Uluwatu, Bali Indonesia

If you asked me this time last year if I'd be traveling still, to SE Asia, with Josh, I would not have believed you. When I first threw out the idea it was only half serious. But then the timelines worked out and we actually booked tickets! 

It didn't feel real until the weekend we were leaving. And then I got very Excited!! 

While I was getting ready for the airport it finally became real. We were actually doing this! 

We got to the airport and through security to find we needed to get an Australian visa to take the flights and enter the country on a layover. Luckily we were speed readers and figured it out quickly and got one online just in time. 

After 35 hours of travel (door to door, with 3 flights of 31 hours & layovers) we finally arrived in Bali, Indonesia!!! 

Our first stop was Uluwatu. Most of our time there was spent exploring on a scooter, stopping at different beaches and riding through all the winding roads. 

The whole area is very arid and dry. I was expecting green and lush, but maybe it was so brown because it was the end of dry season. 

Our first stop when we arrived was Padang Padang Beach. We were staying just down the road (at Bombora Surf camp), and went to check out the waves and watch the surfers. There is a bridge that overlooks the beach, and you have to walk down a pretty long stairway to get to it. There were monkey's on the path!

We made a bunch of stops our first full day. Suluban beach was up first. This is the biggest beach, and the main surf break. The wave was really heavy and far out on a reef, so you would really need to know what you are doing to surf it. To get down to the beach, there were winding staircases, like a maze, down. Along the way are warungs (mini cafes) where people were sitting, watching the surfers. There wasn't much of a beach, but there were cool rocks and caves. 

Next we scooted over to Nusa Dua, which is on the other side of the peninsula, and where the big resorts were. The entrance has a Disney feel. We got out at the community beach, it it wasn't all that great. 

After lunch at our favorite warring where we ate one meal a day, we went to Bingan beach. This was our favorite spot! You had to climb down to the water through winding stairs and warungs. The beach is more secluded, but also had the most character. The places to stay along the beach are hard to get to. There is little beach, especially if the tide is high. It's pretty rocky, with OK swimming and then there is a good wave. 

That night, we went to the Uluwatu temple and dance show. The temple was lackluster, partly because it was far, but it had really pretty water views, so it was nice at sunset. The Balinese dance show was really long. And I almost got bored, because as cool as it was, I couldn't follow the story. There was a lot of chanting, which was unreal. And the Hindu costumes were really cool. At the end, a hilarious drunk guy took the head off a costumed guy and danced around. The best part was the fire show at the end. 

Our second day started with a visit to Dreamland beach. It's a really pretty beach, but in a resorty complex area. There were a ton of Japanese tourists who we watched flailing in the surf and taking selfies. 

We spent our afternoon at Finn's beach club. It was recommended by a friend and really was a nice day. There were epic views from the top. 

The entrance to the complex and hotel was very fancy. The beach was beautiful and the atoll was great. Josh paddle boarded. We both snorkeled and saw awesome fish, great coral and a sea snake. After dark, there was a bonfire which was awesome. It was such a cool & chill place, where we were hanging out on bean bags at the beach. 

We took a yoga class overlooking Padang Padang beach and Impossibles surf break our last morning in Uluwatu. We then went to Suluban beach to watch the surfers for a bit. The waves were so big! We sat for 15 minutes and saw 4 broken boards. 

We LOVED Uluwatu and the chill surfer vibe mixed with local culture! 

Ate at:

Buddha cafe: really good organic food.
Fair Warung: The best buffet of veggies and local preparations for so cheap. 
Om burger: healthy veggie burgers

Mango Cafe