Bali and a peaceful honeymoon

Bali is one of more than 17,000 islands of Indonesia with three main tourist areas: Kuta, Nusa Pedia and Ubud. This is also a famous tourist island of Indonesia and is always in the Top 10 most ideal destinations in the world. According to statistics, 80% of tourists come to Indonesia to explore Bali. The word "paradise" is the most common description when referring to Bali because of its captivating beauty, long stretches of deep blue beaches, gates, temples marked by time and above all, the fresh air, vibrant but still has peaceful moments.

Vibrant Kuta

Our journey started from Kuta - the most vibrant city in Bali with a series of restaurants, bars, pubs open all night long. Kuta appeared to us as a familiar blend of the excitement of Saigon and the energetic energy of Da Nang. On the streets of Kuta were crowds of tourists from all over the world, dressed brightly, hot, laughing loudly throughout the old town. In Kuta, our main activities were swimming and "going to bars". The beach here stretched as far as the eye could see, the water was incredibly clear. Small bars lined the beach, where you could sit down and enjoy a bottle of local fruit-flavored beer, chatting with the extremely friendly vendors, always with a smile on their lips.

The world of bars and clubs in Kuta is extremely diverse. My husband and I walked along the bustling main street, attracted by the many invitations from the colorful local bars and finally stopped at a bar with an extremely liberal decor style. Entering the bar, we realized that Bali is so "psychological" that the bar has 3 music areas, one is popular EDM, the other is trendy hip hop and a separate area for those who like blues and jazz. All tastes and preferences are "pampered" when coming to Bali.

Regarding food, ignoring the warnings about the “difficulty of eating” in Bali, my husband and I were passionate about enjoying the local cuisine and received satisfactory results. When coming to Bali, don't miss Babi Guiling - a roasted suckling pig. The pig is marinated with fragrant herbs, roasted until the outer skin is crispy but the meat inside is still soft and spongy, served with a special sauce, rice and vegetables. Besides, don't forget to try chicken satay - grilled chicken skewers, nasi goreng - Indonesian fried rice and lawar hotpot. There are many local restaurants in Bali, so any cute, clean restaurant is a reasonable choice for easy-going tourists like my husband and I.

Ubud and the slow, peaceful days

Leaving the modern and bustling Kuta, my wife and I headed north to Ubud, a small, ancient town nestled among the mountains and endless terraced fields. On the way from Kuta to Ubud, we visited the Balinese Pura Tanah Lot temple, the temple with the most unique architecture in Bali. Tanah Lot Temple is about 45 minutes drive from Kuta, the ancient temple is located on a large rock, surrounded by clear blue water, almost isolated from the mainland. According to Indonesian legend, the temple is protected by the snake god Basuki and has extremely sacred religious value for the people here. We arrived at Tanah Lot early in the morning, when the morning rays of sunlight began to shine on the ancient temple, the stream connecting the mainland to the Temple was crystal clear, gently stirring. The traces of time covered Tanah Lot with a majestic, quiet and mysterious beauty.

When we arrived in Ubud, the pristine smell of the old forest and the fresh air immediately captivated us. Most of the resorts in Ubud are covered with green trees, giving tourists a feeling of closeness to nature. This small town, known as the heart of Bali, has extremely interesting places such as the Pura Tirta Empul temple, famous for its healing waters, the ancient Ubud Royal Palace, or the golden, undulating Tegallalang rice terraces. But above all the famous places, what deeply moved me and made me fall in love with Bali was the peaceful and natural atmosphere like the breath in Ubud.

The afternoon when we first arrived in Ubud, my husband and I did not make any arrangements but put our phones deep in our pockets, held hands tightly, and just walked slowly through the small, tiled streets and the pretty little souvenir shops in Ubud. That day, we did not visit any relics, did not check-in at any famous bird nests, but we felt our hearts at peace and our two souls truly became in harmony. The city of Ubud with its winding small roads, the light scent of incense emanating from the ancient temples, the rustling sound of the surrounding deep green forests and the bright, friendly smiles always on the lips of the locals made us feel light-hearted.

My husband and I slowly breathed in the ancient and radiant atmosphere, fascinated by every corner of Ubud, occasionally stopping to taste some local specialties, buying some exquisitely crafted wooden souvenirs. Then we randomly chose a local restaurant that looked very sympathetic - and that was the place with the best Indonesian cheesecake and home-cooked rice we had ever eaten in our lives. The more we enjoyed the scenery of Ubud, the more we understood why Liz in “Eat, Pray, Love” had to come here to find love. Because Ubud is imbued with an emotion that is both primitive and intense, both strong and gentle. Ubud makes those who have not loved want to be loved, and those who are with their partner vow to be forever in love with their other half. Perhaps that is why Ubud, or Bali in general, has never been absent from the list of perfect honeymoon destinations.

Although we had traveled together many times before getting married, perhaps our honeymoon was still the most emotional trip of ours. Immersed in the romantic, pure space of Bali, we felt more peaceful, more stable, wanting to share, understand and love each other more. And I will always remember those days when Ubud gently welcomed us as a young couple, holding us in its arms, singing joyful songs of a budding happy life.

More information

Schedule:There are direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Bali, but if you go from Hanoi, you will have to make a connecting stop. A round-trip ticket costs from 4,000,000 VND or more.

Time:Bali is best from April to July. Bali is very beautiful at this time, the weather is pleasant, no rain, no harsh sunlight, not too hot, fun activities and exploration are not affected by rain.

Cuisine:Food in Bali is relatively easy to eat for most tourists. Must-try dishes when coming to Bali are Babi Guiling, Chicken Satay, Nasi Goreng, Lawar.

Accommodation:Bali has many beautiful and affordable resorts and homestays. You should book in advance through online booking sites to choose resorts with swimming pools, free breakfast, comfortable space with prices ranging from only 800,000 - 1,000,000 VND/night.

Skin:Bali has a tropical climate, hot all year round like Ho Chi Minh City, so you only need to bring comfortable, convenient summer clothes. Don't forget to bring long skirts and long pants because all temples and pagodas in Bali strictly prohibit wearing short, revealing clothes. You can buy a sarong - a traditional Indonesian wrap skirt when visiting temples and pagodas.

Move: It is advisable to hire a taxi with an English-speaking driver to travel between distant locations. In Kuta or Ubud, renting a motorbike is a reasonable option for exploring and stopping at your favorite spots.

Language:Most Balinese people speak basic English so communication is not difficult.

Money:The exchange rate of 1 rupiah (IDR) is approximately 1,700 VND. It is recommended to exchange money at banks to avoid common risks at private money exchange points.

Estimated costs:About 25 million VND/2 people for a 5-day, 4-night trip.

Lyn My