Enchanting Bali And Java
13 days
The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of a paradise. It’s more than a place; it’s a mood, an aspiration, a tropical state of mind. The rich and diverse culture of Bali plays out at all levels of life, from the exquisite flower-petal offerings placed everywhere, to the processions of joyfully garbed locals shutting down major roads as they march to one of the myriad temple ceremonies, to the otherworldly traditional music and dance performed island-wide. Almost everything has spiritual meaning. The middle of Bali is dominated by the dramatic volcanoes of the central mountains and hillside temples such as Pura Luhur Batukau (one of the island’s estimated 10,000 temples), while the tallest peak, Gunung Agung, is the island’s spiritual centre.
Itinerary Summary
Yogyakarta
3 Nights
If Jakarta is Java’s financial and industrial powerhouse, Yogyakarta is its soul. Central to the island’s artistic and intellectual heritage, Yogyakarta (pronounced ‘Jogjakarta’ and called Yogya, ‘Jogja’, for short) is where the Javanese language is at its purest, the arts at their brightest and its traditions at their most visible. Yogyakarta in Java is a unique place for the appreciation of contrasts. Yogyakarta is best known for its two historic temples: Borobudur Temple, a 9th century Buddhist monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, and Prambanan Temple, dedicated to the divine Hindu Trimurti (trinity).
Highlights: Prambanan Temple, Borobudur Temple
Borobudur
2 Nights
Together with Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar, Borobudur ranks as one of the great cultural icons of Southeast Asia. Looming above a patchwork of bottle-green paddy fields and slivers of tropical forest, this colossal Buddhist monument has survived volcanic eruptions, terrorist attack and the 2006 earthquake. The last caused considerable damage, but thankfully this most enigmatic of temples has remained undiminished in scale and beauty. Borobudur is at the centre of an attractive assembly of traditional rice-growing kampung (villages), ringed by volcanic peaks. Called the Garden of Java by locals, the region, with its rural homestays and guesthouses, scattered temples and tradition of honey and tofu production, warrants at least an overnight stay. For those who find Borobudur’s bucolic charms a delightful antidote to the urban experience of nearby Yogyakarta, there are plenty of reasons to extend a visit, including engaging with the local culture.
Highlights: Borobudur Temple tour
Ubud
3 Nights
Ubud is one of those places where a holiday of a few days can easily turn into a stay of weeks, months or even years. The size of the town’s expat community attests to this, and so do the many novels and films that have been set here, creative responses to the seductive nature of this most cultured of all Balinese towns. This is a place where traditional Balinese culture imbues every waking moment, where colourful offerings adorn the streets and where the hypnotic strains of gamelan are an ever-present soundtrack to everyday life. It’s also somewhere that is relentlessly on trend – a showcase of sustainable design, mindfulness, culinary inventiveness and the very best that global tourism has to offer. Come here for relaxation, for rejuvenation and to have what may well be the most magical holiday of your life.
Highlights: Cycling, Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest, UNESCO World Heritage site
Nusa Dua
4 Nights
Nusa Dua translates literally as ‘Two Islands’ – although they are actually small raised headlands, each with a small temple. But Nusa Dua is much better known as Bali’s gated compound of resort hotels. It’s a vast and manicured place where you leave the chaos of the rest of the island behind as you pass the guards. Built in the 1970s, Nusa Dua was designed to compete with international beach resorts the world over. Balinese ‘culture’, in the form of condensed cultural displays, is literally trucked in nightly in an effort to make it seem like less of a generic beach resort.
Highlights: Uluwatu temple visit, Kecak Dance
