Bali and Komodo adventure
We flew to Denpasar Bali with Qatar Airways, travelling via Doha. I found the airline to be excellent, with good seats having decent legroom (even for a six-foot man like myself). The meals were regular and plentiful. The entertainment wasn’t of the same standard as other middle east carriers, but I still found something to watch whenever I needed.
We arrived in Bali in the evening, and as soon as the plane doors opened, I got the feeling of warmth, and of humidity that comes from being in the far east. The area around the airport (and indeed the whole island) is very busy, and regular traffic jams hinder your passage from the airport in every direction.
We had our first taste of Balinese cuisine with dinner at the Ayam Battutah restaurant, which is the Balinese equivalent of KFC (on steroids). It certainly took my mind off the jetlag, and helped down with a beer or two, it was the perfect start to the trip.
After a good night’s sleep, we were up early, and caught a flight to Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores…gateway to the island of Komodo. From the airport we drove into the interior of the island, and saw local weaving, and folkelore demonstrations, including a chance to eat some Betelnuts - one of the strangest foods I have ever eaten! Life runs at a different pace on these islands, and it was a real pleasure to experience some local culture.
The next day, again we started early with a wonderful speedboat ride from Flores to Komodo island. Another great jetlag buster, it was a great way to see the islands from the sea, and to watch the small mangrove infested islets rush by, while getting gently soaked on the speedboat. It was all worth it however, when we reached the islands, and went on a 2-hour trek to find the (not too elusive) Komodo dragons. They can run at a pretty fast pace, so we had to keep our distance…we obviously got the obligatory photo with one though!!
What better way to relax after 2 hours of trekking than to relax and do some snorkelling. The reefs around Flores and Komodo are incredible, and well worth an afternoon (or even a whole day) exploring the bays and beaches of the area.
We flew back to Bali the next day and went to the Hindui Balinese temple at Uluwatu. The scenery is breath-taking. My top tip is to arrive late afternoon and catch the sunset performance of local dancing and folklore.
I was lucky enough to be staying in the resort of Kuta. I had always thought of it as a tourist blackspot, but, the town is charming. We stayed at the Anvaya resort, right in the centre of town, and from there, you can find umpteen restaurants, bars and clubs’ catering to every taste. It’s not as trashy as I expected, and I felt thoroughly safe walking around the streets, even late at night.
The next day we visited the monkey forest. This is an amazing place. Even in August, when the island was in the grips of the rainy season, it was humid, and very atmospheric. You can see beautiful examples of exotic flowers, monkeys and the most amazing Banyan trees you will ever see. On the way back, we had lunch at an amazing restaurant overlooking paddy fields in every direction. The perfect end to a wonderful morning of exploration.
Before we knew it, it was time to go home. Time to catch a quick 1.5-hour massage (costing around £6) to put me into a relaxed state for the long flight home!
Even if you do Bali as a stopover on the way to other destinations in Asia or Australasia, don’t miss the chance to explore some amazing sights, you’ll feel like you’ve had a real adventure!