Bali was an amazing island to visit. In addition to the raw beauty of the island which we were already expecting, we were very pleased to find that the Balinese people were very outgoing and friendly, we stayed in villas while we were there and they really catered to us.
The first 2 nights were spent in Ubud which is inland and is also the spiritual and artistic center of Bali. Picture temples, rice paddies everywhere, rivers going through dense jungle, waterfalls, and bohemian cafes and Yoga centers and you will have a sense of what Ubud is like. Our Villa, Awang Awang, looked out over a river valley, had its own pool and staff, and was phenomenal. We went on a river rafting excursion one day and also visited a monkey forest. Those bastards mugged me when I bought some banana's to feed them. It was like being attacked by a gang. Ubud was a great place to visit and I really want to spend more time exploring the area next time I am in Bali. I am very glad we decided to spend a few days there instead of camping out at the beaches for our entire trip, I feel that we were much more immersed in the Balinese culture because of our visit to Ubud.
Seminyak was where we spent the remainder of out trip. Our villa again did not let us down, it was even more amazing than the pictures led us to believe. The area itself is the more trendy area of Bali, the boutiques and restaurants in our area were actually similar in cost to what you would find back here in LA. Probably my favorite day was Kristina's b-day; we went on a snorkel trip, visited turtle island, went to Dreamlands beach (amazing waves and an awesome beach), went to the four seasons and had a drink at their pool which looked out over Jimbaran Bay, and had dinner on Jimbaran beach at sunset, you actually pick out your fish (alive) and they grill it for you and bring it out to your table on the beach. We also ahd a birthday cake brought out and a Balinese band came over and sang for her. Such an awesome day and night. I would be typing a novel if I told you about all of the great meals we had, temples we visited, beaches we chilled at, and activities we did while we were in Seminyak/ South Bali so, if you are interested in suggestions, or just want to hear more, e-mail me and I will gladly share.
I truly hope that all of my future vacations are as rewarding and fulfilling as our trip to Bali was. As a side note, since the terrorist nightclub bombing in Bali in 2005 they have seen a huge drop in American tourism, we really hardly met any Americans while we were there, none in fact. Most of the westerners we met were Australian or Dutch (Bali was once a Dutch Colony). The Balinese were so excited to see us and really hope that Americans feel safe enough to come back and experience their island, I never for a second felt unsafe, how could you, the people are some of the friendliest and most inquisitive that I have met. Enjoy the pics.
