3 Great Things About Bali

Tanah Lot Tanah Lot is an ancient Hindu temple and one of the most beautiful locations on the island, known for its stunning sunsets and offshore location. Even though you can’t enter the temple, the views, culture and experience is enough for this to be top of your list for things to do in Bali. There are regular day tours to explore the temple, so make sure you join one of these as trying to reach the temple by yourself is extremely hazardous due to large waves surrounding it. If you are visiting Tanah Lot on any of the dates below, please be sure to celebrate the holy day of Kuningan. Five days prior to this, Bali’s festive parades are definitely not one too miss! Tanah Lot’s day falls on every Wednesday that follows each Kuningan on Bali’s 210 day Pawukon calendar:

• 7th of August 2019

• 4th of March 2020

• 30th of September 2020

Be sure to dress appropriately when visiting temple grounds and show an appreciation for the sanctity of the temple and culture!

Tanah Lot Sunset

Ubud Monkey Forest Ubud Monkey Forest is one of the most popular attractions on the island. Also knows as the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal, the sanctuary is home to families of grey long-tailed macaques. This is a must-see destination for animal and nature lovers alike. Seeing playful monkeys having fun in their natural habitat, feeding on bananas, swinging on trees and chilling on the canopies has a way of bringing out the inner child in you and appreciate the little things in life. Although the monkeys are really friendly and will try (especially if you offer them food) to climb on you, you are advised to not touch or feed the monkeys as they are still wild animals. This isn’t like a zoo, where the monkeys are trained to behave a certain way. So please stay safe! However, this is what I love the most about the sanctuary. The conservation efforts have only gone as far as to make sure that the monkeys have a safe and natural habitat to explore in, without indoctrinating them and taking away their freedom. The monkey forest has local staff ready to help you when you visit, so please let them guide you and allow them to help you maximise your time in this magical sanctuary!

The ever so fun Ubud Monkey Forest!

Mount Batur How often do you get the chance to see a volcano every day? That alone should be enough reason for this to be right at the very top of your list of places to visit and see in Bali! Mount Batur is an active volcano located in the Kintamani area. It surrounds the Batur caldera lake. It is an extremely popular trek, with most tourists attempting to make the trek in order to get the chance to see the captivating views of the island at the top. My recommendation would be to make this trip in the early hours of the morning in order to catch the beautiful sunrise. The stunning view will be sure to take your breath away and provide you with a memory that you will cherish for a lifetime! Hikes up Mount Batur usually take around 3 hours and it is recommended that you take an official guide, so that you can make the trek in the safest way possible. In addition, if you have a taste and passion for adventure then please take the chance to Toya Bungkah, Ulun Dana Batur Temple and the collection of hot springs down by the lake shore! Please be aware that Mount Batur is an active volcano, so be sure to check the activity levels beforehand. Mount Batur is popular for a reason. Be sure to check it out on your trip to Bali and thank me later!

The beautiful Mount Batur sunrise...

For any further questions about things to do in Bali, please feel free to ask your Villa Manager at your Gateway villa for any more information on fun activities in Bali! They are there to help you out and ensure you have the best time possible!