My Bali: Sunrise On the Top of An Active Volcano and the Most Expensive Coffee In The World

The real treasure of Bali lies far from its beaches. If you want to see and experience it, you should stay away from the ocean and the 'touristy' Kuta beach. The real pearl of Bali is in its unique culture, atmosphere and nature. Are you ready to explore it with me?

We spent more than a week on Bali, but I can assure you that it’s just not enough to see all the amazing places of the Island. In my earlier story I told you about magic temples and rituals… but now I invite you to discover Bali’s real beauty…. its nature.

Go to Bali island

Bali is not the best place for a beach holiday. Though Bali has some famous places, like the expensive Nusa Dua (with its sugary sand, and some luxury ocean front resorts), we were more interested in seeing the interior of the Island.

Visit Ubud village

So we began our journey by visiting the gorgeous Ubud village. It’s located in the centre of Bali and is famously known as an art and craft hub. Here you can buy unique hand-made souvenirs, and visit different galleries.

As well as as art, you can try a very special balinese dish here….Dirty Duck. Its recipe and the method of cooking may well be complicated, but when you try it I can assure you it’s really very tasty!

Monkey Forest in Bali
Find monkeys in Bali

Ubud is also famous for its Monkey Forest. It was right here that Julia Roberts cycled in the famous ‘Eat. Pray. Love’ movie. The main inhabitants of this place are thousands of monkeys. Be aware! They are always ready to steal something from you. And it doesn’t matter what it is. Some food or... your even your own shoes.

rice terraces in Bali

About five kilometres from Ubud we found complete peace and tranquility at Tegalalang with its magnificent views of rice terraces.

Rice grow in Bali

One can discover exactly how rice is grown.

selling Durian in Bali

Local lady trying to sell Durian (an incredibly foul smelling fruit) to my sister Jane.

Find coffee plantations in Bali

Our next stop were the coffee plantations. Coffee growing in Bali hasn’t a very long history. Locals can thank traders from Lombok (an Indonesian island), as it was they who brought the first coffee plants to Bali at the beginning of the 20th century. ‘Robusta’ is the common variety of coffee in Bali. But also, we found the most expensive coffee in the world here. It’s called Kopi Luwak.

making coffe Kopi Luwak in Bali

Kopi Luwak is a coffee brewed using beans that have been through the digestion system of a civet – a small, cat-like, animal. The civets eat the coffee cherries, but the beans are left intact all the way through the Civet’s digestive system. This process removes the bitterness from the coffee beans, making Kopi Luwak smooth and mild with a sweet aftertaste.

The whole process is quite complicated…. and time consuming. This is why prices can get close to 1000 dollars for a kilo of Kopi Luwak.

Best view in Bali

Another place on Bali we could not miss is the viewpoint of Bali’s active volcano Batur and the biggest fresh water lake in the world. According to Hindus, Mount Batur is a sacred mountain. Its last eruption took place in 1917.

Best photo of Bali island

Next morning we decided to take an adventure tour and climb the very volcano we saw yesterday from the viewpoint. Mount Batur is 1717 meters above sea level, so trekking there took us about two hours. The worst thing was that we had to start our journey about two o’clock in the morning. But when we saw the first rays of the sun, we were rewarded for our early wake up…

Beautiful sunset in Bali

We had our breakfast in the first rays of the sun and … with hungry monkeys. So we had to share our modest meal with them.

Feeding monkeys in Bali
Crazy monkeys in Bali
Monkeys in Bali
Swimming in Bali

On the way back from the volcano we stopped to relax in the hot radon springs. These are very good for the relief of any muscle tension. Swimming there was simply heaven.

Go surfing in Bali

In the final days of our trip we went to the main beach Kuta Beach. It’s very popular among surfers…… so I decided to take surfing lessons as well.

Book a flight and go to Bali

… In the evening locals and tourists come here to enjoy the sunset, to meet friends, to do yoga or just to relax.

Spend your best vacation in Bali

So did we… remembering our wonderful time on Bali.

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I still remember my first trip. It was to London. I fell in love with this city the moment I saw it. Just - "click", and my heartbeat quickened. I was chosen by it. Red and funny double-decker buses, serious black cabs, the gorgeous Buckingham palace... That's it! I am your admirer forever! From that moment I have visited many places and have been to many countries. Traveling became my passion. My long lasting love, which I hope will never end.

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