Bali may be small in size – you can drive around the entire coast in one long day – but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.
Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of
Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of
Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed,
Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right round the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of
Nusa Lembongan.
As you stumble upon the exquisite little offerings left all over the island that materialise as if by magic, you’ll see that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.
And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of
Indonesia. There are pleasures of the body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘extra bag’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavours of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurants that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing in
Kuta, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.
WHAT's in bali
1. Kerobokan, Bali’s food hot spot
The foodiverse on
Bali has shifted to Kerobokan. Superb new restaurants include
Biku, an artful, casual cafe; and
Sardine, a fantasy of seafood.
2. Fast boats to the Gilis
It seems there are as many fast boats between Bali and
the Gilis as there are dolphins in the ocean on the way. New connections to these three island paradises include
Nusa Lembongan and
Amed.
3. Bukit, not just for surfers
Already home to world-famous surf breaks, the Bukit Peninsula is becoming the place for a break, period. Funky new hotels perch near groovy beaches at Bingin and Balangan.
4. Gili T, not just for backpackers
Hotter than hot,
Gili Trawangan has a great new restaurant,
Kokomo (which breaks the backpacker shackles of the island’s past), along with one of Asia’s best freediving centres, Freedive Gili.
5. Eat, Pray, Love mania
It seems every tour operator is trying to get in on the act spawned by Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling book. Meanwhile, some of Bali’s traditional healers (known as
balian) are available for hype-free consultations.
6. New shopping spots
East of retail meccas Seminyak and Kerobokan, a gaggle of new stores lines a meandering string of streets, including Steven’s (dusty treasures from across Indonesia) and Wijaya Kusuma Brass (brass accessories for furniture and your home). Some of Bali’s best housewares can be found here.
7. Sunset stroll, take one
A new walk along the sand links Seminyak’s club-lined Jl Abimanyu to Jl Double Six in Legian. At sunset, grab a seat and a cheap beer (an ice-cold Bintang will set you back around US$2) along this stretch of beach.
8. Sunset stroll, take two
Nusa Lembongan’s long beach has a fab new seawall walkway that’s ideal for a mosey before a meal at the hip new hotel-restaurant
Indiana Kenanga.
9. Hidden luxury
The south coast of the Bukit Peninsula is used to surf-tossed drama, but big waves are nothing compared with the splash made by the lavish new
Alila Villas.
10. Art with strings attached
Bali’s great tradition of puppets now has a museum worthy of the characters. The
Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets, south of
Ubud in Mas, is spectacular.
11. Surf by day, sleep memorably by night
Alligator hunters once stalked the river nearby, but that’s one of the least colourful aspects of
Pondok Pitaya, a guesthouse facing the increasingly popular surf break at Balian Beach. The work of hilariously creative Michael Canada and family, the complex combines vintage Indonesian buildings (including a 1950 Javanese house and an 1860 Balinese alligator hunter’s shack).
