Travelling Post-Corona— 6 things you should know about Bali
Bali was extraordinary in many ways. It was the first time I had experienced a sense of calm which felt quite strange at first, as I’m so used to the crazy pace of London. Having not travelled for a few months (with no travel plans for the foreseeable future due to the Coronavirus) I thought I’d take a moment to share just a few of the peaceful experiences Bali has to offer. While some landmarks may be more mainstream than others, each experience was unique in its appeal to my sense of adventure and learning…
1. Gotong-royong — communal work
During the drive from Balian beach to Ubud, I noticed some people clustered at the roadside, who appeared busy at work — although I was not sure what they were actually doing. So I asked our driver who said they were people from a village who were engaging in gotong-royong, ‘community work’ to clear the drains from the rice terrace. This act of working together is done freely, to help one another. Usually, one person relays to the rest of the group what work needs doing the day before so on the day of work, everyone understands what they need to do. As well as clearing drains, this communal act of working together could also involve preparing for ceremonies. It was fascinating to see how people worked together in this context and being introduced to a new term to describe this intentional action of working together.
2. The Sacred Monkey Forest — an ‘international tourist destination to create peace and harmony to visitors’
Picture a huge forest which is open enough for hundreds of tourists to walk along the pathways, to admire the free movement of monkeys. Being in such close proximity to the monkeys was a special moment. It felt like stepping into another world, where you had to adapt quickly to an unpredictable environment. There were a few cases where monkey’s pinched various items from tourists so quickly, it was virtually impossible to retrieve these items.
This sanctuary also researches the behaviour and social interaction of the monkey’s and their environment, as well as conservation from the concept of Tri Hita Karana, on a spiritual and philosophical basis. Breaking down this concept; ‘Tri’ (three), ‘Hita’ (happiness) and ‘Karana’ (cause or manner) combined this means ‘three ways to reach spiritual and physical well-being’ in order to ‘maintain a harmonious relationship in this life, amongst humans, ‘humans and their environment (nature) and humans and God (Monkey Forest Ubud, 2016).
Within the sanctuary, there was an exhibition curated by I Ketut Budiana which focused on the concept of Swadharma (explained in more detail in the image below, on the left), with these artworks displayed:
3. Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang
Lempuyang Temple is one of the Sad Kahyangan (six sanctuaries of the world) making this Hindu temple one of the six holiest places of worship in Bali.
Also known as the Gate of a Heaven, this temple is easily one of the most recognisable sites to visit in Bali, from Instagram anyway. If you end up visiting this temple, do remembered that this is a place of worship where respect is due.
Wait times for pictures may vary but expect to be waiting for around 3–4 hours if you arrive at the temple from midday onwards.
4. Bali swing
At first glance, this may appear to be just a fun tourist spot to take some great photo’s (which is true). But the company also expressed how this business supports local Balinese people with jobs and educational opportunities for children and adults.
5. Klook tour — Tagalalang Rice Terrace and Kumulilir coffee plantation tour
Rice is grown in a terrace formation (see below) because the land in Bali is not flat enough to keep the water still. There are many rice terraces across Bali which you’re able to explore via tours. I used the Klook app to book this tour while staying in Ubud which combined a tour to the Tagalang Rice Terrace and Kumulilir coffee plantation tour. The coffee plantation was a huge plot of land which planted more crops than coffee, like orange coconuts!
6. Mount Batur
At the summit of Mount Batur you can see an amazing view of the skyline and the nearby active volcanoes, Mount Agung and Mount Agang. If you are able to firm a very early morning drive, arriving at the mountain in darkness to catch the sunrise, it is well worth the hike. However, do make sure to read a variety of reviews before booking the tour, as well as thinking about your own personal fitness as this hike is pretty challenging. I found the hike down more difficult as the rocky terrain made it quite easy to slip, so make sure your footwear has a decent grip.
As someone who is quite adventurous and enjoys physical exercise, I found the hike really enjoyable. On the way up, the sky was full of stars, which made me feel quite distant from what was going on at sea level. It was new experience for me to hike within a large group of people, as the hike went at a slower pace with more breaks. However, this was a great opportunity to talk to people who came from all over the world, while also getting to know our Balinese tour guide.
When reaching the summit, there was some time before the sunrise to grab a comfy spot with a good viewpoint. The guides do let you know when the sun is rising but it happens very quickly. Make sure you are fully present in the moment to see the sunlight peep from the horizon because it’s incredible.
The hike lasted around 2 hours.
Sources used:
