Bali Day 2: Kintamani Tour and More...

For our second day we hired a driver/guide to take us on a tour of Kintamani Volcano. Hiring a driver/guide is the most economical way to travel. The cost will vary pending on how you negotiate. My driver Ade speaks good English and charged us USD 40/day including car and gas.

Today's tour was a really long one as it not only included the Volcano but a lot of other tourist attractions along the way to the Volcano and also included Ade's wait for May and I while we had dinner in Ubud which is an hour and a half from Nusa Dua.

Hearty Breakfast in our Hotel
Our first day at breakfast in our Hotel. The buffet spread was huge catering to the diverse guests living there. There were fried rice, ham, salads, porridge, Danish pastries, miso soup and much more. The waffles were probably the best I had in any hotel buffet crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.






Barong Dance
Ade met us at the lobby and took us to watch a traditional Balinese Barong Dance. We were actually late and came in at Scene 4 out of 6. The price for admission is IDR 80,000 (USD$ 8) per person. The story as it says on our handout is about a struggle between good and evil. It is sort of like a musical but with much simpler props.




After the show ended and we had the opportunity to snap some shots around the stage. Funny how all the tourists were snapping the lion head on the stage




Visit to Celuk Village
A few minutes drive and we reached Celuk Village. This area is known for making fine silver jewelery. We visited one of the more well-known shops to Tourists but did not bother buying anything. Everything inside is also "negotiable".





Visit to a Balinese House
This was really interesting as we got to see what a Balinese House looked like which is very different from any houses I've been to! It is one big compound that housed several huts for family members. Ade said every house also has a temple for families to pray and worship.






Mas Village
Mas Village is an area that is famous for their wood carving. We arrived in one of the stores and had a chance to watch how the artisans work. Looking at how beautiful the carvings were we bought a small wood carving of the laughing Buddha.





Visit to the Coffee Plantation
Another interesting place to visit. The plantation did not only grow Coffee Beans but also fruits. We had a taste test of various Balinese Coffees and Teas including the famous and expensive Lopi Luwak for USD 3 per cup! Honestly I don't think it tasted that good. I don't know why we people would pay so much for a particular cat's poop!





Lunch Time at Ibu Oka
We heard a lot about Ibu Oka. According to many, this place serves up the best Roasted Suckling Pig in Bali. We tried and the food was pretty good. Make sure to arrive when the pig has just come out of the fire pit or your going to be faced with cold food.




Viewing Mount Batur
After a long drive up the hill we finally saw Mount Batur; an active Volcano that last erupted 30,000 years ago. The view was amazing and it was really peaceful as you stand atop a gazebo taking in the fresh and cooling breeze.




However, do be careful of being harassed by many of the locals trying to sell you souvenirs. Once they see you're interested the rest will crowd around you begging you to buy their stuff.


Tegalalang Rice Terrace
On our drive down towards Ubud we visited the rice terraces. The view was really nice as you can see farmers working on the paddies.




Monkey Forest
Our final sightseeing destination of the day. There is an entrance fee to the forest and one could purchase some bananas to feed the monkeys. There are loads of monkeys inside including a temple. If you are going to feed the monkeys be on guard for any monkey attacks. We witnessed a monkey pulling the top off a female tourist in an attempt to steal her bananas.





Dinner at Mozaic
Another famous restaurant in Bali. This is a fine dining place that cost a lot of money. Highly recommended if you're on honeymoon or would like to propose. When choosing the menu do avoid the Chef's Surprise which is the most expensive and in my opinion a rip off. For more information you can visit my other blog.