Bali, beyond the Beach

Bali has been on my bucket list for a while now and until I started my own travel business I'll be honest, I thought it would stay on there until the children had left home. The thought of at 16+ hour journey from the UK with two kids did put me off however when I started to plan a trip to Western Australia, Bali began to look too close to miss. Less than four hours flight from Perth it seemed like a minor detour on our route back to the UK, so I decided it was now or never!

With only four nights holiday left of a three-week Easter trip I decided we needed a bit of R&R by a pool but wanted to try and squeeze in a bit of the real Bali too. With the help of our Indonesian office I arranged a family day trip to Ubud, a town in the uplands famous for its temples and rice terraces.

A 7.30am pick up ensured we would be able to fit in as much as possible and the first stop was a visit to Mandala Suci Wenara Wana, aka Monkey Forest. This was quite an experience! I learnt a few things that day; 1. There are a lot of Monkeys living in that forest, 2. Macaca monkeys are small but very fast and very feisty, 3. Macaca Monkeys are kleptomaniacs and will, given half a chance, attempt to steal hats, bags, phones, and of course food. There is a long list of warnings before you enter the forest, and these are there for very good reason! Follow them!

After an hour or so fending off said Monkeys we headed into the town of Ubud itself. I heard a lot about the area, from friends who back packed there 20+ years ago to honeymoon couples on a yoga retreat so I wasn't 100% sure what to expect.

The first thing that struck me was how busy it was. No longer a quiet, off the beaten track, hill top town, it was teeming with tourists and traffic. I love a bit of hustle and bustle, so a trip to the market for a spot of shopping was a pleasant surprise for me but if you were looking for peace and tranquillity then the town itself is not the place!

After filling our bags with handicrafts and homewares (which are fabulous by the way!) we headed away from the madness to more peaceful surroundings. Firstly, we visited a local studio for a workshop on "canang sari", Balinese offerings to the Gods, where we learnt about their meaning and spent an hour preparing our own ahead of our visit to the temple.

Pura Tirta Empul temple is a beautiful and tranquil place, despite the crowds of worshippers queuing to bathe in the sacred springs. We were awestruck by its history which dates back over a thousand years and felt honoured to be able to leave our own hand made offerings to the Hindu Gods. It was a great experience for the children and one I don't think they will ever forget.

Our last stop of the day was a trip to the famous terraced rice fields. A slightly strenuous trek (for me rather than the 8 year olds!) up to the top was well worth the view. Our efforts were rewarded with coconut water, fresh from the nut, and a chance to hear and play a Rindik, the famous Balinese bamboo instrument.

After a long day we arrived back at our hotel by the beach in Nusa Dua, (the Melia) in time for a dip in the pool from our swim up room (worth every penny). Heaven! A short but very sweet stay on this Indonesian Island. Bali, we will be back!