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MALASIA – TRULY ASIA

Island of Bali - an experience by itself The sky was strikingly blue and the fresh tropical air blew steadily. Bali is a haven for tourists with its enchanting sea coast, water sports, fairy tale towns like Ubud, popular sightseeing spots, and the geographical variations like the volcano and the paddy fields. Balinese are peace loving, hardworking, and artistic people. He was very respectful of India and Indian culture.

The road to Candidasa was lined with beautiful houses tastefully designed in Indonesian and Chinese architectural styles, with greenery on both sides. Big squares were adorned with huge statues of the heroes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Resorts of Bali are lush green lawns, palm groves and coconut groves gave you a tropical welcome. As we neared our room, the roar of the sea waves reminded us that we were on an island. Our studio apartment was tastefully decorated in true Balinese style, with lots of bamboo and coconut wood artifacts. There was a dainty kitchen too. We had a quick dinner, and went to sleep immediately after that long journey.

We woke up the next morning to the sound of the waves. The scene that met our eyes outside our balcony was truly amazing. Our apartment was in the midst of lush green lawns, and beautiful frangipani trees surrounded us. To the right was the semi-open restaurant of the resort, which was flanked by the open air swimming pool and Jacuzzi. There was a pool deck, with beach chairs and umbrellas, which overlooked the Indian Ocean. The waves ran over the yellow-black sand. The conditions were ideal for surfing, and surfers were enjoying the adventure of riding the high-rising waves.

It was Sunday, and in true holiday mood, we immediately changed into our swimwear and soaked in some sea breeze and sea water. In the evening, we went around the small coastal town of Candidasa, with shops selling souvenirs, antiques, and the daily needs of tourists. It is also adorned by Next day, we took the tour of the neighbouring craft villages, where families of artisans have been staying for generations. Each family sold articles that they had expertise in from shops in their houses. There were artefacts made from bamboo grass, wood carvings, even egg shell painting, and sarongs, bedsheets, shirts, and purses made from the cloth which had ikat style of hand weaving. Ikat is very much like the patola style of hands from Andhra Pradesh. This traditional market gave us a very homely experience of shopping.

At night, we had the opportunity to watch the Balinese Barong dance organised by the resort. The dancers, with their elegant movements, facial expressions, silk and satin costumes, created magic along with the background music of the sea. Our experience of Balinese art and craft continued the next day, as we visited the famous towns of Ubud and Kuta. Kuta is a real tourist hub, while Ubud is like an open art gallery. On both sides of the road, one can see statues carved out of wood and stone, furniture, artefacts and paintings. In Ubud, we visited an art gallery which was housed in the palatial Bali bungalow of a joint family of painters. The paintings depicted Balinese flora and fauna, and mythological miniatures. It was a great experience to have an interaction with the artist, who himself explained the concept of the paintings.

The Indonesian arts of batik and silver and gold jewellery making advanced, and are well depicted throughout the art galleries. The galleries of wood carvings exhibited the intricate statues of the rice god and goddess, Rama and Sita. The statues had detailed work on the jewellery and facial expressions. The next day found us on a nature tour of Bali, during which we visited the Batur volcano. This volcano last erupted in the car 1993. It is always surrounded by thick clouds. The lake below had a beautiful reflection of the volcano. We had lunch in a restaurant situated in the mountain just opposite the volcano, from where we could savour the breathtaking view of the volcano, the lake, and the paddy terraces.
It was Thursday, and we took the tour of Jimbaran Bay, the coastal town to the south of Denpasar, famous for its seafood. The shacks on the bay offer a tremendous variety of fresh fish and seafood which you can cooked according to your choice.

Next day, we went fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving. Bali provides ample opportunities to tourists who enjoy water Through our resort, we booked a boat which took us to the other side of the Indonesian archipelago. We were lucky to get a catch of two big fish. The snorkelling gave us a chance to look at what lay under the sea. The view of thousands of colourful glowing fish, and countless varieties of coral, was fantastic.

Our last day in Bali took us to the famous kechuk dance. The amphitheatre was decorated in Balinese style. The centre stage was well lit. Suddenly, a group of artists making kechuck-chuck sounds entered the stage. The story of the Ramayana unfolded with the background music of just this sound. The dancers also performed the fire dance. The ambience of the theatre, the graceful Balinese dancers, and the magical story made this a memorable evening to be cherished for many years to come.

In the space of seven days, we had crisscrossed the island of Bali, and had really fallen in love with it and its people. We reluctantly bade goodbye to Bali as we boarded our flight back to India through Kuala Lumpur.