Pura means ‘temple’ in Bali and they are literally everywhere. Spirituality plays a major role in Bali daily life and you will see beautiful flower and treat filled offerings in the street in front of shops as well as shrines along the road.
We had the wonderful opportunity while in Ubud to witness a Kecak Dance that ended with a Fire Trance Dance. The fire dancer walks through burning coconut husks in order to protect the community from plagues and famine.
Ubud is a great area for viewing monkeys at play in the Monkey Forest. Beware these highly entertaining macaques are not shy and will jump right on you to steal whatever isn’t permanently attached!
Lush green rice terraces in the misty inland mountains can soothe the soul with quiet tranquility.
On the southern peninsula you can watch the surfers catching waves in Uluwatu. They walk through this nifty cave to reach the water.
We took a fast boat (half an hour, $15 per person) from Padangbai over to the islands of Lembongan and Ceningan to snorkel in the famous turquoise waters.
And for the very adventurous traveler I recommend a boat out to explore the island of Nusa Penida, if only to see this incredible view!
Two weeks in Bali was over too quickly. We plan to return in the future for more exploration of this incredibly beautiful, magical part of the world. Terima Kasih (thank you) to the friendly people who helped make our time so meaningful!
