I kicked off 2018 at Telunas Private Island, one of the properties of Telunas Resorts, which is a resort that focuses on geo-tourism (sustaining or enhancing the geographical character of a place) and is basically a peaceful getaway in paradise. I have been sharing all about it on social media, and so many people have messaged about how to get here and how much it costs, so I’m going to do a full review of the property and let you know what to expect when you stay here.

How to Get to Telunas Private Island

It’s just 50 km from Singapore, although the island is technically in Indonesia. You’ll take a ferry from Singapore or wherever you are to Batam, Indonesia which will take about 45 minutes. The Telunas staff will meet you there and then you’ll take a longtail boat (so cool and they have snacks) about 1.5 hours to the island.

For me, I flew from Goa to Singapore and stayed the night in Singapore before going. I totally recommend you check out Singapore for a couple days before or after your trip. You can go from the airport to hotel to Harbourfront Ferry terminal all on the MRT (local transportation) really easy and very cheap. Tip: if you go for the morning ferry, there are Starbucks, McDonald’s, Coffee Bean, and all kinds of breakfast places at the ferry terminal so you can grab coffee and such before you board. If you want a hotel near the MRT, I stayed at the Dorsett which was just perfect – in Chinatown, next to an MRT stop.

When you book, Telunas staff will help you time out when you should get the ferry based on your flights and where you are coming from and help you book it. It’s all very organized and easy. When you arrive at Telunas private island, you’ll be greeted with the friendly staff, a cold towel, and a cucumber welcome drink.

The Rooms at Telunas Private Island

Staying on a private island is cool but I think the biggest reason people are so obsessed with this hotel is that it’s the only overwater villas near Singapore! I had never stayed in one before and it’s been a dream of mine – walking into my room was all “wow, omg, the view, the wood, the bed, it’s amazing!”. The girl who helped check me in was just laughing like she hears this 10x a day from guests.

The wood in the room is reclaimed, mostly from old fishing boats. These villas are stunning. You can’t walk in without being wowed – and they’ve been designed with all Malay and Indonesian touches. All 15 villas are the same with a living room, loft with two beds, a bedroom that opens to the ocean, and a bathroom. The rooms can fit up to 5 people.

In terms of amenities, they have all the basics like shampoo and conditioner but also offer aloe, mosquito spray, and a list of extras they will bring you on request. They have coffee, tea, and a water dispenser in the room. A lot of people messaged asking about mosquitos and honestly I only ever heard one (didn’t see it) buzzing one night but never got a bite and didn’t even use the spray. Usually, over salt water, mosquitos aren’t as much of an issue. The room does not have A/C but has a strong fan which was fine (and I’m addicted to A/C). The bed was so soft and I was tired from traveling. The first night I went to bed at 10 and woke up at 10. Not bad!

Right now, rooms are going for around $206 (2,950,000 IDR) per night. What a steal, no!? You can check availability and book here. Prices change based on peak season so you can input dates and see what the price is when you want to go.

Food at Telunas Private Island

Your food is automatically added to your room rate for $60 (850,000 IDR) a day or $31 (350,000 IDR) for kids. Breakfast is a buffet, lunch is a set Indonesian meal, and for dinner, you can choose ahead between 3 dishes (mix of Indonesian and European). Drinks are on an honors system and you can take what you want from the communal fridge.

Indonesian soup to die for, chicken from the kid’s meal (I’m a kid still), beef wellington

Pasta, salads, soups: there is no shortage of food. There is also a bar by the pool with snacks like nachos and cocktails. If you want something special, they will arrange a candlelit dinner or a village tour to have lunch with some locals. I was never hungry enough to even need the snacks I packed (I mean, you can’t go to an island unprepared, haha).

Activities on Telunas Private Island

This is a place to have a social media detox, and detach from the online world and enjoy the jungle around you. I won’t lie – that is hard for me! I brought books and movies because I thought “Ah, I’ll get so bored!” but in the end, I never watched any movies. I did read by the pool but spent time doing the free activities they had and chatting with other guests. (If you want a good book, [easyazon_link identifier=”1101904240″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Dark Matter[/easyazon_link] was amazing).

They have kayaks, standup paddle boards, and games like cornhole and ping-pong. They also offer daily activities like treks, things for the kids, and bonfires. You can take the kayak over the island across from Telunas, which is their other resort and hang out there if you want. You can go on a solo trek around the island, too – there is a path.

You could also just chill by the infinity pool and read, my favorite vacay activity.

You MUST get a massage. You cannot come here and not book one. It was the most insane experience because it’s on an overwater structure and while I was having my massage a HUGE thunderstorm came through. My masseuse kept going and I cannot even explain how cool it was. I think no other massage in my life will compare to having one while you can hear the strongest rain, wind, and water splashing on rocks below. There were tarps she pulled down, so I didn’t get wet, but I could peak below and see the ocean crashing. So wild! The sunsets are amazing so you might want to plan to finish your massage right as the sun is going down. When you go for a shower after, use the ones at the spa which are open-air showers with amazing views.

Pin this peek into Telunas resorts for later:

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Wondering where to go in Bali for a unique experience? You’ll love this glamping experience in Ubud!

Upon checking in at Sandat Glamping, you’re given a welcome drink and left to explore while they get your room key. The main dining area is amazing. It’s all bamboo and the furniture and design are very cool.

It’s all jungle vibes!

The room right above is the yoga shala. It’s really nice. Unfortunately, I only had one morning here and I had other plans (exploring with Duara Travels, which I’ll write about later on). The following am I left, so I missed yoga here. But man, what a kickass place to do it.

The Rooms at Sandat Glamping

Just wait for these rooms…

How amazing are these tents!

I love the circular bed. We stayed in a suite tent and it had a pool outside of it. The rooms are spacious, not just for tents. They are bigger than some boutique hotels I’ve stayed in.

While it’s glamping, it’s definitely more like a hotel than a tent. It has A/C, hot water, a mini fridge, and WiFi.

This awesome guy is showing us a tool that hangs by the door. It makes a strange sound that lets them know we need something. Each tent has a different tool with a different sound.

They don’t come down to the tents without ringing a bell at the top of the path also! I guess this would be because people are skinny dipping! You can definitely hear your neighbors here, and I think our neighbors were on their honeymoon if you know what I mean.

The pool was insane. I really wish I had one more day to spend here so I could just chill at the room. I got to stay in such cool places in Bali, but for the exception of Villa Sungai, I really didn’t get enough time in the rooms.

The water was cold but that’s because the pool is often in the shade.

Food & Spa at Sandat Glamping

Breakfast is a buffet down in the main bamboo room. You can also order more, off the menu. I had yogurt and muesli with some amazing dried fruit they make. I also had the strongest coffee. it was so good, I had two cups.

I also had a massage here. I have to say, it wasn’t the best one I’ve had. The girl was really nice, though. They set it all up in the room and although it wasn’t a deep tissue massage like most Balinese ones I had, it was still very relaxing. The cinnamon burning below the bed was really nice.

Click here to book Sandat Glamping.

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If you’re on Instagram, no doubt you see girls staying at private pool villas every 10 photos on your feed! It seems like most “digital nomads” live in Bali, and bounce from villa to villa. I was there for three weeks and really wanted to see what it was like to spend two days in pure luxury with my own pool. 

I stayed for two nights at Villa Sungai, which is inland about 40 minutes from Seminyak (driving through Canggu). You can easily go from the villa into Canggu, but it rained while we were there and I was so happy to read and play scrabble. I’d had a lot of beach time already! 

All meals are served at the villa and there is a menu with Indonesian and Western food. The owner is Australian and the design was done by her. It’s pretty impeccable. 

The rooms (3) at Villa Sungai

That’s 3 types of robes… you know, so that if you want a big fluffy one it’s there, but if you want a terry cloth one that’s there too. But then maybe you want a really light one for by the pool so they added it as well! 

The bathroom is huge and outside are two showers and a bathtub. 

They even fill the tub up with flowers. We drank about a bottle of wine and a couple cocktails each day, so it’s not like we did nothing (lol) but we mostly just drank, read, and played in the pool. 

The Villa Pool & Food

The whole villa has three rooms and they look about the same although one is larger than the other two. The decoration is simple and makes it easy to relax. They have TV with a lot of movies as well as music and speakers set up. 

In the main living room there are also speakers set up and an iPod to play with. I plugged my own phone in and used my own music. There is also a game room full of board games and books.

It was a great location, and Tia was traveling with me so we did a little photo shoot for her new summer line. Here’s a shot from that! The shoes are from a shop in Bali. I bought them in black and also got my mom a pair in black. 

This is another one of Tia’s creations from the photoshoot! I don’t think it’s for sale yet, but I’m definitely going to be buying this one.

Rainy days, tea and a book… perfect afternoon. I didn’t let myself get my computer out (much) even though the WiFi was great. We ended up watching Lion which was so good and I don’t think anyone can watch this without crying. 

In the evenings, they brought us snacks before dinner which they paired with cocktails. The spring rolls, tzatziki dip, and corn fritters were beyond tasty. 

For dinner, we ate Indonesian meals since we had been eating mostly Western food during our trip. The portions were huge and we never finished anything which I felt guilty about, although we tried.

Breakfast was the BEST. This creation is something I haven’t heard of but I don’t think it’s Indonesian. Maybe it’s Australian? Buttermilk pancakes with creamed corn and bacon… yeah, really! So good.

This biscuit may look ordinary, but it’s a homemade cheese biscuit that is crazy tasty!

Village Tour

We took bicycles to go out on the paddy fields and toured around the neighboorhood a bit. You can have the maganer, Made, take you on a full tour but it was REALLY hot. 

Again, we did some shots for Tia’s collection which I’m sharing. I’m telling you being a travel blogger traveling with a fashion designer/photographer is a serious win-win haha! It makes my life a lot easier. 

Click here to book Villa Sungai.

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Oh, Bali, you are so beautiful! I spent a wonderful three weeks here. While I can’t give you an expert, local guide to Bali, I can give you a little, first-timer’s one just like I would a friend!

There will be places I miss since I’m only sharing about places I actually went to or stayed at. But before I went to Bali, I did SO much research online and had these places all listed out to try, so I’m just saving you a little research.

This will be a long post because I’m actually only writing ONE blog post about Bali. Normally, I write SO many like where to shop, what to eat, how to dress, adventures to try – but I’ll be honest, my fingers hurt, and I have too many trips planned to do it all. Plus there are a million blog articles like this already since so many bloggers live here!

Instead, I’m going to put all the information I know into this ONE post for you. I hope this little Bali travel guide helps you plan for your trip.

see kaftan here

My Little Guide to Bali

bikini from mary grace swim

Where to Go in Bali

Rapture Surf Camp

This has to be the first thing I mention because it’s the most memorable thing I did and the only reason I would really go back to Bali, to be honest.

I loved Bali but feel like three weeks there was enough, and there are more places to see in the world before I would go back… unless it was to go back to the surf camp.

I just LOVED learning how to surf. I had surfed before in Hawaii, India, and Sri Lanka but never improved. This 10-day camp was just amazing and I wrote an entire article about the camp & surf spots we hit up, linked below.

What To Expect at Rapture Surf Camp, Bali

• If you decide to surf alone as a beginner and not join a camp, definitely at least take lessons because 1. you won’t know where to go that is safe and 2. it’s really crowded and you could get hurt being in someone’s way. I liked Geger and Balagan the best, but wouldn’t go to either alone.

What Bikini to Wear Surfing

I wore L*Space, and it’s one of my favorite bikini brands because the bottoms stay on! You can get them pretty much anywhere: Amazon, Everything but Water, Shopbop, Zappos, Nordstrom, Backcountry, Revolve, Bloomingdales, Free People, Saks Fifth, and more.

Uluwatu Area

the romper is old from ASOS

Uluwatu Beaches

I only went to Uluwatu Beach a couple times while staying down in Bali Cliff. It’s more advanced waves here so I never came to surf, but I did come for lunch. You have to access through a cliff opening so no casual swimming here.

Padang Padang Beach is around here which is really nice. You can also go to Dreamland Beach (New Kuta) which was okay, but the surf here was tiny and when the tide comes in it’s a dangerous shore break hard to swim in. You’ll also find Bingin Beach around here.

I like that you have to pay a little money to access some beaches so that they can pay people to keep them clean and have lifeguards available.

Where to Eat in Uluwatu

Uluwatu Beach might not be good for swimming but the bars there are good for watching surfers and having a bite to eat.

• Single Fin is really popular for both lunch and watching surfers as well as a party place at night.
• Edge Bar had a good view, but it looked pretty meh so didn’t order food there.
• You can also check out Finns Beach Club at the bottom of Samara Resort.

Sightseeing in Uluwatu

Uluwatu Temple was a bit of a letdown. It’s cheap enough at just 30k per adult and 20k per child, but even if it were free, I still wished we’d skipped it. It is listed as a top attraction in Uluwatu and even in all of Bali but I didn’t realize you couldn’t go inside the temple.

It’s a Hindu temple and in India, you can go inside them, but not here. So, it was kind of odd because it was very crowded and a long walk to get to then you can’t see anything. You can go for a hike around the edge since this temple is on a cliff and offers good views. We met a sweet dog here, which was the highlight of our afternoon ha!

Canggu

see bottoms here

Canggu is above Seminyak and after Ben left, my friend, Tia, came to meet me here. Canggu was described to me as a place where rich people pretend to be barefoot hippies.

I did find it to be a little true with a lot of hipsters and travel bloggers and Instagrammers (not unlike myself to be fair! hehe), but it’s definitely one of these “digital nomad hubs” with fancy expensive stores mixed with a hippy vibe.

Yoga and surfing are the things to do here. Many of the cafes are breakfast and brunch only and smoothie bowls are literally everywhere. The yoga class I did at Desa Seni was THE BEST, and I don’t even usually like yoga. There are loads of famous yoga places here though, like the Practice.

Where to Eat in Canggu

• Sprout – the BEST food I had here, and the best smoothie bowl

• Old Man’s – party place, beach shack food
• Localita – Mexican, sister restaurant of Lacalaca, so so tasty
• Milk & Madu – healthy brunch food but some other good stuff like the chicken sandwich below

• Deus Ex Machina – burgers

Shopping in Canggu

The shopping here is really nice and quite similar to Seminyak, although smaller. There are really two main streets that you’ll want to shop on and once you’ve done those streets you’ve pretty much covered it all.

Where to Stay in Canggu: I stayed at Desa Seni, which is an eco-friendly luxury village… sounds fun right? It’s cool, here’s a review.

Seminyak

Seminyak has a bad reputation because the beach isn’t that clean, but in terms of shopping and eating, you don’t want to skip it!

It was so much that you should at least come for the day to shop and eat, although I would suggest staying about 3-4 days if you have enough time.

Where to Eat in Seminyak: Food That is Super Effing Good!

• Lacalaca – BEST Mexican, kind of Tex-Mex just PLEASE have a jalapeno margarita here. You will not regret it.

see kaftan with same print here

• Boss Man Burger – really tasty, such good little jalapeno poppers too

• Brazilian Aussie BBQ – one of those pay to eat as much meat as you want places

• Barbacoa – chicken tacos, jalapeno croquet, ham and cheese, BBQ ribs, Toblerone ice cream (made at the table from scratch with dry ice)… DAMN good but so expensive

• Smokehouse BBQ – small portions but good ribs and pulled pork, mac n cheese, root beer floats, milkshakes, etc – really is Texas style and totally worth going.

• Macheese Cafe – blow your mind good, it’s all these types of mac n cheese. I got nachos mac n cheese!

• Motel Mexicola – traditional Mexican, really tasty, huge place, good for drinking and turns into a party.
• Sea Circus – really nice food but the tacos were why I went. They have Mister Zimi clothing inside this restaurant as well and a cute shop next door. It’s just near the Alila Hotel where I stayed.

Shopping in Seminyak

There is a lot of shopping here. I liked From for jewelry & basics. I got a really nice cotton dress here.

Wanderlust has nice shoes and bikinis. I love Faithfull the Brand. Somewhere has really cheap clothes, but they are cute. I got a little romper and a tee shirt. You can also find Auguste the Label which has really cute floral dresses.

On the other side of town, there are the roads that have local kind of cheaper stuff like batik sarongs, tourist things, little tassel keychains, jewelry, and dreamcatchers. Here you can negotiate. It’s not a big town so you’ll find all this stuff just walking around.

Original Surf Outlet (OSO) and BSO next door are outlet stores that have all the big surf brands. It was NOT cheaper at the outlets and I don’t recommend going! You will find so many cute stores here that are “Instagram famous” but you might be surprised that the quality isn’t what you thought.

Where to stay in Seminyak: I stayed at the Alila Seminyak. I love Alila properties and have stayed at the one in Goa three times. This was just as good, here’s my review.

Ubud

Ubud was… okay. I have to say, I didn’t get the draw. It is very healthy, mostly health/vegan shops, very yoga oriented. This is cool, but are people really this healthy? If so, I missed the memo! For me, it was too hippie… yes, too hippie! I also have seen rice terraces before, so maybe that was part of why I thought it was just okay.

Shopping in Ubud

I was not that impressed with the shopping, either. I found that the famous Ubud market was a lot of knick-knacks that I felt were just junk. I know people love this market, but I didn’t find any treasures.

The shops were okay in Ubud, but it was my least favorite place to shop in Bali. Having said that, Etnika is here. Etnika is a brand that I have a leather bag of (the black one with all the fringe) and I love this bag. I ended up buying a larger tan tote. Obsessed!

similar style here

Where to Eat in Ubud

• Alchemy – Vegan (Tia is veggie, so we ate some healthy stuff for her benefit)
• Sayuri – Vegan
• Casa Taco – SO EFFING good for Tex-Mex lol, had it twice!

Cantika was the most amazing massage – wow, seriously so so good and very cheap. Bali Reflexology was terrific and the best reflexology I’ve ever had.

Sightseeing in Ubud

The best thing about Ubud was joining up with Duara Travels to go to Sebatu and see how the locals are living. Duara is a company that lets you have local experiences. They have a minimum two-night stay so that you can really get in-depth into local life.

You can choose to do whatever you fancy while you stay there like seeing how local handicrafts are made, having breakfast with a local family, or just go to the temple with a local family. It was really nice and I enjoyed the scenery and temple I saw as well.

*While driving up to Sebatu we passed a lot of local handicraft shops so this would be a good place to look for homewares and ship some things back home.

Where to stay in Ubud: I stayed at Sandat Glamping. It’s ultra luxe and a little pricey. Here’s my review.

So, this is my guide to Bali: here’s what else you need to know.

Bali Nightlife

As you can see, I didn’t party here but there are a lot of cool places to party. Some popular places are beach clubs like Potato Head and KuDeTa. For nightlife, you can look at blogs like welikebali and balibible for more tips!

FYI: drugs are HIGHLY illegal here and they do have the death penalty.

Bali’s Pool Villas

I took the time to go inland a little bit from Seminyak and stay at a private “pool villa” that Bali is famous for. If you have a large group this is ideal because you can split it so that it’s not more than a hotel but is a really unique experience. I stayed at Villa Sungai; you can see my review here.

Adventure in Bali

Overall, I really liked Bali, but it was the surf that made me enjoy it the most. You can do adventures like white water rafting, diving out by the other islands, 4wd, and such but I didn’t not as it was rainy season and there was a mudslide before I went. I heard rumors that the rafting and 4wd weren’t safe.

Budget in Bali

I really enjoyed eating SO much healthy food but be warned that it is not as cheap as you might be picturing Bali as unlike you eat local style food.

International food can be really pricey. Yoga here is also expensive at about 10-15 per class for the very good classes. You should see if your hotel offers free yoga as another alternative. Hotels and even hostels are a little bit expensive here especially compared to India and more than SE Asia.

Although, of course, everything is still much cheaper than the USA and UK.

Getting Around Bali

There is Uber here but you cannot use it everywhere as there is a little issue with local drivers fighting with Uber drivers. Uber is “banned” in Canggu and Ubud. You can use it in Seminyak to get to Canggu and Ubud, though.

You can request Uber pickups to places who allow it, and go to places that don’t have Uber – you just can’t request Uber to pick you up in a place that doesn’t allow Uber. You’ll see “Uber drop off only” signs.

You can take the Bali cabs and they will use the meter. This is easy and not much more than Uber.

Hotel taxis are WAY WAY more expensive so avoid this.

Getting around Ubud was a hassle. If you can ride a scooter, this is your best bet not just to save money but get somewhere fast. In Ubud places are so close that cabs will refuse to drive you, leaving you to walk really far.

What to Wear in Bali

I mostly wore my friend’s brand, also named TIA. You may recognize her name as I wore a lot of her clothes while I was in Morocco (you can see my whole packing post on Morocco here). She has an awesome shop on Etsy if you want to see her whole collection.

I really love her brand and not just because she’s my friend! Everything is made from natural silk and cotton, so it’s perfect for hotter weather.

Check it out here or you can shop some of the pieces below:

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Wondering where to stay in Bali? Check out the beautiful and luxurious Alila Seminyak!

I have stayed at the Alila Diwa in Goa three times and love it more everytime. Four years ago, it was the first “fancy” hotel I stayed at, in a Club room. Ever since I have always remembered how spoiled I felt there by their stellar service (massages at check-in!).

While the Alila Seminyak did not have shoulder massages during check-in, the rest was spot on! I thoroughly enjoyed staying here. When I travel long term in a country, I try to mix up with eco-friendly properties, boutique villas, young hostel type vibe like the surf camp, and a little bit of a 5-star getaway. I chose to do the 5 star bit in Seminyak because it’s more city vibes and that is when I prefer a 5 star.

The location of Alila Seminyak is ideal. It’s walking distance to a lot of cute shops and my new favorite taco place, Sea Circus. But the offer a free shuttle to Seminyak Square if you want to go further into town and be dropped off. This was a nice touch!

The rooms at the Alila Seminyak

They were in one word: HUGE.

I love a spacious room! Our room was an ocean facing room with a living room and bathroom that had a bathtub. Honestly, when it comes to 5 star hotels, there has never been a chain that does better than Alila on my travels.

The view from the room is above. Not bad! There are three pools on the property, and one is just there.

We had breakfast in bed one morning just so we could open the balcony and enjoy the sea breeze and coffee from bed. Basically, the best way to spend a morning.

The rest of the hotel: food, spa, and pool

During our time there, we did a “couples” massage ha ha, me and Tia. It was really nice. They have you choose the scent of oil you prefer. They did have almond oil which is good because Tia is allergic to coconut!

The massage was great, although it was a 60 minute massage and although we started late due to delays, we finished early, meaning it was really a 45 minute massage. I think they were running behind on appointments.

Breakfast is just about the grandest affair ever! There are HUGE buffets set up with everything you can imagine. But, beyond that, you can order anything you want from the menu. I had the bacon quiche plus some fruit, yogurt, and museli. 

The restaurant you have breakfast at, is at the edge of the hotel overlooking the sea.

One night there, we enjoyed the BBQ at the pool. I had the ribs and Tia had fish. It was really tasty, but the portions were too small. We ended up ordered a second main dish for each of us, plus we had sides of salad and potato with it. The ribs were just two small ribs. The price wasn’t high, so maybe it was more of a sunset snack.

There is a temple onsight at the Alila. Although you should probably leave the hotel and explore temples around the island, it’s pretty cool that there is one on the property. When you’re at this hotel you won’t forget you are in Bali. It doesn’t have that “I could be anywhere” vibe.

And yes, I have a black eye in every photo in Bali. I got hit with my own surf board, woops! But, it was worth it to surf all week and get a little bit better.

At the pool, you are treated like a queen. They bring you a big fluffy towel and a caddy that has sunscreen, face moisturizing spray, after sun cream, ice cold towels, and unlimited bottled water.

You can book it by clicking here.

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Everyone talks about Bali like it’s a life-changing place, I guess thanks to Eat, Pray, Love, so people come here with huge hopes of having a similar experience. People also have to decide where to stay — Canggu, Seminyak, Ubud, Kuta…

If you’re looking for that and wondering where to stay in Canggu, I recommend you come and stay at Desa Seni, the most famous spot for yoga.

Bali Travel Guide: Where to Stay

• Glamping in Ubud
• Stay in a Private Pool Villa
• Bali Hotel Review: Alila Seminyak

Where to stay in Canggu: Desa Seni

The property itself is not on the main two walking roads of Canggu so you will want to get a scooter or be okay using Bluebird cabs. Both Canggu and Ubud do not have Uber, while the rest of the island does.

It’s quite famous for both its health food and the yoga, so you’ll see people coming and going who are not staying at the property.

The staff is one of a kind! They are so kind and great you with your names (how do they remember!?). They do a room cleaning in the am and a turndown service in the evening (which is pretty handy because of the mosquito net).

When you’re by the pool, they bring you a towel and cold water. They are really on top of things.

Yoga at Desa Seni

I am not such a yogi, but it’s Bali! You have to do yoga. The classes offered at Desa Seni are actually really famous all over Bali and people know the yoga teachers by name around the island. You have to sign up and there are only so many spaces. If you stay on the property, that puts you at a great advantage.

The Rooms at Desa Seni

Desa means village, so each room is named to be a part of the village. The whole idea is really clever. The rooms are wooden, like cabins, but decorated wonderfully. It’s an eco-luxury vibe for sure.

This is one of the village houses.

It has A/C but no fan. We did request a fan, and they brought us one – mainly because it took some time for the room to cool down. The mosquito net is necessary. We did try to go without tucking it in but got bites pretty quickly.

They gifted these traditional sarongs which is such a nice touch!

The decoration here comes from all over Indonesia, but everything is authentic and most is antique. You can tell it took a lot of time to put this all together.

The Food at Desa Seni

The food is very healthy, just FYI. I think trying this type of food is really hand in hand with doing yoga and getting into the vibes of Bali. My favorite meal by far is the fish tacos! You must order these.

The breakfasts were pretty extravagant as well with the inclusion being that you get the basic breakfast (coffee/tea, juice, bread, fruit platter) and you can choose an a la carte item as well.

For dinner we went with grilled fish, but at lunch it was all about the tacos, salad, and polenta fries. We might be little, but we eat a lot and there was no shortage of food here.

You can also have breakfast in the room at no extra charge. I don’t highly recommend doing this and getting crumbs as little critters might come to the room! But they do come collect the dishes after you are done. It was nice the morning I stayed in to work.

The Spa at Desa Seni

At the spa, I tried the Signature massage. They let you choose the oil fragrance and you go into a very cute little room inside the spa building. I had a perfect massage; no complaints here. The rain shower to top it off was great.

Tia did an hour of chakra healing. She came out feeling very refreshed. This is done with clothes on and there is talking: you explain what’s ailing you and they show you how chakras can help heal you. Since you can get massages everywhere in Bali, I recommend trying something like this at Desa Seni!

How I Dressed in Canggu

I wore all my favorite FARA pieces. They are a brand from Goa that I wear a lot on my travels from Istanbul and Jordan to Florida!

I buy in person here in Goa, but they are on Etsy. I’ll link to the colors I wore, but under different listing on their shop you’ll find all the colors and other products.

• Yellow culotte trousers
• Low back purple jumpsuit
• Fringe mini dress
• Lana dress open back

Overall, the property is STUNNING. The staff is incredible. The yoga is the best on the island according to many yogis. The food is great, but a little healthy for me. The amenities were over the top, and the location was great if you have a scooter (or don’t mind taking a taxi somewhere). If I go back to Canggu, I’ll stay again here rather than look for another option. You can book directly on their site.

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The post Where to Stay in Canggu, Bali to Get The True “Bali Experience” appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I know you saw that movie and also wanted to be Kate Bosworth. I’ve been trying to learn to surf since my first lesson in Maui, Hawaii, to lessons in Varkala, India, and even in Sri Lanka but with my lessons so spaced out over months and the waves in Goa being so small, I just wasn’t getting any better.

Before coming to Rapture Surf Camp in Bali, I could catch most waves with an instructor yelling at me when to stand up and could turn on them about half the time. On big waves, I needed to be pushed by an instructor or I wasn’t going to paddle into them fast enough. I was also only using a huge soft board.

My goal by spending 10 days at Rapture Camp was to be able to judge a wave to know if I could handle the size, know which way to turn into it, paddle out on my own, and turn on all the waves I caught… while upgrading to a hardboard. I had ten days, so felt it was a fair enough goal.

Guide to Bali: Where Else to Visit

• Staying at a Private Pool Villa in Bali
• Where to Stay in Canggu
• Glamping in Ubud

Trying out a hard board for the first time at the camp

One instructor, Dickey, surfing with a local guys’ dog. Photo credit to Ben who was in the water with a GoPro!

The large foam boards beginners start with

My favorite surf spot, Geger

the pool at Cliff

Here’s my Rapture Surf Camp Bali Cliff Review

There are two locations of Rapture camps in Bali: Cliff and Padang. I stayed at the Cliff one which was less backpacker vibes and more boutique chilled out vibes. The Padang location is generally always full so you have to book ahead of time.

Uluwatu is a populated party area which Padang is very near to and Cliff is more secluded so you will want to make your choice based on the vibe you want. I’m all about going to bed early and quiet nights, plus I really didn’t want to drink when I was so focused on getting better at surfing and waking up for the early morning surf sessions.

I took 300 photos and edited about 100 of those, so forgive me for the photo overload, but the beaches here are just so blue and beautiful. The camp itself was also very photogenic.

I’m going to break this post down first by telling you about the actual surfing and surf locations then I’ll tell about the camp rooms and living spaces, yoga & massage, food & drink, and how the payments are made.

The actual surf lessons and locations: how it all works

The night before, staff put up the surf times for the following morning. You’re expected to be ready to go 15 minutes before leaving. Getting ready means getting your surfboard out and remembering what number board you pick up, as well as grabbing your rash guard.

You find out the destination in the morning and go as a group to the surf spot. It depends on various factors like the wind (are the waves too small), the tide (is it too shallow or deep?), avoiding crowds, and if the waves are too big for us. Groups are split into beginner and intermediate. Even people who have surfed a lot and are decent should go with a beginner! The intermediate is really intense from what I hear.

You do carry your board yourself. But truthfully, if you are not strong enough to carry the board you’re going to struggle to paddle!

The spot above is Balagan which is where we went quite often. It was great in the morning. You do two sessions. Each one is 1.5 hours but usually more like 2 hours. You can take a lunch break between or if it’s going to be high tide too soon then they say just take a quick 15 minutes break. Of course, you don’t have to do the second sessions. If you are tired you can just chill and watch which I did several times.

The second session in particular at Balagan was a little rough getting in and out as when the tide came in it was a shore break and I’m a moron who can’t seem to get out past that without injuring myself! I had the (thankfully soft) board hit me in the knee and knock me over when a wave hit me trying to get in. After that, I didn’t do the second session here because I was nervous of that.

You can see above someone had just pushed me into that wave. When you first start and have a lesson, you’ll be on this huge soft board which is easier to balance on. Someone will push you into the wave. It’s so easy to stand on this type of board so after a day, I really wanted to push myself to try the hard board.

I actually stood on my first try with it! One thing I learned is if you start out the day with confidence doing well, you’ll do well but if you start out with a bad wave you’ll be discouraged and not do as well.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t wipe out. I did! I even gave myself a black eye once on a wave that was too big (my last day when I went without lessons, silly me).

Ben was like this the whole time which was SUPER frustrating lol, just kidding he did awesome and surfing just comes naturally to him.

Some places we went had a really big paddle-out so you have to be well rested so you can get out to the waves. Other places, the waves were nearly crashing on shore. See how above it looks flat, it really isn’t. The waves look tiny from here, but when you’re out there, they are pretty big.

This location above, Geger, was my favorite. To the right it was more beginner waves but they went left and right which was great practice. On the left it was bigger more intense waves. I tried them once, hence the black eye.

You do need to be careful with your board carrying it in and out, as well as in the water, because they check for board damage after every session. I got dinged once, and it was about 100,000 Rupiah which is $8 so it’s not a biggie, but good to know if you’re on a budget.

On day three, I tried to go without a lesson and catch waves on my own. I stayed on the small waves, and was paddling in myself and turning on them with the hardboard which was basically my goal.

I should have just kept with that, but I really wanted to be able to do bigger waves. I thought if I was on bigger ones, they go for longer, and I’d get better at turning and being stable on the board while riding the wave. Well, I definitely am not ready for big waves lol but it sure was fun to try!

When I got the black eye, I had paddled in before everyone else and kind of popped up shocked that the board had hit my cheek bone so hard. I thought for sure it was busted open and cried out of shock, although it wasn’t painful. One woman in the group came over and said it was swollen up already and maybe I should take a break. But, my adrenaline was up and that was my FIRST wave of the day so I stayed in and actually had my best day ever! It was great. After I got out, my cheek and eye had turned blue and I ended up with a shiner for the next 2.5 weeks I was in Bali.

One woman in the group came over and said it was swollen up already and maybe I should take a break. But, my adrenaline was up and that was my FIRST wave of the day so I stayed in and actually had my best day ever! It was great. After I got out, my cheek and eye had turned blue and I ended up with a shiner for the next 2.5 weeks I was in Bali. The surf instructors also offered to take me back in to shore at the time, but I just didn’t want to and actually felt fine.

People get hurt surfing, it’s just a fact and if you go for 10 days, you probably will have some small injury, even if it’s just getting cut by the reef. You have to be a little bit up for that before going because the waves are not something instructors can control; it’s all up to you!

Above is a shack we would chill at between sessions at one of the destinations.

Types of rooms at Bali Cliff: something for every budget from dorms to bungalows

The actual surf camp has a lot of different rooms from different sized private rooms to dorms. You can see the options and prices here. I can’t do dorms anymore. I really need my own space so we stayed in the Longboarders Suite. It was massive and had perfect natural light.

If I stayed again, I would go for the same type of room. You have all the suites which is $88 per night then you have the dorm which is $45 per night. This rate includes WiFi, breakfast, and dinner PLUS being taken and “guided” at the surf spots. It does not include if you want an actual lesson or board rental. You can book surf lessons online with your room booking and get a bulk discount.

Everything Else You Need To Know about Rapture Camp Bali Cliff

So, since I was talking about the price, I’ll start there.

The rooms and lessons are booked online and you can add then booking yoga as well.

At the camp, yoga and massage are both $10. If you book too many lessons and you end up not needing them, they are flexible and let you swap that for a yoga class or massage which is pretty cool.

Breakfast and dinner are included in your rate. At breakfast you order, but at dinner, it’s a set menu. If you have a dietary preference you can let the chef know. If you won’t be there for dinner you should also let them know.

All drinks, scooter rental, laundry, lunch, board damage, massage, and yoga classes get added to your bill. At check out they only accept cash (pretty normal in Bali, and actually most of Asia). You should ask to see the total the day before so that you can hit up the ATM. This seems to be the only significant complaint on their TripAdvisor page, but as someone who travels and lives in India where things are mostly cash-only, I don’t see the problem with this.

You can also keep track of what you’ve eaten/drank if you are worried and make sure it matches. Mine came out dead-on.

You should bring your own beach/pool towels, sunscreen, and if you want a rash guard if you have one. You cannot take room towels to the pool and beach. Their rash guards were fine enough and are washed every day so I just used that.

Plus, if I rocked up with a cool trendy rash guard, people would expect me to be good. So, when I ask the instructor to push me into the wave, I’d feel like a bit of a loser. Let’s wait until I’m a little better before I start acting that cool.

The shared space was the room above with games, the kitchen/dining room, and a huge hang out space behind the pool. There is also a big deck to watch the sunset.

You can see the menu above for breakfast and lunch. It’s very similar menus to what you see at beach shacks but the food was better. I suggest the chicken burger and the tuna salad. When we got back from surfing, usually we had already eaten lunch at the beach but too many calories were burned (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it) so a sandwich was pretty necessary.

Meals are included Monday-Friday but on Saturday and Sunday it’s BBQ and pizza night, respectively. Both of these are the best meals they do, but they are not free. You have to pay.

We did eat out sometimes but did that on the weeknights. The Western food was good (lasagna, spaghetti bolognese) but I’m not so into Indonesian food. I know that is terrible as a traveler, but I think India has ruined me with its spice and I find other Asian food so bland. It wasn’t just here but everywhere I ate Indonesian food, I had to put hot sauce on everything. Since we came from India, we wanted steak, BBQ, Mexican food, etc so would go into town some nights and forego our free dinner. Below is the lasagana, and I ate two pieces it was so good.

We were the only weirdos who gave up a free meal to go out to eat. Everyone else loved Indonesian food. They also give you seconds if you are still hungry. The pizza night was definitely my favorite. The BBQ tasted better than it looks, I tried to edit this pic but it was so dark when I took it. It was delish!

The bottom line with the food is that nowhere these days includes dinner in the plan and since Bali Cliff is pretty secluded, this is ideal. The food in Bali actually isn’t that cheap unless you eat local, so if you’re on a budget, you’re going to get fed better at the camp than if you go out to eat.

I did not do yoga as I had hurt my knee and I’m lazy. That’s the truth. It was usually at 4 pm and after surfing all morning, I don’t know how these people had the energy! Props to them. I was already showered, watching a movie on my computer.

I pretty much had a sunburn (no matter how much zinc I put on my nose) and a black eye the whole time there. I was also bloated the whole time because I just kept eating everything that wasn’t Indian food (I get too excited for Western food when I leave India!)…. so I was not looking very Blue Crush.

I loved that there were dogs on the property. It just makes any hotel feel more like home. When you first get to the surf camp it seems really big, but by the end you feel very comfortable here.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

If you really want to learn to surf, I highly recommend staying here for at LEAST 5 days before you see the rest of Bali. I was so stoked after my stay here, I was all I’m going to buy a surf board and surf all the time! Well, guess what I was in Bali 2.5 weeks after I left here and I didn’t surf once.

Because you’re at this camp, you get up with the group and go surfing at 7 am. When you’re alone, you aren’t going to feel inclined to do that. They also tell you where to surf and take you there. Alone, that’s a headache and I tried using websites to see where the waves were good, but that’s basically rocket science to me.

I feel so alive when I’m in the water trying to surf and it reminds me of being a little kid learning to ski and snowboard. I used to dream about it. Now, I was dreaming about surfing, setting goals for each day there.

I am happy to say I reached all my goals and looking back, it was an unbeatable experience. The instructors were very helpful with technique and also explaining the basic rules of surfing so you don’t piss people off in the water. I don’t feel comfortable enough yet to see waves, decide if they are too big, and go out in the sea alone. So, I guess that means I have to go to another surf camp! Good things Rapture has locations in Nicaragua and Portugal, too.

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I was compensated for my time in reviewing this surf camp.

The post When I Spent 10 Days Pretending To Be All ‘Blue Crush’ At Rapture Surf Camp in Bali appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I hadn’t even heard of Bandung before I got invited there on a press trip over a year ago. I’ve been to 7 more countries since then, and Bandung still stands out as one of the most interesting places I visited! There are so many things to do in Bandung, Indonesia that I recommend you spend at least 5 days there as you’ll have to drive both North and South of the city.

5 Things to do in Bandung (you can’t miss!)

1. Kawah Ratu

This is the biggest attraction in the North: a volcanic crater! Tangkuban Parahu is the mountain (or area) and it is an active volcano. You can hike around here as well. At Kawah Ratu you’ll be able to see one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve seen on my travels. You can also ride a pony! Tip: make sure to buy and eat some berries here. They grow all around these region. You can even visit their farms. Read more about North Bandung here.

2. Kawah Putih

The “white crater” is my favorite of the things to do in Bandung on this list. It’s another volcanic crater than is now a sulfur lake. This one is in Souther Bandung. The color of the water changes between white and green as the sulfur concentrations changes. Many people were wearing masks here, but the smell wasn’t that bad. What an amazing place!

3. Walini Ranca

These are the famous tea fields of the area. You will drive past many but this specific spot is perfect to get out and wander around. The rock in the middle makes for a perfect place to take a photo. The strawberry fields were just down the street. I think this was my second favorite place. I have to say though, I had never seen a tea field like this so was really excited. If you’ve explored them before you might find it less exciting. Read more about South Bandung here.

4. The Food!

Because you’re not in the city you get to eat very traditional style. Sindang Reret in the South served up traditional Sundanese food in the little huts pictured. Sari Ater, North of the city, which is one of the hotels where you can enjoy hot springs, also had amazing food. To try more street style and snack food you can also hit up the floating market in the North for a huge variety.

5. The fantastic Trans Luxury complex

The Trans Luxury hotel is the only 6 star hotel in Indonesia and is in the perfect location in the city. You can book hotels in Indonesia at good rates using local site traveloka.com. This complex has more than just a hotel. It has one of the best spas I’ve been to and has an amusement park! While you’re in the main city be sure to check out the famous outlet stores that people comes from all over to find famous brand names at very low prices. Check out this post for more on the town center.

I was on this trip finding these wonderful things to do in Bandung thanks to Wonderful Indonesia, Pesona Bandung, and all those involved in the Asian African Conference, and this post is sponsored by Traveloka.

The post 5 Reasons You Have to Visit Bandung, Indonesia appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to Jakarta

Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Jakarta.

Hi!  I’m Justine, a backpacker turned expat.  I actually just moved to Phnom Penh where I work as a freelance writer.  But before I moved to Cambodia I had the opportunity to live in Jakarta, Indonesia, for a full year.  A lot of people don’t really know this but Jakarta is a great city for indulging in all things luxury.  From 5-star hotels to fancy spas to trendy shops, Jakarta seriously has it all.  The sky really is the limit there!

What makes Jakarta a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

When most people think of Jakarta the word “glamorous” isn’t the first word to pop into their minds…at least it wasn’t for me.  But when I moved there I realized that I had been seriously mistaken.  Hidden beneath the chaotic surface is all the glitz and glamour you could ever want.  It’s possible to dine at French bistros, book a night in a $15,000 a night presidential suite (no joke!), or drink the night away at an amazing rooftop bar.  Seriously, if you’ve got the money Jakarta is the place to spend it!

What 5 star hotel is the best in your town?

When I first moved to Jakarta my boyfriend and I were put up in the Pullman Jakarta Central Park, a super swank 5-star hotel located in the heart of the city.  Our room had floor-to-ceiling windows, and the views of the city were pretty incredible.  What I liked about the Pullman was that it was really modern and full of funky art, and it pretty much had the best international buffet restaurant ever, offering everything from sushi to traditional Indonesian foods to ultra-fancy desserts.  But this city is loaded with really nice hotels, the Hotel Mulia Senayan and Hotel Indonesia Kempinski are where a lot of VIPs and celebrities stay (rooms go for around $250+ a night). 

What about boutique hotels, of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

The ARTOTEL is mid-range boutique hotel that I’m obsessed with.  I never got the chance to stay there but I did frequent its great rooftop bar, BART.  (FYI, they make a killer old fashioned!)  What I love about the ARTOTEL is that it’s one of the few quality boutique hotels in the Jakarta.  Every room is unique and the walls are decorated by some of the city’s most renowned street artists.  It’s really nice, really affordable and it offers something truly unique – a quality I always appreciate in hotels. (Rooms start at around $65)

Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler?

The first thing that pops into my mind is either taking a day trip to the botanical gardens of nearby Bogor or visiting neighboring Bandung to check out the otherworldly crater lake, Kawah Putih.  But for anyone who’s looking for a bit of adventure within the city center, I wrote a whole guide all about the fun and weird things to do in Jakarta.  There are tons of options for anyone who’s looking for a little adventure! 

Where are the best hang outs during the day?

Jakarta is a city of malls.  And most of them are really, really high end.  Two of the most famous malls are Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia.  They are filled with every designer store imaginable.  And they are so big they can keep you entertained for an entire day.  Jakarta is pretty much a shopper’s paradise.  Or, if you’re just looking for a place to hang out, the malls are home to some of the city’s best restaurants.  Another great place to hang out is Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), a beachside area that has tons of great cafes and restaurants. 

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Jakarta and what are their best dishes?

This is tough because Jakarta is full of really, really great restaurants, so I’ll just name a couple!  Namaaz is a molecular gastronomy restaurant and it’s all the rage in Jakarta right now.  It’s so exclusive it can only accommodate 28 people per night.  They serve a 17-course meal, which is constantly changing depending on the season.  It’s progressive Indonesian food, so they serve up dishes like sate klopo (satay with charcoal-smoke infused cassava), wedang jahe (a sweet ginger soup) and nitrogen ice cream.  Potato Head Garage is another Jakarta favorite.  It’s sort of like a modern twist on a steakhouse.  Their menu has things like Asian Beef Tartare, spiced with galangal and kaffir lime, and is famous for all things beef. 

Let’s talk desserts- what place makes the best?

Indonesians love desserts so there is no shortage of great dessert spots in the city.  Probably the best place to get crème brulee is at Labruletory (located in a funky “anti-mall” called Pasar Santa).  It almost looks more like a science project than a dessert but it is fantastic – they even have a green tea version!  My favorite place for cupcakes is Twelve Cupcakes.  It’s actually a Singaporean company but there are shops sprinkled around Jakarta.  The red velvet and peanut butter chocolate are to die for!  The Nutella martabak (like a thick pancake) from Martabak Boss is probably my favorite dessert in the city!

Tell us all the hot shopping spots; who’s carrying the trendy local designers? 

Anyone who knowns me knows that I’m not the most fashion-savvy person.  But because I worked as a lifestyle writer for The Jakarta Post, it allowed me to meet some up-and-coming Jakarta-based designers.  One of my favorite young designers is named Martha Ellen.  As a traveler I’m always fond of designers who incorporate traditional elements into their work.  She is a British-native based out of Jakarta and uses a traditional Indonesian fabric called ikat to create colorful and cute dresses, skirts, tops…you name it.  The Goods Dept is also the place to find all of Indonesia’s trendy local designers.

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in Jakarta?

Jakarta has so many salons, it honestly isn’t even possible to walk a block without running into one.  But when it comes to massages, Kneads to Know is a great new place.  SPA Intercontinental is an excellent place to splurge on a rubdown.  They are famous for their red wine wrap!

Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?

That’s easy.  Anyone who’s visiting Jakarta needs to visit Skye Bar at least once.  It’s a great place to grab a drink and because it’s on the 59th floor it easily has the best view in the city.

Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

BART (located in the ARTOTEL) was my go-to spot to get a drink, mainly because it had a good vibe, great music and I just have a thing for rooftop bars!  The Safehouse is also a fun place to go for a cocktail. 

If you end the night at a fancy club, which one do you head towards?

Jakarta is famous for its nightclubs.  There are honestly tons to choose from.  Immigrants is great because it has a killer view of the city, and I hear great things about Dragonfly and Colosseum too.

Justine Lopez is a California girl who always seems to take the unconventional route in life.  She also suffers from a serious case of wanderlust.  In 2013, she set out on a yearlong journey that took her from Southeast Asia to South America.  After a crazy turn of events she’s now living and working as a freelance writer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  As she meanders her way through her backyard of Southeast Asia she’s always seeking out great food, budget travel deals and amazing new travel destinations.  Follow Justine on her blog Travel Lush and Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ & Bloglovin’.

The post Luxury Guide to Jakarta appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

After seeing so much in Northern Bandung, I was really excited to see what the South has in store. So, here’s what to do in Southern Bandung, or at least what I did.

Everyone talked about the “White Crater” and I didn’t google it because I really wanted a surprise. I was not disappointed. By the time we toured around the Walini Ranca, I was overwhelmed with all the beauty… you probably know if you saw my Instagram lately! The shots were incredible. If you missed the article on why I was in Bandung, check that link out.

Kawah Putih

Upon arriving we were given masks for the smell of the sulfur. Most of us decided we didn’t need them, but it did affect us a little by making us cough. This is a volcanic crater and the name means “white crater” although with changes in the sulfur concentration, it’s not always white, sometimes it’s green.

There was another cool blogger there who had one a purple dress that just looked amazing with the water. She became our model! Follow her on Instagram if you’d like, it’s @imazahraa. There was a fog over the water (or maybe it was due to the sulfur) that made it have a little spooky feel. It was very cool. I’ve never seen anything like it.

**tip: for somewhere to stay nearby check out the hot springs at Patuha Resort. Be sure to dress warm! Here are a few photos from there as well…

Sindang Reret

This hotel and restaurant serves up amazing food! We went for a traditional Sundanese lunch and ate til we were way too stuffed. The place is set up to look like the tents that workers would use in the tea fields and the food is similar to the food they would eat, just way more varieties served all at once. They had employees that walked on the stilts and men who played traditional music. The whole afternoon there was lovely and I highly recommend stopping here. In case you want to stay here, rooms start at 400,000 rupiah (or about 31 USD).

Some of my favorite things on the menu were karedok (mixed veg with peanut sauce), a very specialized dish called arem arem kacang endul (saute red ben with chili sauce), perkedel jagung (corn fritters), kasreng (traditional crackers), and of course sambal sauce on everything! I also loved the flowery tea they served, but couldn’t tell you what it was unfortunately.

Walini Ranca

Although there are tea fields all over the mountains, this is a famous place to take photographs. It’s close to the hotel I mentioned above and a cool place to stop. There are a couple of people selling snacks there but it’s not a real tourist attraction. It’s very free and open and you can stay as long as you like. Feel free to walk around in the fields as well. I didn’t stop at the strawberry fields because of time, but I will if I go back again, which I hope I do.

I was on this trip thanks to Wonderful Indonesia, Pesona Bandung, and all those involved in the Asian African Conference, but all opinions are my own.

The post Southern Bandung | sulfur lakes and tea fields appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I didn’t know what to expect at all when I got to Bandung, least of all what to do in Northern Bandung. I was there on a trip with Indonesia and Bandung tourism, and didn’t have much time to research the area. I was BLOWN AWAY with the sights.

Some of the best parts were just seeing the big clouds over the mountains. How was the sky so blue and the tea leaves so green?! It was like it had been photoshopped.. in fact, my photos almost look photoshopped! But as you can imagine, I’m not that techy. I also loved the donkeys and horses, the rice fields all over the countryside, the random guys helping with traffic (were they hired or just helping, because their clothes were just normal!), the sunsets, the fog, the cold mornings, and the clean feeling in the air.

I wish I could have taken photos of the drive to Tangkuban Parahu, but the windy roads were making me feel a little sick… plus the fact breakfast was rice and noodles, no kidding! On your way up north, you should maybe take motion sickness pills. I’ll share a little bit about Tangkuban Parahu, the floating market, and learning to play the angklung.

Sari Ater

This hotel has huge hot springs that they boast as some of the best in the world. Your showers will actually have the hot spring water coming out. It’s a great resort and the swimming pools have been built into the spring! They have off-road go-karts, horses, and awesome 4 wheel drive adventures.

Tangkuban Parahu

Bandung was actually a lake a long time ago, but is now a huge city with something like 2 million people living there. Although some parts are prone to flooding, the lake is long gone. Now, the volcanoes and mountains that surround make for a great view from the city. If you drive north to Tangkuban Parahu which is an active volcano, you’ll get to see a HUGE volcanic crater called Kawah Ratu (Queen Crater). It’s amazing.

There are vendors dotted around and people giving donkey (or mule? or small horse?) rides. You’ll also see everyone selling the locally grown blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. It’s kind of perfect. No one hassles you to shop either.

Bandung Floating Market

The floating market is a great place to try local food. You can have a real lunch first, then snack if you like. You’ll switch money from tokens to make it easy. I don’t suggest taking the boat out and seeing the different floating stalls, but rather it’s easier to taste from land on the other side. Plus, rowing the boats is a work out and makes photography hard.

Definitely taste the “crepes”, dim sum, banana cake (so cute!), and all the varieties of delicious fried food. I even got a lollipop I saved for the parade.

Saung Angklung Udjo

In West Java, the Sundanese still play their traditional instrument, the angklung. It’s made of bamboo and different sizes are different octaves. I wish I could have gotten more photos from the center, Saung Angklung Udjo, where we saw a performance and also a traditional play. You will want to tap along to the play’s music, but trust me, it’s impossible to follow the beat!

Have you ever heard the quote from actress Kristen Bell, “if I’m not on a 3-7 on an emotional scale, I’m crying”. That is so me! I tear up sometimes with sad commercials, and I have teared up more times than I can count in India when something sweet happens.

I was sitting in the stands feeling so lucky to see their art form and to be on the trip in general, and the kids started playing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. I started to tear up! I cheered so loud when it was over and the kids took us out to dance with them. We got to play our own angklungs which was pretty damn cool!

I was on this trip thanks to Wonderful Indonesia, Pesona Bandung, and all those involved in the Asian African Conference, but all opinions are my own. If you want to read more, check out my article on what to do in Southern Bandung.

The post Northern Bandung | mountains and volcanic craters appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

As we raced down the highway, I curled up in the front seat with my Harry Potter audio book playing (while Harry was first discovering his hidden Quidditch talents) on the way to the airport to leave Indonesia. I’d been in Bandung for 5 days and weirdly felt like I was in America on the highway.

It was a mixture of the A/C SUV, the actual lines on the highway… and the people following the lines, using their blinkers, and NOT honking their horn to pass. The bright green grass and fluffy trees all along the highway were just like in Ohio. There were no decorated trucks, no rickshaws, and no local buses or trucks with people hanging out the back and sides.

I’m sure most people coming from America to Indonesia for the first time wouldn’t notice similarities, and this made me realize how far removed I was from my American life in India. Another reason that Indonesia reminded me of home is that everyone was smiling and friendly; a true staple of American people. I love India, but it was so nice to experience another culture.

us bloggers posing with the police per their request

Why was I in Bandung and where is Bandung?

I went to celebrate and document the 60th commemoration of the Asia African conference with a group of Asian bloggers. I think I was an honorary Asian ;) because of all my Indian readers. I didn’t know where Bandung was at first and had never been to Indonesia, so here’s a little information in case you were as clueless as me:

• Bandung is the capital of West Java, Indonesia – called the “Paris of Java”
• The city lies in a basin surrounded by volcanic mountains!
• It’s also known for tea plantations, started by the Dutch
• The Dutch left in 1945 when Indonesia became independent
• The city is incredibly modern, but traffic is crazy!
• It’s full of creative, smart youth and the people from Jakarta come here to see the art, music, painting, and fashion on the weekend. It’s a university town.

The conference is a sort of platform for all the countries to come together in Asia and Africa that have achieved independence from their previous rulers.

What to do in Bandung

I’ll be telling you more about Bandung, later but here’s a peak at the highlights:

Highlights in North Bandung: touring hot springs (and showering in them!), seeing the huge volcanic crater Kawah Ratu and mountains of Tangkuban Parahu, trying local food at the floating market, and learning to play the local instrument, angklung, and watching a cultural performance at Saung Angklung Udjo.

Highlights of South Bandung: were the white crater called Kawah Putih, traditional lunch at Sindang Reret, and the tea plantations of Walini Ranca.

The main city itself also boasts the largest indoor theme park in the world, the only 6 star resort in Asia, the Tran Luxury Hotel, massive shopping malls, and famed factory outlet stores. It was a really cool city and perfect to host the parade for the conference.

Trans Studio Theme Park… clearly like a kid in a candy store. Perks of being a blogger.. cutting in lines, WHAT! I know! We rode a roller coaster than went up 90 degrees and then dropped backwards. 

Trans Luxury 6 star hotel… I had never been in a 6 star hotel before, so clearly the nicest places I’ve ever stayed. So amazing! More later.

with Mei and Dawn, two fellow bloggers from Malaysia and Singapore

The Parade from the 60th commemoration of Asia Africa Conference

In 1955, 29 countries came to Bandung to discuss peace, security, and economic development, where issues were mostly caused by conflict between East and West. Although quite a serious event where delegates talk about their partnerships between each country, there was some fun: a huge parade in the city, and everyone in town came for it… actually 2x more people than they expected, so they made the parade even bigger!

nicest volunteers showing us around & local food.. hey guys!!

We had top row seats on a “media” double-decker bus to take photos… but I’m not going to lie, it was my first time seeing selfie sticks and I was blown away by the number of people in groups taking shots with their GoPros or iPhones on a stick. So, let me just show you what it was like looking at people taking selfies in every direction:

The news called for rain and I asked this girl Melody who worked in management with IBIS hotel (and was so sweet!) if they were worried. She explained that a “rain man” came and hopefully can make it not rain! I thought that was pretty cool.

Here are a few professional photos from the tourism board, since I’m sure you all know I am no professional photographer (or writer!), ha ha.

A few extra tips for Bandung:

Do not miss the Trans Studio theme park. If you want to know where to stay in Bandung, I can verify that the Ibis hotel was amazing and affordable. The connecting Trans Luxury hotel was over the top incredible with amazing food, a Swarovski crystal dragon, and a pool with sand!

four girls demolished all this food! mmm!

There is a huge mall attached (great for expats with a Wendy’s and Starbucks- haha I can’t help myself!). It’s a central location. OH PLUS, the massages were insane at the Trans Luxury!!! I loved the spa facility.

Also to check out the Pasar Baru a 7 floor shopping and trading center. Famous buildings you can see on city bus tours are Heritage Building, Gedung Merdaka, and Gedung State. Feel free to walk around “old Bandung” as well at Braga street. I had a blast in Bandung and can’t wait to tell you more. There will be two more posts coming up.

I was on this trip thanks to Wonderful Indonesia, Pesona Bandung, and all those involved in the Asian African Conference, but all opinions are my own.

The post Why I Was in Bandung + What to do in Bandung? appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to Bali

Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Bali.

Hi! I’m Claire, author of BackpackingBella.com, where I share my stories and tips for enjoying beautiful travel on a budget. But I didn’t always do this. For over a decade I worked in the media and was lucky enough to visit top restaurants and 5-star hotels. When I left to go backpacking around the world, I naturally expected things to be much less glamorous. Then I discovered Bali, where you can enjoy a stay in beautiful surroundings and feel like a VIP, on a tiny budget. Perfect!

What makes Bali a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

Bali has everything. From blissful beaches to lush green rice fields as far as the eye can see; top class spas and cocktail bars; laid back seaside villages, ornate temples and peaceful mountain hideaways. It’s all about relaxing and soaking up the beauty of the place – the island’s nature and the people’s culture. This alone feels like such a privileged experience and it’s totally free.

What 5 star hotel is the best in Bali?

If you’re after something swanky, most of Bali’s 5 star hotels in Bali are located on Seminyak’s high end beach front or among the lush greenery of Sayan, near Ubud. While my travelling budget doesn’t stretch to 5 star, I’ve always liked the cool and contemporary W hotels. The W Retreat & Spa in Seminyak does the best Sunday brunch around and its chic bars host some of the area’s most happening nights thanks to its international resident DJs.

What about boutique hotels, of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

So many to choose from… Bali is spoiled for choice with boutique hotels and guest houses, where you can unwind and feel inspired. You don’t have to spend a fortune to find fabulous places. In Seminyak, try the Bali V hotel with its chic white rooms and swimming pool. For a getaway, the Aditya Guest House in the mountain village of Munduk has stunning views and four poster beds. There’s even a boutique hostel for backpackers: the Jolie Hostel in Jimbaran, which has a pool and a great atmosphere.

Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler?

Plenty. On this island you can be as laid back or as active as you choose. Bali boasts some of Asia’s best scuba diving and snorkelling spots. Or catch a boat to the islands of Nusa Lembongan, the Gilis and Lombok, which are worth exploring and also offer great diving. Yoga is huge, especially in Ubud, with centres including the fabulous Yoga Barn. For the truly adventurous, I recommend the Munduk Wilderness Adventure for a fantastically fun day of buggy driving and bike riding through the hills.

Where are the best hang outs during the day?

There are some great cafés in Bali. Kafé and Atmans in Ubud are two of my favourites for laptops and lattes, while the Deki warung in Balian is a great place to watch surfers and kite surfers tackling the waves – the beach itself is also divine for a daytime walk.

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Bali and what are their best dishes?

I’d head straight to the glamorous Merah Putih in Seminyak. The innovative fusion food here tastes heavenly, especially the Sumatran roasted duck curry and the Balinese suckling pig. Just this week, the restaurant and its chef were nominated for four awards.

Let’s talk desserts – what place makes the best?

I’m not really a dessert person, but Bali has the best ever chocolate and banana pancakes I’ve ever tasted. Yum!

Tell us all the hot shopping spots; who’s carrying the trendy local designers?

Seminyak has all the high end labels you could need, alongside local, Australian and European designers. In Ubud you’ll find a host of smaller boutiques, independent art galleries and stores selling handcrafted wooden furniture and stunning home furnishings. You will want to have the whole lot shipped back home.

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in Bali?

There is a proud tradition of Balinese massage and many first class spas here. Indulge at the SPA at The Samaya in Seminyak or visit Ubud’s small but beautifully formed Wellness in Ubud. If you want to learn it for yourself, take a course at the Bali BISA Spa School in Sanur.

Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?

Munduk has wonderful multi-coloured sunsets, while the chilled out beach villages of Amed also enjoy beautiful skies, against a mountain backdrop.

Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

Potato Head is a legendary beach club in Seminyak where you can sip artfully created cocktails while checking out the beautiful people. Their Bloody Mary is accompanied by sushi condiments and tastes bloody amazing.

If you end the night at a fancy club, which one do you head towards?

Instead of going clubbing, I would make a date for an all-night beach party on the nearby island of Gili Trawangan, where you can dance on the sand to awesome DJ tunes, while fire dancers perform in front of you, until the morning sun comes up.

The post A Luxury Guide to Bali appeared first on Hippie In Heels.