Edited By: Aditi Jain (UG 22)
I had been wanting to visit Bali for a long time before it finally happened. After planning everything, I decided to learn about the most interesting places. On my final list of destinations to visit, were the three most happening areas of Bali- Ubud, Badung and Seminyak. When I visited these places, I was proud of myself to have chosen well. Each one of these areas had a different charm. Ubud was a laid-back town, focusing on arts and culture. Badung was a sprawling, rich regency full of Hindu temples, beaches, and shopping areas. Encompassed by Badung, Seminyak was more like a beach resort full of markets and fine restaurants. I decided on different hotels in each area to enable exploring the places without any hassle. Here is how I explored the three regions:
Ubud
Due to its boundless natural beauty, Ubud was every tourist’s dream. I booked DesaVisesa in Ubud and had a great stay. I visited a nearby Hindu temple to see the traditional Balinese Kecak dance which reminded me of Ram Leela performances from back home. I shopped for souvenirs at the Ubud market and enjoyed sumptuous vegan meals at Earth Cafe. DesaVisesa offered a tour through rice terraces, a spa inside a cave, and served delicious Asian food. They also helped me understand the Balinese culture, permaculture, and music through guided tours of their property and interesting courses. I left Ubud with warm and mellow memories. It was a place that instantly made me feel at home.
Badung
Badung was an offbeat place to explore in Bali and I stayed at Five Elements, an eco-friendly establishment. Deeply inspired by Balinese culture, this resort was unique and ensured my experience was fantastic.
The Berawa beach and Canggu beach were easily accessible from the hotel. Although scary at first, I learned surfing at the Berawa beach. I took a memorable thirty-minute walk from the Berawa beach to Canggu beach. There, I found an exciting and picturesque place called The Finns Beach Club. After clicking beautiful pictures of the beachfront, I visited the Nude Café to enjoy delicious desserts and a great coffee. Thereon, I got to engage in one of my favourite activities- exploring markets. Canggu has many markets but not all are daily, except Love Anchor Bazaar. It offered several items – from organic skin care products to handmade accessories.
After a tiring day, my cosy room and its lavish comforts were all I needed to end my day.
Seminyak
Located on the lap of the beach at Seminyak, W Bali became my temporary home. Just like I expected, W Bali made my experience an exciting one with a gorgeous room, an outdoor pool, and excellent on-property restaurants and bars. My room had an ocean view and was extremely close to the forest. I had the best time ruminating about my life in the outdoor pool and getting treatment at their AWAY spa. My entire stay at their hotel energised and rejuvenated me.
Exploring Seminyak was easy since it wasn’t jostling with tourists. The area had some of the best vegan restaurants and cafes.
I also experienced the nightlife of Seminyak which is popular amongst youngsters. I visited nightclubs like Bar 68 and the Potato Head Beach Club which played groovy music and had a happening dance floor.
There were three beaches nearby with surfing options and beach clubs. My time in Seminyak was spent interacting with friendly people, trying new things, different cafés, and buying souvenirs for friends and family. The market was full of high-end fashion items, traditional bead jewellery, and little knick knacks that I brought home to remember Bali by.
The 15 days I lived in Bali flew right by. It was the craziest trip of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way!