Tag: bali

Posted in bali, food review, restaurant review

Must go Places to eat in Bali

Posted on by harrytinkers

Ubud

Cilantro

The first day at Ubud we were fully exhausted by our river rafting session in the afternoon and also because of the night journey previous night from Singapore. While walking down the streets of Ubud we came across this lovely restaurant Cilantro

Cilantro serves Mexican cuisine and we both are diehard fans of Mexican cuisine. The restaurant was super cosy and dim lit; perfect for a candle light dinner. It’s two storied building and has cosy corners in the first floor and an open space balcony which was beautifully lit.

We preferred to sit in the balcony area and theta one of the best decision we made that day.

We ordered the below dishes

And an honest review to all the dishes is its super authentic and really delicious.

The price was reasonable and the quantity was good.

Buddha bowl

One of the major reasons for visiting bali was to actually taste the famous smoothie bowl. This is first restaurant we visited which served us a really refreshing smoothie bowl. Very satisfying indeed.

The price is reasonable and the quantity is good.

Smoothie bowl

Acai bowl

We were just not satisfied with one smoothie bowl that night so we came across this small outlet which served Acai smoothie bowls. We had no clue what Acai was but apparently Acai is a berry which is found in Brazil and super rich in antioxidants whoahhh that’s something NEW!!

Well the taste was super amazing; had a little sour taste blended with sweetness.

The desserts are on an expensive side as compared to the quantity.

Teba sari

We were super hungry after our visit to Alas harum and this restaurant is the closest to the park. Again, one of the best decisions taken on the day. This restaurant is no less than a resort in itself .The souring feels like you are in a jungle.

We ordered the below dishes

Teba sri dishes

The ambience of the restaurant is mesmerising and absolutely photo friendly

Note : if you are a vegetarian please ask the ingredients in any dish they serve because we found prawns in a chutney which was served with the starters and if you are allergic to something please specify that to them.

The staff is very welcoming and jovial and we were very happy with their fast service.

The quantity of the food was very less and the price was way too high.

Paperboy

We wanted to have smoothie bowl again and we landed to this place at night while walking down the streets of kuta.

Paperboy offers you with amazing food, friendly staff, photo-booths and lovely ambience.

Everything we tasted was super tasty and beautifully presented. For the /smoothies the price was worth it but for rest of the items it’s on an expensive side.

Crumb and coaster

If you ever visit Kuta don’t miss this place this is truly a gem and we found out this one accidently when we were super hungry and had our brunch there. After having the food we wished we had come here every day for breakfast.

This place is mostly recommended for breakfast and brunch and they have different menu for each meal. So take turns nod visit this place multiple times if possible.

The price is worth it for the quantity and the taste.

New delhi Indian restaurant Kuta

This restaurant was just located in front of our hotel so we chose this as we were super hungry and wanted to have something quick.

We had Chaas, Egg biryani and paneer chilly and the food was good nad reasonable too. For someone who craves Indian food can visit this place for a quick bite.

Ganesha ek sanskriti

The last night in Kuta we decided to have something Indian and we don’t know why we chose to have dinner from this place. The food was very expensive, the quantity was below satisfaction and the service was very slow and we had to cancel few dishes which we ordered.

Chicken 65 and Amritsari fish

The reviews are great about the place the ambience is beautiful other than that we were really disappointed.

All these are our reviews for the places we had our food from.

That’s all for today, have a wonderful day

You can check out other destinations which we have explored Click here

Posted in bali

Tegunungan waterfall

Posted on by harrytinkers

Tegenungan Waterfall is located at the Tegenungan village, in Gianyar, which is close to the artist village of Ubud. The waterfall is isolated but has become a popular tourist attraction and is mostly crowded because of its beauty.

The best time to visit the waterfall is in the morning as it opens by 6:30 am and closes by 6:30pm. There are almost 200 steps to reach the waterfall from the parking lot. The parking is free and the is no entrance fees.

Climbing back the stairs is little tedious as the step are very steep.There are washrooms and changing rooms if you want to change to your swimwear.

The waterfall area gets quite crowded after 10 am. Also, there are few photo booths if you are Instagram frenzy.

That’s all for today, have a wonderful day

You can check out other destinations in Bali which we have explored Click here

Posted in bali, things to do, what we feel

Why bali

Posted on by harrytinkers

Bali has always been fantasized for its natural beauty and picturesque beaches. Bali is romanticized to be the best honeymoon place for any newlywed couple and also for someone who loves to enjoy a tropical Hawaiian feel in an affordable destination.

For us too Bali was nothing less than a paradise for being the newly wed. We had so many expectations for this place and Bali was far beyond our expectation in terms of beauty and adventures.

We reached Bali in the morning by 8 am and after all the immigration process was done we decided to check-in to our hotel in Ubud .

There are two most famous cab /scooter services present in Bali Grab and go jek. Both are pretty reasonable and its recommended that you download their respective apps before reaching Bali.

We preferred bikes for our journey

What we would suggest everyone is think what kind of a trip you want to experience and then choose your pitstops because Bali offers many different segments of experiences namely religious, adventurous, nightlife, paradise, wildlife and for each one this the cities you have to choose are totally different

For us it was more of adventure and to enjoy nature so we chose Ubud and Nusa penida

To know more Click here

Posted in adventure activity, bali

Nusa penida

Posted on by harrytinkers

How to reach Nusa Penida?

You can get a fast boat from Sanur port which departs mostly in the morning 8 am and returns at 5 pm in the evening. It takes about 90 mins from Sanur port to Nusa Penida. The cost depends on the type of ferry you have chose.

Places we visited in Nusa Penida

Crystal beach

We decided to visit crystal bay first and we rented a scooter from a restaurant near the port itself and it took us 20 mins to reach the beach. The roads are pathetic and you have to be very careful while driving in these roads. Basically, there are no proper roads and there are small boulders on either side of the road, so if suppose you fall down chances are you will get badly hurt.

You have a parking space just near the beach and there are no charges for it.

The beach is famous for snorkelling and if you are planning to stay in Nusa Penida for a day or two please go ahead and enjoy this activity.

The beach is very beautiful and you can find of corals, crabs and other nudibranchs on the beach. The water is very clear and you can see corals very easily.

NOTE: when you are inside the water be very careful because the coral actual hit your feet and can hurt you badly which actually happened with us.

Th beach has been recommended for being among one of the beat sunsets beaches as its west facing.

You may also find some parasol shaded sun beds available by the locals.

Kelingking beach

Every person who visits Nusa Penida definitely has a picture in this place. To tell you the truth this place is just not hyped but its naturally very beautiful and a must visit beach.

It takes about 35 mins from crystal beach to Kelingking beach and roads are super messy as mentioned earlier and make sure you have petrol in your bike because there are no petrol stations in between , you may find some local shops selling petrol in plastic bottles but cannot actually guarantee what they are.

As soon as you reach the beach there is parking space for bikes and its paid. You have to walk a few kms to reach the view point of the beach.

After reaching the view point, we felt like going downhill and witness the actual beach.

I really don’t know why we thought like that but it was the best experience of the day.

We started climbing downhill wearing flip flops. In the beginning there are steps so we thought how difficult it would be to go down. Later after some time the steps vanished and there were barely any steps but only rocks.

These steps are extremely steep, uneven and can get very slippery after rain.

This is a difficult hike and you definitely need decent shoes, sunscreen and plenty of water. There are closely 800 steps to climb down and the height of the cliffs from top to bottom is over 200 meters while the hike is said to be about 400 meters down the narrow cliff ridge. 

Halfway we actually thought about climbing back because it was super sunny but something inside us told us to continue and we did it!!!

It took us close to an hour to climb down and the beach was so beautiful it took all our tiredness away. The waves very rough even at 1 pm we couldn’t imagine how it would be in the evening. The beach closes by 3pm because the waves almost covers the entire shore.

It’s worth climbing downhill but only if you have the energy and water to climb uphill.

We noticed some smoke coming from the mountains it was actually water vapours becoming clouds mesmerising view it was.

Its definitely very tough!!

We took more than an hour to climb uphill and we were damn exhausted, tanned and dehydrated. We literally took bath one bottle drinking water each. Had our lunch and left back to the port because our boat was scheduled by 4 pm

Harrytinkers tip

  • Wear trekking shoes if you are planning to go down hill in Kelingking beach. Flip flops are not at all recommended even though we did it but we would not recommend
  • Carry enough water and hydrate yourself
  • Have a first aid kit handy because you can get hurt either by the bad roads, corals in the beach or while trekking.
  • Have enough petrol in you bike as there are very few petrol stations.
  • Have proper breakfast and lunch as you would need energy to explore the island
  • Carry the contact number of your ferry crew because you never know when you might need help.
  • Carry sunscreen and apply it in every 3 hrs if possible, otherwise you can get terribly tanned.

Try something which challenges you , its the best way to explore yourself

Harrytinkers

Posted in adventure activity, bali, things to do

Adventure Activities at Alas Harum Agro park Ubud

Posted on by harrytinkers

When we look at the pictures of travellers visiting Bali what is the first thing which comes to your mind. That’s right!! BALI SWING. Definitely this was something which Maya wanted to do in Bali. So, we Headed to a place where we can visit the rice terrace, taste Luwak Coffee and enjoy Bali swing. There are lots of places which offer you all these activities together and after doing little research we found out this place in Ubud: Alas harum Bali.

Alas harum agro tourism started as a coffee tasting place which evolved into a place which attracts the tourists because of these reasons

Bali Jungle swing

Here one can experience different levels of Bali swing. Single swing with different height and a couple swing decorated beautifully with flowers. The Bali swing takes one to the highest adrenaline rush in between the beautiful rice terrace and tropical jungle.

The first time they push you, that extreme trill you experience is so intoxicating because you feel like flying towards the sky amidst the coconut trees. It’s a must do if you love adventures in nature.

Sky biking

Sky biking is the new addition to the adventure activities in Bali wherein you can drive a bicycle suspended on a high wire which is 30 ft above the ground. Another adrenaline rush activity, looks easy but is challenging. It’s fun and scary too because you are held up in the air and you have maintained the balance of bicycle and your own body when the gravity pulls you down. It feels like you are swaying in the air and have no control on your upper torso because of the safely equipment. Our suggestion is not to be tried by an acrophobic person.

Bali nests

There are about 3-4 varieties of bali nests in the park and you can enjoy the view by sitting on them ,but usually there be lots of people waiting to click pictures so it is advised not to take too much time in one nest.

Rice terrace and Photo booths

Walking in midst the lush green rice terrace is a wonderful and refreshing experience. There are loads of points to take pictures from. The whole setup reminded us of temple run and as if we had entered an ancient temple with moss. WE loved the swaying bridge and glass floor its super surreal.

Luwak Coffee

Coffee tasting is one of the favourite activities in Bali and you are served two coffee: Luwak coffee and normal Balinese coffee and the difference can be instantly felt because of its intense aroma, nutty taste along with a hint of caramel and chocolate. It’s said to have made with coffee seeds extracted from Luwak’s poop.

Luwak coffee
luwak

It’s a beautiful place from the time you enter the place. Natures beauty is totally utilised and maintained. Very friendly staff, swings are worth the price, you can get amazing instagram worthy pics and enjoy coffee on the glass bottom terrace facing the rice terrace.

the glass bottom floor

Harrytinkers tip

  • It’s not suggested for people who have difficulty in walking because you have to climb loads of stairs and walk a lot.
  • Acrophobic stay away from sky biking and Bali swing (it might make you little dizzy)
  • There is no restaurant inside so eat something from outside the park
  • Luwak coffee is good, taste it!! Have some fun.
  • Bali swing and sky biking a must try and it feels wonderful after the adventure 😮
  • the entry is free but you have to pay for the activities you prefer and this is the prices of the activities ( in 2019)
pricing of the activities
Posted in adventure activity, bali, things to do

Trek at mount batur

Posted on by harrytinkers

Mount Batur is an active volcano located at the centre of two concentric Calderas North West of Mount Agung on the island of Bali, Indonesia. It is beside the caldera lake. We had just read in books that an active volcano always has lakes besides them and it is really required to cool down the hot molten lava.

We were staying in Ubud and our cab picked us up at 2:30 Am and it was a terribly cold morning we reached our base camp by 3:30 Am and had small session with our guide and our team mates. We were handed over two small water bottles each and a mini torch.

 Close to 4 o clock we started the trek and the weather was very cold and we did not expect it to be so cold. As we started walking suddenly we looked up at the sky and what we saw was so mesmerising ; a sky full of stars , a perfect place for sky gazing .The trek was fun for the first one hour as we were having fun climbing and we finally reached our first pit stop where we took a break

early morning view

WE were six People in a team four ladies (they were sisters) and both of us. Our guide was very sweet, jovial and motivating along with the super energetic teammates

our team members

By 5 am the sky had started changing its colour and we were excited to see the sunrise from the peak. Maya was super dehydrated and tired because of the climb. So, we started drinking water in every 10 minutes which was very helpful.

To watch the sunrise from the highest peak in Bali was a blissful moment. It’s very beautiful and mesmerising sight.

Sunrise from Mount batur

For those who get tired climbing and want to reach the peak, there is motorbike service available. These are racer bikes and these bikers generally drive very fast and little rash too, because the way is very muddy and slippery. And you will reach very fast with this.

It took us almost 2.5 hours to reach the peak. The trail is super dusty and muddy, more than the rocks. We were damn exhausted, thirsty and hungry by that time we reached the top. Our trek plan had breakfast included where we were given sandwich, boiled egg and banana.

On the side of the mountain there was smoke coming from various portions of the mountain, later we realised that it was the smoke of the volcano and we are on top of an active volcano. Those were warm vapours which were getting released from the mountain craters.

The joy of completing the trek

Also, we realised that climbing down was more difficult than climbing up. The main inconvenience with whole trek was there was no arrangement of washroom and also as you tend to hydrate yourself so it’s definitely a requirement.

Climbing down also took us the same amount of time as climbing up. As its steep while climbing down, there are more chances of slipping as you lose your control. Also, if you don’t wear trekking shoes you may sprain your ankle as well.

We also saw a place which was destroyed by the volcanic eruption and covered with black lava. Its just in books we had read about lava but this one was real and we were amazed to see it.

The black portion in the left side is the black lava

Climbing down was not that interesting maybe because we had already experienced the beauty of sunrise and we just needed a restroom and some place to relax.

On total we loved the trek and it was amazing to watch the sunrise from the peak and of course climbing on top of an active volcano was a dream come true.

Harrytinkers tip

It’s an intermediate level trek please keep the below points in mind:

  • Build your stamina by running or jogging three days a week at least a month prior
  • Carry 2 litres water and stay hydrated, have water at least every half n hour
  • Pause and climb there is no hurry.
  • Carry energy bars or something sweet which gives you energy
  • Carry a jacket which can keep you warm in the morning
  • Wear comfortable loose clothing
  • Wear trekking shoes (very important)
  • Have the good sleep the previous night of your trek.
  • The most important point is having faith on yourself, if its first trek you can definitely do it

Be excited and have fun

Harrytinkers