In Reply to: Day trips from Ubud ?? posted by Happy Travels on Tuesday, 6. March 2007 at 19:58 Bali Time:
The best day trip you can do from Ubud and the best day trip I've ever experienced is the Bali Budaya Cycling tour. A great day, great value, great food and a great learning experience. It's a downhill eco/cultural/educational cycling tour from the volcano (Mt Batur) to Ubud. Starts with breakfast overlooking the volcano (pure magic)and after cycling through the most spectacular scenery it ends in Ubud. Numerous stops were made : at a Balinese plantation (learnt about and tasted exotic tropical fruits and coffee production and how locals live from the land - herbs, cash crops, staples), a stop at a temple (covers the Balinese religion and spiritual side), saw traditional craftsmen at work, took a short walk in the rice paddies (learnt about rice production, irrigation and how important it is to the Balinese)visited a Balinese home (learnt about daily life, the structure of a Balinese compound and about the community and how everybody fits into their 'banjar'. After the ride, which is easy and totally enjoyable (gorgeous Balinese kids giving us high fives everywhere and a thousand hellos) we were treated to a brilliant Balinese feast. The foood was unbelievable. Finally, a visit to the monkey forest if we wished (was worth it). An unbelievable day that was well organised and run by a totally competent guide who answered all our questions. Highly recommend this tour. It was the highlight of our trip. Can contact them bulanindah@dps.centrin.net.id to book. They were absolutely fabulous with our kids as well.