DAY 1: WELCOME TO BALI – UBUD
Upon your arrival at Ngurah Rai International Airport, you will have to pass immigration, collect your luggage and on departure we will be waiting for you with a sign with your name to take you to the hotel booked in Ubud. Welcome to the island of the Gods.
Ubud is an area of rice fields and unspoiled nature located in the centre of the island. During the journey you can already discover the different towns of Bali, each one specialized in one of the many typical crafts, with woodwork, stone sculptors, silver goldsmiths or painters. You will begin to notice the essence of Balinese culture, the thousands of temples that dot this island and you will feel the aroma of incense that perfumes all of Bali.
DAY 2: UBUD – BEDUGUL – TANAH LOT
The first site will be the Taman Ayun Temple (it was founded in the 17th century), located in the Mengwi Village that until 1891 was the seat of a powerful man who dates back to the Gelgel Dynasty, which is surrounding by a moat that looks like a landscaped sanctuary, which explains the term taman, or garden. The temple is a penyawangan or place to worship other sacred sites.
From Taman Ayun, the compass heads towards Jatiluwih, where without a doubt we will admire and enjoy a beautiful view of rice terraces that cover the entire landscape.
The name of Jatiluwih is made up of two words, Jati which means truly and Luwih which means beautiful, good, special, beautiful.
After Jatiluwih, we will go to Bedugul where we will visit the Ulun Danu Bratan Temple, the famous temple that stands in a small foundation located on the shore of Lake Beratan and has the beautiful landscape with the said lake and the mountain as the backdrop for the view. It is without a doubt, it is one of the most photogenic temples in all of Indonesia. This temple is dedicated to Dewi Danu, goddess of waters.
We will close the visit on this fantastic route and end the day watching the sunset at the most famous and photographed temple in Bali, the Pura Tanah Lot. Torn off the ground on a stone pedestal sculpted by the incoming tides, the lonely black towers of the Tanah Lot and the plumes of foliage shed by the cliffs recall the delicacy of Chinese painting. The Pura Tanah Lot or the Temple of Earth in the Middle of the Sea was built in the 16th century. Then we return to the hotel.
DAY 3: TEGALALANG – TIRTA EMPUL – TEMPLO KEHEN – PENGLIPURAN VILLAGE
After breakfast, we start the tour with Tegallalang terraces in Ubud. The terrace is also famous for its beautiful rice paddy scenes involving the subak (traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system), which, according to history, was handed down by a revered holy man named Rsi Markandeya in the 8th century. Tegallalang forms the three most spectacular stepped landscapes. The Tegallalang Rice Terraces alone offer a panoramic perspective stretching out before you and into the distance on the slopes of the valley. It’s a good time to take some photos and enjoy the views! Continuing, we go to Tirta Empul, the legendary setting of a traditional story about good versus evil. The Tirta Empul spring feeds several purification baths, pools, and fish ponds surrounding the outer perimeter, which flow into the Tukad Pakerisan River. Afterwards, we continue to Kehen Temple.
It is an ancient Hindu temple complex with unique architectural features. On the stairs that extend from the ground to the courtyard of the temple are mythical figures of sandstone animals and Balinese folk statues, and also the central hall. The temple walls are also adorned with Chinese porcelain plates, which are a tribute to the historical relations between the local kingdom of Bali and China. Afterwards, we continue to Penglipuran, a village that managed to preserve its 75-hectare bamboo forest located in the northern part of the village. The members of this village have a strong commitment to the “ayahan desa” system, a philosophy committed to respecting the land on which the village sits. After Panglipuran Village, we return to the hotel.
DAY 04: UBUD – BESAKIH – BESAKIH TEMPLE
In this part of the excursion, we will visit the largest temple on the entire island, the Mother Besakih Temple, and its surroundings. We will drive along the coast to Kusamba, a fishing village known for its colorful Prahu outriggers and black sand beaches. It will walk you through the traditional method of making salt. We continue our journey on the east coast to reach Goa Lawah, a cave “guarded” by thousands of bats, where their bodies are concentrated in such a small space that the surface of the upper wall looks like an irregular muddy material. Goa Lawah is a sacred temple and is surrounded by altars that protect its entrance. In the course of the trip to Mother Besakih Temple, we will enjoy a magnificent landscape on Bukit Jambul, the ridge hill, an impressive view of nature full of rice fields and tropical plants.
We went down the hill and set off to reach the main temple, the largest temple on the island, the Mother Besakih Temple, located on the slopes of the Agung Volcano, whose last explosion was in 1963, just the day thousands of Balinese celebrated one of the most important days of the Hindu calendar. This temple was founded in the 8th century as a terraced shrine in honor of the Gunung Agung gods.
Today, it comprises 22 main complexes with more than eighty small temples. We conclude our tour with a visit to the Court of Justice in Old Kerta Gosa; it is a discovered palace, beautifully exposed inside a moat. It is decorated with exquisite examples of Kemasan paintings and Klungkung architecture.
DAY 05: FREE DAY IN UBUD
Free days in Ubud that you can use for different activities, whatever you want. You can hire the service of a massage, enjoy a spa, walk and go shopping or simply relax and enjoy the hotel facilities.
You are in Ubud, here you can stroll through the local market, visit the hundreds of craft design workshops, sculptures, paintings in the shops that are on each side of the street. It is a perfect day to learn more about the daily activities of the locals, find a café overlooking the jungle or cross paths with a mischievous monkey on Monkey Forest Street.
At night there are performances of Balinese Dances, you can contact the hotel reception and request information to attend any of them. If you need recommendations of places to visit these days, do not hesitate to call us and we will advise you the best!
DAY 06: UBUD – GILI
At the agreed time, you will be picked up from your hotel for the transfer to the port, where you will take the boat and cross to the Gilis Islands.
In these islands motor vehicles are not allowed so if you come with suitcases and do not want to walk with them, it is best to take a Cidomo (horse-drawn carriage) that you can find them just after leaving the pier. They are like the taxis of the Gilis Islands. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and rest of the day free for you.
DAY 07: FREE DAY IN GILI
In these days, time and space will be yours. We advise you to take walks around the island or rent a bike or snorkel equipment and discover the wonderful seabed of these islands.
Search well because these islands are the home of many species of turtles and it is wonderful to be able to swim with them. Always remember that the sea is your space and we must respect it. You can also contract a massage and go to dinner on a terrace on the beach with live music and taste local Indonesian cuisine.
DAY 08: GILI – SEMINYAK
Today is our last day on these dream islands. Depending on the departure time of your boat, you will have to go to the port to check in at the jetty. This transfer from the hotel to the port is not included, so if you come with suitcases and do not want to walk with them, it is best to take a Cidomo (horse-drawn carriage).
Upon arrival at the Port of Padang Bai, you will have the transfer to Seminyak area.
DAY 09: FREE DAY IN SEMINYAK
Breakfast at the hotel and a free day that we can take advantage of to continue with visits or personal activities, according to preferences, such as hiring a relaxing massage service, spa, enjoying the sun and the beach, going shopping, or simply resting and enjoying the facilities that the hotel offers us. Seminyak and Legian are north of the touristy Kuta; this is a place full of all kinds of restaurants where you can taste all kinds of food, from typical Indonesian cuisine to Italian, Indian, Greek, and even Spanish cuisine.
Legian and Seminak streets are but the continuation of one another and run parallel to the Arena Rubia beach, which stretches for several kilometers and where hundreds of people take the opportunity to enjoy themselves with their families, relax in hammocks, or even start practicing surfing. Do not hesitate to choose one of the bars or restaurants next to the beach to enjoy an aperitif, a drink, or dinner while enjoying the view of the sunset over the Indian Ocean. every day with a different color, and without a doubt, this is a beautiful image for the cover of the photo album!
DAY 10: TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT. END OF THE TRIP
Have breakfast at the hotel. At the agreed time, depending on the scheduled time for the international flight, pick up and transfer to the Ngurah Rai International Airport, in Denpasar. Check-in and boarding procedures for departure. We wish you a happy and safe journey.
