Our Anniversary Vacation to Bali

We arrived in Denpasar, and our excitement knew no bounds. The plan was to stay four nights in Kuta. We moved to the hotel from the airport, and it looked so much prettier than what we saw on the internet. After spending our noon at leisure, our first spot of the vacation was the Tanah Lot Temple. The timing was perfect, and my wife was happiest seeing the magical sunset. Thanks to Pickyourtrail for the complimentary photoshoot. The whole atmosphere was breathtaking, and the evening's natural exposure was perfect for taking pictures. We enjoyed every minute of that evening. My wife said it was one of the best sunsets of our lifetime.

Our next destination was West Nusa Penida Island; we spent a whole good day there, and it was worth all our time. The island and the beach were so beautiful that we wished we could spend our whole vacation there. 
We went to the Karang Dawa viewpoint, and we just felt like time was standing still. The serenity and beauty of the south coast of Pedina truly refreshed our souls. There is Kelingking Beach down below the tall cliffs, and the view, my god! The beach is nestled in all its glory. I would suggest this place to all my friends. Our anniversary has become so memorable.

For the best pictures, our top recommendation is Paluang Cliff, which is close to Kelingking Beach. It took 5 minutes to walk there. This incredible scene will undoubtedly take your breath away. There are cute structures there, like cocoon nests, and boat-shaped seats with a magical backdrop. We took so many pictures and boasted on social media.

We chose Bali because we were so fond of its culture and heritage. So while booking itineraries, we explained our interests to the PYT team, and they gave us the best options.  

We went to the sacred temple of Lepuyang, which was brilliant; it had a total Balinese feel. All these days we were just checking out Instagram pictures, but today we could stand at what people call “the gates of heaven.” The jaw-droppingly picturesque view has our whole hearts. Our gallery was full already!

Next spot: The Tirta Gangga Water Palace. What should we say about Tirtha Gangaa? 
It's a lovely location with fountains, fish ponds, and figurines that offer excellent photo opportunities. Before you go in, be sure to purchase some fish food; it will be worth it to see the schools of fish swim around and follow you all around the stepping stones thru the water. Also, we would suggest you go early in the morning to avoid crowds.

After the sacred temple visits and lunching on the local cuisine, we drove to a breathtaking location, the Tukad Cepung Waterfall. It was nearly 40 kilometers from Tirta Ganga. You should trek for about 15 minutes to reach the waterfall, and mind the slippery rocks on your way. This waterfall was awesome. - you can't swim in it, but you can stand under it, and the natural light from the cave opening is very cool. If you're claustrophobic, kindly stay away because some spaces are narrow and you're in a cave.

It is good that the Pickyourtrail team already informs us to pack some clothes for temple visits. Our day was perfect. We explored as much as we could.

As part of our anniversary celebration, we asked for some private trails. We started our day at Pandawa Beach, which is also called Melasti Beach. It is a hidden gem; we went early in the morning to feel the sunshine and swim in crystal-clear water. We took pictures with the Pandavas statues and spent a good hour on the shore watching surfers. We also had food from local warungs.

After the beach visit, we headed to GWK Culture Park, which is 9 km away. It's a very beautiful park, with plenty to do. A train will take you to the biggest statue and other locations throughout the park. There's a museum, and you can climb inside the massive Vishnu statue. A lovely restaurant (or two) with breathtaking views (remember, this park is perched on a hill) and dance performances by colorfully costumed dancers and musicians

Our evening was no less than magical. We melted at the sunset at Uluwatu Temple, and you must never ever miss this place on your vacation to Bali. 
Our last destination for the day was Jimbaran Bay. Like icing on the cake, we ended our spectacular day with a date night on the beaches. Food, wine, moonlight, and a beach breeze made it the perfect anniversary vacation for us.

Our Kuta stay came to an end, and on day 5 of the Bali vacation, we packed our bags for Ubud.

Do you know how we started our day? By trekking! We trekked to Mount Batur to witness the sunrise. It took nearly 2.5 hours to reach the spot, and I was completely mesmerized by the sunrise view. Will the Bali trip be over without flying on the Swing? Yes, on our way back, we went to enjoy a jungle swing with an amazing panorama view. One down from our bucket list. Yay!

Our next spot was Tirta Empul; we reached there by noon and took a bath in the holy spring. The experience was so divine and felt like a soul-cleansing spa.

The monkey forest was our next spot, and we were so eager to visit this place. We heard so much about it, and now we could finally visit. This was a lot of fun. The sanctuary is very well-kept, and there are opportunities to interact closely with the monkeys. However, as the sign clearly states at the entry, they do like to "monkey around," and they'll try to take your belongings, particularly if you have food in the backpack. They will also bite, so do not approach the monkeys alone.

The last day seemed really hard, and we don’t want to go back. We checked out of our hotel and did some street shopping in Ubud, though we never missed shopping at all the street markets. We booked a cab to reach Denpasar Airport and flew back to India.

We would say, Always book your trails with Pickyourtrail. The team was always in touch with us, right from boarding the flight in India to getting back home. The support was incredible, and we felt very comfortable. We have already started preparing for the next vacation. The liberty to customize the itinerary was top-notch. Pickyourtrail’s Bali vacation package was outstanding, and one of the best decisions we made.