When it comes to Bali, most people do not really know anything about this island. Most think of great beaches, some think of Indonesian dancers. Both would be right. Suzy and I arrived in Denpasar and grabbed a cab to Kuta, the best known beach area in Bali. We made a reservation at the Kuta Silver Beach Resort and were pleasantly surprised. This is a great hotel, good food and great location. When island traveling, sometimes the food is hit and miss, not here in Kuta. As we walked along the main road, it was easy to see that whatever we craved, it was here for us. You can have your pick from Tom Yum to Wiener schnitzel, it is all here. Suzy and I opted for Thai food at Kin Khao that evening, after enjoying chef Sompon’s expertise in Thailand, we were hopeful. The food was good, we had a few glasses of white wine and quickly called it a night. As we knew the beach here was touted as fabulous, the next morning we set out to the beach. Suzy loves the beach, so a beach blanket and some sun block was all she needed; I on the other hand like my amenities so a beach umbrella and two chaise lounges are more what I was after. Eureka.. $5 will get you an umbrella and two chaise lounges for the entire day. If you like being waited on, the owner of the umbrella is also your personal bar tender. Here in Kuta, beach bars are somewhat different than that of the West. A beach bar consists of a local resident with a Rubbermaid cooler full of ice, beer, spritzers and sodas. Just hold up your hand when thirsty and order up your pleasure. Need a massage, the local women offer massages for $3, if you’ve said no, don’t worry, they’ll be by every 5 minutes or so to see if you’ve changed your mind. The surf here in Kuta is very powerful, it is perfect for surfing, need a board, $8 for the day, need an instructor, that will cost you $35. You’ll find Kuta beach to be a very beautiful beach, white sand and the sunsets are fabulous, you can enjoy yourself here as it has everything to offer. In the evenings you can head to any of the local restaurant/bars for entertainment, live music is everywhere. If you’re one of those people who like to close down the bar in the early morning hours and wake up at noon, Kuta, Legion, and Seminyak would be the place for you. After getting familiar with Kuta, we decided that Silver Beach Resort was a little too far south for our liking so we came further north and checked into Kuta Puri Bungalows right on Poppies One. Now we were right where we wanted to be and the Hotel could not have been better. It was so good we decided to stay 2 weeks here at Kuta Puri Bungalows, this was paradise found. Between the beach and the pool here, it could not have been better. We met a few Australians while staying here and they told us about Sanur Beach on the east coast of Bali. This beach was touted to be the place to swim as Kuta had really powerful waves and Suzy found it difficult to enjoy a carefree swim. Once our stay ended in Kuta, we booked a week at the Bumi Ayu Bungalows in Sanur and set out the next day to explore the beach. We found Sanur to be quiet, a really restful type of beach with little action. Suzy found the surf to be delightful. Here we were going to relax after the tumult of Kuta. After Sanur, Suzy and I headed south of Kuta to Jimbaran, Jimbaran is touted to have some great seafood restaurants and also a great beach. We checked into the Sari Segara Resort. This place was huge and built like a palace in original Balinese architecture. We could only stay 3 days here as our Visa was about to expire but we enjoyed every day of it. The beach restaurants here are quite different from most. In the late afternoon, restaurant employees set up tables right along the beach. Dining is on the beach and all are encouraged to come before sunset, enjoy the fresh seafood cuisine and watch the sun go down. After three stops in Bali, Suzy and I could not have enjoyed this island more. After being here and thinking about Bali, it is difficult not to review in your head the 1958 Rogers and Hammerstein song from South Pacific, Bali Haí…..
Check out our YouTube Channel; Where in the world are Bob and Sue
