Bali….romantic charming

Bali is the most magical place on the earth….its so serene, so lush & tropical, so simple, but most importantly, incredibly generous & hospitable. There is SO MUCH to tell you all about our time in Bali so please- sit back with a cup of joe and enjoy!

             

We decided that since we were on our honeymoon…. in Bali of all places (!!!), we wanted to splurge on our accommodations and try something new. We searched for recommendations all over the web and looked for reviews on our favorite travel sight TripAdvisor, and decided on the Nusa Dua area. For those of you who have been to Bali, I am sure you all have your own opinion on this area of the island and we have heard all the good and the bad.  For us though, we wanted something incredibly relaxing and a place where we didn’t have to think much while being ridiculously pampered. So…..the only obvious ended up being the St. Regis Resort! On a side note, we actually found the best deal on Expedia for our 8 night, ocean-view stay.

                  

Wow, what a phenomenal experience! We were definitely the low “men” on the totem pole- even with all of our many Starwood Points…but regardless the staff was all very attentive and treated us in the highest regard. They picked us up from the airport in style and assisted us through customs and gave us home-made chocolate truffles and chilled water & towels. Upon arrival at the resort (which is gated and looks like a sprawling estate), they presented me with roses for our honeymoon! Once we were shown the grounds, they took us to our room (all rooms are suites) and promptly ironed and steamed 10 pieces of clothing with their compliments and they even had the bathtub filled with rose petals, an aromatherapy massage kit, and chocolate fondue to celebrate our marriage! They even presented us with a complimentary 30 minute couples massage!! Their rooms are impeccably decorated and are all filled with amazing amenities: you have 24 hr personal butler service, a huge soaking tub, a large deck for relaxing, flat-screen TVs, huge plush beds, couch & desk, walk in closets, and on and on. You name it, this place has it!!

                           

Forget about the rooms for a second, and let’s talk about the grounds: gorgeous, sprawling, floating lagoons snaking throughout, several huge pools both for swimming and lounging, swim up bars with front row view of the ocean, world-class spa, top-notch fitness center (not that we used it!), beach cruiser bikes to pal around on, etc, etc, etc! All this and I swear, it felt like we were the only ones there all week! There was even an adorable white chapel for those coming to Bali to get married- too cute….maybe we should have escaped our Vegas wedding and done that?!?! ha-ha. Every morning and every night there were these 2 cute little old men playing these Balinese instruments in the lobby of our hotel (See picture above).

               

Perhaps our favorite perk of the St. Regis Resort though were the restaurants…. one word- MOUTHWATERING!! Upon waking each day, we ordered fresh coffee delivered to our room and then headed down to breakfast (all rooms come with complimentary breakfast!) in the main lobby restaurant. Before you get any preconceived notions about complimentary breakfast, let me just say that these breakfasts were out of this world! Sure they had the standard “American” buffet items but remember, not many Americans go to Bali so they also had items that were very Asian, Australian, European, and of course Indonesian. The freshly made juices & fruits were delicious! In addition to the ridiculous buffet items, they also had made to order specialties plus each day they highlighted a specific island of Indonesia and created dishes to try so we could get a broader feel of the cuisine throughout the area. One thing you have to try is their famous Egg Noveu with lobster meat…..my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

                                      

            

A word of caution about Bali, unless you are drinking their locally made Bintang beer (think Bud/Coors/Miller Light but better), you had better get ready to shell out the dough!! Wine is especially expensive on the island. The problem is that the liquor import & export taxes are so high, there is no way around it. Its not just the resorts that hike up the prices either, its everywhere. So….get used to paying more or enjoy Bintang! (We did both!)

               

Since we are big foodies, we had to try out every option available to us and we would both have to say without a doubt that 2 of the most amazing meals we have ever had anywhere on the earth was at the Kayuputi restaurant on the resort grounds. Not only is Kayuputi gorgeously laid out above the central lagoon, but it is also sits facing the beach so the sunsets are breathtaking! The cuisine is a fusion of Asian  flavours & Western influences and almost every dish features fresh seafood from around the area. Literally all of it……out of this world! We splurged twice here and loved every second of it!

                   

Every day at the beach we would see these locals pushing around these hand-made boats and scouring the ocean floor for seaweed. We asked why and were told they cultivate the seaweed to be used for facial products & makeup- very natural!

We spent time at the Vista Swim-Up bar (great lunches, snacks, and drinks) and took advantage of their endorsed beach vendors by taking a ride on jet skis in the Indian Ocean- so much fun! There was also a walking/running path along the beach that we took to go to the local shopping/restaurant complex in Nusa Dua for dinners, shopping, etc.

            

OK, enough about the resort, lets talk for a bit about what else we did & about the island in general. One note of caution, mosquitos are a big problem in Bali. Luckily our resort “fogged” the entire place every other day to keep them at bay but once outside the gates, watch out & bring bug protection!

Another note of caution, watch out for the mopeds!! We almost had a heart-attack on our drive from the airport to the resort. Almost everyone rides mopeds on the islands- young & old…..and they PILE on as many people as they can. Literally we saw a guy driving a moped with his 2 daughters & 1 son also on the (1 seater) moped!! Its nutty!! Plus, they swerve in and out of traffic likes its nothing- we thought motorcycles in California were bad…..not even close to these guys in Bali!!

                

Our first full day we ventured outside to a day spa we found once again on TripAdvisor– we wanted to experience what true balinese pampering is all about! Plus…..the cost once outside of the resort was a fraction of what you would pay at the hotel. We found an adorable place about 10 minutes from our place called Sekar Jagat. It was so cute! We signed up for their “honeymoon classic”. It was 5 hours, included transfer & lunch afterwards and cost us only $195 (for both of us)!!!! Seriously, how can you beat that?!?! And wow, this place truly was pure Balinese…..hilarious at times but oh so relaxing:). The package consisted of a 75 minute massage, body milk, body lulur (exfoliation), blossom bath, facial, & hair cream bath- awesome.

                          Another amazing experience everyone talks about being a “must do” in Bali is a bike tour through the rice fields. Let us just say- DO THIS!! You will not regret one single second of this journey. We choose the Banyan Tree Cycling Tours (found once again on TripAdvisor) and they were awesome. The total cost of it was about $100 US (for both of us) and included hotel transfer, breakfast, and lunch (at the owner’s house cooked by his wife….including Bintangs!). Total time was about 9 hours. We cannot say enough good things about this experience…….humbling & gratifying- a unique and up-close way to see the locals and how they live- very simplistic and natural. The guides assist every step of the way and explain the Balinese history, culture, rice fields, families, etc. Some parts of the ride are very hilly and some very easy but one thing is certain- you get a great workout! 

                           

              

                    

                    

                    

Off the coast of the Bali directly east of the Nusa Dua area are two islands- Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. We really wanted to get PADI certified because Bali is an amazing place for diving but we did not have time. So….we decided to at least take advantage of their great snorkeling! On Tripadvisor, we found an awesome company called Bali Jet Set. They were highly rated by fellow travelers and are located in the Tanjungbenoa area (next to Nusa Dua) so it was easy for us to get to. They actually picked us up which was great! Our package was $225 US for the 2 of us and included a privately chartered boat, 2 guides, snorkeling galore in 2 different areas of the small islands, fresh water & fruit on board finished by an awesome lunch on the beach in this little cove…..could without a doubt be one of our favorite and most memorable experiences! We got to experience the beauty of Bali’s beaches, tropical fish, and awesome beachside hospitality. The owners & guides from Bali Jet Set were top notch- we highly recommend them for any water sport adventure you want to go on!

                  

              

The Balinese are very open about their religion. Everywhere you go the locals are presenting their flower baskets to the Hindu Gods- happens before/during/after work, before meals, just because….really any time and for any reason. In fact, when we chartered the boat for snorkeling, our boat driver stopped the boat in the middle of the ocean and offered up to his Hindu Gods an offering that he placed in the water behind the boat for a safe trip.

The only things about all these baskets of offerings is that the island is trashed. There is no real system for disposing of garbage so everywhere you look in front of the temples as well as along the streets, there are piles of trash. Every so often they burn those piles which really stinks. Plus, sometimes the offerings include dead birds….yuck.

                     

On our final full day in Bali, we once again experiences something completely unique and out of this world incredible! We found on TripAdvisor an awesome cooking class call Paon Bali. Words cannot even begin to give this experience the justice it deserves. We loved the food in Bali. So delicious so being able to take a cooking class and learn how to cook the dishes at home was way beyond cool for us. Wayan & her husband were awesome teachers and hosts! They picked us up and took us to their village where we began our class at their local market. Here we learned about their fresh fruits & veggies, fish, and hand-made goods. Then they took us to their personal rice paddy and taught us about the seasons and how to harvest rice. FInally we ended up back at their HOME and here is where the fun began! There were about 10 people in the class (about 3 or 4 too many in my opinion) and we got to work! Wayan taught us how to cook about 10 dishes which included chopping up the ingredients, mixing chicken in the Balinese “food processor”, grilling the chicken skewers, steaming fresh fish in banana leaves, cooking up curry and mushroom soup on the stove, and on and on! After we cooked it all, we feasted! Man…..DELICIOUS!!! What fun- a MUST DO in Bali!!! If I recall correctly, I think the total price was something like $100/couple including hotel transfer.

                          

                           

              

   

Other highlights of our trip included the nightly fire dances at the resort, dinner at a local Nusa Dua area restaurant called Bumbu Bali, shopping for art in the Ubud village area, foot reflexology at hole-in-the-wall establishments, sleeping in, swimming, etc!

              

One last thing I want to mention about the Balinese culture refers to their money & religion. We went to the local Nusa Dua shopping plaza and David enjoyed these tiny fish eating the dead skin off his hand plus we got a 1 hour foot & hand reflexology for $40 USD total. Amazingly cheap. These 2 local Balinese masseuses were telling us though that a $100 massage in the US is equal to the amount someone would make here in 1 week!! Wow, so humbling. Also, the young lady who did my reflexology proudly exclaimed in her broken english that she and her family are Christian and said “God Bless You!”. This was such a moving moment for us. Here was a timid young lady who lives in a predominately Hindu and Muslim country and she is so proud to be Christian…..melted our hearts and filled us up with love so much!!

What an unforgettable and indescribably wonderful honeymoon:-)…….