Bali & Gili Islands with Tublin

A brief note... I have traveled to Bali a number of times; however this trip was only my second to the Gili Islands. I've talked about Bali and the Gilis in the past; you can check out my favorite photos from a previous trip, find out about my adventures with my students, or listen to my Gili travel guide from my first expedition.

Following Bryan and my departure from Labuan Bajo, we ventured to Karangasem, Bali. Since the travel times did not matchup, we had an afternoon to kill before heading to the Gili islands. In many ways it was eventful; we had lunch at a small warung that offered a full water bottle of arak (palm whiskey) for 20,000 IDR (~ $1.50 USD), which is the deal of the century; and Bryan met an incredibly flirtatious lady friend, which made him overly self-conscious. Not to be mistaken for too subtle, she kept asking Bryan if he wanted 'dessert'.

Our Lady Friends

Before we left Karangasem, Bryan got some dance moves in to my amusement. Unfortunately, our time went quickly and we left from nearby Padang Bai to reach the Gili islands.

Sunset on Gili Trawangan

To the left is a video from my previous trip to the Gili islands where I give a brief explanation of what it is like on the island of the lotus-eaters. Seriously, time stands still on these minuscule islands. There are no motorized vehicles, only carts and horses, which feels as though you've been transported back into a much simpler, more peaceful time.

Our first order of business was to crush some food, which meant devouring Indian at Pesona. Now, I've been to the Gilis before and I can tell you that this island is an anomaly. Having lived in Indonesia for a while now, I can safely say non-Asian food in Indonesia is generally not very good, but the Gilis for whatever reason have outstanding Italian, Indian, and Western food among others, much to my delight. That being said, I always smile when others look at me and presume I don't live here. The look goes something like, "Why the hell aren't you eating local food?" Simple answer: I eat Indonesian food every day.

Beachside Indian Food in Indonesia. Who knew?

Chilling at Pesona

Gili Trawangan Road

Guinness

Sunset

Nightlife at Sama Sama Reggae Bar

As expected, Bryan and I had a fantastic few debaucherous days on Gili Trawangan. We ate excellent food, watched sunsets, listened to live music, made new friends, and had some beers before making our way back to Bali. Also, it wouldn't be fair to only post a video of Bryan dancing ridiculously...

Hello Again Bali!

The remainder of our time on Bali was spent in Ubud, which is by far my favorite spot on Bali. It is stunningly beautiful, well preserved, clean, and above all peaceful. it is possibly the most tranquil, serene city in existence.

View from Hotel in Ubud

The first night we came across a Legong performance with a traditional gamelan orchestra. Legong is popular in Bali and well-known for its intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive facial gestures, particularly in the intensity of the eyes.

Legong Dance, Gamelan Orchestra

Drive North

Path to Our First Stop

The following day, New Year's Eve, we decided to do a bike tour from the north of the island back to Ubud. Don't worry, it's pretty easy considering you are driven to the top of a mountain and ride the vast majority of the trip downhill making stops along the way.

Our first stop? A kopi luwak coffee plantation. And if you didn't know, the coffee beans are brewed after they have been digested and expelled by the Asian palm civet.

In general, I thought the coffee was a bit more bitter than normal, but still packed a lot of flavor. Since I'm not a coffee connoisseur, I couldn't rationalize purchasing the most expensive coffee in the world.

Background Info

Asian Palm Civet

Top of the Mountain

Fruit Stand

Road Down

Traditional Balinese Home

Kitchen

Workshop

Cock Fight Training

Following our adventurous bike ride, we visited the notorious Ubud Monkey Forest, which is deceptively not as old as you would think.

Main Entrance

After the Monkey Forest expedition, we began the night with a bromantic massage, followed by a candlelit dinner, before enjoying a few Bali Hai's and the New Year's festivities.

A neat cafe we stumbled across.

Serenity Now

Dinner & Relaxation

New Year's Beverages

Next Stop: Yogyakarta!