Bali Tour Guide

Here is my my adventure as local guide in Bali with a friend of mine who acted as trip leader, Emanuel. Emanuel is from Java (or Jawa as he likes to pronounce it). He had been with the travelers (who appeared in this video) in Java. And when in Bali, I took over his job in guiding them for Bali portion. In this video, you will find snapshots of some activities the travelers do in Bali. Some days were quite busy with many activities including dolphin watching in Lovina, or learning Balinese dancing. Some days were more loose with free and easy activities like walking around Ubud market and doing cooking lesson.  Well, for me cooking is not my strong point. Watch the video to get some inspiration for your next trip in Bali.

In the past, people can only enjoy the view of rice terraces at Ceking village. Nowadays, beside the view, people can walk on the rice field paths leading to the hill top. If you decide to walk, here is what you can do. From the main street where you get down from your car, there is a way to get down to the field.  There are many ways to get down to the path, one of them, is through a restaurant named Rice Terrace Cafe. Pass the restaurant, you will get path going down. Don't expect well constructed pavement here, just soil path. It can get muddy and slippery when wet. It is okay on the dry season. Once you get to the bottom, you will see a bridge that will lead you to the main hill where you can start walking up to the top of the hill. It takes about 20 minutes more or less to reach the top. You can rest any time if you are tired. And there is a lady who sells coconut somewhere on the path. You can rest there and buy young coconut to drink, So, there it is. Start

I was in the monkey forest in Ubud with my clients from Denmark. They enjoyed their stay there. Besides the monkeys, they enjoyed the walk around the forests. There are about six hundred monkeys who will entertain you once you get in the forest. It is not a forest like you may think a forest where it is hard to walk around. Since there are many visitors coming to this forest, the local government has made path around the forest. These are the "polite monkeys", they don't snatch your glasses, earring, hair clip, or your credit card. They have enough to eat so that they don't have to take your belongings and force you to buy food to exhange with stolen items. They don't have that kind of mentality. Local provide them with sweet potato to feed them for several times a day. Of course, they will not refuse banana. Monkey and banana are just not to be separated. Close your eyes and say monkey to yourself, and your brain will think banana. Please don't

This is a video I make during my visit to Lovina beach, just outside a restaurant and hotel named Aditya. The beach was calm, and the wave was not that big. Not so many people when I came. It's lunch time, and was quite hot day. Lovina beach is not like the beach in Kuta or Nusa Dua. It has black sand. And being in the north, it is not as popular like Kuta beach. From south Bali, you need to spend 2 to 3 hours to go here. But on the way, there are many beautiful places to visit along Bedugul and Gitgit. So, when you have time you can go tour to Lovina or just spend overnight at hotels around Lovina.

This is my favorite holiday as a kid years ago, (feel like yesterday, though). I feel that everybody goes to the temples on this day. Well, of course that's not true, some may stay home because of certain reason. Back to me as a kid, it was my happy moment. This was the time I got new clothes from my parents  and some money that I can spend the way I like it. I think every Balinese kid will be happier at the Galungan day because they can wear their best clothes. Maybe it is not always new, but you know what I mean. But the atmosphere is different than the normal day. There is peacefulness in the air. A sense of holiness and celebration. This is a day that nobody should go to work or goes to school. Everybody should go home and meet their parents or families and exchange news. At home in the village, I imagine the conversation will start with " he, kenken kabare, tumben ngenah? " (hei how are you? long time no see? )  " Dije jani megae, Yan ? ( Where do you

Here are some photos I have taken during working as tour guide in Bali. I took these photos in several locations including Tegalalang village, Pupuan Village, Belimbing village and also the popular Jatiluwih village. If you have the chance to visit Bali, I recommend you to visit some of those villages, or all if you can, to enjoy breathtaking views.

Jimbaran bay is a great place for spending time relaxing by the beach.  You can go there in the evening at about 6 and enjoy the sunset on the beach. Your kids probably likes running around and playing around the beach.  You can order the food at the restaurant or cafe where you stop for dinner. One of my favorite place for dinner in Jimbaran is in Kelan village.  This is toward northern end of the bay.  It's located closer to the airport,  but far enough that you can't hear the sound of the planes. I like this place because it's more quiet.  There are not many cafe near by so there are less people.  There are music,  but they are not so loud. In the main area of Jimbaran, where most of the cafes or restaurants are located,  there are usually lots  of traffic. Traffic in Kelan is less,  hence it's easy to drive around. This photo is from one of the cafe in Kelan.

Sometimes ago if you passed Tegalalang and wanting to see the view of the rice terraces, you'd be surprised with the huge letters spread out on the main hill of the rice fields. It says "NOT FOR SALE". For some of the tourists who would like to take photo of just the rice terraces, that would be a problem. So, anyone wanting to take photo of the rice field will have to include the letters. The letters not for sale was actually from one of a Bali artist who also concerned about the environmental issue in Bali. I have no more information about this, nor that I have the capacity to talk deeper about this. But one thing for sure, that there is a fast decrease of the rice field area in Bali every year. A lot of the rice field in Bali has been converted into housing area. With more people, as the population grows, Bali needs more housing. And for this we converted rice field into housing. Another reason for a conversion, because people build more hotels and villas arou

I still remember when I first went to Ubud marrket in early 2000. This was before it was renovated. Now everything has changed. In the past, once you get into the market you would see the sellers were everywhere, they would lie down their merchandise in the ground. As I walked around the market, you walk down path where you need to walk carefully at certain point so you don't step into any merchandise for selling. Most of the sellers just lie down their sellers in the open. Can you imagine what happen to them if it was raining? They would probably packed up their merchendise. I enjoy watching those merchandise for display everywhere. It was colorful. They were mostly souvenirs. You could see wood carving, wind chimes, table decoration, fans, wall decoration, painting, ash tray, bottle opener (which usually very obscene, but it is a different kind of sense of humor).They were all differet in colours and it is a real treat for the eye, and walking in the forest of souvenir mak