Day 4-6: Bali (Alila Manggis)

On Sunday, November 18, we transferred from our hotel in the hills to another Alila hotel on the beach in eastern Bali. Before we left, we did a trek through the rice paddies and down into one of the forested valleys. It was good hike with a tough steep drop, a river crossing, and a steep climb back up, but we were rewarded with a beautiful picnic lunch overlooking the fields.

The new hotel is just as nice as the last one, with a beautiful view of the ocean replacing the view of the valley. We did take a slight step down in our accommodations, but with the view from our deck being the picture here, we can't complain at all.

On Monday, our "experience" was called Paradise Lost by the Sea. In the morning, we were taken by motorized outrigger to a spot on the other end of the bay that has great snorkeling. The coral was plentiful, colorful, and shallow, and we saw lots of great fish. When we got back, the staff drove us out to a hidden white sand beach, where we got to enjoy another fabulous picnic lunch on cushions under an umbrella, and an afternoon lounging on the beach and swimming in the warm ocean.

Today, we got up early to go on a trek called High Trek to Heaven. The hike began halfway up a mountain called Lempuyang near Bali's highest volcano, Gunung Agung, and it basically went straight up the mountain for an hour and a half until we reached the temple at the top at 4000 feet. The Hindus believe in worshipping the gods at the highest point, so praying often involves some exercise. It was a tough and steep hike, probably the hardest Dee has done since her knee injury, but she did very well. When we reached the temple, we put on sarongs so that we could go inside. A group was just sitting down to pray, and they asked us to join them. Our guide presented an offering, and we sat and got blessed by the holy water as everyone prayed. We took a different route back, down many stairs, and ended at the amazing temple pictured here, with serpent creatures guarding the stairs up to the prayer area. The bodies of the serpents formed the undulating railing of the stairs. With the view of the volcano behind it, it was quite magnificent.



This is our last full day in Bali, and we are a little sad to leave. This is a beautiful island, and the people are gentle, friendly, and very hardworking. We would recommend it to anyone, whether you are interested in relaxing on the beach, trekking, surfing, diving, or experiencing a great traditional culture. Of course, we are looking forward to our travels in Vietnam, but it has been a great beginning here in Bali. We end tonight with a meal cooked by the chef at Alila Manggis specifically for us, using many local ingredients and flavors. We can't wait!