The Call of Bali

Our close friends, Manan and Ashmi, have been inviting us to experience the magic of Bali since they moved to Ubud three years ago. Their daughter, Zaha, thrived at the renowned Green School, and their glowing accounts had us yearning for a taste of Balinese paradise.

Planning the Trip

This year, Preeti, Ishaan, and I decided to visit them from Bangalore, along with our friends from Hyderabad, Shilpi and Pramit Saxena, and their daughter Anika.

Pramit and Preeti crafted an itinerary, but there was a glaring omission: yours truly! Due to a technological oversight, I wasn’t included in the “Bali Planning” WhatsApp group. Let’s just say, FOMO was a real thing!

While everything seemed to be running smoothly, Pramit booked his tickets on Singapore Airlines from Hyderabad, with a layover in Singapore, while Preeti booked our tickets direct to Denpasar on Indigo from Bangalore.

Once I was added to the group, I quickly chimed in, but with my typical flair, I ended up confusing everyone. After multiple discussions, Mistry Tours and Travels (aka Manan) gave up trying to organize the best possible Bali experience.

Fueled by a spirit of adventure, we finalized our itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive and settle in at Seminyak
Day 2: Seminyak to Gili Trawangan via Serangan port
Day 4: Gili Trawangan to Sanur
Day 7: Sanur to Bedugul
Day 8: Bedugul to Ubud
Day 11: Ubud – Farewell, Bali!

Day 1: Seminyak – The Warm Welcome

We landed in Denpasar on separate flights. Preeti and I took the direct 8-hour Indigo flight from Bangalore, while Pramit and Shilpi opted for the more comfortable Hyderabad – Singapore – Bali route on Singapore Airlines.

Preeti, Ishaan, and I arrived a couple of hours ahead of Pramit and waited at the small airport. We had lunch at Starbucks, and when they finally arrived, we took a taxi using the Grab/GoJek app to our first stop in Seminyak. We headed to Badung Regency, a small, comfortable hotel just a stone’s throw from the beach.

Pramit realized he had left his camera bag at the airport taxi waiting area. He quickly hopped on a bike-taxi and returned triumphantly within two hours.

We headed to the beach to get a feel of Bali and feel the sand beneath our feet. The beach was rough and not ideal for swimming, so we dipped our feet in and took a few pictures. We then walked to the famous Potato Head Beach Club, which was packed and had a full-on MTV Grind vibe. Unfortunately, the management seemed uninterested in helping us find a table for six, which was a disappointing start to our Bali journey.

Afterward, we found another restaurant nearby for an early dinner with beautiful sunset views. We called it an early night since we had a boat to catch to Gili and meet our hosts, Manan, Ashmi, and Zaha! Overall, we loved the “vibe” of Seminyak and wished we had stayed there a couple of nights, as Manan had advised. But we were eager to meet the Mistrys in Gili Trawangan the next day.

Gili Trawangan – Sunsets, Scuba, and the Sound of Stillness

The Journey Across the Sea

The next day, we took the BlueWater Express to Gili, a premium service that exceeded our expectations. Our journey to Gili Trawangan Island was much anticipated, and BlueWater lived up to the hype! Although there were cheaper alternatives, we opted for comfort for our multi-hour sea voyage with family.

Prompt Arrival and Spacious Transfers

The BlueWater Express crew arrived right on time at 7 a.m. in two spacious cars. The drivers were courteous, and the ride from Seminyak to Serangan port was smooth. Within ten minutes of reaching the port, our luggage was loaded onto the boat, and we were ready to embark on our journey to Gili.

Comfortable Ride and Scenic Views

The boat was compact yet comfortable. After about 15-20 minutes, we moved to the top deck, where we enjoyed stunning views and a refreshing breeze. The brief stop at Nusa Penida added intrigue to the voyage. Finally, around 12:30 p.m., we reached the jetty and found Manan, Ashmi, and Zaha waiting for us at the beautiful Manta Dive Beach Club.

Scuba Diving – Discovering Silence Underwater

We enjoyed Gili over three nights filled with fun! Ishaan and Anika were eligible to dive, so I signed up with them, Manan, and Ash for a fun introductory dive. My first scuba diving experience in Pattaya was disappointing, but this was on another level. The instructors were calm, patient, and lively, guiding us through the basics in a small pool for over four hours.

The instructors took extra care of Ishaan and Anika, clarifying doubts and offering reassurance. When we hit the open water, Ishaan struggled to dive deep due to a mask that was too big for him, forcing him to give up within 5-10 minutes. Preeti stayed on the boat, feeling uncomfortable with diving.

My first dive in Gili was mesmerizing. Underwater, once the waves settled, I was surrounded by a world greater than anything I had experienced. The silence was deafening. I thought I was doing everything right, but I couldn’t dive deeper despite the instructor’s help. After 30-45 minutes, we returned to the boat.

After speaking with Manan and Ash, seasoned divers, I learned I wasn’t breathing correctly. They explained that I needed to take twice as many breaths as I would on land to compensate for the water pressure. I signed up for a second dive, and this time, with proper yogic breathing, I was able to dive deeper and enjoy the stunning underwater landscape, including huge turtles and colorful fish. This marked a fantastic start to our Bali tour!

Nights of Music, Laughter, and Markets

Gili was a lively party place, with each night featuring a different venue. The mornings were quiet, while the evenings were filled with music and energy.

Originally, we planned four nights in Gili, but I heard from many people that two nights were enough to cover the small island. I regret not staying longer—something to look forward to on my next visit!

We caught stunning sunsets and enjoyed food from the night markets before heading to Sanur, a “retired man’s paradise,” to stay at the Prama Sanur Beach Hotel for the next two nights. On the BlueWater Express back to Sanur, I was lucky enough to spot a school of dolphins jumping through the ocean, along with beautiful views of Mount Agung.

OrangeCounty, bali, banana, dragon fruit, fruit, gili, papaya, pineapple, tropical

Ishaan, bali, gelato, gili, gilitrawangan, holiday

Sanur – The Calm After the Party

After Gili’s buzz, Sanur felt like a deep exhale. We checked into Prama Sanur Beach Hotel, tucked away at the peaceful end of the promenade.

The pricing was great, and the location was convenient, especially since we were traveling with kids.

The hotel was situated at one end of the promenade, in a quieter area. After the hustle and bustle of Gili, this was just the calm we needed! The beach in Sanur was shallow and calm, almost like a lake, with soft knee-high waves protected by a natural reef—perfect for snorkeling, which the kids enjoyed.

My idea of a vacation is to explore, and I woke up early to enjoy the sunrise in Sanur. Unfortunately, I overslept the first morning and missed it. I used that time to walk the promenade, swim in the huge resort pool, and make it in time for breakfast.

After breakfast, we booked a cab to take us to the famous Tanah Lot Temple, with a brief stop at a place that brewed nasi lemak coffee.

Temples, Markets, and Monkeys

On the way to Tanah Lot, we visited the much-talked-about Garuda Vishnu Park. It was hot, and we had a decent amount of walking to reach the museum inside. The park, which doubles as an event venue, was not very impressive. The views from the museum were nice, but the park itself didn’t wow us.

We caught a brief performance of Balinese dance, and then we were glad to return to our air-conditioned taxi and head to Tanah Lot and Uluwatu Temple!

The temple area was beautiful, and the nearby markets were filled with gorgeous art and knick-knacks. One mistake we made was not buying items we liked immediately, thinking we would find them cheaper or better in Ubud. We missed out on some great artifacts!

At Tanah Lot, the temple is famous for its sea views and infamous for the cheeky monkeys that steal anything shiny from tourists. In India, we are used to this, so we prudently stored shiny things away, but many tourists lost valuables in a flash!

We wanted to catch the famous Kecak dance, but huge crowds discouraged us, and we ended up missing it for the entire trip—definitely something for the next visit!

After battling traffic, we returned to Sanur and explored the marketplace outside. We ended the night at a bar with great live music just outside the hotel. We called it an early night since we had to prepare for our next adventure to Ulun Danu.

I made it a point to wake up very early to catch the sunrise, and I was lucky to witness it—it was as stunning as everyone said! By 6:30 a.m., I hired a cycle and rode along the promenade for 20-30 minutes, capturing as much as I could until it was time to head back for breakfast and our trip to Ulun Danu via a brief stop at Manan’s house in Ubud.

Bedugul – Misty Hills and Mountain Air

We set off from Sanur, stopping for some silver jewelry shopping on the way. The girls and Pramit were thrilled with the variety available, while I took the kids around, encouraging them to pose with monkey statues.

We made a quick stop at Manan and Ashmi’s house to drop off some luggage before continuing to Bedugul. On the way, we visited the famous Bali Handara Gates for some Instagram-worthy shots, only to discover that the gates are never reflected in water as many photos suggest—just clever photography!

Pramit had booked us a stay at what was advertised as lakeside cottages, but it turned out to be false advertising. The cottages were cozy wooden houses tucked in a tranquil area, a short walk from the actual lake, giving us privacy, serenity, and a real sense of island calm. Despite the minor letdown, we made the best of it.

In the morning, I was the first to wake and went lakeside to take pictures of a colorful mosque and the mist over the lake.

That afternoon, Ishaan found the perfect window overlooking the hills. In true travel-blogger style, he struck playful and candid poses, peeking out with curiosity, leaning on the sill, and letting the morning mist frame him like a professional photoshoot. It was such a simple moment, but the light, the backdrop, and his natural charm turned it into a memory worth capturing — a quiet highlight amid our active itinerary.

We checked out and headed to the Ulun Danu Temple—a beautiful site by the lake with a few cafes and a small park where the kids and wives petted exotic animals. We took tons of pictures before heading to the botanical gardens for a quick visit.

Unfortunately, we had limited time to explore the stunning gardens set on the hillside. We took a tram since electric scooters had height and weight restrictions. The tram took us to all the major attractions around the park within an hour.

After a lunch stop opposite the park, we headed home to UbudAfter lunch nearby, we were off to Ubud, our final destination.

Ubud – Art, Soul, and the Heart of Bali

We reached Ubud, surrounded by the beautiful greenery of Manan’s house and our adjoining homestay. The place was filled with wooden artifacts, green lawns, and comfortable rooms with beds you could lose yourself in!

Our first night was spent at Bali Bohemia, a quirky café filled with artists and travelers. Anyone could walk up, pick up an instrument, and play.

Ishaan was inspired and played his first gig on the Bali Bohemia stage, performing “Seven Nation Army,” a song he had just begun to learn on the guitar. I beamed with pride watching him play!

Green School & The Art of Living

After a late night, we woke up leisurely the next day and visited Zaha’s school. She gave us a great tour of the Green School, showcasing its sustainability-focused design. The projects and parental involvement in teaching and running the school were inspiring!

Overwhelmed by the Mistrys’ life, we enjoyed a leisurely evening at Tis Café amidst the tea terraces while the kids swam and the adults caught up. It was truly magical!

Souvenir Shopping & Ashmi’s Creative World

Our final day in Ubud was reserved for souvenir shopping at the vibrant Ubud Market. The air was thick with incense, laughter, and bargaining.

From there, we visited Ashmi’s studio, where her art brand “I Am” was taking shape — exquisite handcrafted pieces that blended philosophy and design. Watching her work in her creative element was inspiring — Bali truly fuels the soul.

Early the next morning, I had a bit of time to check out the local market while the rest were asleep and packing. I made it back in time for a delicious breakfast with coconut pudding, and then it was time to reluctantly head back to India.