Five Ideas for Guided Tours in Bali

• Amed

  In the center of several small villages along the northeast coast of the “island of the gods” you will find Amed. If you are looking for an unusual and very informative activity, try to organize an early morning trip on a fisherman’s boat. If you feel like it, rent a scooter and go to the rice fields of Adabi near the water palace Taman Soekasada Ujung. You will then go to the Tirta Gangga Water Gardens. The walk will take you through terraces surrounded by fountains where a fresh water pool will offer you the opportunity to bathe. One of the most popular centers in Bali is a half hour drive from Amed, the sacred Hindu temple of Pura Lempuyang. In the evening, you can watch the sunset on the cliff overlooking Jemeluk Bay, one of the quiet oases in the area. Here, the locals are used to gather at dusk, sip a juice, drink a beer or for some, play the guitar and admire the sun setting behind Mount Agung.

• Ubud

  In the center-south, the cultural center of Bali is easily accessible after a journey of a little over an hour. The city of Ubud is very popular with tourists and has a lot of charm. Its main street is Jalan Raya where most souvenir stores, restaurants and bars are located. The city contains many museums, art galleries and theaters of traditional Balinese music and dance, but also dozens of temples, the most famous being the Temple Pura Taman Saraswati and its pool of aquatic flowers. One of the most popular sites is the Monkey Forest. This 15-hectare park in the heart of the city is home to 800 free-ranging macaques with whom you will be in complete complicity. Be careful not to excite them too much, they are indeed very playful. To find some peace and quiet, you don’t need to travel for miles. By walking only a few minutes, you will be able to make fabulous strolls and reach magnificent rice plantations. The most famous walk is the Campuhan Ridge. However, do not hesitate to get lost, because each discovery will be an enchantment and the farmers will know how to direct you for your return.

• Rice fields of Jatiluwih

  In the center, near the Batu Karu mountain, you are in the heart of a natural exhibition of painting revealing an infinite gradation of green. Jatiluwih offers without doubt one of the most beautiful landscapes that you will have the chance to see in Bali.
  These rice crops are the result of a long and meticulous work based on the experience of farmers, who, from generation to generation, have shaped these plantations in the form of terraces equipped with an ingenious irrigation system allowing those below to be irrigated by those above. Thus, each farming family is not prejudiced in relation to its neighbors’ plots. The translation of the word of the place means “marvelous” and its name is registered with the world heritage of UNESCO… No wonder! The hiking trails, in the heart of the rice fields, are varied. It will be impossible for you to get lost, because they often form loops allowing you to discover new things and different points of view.

• The Gili Islands

  It is funny to note that Gili actually means “island” in Sasak, the original language of Lombok, the large land just to the southeast. Like Bali to their northwest, the Gili are part of the Sunda Archipelago. They are composed of Trawangan, the festive and main one; Meno, the wilder one and Air, combining a bit of the other two. If you don’t just want to enjoy a rest on the white sandy beaches with warm and clear waters, the main activities are snorkeling or diving in deep waters among the coral reefs. The truth is simple: you will never want to leave this paradise. To get there, the fast ferries are accessible from Amed, count 2h30 of journey.

• The Temple of Uluwatu (Pura Luhur)

  Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple is located on the Bukit Peninsula, at the southern tip of the island of Bali. The religious compound whose origin dates back to the 11th century was built under the direction of a Javanese priest who dedicated it to the sea gods. The place is in the middle of nature and only colonies of monkeys have taken up residence there. Keep your belongings close to you, because they are not at all shy. Its location at the top of an 80 meter high cliff makes it an extraordinary viewpoint combining architectural beauty and panoramic splendor. Every evening, before sunset, dances and percussion music are combined for the religious ceremony of Kecak. The port territory is also world famous for its legendary surf spot at Uluwatu Beach and more precisely the site of Blue Point Beach.