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The famed Island of the Gods! It was my first visit to this mystical isle and little did I know that it would become an enduring love affair that would last for many years to come. Being a newbie, and not quite ready to venture off the beaten path, I opted for the safe and unadventurous choice of checking into the well-reputed and reliable Bali Hilton located at Nusa Dua. Within its sprawling acreages, Nusa Dua houses most of the major 5 star international resorts. The immensity of the grounds was staggering; the combined presence of each massive resort practically constituted a mini-conurbation! The size of each resort was of such ridiculously mammoth proportions, that they were in fact singular destinations in themselves! The free bus shuttle services encouraged guests of each separate resort to visit the other either to dine, shop or just to investigate the neighbouring resorts’ amenities and settings. There is also a massive lake within the complex that actually supports intra-resort transportation via the free and very leisurely ferry shuttle service that plies the beautifully landscaped route! However, staying in Nusa Dua limits one to experiencing the real Bali. Service naturally is impeccable and surroundings are lush and opulent. Nusa Dua is better suited for those with a proclivity for luxury, exclusivity and privacy. The guest demographic is made up mostly of young honeymooners, families with children, couples in their twilight years as well as young couples in love. Nusa Dua is definitely not the place to be if you are a young and single party animal!

The Hilton is fronted by an imposing statue of an ornately carved mythical winged creature called a Garuda. Behind this behemoth was a three tiered rectangular Olympic sized ornamental pool with undulating statues of magnificent Nagas circumventing the entire perimeter. Other assorted statues and figures spouted forth arcs of water into the bottle green waters. Entering the lobby, the wood panelled walls were adorned with exquisite paintings of traditional Balinese dancing females in their full regalia. The front of the reception counter was decorated with intricately carved floral motifs with what I presumed to be teak. After an invigoratingly cold floral scented towel and refreshing welcome drink with a delicate hint of lemongrass was served , I was led to my room. The hardwood floor was laid with a rattan mat, imparting a very organic feel. Above the King-sized teak bed, the headboard was upholstered with heavy Balinese batik inspired fabric in shades of rich browns, reds and gold. On the wall, gold-framed scenes of Balinese days of old were hung. The rich mahogany tones of the teak study and coffee tables were complimented brilliantly by the plush cream chaise longue and heavy cream drapes. Through the wood framed glass doors, the balcony revealed its view of swaying palms, flowering frangipanis and lush shrubs. Crickets stridulated, cicadas chirped and mosquitoes buzzed in nature’s very own concerto!

In the morning, the true vastness of the Hilton unfolded before me. There were blocks after blocks of guest rooms which flanked an immense pond fringed by reeds, bougainvillea, coconut palms, weeping willows et al. The moss green pond attracted wild herons, ibises and monitor lizards that stalked the thousands of tilapias that thrived in the waters. Breakfast was had on a terrace by the pond where I watched fascinated as the predating waterfowl stood stock-still and at the most opportune moment, struck with lighting speed to emerge triumphantly with a thrashing fish between its bill and in one swift motion the still live fish was sent slithering down the long gullet of these elegant birds. Meanwhile, a monitor lizard lounged lazily on a rock and sunned its cold-blooded body whilst another sufficiently warmed reptile, propelled itself effortlessly through the water with long languid sweeps of its powerful tail in search of an easy meal. I noticed that the Koi were largely left unmolested and went about their business unbothered by these predators, presumably because of their substantial girth or maybe they were plainly unpalatable? This was truly Animal Planet live at its best!


Curiously, the Bali Hilton does not have a swimming pool, but for very good reason. The Hilton along with the other illustrious resorts in Nusa Dua, have their very own stretch of well maintained and pristine private beaches! As I edged closer to the shoreline, the soft prickly carpet grass abruptly gave way to fine powdered sand clearly demarcating the two territories. The seaside venue beckoned me invitingly. Comfortable deckchairs were thoughtfully fanned out on the grassy verge, in order to save bare feet from blistering sand. Afflicted with mild heliophobia which originates purely from vanity rather than any serious underlying medical condition, I sought refuge under a large shady umbrella structure with the typical Balinese thatched roofing. Slathered from head to toe in SPF 50 sun block, I ordered a tall glass of ice cold Coca-cola and laid back to enjoy the sound of the crashing waves and watch their foamy white crests breach the shore only to dissipate quickly. I tried settling into a trashy chick-lit, but the book could not hold my attention, the call of the sea was simply too irresistible! I was soon scuttling across the burning sand and plunged headlong into the warm sea green tropical waters! The waves were at least a metre high and packed quite a punch. When I lost my footing, I was tossed like a ragdoll back to shore and continued to be pounded by the unrelenting waves until I regained my footing. I could not help but be mindful and most importantly, respectful of Mother Nature’s immense power, for once unleashed, like the tsunami of Dec 2004, it would cause incalculable devastation.

Next on the agenda, was the obligatory spa visit. Having previously worked in a pioneering day spa in Singapore, my expectations were unapologetically high. I was ushered into a private spa pavilion set with its requisite Balinese furnishings and accoutrements. The treatment began with a warm foot soak in a wooden bowl sprinkled with an array of flowers; a less than thorough foot scrub ensued. Next, I proceeded to lie on the batik covered treatment table for my body scrub followed by a Balinese body massage. The scrub was made of all natural ingredients with no preservatives, explained the therapist, one glance and I knew that I was looking at a home-made sweet almond oil and sugar gommage. The body scrub administered was less than satisfactory, maybe the therapist was specifically instructed by an overly cautious trainer to not apply too much pressure to avoid any incidences of scratched or abraded skin. Personally, I find that notion to be ludicrous. Our skin is a remarkably resilient organ! It would take more than sugar crystals or crushed apricot pips to slough off enough epidermal layers to cause any major damage. I found the Balinese style of massage to be not quite to my liking, it was neither firm nor deep enough for me. The massage was followed by a poor excuse of a body wrap. A supposedly detoxifying goop was spread over my body and I was wrapped with a flimsy piece of batik. There was no electric blanket to provide the heat that is required to act as the catalyst to the detoxification process! While still cocooned in the thin wisp of fabric, the therapist performed a sub-standard facial. It felt like the facial was thrown in as an afterthought. The rudimentary steps involved cleansing, toning, a scrub, a lackadaisical facial massage and the application of a less than luxuriant mask. After the facial and body mask was rinsed off, I was treated to a yogurt splash. As the name implied, cold fresh plain yogurt was slapped onto my body and hastily rinsed off. What purpose that served escaped me completely! And finally, I was eased into a sunken bath filled with tepid water but brimming with rose petals. A hydrotherapy bath with massaging jets it was not! For the amount forked over, in US dollars no less, where were the Clarins, Babor or Lancôme products? In their stead were unsophisticated home-made pastes and potions! Needlessly to say I left the pavilion deeply disappointed and not the least renewed.

TANAH LOT

The next day, I took a 90 minute taxi ride to one of Bali’s most popular tourist sites, the iconic Tanah Lot temple, one of Bali’s holiest places of worship. To reach the temple, a reconnaissance through a long narrow street besieged by legions of tourists and camps of shops selling tacky souvenirs was necessary. Once through, I arrived at a pair of perfectly symmetrical and ornately carved gates hewn from what looked like volcanic rock. The Balinese people are blessed with an artistic and creative gene, and it is evident in the intricate carvings, handicrafts and stunning architecture everywhere. Walking through the gates, Tanah Lot temple came into view. Tanah Lot is a temple dedicated to the sea gods and was built on an offshore rock that has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. Atop the rock, I spied several black thatched roof structures, which I presume to be the spirit houses, and the most prominent and eye-catching was the multi-tiered pagoda like structure. Tanah Lot Temple is accessible only during low tide, and rather fortuitously, it was low tide when I visited. The exposed black volcanic rock that surrounded the base of the temple was teeming with people jostling for the perfect angle to snap a photograph of what is arguably the undisputed symbol of Bali. The enthusiastic subjects of shutterbugs were clambering onto rocky outcrops or venturing perilously further outward towards more slippery terrain in the race to snap a prized picture! A snaking queue formed at the mouth of a cave at the foot of Tanah Lot where a natural spring was bubbling forth what the locals believe to be holy water. Tourists and locals alike, waited patiently to drink from this sacred spring and to be ritually blessed by the attending priests. The temple proper is open only to practising Hindus, and one cannot become a Hindu, you are born one! Tourists curious for a peek into this sacrosanct shrine will be firmly turned away, further heightening the Temple’s already mystical and enigmatic allure! Therefore, the hallowed grounds of Tanah Lot will remain exclusively treaded by the gentle footsteps of the local devotees! To attain a panoramic view of the temple, I wound my way up to higher ground. From that vantage point more details of the beautiful temple were unveiled. Crafted purely from stone, there were winding stairways, spiralling pillars, balustrades and ornate lanterns. And across the other side from my viewing point, was a smaller temple called the Batu Bolong Temple. This temple is perched on the very edge of a narrow sliver of rock. Over the millennia, oceanic forces have eroded a large gaping hole through the rock, thereby creating what looks like a bridge to the temple. Even though Batu Bolong Temple is considerably smaller than its famous neighbour Tanah Lot, it is this natural rock formation that attracts its fare share of attention. Roaming around the lovely manicured grounds with the sound of the waves crashing thunderously in the background, I noticed an 8 metre long python languishing on the grass! I am not a big fan of snakes and was admittedly a little fearful at seeing such a leviathan serpent on the loose! As it turned out, it was owned by a Balinese family who unfortunately were exploiting the poor creature by charging a fee to any tourist bold or eager enough to want a giant constrictor wrapped and draped around their necks and torso for the sole purpose of a photo opportunity!

BEDUGUL

Early the next morning, I set off for the mountain- lake resort of Bedugul. I was informed that Bedugul has long been a favourite weekend retreat for the Balinese. To escape the heat and humidity, locals and tourists flee to this highland hideaway that is nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. Located 1400 metres above sea level, temperatures here drop drastically to hover at a very comfortable 22 degrees Celsius or even less under the shade. The three lakes found in this area provide life giving waters to the springs, rivers and most importantly to the ubiquitous rice terrace fields found below. They also are the perfect venue for water sports such as water-skiing and parasailing! Rolling forested hills abound, and in the mornings, the air is exceptionally fresh and mist cloaks the vicinity, producing an utterly ethereal visage! Vegetation is an incongruous mix of temperate and rainforest species. Towering pines and chalets built on the slopes of these gentle hills bizarrely add a very Swiss flavour to the atmosphere. Bedugul is also renowned for its excellent golf courses. Perhaps, it is the synergistic combination of uncontaminated waters, cool temperatures and unpolluted air which explains why this region produces some of the finest fruits, vegetables and flowers in Bali. While strolling along Lake Bratan, a young lady selling packets of fresh strawberries approached me and I could not resist buying a packet. The strawberries were juicy, sweet and aromatic! It was a definite testament to that claim! Soon the day trip drew to its close, and I was driven slowly down the meandering mountainous roads with several stops made to admire the famed verdant terrace rice fields that are also synonymous with the Bali!

KECAK DANCE


When I returned to the Hilton, it was close to dinner time. I had made reservations at the Balinese dinner theatre found within the resort to indulge in a night of Balinese cuisine and culture. Dining tables and chairs were cleverly arranged around a cosy amphitheatre to ensure that nobody’s view was obstructed from the spectacle that was about to unfold. The stage was set with 3 towering and exquisitely decorated gateways, stone carvings of mythical barongs and other fabled beings adorned the heavily embellished backdrop. One would think that the combination of all these overly-elaborate details would result in a garish mess, but on the contrary, it was breath-taking and unmistakably Balinese! I love the concept of dinner theatre! To be simultaneously wined, dined and entertained is a joy! My anticipation was gaining momentum as my impending experience with the legendary Kecak Dance approached! The kecak dance is a carefully choreographed performance depicting the Hindu Ramayana epic. In the 1930s, through the collaboration between Balinese artists and the painter Walter Spies, the kecak dance was refined and transformed into something more stylised that almost immediately garnered international attention. The choreography remains unchanged till this day. The Ramayana is a classic tale of the battle between good and evil and how good always triumphs in the end. In brief, the story relates how the hero Prince Rama’s wife, the virtuous Sita, was abducted by the demon King Ravana. With the help of the money deity Hanuman and his comrades, Prince Rama eventually vanquishes the evil King Ravana and the lovely Sita is rescued.

The centre piece of the stage was a huge candelabra laden with numerous twinkling oil lamps to signify the holy fire. Soon the distinctive chant of “kecak kecak kecak” rumbled from backstage to indicate the start of the show. 50 bare-chested and sinewy men spilled out from the 2 side gates. They were clad only in black and white chequered sarongs and a frangipani blossom tucked behind their ear. They quickly encircled the holy fire and sat in neat concentric circles. Essentially, they formed the choir that would modulate the cadence of the “kecak kecak” sound to accompany the different scenes that would play out. And when the scene or situation called for it, the men would throw their arms high into the air and wave their hands vigorously as if caught in a trance and the “kecak” sound would reach a tremulous crescendo! And once spent, the men would dramatically fall back onto each other. The main characters of the play would emerge from the central gateway and they were dressed in rich, colourful and heavily embroidered costumes replete with elaborate gold headdresses or masks depending on the character they were portraying. Hand gestures were contorted into impossible inflections, wide open expressive eyes would shift theatrically from one corner to the other, each measured step was carefully executed, every minute movement was pregnant with symbolism, but alas, I did not fully grasp the varied nuances! Even though I did not understand what the characters were saying, as the performance was presented in Bahasa, I still managed to glean the premise of the plot as it progressed! I enjoyed myself thoroughly as I found it to be a magnificent orgy of sight, sound and colours!

KUTA


I finally decided to head to the infamous Kuta area of Bali. And it was heaving! The traffic was crawling through the narrow streets of Legian and Kuta at a snail’s pace! It was faster to just walk! Horns blared; exhaust belched and boisterous bare-bodied Aussie surfer-dude types hollered at one and another across the streets, vendors touted their wares and services generating a cacophonous racket! I was instantly gratified that I chose not to stay in this car-choked and tourist infested location. The dust, noise and crowd would have made my stay unbearable and totally unpleasant! I made my way to, what people keep telling me is, the world famous Kuta Beach. It was high tide and the thronging sun worshippers and beach goers had to share a narrow strip of exposed beach with the army of hawkers peddling their merchandise, the myriad masseuses, the manicurists, the hair braiders and the surf and boogie board stalls! I could barely find a spot to sit at! It was overcrowded and chaotic. Tired of dodging the manic masses, I decided to try my hand at boogie boarding. It looked much simpler than surfing, because you were not required to stand on the board you just lay on top of it! So I rented a boogie board, which is about half the length of a surf board but broader. The surface of the board is coated with a rough grainy layer for better grip. With no instructions given, I paddled feebly out to sea. It was difficult battling the incoming waves that sometimes reached 2 metres! My arms were screaming in agony as my legs kicked uselessly as I fought the powerful waves! A pair of fins or webbed gloves would have been advantageous in propelling me forward! Also, I was inappropriately and foolishly clad in only my hot pink swimming trunks! And soon I paid the price, my upper torso was suffering abrasions from the coarse texture of the board, what I wouldn’t have given for a wet suit! Only later did I spy other experienced boogie boarders who were more in the know sporting said equipment! DAMN! Finally, I was adequately far out at sea. And I waited and bobbed alongside the other boogie boarders and surfers, waiting for the right wave. And when the perfect wave came along, all thoughts of the strenuous effort of swimming out were forgotten! The wave picked me up and soon I was riding the crest and rushing at break-neck speed all the way to the shore! It was an adrenaline inducing and entirely exciting ride! I had to do it again! It was so much fun! The down side was the arduous paddle back out to sea! An hour later, I was completely exhausted, my elbows and torso were sore and my nipples were very tender! But it was worth it! I would definitely give boogie boarding another try, but next time, I will be better prepared!


Hot, thirsty and hungry, I headed to one of the many cafes and restaurants that can be found in abundance in Legian Street. I slaked my thirst with my usual Coke and ice and had a bite to eat. Sufficiently rested, I explored the retail heart of Bali. Most of the shops were understandably selling beach wear to cater to the rampant and profitable sun, sea and sand culture of Kuta. Well established names such as Billabong, Rip Curl, Quicksilver and Roxy dominated the retail landscape. Naturally, there were smaller shops flogging the ubiquitous souvenirs and handicrafts. There were shops dealing in decorative home accessories as well as shops selling exquisite and pricey Balinese lace. Interspersed with the shops and cafes, were the rather enterprising foot and body massage businesses. They provided foot reflexology and body massages to weary shoppers in a clean and simple set up. After a while, I came to realise that the shops along the busy streets were becoming repetitious and a lot of them were selling the same things! Tired and a little bored of pounding the pavement and trying my best, sometimes failing, to avoid stepping on the beautifully woven palm leaf baskets that held tiny offerings of rice, flowers, candy and incense that were found everywhere, I headed into a foot massage place and indulged in some much needed reflexology to soothe my aching feet! After my relaxing reprieve, I gratefully made my way back to the sane and tranquil refuge of the Hilton far from the maddening noise and swarms of loud mouthed Aussie youths!