Tour description
Your tour begins in Sanur, one of Bali's biggest traditional villages but also one of the most established tourist areas. Fine hotels, restaurants and modern entertainment venues compliment traditional village activities like drama and dance, so it's a good place to enjoy the delights of a tropical island and gain a real appreciation of Balinese culture and local life.
The heart of Bali
Then we will travel through a variety of interesting scenery to Ubud, itself set in picturesque surroundings. We’ll stay in a cosy hotel with a swimming pool in the heart of this arts and crafts town before setting off to explore the surrounding area. And there’s a lot to see and do! You can rent a bike or moped to visit Monkey Forest or one of the elegant neighbouring temples. You can take a walk along the narrow sawa dikes. You can enjoy delicious local foods like smoked duck or shrimp satay at night in one of the countless restaurants and bars as you listen to a traditional gamalan band in the background. Or you can watch the unique and exciting Balinese kecak (monkey dance). Perhaps the most dramatic and exciting performance art, it employs music, dance and drama with a multi-layered, interlocking rhythmic vocal chant (you’ve got to hear it for yourself, but it’s clever stuff!)
Passing Lake Bratan
On day 5 we’ll travel along a panoramic route, high above sea level, passing Lake Bratan on our way to Lovina. Here you will stay in a superb seaside
hotel with a swimming pool. Here you can rent snorkelling gear and explore the local coral reef just off the coast. You can also go for an early morning boat-trip in search of dolphins. Or you might explore the magnificent surroundings. Or you could just relax on the local beach.
On to Padangbai!
We then continue on to Padangbai via Kintamani, known for its beautiful views over the Batur volcano.
At the foot of the Rinjani volcano
On day 8 we’ll travel to the neighbouring island of Lombok, to the village of Tetebatu at the foot of the Rinjani volcano. From here you might like to go walking through the rainforest and along the streams. Or you could try bathing under a waterfall with the sound of black monkeys as background music!
Romantic Gili Air
On Day 10 we will travel by bus and boat via Lingsar and Narmada to Gili Air, a beautiful and isolated island where we can walk, dive, swim, snorkel and relax – and enjoy the white beaches, coral reef, clear water and palm-trees (highly recommended are massages whilst watching the sunset from beneath a coconut palm!)
Senggigi
After a relaxing 3 days it is time to start heading back, we will stop in Senggigi for one night at where we’ll sleep in excellent accommodation at the beach, before heading back to Denpasar where the tour will break up to go our separate ways.