What to see on your first trip to Indonesia, Bali, here's what to do and what not to miss in Ubud and its surroundings. Read the post and plan your visit to Bali in just 14 days.
I have been to Bali last summer, after having waited for and dreamed of it for so long, this island ofIndonesia it hit me hard with all its beauty. I have never left an airport with such an intense impact from the very first steps in a new place, because its particular architecture has entered there too, in a place as anonymous yet as important as the arrivals terminal.
Briefly describing what to see in Bali is really difficult. First of all, I would start with a recommendation: the first thing you need to do when you arrive in this wonderful place is to immerse yourself in the local culture and to live every single moment, forgetting all the typical frenzies of our daily life. Do not let yourself be taken by haste, by the need to see everything, because that is impossible. Enjoy the moment, even just sipping a beer watching the sunset on the beach is regenerating and the atmosphere of the island, which will surely infect you, puts the whole universe that surrounds you in the right perspective.
A premise: the itinerary you are about to read was organized by me personally, many interesting points are missing, but, I repeat, it is impossible to expect to see everything on the first visit and maybe, in only 14 days. We chose to stay in Ubud for the first 4 days, then we moved to the island of Gili Meno and then returned to Bali, precisely in Seminyak. All excursions departed from Ubud or Seminyak and were organized on site, with the support of local agencies. Unconscious? Maybe a little, but we knew what we wanted to see and we trusted our instincts, not being disappointed! Having said that, I certainly do not advise you to go blindly but to always use your intelligence and if you really want to have more security, rely on those who have already been there, they will certainly be able to advise you, or advise you against it at best.
The first place that I suggest was also one of my favorites, namely the Sacred Monkey Forest di Ubud. A paradise for the monkeys who live there, as they are sure to always find some tourist who offers them a banana, or some open backpack from which to steal something (like our bottle of water, I confirm that they managed to pierce it and drink! ). Close your bags and backpacks well otherwise you will find yourself chasing them all over the park. The place, a kind of magical jungle, interspersed with temples, bamboo forests, waterfalls and statues that seem to have been there since the dawn of time, had a very strong impact for me, a real immersion in the nature of the island, so different from what we are used to.
I definitely recommend you explore Ubud, its typical bars, the warung, the shops and its colorful and lively market. If you visit it, expect to pay three times as much as your shopping neighbor if you don't bargain, but at some point you give in, for you it's always only 15/20 euros for a silk scarf, for sellers it's much, much more!
Speaking of shopping, be sure to visit Celuk, the goldsmith village. Here, here you insist on visiting the real workshops of the artisans, or the clearing in front of their homes most of the time, without taking you to the large centers created specifically for tourists. We were accompanied to the Gold Silver Smith, it is still worth it, but it certainly depends on the authenticity of your visit. Here, after a short guided tour of various locations where the steps of creating a silver jewel are explained, you can buy rings, earrings, necklaces for all tastes. A tip: buy one with a traditional Bali design, they are beautiful!
I have not yet mentioned the temples of Bali. There are lots of them, three main ones in each village, plus each house can have its own, so do your math a bit. The best known are undoubtedly the most particular and spectacular. Get yourself a Sarong, to cover your legs and respect the beliefs of the place, but don't worry because if you forget it you will find it for sale for every taste at the entrance, or for rent at the ticket office of the temples themselves.
I strongly recommend you to see Goa Gajah, in Bedulu, with its suggestive pools of water fed by large statues and fountains. Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring e Gunung Kawi, are two other temples not to be missed. In the first you can also immerse yourself in the sacred waters, following the ritual of purification of the soul, but be careful: two sources are dedicated only to the dead and to the gods, it is therefore forbidden to bathe in these two fountains! The second, on the other hand, is preceded by a descent with steps surrounded by rice fields, demanding but beautiful and scenographic at best. The temple is hidden in the valley and protected by the jungle that surrounds it, you will feel like you have come across an Indiana Jones movie, believe me. The temple of Uluwatu, overlooking the ocean and the temple of Tanah Lot, are also absolutely not to be missed.
The thrill of preparing a coffee in a forest is not an everyday thing. To make it a reality, just go to the Satria Plantation Coffee & Tea Tasting, where you can take part in a private tasting with some guys who will tell you all the secrets of their land. Here they produce the most expensive coffee in the world, Luwak coffee, the result of mongooses digesting the coffee beans, cleaned up, of course! Interesting, no doubt, even if the exploitation of these animals for its production may make you change your mind.
Terraced rice fields deserve a separate chapter. Unfortunately I was unable to visit those of Jatiluwih, but the moments spent exploring the terraces of Tegallalang I will always carry them in my heart as one of the most magical experiences I have ever lived. Personally the place I loved the most in all of Bali, thanks to a timeless atmosphere. Here you can stop for lunch or immortalize a memory on a terrace full of souvenirs. Explore and you will find many of those corners so beautiful that you will be breathless with the wonder that your eyes will see.
Finally, I suggest you to consider excursions to Lovinia, to see dolphins and to Batur volcano, I have not been able to go there, so I am waiting for your advice!
