Bali – Fashionable Flavours

Gilli Islands

The Gilli Islands are situated roughly 3 hours from Indonesia and can be reached by a fast boat from Sanur. They are made up of three small islands, Gilli Trawangan, Gilli Meno and Gilli Air. Gilli Trawangan is the largest of the three and is more know as the “party island” and Gilli Meno and Gilli Air are more suited for honeymooners and couples. I have been to Gilli Trawangan and whilst if a party is what you are after you can find it, there are also plenty of places to relax and unwind.

The Gilli Islands are situated roughly 3 hours from Indonesia and can be reached by a fast boat from Sanur. They are made up of three small islands, Gilli Trawangan, Gilli Meno and Gilli Air. Gilli Trawangan is the largest of the three and is more know as the “party island” while Gilli Meno and Gilli Air are more suited for honeymooners and couples. I have been to Gilli Trawangan and if a party is what you are after you can find it, however there are also plenty of places to relax and unwind.

Now lets talk accommodation and transportation…because they are both limited. I chose to stay a little out of the main hub as I wasn’t interested in the whole party scene but that also meant being further from restaurants and other activities. While the island is only about 6km in circumference and can be walked in 1.5hrs, late at night and when it is very dark the walk can seem a little longer. Also motorised vehicles are not a thing, its push power all the way…well that and donkeys. You have two options for transportation, a donkey and cart or push bike. If you hotel or villa is not in the main part of the town get a cart to take you to the hotel, not hard to find seeing’s as usual they are all waiting to pounce. Don’t get ripped off but also just pay them and get out of the chaos. Once you are all settled in your hotel head out and rent some push bikes, while walking is a viable option having a bike is great. A little PSA that the “roads” a very bumpy and you can end up with a sore rear end by the end of a long day. Overall I suggest looking at the accommodation carefully and try to get something not too isolated as the roads are barely lit at night and when a bike or walking are your only options it can feel a little eerie.

The Gilli’s are the place to be for snorkelling, beaches, relaxing, beaches and more beaches. I mean obviously it’s an island so don’t expect anything crazy but it is beautiful and perfect to spend a few days to unwind and relax (also so many Instagram opportunities). I am unsure if I could spend more than a few days there as I tend to get a little stir crazy when I feel trapped in my options…hence while you will never see me heading off on a cruise. There are some amazing snorkelling locations and I would suggest heading to the other island which I sadly didn’t, but places like Turtle Point on Gilli Meno are so close by and would be amazing experiences. Just go on Pinterest and look at the pictures if you don’t believe me! Seriously though if you are like me and have done Bali before or you have some time to spare, heading to the Gilli Islands for a few days in the middle of your trip is a nice change of pace and atmosphere.

Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan is an island located southeast of Bali and takes about 30 minutes on a fast boast from Sanur. There are many different companies with varying boast sizes and for those who get sea sick luckily the ride is only 30 minutes but it can be very rough at times. You are able to take day trips quite easily but I would really recommend taking some time and going for at least a few days. This is my top location for rest and relaxation.

Nusa Lembongan is a relatively small island and you can ride around the island on a bike or in a buggy in a few hours. This is a places where you can choose how busy you want to be because while there is plenty of activities and things to explore it is also amazing if you just want to RELAX!

: The view of Mt Agung – Bali

Let’s start with a must do when you are going to Lembongan and that is diving with the Manta Rays, this will not be such a relaxing time. Be ready and well rested because while it may sound peaceful and they are pretty serene creatures…THEY ARE FAST! I mean obviously they will be better swimmers then me any day but there will be a lot of jumping out of a boat, swimming as fast as you can and then enjoying the moment you are able to spend with these magnificent creatures. We were very lucky to make friends with a local who booked tours for people and he organised for us to go out as family. I think this was the key to it being so amazing, we were not in a large group and our guide was really dedicated to finding us the Manta Rays. It also mean that we were not competing with 10-20 other people to get into the water, while we did sometimes run into them in the water it wasn’t a big imposition on the day. They guide picked us up and we travelled for about an hour or so until we got to the Manta Rays and then it is go time! They guide will spot a ray and tell you to jump, you have to be ready to go in your flippers and mask then just swim for your life in the direction they point.

We dove probably 10 times and were very lucky and got to see them a lot, there is always a risk with these kinds of things that you won’t get to see them. After a few hours of diving, jumping out and climbing back into the boat we were all feeling it. We then decided to go to another more traditional diving stop to see coral and fish. That was also beautiful. At the end of the day we just went back to the island and had a restful night, it is a very big and tiring day but so worth it!

There are plenty of other water related activities like paddle boarding, surfing the break, snorkelling etc. Also go for a tip through the mangroves, while we have mangroves in Australia they are nothing like the ones I came across in Lembongan. Endlessly intertwined roots and shaded canals makes for wonderful and peaceful experience. They are easy to get to, we rented a buggy while we were there and just followed the signs. I would recommend a buggy over a bike as the roads are very rough and especially if you are a family as you can have everyone in the same vehicle. Head up to the mangroves and find someone to take you on a boat , this is not something you need to book in advance but also don’t pay too much for it. There is no harm in bargaining.

Last but very not the least is my favourite restaurant/bar. The Deck is situated right on the edge of the island and the bar practically drops off into the ocean. This is one of the best spots to sit and watch the world go by. Great food and good drinks make for the perfect spot, plus get a coconut because once you drink all the water then will break it up for you and yummm!

All in all Lembongan is a great place to lay by a pool or on the beach for some relaxation, have afternoon cocktails and watch the sun set. I would say no more than a week in Lembongan as there is only so much to see, but it is a must see!

Bali – Mt Batur Sunrise Climb

Mt Batur at sunrise is something you have to experience if you are traveling to Bali! This is defiantly a bucket list moment and well worth the early morning and sweat that you have to go through to have this experience.There are many different tours available that include activities post climb, however undergoing this climb will mean a VERY early start to your day. Most tours pick you up from your hotel between 1:30am and 2:30am depending on where you are coming from. I personally suggest only booking a tour that has the climb included (plus all the normal additions like breakfast at the top of the volcano).

This is definitely no walk in the park and I would really urge you to be relatively fit if you are thinking about doing this, or be prepared to miss the sunrise if you are slow up the trek. While I would consider myself quite a fit young individual this was still difficult, especially as the ground becomes looser as you get further up. The volcanic rock and loose terrain really means you are only taking half a step for every step you actually take. All this said it was so worth it but I think it is good to note so you don’t have any surprises (also take a jacket – Bali or not it gets mighty cold up the top of that volcano).

I picked a tour with a medium-sized group and we were a mix of experienced hikers and a general tourist that just wanted the experience (we went with Bali Sunrise Trekking and Tours, they were wonderful!). The guides were fantastic and I would not recommend doing this walk without a guide. We were picked up from the hotel and taken to the company’s base (which was in another hotel) and given tea or coffee while we waited for all parties to be ready. Then we headed off on the hike! We took a break every half hour or so but if you needed a minute everyone was happy to stop. As it got steeper the breaks increased.

Do not be embarrassed about going alone or taking breaks! There is no harm in looking after yourself and really who cares if you are out of breath. Also be prepared, depending on the time of year, that there could be clouds and fog. My climb was on a very cloudy morning but there were breaks and it was still one of the best things I have ever done!

The guides cooked us eggs in the volcanic ash and had hot coffee and tea ready. There was breakfast of bread and other sweet items too. Enough to satisfy you after the hike, plus it is still pretty early at this point. After that take all the photos you need because seriously you just climbed a volcano! Also take the time to just sit and enjoy the sunrise and the peace and quiet that you get being so far above sea level.

Once this is all over you get to climb back down…prepare to slip over on the loose gravel, I sure did. As someone who does not own hiking boots I was wearing sneakers and admittedly they were not as sturdy but I wasn’t about to go buy hiking boots for this one-time thing. We slid our way down the mountain and said our goodbyes to our fellow trekkers. The company drove us back to our hotel (I may have napped in the car on the way back) and we just relaxed for the rest of the day. The trip did take it out of us so we took the opportunity to relax in the pool and have a little walk around Ubud.

All in all I would seriously recommend doing this, I was such an amazing experience and you feel really good about scaling a volcano. Be prepared, take breaks and soak in the sunrise at the top!