Fun Fact: Indonesia (Bali) was the 2nd country I ever visited and UAE (Dubai) was the first!

I went to Dubai and Bali all in the same trip, making my first overseas experience a whirlwind of diverse culture. How do you go from man-made everything, skyscrapers, lavish cars and houses to minivans and scooters, non-existent road systems and run down huts? It was amazing to see such a drastic change of scenery. Bali grew to become one of my favorite countries considering all the exciting activities it had to offer…here are some that don’t suck!

whitewater rafting

If you are anything like me, young and fabulous 😉 ha kidding, sort of. If you are anything like me, adventure is your middle name. My boyfriend and I have been white water rafting in The Blue Ridge Mountains, but saw this as the perfect opportunity to try our luck again. You can’t go wrong screaming your way down a rushing river, playing bumper tubes with the group in front of you while trying to steer. This is the perfect mix of intermediate adult fun and becoming one with nature. Literally one with nature; because if you fall out then byeeee. 

Canyoneering

In case you don’t know what canyoneering is…let Mr. Webster explain.

“the sport of exploring a canyon by engaging in such activities as rappelling, rafting, and waterfall jumping.”

This was the first time I had ever heard of such a thing, so naturally, I was all for it. Anything that allows me to jump off cliffs and frolic through the water is okay in my book. You kind of have to go with a group, but if you are more active, I would opt for the intermediate tour instead of the beginner.

We were constantly ahead and slowly waiting on our group to catch up.  So frustrating. If your concern is safety however, don’t freaking worry! You are strapped to a rope while rappelling through the falls. The best part about this trip?? A homemade Balinese meal by a local woman afterwards. My group started to look at me all weird when I went back for my 5th plate. It was that damn good!

Surfing

I didn’t really take part in this activity but my boyfriend did! I was too busy soaking up the sun. He rented the long board that cost a whopping $10 for an entire day. Bali is known to be a surfers paradise, with plenty of secret spots scattered around the island. Since we were there during the “wet season”, the swell was a lot smaller compared to other months.

Perfect for someone who hasn’t surfed in a while…or ever for that matter, like my boyfriend 😉 He ended up shreddin’ some gnarly waves (terrible Australian accent voice), making it look easy. Although not very big, the waves were consistent enough to make it that much more enjoyable.

BEWARE: If you decide not to surf, or go in the ocean, there will be those annoying people on the beach trying to sell you stuff…and not just one or two but fucking 20 of them will come up to you. I had my eye closed trying to enjoy the sun and opened my eyes to the sight of a random person massaging my feet! WTFFFFFF?? So my suggestion is, just go surfing.

Monkey Forest

Monkey’s..OH MY! I was sooooo excited to visit the Monkey Forest because this is the kind of “zoo” you are supposed to have. The animals in their natural habitat running free while you enter at your own risk. I say this because those little fuckers are fast and greedy! At the front, you can buy a bundle of bananas and feed some as you walk through, just remember to hide your belongings AND your bananas! They will jump and grab on to you and it’s hilarious.

Watch the Sunset

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 1000 times. I am a SUCKER for sunsets. I can think of some pretty amazing sunrises and sunset’s I have seen all over the world but Bali was definitely in the top 3. Orrrr, maybe I was just really drunk and thought it was the most beautiful thing ever, but either way, it was stunning.

Don’t be that drunk girl though because me and an Aussie girl ended up taking our top off and watching the sunset. WAYYY more magical if you ask me 😉 The beaches boast many outdoor lounge areas, restaurants and view points to catch Mother Nature in action, but we specifically watched from Potato Head. Grab a drink and watch the sun go down over the Indian Ocean!

Elephant Safari

**CAUTION** I will admit that at this safari, we ended up riding, feeding and watching the elephants…but I do not condone this behavior anymore. Elephants are not meant to be ridden or in captivity. I have read so many horror stories about keeping animals in captivity throughout southeast Asia, and all the terrible things they do to them. Some will claim that these animals are “rescued” but often stolen or taken from their natural habitat. Please think and be a responsible tourist before you go give any money to these people. We want to keep this beautiful earth and all the creatures that inhibit it…sometimes humans can be so inhumane it makes my heart crumble. I wanted to interrupt this post with something educational and informative that pertained to the topic because the tourism industry isn’t all glitter and gold. Be aware…knowledge is power!

I will also not be posting any pictures from the safari because I am sad I was not informed sooner.

Hunt for Temples

The beauty is almost unparalleled to some of the temples we saw. Even though the island doesn’t seem that big, the road system sucks, making it harder to see all the temples. Find some that are close to your area and hit those! The best idea is to jump around from city to city that way you get to see most of them! Each temple tells a different story.

Get a massage

I had the pleasure of getting a special massage…and no pervs, it doesn’t mean a happy ending. The guy who rented us our Airbnb (which was an amazing villa with an infinity pool) ended up living right behind us in this huge mansion he built. I went over there so I could admire his house and we got to talking about his girlfriend (named CoCo who was a masseuse) He called to see if she would give me a private massage in their large extra bedroom that overlooked the rice terraces, what a dream!

She agreed and it was probably the cheapest, yet best massage I’ve ever had! You might not be this lucky, but she promised me that everyone who did massage therapy was just as good, just without the view! Total cost? $135,000 Indonesian rupiah or roughly $10 USD I’m in looooove with the CoCo 😉

Sunrise Volcano Hike

So, we didn’t get to do this one…we actually opted out of doing it since we stayed in Ubud the entire time and we were so OVER driving 4 hours round trip every day . However, I have talked to a couple of people who said that it is totally worth it! Although not necessarily for beginners, the views are supposed to help make the trek up much more enjoyable and manageable. If you have the time AND the energy, add this to your list!

(source)

Rent a scooter or dirt bike

I had a falling out with my scooter, literally. But this is definitely the best way to get around and see lots of Bali. Vans are just so closed off and it’s hard to make a driver stop for every little shop or site you see. I went with the scooter but my boyfriend went with the dirt bike …of course. It’s so funny to see a family of 5 riding on one scooter but beware because people DO NOT STOP for you. They will honk, cut your off, and speed past so make sure you are ready for that!

I aim to tell, educate and give my opinions on this blog in a hope that you will learn something from my journeys and experiences. Take whatever I say with a grain of salt AND SHOT OF TEQUILA. I hope you can add some of these activities to your next Balinese trip, to make sure your next vacation to Indonesia doesn’t suck!

xo Bonvoyage Babes