Exotic Bali - Kuta Beach and Tegallalang Rice Terrace (Day 2, 27 Aug 2013)

On the morning of our Day 2 Bali trip, we woke up early to have a breakfast buffet in the hotel. There were various choices of breakfast provided in Best Western Kuta Beach hotel. I really like to eat the delicious breakfast there, especially the sweet bun and croissants... Free tea, coffee and fruit juices are provided too... I can say this is the best breakfast we had during our Bali trip!

Best Western Kuta Beach hotel - Nice swimming pool on the top floor, which can overlook Kuta Beach

Best Western Kuta Beach hotel - Delicious sweet bun and croissant of the breakfast buffet

Best Western Kuta Beach hotel - Enjoying my delicious breakfast

After we had our very full and delicious breakfast, I wanted to visit Kuta Beach which is just located in front of our hotel (around 5 mins walk)... However, I saw my driver was already waiting for us in the lobby area! He was earlier around half an hour than the time (9 am) that we promised the night before! Since we already packed our luggage, so I told him that I wanted to go to Kuta Beach just for a while to take some pictures! It's such a waste if we didn't pay a visit to Kuta Beach, since I booked this hotel just because it is located very near to the beach! Nevertheless, we just quickly took a few photos and quickly went back to the hotel, in order not to let our driver wait too long... Actually, I so wish to scroll or lie down on the beach for a longer time... I love the beach and the sea very much!

Kuta Beach - Entrance

Kuta Beach - Many beach benches for rental. Initially, I didn't realise we gotta pay for it, then I took a picture on the bench :P (Embarrassed...)

Kuta Beach - Nice weather in the morning, but we couldn't spend more time on the beach :(

Kuta Beach - This beach is suitable for surfing

Kuta Beach - The offerings on the beach by the local prayers

Reluctantly we walked back to the hotel, on the way, there are some shops nearby the hotel

On the way to the hotel, spotted graffiti on the wall

Checked out from Best Western Kuta Beach hotel

After checking out from Best Western Kuta Beach, we headed to the first attraction place of the day - Tegallalang Rice Terrace. It took like 1 and a half hours to reach there! Although Tegallalang Rice Terrace is not the largest rice terrace in Bali, the scenery there was awesome! To enter this place, visitors have to pay IDR 5,000 for the entrance fees. I think only this rice terrace has the proper lookout point for tourists to take photos because later on, we passed by some other larger rice terraces, and visitors have to take photos at the edge of the mountain! According to our driver, he said the farmers use natural mountain water to plant the paddies.

On the way to Tegallalang Rice Terrace, our driver showed me the map of Bali island while we were in the car. This map shows the distance of travelling between different attraction places

Took this picture from the car, very cute stone statues

Tegallalang Rice Terrace - Panorama view

Tegallalang Rice Terrace - Nice weather and very green rice fields

Tegallalang Rice Terrace - Finally reached my turn to take pictures of this breathtaking scenery. Thanks to our driver who helped me took this nice picture!

Tegallalang Rice Terrace - Another side of the scenery

Exotic Bali - New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach and Best Western Kuta Beach hotel (Day 1, 26 Aug 2013)

Just back from my gym workout, found that I have lost weight (maybe due to my recent situation...) Should I be happy about it?

Anyway, this post will be showing the ending of my Day 1 Bali trip. Since we enjoyed the view of the beautiful sunset at Pura Uluwatu, therefore we missed the chance to enjoy dinner with the sunset at Jimbaran beach.

Initially, I planned to eat dinner at Lia Cafe at Jimbaran Beach, but our driver persuaded me that he can bring me to another restaurant - New Matahari Cafe which is cheaper and the tax is waived. Therefore, we just gave it a try on his suggestion. We ordered the dinner set which consists of fish, prawns, crabs, lobsters, cuttlefish and other grilled seafood... I enjoyed the lobsters a lot because the taste was delicious and the meat was fresh! We spent IDR 175,000 per person (the most expensive meal of the trip). However, we couldn't finish the meal, so we packed it and continue to enjoy the meal in our hotel room!

Based on my colleague's recommendation, it is very romantic to enjoy the sunset on Jimbaran beach while having your dinner. However, although we couldn't see the sunset on the beach, we also love the candlelight dinner there (though it was a bit dark, and cannot really see our food). My mum complained that the chairs which we were sitting on the beach were sinking because the beach sand is too fine!! It would be a perfect place for the couples that come here for their honeymoon!

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - You can choose to sit inside the restaurant or on the beach

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Nobody chose to sit inside the restaurant!

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Cello on the beach

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Romantic beach and candlelight dinner

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Me on the beach

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Choosing the set menu

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Free Balinese dance performance in the restaurant

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Free Balinese dance performance in the restaurant

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Free Balinese dance performance in the restaurant

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Free Balinese dance performance in the restaurant

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Our fresh grilled seafood dinner with famous Bali Bintang beer. However, the soup was too salty!

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - I was enjoying the candlelight dinner!

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - The music band was singing Japanese songs to the Japanese guests in front of us

New Matahari Cafe at Jimbaran Beach - Bye...

After we had a very full dinner, we checked in to the hotel we booked - Best Western Kuta Beach. I quite like this hotel as the hotel is just located 5 mins walk from Kuta Beach. And then the room seems new and they provided free WIFI service in your room and free internet service in the lobby area. I like the LCD TV in the room too, we can watch many different  TV channels in different languages! The only thing to complain about is the bathroom, where the glass was a bit transparent which lacked privacy!

Passed by the busy shopping Kuta street on the way to the hotel that we booked

Best Western Kuta Beach

Best Western Kuta Beach - Lobby area. Hotel guests can use the free internet with the PCs provided there

Best Western Kuta Beach - Restaurant for the breakfast buffet

Best Western Kuta Beach - We were going to our rooms, spotted the couples were kissing there... Opps...

Best Western Kuta Beach - Comfortable bed

Best Western Kuta Beach - Nice LCD TV

Best Western Kuta Beach - Coffee table

Best Western Kuta Beach - A little transparent bathroom

Best Western Kuta Beach - Colorful bathroom

Best Western Kuta Beach - Like the sandy tile of the shower room floor

Best Western Kuta Beach - On the way to get our welcome drink at the bar on the highest 5th floor. Passed by this swimming pool

Best Western Kuta Beach - The bar (no other guests were there)

Best Western Kuta Beach - Enjoying my welcome drink - fruit punch (creative photo shooting angle by my sis!)

Best Western Kuta Beach - After settling our luggage, we walked for about 3 mins to visit the convenience store which nearby the hotel

Exotic Bali - Pura Uluwatu and Kecak Dance (Day 1, 26 Aug 2013)

After we visited the romantic Blue Point Villa & Spa, we quickly rushed to the next destination - Pura Uluwatu. While I was planning the itinerary, I read many details about this place. So every visitor who wishes to visit here has to be cautious especially the monkeys around the place. Please keep safe for your own belongings such as hair clips, sunglasses, spectacles, slippers and etc. This is because the naughty wild monkeys like to steal these things from visitors!! I reminded all my family members before we departed for Bali, however, my mum still forgot and wore her spectacles. Luckily our driver Mr Komang was very kind and reminded her...

We didn't have much time to walk around Puru Uluwatu, where there are some beautiful Hindu temples built on the cliff... This is because we bought the ticket to see the Kecak Dance performance at 6 pm (during sunset time). Our driver advised us to go to the Kecak Dance performance stage earlier, in order to get a seat with a better view so that we can take beautiful photos (Kecak Dance with the sunset background).

Pura Uluwatu - Ticket counter. Our driver was behind the 2 pretty gals

Pura Uluwatu - Entrance

Pura Uluwatu

Pura Uluwatu - Beautiful Hindu temple on the cliff

Pura Uluwatu - Me and the beautiful cliff. Thanks to our driver who took this photo for me

Pura Uluwatu - Another beautiful Balinese door

Pura Uluwatu - Can you see the crowd behind me? They were going to see the Kecak Dance at 6 pm

Pura Uluwatu - Beautiful cliff beside the sea

Pura Uluwatu - Beautiful sunset

Before 6 pm, we were able to find ourselves seats to view the Kecak Dance performance. However, there was a big crowd and we hardly move around too... This performance only shows once per day, therefore we cannot afford to miss it. Thanks to our guide too, because he urged us to purchase the ticket earlier, else we might lose the opportunity to see this traditional Balinese performance...

I can't really understand the full story of the Kecak Dance, but when you purchase the ticket, the information about the dance is provided on a piece of paper to the audience. Let me show you some videos and photos I captured during that moment...

Kecak Dance - Part 1

Kecak Dance - Part 2

Kecak Dance - Part 3

Pura Uluwatu - Kecak Dance with beautiful sunset background

Pura Uluwatu - Kecak Dance

Pura Uluwatu - Kecak Dance

Pura Uluwatu - Kecak Dance

Pura Uluwatu - The climax of the Kecak Dance performance. The monkey king was being burned!

Pura Uluwatu - The climax of the Kecak Dance performance. The monkey king was trying to extinguish the fire using his own feet!!

Pura Uluwatu - Before the show ended, a Westerner audience was invited to go to the front of the stage

Pura Uluwatu - End of the show. It took about 1 hour, the show ended at 7 pm

Pura Uluwatu - Spotted many monkeys while we were exiting Pura Uluwatu. The Caucasian visitors like to play with them

Pura Uluwatu - Closer view of the monkeys