CAMBODIA
Country Overview:
“Islands, tuktuks, food wrapped in banana leaves, and the chance to get your Eat, Pray, Love on”
With thousands of islands, a strong culture you won’t find anywhere else in SE Asia, and good vibes, Indonesia was one of the coolest countries I visited. Bali is nice, if you like seeing Koreans and Chinese dressed head to toe hiding under umbrellas at the beach, but hands down, my favorite islands were the Gilis, which are a quick catamaran boat ride away. I didn’t get a chance to see much of Jakarta, and despite the fact that it is sinking and the government plans to move the capital anyway, there are plenty of other awesome places to check out.
Bali // Ubud // Gili Islands
Last Night in Bali
Went to this bar / activity place. Had mini golf, hatchet throwing, airsoft target shooting, ping pong, massive Jenga, and a few other games. Also had a huge BBQ dinner beforehand, which was on par with what I’ve had in the US. Always a surprise, and a good one, when you find really good American food in small little places on other side of the world.
Nusa Dua, Bali
*”We” = me, my buddy, and his GF.
Wild day in Bali. As it was Saturday, I could finally unplug from my computer and we were off. First, we took a taxi down to Nusa Dua where we did what they call “sea walking” where they strap a big white helmet to your head with an oxygen tube, then you put on a weight belt and go all the way down to seafloor. We brought bread, and a ton of fish came swimming out. Super cool experience, but a bit mellow, so we then did what they call a donut, which is a big inflatable 3-person tube with handles, and a rope attached to a speedboat, and we told the guy not to hold back. He didn’t hold back. We were whipped around to the point where my forearms were about to burst. It was awesome.
We then took an hour-long taxi to what I believe was Keramas Beach — black sand (due to active volcanoes) and the beach was completely empty. It was a brutal beach though — super strong currents, course rocks once you went in past 1 meter, and lots and lots and lots of fine sand particles that I’m still pretty sure are in my hair. Got sunburned but it was a great beach day. Passed out from exhaustion around 10 pm.
Sunday morning we moved hotels from Sanur and now we’re in Kuta, the main area of Bali. Will be here until Friday, when I fly to Singapore. Not much is on the agenda for the week ahead, except for our Fantasy Football League draft on Tuesday, and an early birthday celebration for my buddy.
Massimo — Sanur, Bali
Surprisingly, this was some of the best Italian food I have ever had. Hidden away in Sanur, Massimo has over 10,000 reviews on Google and a huge line out front, all waiting to get some gelato.
Went with my buddy and his GF and we got Ossobuco, Spaghetti alle vongole, Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, and of course, cheesecake and espresso gelato.
More from Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
My current trip here is very different from when I was last here a few years ago. I’m still working from 1pm-5pm, so I miss most of the sun during the day. I’m still lucky enough that I can travel here and still work, so no complaints, but as I get older, I look back on how I used to travel with fond memories, but it’s no longer viable for me to take 6 weeks off and have every day be open.
I’ll be heading over to Kuta (about 30 minutes away) on Sunday because it’s closer to the airport and a bit more lively. Food here is great, and even though 1 USD is equal to around 15,000 IDR, and bills can be confusing when they are 6 figures, Bali is always a good time.
Bali 2022 | Day 1
Arrived in Bali on Saturday. Didn’t expect to do hatchet throwing, but it happened. I’m staying in Sanur, a coastal stretch of beach east of Denpasar in southeast Bali.
Fun Fact: In 1906 the northern part of Sanur Beach was used as the landing site for the Dutch invasion troops during the intervention in Bali. During World War II, Sanur was again the entry point through which the Japanese forces landed to occupy the island of Bali.
*“Thai Cannabis Club” photo is from Bangkok
Last night in Bali
What can I say, I like club sandwiches without mayo. However, a lot of the club sammies down in SE Asia came with Cucumber which was a nice addition.
Traditional Balinese dancing
This was a show I attended that was all traditional Balinese music and dancing. The ladies in the pink and blue played drums, reed flutes, and these metal marimba type things, but instead of mallets they used what looked like small ice picks. The music was eerie and the dancing was equally strange. Lots of eye movements and unusual finger movements. I say strange because in Western culture, I don't think the fingers are utilized a lot when dancing, but the Balinese seem to have embraced it.
Monkey Forest in Ubud
The Monkey Forest in Ubud was amazing. You could buy small bananas and feed them, watch them viciously attack younger monkeys, and hopefully make it out of there with your sunglasses.
Gili T 2
The Gili islands are 3 super small islands off the East coast of Bali. There are no police, no cars and no motorbikes. This place was exactly what I was looking for after such a commercialized Boracay. Only 1 bar is allowed to stay open past 2 every night, which sounds boring, but that's where everyone shows up, so it works out well. Played trivia at a bar and some guy from Scotland on our team went 9/10 for Old School Rap and did quite well for figuring out old tv shows based on their intro song. Everytime he got an answer right, everyone else on our team was like "What kind of culture does Scotland have where he can recognize "Ice Cube - No Vasoline" right after "Fraggle Rock".
Kuta, Bali - Indonesia
The offerings to ward off evil spirits are everywhere in Bali. In the gym, outside every store front, and in the hallways of hotels.
