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.
Dine at Ku-De-Ta
This is a fabulous restaurant to eat at when it comes to good food and the views of the ocean, especially at sunset. The venue masters the art of indoor/outdoor dining with a simple interior that is surrounded by hanging vines, palm trees and the calm sound of the waves. It really allows you to fully appreciate Bali’s natural beauty. And if you enjoy a more party-like scene, the outdoor lounging sofas on the patio, the pool at the edge of the restaurant, the second floor sunset balcony, and the live music will take the ambiance to a whole new level.
Hike up Mount Batur to see a gorgeous sunrise
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.
Bike down Mount Batur
A 25-kilometer bike ride sounds challenging, but a downhill 25-kilometer bike ride is very easy and a lot of fun. We did this tour with a larger group and with a guide, which was great as he was able to take us to some of the more inaccessible areas to show us the tiered magnificence of the paddy rice fields. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to ride through 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.
Try a food safari in Seminyak
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.
Spend the day in Ubud’s local market for cheap finds
I could have spent a lot of time here, but when my husband realized how heavily discounted all the items were, he quickly encouraged us to finish up quickly. In general, though, shopping in Bali is amazing with wonderful unique finds. Some of my favorite things in the market were the straw woven totes, bamboo purses, clothing and linens made out of colorful Batik fabric, and the mother-of-pearl and shell boxes and trays. This market also has other decorative items made out of real wood and ceramics. If you’re not a fan of the prices they’re offering, this is definitely the place to haggle too! Start off at half of the price that they tell you, and then work your way to a price you’re willing to pay.
Eat seafood at Jimbaran Bay
I absolutely loved Balinese and Indonesian food, and on top of that, their seafood is phenomenal. While I think that there are a lot of wonderful restaurants that are known for their sunset views, this is a very special kind of experience as you’re watching the sunset while eating seafood right on the beach! You may not need to book early at a restaurant, but make sure you show up early enough to get a good table on the beach.
Visit a traditional Balinese home
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.
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Seven hip things to do in Bali
Seven hip things to do in Bali
AlUla’s ancient scripts come alive after dark at Ikmah
- Gen-Z local Omer Mohammad guided Arab News through the vast outdoor setting of ‘Secrets of the Scribe’
ALULA: Ikmah Mountain, also known as Jabal Ikmah, one of AlUla’s landmark archeological sites, is offering visitors a new experience this week as part of the Winter at Tantora programming, which ends on Jan. 10.
Near the ancient city of Dadan, Ikmah highlights AlUla’s role as a major cultural and religious center long before the rise of the Nabataeans. It is being activated under the stars in a brand new, old way.
The site, often described as “an open-air library” for its hundreds of ancient inscriptions carved on its canyon walls thousands of years ago, provides visitors with have a chance to etch their own names, using the ancient alphabet, on a block of stone they can take home.
Written mainly in Dadanitic and Lihyanite, the ancient texts once recorded religious dedications, laws, names of rulers and traced everyday life, providing rare insights into the beliefs and social structures of early Arabian kingdoms.
Arab News spoke with Gen-Z local Omer Mohammad, who guided us through the vast outdoor setting of the “Secrets of the Scribe — Ikmah After Dark” experience.
“When the guests arrive, we welcome them ... give them some tea to get refreshed. After that, if the group is big, we split them into two; some of the group goes to go to the carving where they are going to learn how to carve. And the other group is going to go to explore the gorge,” he said.
Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything.
Omer Mohammad, AlUla local
The gorge is an elevated path with candles lighting the way on both sides.
“In the scripts and descriptions you’re going to see (in the mountains), you will get to know more about Dadani lives and what they used to do here,” he said.
After the hike down, visitors from both groups join at the gathering point where everyone is encouraged to rest, mingle and enjoy small bites such as dates and other goodies, as well as tea.
While it is a new experience, the tradition is old.
“Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything,” he said.
Dressed in garb from olden times and speaking in poetic prose, Mohammad and his peers guided us to see the light in the dark night.
“It is significant to me personally to work on this project to get people to come here and get excited (about) what’s happening, enjoy our stories and know more about Dadani life,” he said.
On a personal note, Mohammad is grateful to know more about his own history and wants to continue passing on that newfound knowledge to all generations — both younger and older than his own — and be part of the unfolding story of the land and its people.
“I guess you can say that this is the land of my ancestors. I really love history, and I really would like to know more about history — and my history,” Mohammad said. “But I just learned about this ancient history three years ago when I started working here.
“I never had the experience before, so when I knew more about it, I was so happy. And it was so good. Everyone should come,” he said.
