My wife and I along with our 15-year-old daughter were heading out on a three-week family adventure. This year we return to the mystical and magical island of Bali. The Balinese people are a truly a unique blend of possibly
My wife and I along with our 15-year-old daughter were heading out on a three-week family adventure. This year we return to the mystical and magical island of Bali.
The Balinese people are a truly a unique blend of possibly the nicest most wonderful people you’ll ever meet. It’s here where you’ll be surrounded by happiness. The Balinese have a very playful way of charming you which adds to the fun of your visit.
We visit the breathtaking Ulu Watu Temple on the cliffs of the Bukit peninsula. The monkey population has exploded here, there, everywhere. The surf is a spectacle with large lines wrapping down the famous surfing coastline below. We visit all the old surfing destinations. There, as beautiful as ever, full of world class waves just waiting to be ridden.
As a family we organize lots of different activities. We go to the elephant park and ride the giant elephants through the jungle. They were magnificent creatures that allowed us to really get in and become close with them. Our next destination is visiting the Bali zoo. Southeast Asia is known for its unusual and abundant wildlife.
The zoo is no disappointment. The grounds were spectacular and tropically landscaped with a special Balinese touch. We visit the artist colony in Ubud. We drive to the other side of the island where we swim with the dolphins and stay at the Melka Excilsor Hotel — a very different type of accommodation. It’s built around cages with wild animals and we sleep amongst them.
Along the way we stop at a butterfly jungle. We dine on the fluorescent green terraced hillsides where the Balinese farmers grow their rice. We visit the cool mystical temples on Lake Bedugul. We take in a dinner show and Legong dance in Sanur. We visit Tanah Lot, the temple of the sea snakes. We all touch the deadly poisonous snakes as they say it will bring us good luck. The air is balmy and the scenery equally beautiful. My daughter gets her photo holding a 15-foot python. We dine on the cliff-side restaurant and enjoy a Balinese sunset.
We visit Jimbaran Bay. We arrive early and walk the beach into a cultural vision. It’s a fishing village with the return of the days catch and preparations underway for overnight trips and more. There’s a very colorful and large variety of Indonesian fishing vessels filtering in and out of the bay. I appreciate the opportunity to shoot real life adventures like this with the camera. We enjoy a seafood dinner at the waters edge with the sand under our feet.
As the sun sets the sky re-lights into a purple glow and we take it all in.
We decide to take a trip up to the west. It’s nothing short of amazing. There are a handful of accommodations. I spend my time surfing and shooting some incredible photography. We take a nature walk through the Garden of Eden-like setting. It is of phenomenal beauty and untouched. There are terraced rice fields meeting up to deserted black sand beaches. We wander these magical shores. The energy level is high and the serenity has already captivated me. We enjoy our evening meals with reggae music setting UN comparable moods.
The moon was full, and the surf roars through each silent night. The peaceful early mornings are soothing and the sun’s rising behind the volcano with the palms in the foreground was majestic to say the least.
One week here was not enough. We checked out of one paradise and head toward another back home to Kaua‘i. Bali offers something for everyone.
• To view the rest of the photos, visit www.surfariphotography.com.
