“Wandering is the activity of the child, the passion of the genius; it is the discovery of the self, the discovery of the outside world, and the learning of how the self is both “at one with” and “separate from” the outside world. These discoveries are as fundamental to the soul as “learning to survive” is fundamental to the body. These discoveries are essential to realizing what it means to be human. To wander is to be alive.”
Everyone who has ever watched Eat, Pray, Love has dreamt of biking through the rice paddies of Bali. Most of those people will never make it there, and the ones who do will end up in all-inclusive resorts in South Bali, doing nothing but drinking rum on the beach. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with drinking rum on the beach, but I want to experience Bali like those who are lucky enough to live there.
From everything I have read and the pictures I have seen, Bali is filled with black and white sand beaches, tropical bungalows and cheap street food stalls. However, the island is also an adventure travelers dream, teeming with opportunities to trek, white water raft, jump off waterfalls and climb up active volcanoes. I have written a number of goals for myself that I hope to accomplish during this trip. I am basically considering it a one-year self-guided masters program, and I have a list of new skills that I hope to build during this time. One of those skills is anxiety management, because I am a SUPER anxious person. The only way to rid yourself of anxieties tied to fear is to get used to putting yourself in scary situations. I plan to bungee jump, sky dive, cross tree-topping suspension bridges and jump off waterfalls during this trip. Heights are one of my biggest fears, if you couldn’t tell.
Whether you are a daredevil or a wallflower, Bali seems to have an activity for everyone.
Sekumpul Waterfalls
Widely considered the best waterfall on the island, a visit to Sekumpul Waterfalls will likely make you want to build a treehouse and move in. With relatively no tourists and the ability to swim in the pool at the base of the falls, you will not regret the trek it takes to get here.
Nyang Nyang Surfing Beach
Take the dirt path past the Uluwatu temple and look for signs pointing to Nyang Nyang Surfing Beach. In the off-season, you will likely be the only person here and you can wander the beach and take as many Instagram pictures as you like in peace. The beach is littered with pieces of a shipwreck that have washed up on shore. Picturesque doesn’t begin to describe it.
Bali Adventure Rafting on the Ayung River
Whether you take the voyage with Bali Adventure Rafting or any of the other rafting companies located nearby, the experience of floating down the river with friends while traversing 45 rapids will be an adrenaline rush for even the most experienced rafters.
Tour a Kopi Luwak Plantation
Have you heard of Kopi Luwak? Ya, me either and I live in Seattle, the coffee capitol of the US. Kopi Luwak, or civet coffee, is the most expensive coffee in the world. I would tell you the process that is involved in making the coffee, but it would probably turn you off from trying it. TRY IT.
Secret Gardens of Sambangan
Enquire in Lovina about hiking tours from Sambangan village to the Secret Gardens, about a 20 minute drive from Lovina. Though it does require a guide to reach this destination, it is definitely worth the extra cost. This beautiful secluded paradise in North Bali will make you forget about the crowded tourist beaches of South Bali completely.
Have any of you been to these places? Please let me know what you liked or didn’t like about anywhere I have listed, as well as offer suggestions on places I may have missed. I love feedback!
