Around Ubud

After using another day to organize our further travel route, we decided to take it easy and skip further flights within Indonesia, as we were already tired of the 4 flights we had taken in the last 12 days in Australia. Furthermore, all domestic airlines in Indonesia are blacklisted by the EU, which would not have contributed to a good travel feeling, even though there are of course many more beautiful places to visit.

Instead, we decided to spend the remaining time on Bali, as there was still a lot to discover here. We had planned to start with a scooter tour around Ubud, and we were able to rent a really nice scooter in perfect condition directly at our accommodation for around 3€ per day.

After a short test drive on our quiet street, we ventured into the chaotic traffic of the tourist metropolis and had no problems finding our way. An offline map (maps.me) helped with orientation, and otherwise the principle applied: "Just don't stop" =)

Our first stop should take us to the Gunung Kawi temple complex, north of Ubud. This is a temple complex in the middle of the rainforest, where you have to walk down some stairs and then, of course, hike back up. A visit is definitely worth it, as the sculptures carved into the rock offer a very beautiful sight.

Next, we visited the Tirta Empul temple complex, a temple that is very sacred to the Balinese and where you can also wash yourself with holy water. The washing ritual seemed a bit strange to us, but it was very interesting to watch.

Our scooter tour took us to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. These were the absolute highlight of the day for us, as the rice terraces offered a beautiful sight and we were able to take some very nice pictures again. The rice terraces do not charge an official entrance fee, but you have to pay a small fee for parking with the scooter, as well as a "voluntary donation" at small huts while hiking through the beautiful rice terraces, which is allegedly used for the maintenance of the bridges and paths. In our opinion, you should not give much money here, as it rather reminds us of a rip-off.

On the way back, we were allowed to take a picture in traditional attire for a small fee :-D Although we were already used to our 20kg backpacks, the baskets the locals carry on their shoulders for transport are incredibly heavy.

Afterwards, we returned to our accommodation in Ubud, which unfortunately we could not extend for 2 more days. The next day, we had a smaller move within Ubud, as we had also booked a homestay for the next two nights (Umajui Inn - also highly recommended). From here, we visited the famous Monkey Forest in Ubud.

We had long considered whether we really wanted to go there, but then we decided to visit the forest. Despite all precautions, we would later regret this decision, as Lisa was bitten by a monkey. We had deliberately stayed as far away from the monkeys as possible and had no food with us, so we felt safe. Nevertheless, we apparently got too close to a baby monkey, which the mother wanted to protect in this case. Fortunately, the bite did not leave a wound, but we immediately went to the first aid station, where the area was disinfected and rubbed with antiseptic. So despite all the necessary vaccinations we had received in Germany, we left the Monkey Forest with a very bad feeling and would generally advise against a visit, despite the beautiful temple complex, as the animals seemed curious and also aggressive at times.