Bali is of course well known for its beaches. Honeymooners, vacationers, and the nomads all come to Bali for that main reason. That was also the reason we ended up in Bali. I was so excited to finally see what the hype was all about. As I dived into Bali, I witnessed sides of Bali that I had never known.
Beaches
Ask almost anyone on the street about what they think Bali looks like, you’ll probably get very similar answers. Beautiful beaches with white sand and blue water, five-star hotels lined up and down the coast. At least that’s how I always have imagined Bali. You might say I was ignorant for thinking that’s all that is Bali. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are normal people living there too with daily lives and routines just like anyone else. But what I was so taken back was the dirtiness of some of the beaches.
On our first day, we arrived at Semiyak area in Bali. From the research we conducted, Semiyak was the higher-end area of Bali. Five and four-stars restaurants can be spotted every few feet. Food was definitely more expensive around this area. From this observation, I assumed that Seminyak and Kuta Beach, the beaches closest to Semiyak, would be two of the most beautiful in Bali. I was very wrong. The beaches were filled with garbage. Trash was floating in the water and lined up all along the shore line. I couldn’t believe my eyes. So I googled it and turned out during the months from December thru March, the wind current and direction pushed the trash onto Kuta from the island close by. This definitely opened my eyes to the negative impact humans are making on the environment around us. I will definitely try harder to make sure most of the things I use in the future are environmentally friendly.
But this was not all of the beaches. Nusa Dura Beach was definitely that picturesque beach I imagined. The blue crystal clear water splashed up against the white sand on the shore line. Maybe this beach was cleaner because we had to pay a very small fee to enter. Whatever it is, I hope the beach will be preserved that way. White sand beach in PaDang Bai was another beautiful beach with very blue clear water.
Accomodations
I expected hotel prices to be sky-high but I was wrong again. Hospitality is a large part of Bali economy so many businesses are restaurants or hotels. But because there are so many hotels, they are constantly competing. We were able to get a room for about $20USD a night in the more expensive part in Semiyak that was a five minute walk from the beach. Not bad at all.
People
The people here are some of the friendliest people I’ve encountered. Everyone greeted us daily. Of course some just wanted our business, but many were people we passed by on the street. Adults and kids alike. I thought they’d be sick of seeing so many tourists by now, but I was very wrong.
Food
I didn’t know much about Indonesian and Balinese food before coming to Bali. I still can’t explain it to you properly now. But I do know I really, really liked it. Dishes here seemed so simple yet flavorful. Some chicken satay with a super special peanut sauce (similar to the satay peanut sauce in Thailand if you know what I am talking about), fried rice, and a fried egg was my staple in Bali and that kept me happy, full, and not broke. Seafood is also a big part of the culture. They were prepared as simple as grilled on open fire, squeezed on some lime and good to go.
Happy Travels!
