When wedding bells ring Julie and I are ready to go, or so it seems lately as we’ve attended numerous family and friends’ weddings over the last year.  Weddings are a great opportunity for celebration, reunion and flat-out party, that’s for sure.  And the bonus is that if the venue is somewhere unique you can turn it into a holiday.  So when we received an invitation from some dear friends for a wedding in Bali we jumped at the chance to be part of this big event.

Bali has magic connotations to most Australians, frequently their first overseas trip, their first exploration of Asia and often times the place they return to for hot weather and long beaches during the cold winter months.  It is predominantly a Hindu island in the world’s largest Muslim country but caters very well to the hordes of Australians and other tourists who invade it each year.  The people are beautiful, the culture is fascinating and the setting is stunning, even if at times the place seems a little over-loved by the invading visitors.

From the time we stepped off the plane to the time we stepped back on seven days later we had an absolute blast in Bali, exploring new places, meeting new people, celebrating the marriage of a beautiful young couple and soaking in the whole Asian holiday scene.  As Julie said, we fell in love with Asia again (as if that was going to be hard!).

Our base for the week was Seminyak, a beach suburb north of the more populated (and over-run) areas of Kuta and Legion.  Seminyak is slightly upmarket with its western shopping and world class restaurants but still has a long sandy beach and blazing hot sun.  It is also home to a number of beach clubs which are in essence an enclosed location where you can spend the day swimming in their large pool, having a cold beer in the swim up bar, dining in various restaurants, relaxing in the sun on their many lounge chairs, or just staring out at the beautiful blue sea and surf that acts as background.

After reuniting with our friends and (barely) surviving a buck’s and hen’s night, Julie and I headed for one of the most popular beach clubs in the area, oddly called Potato Head.  Yes, you could be almost anywhere in the world at these sort of clubs but it was fun, easy, relaxing and a bit decadent to hang out there during our recovery afternoon.  We were better for it.

We also saved time to sit under an umbrella on the endless beach of Seminyak, enjoying the rising surf, soft sand and warm breezes.  Of course there was time for shopping and the occasional cold Bintang beer to fortify us in the hot weather.  Most importantly, we never let a day pass without a relaxing Balinese oil body massage – a highlight for any visit to Asia.  And once you get hooked on massages it’s hard to give them up…

But the highlight of the week in Bali was the beautiful wedding of Ashley and David in one of the most gorgeous settings that could be imagined.  Set in a private villa complex with a long infinity pool nearby and verdant green rice terraces as a background, the bride looked gorgeous and the ceremony was highlighted by the deeply personal touches from each of them.  When the ceremony was over the celebrations began and everyone enjoyed the big night.  The fun continued well into the evening, highlighted by a fabulous feast, cold drinks and hot dancing.

But wait, there’s more.  We were back the next day, a little worse for wear, enjoying a wonderful afternoon around and in the pool with the newlyweds and friends, the celebration that never ends.  And as often happens at weddings, we met some fantastic people who were great fun to be around as well as reuniting with best friends we had known for many years.  The whole weekend scene had all the ingredients – plus the sunburn and hangovers – to make it a truly memorable event.

Julie and I don’t miss an opportunity to explore new places and we took a couple of extra days to see what new adventures we could have in other parts of the island.  With our little hire car, a modest map and ample curiosity we headed off on our own to see the other side of Bali.  First stop was Tanah Lot, the island’s most sacred Hindu temple, originally built in the 16^th century on a little rock outcrop, surrounded by surf and brightly flowering bougainvillea.  It is a must-see site for all visitors and deeply embedded in Balinese mythology.

We then headed inland up the mountain to the three crater lakes in the middle of the island.  But getting there was no lark as we battled narrow crowded roads, minimal signs and gruesome traffic before finally lunching in a local restaurant near the town of Bedugal on the banks of Lake Beratan and taking in the Ulun Danu temple on a small island in the lake.  Then it was down the other side of the mountain, negotiating the steep and winding switch back roads, dodging the endless stream of helmetless motorbikes, enjoying the deep rich jungles and vertical mountainsides all around us.  This is not the Bali most people know.

We stopped at Gitgit Falls, a dramatic multi-tier waterfall in a hidden jungle corner which was at the end of a great walk back up the canyon.    Then it was down to the old Dutch colonial port town of Singaraja on the north coast of the island, a sprawling and busy town with wide European streets and a strange collection of commemorative statues on just about every corner.

Thanks to a guy on a motorbike who chatted with us at a red light we were introduced to some beachside bungalows in a little fishing village on Lovina Beach.  That night we sat amongst the primitive fishing boats pulled up on the volcanic black sandy beach, enjoyed drinks with sand between our toes and a modest dinner at our bungalow restaurant.  It was the perfect end to a great day of exploring the other side of Bali.

The next day we followed the coastline along Lovina Beach, pulling into some of the small communities along the way and loving their colourful fishing boats that were on the beach or anchored just off shore.  These colourful traditional scenes led to reminiscing about our time in Thailand and similar exploratory weekend journeys around South East Asia.  We loved it.

We started our journey back to Denpasar, winding our way along an inland road, up and over the mountains, through the stunning terraced rice fields, stopping at picturesque Munduk Waterfall, then more harrowing winding narrow roads until we eventually made it back to our hotel in Seminyak.  We ended this memorable week with one last fond farewell dinner with our wedding friends – and the parents of the beautiful bride – before the spell-breaking flight back to Sydney.

 

 

Bali is famous for its beaches and warm relaxing lifestyle.  It has great shopping, fabulous restaurants and friendly locals who welcome all visitors.  It also has a reputation for being overrun by tourists, including too many Aussies, and being a bit over-done.  But if you are in town for a special wedding with close friends and find a couple of days to explore other parts of this beautiful place then it turns into one of the true highlights of the year.  We’re ready to go back anytime.