TRAVEL SPECIAL....... NATURE'S DELIGHT - Stay adventure-positive

NATURE'S DELIGHT - Stay adventure-positive



Apart from Bali's beaches and thriving nightlife are the natural adventure delights

That Bali is a tourist magnet is well known. The culturerich haven, with its friendly locals, beaches to please every traveller, unmatched social scene offers leisure, nature and food to trickle every palate. Besides, what makes Bali so attractive is that it is economical for the diversity it offers, making it very popular with the millennials. It was hence that when we, a girl gang of four, started to plan a getaway in a short span of 20 days, Bali was the obvious choice. Adamant on covering every natural wonder, we settled for an adventure-packed itinerary , which offered a glimpse into a volcanic crater, marine life, waterfalls, beaches and cliffs.After long hours of research, it was finally time to pack our sun glasses and pull out our swimwear from the back of our closet and take off.

TANAH LOT

After landing, we kicked off our adventure with the Tanah Lot aka the temple by the cliff. The temple attracts massive crowds for the speculator sunset it witnesses.Perched atop a cliff, the silhouette of the tiered `meru' ( a pagoda-like structure) against the endless ocean and warm canvas of the sky cannot be put in words. Although, the crowded sight, which made capturing a shot without someone photobombing an impossible task, reflected nothing about the great times that Bali had in store for us.Apart from the beautiful panorama, Tanah Lot offered a very important lesson: Avoid touristy places at peak hours.

NUSA PENIDA

A short ferry ride away from Sansur, Nusa Penida, one of the larger islands after Bali, in the archipelago, is the antithesis of its parent island. The secluded island packs brilliant cliff views and beaches with water so clear that you can spot the mantas swimming from atop a cliff. Our first stop after anchoring at Nusa Penida was Peguyangan waterfall. And it only got better from there, the spell binding views of cliffs and a visible sea-bed at the KelingKing Beach, the picture-perfect limestone arch at the Broken Beach and warm waves of the Crystal Bay, made this day-long affair to Nusa Penida a journey of a lifetime. The most striking sight was that of Angel's Billabong; a natural infinity pool with the backdrop of the ocean.

NUSA DUA TO UBUD

A quick pitstop at Devil's Tear with water gurgling through a rocky outcrop, en route Ubud, kickstarted the next half of our trip. The nearby powdery white beach of Sandy Bay conceal a beautiful limestone cave, which can easily be covered by foot. After experiencing the southern attractions , we made our way to the heart of Bali,Ubud. The neongreenery of Ubud is entwined with yoga retreats and bohemian eateries. After checking into our hotel, we enjoyed the day at leisure to shop for handicrafts and bohemian fashion to take back a piece of Bali with us.

MOUNT BATUR

A trek to Mount Batur, while termed easy , is a treacherous one for those with a sedentary lifestyle. The trek to reach this active volcano starts as early as 3 AM, helping us reach the first base (1,700 m above sea level) just in time for the sunrise. Greedy for a better view of the crater below, we began the ascend to the third summit, which left us exhausted.This in turn slowed the descend, leaving us to be the last to arrive at the deserted parking. While the view of the sunrise with the smoke of volcano circle Mount Batur like a halo was indeed rewarding, the eight-hour-long trek left us bedridden for the rest of day .

RIVER AYUNG RAFTING

The rafting downstream from River Ayung was another highlight. The beautiful backdrop and friendly guide made sure we had an eventful experience. This was a fairly relaxed adventure that's perfect as a family getaway too. While rafting through the course, you'll see the most spellbinding sight: Open temples, featuring scenes from the Hindu mythology are carved on the rocks along the course of river. The lush backdrop and no civilisation in sight leave you surprised that this is also a part of the commercial Ubud.

By Shireen Kanchwala

 Oct 26 2017 : The Economic Times (Mumbai)