Bali Nature and Cultural Tour

“Come Explore the World with Me!”

June 15-29, 2014

Bali Nature and Cultural Tour 

On this 2-week small group tour of Bali we will investigate the superb & unique Balinese cultural arts: paintings, music, dance-drama performances, architecture, stone statues, wood carvings and Balinese Hinduism. We’ll also immerse ourselves in Bali’s lush tropical landscapes via light cycling, hiking, mountain climbing, snorkeling, swimming and soaking in natural springs. Along the way we’ll eat plenty of delicious local meals and tropical fruits.

You’ll quickly learn first-hand why Bali is called the ‘Island of Gods’!

Bali, Indonesia

Of all the countries and islands I’ve traveled through in the world, Bali is the one place I most want to live long-term. And with my keen wanderlust, that’s saying a lot!  Why has Bali captured my heart?

First off, Bali’s fascinating, unique culture and arts are a very visible and integral part of daily life. No matter where you go on the island, you’re surrounded by Balinese culture: gorgeous temples and architecture, alarming stone statues, intricately carved wood detailing, tinkling gamelan music and local people dressed in traditional Balinese attire, performing daily Hindu rituals or participating in larger ceremonies.

Secondly, the whole island is swathed in utterly stunning & varied natural landscapes. You’re continually surrounded by lush tropical trees & flowering bushes, the fragrance of flowers and incense, vibrant green terraced rice fields, stately volcanic peaks, long sandy beaches and some of the best coral reefs I’ve seen in Asia.

Bali is exactly my idea of paradise: full of gorgeous nature and alluring culture.

Does this sound like your kind of paradise, too?

If your answer is yes, come let me show you around the Island of Gods!

Tour Details: 

Tour Dates: June 15-29, 2014  =  15 days

June is one of the best times to visit Bali. Weather is ideal: a bit cooler with refreshing winds blowing along coastal areas. Generally there’s no rain. Just before the high-season rush in July, Bali is surprisingly quiet in June, with few tourists and no crowds.

Tour Size: 4-10 guests

Tour Leader: read more about my expertise on Bali

 Start & Finish Points: Sanur

 Destinations on tour: 

Sanur, Uluwatu, Ubud, Mt. Batur volcano, Munduk, Lake Bratan & area, Amed

Detailed Description:

Four to ten adventurous guests will accompany me as I share all my favorite spots on the Island of Gods. Many of those places are well off the beaten tourist track, little known by mainstream visitors.

We’ll stay at my favorite, locally-owned guest houses, all set in beautiful tropical gardens. We’ll spend a few days at two of Bali’s best low-key resort beach areas as well as a quaint ridge-top village in Bali’s central mountains and Ubud, Bali’s artistic heartland.

We’ll be visiting workshops where skilled artists carve stone statues, whittle intricate wood figurines, create fine silver and gold jewelry, and make colorful woven & batik fabrics. We’ll attend traditional Balinese dance and gamelan-orchestra performances. We’ll visit several of Bali’s best art museums and some stunning Balinese temples.

We’ll try over a dozen Indonesian dishes as well as local sweets and several tropical fruits that you’ve probably never even heard of. If we’re lucky, we might get to attend a Balinese mass cremation ceremony or village wedding party.

As for outdoor pursuits, we’ll cycle along beaches and rural fields. We’ll hike in mountains and through steeply terraced rice fields. We’ll stroll through award-winning landscaped gardens and swim & snorkel in the warm Bali Sea. Optional adventures include scuba diving and summit-ting Mt. Agung, Bali’s most sacred volcanic peak.

Luxurious treats include two Balinese massages, relaxing at a cave grotto spa, soaking in a jacuzzi in the jungle, and sipping cocktails beach-side.

We’ll also have plenty of time amidst all the adventures to relax. After all, you’ll be on vacation!

Most afternoons you’ll have free to go explore on your own, relax in guest house gardens, lounge on sunny beaches, send some ‘envy’ emails and photos to friends & family back home and generally chill out. Alternately, I’ll continue telling you more about Bali and guide you around the neighborhoods.

We’ll be transported around the island by our own private van, complete with a local English-speaking driver. No hauling luggage down long streets or squeezing on & off buses during this tour!

Accommodation:

room at our guest house in Ubud

All accommodation will be at my personally-selected, locally-owned guest houses. They are run by friendly, helpful owners and staff. Rooms at each guest house feature Balinese style architecture, en suite bathrooms, cooling fans, and are are set in lush, tropical gardens with open-air verandas.

Some guest houses have hot water showers, others cold water only. Most guest houses offer free wifi. All breakfasts are included.

Note 1: Balinese budget accommodation is on par with mid-range accommodation in most other destinations of the world and feature distinctive Balinese touches.

Note 2: Tour prices are based on double occupancy – i.e. sharing a room (two twin beds) with another tour guest. Single rooms are available for an additional $300 US.

Transportation:

Private van with driver throughout the tour.

Itinerary:

Day 1:

Arrive at our guest house in Sanur and settle in. We’ll have a group orientation to Sanur and the tour. Then we’ll indulge in our first group dinner at Sanur night market followed by welcome cocktails at Sanur beach.

 Day 2:

We’ll begin with a long morning walk along Sanur Beach, with explanations of Sanur’s history and the plentiful Balinese culture we see along the way. We’ll visit Le Mayeur Museum (Le Mayeur was one of the most important European artists to settle in Bali) followed by lunch at local masakan padang shop.

Take the afternoon free to relax, lounge on the beach or explore Sanur. Later we’ll meet up for massages on the beach followed by sunset at the beach and dinner at Sanur night market.

 Day 3:

We’ll take a half day trip to stunning Uluwatu cliff temple and mysterious Serangan Island, with lunch en route. Back in Sanur, have the afternoon free to relax or explore. We’ll meet again for sunset on Sanur beach followed by dinner at Sanur night market.

Day 4:

We’ll take a 2-3 hour easy bicycle ride around Sanur: residential area, beach, coast and rural fields, followed by lunch at masakan padang. Take the final afternoon in Sanur to lounge on the beach, swim, snorkel or explore town. Meet up for sunset on Sanur beach followed by dinner at Sanur night market. We’ll also have a brief orientation for next day’s trip, pack to leave.

 Day 5:

We’ll travel to Ubud, Bali’s artistic heartland, just 25 km away. En route we’ll stop at various artisan workshops: stone statue carving, wood carving, silver & jewelry making, kris, fabrics to see artistans at work.

Eat a local lunch in Ubud then arrive at our guest house & settle in. Take the afternoon free to relax and/or explore Ubud’s neighborhoods. I’ll show you around if you prefer. We’ll enjoy a late afternoon walk at scenic Campuan Hill followed by dinner at masakan padang or other local restaurant.

Day 6:

We’ll spend the morning visiting several of Bali’s best art museums. After lunch, have the afternoons free. We’ll eat dinner at local shops and then attend evening Balinese dance performance.

Day 7:

We’ll start the day at a cave grotto spa, lounging in hot pools, saunas, steam baths and a garden swimming pool. We’ll have lunch nearby then visit some special spots in Ubud. In the evening we’ll attend a second dance performance.

Day 8:

Early morning we’ll set off for a drive on back roads up to Mt. Batur volcano rim to admire stunning views into the massive crater. Then we’ll drive down into the volcano to explore the lake. We’ll have lunch and snacks at the volcano and visit a Balinese temple.

From there we’ll drive down to Bali’s north coast, visiting a clove plantation en route. We’ll have a meal at Seririt town night market. Then we’ll drive up into new mountains to our guest house in Munduk, in time for sunset over terraced rice fields.

Day 9:

We’ll enjoy a morning hike in the mountains surrounding Munduk with a visit to Bali’s largest banyan tree. Take the afternoon free to relax and admire the stunning scenery. Or take an optional class in cooking, instrument making or weaving (included in tour). In late afternoon, there’s an optional second hike in the terraced rice fields (included).

Day 10:

We’ll set off on a day trip to view 3 volcanic crater lakes, taking a tea / coffee break overlooking one lake. We’ll visit famous Lake Bratan temple then have lunch at Bedugul. fresh strawberries if in season.

Heading back down to the north coast, we’ll stop to visit GitGit waterfall. In the lower hills we’ll relax at a jacuzzi in the jungle. We’ll have a meal at Seririt market then return to Munduk in the early evening.

 Day 11:

We’ll take a morning hike in the mountains. Relax in the afternoon or join your optional class in cooking, instrument making or weaving (included). There’s another optional late afternoon hike amidst terraced rice fields (included) before a relaxing last evening at Munduk.

 Day 12:

We’ll drive along Bali’s north coast to Amed, Bali’s far northeast coast, where we’ll check into our charming guest house. Have the afternoon and evening free, beach-side, to relax at the pool, swim or snorkel on the excellent reef, and get a beach-side massage. We can take an optional late afternoon hike in mountains if you’re so inclined.

Day 13:

We’ll make a half to full day hike from Amed to Pura Lempuyang Temple with the option to hike back or catch our private van.

Day 14:

Take our final full day in Amed to relax, explore or adventure. Sail or go fishing on a Balinese jukung (include). Scuba dive on Amed’s superb reefs (optional add-on). Visit salt-making fields, hike in the hills, get a massage or simply relax.

Day 15:

We will return to Sanur via back country roads along the flank of Mt Agung volcano with superb views of Agung, terraced rice fields and Bali’s southern coast. En route we’ll have lunch and visit Klung Kung Water Palace. Relax at the beach, gardens or shops on your final afternoon in Sanur.

In the evening we’ll meet up for dinner at Sanur night market followed by farewell cocktails beach-side.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Included in tour:

* airport pick-ups within one week of the tour start date (in case you choose to arrive in Bali before the tour)

* all ground transportation to destinations and activities included on the tour

* 15 nights accommodation

* all breakfasts

* welcome cocktail, beach-side

* 10 other meals

* sampling various tropical fruits and local desserts

* 2 Balinese massages

* half day at a cave grotto spa: hot baths, cold baths, sauna, steam room, swimming pool

* jacuzzi in a mountainside jungle

* all temple and museum entry fees within the tour

* two Balinese dance / gamelan performances

* rental bicycles for escorted bike ride on the tour

* sailing or fishing trip on traditional Balinese jukung: wooden outrigger

* Balinese sarong, which you’ll need to wear when visiting temples and joining ceremonies

* sim card and local phone number for mobile phones (US mobile phones will not work on the Indo system)

* area orientation plus helpful maps and lists of things to do/see for each destination we visit

* lots of interactions with locals

* explanations of Balinese history, culture, art, geography and religion

* farewell cocktail beach-side

* airport drop-offs within one week of the tour end date

* before the tour: help preparing for your trip such as visa information, inoculations & medical info, flight suggestions, what to pack & not pack

 Not included in tour:

* flights to/from Bali

* visa to Indonesia

* travel insurance and/or medical expenses

* some meals

* entry fees for activities/places not within the tour activities, should you choose to do any activities on your own

* transportation for destinations/activities not included in the tour, should you choose to do activities on your own

* airport pick-ups and drop-offs more than one week beyond the tour start or end dates

—————————————————————————————————————————–

Tour Price: $1200 US

Tour price is based on double occupancy – sharing a room (two twin beds) with another tour guest.

Single rooms are available for an additional $300 US.

Payment details:

Deposit: $300 US

Balance: $900 due by April 15, 2014

Payments are generally done via Paypal. Please note that you do not need to have a paypal account to use this service.

Make payment to my account: Shaelalive@yahoo.com

If you prefer not to use paypal, no problem! Simply contact me with the following form to make other arrangements.

Cancellation and Refund Policy:

Before April 1: 50% deposit refund

After April 1: deposit non-refundable

If you must cancel after the payment deadline:

Before May 1: 50% refund of balance

After May 1: no refund

Waiver: 

As a standard procedure, you’ll need to sign a waiver releasing me, my assistants and anyone else involved in running this tour from liability for any issues that arise from the tour.

———————————————————————————————————————–

 How to join the tour:

1. Fill out the following contact form to reserve your spot and/or to ask me any other questions about the tour.

In the Subject line, write  ‘Bali Nature and Cultural Tour’

If you prefer a single room throughout the tour at an additional $300, please let me know.

2. Make your deposit or full payment via paypal at: Shaelalive@yahoo.com  

(or let me know on this form that you prefer an alternate payment method)

* indicates required field

Name:*

Email:*

Subject:*

Message:*

CAPTCHA Code:*

————————————————————————————————————————–

What happens next?

After you’ve made a payment I will send you a ‘Welcome to the Tour’ email along with helpful information about preparing for the tour and your arrival in Bali.

Your welcome package will include information about visas to Indonesia, Bali’s Ngura Rai International Airport, Indonesian currency and exchanging money, lists of things to pack & not pack, using your mobile phone in Bali, internet connections, list of other reading materials & sources of Information on Bali, medical & safety information and staying healthy in the tropics (especially while participating in outdoor activities)

Of course you’re welcome to contact me with any other questions or concerns you have about the tour or visiting Bali & Indonesia.

In the meantime, learn more about where we’ll be going and what we’ll be doing through the 60+ posts I’ve written about Bali here. Or read about Scuba Diving in Bali or My Cycling Tour of the island.

Read more about my expertise on Bali here

I hope to meet you in Bali this June and show you my favorite island on the planet!

cheers, Lash

——————————————————————————————————————————————–