortable finding your way through the different tips I added below. As Bali isn't that huge, I stayed in Sanur in the SE and made day-trips starting from there.

1. The eastern Bali mystic, which is dominated by the presence of towering Mount Agung, Bali's most sacred and highest vulcano.
It went via Batubulan,Celuk, Gianyar over Klungkung, Bangli, the traditionnal Penglipuran village, to the Besakih Temple Complex, the most important temple to the Balinese Hindu population of Bali.

2. The magic northern Bali, getting inland to the most scenic area of Pupuan and Antosari, passing through the florid fields, descending to the north coast and Lovina Beach. To continue this 230 km road winding up the mountain, where a striking panorama is revealed. Passing by Lake Buyan and Tamblingan, Bedugul and Lake Bratan with the floating temple of Ulun Danu and its local flower- and fruit market.

3. The beauty of Kintamani goes by Batubulan, Celuk, Mas, arts center Ubud , the Holy Spring of Tampaksiring and further north with a view on the beautiful Lake Batur and active Mount Batur volcano.

4. The unforgettable sunset of Tanah Lot. After visiting the Mengwi Taman Ayun Temple, and watching the in the wild living monkeys in the holey monkey forest of Alas Kedaton, there was the mangificent sunset at the spectacular Tanah Lot temple, built on the top of a rock in the Indian Ocean.

5. And if all this isn't enough for you, there is the Bali's handcrafted souvenirs shopper's paradise through the villages of Batubulan (stone carving), Celuk (gold and silver), Mas (woodcarving) and Ubud, famous for its painting galeries.