2 Days of Relaxation in Bali

We’re now in Bali for 2 days as a short stop on our way to Australia, where we’ll spend the next 2 months. We’ve been in Bali before and we’ve seen most of the main sights, so this time we’re just taking it easy, laying low and relaxing.

We decided to stay in the village of Canggu, as it’s pretty close to the airport (important if you’re staying only for 2 days, given Bali’s crazy traffic) and we had read good reviews of it. It turned out to be a good choice. It’s a relaxed and relatively quiet village, and it still maintains the Balinese traditions and character – which unfortunately isn’t true for other, very touristic places on the island.

I don’t know what it is about Bali, but it just has this inherent calm and peace, despite the busy traffic and, these days, the threat of a possibly erupting volcano. The locals are super nice, friendly and greet you with big smiles – and it doesn’t feel forced, as it does in other places. There is a sort of serenity in the air. Maybe it has to do with Bali’s special spirituality and with the locals’ relationship to their beliefs and to the island. In any case, for us it’s a very relaxing place, which offers a gazillion of food options and just as many opportunities to spend your time in a relaxed way. (How many times did I already use the word “relax” in this post? Hmmm…) We went for massages, did yoga, hung out in cafes and restaurants, drove around on a scooter, took a walk on the beach, relaxed by the pool in our hotel, I went shopping… You know, the standard program ;)

As a final note, it surprised both of us again how much this small island lives from tourism – it actually lives only from tourism. It has a very big airport, which operates 24 hours per day. Many restaurants and cafes are designed specifically for tourists, with their preferences in mind, and you don’t see any locals there. The vast majority of tourists come from Australia, but probably pretty much all nationalities are represented on any given day on the island. There is also a big community of expats who have decided to make Bali their home.

We’re thinking of coming back here again for a longer stay on this trip, but for now, tonight we’re flying out to Darwin and beginning our Australian adventure. Here are a few photos we took these days in Bali – just a mixture of impressions and fun moments.

Places and traditions on the island: