Terima Kasih Bali

by Chriselle Bayross

Planning a wedding is exhausting. I was looking forward to recuperating on our honeymoon. But the destination was constantly changing. When we finally booked our tickets to Bali, I was happy.

While researching we discovered that there were trips to islands close to Bali, that were both accessible and fun. An hour’s ride away from Bali are the islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Nusa Cennigan. The first two islands gave us some delightful experiences. We chose to stay at Nusa Lembongan for a night, so that our trip wouldn’t feel too rushed. Some people may do it as a day trip, however you may not get a feel of the place. It is an ideal getaway and has some pristine white beaches with no one around for miles. Not only that Bali is quite touristy, whereas on these islands, we got glimpses of the authentic Balinese way of life.

Balinese Hindu burial ground at Nusa Lembongan
Balinese Hindu burial ground

For ex; While travelling in Nusa Lembognan we were suddenly assailed with the sight of open umbrellas standing tall on the ground. That’s when we realized that some Balinese Hindu’s bury their dead. They did this, as earlier, it was too expensive to cremate the bodies. Umbrellas are put over the gravestones, so that their ancestors, can take care of themselves against the sun and the rain in the afterlife.

At the famous T. Rex beach
Hi there T. Rex!

A short boat ride away from Lembognan island is Nusa Penida Island. On our visit, it reminded me of the south of Europe, in specific the Algarve coastline, with its   rock formations in the sea. Nusa Penida is most famous for the ‘T Rex’ beach (Kelingking beach) that has a rock formation that looks like a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex. To get to the beach you have to walk up and down steep steps, at some places they are at a complete 90-degree angle. Clearly not for the faint-hearted. No matter where you are at Kelingking, you are bound to enjoy the view of the spectacular coastline. We also visited Broken beach and Angels Billabong which is again a series of picturesque rock formations in the sea.

These islands, are a hive of water activities, diving and snorkeling being most popular. Since we did not have much time we opted for snorkeling. Once you get the hang of it, it’s fun. If you are a swimmer, you will know that being on the surface of the water makes the activity safe as well. The coral and the multicolour fish were a memorable sight. However, the waters in Bali are not calm and my husband who has snorkeled before was not too happy with the experience. The crashing waves and the extra tumbling, doesn’t allow you to easily enjoy the views that the sea bed has to offer. But for a first timer like me I enjoyed the uniqueness of seeing the ocean from such a close angle.

The beautiful view at Broken beach
Striking a pose at Broken beach

So, my advice would be get off the main island for some offbeat and relaxing fun. As for me I look forward to flopping on a beach doing nothing for my next visit to Bali!

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