Abundant Bali

As a long-time favourite cheapie holiday destination for many, it’s easy to assume Bali is some sort of package holiday hell and rule it out of contention when you’re planning your next trip. Don’t think too soon.

If you left the airport and headed straight for downtown Kuta, all of your worst assumptions about Bali might be proven true. But when you take the time to look the other way, one thing is abundantly clear: there’s a lot more to Bali than Kuta Beach and its surrounds.

Crowned the World’s Best Destination 2017 by Trip Advisor, the island of the Gods knows a thing or two about tourism and can offer almost any experience your heart desires.

I’m fortunate enough to have spent a few months in Bali over the past two years, with and without kids, both on—and well off—the usual tourist trail. I’ve found it to be a place of many contrasts: rest and relaxation, adventure and inspiration, and, of course—amazing food.

Bali is a relatively small volcanic island, about one-fifth the size of the Waikato region, nestled between Java and Lombok in the Indonesian archipelago. With a predominantly Balinese Hindu population, the island is dotted with temples small and large, and an intense everyday spirituality pervades every corner.

Rise early in the morning and take the opportunity to see the island waking up. A languid tropical sunrise, roosters greeting the dawn and local women making their first offerings for the day will have you feeling like you’ve stepped into a postcard. Get ready for it, because that feeling will only grow.

Unless your trip is heavily weighted towards surfing or diving, it makes sense to get acquainted with your new favourite destination by heading inland to Ubud, the green beating heart of Bali.

My first stay in Ubud was over the course of Nyepi, the Balinese Hindu New Year celebrations which see the whole island taking part in temple ceremonies and fantastically over-the-top street parades, culminating in a day of silence where the whole island, including the airport, is closed. It was a phenomenal taste of Balinese culture that left me determined to return.

Getting to Ubud (or anywhere) takes longer than it should because of narrow roads and roaring swarms of motorbikes following their very own uniquely Balinese version of the road code. The traffic here takes some getting used to, but as with everything in Bali, it has its own rhythm and flow and is quite survivable!

Fortunately, there’s plenty to catch your eye along the way. Pocket-sized family rice paddies fringed with mango and papaya trees are tucked into improbably urban lots. Women chat amongst the daily hustle of a fresh food market. An enterprising young lady kneels to sell fruit to a shopkeeper from the enormous basket expertly balanced on her head, before flashing you a winning smile. A field of marigolds beams out amongst all the green.

As the urban edges of Bali fall further away, the green gets greener and the vistas wider. The rice terraces surrounding Ubud are connected by a cooperative water management system, known as subak, that has enabled the Balinese to be prolific rice growers. You’ll see signs of this industry everywhere, from people working in the fields, to freshly harvested rice carefully spread on tarpaulins to dry in the sun.

Your choice of backpacker simplicity or tropical boho chic awaits you, though the accommodation options are such good value that a villa with a private pool might feel like a very sensible decision. You could be forgiven for hitting pause right here and calling it a holiday well done. But then you’d get hungry.

The abundant generosity of Bali’s landscape translates into an abundance of choices at every meal.

Traditional Balinese food is something special. With Indian and Chinese influences, its use of fragrant flavours shows both balance and restraint. Fresh ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass and kaffir lime are favourite aromatics, with white and black pepper, chilli, coriander, cumin, clove and nutmeg the commonly used spices. Unusually for Asian cuisine, fresh herbs don’t take centre stage—with the exception of kemangi or lemon basil, which is used in abundance.

Small, family-owned warungs found everywhere offer nasi campur (literally mixed rice): white, yellow or red rice with your choice of vegetable, meat and tofu or tempeh side dishes for a few dollars per person. Typically, these meals are served on banana leaves or wrapped in paper to take away. They’re greasy and delicious; coconut oil is used for frying and they’re flavoured with a balanced blend of Balinese spices and sweet soy sauce. Chilli lovers will appreciate the range of homemade sambals on offer to pump up the volume.

Turn the corner and you might stumble across one of the stylish little smoothie bowl bars that are emblematic of Bali’s booming modern healthy food scene. And with plentiful fresh produce of all kinds available for a comparative pittance, it’s a scene that makes some kind of sense—to tourists and expats anyway.

Both foreign and local entrepreneurs have been quick to pay attention to global trends and create a unique brand of tropical hospitality to deliver on them. From hole in the wall coffee roasters using locally grown beans, through to L.A. style raw, plant based, whole foods heaven, it’s all here, and it’s all good.

Dining in Bali can be anything you want it to be, and if you just want a burger you’ll have no problem finding it. You’d be missing out though. Whether it’s a street-side $2 meal, or an Insta-worthy modern cafe, look for one of the many restaurateurs who are doing something great and you’ll definitely enjoy a meal to remember.

Once your appetite is sated, you’ll be ready to soak up some of the culture and nature Ubud and its surrounds are famous for. Take your pick from Ubud Palace, Tegenungan waterfall, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Pura Tirta Empul water temple, Tegalalang rice terraces or the Campuhan Ridge walk.

Bali and its people are welcoming, kind and generous. Visit with an open mind, and leave with an open heart and a full belly.

Words and Images by Amber Bremner