Bali, the honeymoon island

Article and photos:Nguyen Chi Linh

On the flight from Singapore to Bali 8 years ago, I felt quite sad because I was among the few 1% of single people who traveled to this place known as the honeymoon island. That flight was filled with smiles, loving glances, and passionate kisses from lovers. 8 years later, on the same flight from Singapore to Bali, I was still among that 1%.

But Bali in my mind is not only the pristine green of the mountains and forests and the famous Ubud terraced fields, or the gentle waves from the beautiful beaches, but also the thatched roof temples typical of Hindu culture next to the clear lakes with clouds sleeping on the mountain tops... In the simplest way, Bali is a paradise for relaxation, especially for couples in love.

The island is about 144km long and about 80km wide, still attractive and fascinating when I return because each sub-region on the island has its own unique character. When thinking about Bali, I always remember the 5-star resorts with their own unique Balinese architecture, lying poetically next to the fine white sand beaches with gentle waves lapping on the shore, the traditional Balinese Spa therapies that awaken the acupuncture points and regenerate the body's energy after a tiring day of wandering around the island. There are also the famous roasted pork pieces calledbabi gulingSliced ​​from a small pig with a thick layer of skin that is crispy and fatty, blending with the natural aroma of the meat when skewered and roasted on a red fire. Or the beautiful beaches of Bali have brought wonderful experiences to tourists who love water sports such as surfing, diving, parachuting...

Hindu imprint

Hindus from Java came to Bali around 100 BC and gave Bali its own unique character among the 17,000 islands of Indonesia. Contrary to my initial thoughts when I arrived here, Hinduism in Bali is very different from the Hindu culture on the banks of the Ganges River in India, which the Balinese call the Hinduism of Javanese civilization. Hidden in the cool green coconut trees are houses built with the atmosphere of the Ramayana epic and the unique Lara Jonggrang architecture of the Balinese.

Every morning, I like to stroll around the narrow alleys to enjoy the faint fragrance of frangipani flowers displayed for worship on small altars placed in front of the houses of local people. As a symbol, frangipani flowers are also pinned in the hair of many girls when walking on the beaches that leave the loving footprints of couples when the waves have not yet passed.Sesajenis the name of that small altar and every day Balinese people usually offer a tray of carefully trimmed aromatic leaves before each of the three meals of the day. The indispensable ingredients in the aromatic leaves tray: flowers, sticky rice, cakes, salt with the meaning of bringing prosperity and happiness in life.

I stopped by Basakih Temple in Kintamani town, located next to Mount Batur volcano to learn more about the island's Hindu culture in the construction of the famous Balinese Lara Jonggrang architecture. From the temples on the slope, Mount Batur volcano looks beautiful reflected in the lake next to it! The mountain is 700m high from the lake surface and is believed by scientists to have appeared about 23,000 years ago due to lava rising from underground. Besakih Temple, also known as "Mother Temple", has 22 large and small temples inside and mainly worships the Hindu gods Siva, Bramah and Vishnu. Looking at the structure of the central stone temple, I went back in time to the 9th -12th century.

In the 9th century, two powerful dynasties emerged in Java, Sailendra and Sanjaya. To demonstrate their power, both of them built magnificent temples. If the Sailendra dynasty built the Borobudur Buddhist temple in Yogyakarta, then Sanjaya, whose peak was the Mataram state, also built temples in the style of the Lara Jonggrang complex, which is still very much in Bali today.

Lara Jonggrang complex consists of hundreds of large and small temples located in three nested square courtyards symbolizing three worlds: the world of mortals, the world of saints and the world of gods. The central square courtyard with the main temples worships the three supreme gods of Hinduism: Shiva (the god of destruction - symbolizing death), Vishnu (the god of protection - symbolizing present life) and Brahma (the god of creation - symbolizing birth).

Right below the towers is a corridor with a series of carved panels surrounding the cellars containing the statues of the gods. Every two cells come together to form wings for a raised square block representing the gods sitting in the lotus position. Those reliefs have soft, delicate shapes and comfortable natural effects. The reliefs in Lara Jonggrang architecture are no less valuable than those in Borobudur and focus on illustrating the Hindu epic Ramayana. If we talk about ancient Central Javanese culture and only mention Borodubur, it will not be complete because both Borobudur and Lara Jonggrang are two sides of the ancient Javanese culture at that time.

Romantic sunset over the Indian Ocean

Everyone gathers at Tanah Lot or Kuta Beach or Pura Luhur Uluwatu to watch the sunset gradually fall on the Indian Ocean, which is considered a memorable experience of this place. Personally, I still prefer to watch the sunset at Tanah Lot because in the twilight of the sunset, Tanah Lot temple suddenly becomes sacred.

Tanah Lot is the second place chosen after Water Temple to introduce Bali in travel magazines and in the Balinese language means "land in the middle of the sea". The temple is built on a rock in the middle of the sea with the main side of the temple facing the Indian Ocean. The temple was built in the 15th century by the last Brahmin priest named Nirartha. He traveled from Java to Bali and saw the beautiful rock so he decided to stop and rest. He spent the night here and the next morning came up with the idea of ​​building a temple to worship the sea god who protects Bali. He told the fishermen about this idea and the temple was started. At the foot of the temple is carved a very large sea snake and according to legend, it is the one who fights against evil spirits and protects the temple.

The sunset had fallen as the red sun ball was slowly sinking into the Indian Ocean. The Tanah Lot temple gradually faded away and became more sacred in the fragile golden rays of the last day. On the high cliffs, in the murmuring sound of the waves lapping against the shore, couples in love held hands and watched the sunset. Some leaned their heads on each other's shoulders and whispered to each other as if exchanging vows of eternal love...

I decided to stop by a small stage about 4km from Tanah Lot to watch the Sanghyang Jalan (or Kecal) dance reenacting the Ramayana. This morning, I watched the traditional Balinese Barong dance which also reenacts the epic, but there were a few parts I still didn’t understand. These dances originated in Bali in the 13th century and have been preserved by the Balinese people to this day.

King Dasarata, because of a promise to a wife (planned by the demon lord Rahwana), exiled his son, Prince Rama, along with his beautiful wife Sita and Rama's younger brother Laksamanas into the deep forest for 10 years. Here, the demon lord Rahwana saw the beautiful Sita and determined to capture her to be his wife. The performance of the Sanghyang Jalan dance left a strong impression on me with the scene where the gods lit torches to pray for Vishnu to descend to earth to save Rama. The scene created a feeling for me: the world is entering a dark period, evil is the darkness covering the good is the lonely torches in the night.

When the sun sets and the city lights come on, life in Bali’s Kuta Bay really hits its peak. Each bar has its own band playing a variety of music genres, from rock, jazz to pop or covers of classics… As soon as I entered the bar to choose my dinner, the band on stage greeted me and asked where I was from and what song I wanted them to play. I chose Hello!

It was cozy and romantic to sit and eat under the flickering candlelight, listening to your favorite music. At the opposite corners of the table, lovers were passionately intoxicated in each other's eyes. Passionate kisses were exchanged in the seductive light and sound. Far out at sea, the waves from Kuta Bay still lapped against the shore, creating a gentle murmuring sound. They seemed to be falling into the sea of ​​love in Bali.

More information:

+ Air Asia, Tiger Air, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways operate flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Bali.

+ You should bring USD bills with the series from 2000 or later. In Bali, USD bills with the series 1996 are very difficult to exchange and the exchange rate is very low.

+The easiest way to get around the island is by taxi. Blue Bird taxi company (reference at:www.bluebirdgroup.com) with blue body are present at most tourist spots of the island. Taxi fare is calculated by km. In addition, visitors can rent bicycles (3USD/day) or motorbikes (10USD/day) to go around the island.

+ When coming to Bali, visitors should not forget to visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu, a mysterious temple built precariously on top of a rock in Uluwatu. The entrance fee is 5,000 Rp (0.5 USD) and visitors must wear a sarong (fee included) when entering to show respect to the gods.

+ When coming to Bali, tourists should try the specialty dish babi guling (roasted pig). The best is probably in the Ubud area because the hybrid pigs and wild boars are raised naturally in the hills. The pigs are about 5 months old and are skewered on a bamboo stick and roasted on a red fire. The thick, fatty, crispy skin blends with the naturally sweet meat when put into the mouth, making it unforgettable for tourists. Bu Oka Restaurant is the optimal choice for tourists when coming to Bali.

+ If you want to enjoy Bali's famous roasted duck, visitors can go to Tepi Sawah restaurant (www.tepisawahvillas.com) or Bebek Bengil (www.bebekbengil.com). Pondok Tempo Doeloe restaurant (8 Jalan Sunset. Tel: 62 361 919 6868) is famous for its traditional Indonesian dishes at affordable prices such as: crispy fried fish (gurame goring), fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk (nasi liwet) and grilled chicken (ayam bakar)...

+ Relax and experience the traditional Balinese massage. You will see the difference that is hard to describe in words. Massage or spa spots that always bring satisfaction to visitors include: Jari Merani, Royal Kirana Spa and Bamboo Spa.

+ In addition, going to the bars Potato Head Beach Club, The Rock Bar and Ku De Ta will help you completely relax at night.

The Thanh