Hey there readers, before getting into the details of Day 2 of my recent trip to Bali, I would like to extend a very warm thank you to everyone who sent me direct messages of encouragement after my last post. It was very rewarding to read all of your positive notes!
So unlike Day 1, for today I had decided to book a full day tour to the Ubud area. As is generally my recommendation for day trips, particularly as a solo traveler, I booked the through Get you Guide, for a cost of 5581 INR ($62.93 USD) including lunch and all entry fees. The tour name was Ubud: All-Inclusive Tour with Optional Lunch. The actual tour operator was Tripgotik and our driver/guide for the day was Nick (Cinek). The evening before, I had been contacted by Nick to confirm the pick-up time.
The trip began with me being picked up from my hotel (see details from Day 1) in Kerobokan at 8:40 AM. The SUV style vehicle was comfortable, with a total of 5 tourists having joined the group by 9:30 AM. The drive itself was relatively uneventful, but the scenery was pleasant.
We arrived to Sangeh Monkey Forest at 10:25 AM and started looking around.
I think I would have liked to explore just a bit more, but it was clear that the main idea on this trip was to get the picture and get out quickly. That having been said, it appears that one could easily spend several hours here, but I am not sure how interesting that would be, as I really only saw the entrance. Still, everyone was happy because yes, you guessed it . . .
That’s right, close encounters with monkeys. Unlike several other areas I have visited with monkeys, at least these ones near the entrance were very docile. I suspect they were more interested in getting the processed food and occasional fruits from clever guides setting up the perfect picture for tourists than in grabbing jewelry or snatching bags. They were of course adorable, but I have to admit that I was a bit uncomfortable with the picture setup. Despite a recent news report to the contrary, the actual local people and guides on site had no issues coaxing monkeys onto people’s shoulders etc . . . through the enticement of food. I want to be clear, this was ALL the guides, not just ours. It was obvious that this is the norm.
There was no “cultural element” to the stop, and when I asked Nick about the age of the temple, he said it was 100 years old. This seemed off to me, and upon checking later, I saw that the temple was built in the 17th century. Again though, we clearly weren’t there for the temple itself nor even most of the grounds, so it is unsurprising that there was not more complete information. Still, overall, I have to admit that it was a very pleasant spot, and certainly everyone in my group seemed very happy with the experience.
We were back in the vehicle at 11:40 AM. Once more, the views were very nice, even in the moving vehicle. I found myself thinking that with more time, it seemed that it would be pleasant to wander around and check out some more of the spots we were passing. However, we were on the clock, and at 12:50 PM arrived to Ubud palace. Right off I could understand why this area is so popular for tourists to stay, and I could see myself returning later on.
Again, we didn’t really learn anything much about the palace itself. To be fair, it seems that only a very small amount of the attraction is even open to the public, so perhaps that’s just what it is. At any rate, at 1:07 PM Nick pointed us towards the Ubud art market and told us that we had exactly 30 minutes to explore before being picked up right in front of the temple. Everyone else dutifully headed into the market, but I decided instead to use my limited time to walk around a bit in the area near the palace.
It’s worth noting that just five minutes away from the palace, it was much calmer and at least from my viewpoint, much nicer to walk around. Like a well-trained tourist, I was back in the SUV at 1:32 PM, but there was a bit of an issue. Of the five of us, only the woman from France and myself had arrived. This sort of thing frequently happens on small group tours, but that doesn’t make it less annoying for the guide and for those who are on time. The final lagging member of our group didn’t arrive until 1:51 PM. In case the implied message is not clear, if going on a small group tour, please be respectful of the time expectations. Everyone on the trip wants to see things, and if you want to do things at your own pace, pay for a completely private trip or simply go on your own.
Once more, as we continued along our way, the scenery was quite picturesque. Furthermore, given that I had arrived first back to the vehicle, this time I was in the front seat where it was much easier to take pictures while in motion.
We pulled into Kawi restaurant for lunch at 2:22 PM where we were quickly seated in an area with a very favorable view. The whole lunch experience was enjoyable if not particularly amazing in terms of the food itself, and I was glad that I had simply opted to have my full lunch included in the price rather than deal with deciding what to eat and then pay right there at the restaurant.
Certainly, it was a good place for a small group to have a leisurely lunch, and at 3:51 PM we were once more back in the vehicle. Arriving to a stunningly beautiful rice terrace area just fifteen minutes later, we were given 50 minutes to just look around and explore.
Despite the beauty of the place, it seemed a bit silly to be wandering around some neighborhood rice crop. I found myself wondering if this would work for wheat, soy or corn fields? I did not however feel that we were inconveniencing anyone or taking advantage of the locals, as they had clearly worked out a more than adequate system to monetize the agricultural site. Nevertheless, I still found it noteworthy that this very obviously was still an actual working rice field with what appeared to be traditional farm workers. On the other side of field, several of us from my group met up in a simple café to have drinks while we appreciated the view; my tasty strawberry shake was only 35000 IDR ($2.10 USD).
Back in the car again at 4:46 PM, just twenty-seven minutes later we arrived at the entrance of Ulu Petanu Waterfall. As I hadn´t really checked where we would be going ahead of time, I took each stop as a pleasant surprise, and this one was no different.
At 5:35 PM we departed in the car, arriving to Tirta Empul Temple complex at 5:52 PM. For local Hindus and many who visit from other parts of the world, the water which comes from the natural spring here is considered holy. It is a fully functioning site, with both tourists and those from the immediate community participating in different purification rituals which all involve being immersed in the waters of the temple. I found it noteworthy that locals were fine with “non-believers” participating in the rituals as long as the rules of the ceremony were adhered to in a respectful fashion.
Finishing up at the temple just as it was getting dark, at 6:23 PM we ended the “tour part” of our trip and started back towards my lodging in Kerobokan, dropping off people along the way. It wasn´t until 8:40 PM that Nick dropped me off outside my hotel where we said our goodbyes. After a brief break, at 9:09 PM I decided to go out to find some simple food nearby, which I bought for just 50,000 IDR ($3 USD) including some unexpectedly tasty tempeh and a mug of iced tea. Unfortunately, I had an unpleasant I fell in a hole along the side of the road, thankfully not breaking through the skin nor breaking anything, but I could tell my leg would have some soreness for a couple of days . . . I needed to be more careful, as that could have but a very unpleasant end to my holiday.
Again, I was very thankful that my long, but very enjoyable trip to Ubud had not been destroyed by a hole in the street. I was a bit cautious to even mention what had happened, because I did not want to take away from the overall fantastic day, but I then decided it was worth the time to warn fellow travelers to be careful when out walking, especially at night in this area. So, you have been warned!
So, what do you think? Do you think that full day trip was worth $69.23 USD or should I have just managed things on my own? Or maybe you think I should have just spent the day at the beach? What would you have done? Leave your comments and questions in the section below, and I will do my best to help make sure your next trip to Bali will be at least as amazing as mine has been so far!
Travels with Jay 