A Relaxing Trip to Bali

My husband I spent a relaxing 4-day trip in Bali on our way from Perth to Sydney. We stayed at the Viceroy, Bali in Ubud. It was mostly a time to relax, but we also spent a bit of time exploring Ubud: temples, museums, markets, and rice paddies.

Upon arrival were taken aback by the amount of traffic and people on scooters. And when I say people on scooters, I am actually referring to the fact that whole families squished on together- we even saw a family of 4 on one bike! But for a place that is warm all year, and has limited parking, having a scooter does seem to make sense.

The Balinese are generally Hindu, so there were tons of statues everywhere. And the statues were so beautiful and intricately carved out of stone! Because of the humid and jungle-y environment, the statues were usually surrounded by lush greenery and were covered in moss which just added to the romance of it all. 

We also learned that the Balinese (or at least Ubudese -is that a word?!) liked nude statues with exaggerated genitals. I think this has something to do with the Hindu culture. 

Ubud is known for its art and we brought home a few pieces. It was cool to watch several artisans form their art from stone working to wood carving to weaving. The woman above was weaving an ikat fabric- really awesome! I regret not bringing home some of these lovely fabrics. 

We stopped by a museum called Agung Rai Museum of Art. The exterior landscape alone was gorgeous! The art inside was also fantastic, featuring both modern and antiques pieces. In the photo above, the statue is dressed in ceremonial clothing. We learned that this was done a few times per year as part of their religious ceremonies. 

This image was also taken at the museum. The integration of plants, flowers, and stone was just so dreamy. 

The Water Temple was also a cool place to visit. We ate at a restaurant that surrounded it and enjoyed the view as we dined. Afterwards we toured around the outside of it (we couldn't go in). Geremy is standing in front of the temple in the photo above. Below that you can see a close-up of the temple door- amazing! 

One of our favorite activities was biking the rice paddies and through the villages. It was really eye-opening to get a peek into the homes and lives of the majority of people who live there. Below is an image of women bringing offerings to their local temple. 

Above is an image of me biking behind our guide. He really knew the village inside and out. So glad we got to be shown around by someone so knowledgeable. 

The tiered rice paddies were breathtaking!  

The Viceroy was a dream. It was so well designed inside and out and integrated well with the natural jungle landscape. 

We learned that the owner was the interior designer. I love her and I want to be like her. I mean, how gorgeous is this place??

We also enjoyed lots of yummy food at the onsite and outdoor restaurant, CasCades. 

I highly recommend this place if you're ever this side of the globe. One perk that I should mention is that many of the services were very affordable. For example, my husband, Geremy and I went to a lovely indoor/outdoor spa called Bali Botanica Day Spa. I had a mani/pedi, and we both had a foot and leg massage all for $50. Pretty amazing, right?! 

If you're thinking about a trip to Bali or have any questions for me,  comment below! I'd love to help you out any way I can!