Seven hip things to do in Bali
Whether it is hiking to a mountaintop to watch the sunrise or cycling through heavy traffic, the island nation has something for everyone
LAST fall, I spent about two weeks in Bali, an incredibly beautiful and trendy Indonesian island. While this does seem like a long stretch to spend in one place — traffic during peak travel season is horrific — so this is a good amount of time to really appreciate the Balinese way of life without getting too frustrated! One of the best things about the island is that you can choose to experience many different kinds of activities. You can spend your days on the beach in Seminyak, hang out with monkeys in a forest in Ubud, hike up an active volcano, visit local temples, or if you want a more low-key experience, just hide away in one of the exclusive resorts in Nusa Dua. Spending a couple of days in various parts of the island is quite common as well to avoid traffic.
Of course, the list of things to do in Bali is endless, and there are some others that could easily be added, but these were just a few of the activities that I thought were very much worth the nine-hour slightly bumpy direct flight from Doha on Qatar Airways.
I’ll be honest, this was not the easiest hike for me, but I would do it again in a second. You will definitely need a guide to do this since you start your hike at around 3:30 a.m. and have to navigate the mountain in the dark so that you can make it to the top just in time for sunrise. While I do work out a couple of times a week as well, this felt a little like being on an exercise machine for 2.5 hours. Looking back though, I think the experience would have been a lot easier with some good hiking shoes. And did I mention that this is an active volcano? Luckily, my husband forced me to keep climbing even when I felt like giving up, and I am glad that he did. The opportunity to see the start of a whole new day from the top of the mountain was the most surreal experience for me, and by far my favorite in Bali. narrow local streets, passing the charming homes and temples, and high fiving little children coming home from school as we whizzed past them. It was a little nerve-wracking when we started weaving through local traffic on a busy road, but everyone made it seem so normal that I convinced myself that it was too.
I highly recommend this to foodies, as it is a great way of discovering some of the trendiest restaurants in town. The other advantage of the food tour is that you get to try many different types of cuisines, all in one night. While there are food tours in other parts of the island, I thought Seminyak had amazing restaurants. Make sure to come with a big appetite — it is going to be a lot of food.
Balinese people are Hindu, and have a very different and interesting structure to their homes. The architecture is built around their religious and strong cultural beliefs, and is quite unlike any of the Western-style homes that most of us are used to seeing.
Each family residence is essentially a compound with families who cohabit the space, but in completely different quarters surrounding a larger courtyard. The various structures also include a family temple that sits within its own enclosure. I loved seeing the architecture of these homes, especially the beautiful, lush greenery all throughout the home as well as at the entrance. And to top it all off, our host cooked us my favorite Balinese dish, nasi goreng.
In general, the Balinese way of life seems to promote a sense of calm and serenity throughout the home and in life. Most people are incredibly relaxed about their day-to-day activities and run on their own kind of time — “Bali” time or “whenever I feel like it” time.
It’s an addictive type of lifestyle, and one that left a lasting impression on me.