Depending on one’s age, experiencing Bali can be a very different exercise in enjoyment.
For the fit and healthy
For those fit and healthy, probably without graying hair or arthritic joints, experiencing Bali can include great excitement. A trek up Mount Batur – an active volcano – to catch a sunrise might attract you. Although since the recent catastrophic event on Whakaari/White Island in New Zealand, I’d think twice about scaling any volcano. (The volcano unexpected erupted and killed/ dreadfully burned a number of visiting tourists.) Get your adrenaline pumping as you experience Bali and it’s outdoor adventure sports! Elephant trekking, ATV beach rides, tubing and buggy tours are popular options. You might want to experience the Reverse Bungy in Kuta or zipline between cliffs. Sliding down waterfalls or the natural spa at Waterfall Peguyangan, is another option, assuming the 450 plus steps to climb does not put you off. Flyboarding, diving off cliffs or canyoning, Bali has it all for the young at heart and physically adventurous.
For older or lazier dudes
However, experiencing Bali for the less physically active offers an abundance of leisurely activities. There’s the Monkey Forest, the Butterfly Park, the rice fields, the Balinese temples, a turtle sanctuary, to name but a few. Perhaps you’d relish visiting a coffee farm. Remember the famous Luwak coffee originates in Bali. Don’t forget the offers of cooking lessons. Bali has it all.
In a previous post I mentioned the massages available but I forgot another experience I had in Bali. Yoga. I had never tried joga before. And if I’m honest, I may possibly never try it again. Part of our hotel package – and many hotels offer this – was a free hour long yoga lesson every morning. Apart from the need to rise early, I was excited as I joined others waiting for the yogi. I quickly believed he’s had over 15 years teaching the art. The moves and positions he showed – and expected us to adopt – were nothing short of incredible to such a novice. Incredible and later, very painful. I did enjoy the novelty of screwing myself into knots. Amazing benefits, I’m sure. But my poor stretched muscles took days to heal after the couple of sessions. Hmm, joga has not become my exercise of choice.
Shopping
A negative I found during our recent Bali experience was the hike in merchandise prices. Luckily, we had very limited baggage allowance so knew we were not in Bali to shop. I would have enjoyed poking around in the local shops, though. Temptation disappeared the first day we wandered about in Seminyak. Clothing exactly the same as I had recently purchased in Auckland was offered at over three times the cost. Bargaining didn’t bring the price close to acceptable to me. With items true authenticity doubtful and the risk of exceeding our limit with the airline, why would I consider shopping.
Go visit Bali
I haven’t mentioned the obvious delights Bali offers. The beautiful beaches, sunshine, the resorts offering luxurious accommodation. The delicious food, the amazing massages. Restaurants, bars and nightclubs abound. Bali has everything a visitor might want. If you ever get the chance, go visit Bali, there’s amazing sites to see, great entertainment for every age group and most of all, beautiful people.