Travel Tales from Asia

Bali is an island in Indonesia that lies between Lombok and Java. It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands and is located on its western most end. The country of Indonesia is divided into 33 provinces, Bali being one of them.

Most of Indonesia’s Hindu minority community of 3,891,000 lives in Bali. Bali is the biggest tourist destination in Indonesia. It is famous for its traditional as well as modern dance, music and arts. Painting, sculpture, metal works and other highly developed art thrive in the island.

Tourists from all over the world come here to enjoy their Bali holidays. There are a number of hotels and resorts catering to the traveling crowds. The 4.5-star Padma Resort Bali a huge beachfront resort situated in one of the best places in Legian. The resort has a huge swimming pool, high quality Italian and Japanese restaurants, bars, a number of shops, and a Mandara Spa. The resort is located close to the market and other shopping centers in the region.

The Courtyard by Marriott is situated located on the southern coast of Bali is just a short distance from the pristine beaches in the region. The hotel is located inside the expansive grounds of Nusa Dua. The spa, health club and outdoor swimming pool provide vacationers the chance to relax and rejuvenate their bodies.

Located at the center of Seminyak, the Sentosa Private Villas and Spa is a 5 Star facility close to boutique shops and restaurants in the region. There are a total of 38 villas which feature luxurious and chic interiors for maximum comfort for guests. The villas designed by Ground Kents are high walled to provide total privacy. He also designed the Four Season Jimbaran which won him many accolades. Each of the villas comes with a private pool and a landscaped garden with a lotus pond.

Located along the southern coast of Bali and high on top of a cliff top plateau, the Alila Villas Uluwatu is a 5 Star facility hardly thirty minutes from the Ngurah Rai International airport. The Jimbaran Bay which is close to the Uluwatu Temple can be reached within 15 minutes. Vacationers can relax in this beachfront property in style and luxury.

The Samaya Seminyak Bali is a 5 Star facility situated right on Seminyak beach. It comprises of 18 pool villas which come with their own private pools. The villas also have private terraces which pop out through the thick tropical foliage. The Samaya Seminyak is close to the entertainment and shopping district of Legian.

Enjoy Bali holidays in one of these luxurious and exclusive resorts and hotels and have a great tropical holiday. It could be the best holiday experience of your life.

While traveling in Indonesia, I had the great fortune of spending a week on the island of Bali. If you have never been, you should definitely add it to your list of places you have to see. Bali is incredibly beautiful and full of lovely, nice people. When you’re in Bali, you must be sure to travel all around the island to see all that it has to offer.

My days in Bali consisted mostly of lazily laying on Kuta beach. It is the main touristy beach in Bali which is full of all the tacky touristy things you’d expect, including Starbucks. I did try my hand at surfing a couple times, though, but couldn’t stand up for any great length of time. If you do attempt some surfing lessons, beware. It is incredibly addicting. The water in Bali is to die for, so even if you don’t try surfing, it is great for a swim.

You can stay in some pretty neat hotels in Bali that are made-up in the traditional Hindu flare. The hotel where I stayed was decorated like a palace. There is a lot of Hindu decor all over the island as Hindu is the main religion.

During my week stay I also managed to take a day trip into Ubud, Bali’s cultural center. Ubud is a must-see if you are in Bali and you can get some really cool art there. We went north of Ubud, to Taro to take an elephant ride. We had already ridden an elephant in India, but this was neat as well. You get to feed it and give it a bath after your ride.

You cannot be bored in Bali as there are always things to see and discover. And as is the case with many South-East Asian hot spots, the night life is fabulous. I met some great fellow travelers at the local pub near where I was staying. We even traveled to Malaysia together afterwards.