Day Trip, Bali

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Living and working in Bali, it's easy to get into a routine which is not so very different from living elsewhere. Sometimes I forget why I am here, and that's when I take a day out, trying to visit places which I either have not been to before, or have not been to for quite a while.

Last week my first stop was a few kilometers out of Amed, on the east coast of Bali. I had read about a place called Bangle Yeh Masem - the 5 Holy Springs. The narrow, slippery path winds down to a river which needs to be crossed, so don't wear your dancing shoes. On the other side one enters a beautiful bamboo forest. The sound of bamboo whispering in the breeze, to me, is pure magic. I came across a family with a tiny baby, carried in a sling by the father, and proudly shown to me. When I came to a small temple, I had a break and then turned around, to get back to the car. Because my second destination of the day, was about two hours drive away.

Pura Pasar Agung

Although a fair distance away, the Pura Pasar Agung Group, located on the higher slopes of Mt. Agung at 1600m, is considered to be part of the Besakih Group, the Mother Temple of Bali.

From the car park I noticed steps, and more steps, leading steeply up towards the temple (Pura means temple). Neither being the youngest, nor the fittest person, I started climbing with a sense of trepidation, not sure that I would make it to the temple. But I did, and luckily I only found out afterwards that it's some 300 steps. On the way up we met some young men coming down, still wearing their beautiful temple clothing. It never fails to impress me how closely religion is interwoven with day to day activities here in Bali. Pura Pasar Agung is an impressive group of temples and shrines, with Mount Agung a mighty pressence in the background. It is also the start of one of the Mount Agung hikes - which I had no intention of doing. On the way home I stopped and bought some freshly harvested salak, the famous and very tasty local fruit which we call snake fruit.

Neither at Bangle Yeh Masem near Amed, nor at Pura Pasar Agung did I meet any tourists or souvenir sellers, and I once again remembered why I live in Bali.

Have you have ever done a Balinese Purification? We did it with Baliroomz Tours and Travel. First stop is the Tirta Empul Temple (located in Tampak Siring, between Ubud and Kintamani) for a bathing and self-purification ceremony, which is conducted by a Hindu priest. An special offering is made during the ceremony. After praying for a permit to use the holy waters the priest leads you to a deep bath of holy water to get purified. This is followed by prayers at the inner area of the temple's courtyard to get blessing water. The journey continues to the Gunung Kawi Temple, a legacy of the 11th Century Udayana Dynasty, passing the beautiful lush rice terraces of Tampak Siring village along the way. The temple complex comprises 10 rock-out "candi" (shrines), standing seven meters high, carved into the sheer cliff face. We then had a nice lunch at Cafe by the River at Hotel Maya in Ubud, whose charming design gives the feeling of being one with nature. After lunch, we continued our journey to Pura Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave Temple) for the next stage of purification. Goa Gajah Temple nesltes in Bedulu Vilage in the Gianyar regency. Wrapping up the day was the 2 hour massage treatment we got at the Pita Maha Resort. Our guide Nyoman of Baliroomz Tours and Travel was excellent. He explained every little detail

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We arranged for a driver to take us around to see the sites. This is easy to do as there is a "travel agent" every few feet along the main drag in town!
We paid 400,000 RM which seems to be the going rate. We leave at 9AM and return at 6PM.
Our driver spoke good English and we had a wonderful day stopping at all the "tourist spots" and villages along the way.

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One of the arts that exemplifies south-east Asia is batik, and you can learn about the techniques involved in the art at classes in Bali. A number of companies, many supporting village industry, offer half-day, day, and multiple-day classes. Learn about the design process, applying the wax and the dyeing process. Take care with the wax, it is very hot! When I attended a class, I clumsily spilt wax on my hand - very painful - but fortunately the family-run class had fresh aloe vera growing in their back yard to soothe the burn.
Check the web for courses - many held around Ubud.

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Well, this was one tour I have never had any interest in and I was talked into doing it.
For some reason I was terrified and even considered pulling out before we got into the rafts.

Boy am I glad I didn't. It was so much fun, I absolutely loved it. The guides are fantastic and full of local knowledge, they are all trained in Safety and First Aid etc.

Sobek's two-hour rafting trip takes you through some of the most spectacular scenery Bali has to offer.

World-class river guides and modern safety equipment make this a fun day for all the family, a mix of wild excitement and fantastic sightseeing as you switch between Class II and III rapids and wide, leisurely stretches through tropical rain forest.

Throughout your trip the guides not only skillfully maneuver your rafts, but also take the time to pass on their knowledge on local Balinese lifestyle and the local flora and fauna of the Ayung River valley.

Air-conditioned transport takes you to the start point north of of Ubud to collect your rafting equipment and a thorough briefing on the correct way to raft the Ayung sets the scene before you head off down the 25 rapids that connect SSobek's two river bases.

See spectacular waterfalls, beautiful rain forests, locals bathing in the river as you cover the 12 kilometers to the Kedewatan finish point.

A buffet lunch is also included.

What to wear
* Shorts or bathers
* T-shirt, a change of clothes
* Strictly sport / river shoes

We highly recommend White Water Rafting.

Lots More Photo’s Here

I recommend strongly to do the stunning Lemukih Trekking Tour, starting in Lovina. It is a rare and unique opportunity to experience the traditional culture and the beautiful nature of North Bali. But to save money it is best to book directly with the guide. His name is Ketut Ariana, phone: +6281337377110. The tour is not cheap but fantastic and not organized somewhere else. It takes about 8 hours. The price is for the hiking tour > Min.2 people = 26 euro/person, 3 - 4 people = 24 euro/person. Price includes: Transport, Lunch, Snacks, Fruits, mineral water, local donations and Guide. Use this website only for the information and make the reservation directly with Ketut it is the best way to make sure that the money gets directly to the person who deserves it and you will save money as well.
I did the tour with my wife and it was the best expierience in 45 days of traveling through
Bali and Lombok. Yo will need good walking shoes and if possible also water shoes.

We were just in Bali for 6 days actually. I was great. However, I strongly suggest you get a guide. We used Wayan Budiasa thorugh American Express Travel Services. His English was perfect, he showed us all the cool local spots, and we could just sit back and relax until we got to our destination. There is quite a bit of traffic in Bali so it is best to take it easy and have someone let you take you around....Don't forget to go to a waterfall.
Wayan is more than a guide, he's like a best friend. His contact info is +081 79749793 dwibali@dwidayatravel.com

Enjoy!

Hi,

If you want to explore the different scene of Bali, it is really fabulous to have a trip around the islan of Bali where you can make sucha wonderful tour over the central, north and even west and east Bali. There are so much to explore a part from the busy southern part of Bali which is more commercial. The area further north and central of Bali offering you the real scene and life of the people. I am sure that you are going to discover a different Bali with the trip around. It is also save you much time commuting from one area.

Please email me if you want to get more idea and suggestion.