30 From Abroad
Bali
Island of a Thousand Temples Spectacular Waterfalls,
TRAVEL
Golden Sandy Beaches, and
Written by Cami Ismanova
Wide Rice Terraces
Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia.
O
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
June 2020
ne Bali Island is located in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago, surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean to the south and the turquoise Bali Sea to the north. It consists of several small towns and beach resort areas around the island. It looks small on a map, but it is gigantic in reality. There are many touristic places to stay at, like Kuta and Ubud. Although they are a bit too crowded, they are better connected to the must-visit landmarks of Bali. On the other hand, if you prefer to spend your vacation by staying somewhere quieter, Sanur would be a suitable option. When it comes to transportation, I strongly recommend renting a scooter while visiting the island because there is frequent traffic congestion. You might need to provide your international driving license to get yourself one. While there, you will see and join thousands of people, both locals and tourists, driving scooters of their own. It is also more convenient to move from one destination to another by scooter than by car, but it is obviously not a good option for a family trip with kids. The majority of the population in Indonesia is Muslim, but the Balinese people in particular follow the Hindu
religion, so you will find thousands of Hindu temples around the island. In fact, each and every Balinese family will have one either in their houses or somewhere close by. The wealthier the family is, the bigger and more beautiful the temple. Bali is full of famous temples like Uluwatu Temple, where you can watch traditional Balinese Kecak dances, which tell the story of the Hindu gods, and enjoy the sunset. Another interesting experience is paying a visit to the “Cat Poo Chino” coffee plantation. You could say it is like a cappuccino. There are various types of coffee and tea to sample and buy. The most popular one is “kopi luwak.” “Kopi” means “coffee” and “luwak” is translated from Indonesian as “Asian palm civet,” a cat-like animal that originated on Sumatra Island. Civets are known to roam freely on plantations, as they come to select the best coffee cherries, mostly Arabica beans. Their digestive process allows them to improve the flavor of the beans through fermentation. These coffee beans are later excreted, collected by farmers, cleaned countless times, roasted, and finally ground up. Kopi luwak is a delicacy and the second most expensive coffee in the region. The prices reach up to $700 per kilogram and $80 per cup (both in USD). If you book a tour via Airbnb, you will get a tour around the plantation with an English-speaking
