REAL TALK WITH DANIELLE - Travel in Sanur, Bali

A tiny island nestled in Indonesia - Bali is everything they say it is and more. While I experienced major culture shock, I also felt like I was in paradise on Earth. Bali’s economy is almost exclusively centered around tourism, and travelers can have any type of experience they want depending on where they visit. In the south, Kuta is home to Bali’s party scene, while Seminyak is known for expensive resorts. To the east, Amed is the best place to go for watersports, while the mostly uncharted Lovina up north is the place to swim with dolphins. While there are so many places to see, Terrance and I opted for two regions known as “sleepy” Sanur and Ubud. Sanur is a quiet getaway beach town with all of the usual shops, restaurants, and spas, but at a lower cost than other regions. Ubud is the spiritual heart of Bali, where many people travel to cleanse their spirits in holy water and receive services of a Balinese healer. It is in the center of Bali (and, yes, it is where Liz Gilbert travels to in Eat, Pray, Love). In this blog, I am delving into my experience of Sanur and will be back with more on Ubud next week.

Things to Do:

Koa Shala Yoga - You should probably do some form of meditation, yoga, or healing when you go to Bali. I don’t think it’s a Balinese experience if you miss out on these. This was my first experience with Yin Yoga, and I was pretty nervous before I tried it. The instructor was obviously an expert, but he also had that gift of yogis who are able to put your mind at ease with just their voices and energy. The challenge of Yin is staying present because you hold poses for much longer than usual (3-5 minutes). The rewards of meditating in these poses are total bliss when you reach that ethereal balance of breathing and stillness. 

The Sindhu Night Market - This lived up to it’s reputation of being the hub for delicious, cheap food. Balinese food is probably the best I have ever tasted. (Aggressive on the stomach, though) We ate peanut chicken sate that was grilled right in front of us. We also had banana fritters, and quite a few other fritters I hadn’t heard of. To sum it up, Balinese people have really good ideas when it comes to deep-frying fruit. Terrance also ordered a mango smoothie, and the vendor gifted me a mini-smoothie because he had extra. How sweet is that?

Jet Ski - Man, these things are fast! I have been jet skiing in Florida, and I’m pretty sure those boats didn’t pick up this kind of speed. We got a really great deal after haggling with one of the watersports companies, and only paid $18 per person to get out on the water. We went full throttle, jumped each other’s waves, and got some beautiful views of the islands Lembogan and Nusa Penida across the way.

Men’s Area - This is the best little barbershop in all of Sanur. The owners Mau and Abi are the sweetest guys around, and we had such a great time talking to them. When we arrived, Terrance offered to be a model for a barber they were interviewing. He got a great haircut, and they were even kind enough to order pizza for all of us to share together. Mau and Abi also have two pups, Rino and Bella, who are very happy to receive pets while they nap in your lap. Honestly, what else could you ask for? 

The Nest Beachside Spa - If you want to get an experience catered to your simultaneous lack of money and need for bourgeois - you have come to the right place. I spent $68 on a 4 hour package that included a Balinese massage, facial, mani-pedi, and hair treatment. To put this in perspective, if I wanted all of those services back home in Boston, it would cost $250 at the very least. I also came back here to try “dip” nails for the first time. (I know I just lost all the men - it’s a powder that, when diluted, becomes an especially long-lasting nail polish)... and I’m OBSESSED.

Fixed Price Shops - This is an alternative to haggling, which I mostly avoided. I get that bartering is a cultural experience and that I’m privileged enough not to do it, but I saw nothing in the haggle shops that was worth the stress of going back and forth over a mass-produced item that cost less than $10. The main fixed price shop in Sanur is Toot Sie, where I bought my sarong for $3. There are a bunch of fixed price shops around this, but be prepared, there are also a TON of haggle shops. These, by far, were the most assertive shopkeepers. Once they saw where I was headed, ladies were following me and yelling at me from behind that they would sell for lower prices. The other, much more relaxed shopping experience, is a department store called Harley’s. No one bothers you, you can use the dressing rooms, and there are mountains of clothes and goods to choose from.

Food:

Massimo - I know it’s Italian, I know I should be immersing myself in Balinese food, I know, I know, I know... but I cannot even begin to describe the level of delicious pastas, cheeses, wines, the excellent service, and mouth-watering gelato. We went to this restaurant 3 times during the 9 days we stayed in Sanur. I rarely repeat restaurants while I travel, but this was that good. And dirt cheap! $7 for a glass of wine and a tasting of 3 cheeses. Of course, true to Italian style, they also knew their way around a pasta dish. They also have daily, fresh gelato, which we probably went back for 6 times. I am a gelato snobberino, and there are only two other places I have tasted gelato this good - Mela Verde in Italy and a coffee plantation in Costa Rica. Moving on because I’m jittery just thinking about it. I think I’m going through withdrawal. Help.

La Playa - We visited this beach restaurant quite a few times for lunch. They have excellent Balinese dishes including Nasi Campur. Their Nasi Campur has the popular cone shaped rice topped with a little leaf shaped like a wizard hat (see below). The chef also places a mini buffet of different chickens and veggies around the plate. This place also blended up some excellent smoothies to go with their meals.

Nelayan Sanur Bay - Winner for best poke bowl and best smoothie bowl. The poke bowl originated in Hawaii but it may have been perfected in Bali. Sticky rice is placed in a bowl, and it is topped with salmon, edamame, avocados, and soy sauce. Honestly, it can also be mixed in with whatever ingredients you want - it is essentially a large bowl of sushi. Smoothie bowls are exactly what they sound like. A smoothie in a bowl, but with small add-ons such as nuts or diced fruits to add texture.

Warung Kecil - Warung means family-owned restaurant. Two different locals recommended this place to us (so we went twice)! They have the options of ordering from the menu or building a plate (similar to Subway, but a plate of Balinese food instead of a sandwich). I don’t know exactly what I ate from building a plate because I mostly pointed at all the meats and rice, and didn’t look back. However, I can say that it was all freaking delicious. When we ordered from the menu, things came back a little spicier. Still good, but definitely cleared out the sinuses.

Taqisa - I know what you’re thinking... this sounds an awful lot like TACOS, Danielle! Guys, I can’t help myself, I freaking love Mexican food. And, honestly, who am I to reject the call of Mother Nature when she beckons from across the yoga studio? So, yes, I indulged in the goodness of tacos and sangria, which was surprisingly tasty being so far away from Mexico. Highly recommend.

Getting Around:

Bali is usually traveled by motorbike, and I want to be that really cool person who hopped on a bike and zoomed around, but I am not. There are many, many bloggers out there who advise against traveling via motorbike unless you hold an International Driver’s License (IDL), which I do not. The reason this is so important is because if you get pulled over, the police will give you a fine (read: bribe) for driving without one. These fines can be ridiculously expensive, and as a budget backpacker, I didn’t want to risk it. Not to mention, traffic in Bali is absolutely crazy. Speed limits don’t exist, crosswalks are for decoration, and the lanes are completely ignored. Sanur and Ubud are completely walkable, and it was easy enough to order a Grab (same as Uber) when we wanted to travel between the two towns.

Cost of Travel:

We spent $45 per day in Bali for everything (accommodation, food, activities, etc). We also stayed in some incredible AirBNBs, which are known as “homestays”. It is essentially the traditional version of a bed and breakfast. Both of our hosts were hospitality professionals and cooked us free breakfast every morning. Here is the link to our awesome AirBNB in Sanur!

Like I mentioned earlier, you can have a really deluxe vacation or a backpacker-friendly holiday in Bali. If you are staying in hostels and only eating food from the markets, you can probably get away with a shoestring budget of $25 - $30 per day. But I have also seen prices as high as $900 per night for the luxury resorts in Seminyak. It all depends on what floats your boat.

Fun Facts and Travel Tips:

Names - One thing we noticed was that most people seemed to have the same names. In fact, both of our AirBNBs were run by a pair named Wayan and Made. We learned that people in Bali are named by the order of their birth, regardless of gender. Many first-borns are named Wayan and second-borns are named Made. The third child is usually Nyoman and the fourth is always Ketut. Then the cycle repeats. There are a few alternatives for naming children, but we rarely met an exception. Our hosts explained that each of these names is a shortened version of their true names, which were much longer, and less practical to use during introductions.

Dogs - Wild dogs are everywhere in Bali. Why? Bali is a Hindu island, whereas the surrounding islands are Muslim. Muslim people traditionally view dogs as being impure, which is why Bali has the responsibility of taking care of these strays. The dogs have a bad reputation for being dangerous, but I never felt threatened. The main concern is the diseases and fleas that they carry. Many of the restaurants feed the dogs after dark. My experience was that most Balinese view dogs quite similarly to how Americans view squirrels - cute, kind of mangy, quite common, and nothing to write home about. There were many in the streets around moving traffic, and Terrance saw a puppy get run over. (I told you the traffic is insane!) I’m so glad I did not see it, but it was heartbreaking just to watch the dog limping away. Real talk - I wanted to drop everything and start a dog sanctuary in Bali. But here are some pictures of really cute, well taken care of puppies to remember that there is good in the world!

Sarongs - These are traditional garments worn by all Balinese people. It is a sheet of thin, colorfully patterned fabric that once tied around the waist becomes (essentially) a long skirt. It is a requirement to wear one into the temples, otherwise you will not be granted entry. I decided to get my own at Toot Sie. They are very pretty, and double as scarves, beach-y skirts, and light blankets.

Although Bali has been the experience of a lifetime, it left me grappling with a lot of thoughts about privilege. The Balinese people will mostly never have the opportunities that I have to travel, and a lot of their income is based on tourism. They are stuck in a cycle of poverty that is almost impossible to lift themselves from because most businesses are foreign-owned. This is a much larger subject, but one that I will be tackling in another blog in the weeks to come. Join me for another Bali blog next week about spiritual Ubud! 

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