Day 9: Candidasa, Bali

Welcome to the final installment of our first trip to Bali! This is Travel to Bali Travel Blog, Part 3. When we left you last, we were napping in Candidasa. 

Did I mention that we love traveling to Bali?? After our nap, we got up and set out to explore. We chose a restaurant called Joglo because they would send a driver to pick us up. We had a decent meal of chicken and fish satay, then headed down the street to The New Queen. This chill bar and grill is temporarily closed at the time of this post, but if you are in Candidasa, try to check it out. This place is open air and has a beachy/hippie vibe that we loved! An Indonesian cover band played hits from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s with their own flare.

What comes next is one of Vuong’s favorite stories, so I will let him share it.

One of my favorite travel stories was when Jen and I traveled to Bali. We were at the New Queen in Candidasa, enjoying a meal and listening to live music, when we noticed some guy conspicuously checking us out. We could tell he was trying to listen in on our conversation and kept glancing our way and smiling. It was odd.

Finally, after what seemed like 20 minutes of this, he broke in and admitted what was going on. He had done his research before coming to Bali and because Jen is a blonde white woman and I am an Asian man (who does not look unlike a local), he assumed I was a "Kuta Cowboy.” He went on to explain that it is a common practice for Japanese, Australian, and New Zealand single women to come on holiday for a sex vacation to Bali and pick up a “Kuta Cowboy” for their stay.

Apparently, Kuta Cowboys are usually fit, local surfers; who for a fee, become the vacationer’s boyfriend for their stay. It was such a proud moment for me, to be mistaken for the the few, the proud, the Kuta Cowboy.

Below is an insurance ad from Australia. Clever marketing made “Rhonda” and “Ketut” famous, using the stereotypes Vuong mentions above as fodder.

Day 10: White Sand Beach, or Pasir Putih, Near Perasi, Bali

Our driver picked us up after a leisurely morning, which included a $5 massage, and took us to this hidden gem. We drove a few kilometers to Bug Bug village, then turned right into a residential neighborhood. Down a few dirt roads, we wound up on a beautiful stretch of beach. The Warung owner greeted us and gave us two loungers and an umbrella for free, as long as we agreed to have lunch with him. We relaxed with satay and Bintang, as we chatted and watched the waves crash. We swam in the ocean, which was bathwater temperature and clear.

Full disclosure- there was some litter.

This is a problem around Bali, as it is in much of the developing world. You have to look past this and see the beauty of the land and the people. I’m not suggesting turning a blind eye to the problems- learn about them and how you can get involved to help. But don’t let it discourage exploration and ruin your opinion of a place. You must still travel to Bali! When a place grows so quickly that the infrastructure cannot keep up, what do you expect? Increased consumerism and subsequent garbage, with nowhere to put it. In recent years, the Balinese government has implemented recycling programs and waste management programs.

But, the problem is not just Bali’s. Much of the litter that washes up on their beaches comes from neighboring islands like Java and some, even from other countries. This is a global problem that we can each help diminish by using less plastic and being conscious of our waste at home. Travel brings this type of thing to your consciousness and helps you see beyond your hometown. The US used to send recycling to China well, to be recycled. In 2018, when China banned the import of many types of waste, the shipments were re-routed to SE Asia, including Bali. So that extra plastic water bottle you drank? It could be on a beach in Bali… Read more about Bali’s litter problem here balis-beaches-blighted-by-rubbish-washed-in-by-the-tide

When you travel to Bali,

or anywhere else, you take the good with the bad. You learn about a place and accept it or not, warts and all, much like falling in love. I try to understand a place and its people. For me, travel is about learning and growing, not about being pampered and lying on the beach. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those things and partake from time to time… but that is not where the passion lies. Bali is enchanting, but it has problems, like every place. Learning the political, religious, and natural history and how they influenced the development and current climate of a place is part of the joy of travel and is just ethical and responsible.

We walked down the beach, past lava rock formations and fishermen. It was an idyllic day of relaxation and reconnection.

After a nice day at the beach and harrowing drive back to the resort, we returned to town and had dinner at Vincent’s. www.vincentsbali.com

This place had a lovely ambiance and great service. We sat at a cozy little table for two surrounded by tropical plants. The food was tasty- I had Thai Seafood Curry and Vuong had Ayam Betutu. Just spicy enough! We wandered a bit and called it an early night.

Day 11 Besakih: the Mother Temple, Bali

What follows was one of the coolest experiences of our entire trip to Bali.

Nyoman and Ketut collected us early for the pilgrimage to the Mother Temple. Pura Besakih is the most important temple in Balinese Hinduism. It is built on the slopes of Mount Agung. This is actually a complex of 23 temples, progressively getting larger as one proceeds toward heaven. When we visited, the temple was shrouded in mist, which added a mysterious, peaceful air. We rented a scooter for the short drive from the parking lot to the temple. We paid a guide, Tony, to show us this holy place.

He was a tall, lanky man wearing a traditional sarong and headdress. He had a sweet, playful aura and a pockmarked face. Tony animatedly shared his culture and customs with us as we walked through the rain. Even the tourists milling about were strangely beautiful in their colorful sarongs carrying bright umbrellas, their oversaturated primary hues contrasting with the grays of the temple and sky.

The Mother of all Temples

We were surprised to learn that the swastika was actually one of the oldest religious symbols in existence and that Hitler hijacked it from Hinduism. Its true meaning is harmony, and it is said to ward off evil spirits. Quite the opposite of what he morphed it into…

We bought offerings from a little girl, and Tony taught us how to do a ceremony. The offerings consisted of crackers and flowers of varying colors, speared with a lit stick of incense, in a small, square tray crafted of palm fronds which we topped with dollar bills. We placed them on the altar, and Tony placed a grain of rice on my forehead. The men sit criss-cross applesauce, and the women kneel, then you say your prayer. I pray to the Christian God, but the 3 highest manifestations of God in Balinese Hinduism are Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva.

In Balinese Hinduism, one should only visit the temples when in good spirits. You should not visit if you are mourning, upset, or menstruating.

On our way down from the mountain, we saw a Balinese funeral procession. There were several families honoring several deceased relatives. The funerals are such elaborate, expensive affairs that the Balinese will save for months and pool their resources so they can properly honor their dead.

We made it back to our scooter as the sky opened up and we were caught in a torrential downpour! One of our funniest visions of Bali was tall, lanky Tony folded up on a tiny scooter in his sarong and headdress, and holding a large umbrella.

The Journey Back...

We stopped by a waterfall for a little hike. As we shimmied down a narrow trail, we stopped to take in the view of the waterfall below. Next to the waterfall was a pergola with a flat, unpadded platform. Because of our angle, we had a full view of the platform… on it, spread-eagled, was a tan, completely naked man, pleasuring himself! Right out there in the middle of the day, next to a very public waterfall. A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF (SELF) AFFECTION!

On the way back, we stopped at a horrible buffet filled with tourists who seemed to prefer quantity over quality. We had asked Nyoman and Ketut to take us to local places, and they agreed…but they did not deliver! at least it had a beautiful view of the Sideman Valley, Mount Agung, and rice paddies.

We turned off down a broken, small, single track road, then took a right on what looked like a foot trail. We drove through the woods and ended up at Nyoman’s house! Well, more like Nyoman’s compound! We parked and walked through the gate in the stone wall, then were greeted by a bunch of yard chickens. His wife and infant daughter appeared to show us around. There were 4 main buildings- a temple, the kitchen, Nyoman and his family’s sleeping quarters, and his parents’ sleeping quarters. It was a peaceful, lovely place. We enjoyed a fresh young coconut and chatted with the family as much as we could with the language barrier, then continued on back to the resort.

The Conclusion

For the next few days, we lounged, ate, and had several $5 massages. We explored the area with a new guide, Gede, whom we met at the New Queen. We visited Tirta Gangga, the water palace, which was a summer vacation resort for the King. It was dominated by fish ponds and swimming pools. We had a delicious lunch of Pepes Ikan, a whole fish grilled and served in banana leaves, at an open-air warung by a fishing pond.

Our final stop was tacky, touristy, crazy KUTA.

We stayed at a cheap, modern hotel called Fave Hotel, https://www.favehotels.com/en/hotel/view/138/favehotel-kuta-kartika-plaza which had a friendly staff and delicious breakfast. We had a final surf lesson with Dekom Surf School and wandered the strip, taking it all in. Vuong had a few shirts tailor made, and we bargained for Bintang singlets and sarongs. There were tank tops that said “Kiss Me Ketut” and "You Look Hot Today, Like a Sunrise." Of course we bought them!

Here we had one of the yummiest meals of our trip! French fries topped in scrambled egg and tender, moist oxtail, with green onions and jalapenos on top. Delicious!

That evening, we found a rooftop nightclub called VH Bali (Velvet and Hypnotized, seems like it has closed down), which we visited twice. We had tapas and cocktails, watching the sunset over the sea. Our waiter, Dede, was fun, flirty, and effeminate. We made fast friends and vowed to keep in touch…

It started to rain, so we headed back to the hotel. There was a massive tropical storm and I felt like the flimsy hotel was going to blow over! It was a bit scary.

The next evening, we took a cab to the airport. It was time for me to go, but Vuong had an extra day. He walked me into the airport as far as he could, and we said our goodbyes. He left, and I continued through security…

Terrifying experience at the Bali Airport

Only to find that my flight was delayed by 3 hours. I could not call Vuong or really go anywhere, so I settled in. It was getting late, but there was one little cafe that was still open. I sat there and wrote in my journal while enjoying a cup of coffee. All of a sudden, there was a LOUD BOOM! I was surrounded by Asian people speaking different languages, and they began shouting and running around. I hid behind the counter, where I found another girl crouched and shaking. We sat there together, until things seemed to quiet down. I thought it was a terrorist attack! We noticed that a large (I mean large, like 12-14 feet high) sign had fallen on an escalator and broken the plexiglass… that was the boom.

The flight was further delayed, so all the cafes and shops closed down. The airport was crowded and there was not much seating, so I found a spot on the floor by the wall and tried to nap. I was occasionally interrupted by the pitter patter of little feet… rats and roaches! Luckily the airport in Bali is much much better now, but then it was not very pleasant.

The End.

And just like that, our romantic second honeymoon was over. I flew to our comfortable home, leaving my man in Bali to fend for himself and make his way back to Afghanistan.

When I think of Bali, I remember the scents of Frangipani and durian, the sounds of roosters and geckos, the tastes of babi guling and ginger-infused mango juice, and the loveliness of the people. The negative things fade, but the magical memories of mist-shrouded temples and endless beaches with crystal clear ocean remain.

Can I help you plan your trip to Bali? Get in touch with any questions you might have! Did you enjoy my trip reports? Please comment and subscribe!