My best memories of Bali

The time has come to leave this incredibly beautiful and welcoming place.

Bali has been incredible and definitely a great choice to begin a Round-The-World trip.  The people, the food, the temples, the wildlife, the sunrises, the sunsets, all of the natural beauty found here!  Everything went beyond and above what I could’ve ever imagined.

I highly recommend this city as a starting point for any solo female traveler.  It is easy, safe, and fun.

After visiting the Uluwatu temple, cliff-side cafes, Padang Padang beach, and the Tanah Lot temple I accompanied Mark, my travel buddy for a few days, to the airport to catch his flight.  The following day I took my flight out of Bali to go experience some of the beauty that Java has to offer.

Here is a list of places visited and experiences from Bali & Gili Meno: 

• Kuta
• Ubud
• Mt Batur
• Mt Agung
• Goa Gajah
• Tempaksiring
• Tirta Empul
• Gunung Kawi
• Tagallalang
• Monkey Forest
• Yoga at Yoga Barn
• Cooking class in Laplapan
• Bedugul Temple by Lake Bratan
• Jatiluwih rice terraces
• Mengwi temple
• Kekac ceremony (fire dance)
• Balinese dance
• Ubud Farmers’ Market
• Ubud rice paddies
• Amed with view of Mt. Agung
• Diving in Tulamben
• Snorkeling in Jemeluk
• Sunsets from Jemeluk viewpoint
• Gili Meno island
• Snorkeling trip to see coral wall, ship wreck & turtles, coral gardens in Gili Meno
• Super bumpy boat ride to Sanur from Gili Meno
• Uluwatu temple
• Padang Padang Beach
• Uluwatu cliff-side cafes
• Tanah Lot 

My best memories of Bali (in no particular order): 

• Seeing a cremation procession from the town to the beach
• Seeing families of monkeys on top of Mt Batur at sunrise
• Experiencing the sunrise on top of  Mt. Batur
• Following the Hindu spiritual ritual at Tirta Empul (holy waters temple)
• Seeing a devoted Hindu man pray at altar on top of Mt Agung (at 10,000ft)
• Riding on a scooter up and down the coast in Amed and eating roadside bbq for $2
• Eating Babi Guling (pork bbq) during road trips
• Swimming in the sea in Amed while looking at Mt. Agung
• Enjoying an early morning in the Farmer’s market and later contemplating the rice paddies in Ubud
• Contemplating the sunset at the top of the Uluwatu cliffs
• Watching sunsets in Gili Meno from a beach bungalow
• Drinking Bintangs (local beer) and eating cassava chips on the beach
• Getting a ride from Ubud center to my homestay on a motorcycle from a random stranger (it’s common here, don’t worry mom).
• And last but not least, drinking guava, papaya and mango juice, and eating banana pancakes (which are more like crepes) every morning!