babi guling ibu oka, bali.

one of the most famous delicacies in bali - babi guling. basically means roasted pork. the meat is served with a special chili sauce which i love, really taste good and spicy. the pork skin is separated, no fat, and it’s very very crispy… like crackers.

i think the meal is quite special, something different and it is delicious. the shop is pretty big and lots of stuff on display, so i took a few photos around the place after the meal. there are quite many customers coming and going, really a famous place.

ubud fruit market, bali.

this is a local market place that sells fresh fruits, vegetables and also the normal souvenirs and handicrafts. we just took a quick look around and bought some really nice bead jewelries and decorations. decided not to buy fruits since it’s not convenient.

the people here are quite friendly, probably because they want to attract more customers.

bedugul water temple, bali.

another beautiful temple, by the lake side. this temple has a really big and nice garden with lots of flowers and trees around and it’s by the lake. we saw a couple having their bridal photoshoot while we were visiting.

the area is very big and it’s not crowded, fresh air with cooling weather is really the best. taking a stroll here is quite relaxing and fun as well.

outside the temple, there are some street vendors, all of them sell mostly the same stuff, handicrafts, clothes, accessories, souvenirs, etc. they are really eager to sell things, the moment you stop and take a peek, they will approach and convince you to buy some stuff. we did bought a few things since it’s cheap ‘cos we get to bargain, heh.

more temple photos at picasa or facebook.

twin lakes, bali.

going up the hill and towards north, here we get to see a beautiful top view of two lakes in bali - tamblingan lake and buyan lake. the air is cooling here, very very nice and peaceful feel with a magnificent view. the sky is quite clear that day with just very little mist, so we get to see both lakes clearly.

the lakes look vast and calm, giving a mysterious feel. surrounded by the nature, it sure feels very fresh and different, far away from busy city. i love these places a lot ‘cos it’s truly relaxing and quiet.

more lakes photo at picasa or facebook.

paddy fields from pacung restaurant, bali.

this is another view that many has come to see, paddy fields on hills. unlike in malaysia where we plant paddy on flat grounds, in bali, paddy fields are on hills. the view is very nice, layer and layers of green from far.

the weather here is also a little cooler since it’s higher up on the hills. there’s also fruits and flowers spotted at the restaurant, i quite like this place.

malioboro restaurant, bali.

this restaurant is famous for ayam tulang lunak, fried chicken with very crispy bones, the bones are edible since it’s fried until crispy. the chicken is pretty decent, skin is also crispy. eating bones, though… it’s a little weird. tiny bones are okay but not the big ones. bones are tasteless anyway…

there are lots of people when we were there, and the restaurant looks like a fast food chain. they also sell other dishes like flying fish, but we did not try those. the food portion is quite big and since it’s fried, it fills the stomach pretty fast.

after dinner, we were brought back to our hotel for the night. that marks the end of day 2 of my vacation.

tanah lot temple, bali.

this is perhaps the most famous temple in bali because of the beautiful sunset view. the temple itself is built on a cliff which is only accessible when the tide is low, it’s very beautiful to see the temple from far.

before reaching the temple, there are lots of street vendors and also garden with flowers for visitors to visit. when we were there, the place is packed with tourists, it’s hard to actually find an empty spot.

walk a little further, there’s a cliff where the sun will set right above it, creating a truly amazing and romantic view. lots of photographers camp at the location with their gears just to take the sunset photo.

it’s really a nice place to be, by the sea with such a nice view. listening to waves hitting the rocks is also very relaxing. a must-visit location when you’re in bali.

more beautiful sunset and temple photos at picasa or facebook.

taman ayun royal temple, bali.

it means beautiful garden in balinese and it’s true, we are welcomed by a long stretch of very well maintained green grass, with flowers and fountain. the scenery is very calming.

we are not allowed in the inner yard but we get to see the view along the side, i like the super tall huts here, very unique design. the roofs are made of leaves, very strong and they keep the hut cool.

the temple is very quiet and peaceful with a lot of greens around, it’s a very nice place to walk and relax. the sky is a little gloomy when we were there ‘cos there’s a little drizzle, it’s really nice, no hot sun and close to the nature with beautiful temple view.

more temple photos at picasa or facebook.

krisna oleh-oleh bali.

a really big shopping place for handicrafts, souvenirs, clothes… lots to see and buy, the price here is also very reasonable, it’s fixed so you save a lot of time without needing to bargain.

we spent quite a lot of time and money here, heh. =p some of the stuff are really nice, handicraft stuff are really cheap here compare to the other market places. the checkout counters are also very efficient, so no long queues! a pretty fun place to shop.

ud karya alam toko oleh-oleh bali.

after lunch, our tour guide brought to this shop which sells delicious indonesian layered cake and also other local snacks and handicrafts. the layered cake is freshly made everyday and it’s really really nice, the sweetness is just nice and the texture is very fluffy and not oily at all.

we bought a box to eat and two more to bring home with. yum yum! also bought other snacks like local made nuts home. the store owner is a lady from penang, so she knows how to speak hokkien, very friendly with us since my parents and friends speak hokkien too.

definitely visit this shop for snacks and layered cake when in bali, very very nice!

pitanira restaurant, bali.

it’s a western cafe along the streets of nusa dua, the restaurant is pretty small and they also have a bar area. it’s very quiet when we were there for lunch, perhaps they have more customer in the evening.

we had a simple western lunch, starting with a vegetable soup and complete with grilled fish with mashed potato. the fish was a little overcooked, otherwise the food is decent with a normal portion.

the restaurant is pretty hot during noon since there’s no air-conditioning, service is pretty okay and they offer free wifi. i think the restaurant is okay overall, as long as you visit during the evening instead of noon.

tanjung benoa beach and turtle island, bali.

this is a really busy beach because of all the activities going on… lots of water sports to try and also this is the place to go to get a boat to turtle island. we skipped on the water sports activity since my parents and friends are not interested.

the boat to turtle island is just a small motor boat. before we reach the island, we stopped at the sea to see fishes and corals at the bottom and surroundings of the glass bottom boat, quite nice… we all threw bread into the sea and all the fishes are suddenly beneath us! fishes here are won’t have food problem at all because all tourists do the same. =p

on the turtle island, we get to hug turtles and touch them, it’s not in their natural habitat though but it was fun. they swim quite fast actually… it’s hard to catch up and take a photo of them while they are moving in the water, lol…

there’s also birds, bat and snake (yewww!) for tourist to take photos with. and we took a break drinking coconut since it’s a very hot day. it’s a very fun beach to be at, lots of things to do here.

more photos of water sports, beach and turtles at picasa and facebook.

legian paradiso hotel, bali.

our accommodation for the first 2 nights in bali. although it’s by the main street, the hotel itself is far away from any noise which is really good. our room is facing the pool so we got a really nice view. the hotel has a modern design with Balinese touch, lots of trees around and also ponds and statues, makes the place feels very comfortable and relaxing.

our breaskfast at the hotel is also very satisfying, i have never had such a nice breakfast for quite some time. =) breakfast is in buffet style with quite a good variety, salad, cereal, sausage, potato, fried noodles/rice, egg, juice, coffee, tea… everything is delicious and appetizing, love omelets and scrambled eggs the most.

it’s a very nice and simple hotel, very convenient as well, with lots of shops for exploration. definitely a good pick for something modern yet has the traditional taste.

more hotel and breakfast photos at picasa or facebook.

legian street, bali.

after dinner our tour guide sent us to our hotel which is just by legian street, a very strategic location. this street has everything… souvenir shop, branded stores, restaurants, bar, massage parlor, convenience stores… and they open ‘till late.

after we checked in to our hotel, we spent a little time to walk around and explore, lots of tourists spotted, the items sold in the shops here are slightly more expensive (told by our tour guide and we did compare the prices with other shops we visit on a later day).

it’s a very long street and lots to see, it’s fun to just walk around and observe.

more photos of the street at picasa or facebook.