24 Hours Paradise
Say Bali, Indonesia and think of paradise. That’s true! There are stunning sunsets, sculpted rice terraces and a beautiful temple on almost every corner. There’re great surfing clubs and lovely clubs for those of you who seek for bohemian lifestyle.
But there’s nothing like the Scared Monkey Forest Sanctuary. To visit it drive an hour north of Kuta Beach, to the town of Ubud, which is the cultural heart of Bali. The monkeys live in a dense, jungley stretch of green at the southern edge of town complete with its own temple. Some advice: Leave your snacks at home and do not buy any bananas.
When the night comes Bali is going to offer great experience of fire dances, mask dances, trance dances, monster dances and puppet shows, all of which have been refined over the centuries to the point that eyeballs, fingertips and toes all move in elaborate choreographed precision. On a typical night in Ubud you can take your pick from a half-dozen different shows.
Many of the stylish-luxury hotels in Ubud are built along the top of the gorge that the Ayung River runs through. There’s a good reason for that: the views are outstanding. Down on the river, climb aboard a rubber raft and watch the thick vines, low-flying swallows and waterfalls go by.
The Botanic Garden Ubud opened last summer — a magical park with extraordinary lilies, banana twist orchids and a miniature rainforest. Have a snack at the Chocolate House Cafe, which is housed in a 130-year-old jogglo, a traditional Javanese hut made of teak wood. The guava and passion fruit juices (12,000 rupiah) are garden fresh and the chicken kutu kaja, which is cooked slowly in banana leaves and served with red Tabanan rice, is a local specialty (42,000 rupiah). The menu rotates, but if it has it, don’t miss the coconut and jackfruit ice puter, ice cream made with coconut milk in a hand-cranked drum.
PARADISE WITHIN PARADISE
