Bali is a beautiful Indonesian island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, known for its spell bounding natural beauty and rich heritage, be it white sand beaches, coral reefs or ancient temples, this island seems to have it all. The airport itself gives one the impression that one has travelled to a different world, characterized by statues and paintings boasting of Bali’s architectural and cultural heritage. One can spend months touring this island and yet remain hungry for more; however I shall talk about the few major destinations which we visited during our short tour of this scenic island.
A visit to Bali is definitely incomplete without a visit to Kintamani village, located on the banks of the Batur Lake offering panoramic views of Mount Batur, an active volcano which has been causing havoc since 1968. The region around the volcano is marked by arid black soil which is actually lava which has gradually dried and integrated into the soil. We lunched at a charming restaurant with massive glass windows offering scenic views of the volcano while we munched on deep fried banana coated with sticky black sauce. Enthusiastic tourists can trek closer to the volcano for better views, however we satisfied ourselves with a view photographs from the nearby view point.
A visit to Bali is definitely incomplete without a visit to Kintamani village, located on the banks of the Batur Lake offering panoramic views of Mount Batur, an active volcano which has been causing havoc since 1968. The region around the volcano is marked by arid black soil which is actually lava which has gradually dried and integrated into the soil. We lunched at a charming restaurant with massive glass windows offering scenic views of the volcano while we munched on deep fried banana coated with sticky black sauce. Enthusiastic tourists can trek closer to the volcano for better views, however we satisfied ourselves with a view photographs from the nearby view point.
The next destination on our itinerary was Tampak Siring, a holy spring water temple, according to Hindu mythology the water from the seven taps at this temple comes from the seven great rivers i.e. Yamuna, Ganga, Kaveri, Sarasvati, Narmada, Kshipra, Godavari and purifies people of all the sins they have committed in their present and previous lives. Apart from the history the temple itself is a beautiful sight, with intricate Hindu sculptures and a distinct holy vibe. Inside the temple there are ponds with water flowing into them from ancient stone taps, these ponds are frequented by both locals and tourists who bathe in them hoping to purify themselves.
We then visited Goa Gajah or Elephant Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is characterized by intricate sculptures carved on rock. Inside Goa Gajah one can find a bathing temple with water gushing out from ‘demons’ carved into the rock into shallow ponds, and the Elephant Cave itself. The entrance to the cave is marked by intricate carvings and a giant figurehead which was initially mistaken to be an elephant, hence the name ‘Elephant Cave’, the carvings make on wonder about the architectural prowess of the people of that time.
The last destination on our itinerary was Uluwatu Temple, located in the Bukit Peninsula, this temple is also known as the ‘cliff-hanging’ temple as it is located on the edge of a cliff surrounded by pristine blue waters offering panoramic views of the Indian Ocean. Truth be told the walk to the temple is exponentially better than the temple itself, picture a series of stairs going up a cliff overlooking the sea with waves crashing all around; the image is a heavenly one and a delight for every photographer.
The island of Bali is known by many names be it ‘Paradise Island’ or the ‘Island of God’ and it certainly befits all of them. A visit to Bali is one which no travel enthusiast can forget, every scene, every location, is imprinted in one’s mind like a picture postcard; vivid and full of beauty. In my opinion Bali is probably one of the best travel destinations in the world and a visit to this island should definitely top every traveller’s ‘to do’ list.
The island of Bali is known by many names be it ‘Paradise Island’ or the ‘Island of God’ and it certainly befits all of them. A visit to Bali is one which no travel enthusiast can forget, every scene, every location, is imprinted in one’s mind like a picture postcard; vivid and full of beauty. In my opinion Bali is probably one of the best travel destinations in the world and a visit to this island should definitely top every traveller’s ‘to do’ list.