My Trip to Bali... ask me any question!

My Trip to Bali

In December, 2005, I traveled to the island of Bali for about 4 weeks. I’ve been wanting to write about this trip for a while, because Bali made such a profound impact on me!

I’ve done my share of traveling to “sunny places” before. I’ve been twice to Costa Rica, where I spent a total of 4 months, I spent a month in Brazil, I’ve been to Spain a few times, to Italy once, and Southern France twice.

Each year, I go to a different place to escape from the brutal cold of my Canadian hometown, and possibly also enjoy some ripe tropical fruit. This year, I’ve wanted to do something totally different and go to a place where some of my favorite fruits grow: jackfruit, durian, mangosteens, and other delicious Asian treats.

So I decided to spend one month in Bali, and I must say this has been the best vacation of my life!

I feel I must “give back” and tell you about my trip because what initially motivated me to visit Bali was an inspiring article that my friend Rob Miller wrote for my (not discontinued) magazine Just Eat An Apple. This article is still available on my website (http://www.fredericpatenaude.com, under “articles” and then “Asian Travel in the Raw — you need to subscribe to gain access”).

So, from all the travels I have done, I have loved Bali more than anything else. For several reasons:

-    It’s a great place for a raw-eater/hygienist/health enthusiast.
-    It’s very cheap, in fact cheaper than any other place I’ve been.
-    The Balinese people are the most welcoming, warm and lovely people in the world. This was the best part of my trip as far as I’m concerned.
-    It’s really beautiful.
-    The Balinese culture is rich and interesting.
-    Jackfruit and durian... need I say more?

Getting There

Getting to Bali is quite an experience in itself. After all, you have to basically go on the other side of the globe! My itinerary was as follows: From Montreal to Chicago, then Chigago to Tokyo, then in Tokyo I had to spend the night because the airline couldn’t make the connection. Then from Tokyo to Jakarta, then Jakarta to Bali. A long 2-day trip I must say! Going back was easier, as it went direct from Bali to Tokyo, and Tokyo to Chicago and then Montreal.

So arriving in Bali I was really tired and slept 15 hours straight. I initially went to the town of Ubud, the cultural center of Bali. I spent a few days there to relax, and then went on to travel the entire island.

The Fruits in Bali

One of my main interests for going to Bali was to feast on the sweet, tropical fruits there. I must say it’s been totally worth it. Nowhere else in the world have I found such a nice variety and quality of tropical fruits for such ridiculous prices.

I had delicious mangoes, bananas, jackfruit (my favorite), durian, mangosteen, rambutan, salak, and many other types of fruit.

Most of the fruit in Bali is organic and sold on the side of the road. In many cases, it comes from people’s backyards! What a contrast to the endless fields of pineapples and bananas I saw in Costa Rica (one of the biggest consumers of pesticides in the world).

In Bali, the fruit was tasty. Always picked fresh and ripe. The papayas were sweet, fragrant and juicy. The bananas were tasty but very different from our American bananas. They were smaller and often with seeds inside.

Munduk

After spending a few days in Ubud, I headed for the village of Munduk. There, I spent many relaxing days at my hotel perched on top of the mountain.

Munduk is reputed to be the best place in Bali for durian. So, I had several durian feasts! I drove with an Indonesian guy to a “durian stand,” a place on the side of the road where they sold durians. Because I had an Indonesian friend, I got to pay the local price for durian, which in Munduk was the equivalent of about $1 per fruit.

The Balinese durians can be really good, but also really bland. The fruits in Munduk were incredible. Those durians have nothing to do with the commercial, huge Thai durians most people know. They are small, they come from local trees (no pesticides used), and they are incredibly strong and tasty!

Each durian is different. I remember one day we sampled 3-4 different durians. One tasted like white wine, without the alcohol, of course. They all had different tastes, even though they came from the same tree!

Meeting Budy

In Munduk, I met a wonderful Singapore guy called Budy (not sure about the spelling!). Budy is half-Indonesian, half-Singapore (not sure how they’re called!), and now plans to retire to Bali. He kept telling me, “Fred, you have to come live here! You can live like a king!”

Budy was involved in many community programs, such as helping the poor mountain people of Munduk get access to more of the necessities. He was building a beautiful house with a garden and took me there on his motorbike to show me.

I learned many interesting things from Budy. First of all, Bali is one of the cheapest places in the world to get your own piece of Paradise. The real estate is very cheap, and in fact prices have been going down in the last years. So it’s not a real “investment” opportunity, but a place where you can get a beautiful house and garden for less than $20,000!

You can’t officially buy land in Bali if you’re not Indonesian, but through some not-so-complicated legal tricks it’s possible to do so.

Anyway, this possibility seriously got me thinking...

The People

The people of Bali are the most wonderful, welcoming people I’ve ever met. They smile often, and when they do, you can tell it’s a genuine smile that comes from the heart (and not the fake smiles we’re used to in North America!).

Bali is still poor, compared to our rich countries. But most Balinese people wouldn’t trade their beautiful island and culture for anything in the world. They want to live in Bali, die in Bali, and become reincarnated in Bali.

The average salary is less than $100 per month. My driver managed to make $100 on a good month, and the receptionist I met at one hotel told me she was making $50 a month.

There’s only one large shopping center in Bali, and also only one McDonalds! Most Balinese people couldn’t possibly even dream about traveling anywhere, spending money on iPods or computers, or doing anything fancy beyond the day-to-day simple life they follow.

Their economy is also heavily based on tourism. After the bombings in Kuta, tourism heavily dropped and so their economy suffered greatly. Everything is based around tourism, to some degree.

The Balinese people kept asking me “when I was going to come back,” and “if I was going to bring any friends with me!”

They want us to visit their island. You feel welcome there. It’s a good example of beautiful harmony between a traditional culture and our Western culture.

If tourism really slows down in Bali, they will suffer and become extremely poor, and that would be a very sad thing...

What Else?

There’s so many things I can talk about. I could go through every detail of my trip, but that would take too long. So let me just give you some of the highlights.

*Seeing different parts of the island*

I traveled a lot in Bali. The island is small, but still there’s a lot to see. I traveled from one place to another mostly by private transportation, since it was fairly cheap. You can get a car and a driver for 5-6 hours for about $40.

The good part of this is that you get to personally connect with the locals. One of my drivers, Ketut Widiada (there are so many Ketuts in Bali!), eventually became a good friend.

I got to meet his family, where I was offered delicious mangoes picked from the trees, and got to meet his wife and kids.

On another occasion, Ketut stopped by one of his relatives and there I got to pick rambutans (a tropical fruit) straight from the tree, as well as taste a bit of delicious wild honey (tasted like black molasses!).

*Scuba Diving*

In Bali I also did a lot of scuba diving. I’d never done anything like this before, and in spite of my initial fears, I decided to try it.

I loved it so much that I ended up doing an entire course! At first, I did lots of guided dives in the town of Amed, and then I headed to Lovina where I did an open-water scuba-diving course certification. In total I dived about 12 times in less than 16 days.

I loved the experience, and got to see an “underworld” more beautiful than in my wildest dreams.

The best part of this experience was diving near the Menjangan island, north-west of Bali. It was so beautiful and clear there... I even got to see a big green turtle swim right in front of me!

*Other Places*

Other places I have enjoyed in Bali include the quiet town of Pemuteran. Great place to relax and enjoy the beauties of Bali.

I also enjoyed the town Ubud, although it was not so quiet there. Particularly cool was to go see a traditional dance called the Kachek!

Money Matters

Bali was really cheap. Although it was fairly expensive to get there, it didn’t cost much to travel on the island.

My biggest expense was hotels and transport. But I could have easily cut that in half by staying in more “basic” places.

To give you an idea, here are some of the prices for things in Bali

Hotel room: from $10 (or less!) up to $500 or more per night. There’s literally every price range.
Fruit: About 25 cents a pound for mangoes, 50 cents for a big mango, 10 cents for an avocado, $1-2 for a durian.
Scuba diving: my course cost about $300, and you can go on a full trip for an entire day for about $50, with 2 dives.
Restaurant: At least 3-5 times less expensive than in North America.

Is Bali Dangerous?

There’s been some terrorism in Bali. It happened in Kuta, the most touristy place in Bali. Personally, I was planning to stay away from there anyway.

I didn’t find Bali to be dangerous at all. It felt like the safest place in the world. I would be much more worried about a trip to Chicago or London than a trip to Bali!

Finding Love

For those who wonder about it, the relationship models and concepts about love are quite different in Asia than in Western country. The concept of “romantic love” isn’t deep ingrained in people. Marriage is seen as an essential economic union between two families, not as “two soul mates deciding to unify their sacred love”.

Basically, Bali is not the place for “fast dating” with the locals, although you won’t have problems finding single travelers.

However, if you’re willing to marry or promise the moon to the first beautiful guy or girl that comes your way, Bali is the place! Beware of one thing: in most cases, the Balinese are more interested in marrying a foreigner simply because it’s a better “prospect” for their economic future. So if you wish to find true love, it might take a while.

Anyway, the Balinese people are beautiful... :-)

Traveling Couples and Children

Bali is perfect for traveling couples. In fact, when I was there I met a Dutch couple who just got married in Bali and were in their honeymoon! It’s a great “romantic” island, and the charm of the Hindu culture really adds something.

If you want to travel with children, Bali is also a great place (except for the long plane trip to get there). The Balinese culture is one of the best in the world in terms of raising sane and healthy children. Your children will have a great time there! Plus, the trip won’t cost you a fortune (except for airfare, of course!).

The Culture

The Balinese are Hindu, but they practice their own special versions of Hinduism. The rest of Indonesia is mostly Muslim.

The culture in Bali is beautiful. The daily offerings to the Gods, the flowers, the numerous ceremonies, the dances, the artwork, the temples, the music...

It really is what makes Bali unique.

Of course, the pace of life is much more relaxed. The Balinese work at a steady, but relatively “slow” pace compared to the fast and stressed pace of daily activities in North America and Europe.

In Conclusion

I found my trip to Bali to be one of the most rewarding trips of my life. I can’t say when I’ll come back, or if I’ll come back, but I know Bali has a special place in my heart now.

Anyone who travels there will know what I’m talking about...

ANY QUESTION? Just hit the “comments” link and send me your questions about Bali!

Comments

[Sandy Lee]

Wow, Frederic. That sounds like a wonderful trip. We have two small children, one just 2 months old, the other 4 years old, yet we're strongly tempted to travel there now. Is it safe to drink the local water there? This was one of our reservations about travelling to Mexico with small children. Also, do adults or children need any vaccines to travel to SE Asia? My children haven't received any vaccines. Do you know if there problems in the area with mosquitoes or malaria, or the bird flu? As a parent, I've become a lot more conscious of safety in this way, especially these days. Congrats and thank you for sharing about your beautiful trip! We'd been thinking about going to Hawaii for many of the same reasons you travelled (and it's easier on the kids), but now we may choose Bali :)

[Tim]

Thank you for sharing your special trip.
Tim

[Frederic Patenaude]

To answer your questions, the local water is not safe to drink but there's plenty of bottled water. Also, you can drink boiled water. I didn't have a problem with water. Bali is fairly clean.

You don't need vaccines to go to Bali although I'm not sure about other countries.

There were very few mosquitoes in Bali and in fact I didn't even get bit once!

There's also no problem with bird flu or malaria. I would check though the ever-changing situation, but from what I researched Bali is one of the safest places to travel to in Asia.

I think also the long trip is worth it... Your money will go farther in Bali than in Hawaii (no joke!)... there's much more you can do.

One thing though: the beaches are not the best in the world. I wasn't impressed by the beaches. Don't go there if you want just a "beach vacation." :-)

[chris keinath]

Thanks, Frederic... great blog. Bali is now definitely on my list of "next" destinations.

?? Do you have any recommendations on travel guides... that you might have used to prep for the trip? I'm especially interested in finding excellent accomodations; not touristy, not expensive, but not necessarily "cheap."

Especial thanks for info on tropical fruits and diving! Can't wait!
blessings,
chris

[lisa m]

thanks for sharing, Fred. It took me away from the chills of North Wales for a few moments! And I was drooling at the description of the beautiful fruit! Can't wait to get to sunnier climates...
also wanted to say thanks for the e mag, your advice is really sensible, great stuff.
wishing you much success with all your ventures
Lisa x

[Frederic Patenaude]

To Chris,

I traveled with the Lonely Planet guide to Bali which was recently updated. Probably the best would be to get the Lonely Planet AND the Rough Guide to Bali.

These books are filled with tips and addresses for accommodations.

Depending on where you plan to go I can give you a few addresses that were good!

But the best is to get one of those guides in advance. I personally didn't plan my trip in advance. I just chose a place to go to first, and then took time in Bali to decide where I wanted to go... The Lonely Planet was a life saver!

Fred

[courtial]

hi Frederic
thank you about your advices about Bali. It's very interesting. I would like to go over there one day. I use to travel by bike. Is it sure to travel by bike alone? and what is the best moment of the year.
thank you

[Carrie S]

Great blog fred,

Ive been interested in a great spiritual trip to bali which involves 'bambu kuning'.

The worry of the terrorism attacks has put me off, but the island seems to offer so much!

[JUNE wEBBER]

I just returned from Bali (I live in Guam) and I found a place to eat called Bali Buda in Ubud (just two blocks from Monkey Forrest Road)which served raw foods, energy drinks and other vegan meals. They also serve vegetarian meals. Price is very resonable.

If you're a golfer, they have a beautiful golf course. Also, my yoga instructor goes to Ubud for workshop training in yoga.

Bali Buda sells organic fruits and vegetables along with organic desserts and raw crackers.

I perfer to stay up in Ubud where the climate is cooler.

[ketut C]

Thank you so much for your article. It meant so much to the Balinese people.
I am balinese but I live in California.I love my island more than anything.
I hope i will see you in BALI one day.

[Karie]

Hi Frederic,
I am a single woman wanting to run away from home for awhile (never heard that before haha) I've travelled almost all over the world but this time want to spend a month in Bali..re-group...physically and mentally..is this a good place? I was searching the web on info about Bali and your site came up.
Thanks
Karie

[obby]

you will never regret to seen
the sunset in kuta beach again for a twice, comes to bali and feel like your second home, and you'll be get to received a frendly smile from balinesse people and they will said OM SWASTHI YASTHU(welcome)to you from the deepest heart,and feel the ambience of the second paradise. bali always waiting for you to come again and again.
beause i felt like you and i love bali su much.

[Nyoman]

Hello Frederic, thank you very much for your support to our island, I work for a travel agencies in Bali called Alliance Indonesia in the near future I would like to make a blog from where people in the worlds can share about their experience got in Bali travel. I hope you can link my site.

[syanaz]

Hey I recently went to Bali, but just for four days and i love it :D But still, you sound like you have more fun there (:

[K.P.Mahesh]

Hi Frederic,
Thanks for sharing your experience, it matters a lot while visiting unknown place. I would like to visit Bali atleast once in my life. Reason, Your documentation inspired me to go. But, I hope if there was some photos posted it would add up. I am a nature lover and this place is definitely going to be a lot for me.
Thanks & Regards
K.P.Mahesh