One fine thing about Bali is that everyone comes to see and witness the majestic scenery. I began the journey with my 2 friends who came straight from France to thoroughly explore the depths of Bali. Now, it raises a big question as ‘what am I going to show my friends?’ There are no shortage of ideas and places, which can be experienced in all the directions. I deliberately avoided the South, since it can be easily explored alone without any help, hence I decide to go for some unexpected places to get the best of the experience of the journey.
After living for more than 2 years with my friends and family in Indonesia, I have visited Tanah Lot 12 times and attended the dance performance of Kecak in Uluwatu, meeting with large population of Manta ray and finally hoping between Lembongan to Komodo islands. My final decision was fixated on Munduk and Pemuteran, to the north side of the island nation, which is the best destinations for an offbeat visit.
With Sunglasses, Swim wear, Sunscreen lotion, and some sweaters, we begin our expedition of the great island nation.
First stop in Bali: Rice Fields of Jatiwulih
After leaving the town and cities like Kutar, Jimabaran and Sanur, it didn’t take much time to change the landscapes, which immediately turns into lush green environment. As soon as we ascend to the journey, we witness the first rice fields. These were the rice terraces of Jatiluwih, which has been credited as the Worldwide Heritage Site of the UNESCO. We were completely awe inspired by the beauty of the scenery, a lush and green slopes covered through the ends. Such a site only made us to stop our scooters every 20 meters so that we can take the pictures of the scenic beauty. At some point, we decide to leave our scooters and pick up the trail of the dirt road in order to enjoy the immersible experience of the rice fields.
After having some snake fruits and purple mangosteens, we end our hike of the rice fields and resume our journey to Munduk.
Jatiluwih-Munduk: Rice fields in the Jungle
Since, we were not acquainted with the terrain, we made some detours and went on the wrong tracks, before finally returning on the right track to Munduk. While, we had frequent detours, it was fun to explore untainted places of Bali.
At the end of the day, we learned that it would have been better if we had ask the route to the locals rather than relying too much on the GPS. A guide or chauffeur would have certainly made our journey easier. The road was passing through the mountains and diverging deep in the mountains, we were completely surrounded by the Jungle.
Finally arriving at the hotel, we were completely exhausted. We sat on the terrace of the hotel, had our fried rice, while admiring the mountains in front of us.
Munduk – Pemuteran waterfalls and beaches
Our next day begins by waking up early and went to explore the waterfalls of Munduk, deep in the Jungles. The route to the jungle was well marked, hence we didn’t had any trouble accessing the trail. We continue to walk in the dense forest and green vegetation for about half hour, and reach the first waterfall. The waterfall was falling from the height of 30 meters and since, the waterfall was covered with the forest, it was really difficult to get the perfect shot of the beauty.
We continue our journey to the village towards the North of Bali.
Just about an hour’s drive, we reach to the village of Pemuteran. The road to the village was pretty much a trail that was followed by some hotels, restaurants, and clubs. For the first time in the journey, we put our feet in the water of the sea and enjoy the extreme calmness that brought upon us. While soaking our feet, we admire the landscape and enjoy every single moment. After spending some time at the sea, we came back to a bungalow cum hotel, for the rest.
Menjangan Island: A complete experience
We begin our day by booking a Boat trip to Menjangan. Being working for a local travel agency, I was able to easily get the booking and organize the trip in short time. The boat was one of those local traditional boats, painted with turquoise blue that was taking us to the island of Menjangan.
The island is considered as a marine reserve. Surrounding the island, the sea are a majestic, filled with corals and colorful fish. We decide to experience the joy of snorkeling and enjoy the beauty of coral reefs and sea life. It was a bit stressful at first, but gradually gets easier as you get the hold of it.
One of my friends was reluctant in trying out the sport. After couple of failed attempts, he was able to grasp the whole fun of the sport and probably enjoyed more than we did. It was a pleasurable experience to enjoy the sea world. With endless numbers of fishes and never ending corals, one can only imagine the vastness of the ocean.
Where to go for my next trip to Bali?
After spending about four hours in Menjagan Island, we head back to Pemuteran. We experienced two different snorkeling spots, which made our journey a remarkable experience. I have already plan a second visit to the location with my cousins that will lead to explore the places like Tulamben, Amed, Nusa Lembongan, the Gili Islands, Lombok, Komodo and Raja Ampat.
Also check our blog about: Top 5 spots for Scuba diving in Indonesia
Do you also want to discover Bali with friends or family? This overview will give you lots of ideas for your next Bali holiday!
