Ubud - plenty to do

With its relatively central location in Bali, Ubud offers the perfect starting point for all kinds of activities. The only downside is that you no longer have a beach on your doorstep, but the weather report wasn't particularly good anyway. On our list were Monkeyforest, rice terraces (finally 😜), waterfalls, and a sunrise from Mt Batur (1710m). But on the first day, it was all about arriving and shopping in the many small shops of the artist town. In the end, we were a little poorer, but our apartment is now richer in a few beautiful decorations. (We briefly considered sending a package, there were really nice things)

The first item on the agenda after our standard breakfast (pancake & omelette) was a leisurely walk through the rice fields around the city. This ended at our actual destination, Monkey Forest. Here, 710 semi-free monkeys 🐒 live, as it is said. All in all, quite nice to look at. For the end of the day, we decided on candlelight yoga - Ubud is also known for its art scene, meditation, and spirituality.

We then went a little further by scooter. After a stop at the rice terraces (which can't compete with Banaue), we became acquainted with the somewhat intricate road layout in Bali. We were on the road a little longer. But the destination, the Nungnung waterfall, was really worth it. The approximately 30/40m high waterfall in the middle of nowhere and practically without tourists was worth every minute on the scooter. Then it was just a quick ride home (surprise, we had another small sunburn from scooter riding) and off to bed quickly.

Because in the middle of the night, we continued on (yes, we were picked up at 02:00 at night) to climb Mt Batur. After a one and a half hour drive, we had our flashlight in hand and started. The 3 guides in our group once again looked like they were doing a part-time job during the summer holidays, but they were very helpful. Overall, a doable ascent and descent, where the countless tourists don't make themselves so noticeable. But the wind does. It was really freezing cold while waiting for the sun, but the view more than compensates. Back at the accommodation around noon, it was time to sleep until the long-awaited massage appointment.

On a whim, we booked a cooking class for our departure day - definitely a highlight - so if you're interested in Balinese cuisine, you can contact us now 😉 After a visit to the market, where we were shown various ingredients that we were also allowed to taste, we prepared 7 different dishes - very delicious!

We had to take a taxi for the onward journey to Padangbai (a city that primarily serves as a transport hub to the Gili Islands) because we missed all the buses.