We spent Christmas on Kuta Beach this year, gifting ourselves with surfing lessons, among people wearing their swimsuits and Santa hats resting under decorated palm trees. Not a bad way to spend the ‘winter’ season! We both caught the hang of surfing after a quick pool session with Odyssey Surf School and Manali was [...]

We didn’t really know what to expect when we arrived in Gili Trawangan via the Gili Cat from Bali ($32 per person, 2 hour journey) near the island of Lombok. The largest of the three islands, Gili T, as it is commonly known, houses the major dive and snorkel operators and has the most [...]

There a few words that can describe the cutest, playful but moody monkeys that you will come across in Monkey Forest.

Beware that if you have any traces of food in your purses or backpacks, these pickpocket monkeys will find it and will not hesitate to give you a quick pat down!

This [...]

Known for intricately carved rice terraces, a visit to a terraced rice field is an enjoyable way to spend a lazy afternoon. Two that are worth visiting in the Ubud area include the Tagallalang Rice Terrace and Sayan Rice Terrace which are within 30 minutes of the main town and are worth the short [...]

Ubud’s fertile land surrounding the rice fields is a result of the volcanic activity amidst the jungles in the middle of the island of Bali.

We decided on a whim to ride the scooter up to the lava fields of the active Mount Batur, about an hour’s ride away up the windy roads into the clouds. [...]

In Ubud, there are plentiful Balinese homestays where basic accommodation can be found for $10 (fan rooms with shared bathroom) as well as luxurious 5 star hotels with all the amenities, such as the Four Seasons. Harder to find are the mid range but great value hotels such as Puri Garden Hotel. The [...]

Ubud is a true haven for fresh, organic and creative foods, a foodie’s dream at discount prices. Wheatgrass smoothies, baba ghanoush, vegan pizza, warm goat cheese salads – you name it, they have it. Notably, we were told to visit Sari Organik, a restaurant tucked away in the middle of a rice paddy, [...]

An hour north of Kuta Beach you will find the beautiful, sleepy little town of Ubud. Nestled into countless acres of rice paddies, farmland and jungle, Ubud is formed by a limited number of quaint streets lined with small boutique shops. The limited development in Ubud seems to place a rightful priority on the lush [...]