To celebrate my birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to Bali in the month of February!
We travelled via Qatar Airways. The return flight tickets cost SGD265, which was a steal! The duration of the flight was approximately 2 hours 30 mins. The aircraft (Boeing 777-300ER) was equipped with comfy seats, adequate leg room, in-flight entertainment (individual TV screens) and passengers were served with delectable warm meals and great service.
Accommodation
We resided at Uma Karan in Seminyak in the 5 days when we were there. The room rates were about USD62/night. There were only 10 guest rooms in the resort and we enjoyed the pristine and quiet environment. Daily breakfast was served to our rooms - choice of American or Indonesian cuisine. We went with American breakfast on most days - scrambled eggs or omelet, with toast and sausages, accompanied with hot coffee/tea & orange juice and a platter of fresh fruits. The resort was tucked off a small road in Seminyak. It takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to the main road where Sunset point is located, and a 10 minutes drive to Seminyak square or the infamous Ku De Ta.
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| Reception at Uma Karan |
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| Outside our room |
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| Lap pool outside our room |
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| Bathroom |
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| Veranda |
Land Tours Agency
During the stay, we engaged
Bali Land Tours to bring us around. For a package which included 2 full-day tours, 1 half-day tour and 2-way airport transfer, it cost approximately SGD300+ for 2 pax. The itinerary of the tours can be customized according to your preferences and the service rendered was pleasant.
Day 2
We visited Ubud and Mt. Batur. The view of Mt Batur was gorgeous and we had a buffet lunch in one of the restaurants situated on a hill where we could see the volcano and the lake beside it. Our driver informed us that all the restaurants in the vicinity served the same types of food. I wouldn't recommend dining in that area as it is rather touristy. In Ubud, we visited an organic farm that cultivates coffee, fruits and other local produce. Luwak coffee is very popular in Bali.
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| View of Mt Batur from the restaurant |
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| Selection of organically grown coffee and tea |
Day 3
We spent the day at Tanah Lot and did horse riding. The dominant religion in Bali is Hinduisim. Many areas in Bali are littered with sacred temples, some of which are constructed in the 16th Centry. You could read the history of Tanah Lot
here.
T and I enjoyed the horse riding experience very much. We rode through a small village with pictureques view of family temples, rice plantations, old brick houses and local shops. The horse I rode on was named Jet. He was a black 10 years old local equine. Throughout the ride, Jet would often bend down to grab a mouthful of fresh grass or leaves from a tree. My guide, Agung, shared with me that Jet was one of the greediest horses in the stable. He also taught me how to hold the reins and lead the horse. Many of the guides from the stable were former jockeys who retired from the sport due to injuries. My husband rode on a mixed-breed horse which has a bigger stature and strength. After which, our guide brought us to a local warung for Crispy duck in the evening.
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| Crispy duck warung |
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| Rice field at the warung |
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| Rice field at the warung |
Day 4
The afternoon was spent strolling along the beach at Seminyak and chilling at
Chandi. Of special mention, Chandi serves exquisite asian-fusion cusine. The interior was rustic and regal. I was absolutely bowl over by every single dish that was served. Each item on the menu was carefully crafted and prepared with great precision and charm by Chef Agung Nugroho and his Wife Kirsten Weymar. The cost of drinks, one 3-course meal and a main was approximately SGD40. The meal was worth every cent.
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| Seminyak Beach |
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| Bar at Chandi |
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| Soft shell crab wrap |
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| Grilled Lobster tail starter |
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| Coconut ice cream |
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| Black Red Seafood Fried Rice |
In the evening, we went to renowed
Naughty Nuri's for grilled ribs and sausages. The atmosphere at Nuri was fun. Every waiter or waitress jolts to a shaking dance when someone orders a cocktail/martini. We enjoyed the food very much.
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| Famous Nuri grilled ribs (IDR 85,000) |
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| Spiced grilled corn |
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| Grilled Brustwerk sausages |
Day 5
On our final day in Bali, we visited Uluwatu, did a spa and had seafood dinner at Jimbaran. We enjoyed watching the azure waves splashing against the cliff at Uluwatu. The view was breathtaking.
Overall, we did have a relaxing time in Bali but I suppose we may enjoy neighbouring Lombok better. Till then.
