Bali: My Favorite Destination

Hey everybody, my name is Meisya and I’m a student worker for the Study Abroad Office at SBCC. I was born in West Java, Indonesia and today I’m going to be telling you about one of my favorite destinations from my homeland and honestly the world, Bali! Bali is one of the most beautiful places on this planet. The forests, beaches and all-around nature there are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The island is filled with rich culture, incredible food, and so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences, who knows, this might just be the perfect trip for you!

Something awesome about Bali is that there are so many fun and affordable activities for tourists. A must-do activity when you’re in Bali is visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. The Sanctuary, located in Ubud, is a nature preserve and temple complex where visitors can come explore the forest, see monkeys in the wilderness, and even feed them! The Sanctuary is home to over 1,200 long tailed macaques, which are considered sacred in Balinese culture. Beware though, the monkeys are incredibly smart and will happily rob you of any of your belongings if you’re not keeping a tight enough grip on them, and believe me when I say I am speaking from experience… Another activity I would highly recommend is going on an ATV adventure tour! There’s a ton of them in different locations all around the island that you can choose from. All the tours take you to a beautiful location and usually include lunch as well. It’s great for thrill-seekers like me, and a super fun experience especially if you're with a group. By the end of the day, you’ll be drenched in mud with a ton of new memories!

If you love exploring nature, Bali is the perfect island for you. There are tons of incredible hikes and trails to go on that will lead you to spectacular destinations. One popular one is the Sekumpul waterfall. This mystical waterfall is located in northern Bali, and to get there you will hike through rice terraces and breathtaking landscapes to get to the waterfall (which honestly looks straight out of the movie Avatar). The tall waterfall is surrounded by incredible greenery and bathes you in mist, which is exactly what you’ll need after the journey there! Another popular hike is Kellingking beach, located in Nusa Penida. This hike is definitely a lot more difficult than the last one I mentioned and requires caution. The hike goes along a T-Rex shaped cliff that leads to a breathtaking secluded beach with white sand and turquoise water. It's a stunning hike, with unbelievable views from the top of cliffs!

If you’re wanting to really immerse yourself into the Balinese culture and spirit, I would highly recommend visiting the Tirta Empul Temple. It is a sacred Hindu Balinese water temple where worshippers and visitors come to participate in a water cleansing ritual. This ritual is said to cleanse the body, mind and spirit of any negative energy and is 1,000 years old! Everyone comes dressed in sarongs, but if you don’t have one they also have some you can rent there for a small donation! I had an amazing experience there when I went. I'd suggest getting there early to avoid the touristy rush hours and have a more serene meditative experience.

I saved the best topic for last: Indonesian food! A huge part of Indonesian culture is the food. Growing up, I was blessed enough to have a mother who just so happens to be an amazing cook, and would always make us the most incredible native dishes. There is truly nothing that compares to it and I’m going to share with you some of my favorites that you need to try while you’re in Bali! The first dish I recommend trying is Beef Rendang. It’s a classic Indonesian dish and consists of a slow-cooked Indonesian dry curry with beef. It’s very simple, flavorful and a great introduction to Indonesian food. The second dish I recommend trying is Ayam Sate, which translates to Chicken Satay in English. This Indonesian dish is a staple that can be found anywhere from street-vendors to high end restaurants. It consists of seasoned grilled chicken skewers, rice, topped with a delicious peanut sauce! You can also add in veggies and different meats if you’d like. The last dish I recommend is Kare Ayam, which translates to Chicken Curry in English. This dish (one of my all time favorites) consists of a creamy flavorful curry made from a base of coconut milk with a blend of spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander. It includes chicken and veggies, and goes perfectly with a side white rice. This curry has been described as a mix of Indian and Thai curry but spicier!

Overall, Bali is an amazing blend of culture, cuisine and nature. Whether you're leaving to go to Bali in a month or still figuring out if you want to go there, I hope this blog is able to help you have the best experience possible. Sampai jumpa!