Bali in Review

Bali in Review

It seems that our Hen’s holiday to Bali was sandwiched between days of volcano ash cloud activity. We were really lucky to have made a successful trip! I’m so grateful for this fact because with the support and companionship of my close girlfriends I had one of the most memorable and enjoyable weeks of my life.

It’s been a slow crawl remembering all the foods and restaurants we tried in Bali but I’ve finally come through the other side. For easy perusal, here is a list of contents in order of occurrence.

Bali Day 5 - Dinner at Ultimo

Ultimo Italian Restaurant
http://www.balinesia.co.id/default.asp

Our last day in Bali was fun but tiring. The flight back home wasn't until late in the evening so we had a whole day's worth of activities but because check out happened in the morning, no place to recuperate throughout the day. This was softened by 2.5hrs of pampering booked for our afternoon. Hot stone massage, reflexology, scalp massage and hair treatment... life was good.

After our last session at Cool Spa, we were feeling dazed and relaxed but still had hours to kill before check in at the airport. No one was particularly hungry after our big lunch at Anika Cooking Class but sometimes dinner is more about something to do than something out of necessity.

Bali Day 5 - Anika Balinese Cooking Class

Anika Cooking Class
http://anikacookingclass.com/

Going into Bali, I was beyond unplanned and unprepared. We had no activities worked out, nothing booked and no real idea as to how we were going to spend the next 4 days (beyond booze and massages). Something I was actually keen on doing was a cooking class.

It's obvious from this blog that I'm a fan of food. Although back in my younger days I featured cooking posts and restaurant reviews equally, these days I mostly review restaurants. It's not that I don't cook much (well, it is that too) but in our day to day we try not to eat too extravagantly so we can save calorie splurges on dining out. Nevertheless, I still ENJOY cooking and I love doing cooking classes so I asked my girls to sort something out.

Bali Day 4 - Lunch at Indus

Indus Restaurant
http://www.casalunabali.com/indus-restaurant/

The best thing about Bali is that once you're there, everything is so affordable. Our resort accommodation came in a package that included not only airport transfers, breakfast and a family dinner but also a full day's private car hire. We used that to take on a tour around East Bali, which lead us into Ubud to visit the monkey forest, rice terraces and volcano gazing.

All this running around works up a big appetite and we were keen for our driver's lunch recommendation. He took us to Indus Restaurant, which I trusted would be good as soon as we saw it because as big as the restaurant was, it was very busy and most tables were full. We were seated on a large pagoda/deck that allowed us to enjoy the jungle scenery in comfort from afar.

Bali Day 3 - Dessert and Wine at Vin + Seminyak

Vin + Seminyak
Jalan Kayu Jati # 1, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

We were definitely well-fed after our lovely meal at Bambu Restaurant but because we were forced to vacate after a set time, we were sadly under-watered. With alcohol, that is.

Luckily for us Bali isn't the kind of place where it's hard to find somewhere to kick on into the night. We turned a corner and found Vin +. According to Jenny, I pointed out how interesting the venue looked every time we walked past so it was about time that we actually went in to check the place out.

Vin + is a wine-focused lounge bar. The layout is open and in the more outdoor section, there was a live band performing some mild pop song covers. Our group took up a corner couch and table where it was quite warm at first but improved after the waitstaff turned on the air-conditioning unit near us.

Bali Day 3 - Dinner at Bambu

Bambu Restaurant
Jl. Petitenget no. 198, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

While Jenny and I were rafting, the two other ladies enjoyed the sun and pool at our resort. Kat did some online research and came up with a recommendation for a restaurant near us. We knew it was in the same vicinity but it wasn't until we set out that we realised just how close it was. We must have walked past Bambu a dozen times and not noticed. It's a huge restaurant but it's hidden away behind high and private walls. Only a gold plated name and gorgeously dressed ushers gave any indication that this was a restaurant.

We hadn't made a booking but because we were early, we were given a table provided we finished in an hour and half. That didn't end up being much of an issue but I do recommend people intent on dining at Bambu to book to avoid disappointment.

Bambu has atmosphere like no other restaurant that I've been to. Within the walls, every subtle detail contributes to an air of radiant tranquility. The lanterns, pools, colourful koi fish and temple-like architecture serve to add to the incredibly peaceful ambiance. The restaurant was fully booked but with tables so spaced out, it never felt noisy or crowded.

Bali Day 3 - Nalu Bowls at Shelter Rooftop Garden Cafe

Nalu Bowls at Shelter Cafe
http://www.nalubowls.com/

After an exciting morning of white water rafter along the Ayung river, Jenny and I were dropped back to our villa with hours to spare before dinner. We decided to head out for a spot of shopping and caught a cab to Legian.

Bali shopping, at least in this district, was fairly underwhelming to me. There were lots of nice boutique shops but prices were akin to non-sale Australian prices. After some fruitless browsing, we were left with a ravaging thirst and sought out a cafe refuel.

Bali Day 2 - Dinner at The Junction

The Junction Seminyak
http://www.the-junction-bali.com/

After our day time bender at The Potato Head, I was just about ready to pass out and have an afternoon nap. We did something even better by submitting ourselves to hours of massage and hair treatments at Cool Spa and Salon (a business which we became very well acquainted with over our short stay). It's interesting how a day can go so quickly when comprised of nothing but drinking and pampering. Before we knew it, it was dinner time again.

This time we set off towards Seminyak square but before we made much headway, we got distracted by the eye-catching bleached wood exterior at The Junction. The Junction is a large restaurant at (surprise!) the junction of two busy streets. Its walls are adorned with bottles of strange things (everything from pasta to shells and bark) which, if nothing else, makes for an interesting conversation piece.

Bali Days 1 and 2 - Drinks and Grazings at Potato Head Beach Club

Potato Head Beach Club
http://www.ptthead.com/

I just got back from an amazing 5 day girly get away in Bali that was put together as a 'hens trip' pre-wedding. Leading up to the trip,  I was more excited about the Bali getaway than the actual wedding itself. Then the volcano situation happened and it was all sort of up in the air as to whether or not we'd even make it there. Thankfully the volcano gods were kind and we had a successful holiday.

I'm not a good flier at the best of times but I managed to top my PB with The Worst Plane ride of my entire life going into Bali. We arrived in the afternoon and used the remaining hours to get to our villa, settle in and melt our aches and stresses away with hours of pampering. After dinner and wine at a local restaurant, we retreated for a good night's sleep.