Visiting Bali: The Island of 1000 Temples

Sitting smack in the middle of the Indonesian Archipelago and sandwiched between Java and Lombok, the achingly beautiful island of Bali is, without a doubt, Indonesia’s number one tourist attraction. Bali’s beaches, verdant scenery and cultural relics have fueled the island’s popularity and turned it into a mecca for those seeking relaxation, yoga and healing. Bali’s spirituality is palpable and the island’s intricately carved Hindu temples are everywhere—on street corners, between houses and even in individual yards. It is no wonder they call Bali the island of 1000 temples.

Yet, despite often being associated with paradise, the island sometimes has a reputation for being trashed and overrun by partying tourists. Before visiting Indonesia, I’d heard accounts of the island being dirty, crowded and overly commercialized. It immediately became apparent that Bali is an island of two stories: that of a tropical refuge from modern life, as well as that of beach clubs, booze and party-till-you-drop nightlife.

 Courtney and I decided to travel to Bali ourselves, to see which version of the story we would find.

Bali: Beautiful Island Sanctuary or Overcrowded Tourist Trap?

Heeding the advice of other travelers, we steered clear of Kuta’s resorts and beaches and headed straight to Ubud–a center of healing and culture that exploded in popularity after the publication of Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel, Eat, Pray, Love. Ubud draws backpackers and luxury travelers who are seeking a few days of relaxation and meditation. The small city is chock-a-block full of restaurants, yoga retreats, spas a wide array of accommodation options. 

After two tiring night hikes up Mount Bromo and the Kawah Ijen Volcano, Courtney and I were ready to pamper ourselves a bit. We were ready for clean sheets and a warm shower.

We chose to stay at the Bening Bungalows during our three nights in Ubud and were rewarded with our own little slice of paradise. Tucked away in the rice paddies behind one of the main streets in Ubud, the bungalows are a perfect retreat from the stresses of modern life. 

Though there are countless things to do in Bali, we spent the majority of our first full day on the island lounging in bed and listening to the orchestra of croaking frogs in the surrounding rice paddies. In the afternoon, we filled our stomachs with delicious food, threw back a few Bintangs and headed to the spa for much-needed, hour-long massages.

When we finally mustered up the energy to explore some of Bali’s cultural relics, our fist stop was the Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud–a touristy nature reserve and temple complex that is home to four species of Balinese macaques. 

The Monkey Forest Complex is a sanctuary that houses three Hindu temples dating back to 1350, as well as over 100 species of trees. The monkeys that inhabit the forest, though cute, are far more mischievous than they appear. They are cunning and aggressive, much like the baboons at Victoria Falls in Zambia.

We kept our distance from the frisky primates and admired our surroundings with caution–exploring the intricate temples and forested pathways. A ravine cuts through the sanctuary, flanked by dense forests and tangled vines.

After our visit to the Monkey Forest, Courtney and I were finally ready to explore some of the other cultural relics on the island of 1000 temples. So the next day, we teamed up with two girls we had met in Yogyakarta and hired a driver to take us to some of the most beautiful temples in Bali. We negotiated a price of 600,000Rp for the day (approximately $42USD for the four of us) and organized a day trip to three of the island’s most prominent temples. Our first stop was the Sangeh Monkey Forest.

Though Ubud’s Monkey Forest is one of Bali’s most popular attractions, it is not the only place that is famous for its troops of cunning primates. The Sangeh Forest, too, is home to bands of mischievous monkeys. My three companions and I enjoyed meandering through the groves of tall trees and watching the monkeys frolic up the swinging vines. The monkeys were cute, and we enjoyed photographing them.

That is, until we got too close to their babies and they chased us into a corner, hissed at us with barred teeth and attempted to bite at our ankles. We escaped unscathed, but barely.

It was an important reminder that the monkeys, though fun to watch and photograph, are wild animals. Thus, they should be treated as such.

             

From the Sangeh Monkey Forest, our driver took us to the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple. Built in 1633, the picturesque temple is used for offerings to the Balinese water goddess, Dewi Danu. It is one of Indonesia’s most iconic temples and is featured on the country’s 50,000Rp banknote.

Ulun Danu Bratan sits peacefully on the waters of Lake Bratan. The smooth, reflective surface of the lake gives the temple a unique floating impression, while the forested mountains encircling the lake provide a scenic backdrop.

Our day trip around Bali allowed us to get a taste of island life and admire the island’s verdant scenery at our own pace. For lunch, we decided to stop at a restaurant overlooking the rice terraces and followed our meal with a short stroll through the layered fields of rippling grasses. Though the grasses were mostly overgrown and colored in a burnt yellow when we visited, the scenery was beautiful.

Our tour ended with a visit to what is perhaps Bali’s most prominent temple—Tanah Lot. The Tanah Lot Temple sits in the middle of the ocean on a rocky outcrop. Though the temple is crowded and touristy, it is undoubtedly among Bali’s not-to-be-missed icons.

From Tanah Lot, one can see the long sweep of rocky seashore, as well as the smaller Batu Bolong Temple that is perched atop a natural sea arch. 

We wrestled our way through crowds of people and found a perfect spot to watch the crashing waves and setting sun.

Bali evokes images of paradise and, after our tour to some of Bali’s most beautiful temples, Courtney and I could certainly see why. There is so much to do on the island that one could easily come for a few days and end up spending weeks.

By skipping Kuta and the Southern Coast, we saw no traces of the dirty and overly-commercialized island that I’d heard so many complain about.

Instead, we found a little slice of heaven on the resplendent island and enjoyed a few days of pampering, relaxation and sightseeing. Our stay on the island of 1000 temples rejuvenated us mentally and physically–allowing us to finally recover from our long and tiring journey across Java.

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Further Reading:

• Kirstie’s Bali travel guide contains additional information on places to eat, accommodation options and things to see while traveling in Bali.
• Those interested in discovering some of Bali’s off-beat activities, might want to check out Luke’s post on exploring the island on a VW Safari Tour.
• After hiking up Kawah Ijen and Mount Bromo, Courtney and I decided to skip Mount Batur. However, those planning on visiting Bali’s iconic volcano, may want to read Chloe’s post on hiking up Mount Batur to see the sunrise.
• Those looking for a more immersive experience, may want to read about things to do with locals in Bali.
• Java is a predominantly Muslim island and locals tend to dress more conservatively than on the islands of Bali or Flores. I recommend you visit Sher’s post for more information on what to wear in Indonesia.