Just returned to singapore on April 1. Spent 8 days in Bali.
Gosh, heard so much abt bali and had to visit it. Finally realised my dreams. To get a balance of the commercial bali and the real bali, i stayed at Kuta and Ubud.
But, really, if you want to see the real bali, i recommmend Ubud or any other place other than kuta.
kuta has a lovely beach and great shopping and food. But maybe becos i come fr singapore, there is only so much shopping i can take. The traffic and touting can be alittle overbearing too.
Thank goodness i come from a land of bad drivers that i am used to such reckless traffic and narrow, windy roads.
As for touting, the balinese are sincerely kind and warm. The key to bargaining is to smile. Remember that people in Bali earn very low wages compared to most of us.I heard that the rent they pay for their shops is very expensive.
Spent the rest of my trip in ubud and the drive up was breathtaking. Rolling hills, rice terraces and fields, enchanting temples and lush vegetation all around you.
My hotel in ubud had a view of the rice fields. So imagine wat it is like every morning when i open the door!
Ubud vastly different fr Kuta. I felt so stress-free walking the streets as there was very little touting compared to Kuta. Even if they do, it's very gentle and non-threatening. ubud is basically an arts and crafts centre. Most of its inhabitants make their living out of the love for creating handicraft.
The food in ubud was equally fantastic as kuta but it has a laid-back charm that cannot be expressed in words. To understand it, you gotta experience it.
Wat impressed me most is in Ubud i got to see the REAL bali. i visited the villages, temples, bathe in the rivers and got to see how the real Balinese live their lives.
Sometimes it makes cityfolks like me wonder wat really defines happiness. Most balinese have so little compared to us yet they feel utterly happy and contented with their lives.
This might be an exaggerated but u can see it just looking at their faces. Back in our money-chasing society, we work so hard (not that u get rewarded for it) yet dont enjoy the sort of happiness the balinese experience.
All i can say is Bali is not called the Island of the Gods for nothing and i got myself a piece of heaven!
If i can help with any queries, pls let me know.