We planned the short trip to Bali in early Nov, right before the news about Volcano eruption in Lombok, a neighboring island eastward, causes the Bali Ngurah Rai airport to be shut down a few times. Unfortunately we booked on Jetstar which due to its own "security" protocol refuses to fly from Singapore, and onwards to Australia despite many other airlines flying safely. I booked my leave over Deepavali holiday on Tuesday.
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| Me at Tanah Lot sunset |
Our flight was supposed to depart on Monday dawn at 5am, the night before, while I'm at Winarto's BBQ with old friend, I got an sms informing us that our flight was delayed to 11am. Delighted, thinking that surely this mean they'll start flying (especially no other flight from Singapore to Bali was cancelled according to Changi Airport flight schedule!) even though the delay of 6-hour means a delay to Bali, the Island of Paradise.
To our dismay, we received sms at early 7am, when we were going to leave for Airport, that the flight been cancelled. Disappointed, I started to look for news about jetstar (discovering their weird travel policy), and started booking for alternatives as well. I am even prepared to use my miles to fly the three of us on SQ, even though it costs a princely sum of close to SG$1,500 to fly 3 of us, return Singapore-Bali, at this late notice. Finally, after much persuasion by mom, we managed to find a one-way on Tiger to Bali the following morning (7am). We also scrambled to book the return flight, which was on Jetstar as being unreliable, and unable to confirm the return flight, I wanted assurance so I could be back in time to attend Titin's wedding on Saturday afternoon.
As the flight touched down on Denpasar, things started to flow smoothly.
We stay at Holiday Inn Express, Kuta Square. Convenient, and superb value hotel. A short distance to Kuta beach and Legian (near bemo corner). The stroll among Jalan Pantai is touristy and relaxing.
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| Kuta Beach |
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| Artsy corner ~ where there's a freelance tattoo artist with client... |
We settled on food at Bluefin sushi restaurant, a pretty good restaurant. Good value set meal, it's totally empty at 130pm when we were there. Lots of drinks and cocktails at affordable price $5~6.
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| Papa and our papaya juice + pineapple mojito. Bluefin |
Full from late lunch, we then went to walk along Kuta beach, walking around the shopping block of Kutawalk (only a square actually), and then started to explore the famous Legian street. The street is lined up with commercial shops, small massage or tattoo shops, various hotels, and many bars mostly empty in the afternoon of a sunny hot day. We went past small tiny alleys, where I tried to peek as according to the map these are Poppy Lane I or II where the backpackers area, chillout place, as well as budget warung ("small eateries) are.
We walked, and walked the long street, soaking the Bali atmosphere, thru Seminyak Road. Meanwhile we passed various hotel, and asking the direction to the Sunset Road. It turns out Sunset road is not where you want to see the sunset. The sunset road is a big boulevard (certain section were under roadworks) that is parallel to the Seminyak street. We arrived at Seminyak area, hungry, exhausted but also on time for a dinner.
Seminyak Area is full of trendy nice restaurants at reasonable price, many of them are not full, but looked cozy and nice from outside. We picked a restaurant called "Batukali" means River rock in Indonesia, facing another restaurant that is decorated with tall stairs where the guests sit like on the face of a cliff. The steak was reasonably price at approx US$10 plus 10% service tax and 5% PPn.
We then hailed a cab from Seminyak square after a quick exploration. Mom was kind, as I was mistakenly hailed a cab that I thought was Blue bird, the taxi stopped, and it wasn't. I almost rejected it, but thankfully mom taught me unexpected grace to take the cab. It was driven by a Balinese man, look very decent, and his taxi was decorated like his own place. There was rug covering the roof of the interior, and although the taxi is not brand new, it's clear that he took a great care of it. He started winding up the window when we board the car (he unwinded the windows to enjoy the breeze, and save petrol by turning off the aircon). Meanwhile, Dad suspiciously thought he was cheating on us, as he took a huge turnaround as the area around seminyak was one-way. I know from tracking realtime through GPS that this route was genuine. What a family trip.
After we reached hotel, it was close to 11pm, and we went to bed for another day of holiday.
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We hunted our dinner, at settled at Batu Kali in Seminyak. They have an awesome mango pudding with mango sauce and mango slices, topped with a sprig of mint leaves.
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The next day, we were up around 8am plus. After breakfast, we wandered at Matahari supermarket next door. And then discovered met a taxi (again not bluebird, as bluebird taxi charge by hr and expensive). The driver was helping his previous passenger unload the baby stroller from the cabin, when mom inquired whether he is available for hire. After long bargaining, including using the tour brochure, mom pointed that we would like to visit Ubud, with Kintamani and Tanah Lot that day including Jimbaran for seafood dinner. Those turns out to be a full day trip from 10am. And after we agreed on the price, off we go to enjoy the Day 2 in Ubud and Kintamani. First, we stopped at the Gunung Batur, one of the restaurant along the scenery where you can view the forestry and the old trail of the lava flow.
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| At the restaurant with G. Batur as the backdrop |
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| Gunung Batur landscape |
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| Look at the perfect cone-shaped mountain. |
Then we proceed to Tegallallang to see the paddy rice fields, and return to Ubud. Along the way we stopped at a couple of "agri business" that offers Bali coffee and luwak experience.
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| The coffee plantation and paddy steps from the viewing platform. |
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| Free samplers of 8-type drinks from ginseng coffee, durian coffee, to the famous Balinese coffee. |
We stopped at the Palace Ubud, and pass the small street filled with art houses, and painting gallery, and also do a bit of window shopping at the Ubud market. We also stopped at silversmith centre for some souvenir shopping.
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| Beautiful Balinese dancer sculpture at silversmith shop |
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| Ubud Palace |
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| Ubud market and "pengamen" |
Then we started going to Tanah Lot temple which is to the west coast of Bali to catch the sunset. The sunset was beautiful, and the wave scarily ferocious one moment, and calm at the other.
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| Jagung bakar at Tanah Lot tourist market |
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| As we arrived, the beach was full of tourists hoping to catch sunset |
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| Goofy selfie during golden light |
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| Sunset and calm sea |
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| Sudden wave roared and we scuffled to safety |
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| As night draws near, it was calm again |
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| Beautiful sunset at Tanah Lot |
That's end of Day 2.
