  Ubud has its own splendid artisans,
and is generally recognised as the artistic heart of Bali as many local as well as
European painters have settled there. There are dozens of galleries and shops filled with
paintings and sculptures, many by well-known and respected artists. In Ubud there is also
the Neka museum, which is an excellent place to get an overview of the many different
styles of some of the most respected contemporary artists as well as providing you with
the opportunity to admire some of the ancient paintings that are also on display.
The final village to see is Batubulan, famous for its stone carvings. The
original carvings include some scenes from the public life of the former Dutch colonials,
such as drunken parties, car break downs, and bicycle rides, but I suppose that the
carvers are mainly known for their original and creative work within the many temples
throughout Bali.
The main tourist area is Kuta, in the south of the island, conveniently
situated near the airport. What was once a small village is today a major hustling and
bustling resort town with hundreds of hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. Kuta is far too
“touristy” for my liking, but nevertheless very popular with so many of
Bali’s visitors. My favourite part of southern Bali is Nusa Dua, where you have an
excellent choice of some of the more luxurious hotels on the island as well as one of the
finest golf courses at the Bali Golf and Country Club.
OF PERSONAL INTEREST
Dance and drama have always played an important role in Balinese society.
Through this source, the people learned the tales of Ramayana, Mahabrata, and other epic
stories from their historical past. Do not miss seeing one of the many well-known dance
dramas that are regularly held throughout the island. They are colourful and exciting,
with beautiful young artists of both sexes in delightful costumes performing exotic and
original dance movements in keeping with the splendid stories and accompanied by Gamelan
musicians.
For water sports and land sports Bali has it all! There are day cruises
to choice areas, with fine offshore coral reefs ideal for diving, snorkelling and surfing.
There is sailing, parasailing, rafting, kayaking, as well as water and jet skiing. Land
sports include bungy jumping (only for the adventurous and brave) and mountain climbing
(guides are a must). Guided cycling tours through mountain trails are also an original way
to see the interior of the island. Try trekking, but again do take a guide, as it is far
too easy to get lost! A fun way to test the driving skills of the whole family is
go-karting, and the go-carting tracks can be found in Kuta. For golfers there is a choice
of four courses in various venues throughout Bali. For tennis enthusiasts, a number of
hotels have excellent tennis courts.
Food! If, like me, you are a fish lover, then you will be tempted to try
some of the many local fish dishes full of wonderful herbs and spices. Try a seafood
basket, which will feature fresh catches of the day and may include crabs, squids, prawns
and mixed fish served with a wonderful hot sauce and accompanied by a large bowl of rice.
Of course, Bali is also rightly famous for its Rijstaffel menu, which consists of a
variety of very tasty meat, fish and vegetable dishes with a choice of exotic sauces to go
with each specific dish. Be warned, when deciding on Rijstaffel for dinner make sure you
have a very light diet during the day because otherwise you will never get through one of
these sumptuous meals, which would be a great pity!
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