what to do in Bali on a non-diving day ...

[MXGratefulDiver]

We've got one day at the end of our trip when we won't be diving. If it were you, how would you spend it?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Wisnu]

Bob,
in fact bali is more popular for non-diving activities. Lots to do include surfing, rafting, camel/elephant riding, shopping ect; even one week may not enough to explore all bali topsite. What is your main interest ? For one day only, probably you can book a day trip to visit ubud, pura gunung kawi, pura besakih and sunset at tanah lot.

Cheers

 

[littlce]

There's LOTS to do... a good question to ask yourself is what kind of day do you want to have? Casual day in the park? Adventure Day? Shopping Day?

Once you can answer that question, then myself as well as many other people can guide you to choices that fit your style.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Bob,
in fact bali is more popular for non-diving activities. Lots to do include surfing, rafting, camel/elephant riding, shopping ect; even one week may not enough to explore all bali topsite. What is your main interest ? For one day only, probably you can book a day trip to visit ubud, pura gunung kawi, pura besakih and sunset at tanah lot.

Cheers

I would like to see Bali ... not the tourist stuff, maybe inland away from the beaches and resorts. I'd like to visit a local market ... maybe go to the top of a mountain and see what it looks like from up there.

Does that make sense?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hank49]

The mountain is really nice. There's a lake up there and at a market you can buy lots of exotic fruits. There's a local tribe of macaque monkeys, the same type as in the Philippines and Malaysia, but they have long hair, I guess to keep them warm up there. They'd run along side the car on the road as we tossed them fruit out the window. They could catch like Jerry Rice. I could go hang out there all day for sure.

 

[highdesert]

Luckily, Bali is pretty compact, in terms of accomplishing what you want to do. If you get an early start (I'm assuming you're going to be somewhere near Denpasar/Kuta/airport), like 8:30 AM, you can see the Barong dance in Batubalan on the way to Ubud. It starts at 9:30 AM, but not sure exactly what days. From there, Ubud is another half hour. It's the cultural center of the island. The intersection between the market and the palace in town is nuts, but it's quiet, beautiful rice paddies once you move a couple hundred yards off the road. From Ubud, you can go north through Bedugul, with a stop there to check out the temple by the lake. Beyond Bedugul, you'll drive along a ridge that will give you some great views. Continue the drive and drop off the north side of the ridge, and you can do the short hike to the waterfall at Munduk. If you go a bit further, you can stop in the town of Singaraja.

'Course, this is one of a bazillion trips you could make. Any hotel can put you in touch with a driver/guide. Make it clear that you will not accept a guide who takes kickbacks from certain vendors in exchange for delivering customers. A full day should cost a couple no more than $40 plus your meals, entries to attractions, etc. You may or may not be responsible for your guide's lunch, depending on the arrangement.

If you're looking for a hotel near the airport, my suggestion is the Green Garden Beach Resort and Spa, which is actually about a hundred yards off the beach, and doesn't really feel like a spa, in Kuta Beach. Great hotel prices here: Bali hotel Green Garden Resort & Spa hotel Kuta Beach discount hotel in Bali Green Garden Resort & Spa hotel

Five minute free shuttle to/from airport. If you have two nights in Bali, or if your departure flight from there is not early morning, you might consider staying in Ubud. You could take in either the Legong or Kecak dance in the evening. Lots of reasonable hotels and restaurants. I can share some info.

Enjoy!

 

[Travelnsj]

I did the Batur and Besakih land tour a couple of years ago. I also went thru Ubud had lunch saw the Monkeys etc.....great trip....suggestion study a bit of the Hindu and Bali history. The temples were beautiful but if your guide has a strong accent and speaks quickly....good luck understanding him.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Luckily, Bali is pretty compact, in terms of accomplishing what you want to do. If you get an early start (I'm assuming you're going to be somewhere near Denpasar/Kuta/airport), like 8:30 AM, you can see the Barong dance in Batubalan on the way to Ubud. It starts at 9:30 AM, but not sure exactly what days. From there, Ubud is another half hour. It's the cultural center of the island. The intersection between the market and the palace in town is nuts, but it's quiet, beautiful rice paddies once you move a couple hundred yards off the road. From Ubud, you can go north through Bedugul, with a stop there to check out the temple by the lake. Beyond Bedugul, you'll drive along a ridge that will give you some great views. Continue the drive and drop off the north side of the ridge, and you can do the short hike to the waterfall at Munduk. If you go a bit further, you can stop in the town of Singaraja.

'Course, this is one of a bazillion trips you could make. Any hotel can put you in touch with a driver/guide. Make it clear that you will not accept a guide who takes kickbacks from certain vendors in exchange for delivering customers. A full day should cost a couple no more than $40 plus your meals, entries to attractions, etc. You may or may not be responsible for your guide's lunch, depending on the arrangement.

If you're looking for a hotel near the airport, my suggestion is the Green Garden Beach Resort and Spa, which is actually about a hundred yards off the beach, and doesn't really feel like a spa, in Kuta Beach. Great hotel prices here: Bali hotel Green Garden Resort & Spa hotel Kuta Beach discount hotel in Bali Green Garden Resort & Spa hotel

Five minute free shuttle to/from airport. If you have two nights in Bali, or if your departure flight from there is not early morning, you might consider staying in Ubud. You could take in either the Legong or Kecak dance in the evening. Lots of reasonable hotels and restaurants. I can share some info.

Enjoy!

Thanks! This is pretty much the sort of info I'm looking for. Last time we were there it was all diving (only four days on the island and we were new divers then). The time before that was years ago and Cheng's cousin took us around. I remember the temple by the lake, but not what it was called. And I was hoping to get some clues by name to research before we go.

We're staying at the Legian Beach Hotel while in Bali ... I assume that's in Kuta. A part of the trip I arranged with the local company includes a one-day guided tour, but they told us the guide will take us anywhere we want to go.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[littlce]

There is a temple by a volcano lake called Bedugul. It's a gorgeous place, but colder due to the altitude. If you're sensitive to colder climates you might take a jacket.

You can find some info here.

 

[Wisnu]

I would like to see Bali ... not the tourist stuff, maybe inland away from the beaches and resorts. I'd like to visit a local market ... maybe go to the top of a mountain and see what it looks like from up there.

Does that make sense?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

You can visit Pasar (market) Badung in Denpasar, not far from Kuta - traditional market, bit smelly, not very clean, tent markets, no aircon at all. In Pasar Badung you find will find the usual meat, fish, vegetables, tropical fruits, groceries, spices and anything else Balinese home can possibly need. Apart from consumables, you can also find beetle leaves, instruments used in Balinese Hindu prayers, fabrics and household supplies. Peak hour is in the afternoon, when the big buying occurs. Obviously is not tourist destination, not many people speak english there.

If you follow highdesert route, after Batubulan you will find pasar seni (art market) sukawati - now very tourist oriented but if you master in bargain you may get good quality art's stuff as low as 20% of souvenir shops.

If you like to visit temples - my best five are Pura tanah Lot (sunset best view), Pura Ulu Watu, Pura Besakih - the mother of all bali temples, Pura Gunung Kawi and Pura Ulun Danu at Bratan lake (near bedugul). Again, these are tourist destination.
make sure not to use shorts when visiting temples. They will ask you to rent sarong and traditional scarf before entering temples, may cost you more than the prices. So, better to buy before - not expensive at all, approx 1 - 2 $ for scarf and 3 - 4 $ for sarong - the most functional clothes; i love to use it at home till now.

For more challenge, you can climb sacred mt. Agung - the highest volcano in Bali 3142 m asl; total time required for the shortest route is not more 10 hours when I was 20; best to start at 02:00 am and make sure to have good guide and not during rainy season.

I assume you will visit Tulamben, ask your driver to stop at Tirtagangga - beautiful water palace on the way to Tulamben.

Cheers