After the adventure in Sumatra — sweating and walking through the primary jungle for 5 days — we needed some rest and easy travel. Bali was the perfect destination for just that: beautiful landscapes, temple visits, beaches, good food, and a great vibe.
There is an incredible amount of things to do in Bali, which is quite a large island. It is also one of the most visited islands in the world, certainly the most visited place in Indonesia, and one that everyone talks and writes about. So this is not going to be a guide, just a travel diary. Honestly, one could spend a long time in Bali discovering and enjoying the place. But we had only four days, so we had to make some hard choices.
Basically, we looked for a spot that would be relatively easy to reach from Denpasar airport, outside the big crowded areas and main tourist trails, yet still authentically Balinese in terms of landscapes, food, culture, and things to visit in the surroundings. After some research, our choice fell upon Sidemen!
As it turned out, it was the perfect pick. Only two hours by car from the airport, this small village is located on the central-east side of Bali. It is surrounded by beautiful rice terraces, lush green vegetation, and volcanoes on the far horizon. Spending a whole day walking around and exploring is absolutely recommended. Beyond the landscapes, there is no shortage of food options, several places to enjoy a massage, and a couple of high-end bars on the surrounding hills, where you can sip a cocktail in a private plunge pool while bathing in the sunset light, with a breathtaking view to boot.
From here, renting a scooter is the easiest of tasks, and so we could drive around every day looking for sites to visit, between one hidden waterfall and another. Worth mentioning are the Besakih Great Temple, an impressive structure considered the most important in Bali, and the Pura Pejinengan Gunung Tap Sai, smaller and hidden in the forest, and very charming. Both can be visited on the same day. The Taman Ujung water palace is also worth a visit — the former royal residence featuring a series of large pools and beautiful architecture, situated on the east coast. A drive along the coast then becomes inevitable.
Four days is really too short to visit Bali. I felt like I could stay there for a much, much longer time. But time, as is well known, is the cruellest of enemies. So we had to move on to our next destination. We caught a boat from Kusamba Harbour — two hours by car from Sidemen — and headed to Nusa Penida, probably the most Instagrammed island in Bali.
NUSA PENIDA
Nusa Penida is an island just south-east of Bali, most famous for its breathtaking views of clifftop beaches and for some of the best scuba diving in the world. We had only three days to spend there — two and a half, really, if we account for travel time — and we had to make the most of it.
We decided to stay on the north side of the island, not the most beautiful part, but close to the arrival and departure harbours, and the only area with plentiful facilities such as restaurants, tour operators, scooter rentals, cafés and bars. The island being very touristic, it offers everything a Western traveller might need or want for a seaside holiday. We had just two objectives: the first was to organise the famous snorkelling trip to see manta rays; the second was simply to tour some of the island’s many beautiful beaches.
So, first things first — we rented a scooter, spoke with a tour operator to organise the snorkelling trip, and then headed towards Crystal Bay on the north-west side to enjoy a beautiful sunset. Moving around by scooter is definitely the best option: you can enjoy the views, the inland passages with lush green vegetation and local villages, and the freedom to stop wherever you like. Though you always need to factor in one to two hours to reach the more remote areas.
On day two we went on the snorkelling trip to see mantas. I must admit I was very sceptical at first. It is a very well-known activity in Nusa Penida, and therefore bound to be heavily frequented. And is it really possible to see mantas on a snorkelling trip? Normally, it takes very special scuba diving spots far out in the open ocean, where these beautiful creatures find their feeding grounds. My scepticism grew stronger during the boat ride to the snorkelling spot: moving along the west side of the island heading south, 2-metre waves made the boat bounce roughly for over an hour. I thought it would be absolutely impossible to jump into those waters with just snorkelling equipment — far too dangerous.
But when we reached the right spot, I was surprised to find it was just a few metres from the island’s cliff face. The waves became smaller, though still present, and swimming felt more manageable. I put on my fins and mask and jumped in. Not even a minute later, I spotted a huge manta just a few metres below, circling to feed. I dived down and got to within about a metre of it — an incredible experience. We saw two mantas in total, and the best part was that they simply hung around, giving us all the time in the world to observe them. As a scuba diver who had never seen mantas before despite diving all around the world, I was genuinely amazed, and surprised by how accessible it was. A funny footnote: on the way back to the harbour, one of the people on the tour started complaining to me about seeing “only” two mantas. What a rookie — not even realising his luck!
The following day was dedicated to two incredible spots on the island. The first is probably one of the most Instagrammed sites in the world: Kelingking Beach. A truly beautiful, pristine beach surrounded by towering cliffs. Most people stop at the top, photographing from above to capture the full shape of the rocky coastline. Needless to say, we also made the one-hour climb down the steep rock face — only partially equipped with steps — to reach the beach itself, enjoying the effort and the occasional company of a monkey.
After this we headed to the far south of the island to check out Diamond Beach, another unmissable highlight. Standing on top of the cliff, we could see the pale white sand of the narrow beach below — beautiful and elegant, but exposed to strong waves and high tide. Climbing down was pointless. On top of that, Diamond Beach has no facilities, and we were beginning to crave food, drinks, and some time to relax.
Luckily, on the opposite side of the cliffs lies Atuh Beach. Like a contrasting sibling, it is smaller, with dark volcanic sand, and more sheltered from the open ocean thanks to a small island sitting just offshore. Most importantly, there were sun loungers, umbrellas, and a few local restaurants — the perfect place to spend our last afternoon on Nusa Penida. The 40-minute climb to get down there was a great way to work up an appetite.
During the one-hour scooter ride back to the hotel, I started feeling feverish — I was getting sick. Fortunately, we were about to spend the next two or three days in the quietest place in Indonesia: Gili Meno.
