A few months ago we decided to visit Indonesia after hearing so many amazing stories and seeing even better pictures. Dan had previously been twice on his own and was obsessed with it too so we booked the trip but this time we decided to go for the couple experience.
Normally when we travel we like to go with the flow, however Indonesia has so much to offer that we had to have a plan to avoid missing out on places as we tend to get "FOMO", (fear of missing out), even though we travel a lot.
Before we even get started, bare in mind that you will need to hire a SCOOTER to get around Bali; prices range from Rp 50k to Rp 80k per day, depending on the location.
Our first leg was Canggu popular for its surf and healthy life. Most of the beaches have dark grey or even black sand and are not much loved by tourists for sunbathing, but offer some famous and challenging surfing spots; the breaks are welcoming, the water is clean and the beaches are not as cluttered as Kuta and Seminyak. There's heaps of amazing Canggu eateries and restaurants, from the healthy vegan spots to some surfer hang out places.
We've personally enjoyed visiting some of the iconic Canggu bars such as Old Man's, Sea Circus and La Laguna, they all have a cool vibe, awesome atmosphere and great food.
Next stop was Ubud, Bali's cultural heart. Different to all the other destinations we visited in Indonesia, Ubud is located in the mountains and is the temple and hippie hub of Bali. Everywhere you go in Ubud you will find amazing food, yoga spots and temples. Ubud also hosts a very cool market where you can buy loads of amazing bits for reasonable prices as well as heaps of boutique stores that are slightly more pricey but have many unique pieces on offer.
It also showcases one of the biggest rice fields in Bali where you can walk around or even grab a nice coffee from the bars on top.
Balangan BeachBlue Point BayPura Luhur UluwatuKelingking BeachAngel's Billanbong
If catching nice lil' waves, sunbathing in paradise and discovering unreal cliffs is your thing, then the Nusa Islands are your new playground. These three sister islands are only a short boat ride away from Bali, and the best part is that they are a lot more untouched and wild than the rest of the islands. Yes, that means that it'll be just you, the palm trees, the waves, and the stunning views that stretch for miles.
The Nusa Islands are made up of Lembengan, Ceningan and Penida. The first two are connected by a yellow bridge which you can scooter or walk across and Penida is just a short boat trip away too.
Our final destination in Bali was Uluwatu, located in the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali. "Ulu" how people like to call it, is home to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple and is the number four surf destination in the world for surfers of all abilities.
The Bukit includes not only the the famous cliff-hanging temple but also a number of Bali's very best beaches including Balangan, Bingin and Suluban beach.
On May 21st we celebrated our anniversary so we wanted to treat ourselves with some great food and superb views. We decided to spend the whole day at "Blue Point", a spectacular resort with the best infinity pool that you could ask for. At night we enjoyed a lovely Spanish dinner at "El Kabron"; sitting 50 metres above the sea level on Uluwatu's cliff, this club has the most secluded sunsets in the area.
Selong Belanak BeachGili AirGili AirSelong Belanak BeachLombok Market
Gili Air, (swing paradise), your holiday within the holiday... if you want to relax in paradise with out any cars or bikes this is the place to be. One of the most magical islands where your day revolves around beach, diving/snorkeling and making sure you catch the unmissable sunsets! All the beaches have bean bags for sunsets and romantic meals on the beach.
Many people toss up where to go when deciding between the Gili Islands as not everyone has enough time to visit them all. Gili Air is definitely a couples retreat; more relaxed than Gili Trawangan, and with more activities than Gili Meno. In saying that, Gili T does offer more night action but it's still beautiful and chilled enough.
"Mooo", that's the sound you hear at the beach when the locals take their animals along the water front in Lombok.
This island boasts some serious spots for surfing; amongst many, Mawi in our opinion is the best wave you will come across and is well worth the 45 minutes scooter ride from Kuta Lombok, (be warned the scooter ride is very sketchy and the last 10 minutes are on some very challenging terrain). Lombok has lots of really quirky restaurants and bars in the Kuta area and are all within close proximity of each other. If you fancy a night off of local food too, "The Bus Bar" has amazing wood fire pizzas and cocktails, all this happening in an old VW Camper Van. The seats were also made out of recycled tyres and with cool artwork on the walls, check it out!
So if you don't know, now you know... they don't call it "The Island Of Gods" for no reason!
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