Even as you revel in water sports, you would find Bali rough. For many, it’s a far cry from the romantic destination it is portrayed to be, says Surabhi Anand
Nine lakh twenty three thousand rupiah — this was the bill for an afternoon champagne lunch at Ku De Ta in Seminyak, which converted to Indian currency is approximately Rs 5,500. This is one place where you can have the satisfaction of paying big bucks and living life king-size, that is if you are an Indian. Bollywood is a big hit here. Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai and Shah Rukh Khan is how the locals relate to Indians. But there is definitely more in terms of a connection between India and Bali. A majority of the Balinese population being Hindu, they follow rituals similar to ours, including sacrifices and offerings in honour of the spirits. So it is not surprising to find sweet and savoury offerings placed neatly on banana leaf plates by the streetside, entrance of eateries and shops besides home and temples.
The real Bali is rough, a far cry from the romantic destination as portrayed in the book, Eat, Pray and love. The airport of a country is said to be its first impression. That certainly holds true for Denpasar Airport. We were lucky to have booked a VIP Express arrival service so our exit was pretty smooth and quick. However, once out of the airport, the cacophony of the words “taxi” and “hotel” is sure to make you go week in the knees. A long walk to the pick-up point is another excitement buster.
Pristine beaches
Not everything is chaotic about Bali. The best part about the country is that you get to stay in villas and most of them come with private swimming pools at a very affordable price. Ours was a modern yet traditional thatched-roof villa right on Seminyak Square. Once we checked in, we decided to hit the beach. The closest was Seminyak Beach. The Bali coastline offers a unique blend of activities. The southwest beaches — namely Jimbaran, Kuta, legian, Seminyak and Double-six — offer surfing as the main activity. The waves here touch as high as about 5-6 ft and no matter how far you may be from the water, you cannot escape a surprise splash!
Further down are Impossible and Balangan beaches, with pristine blue waters, white coarse sand and quiet spaces. They are definitely worth a trek down the steep and rocky path. The water here is very rough with the waves riding much higher and a pebbled coastline. It is definitely not a good idea to go splashing without proper gear.
White sand beaches along the east coast are much calmer and perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. Use Padangbai ferry pier to go to lambok and other smaller but equally beautiful islands. Further north, as you touch the Blue lagoon snorkelling area, you will find that the bay is much smaller. White sand ocean beach of Bias Tugel can be seen to the right of the main town bay. For more virgin beaches, head for Candidisa and Secret beaches. These are two very fine examples, absolutely untouched, free of tourist population and Balinese street vendors.
Nusa Dua on the southern side of the east coast is much visited by celebrities and bigwigs. Several expensive accommodation and eateries can be found here, burning a big hole in the pocket. You can indulge in water sports such as banana boat ride, water scooters and fast speedboats for fun activities.
Mind space
Ubud, the art and culture hub of Bali, is another winner on my list. It is about a two-hour drive from Semniyak where we were stationed. Once the car exits the Sanur Highway towards the hills, the drive becomes a mixture of culture, art, history and adventure. We were lucky to have visited the island during the Balinese New Year — you could smell festivities all around. Tall decorations made out of banana leaves lined the streets on both sides. It felt as if you were driving through the never-ending gates to a temple.
This was also a common feature at Jalan legian, a parallel street along the beach which stretches from Kuta to Semniyak in west Bali. The difference here was that instead of boutiques and surf-gear shops, you could see art galleries with the artists painting right in front of you.
One also came across shops and workshops selling hand-made lamps, stone sculptures and Buddha statues, wooden artifacts, paintings and batik-printed cloths and goodies. Quite a culture gully. If you stop at the right spot, you might even catch a glimpse of one of many paddy fields where you can take a small hike. Small cafes tucked between these paddy fields serve “Bali koppi” or the famous Balinese coffee.
The other important feature of Ubud is its expansive cafes that offer you never-ending greenery, further beautified by water fountains. It’s like sitting in the lap of nature and eating the best food. Being a vegetarian, my choices were limited but Gado Gado, their most famous vegetarian dish, always managed to bring that smile back on my face. It was a trip to heaven and back.
Monkey Forest Road is the main street in Ubud where you can buy Balinese art and craft. the only irritant being the constant nagging and coaxing of the shopkeepers to get you to visit their shop. I have some happy memories of the place that I brought with me back home...
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