BEYOND THE BEACH: SWEET BALI HIGH

My first time in Bali taught me that this Indonesian paradise can be anything you want or need it to be

Istared into the mirror, focusing on the colorful dress I was wearing. It was the third or fourth one in a series of beautiful handwoven kaftans I had tried on.

“This one, right?” I said. Behind me, Ketut Masmika, a warm and extremely patient man, nodded and smiled in approval. We were inside Manik Bali, his little shop that specialized in ikat, a traditional technique of dyeing and weaving patterned fabric. In the center of the place, surrounded by racks and racks of pretty tops, flowy kaftans and gorgeous robes, was the loom his wife used for weaving.

I had stumbled upon the store on a short evening walk. It was just steps away from Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa where we were staying—just one gem among many that I discovered on a recent trip to Bali.

Travel Warehouse Inc. (TWI), along with Cebu Pacific and Indonesia’s Aneka Kartika Tours, brought us there—a fun group that was a mix of Bali virgins and veterans. TWI general manager Jaison Yang is definitely one of the veterans. In fact, he no longer knows how many times he’s been to Bali. “I can’t count anymore because before the pandemic, Bali was one of the most preferred destinations for the Filipino market.”

Filipinos go to Bali for more than just the beach, he told Lifestyle. “It’s about culture. It’s about the food. It’s about shopping. One thing I love about Bali is everywhere you look, you see culture. That’s something you cannot easily find in a destination.”

Balinese architecture greeted us as we spilled out of the airport—intricate carvings and glorious arches.

Lovely welcome

A woman wearing a kebaya boarded our coaster and hung frangipani garlands around our necks, a big smile behind her mask. It was a lovely welcome to a favorite tourist destination.

“We are restarting,” our tour guide I Made Artana said.

“We are ready to welcome you guys back,” said Adjie Wahjono, operations manager of Aneka Kartika Tours.

Our first stop was Batuan, a Hindu temple that’s around 1,000 years old.

“Bali is 80 percent Hindu; the rest are Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, etc.,” said Artana.

Once again, we got a warm welcome. Women tied sarongs around our waist before we entered the temple. “This beautiful temple is part of our national heritage. The beautiful architecture ... it’s Instagrammable,” said Artana.

Later, as we sped to the town of Ubud, he said, “Nothing is tall here—we have no tall buildings, no flyovers. Buildings can have a maximum height of 16 meters. That law was made in 1992. We want to preserve our culture.”

World-famous

We marveled at the carvings and temples we passed by as Artana said, “Ubud is a super small town but world-famous. A lot of media, a lot of movies were shot in Ubud and became popular so a lot of tourists visit the town.”

One of these movies, of course, is Julia Roberts’ “Eat Pray Love,” which was based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s book. For Gilbert, it was eat in Italy, pray in India and love in Bali. But over the next days, I would discover that you can eat (oh lord, did we eat), pray and love in Bali and more.

There’s plenty of praying in Ubud. At a restaurant, we watched a woman pray and make a morning offering called canang sari. These colorful floral creations could be found everywhere—in the streets, the steps of shops, at the foot of temples. It’s the Hindu Balinese way of thanking the gods for balance and peace each day and it was lovely to see. One morning, we watched women in a market make canang sari. “They’re making the flower offering for busy people,” said Artana.

Later, we explored Ubud aboard brightly colored classic Volkswagen Safari convertibles. With the top down and the wind in our faces and our hair, we breezed past little streets, countless temples (Ubud is dotted with temples), forests and rice paddies. It was a great way to see the sights—a new thing tourists can enjoy when they go to Bali.

On one of the stops, I got to feed the fish at the holy fish pond in Taman Mumbul.

Sprawling sanctuary

Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa, our home in Ubud, was a sprawling sanctuary hidden by a deceptively normal-looking entrance on a street of shops and restaurants. The pretty pools were surrounded by rice paddies, the rooms were huge and had incredible views, but what was most impressive was the hospitality. The service was personal. I mean—how many hotel general managers do you see hanging out at the breakfast buffet helping guests decide what to eat?

But before breakfast was dinner—a grand one, a royal Balinese dinner once saved only for kings. We wore batik and more garlands of frangipani for the unforgettable meal, one that was complete with processions and dancing.

At the dinner, Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa’s general manager Fisson Sila Hari said, “For almost two and a half years, Bali was sleeping. But we need to spread news that we are back.”

As if there wasn’t enough to love about Plataran Ubud Hotel & Spa, for every guest who stays with them, a tree is planted in Plataran Menjangan, West Bali National Park.

But Ubud was just one part of the trip. Soon, we moved to Kuta, which was an entirely different vibe. Known for the beach, the surfing and the parties, Kuta felt younger, hipper, more vibrant. But the warm welcome was the same.

Melinda Situmorang and chef Ben Harrington greeted us at Mamaka by Ovolo with cups of yummy mojito sorbet.

At the lobby, there were jars of candy guests could dip into. “Mamaka Loves You,” a lightbox read. Displayed was the schedule of activities guests could join— from morning vinyasa and beach cardio to rooftop yoga and beach boxing.

Sweet surprises

Inside our beautiful rooms, sweet surprises were waiting: digital artworks of ourselves, a handcrafted tote, a bag of Indonesian snacks and a hand-drawn, handwritten card. Mine read, “Hi Pamela. Welcome to Mamaka. Today is beautiful because you are here.”

Our timing couldn’t be better. That night, they were launching Kuta Social Club, Mamaka by Ovolo’s cool rooftop pool club which features great beats by a DJ, delicious drinks, the chef’s fantastic food and a phenomenal view of the beach. It instantly became one of my favorite places in Bali.

Actually, it wasn’t just Kuta Social Club—I really liked the hotel and its vibe, so much so that I decided to bring home one of its brightly colored gnomes.

Another favorite place? Motel Mexicola in Seminyak. This Mexican restaurant transforms into a lively bar at night and transports you to a different, more colorful and more carefree world where an energetic crowd dances and sings along to the Spice Girls and Shaggy.

We visited the Apurva Kempinski Bali, a luxury five-star hotel that was the picture of opulence. It was massive—with 465 rooms, eight restaurants and breathtaking architecture. We got a peek at Koral Restaurant which offers an aquarium dining experience.

“Bali is huge,” Situmorang said. And it’s true. We felt like we had seen so much but also barely scratched the surface. We hadn’t even gone to Canggu or Jimbaran.

“I understand why people love Bali,” said Cebu Pacific’s Michelle Lim. “It’s not just the beach, it’s not just temples.”

Situmorang said, “You have everything here. If you’re looking for nature, we have plenty of options here: waterfalls, plantations, rice fields. You have entertainment.”

Wahjono added, “There’s always something happening in Bali. You can do a different thing every day.”

There is so much to discover and do. And so many faces and phases to Bali.

That’s what my first time in Bali taught me—it can be anything you want or need it to be: a spiritual destination, a springboard for adventure, an endless feast, a surf break, a shopping excursion, a party town or a calming refuge. It can be intense and nonstop or chill and laid-back, loud and fun, peaceful and quiet. It can be a mix of everything.

And no matter what kind of Bali you want, TWI is ready to help you plan a trip to remember. Yang said, “TWI can arrange different packages. It depends on your interests. We have new experiences, we have new activities to offer especially after the pandemic. Bali is rediscovering itself and Bali can cater to all your interests. We have packages for honeymooners, we have packages for the entire family. We have packages for luxurious travel, we have midrange

FROM C1travel. We have a wellness package for Bali. If you want to focus on culture and heritage or you just want to enjoy the nightlife, we have a package for that.”

Of course, you can also enjoy a bit of everything. All the things we experienced—from the Volkswagen tour to the royal Balinese dinner, TWI can arrange for you, whether you’re honeymooners, a group of friends or a big company. “We can customize, we’re very flexible. After the pandemic, Bali is ready to handle more people. The hotels have become more competitive. The restaurants are trying to reinvent themselves. The people in the hospitality industry are very excited to welcome back all the visitors.”

Our final dinner was on the beach, at Kempinski Bali’s Reef Beach Club. Members of the hotel staff helped us tie our sarongs in a variety of ways while the men also wore udeng on their heads.

As we walked to our table dressed in traditional Indonesian wear, we marveled at how immersive the trip had been. Wahjono said, “You merged with the local way of life.”

At the airport, signs gave people walking by a crash course on Balinese phrases.

“Matur suksma” means thank

you. “Titang lungsur mapamit dumun” is the most polite way to say goodbye—something like, “I’m taking leave now.”

Matur suksma, Bali. Titang lungsur mapamit dumun. But I’ll be back.