Bali has been slowly calling my name ever since I read Eat, Pray, Love. If someone had asked me about five years ago to be on an island without a “full moon” type of party, I would have shunned them. However, these days, my vacations mostly consist of retreats and activities that have nothing to do with loud music, drinking, or dancing. Don't get me wrong; I love music, but as I have grown, there are different things I seek now on a getaway.
First, I spent a couple of days frolicking around on the west side of Bali, before heading to Ubud to a yoga retreat (Blooming Lotus Yoga) for a week to bring in the new year.
GETTING AROUND
The traffic in Bali is a nightmare!
Imagine an island with roads built for scooters or small vehicles. Now imagine those tiny roads with SUV's, trucks and chartered buses. Although, just like any other place in the world, the peak hours are the worst time to drive. On an average day, a 15-minute cab ride may turn into an hour and a half! BEWARE!
Also, cab drivers will try to haggle and bump up the price! If you take a taxi, insist on turning on the meter. They will quote you a price that is 3X the actual amount, and they will kick you out of the car before turning on the meter.
FAVORITE PLACES
Potato Head in Seminyak is a great place to chill, eat, and rent a day bed with some Rosé. The mocktails are delicious as well!
The ambiance is very chill, chic and beach club-ish. The last time I went, a DJ was spinning some nice chill deep house music.
It's one of my favorite places in Bali!
Also, The W Hotel is a 15-minute walk along the beach. We went and met up with a friend at a little beach bar near the W Hotel, and watch the most amazing sunset!
The beach area by Potato Head and W Hotel is a nice place to see the sunset.
FYI, Bali isn't a place to go for its beaches. It's a place to go to Zen out. The island has a chill, relaxed atmosphere. Contrary to popular belief, some of the beaches are quite dirty, so if you're booking accommodations, opt for a hotel with a pool. There is nothing Zen about sitting on a beach amongst the trash, so just stick with the hotel pools.
A friend of a friend is the owner of a restaurant called, Plantation Grill, so I had the honor to check out the restaurant, which is located at the Double-Six Luxury Resort.
I was a bit shocked because the restaurant doesn't belong in Bali! It was a place I would imagine in New York City! If you have some extra money to splurge, I suggest checking out this restaurant and indulging. The whiskey selection is impressive, as well as the signature cocktails.
The decor is impeccable! The food was magnificent, and the service was perfect!
The next day, my friend took me to the Peloton for lunch. The past two days he was raving about it. I couldn't wait to try it! The place was a bit out of the way on the main road, so we had to take a taxi. The open kitchen was the first thing we saw when we walked in. They had two level seating for patrons, and the decor was a bit modern, antique-ish with a homely feeling.
We ordered a bunch of items off the menu, and I was blown away by the presentation of each dish. It was the best vegan food I had ever tasted and super fresh too! I washed it all down with some pink lemonade with chia seeds. It was, definitely, thirst quenching. This place was well worth the ride and I can't wait to go back to Bali and go there every day!!!!
Overall, Bali is great: the people are amazing, the food is excellent, and the culture is delightful! A day can be spent surfing the waves in Canggu or Seminyak, or scuba diving on the east side of the island, or hiking the big mountain, maybe even shopping the little boutiques on the main street in each town, or simply just relaxing on a hammock away from it all.
I didn't get to explore the East Side of Bali, but it gives me more of a reason to go back!
Side note: I was told to stay away from Kuta; as there are a lot of tourists. I always try to stay away from the tourist scene, so I didn’t go to that area. Recently a friend stayed in Kuta, and they were a bit disappointed because it was ALL tourists! Therefore, depending on your scene, pick and choose your location.
Bali caters to all!
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