Bali is a small island in Indonesia. A pocket size island equipped with everything; literary everything. From mountains to beaches, from jungles to waterfalls; this place is a heaven on the earth.Here is my first impression of Bali.
I am on a plane to Jakarta (capital of Indonesia). Feeling little nervous, this is my first trip of 12 days overseas, much longer than any of my previous trips. I am waiting in a queue to get my passport stamped. It is pretty boring to wait for long hours at Jakarta. Jakarta airport doesn’t have lots of shops so there are limited options to kill the time. Feeling bored I started talking to a fellow traveler about the Bali. Asked all about the place. Like where to go, how to go, what all to do etc etc, the conversation only escalated my excitement.
I boarded a flight to Bali & in another 2.5 Hours I was flying above the sea looking at an airport strip in the middle of the sea (which turns out to be Bali Airport). It is 8 pm & already dark outside. My phone is having some issue & I didn’t know where & how to reach my hostel.I enquired about the bus but the service which is not at all a good option. The only option left was booking a private cab which I did. It took me nearly one hour to reach my destination.
Human Interaction:
Bali has a decent Hindu population. People are very helpful, even though not many speaks English, but it is manageable with even a little bit of English. It is not a perfect example of Human interaction, but few instances which put a smile on my face. So, I was traveling back from Nusa Penida, I still had 3 more days to explore Bali. Left with a handful sum of amount, I was sure of going back to Bali & spend few quite days over there. However, once I landed at the dockyard. A guy came to me & asked
“Do you want to go to Gilli islands?”
I wanted to but hadn’t had any huge sum to back that up. I said nervously “Yeah”.
He said, ” I can give you the BEST DEAL EVER“.
I said, ” How?”
He said,”I can give you discounts on speedboat ticket”
I said, “How much?”
He said,”For a to & fro ticket from Gilli Islands a price of IDR 450,000″
I said,”It’s too high I don’t have this amount with me, also I need to find a place to stay as I haven’t booked anything”
He said,”Oohh! common, you come here for the first time enjoy some nature.”
I said,”Give me the best offer”
He said,”Where are you from?”
I said,”India”
He said,”Oh wow great, I know India. There is a god name Ganesha. My name is also forodo. I follow Ganesha.”
I was surprised to see his knowledge about Indian culture & Bollywood stars like Shah Ruk Khan & Mr. Amitabh Bachan.
He continued,”Just because you are Indian, I will give you best offer please don’t reject this. A to & fro ticket at IDR 400,000″
I said,”Sure good enough.”
On average the price costs IDR 600,000 per person. However, I managed to get it under IDR 400,000. So, talk to people you may get surprised 😉
Infrastructure:
Bali is a touristic destination so it is constantly crowded with travelers. Roads are fantastic to drive on. Very well constructed & maintained by local people. The only issue is the internet. The best way to use internet is through sim card; buy a sim card & access the internet without any hassle the prices are the minimum. The architect is unique & different. Most of the buildings have dark outer surface. It is easy on eyes & also looks aesthetically beautiful. A unique gate in entries is worth gate crashing ;).
The architect is unique & different. Most of the buildings have a dark facade. It is easy on eyes & is aesthetically beautiful. A unique gate in entries is worth gate crashing ;). The vintage look of buildings provides an ancient experience. A place to enjoy your holidays.
Culture:
Bali has a decent Hindu population. So, from temples to rituals there are some similarities with Hindus. Balinese people are very helpful & tourist friendly. I didn’t encounter any issue while roaming solo in the city, even in the suburbs it was pretty safe. Ubud is one of the main places to enjoy Balinese culture. The place is very charming & beautiful. There are numbers of temples, dance shows, numerous heritage site to explore. Temples are among the major attractions in Bali. So, just explore ;).
Activities:
Bali is mix & match of various things. It is easy to experience water sports, adventure sports, sightseeing, trekking, jungle trails, temples, mountains etc all on the small island to Bali.
Some of the things not to be missed is scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain trekking are some of the activities that should not be missed while holidaying in Bali. Bali is also famous for its rice fields which are a big hit among the western travelers. It is unique & good for a one time visit. The rice fields are beautiful to watch. If you are not interested in any of the activities. South Kuta & Seminyak has some of the best places to party till late night in Bali.
Here is an account of my first impression of Bali. As they say “First time is always special”.
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