Bored of the beach? Done with the dancing? Hung up with the hangovers? Time to get adventurous. Hello bali brings you five of the best adventurous activities in and around the island, from exotic golf courses to Harley country tours, surfing in Nusa Lembongan to shooting the white waters of Bali's jungle gorges. Plus a few suggestions to keep the kids happy this holiday… Welcome to the thrillseekers guide to the best island on the planet.
It's still just the right time of year to take advantage of the end of the wet season here in Bali and head up into the hills to take the plunge down leafy jungle canyons in inflatable rafts. All in the name of some kick ass adrenalin fun. With so many white water rafting companies to choose from in Bali how do you make a good decision? Aren't they all on the same river? Don't they offer similar rapids, with food, fun and photo opportunities? How do you know what to choose and what's the difference? Funnily enough we all know the answer to this. And it's simple. You get what you pay for.
The first and longest standing white water rafting outfit in Bali is still the number one choice for those seeking the ultimate in island adventures. Ask anyone in the know from David and Victoria Beckham to Christina Aguilera, Jessica Biel, David Copperfield, Julian Lennon and even the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin who were all privileged guests of Bali Adventure Tours (Jl Bypass, Ngurah Rai, Sanur, T: 0361 721 480) - the islands first and longest running professional adventure tour operator since 1989. They still hold their claim to fame as pioneers of the white water rafting industry in Bali, and own the longest rapids on the river, which, at an unprecedented 27 in total, means rafters get the longest ride for their Rupiah.
Australian owned and operated Bali Adventure Tours not only offer the most sophisticated, safe and 100% insured rafting and kayaking experiences on the island but also unparalleled cycling and trekking tours which finish exclusively in the world famous Elephant Safari Park in Taro, Ubud.
What you need to know about whitewater rafting is that it takes place on a river and not all rivers are created equal. The Ayung River in Bali caters to Class 1 and 2 rapids which are more exciting than a calm river and perfectly suitable for anyone from 5-75 years - nothing like the Class 5 rapids famous in other parts of the world for their heart palpitating ferociousness.
Rapids or ‘whitewater' result from steeply descending river channels. Since the channels are carved by erosion, whitewater rafters encounter numerous boulders and layers of bedrock that sit in the river's path, and that means fun on vortexes of swirling and funneled water, natural ramps, sudden drops in elevation and most times adrenaline pumping action.
White Water Rafting with Bali Adventure Tours starts with a custom fit-out of life jackets, helmets and paddles, an expert briefing session with qualified guides and a two hour plus rafting adventure over 27 spellbinding and exciting rapids in a ‘jungle gorge' setting. Finishing with a bite to eat on top of a mountain, amongst the rice fields and complete with air conditioned return transfers, this is a brilliant way to experience the great outdoors of Bali.
For a more relaxed approach to adventuring in Bali you can do worse than taking advantage of the three world-class courses scattered around the island and an excellent 9 hole jumping off point at the Bali Beach Golf Course (Jl Hangtuah, Sanur, T: 0361 287 733). Take in views from the heady caldera heights of the 18 hole Bedugul course (Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club, T: 0362 226 46). To the dramatic ocean vistas afforded by the Greg Norman designed Nirwana greens overlooking Tanah Lot on the west coast, (Le Meridien, T: 0361 815 960) then down south to Nusa Dua and the immaculately preened Bali Golf and Country Club (T: 0361 771 791) voted ‘one of Asia's 5 best golf courses' by Fortune Magazine USA.
Staying offshore for the time being there's plenty of fun to be had on the island of Nusa Lembongan, around a one and a half hour trip from Tanjung Benoa, Bali and a highly recommended day trip for surfers, divers or just to get away from the assembled throng of tourists on the mainland. There are many more day tourists than overnighters on Nusa Lembongan, most of whom arrive on the huge Bali Hai (Jl Pelabuhan, Benoa, T: 0361 720 331) and Bounty (Jl Pelabuhan, Benoa, T: 0361 720 331) cruisers, moor at the pontoons out in the ocean and entertain their guests on inflatable banana boat rides, snorkeling trips in the clear Lembongan waters and parasailing distractions. All of which is very cool if you are down with such touristy activities but if you're seeking a little more buzz for your buck you need to charter your own boat taxi, grab your surfboard and head out to the reef passes where undiluted Indian Ocean power offloads on the outer reefs. Surfing Lembongan is not for the beginner that's for sure. Shipwrecks is the most exposed of the three named breaks over here and picks up most of the swell swinging up the Lombok Straits.
A classic right hander that can peel well up to 150 metres on its day used to provide a jacking take off in front of a rusty hull of a beached vessel. Nowadays the ship's rusty hull has been resigned to its final resting place on the ocean floor and the take off is marginally safer. On a six foot swell there's a hell of a lot of water moving around the channel, sneaker sets appear from nowhere, terrify, clean up those caught inside then you've got to navigate your way along the submerged seaweed farm fences whilst getting hammered by set waves. Along the bay further towards the pontoons and slightly more protected than the Shipwrecks setup is the jewel in the Lembongan surfing crown – the notorious and highly fickle Lacerations. This mean bowling right is as hollow as they come in Indonesia, a sharp take off leads players here straight into the barrel section that mechanically spins down the reef to the channel. So reliable is the tube at Lacerations that it can only be compared as a mirror version of Bali's Bingin.
Tight, boxy and requiring full commitment from the take off to the kick out as the reef is never far below and is dotted with wooden spikes. There's no hospital out here, bring your own medi kit and best to wear a protective shirt to save your back a flogging. Playgrounds is the last wave worth any real mention, closer to the shoreline than Lacerations with a left/right combination, nothing close to the quality of its bigger brothers but open to intermediate surfers as the reef can still cause damage to the careless rider. Once the surfing has been exhausted it's time to flop on the white sand beach, order up a dusk beer and treat yourself to a sunset view the day tourists miss out on.
There was a time, not so long ago, when accommodation was scattered on the island and mostly suiting the backpackers market. Nowadays things are very different, as with mainland Bali the shift towards the luxury end of the market has taken grip and there are numerous stunning cliff villas and private dwellings for rent. Nusa Lembongan has always been a rustic hideaway and the Waka Group have the right idea with their South Pacific style beach huts away from the main stretch down by Mushroom Beach at Waka Nusa (Lembongan, T:0366 244 77). A ‘back to basics' approach has always been at the forefront of every Waka concept from their eco based Menjangan resort in the West of Bali to their properties in Ubud. Don't stay at Waka if you are expecting flatscreen plasma televisions or a butler service. You wont find them there, but that's the beauty, it's all very natural and harmonious and stepping out of your hut onto white sand and wandering down through the restaurant to your boat taxi is a treat. The best part of the Waka experience in Nusa Lembongan is arriving on the Waka catamaran (Jl Pulau Moyo, T: 0361 723 629), a cruisy and very cool way to hit the island from Bali as you lie in the hammock style nets up on the bow catching the sun and enjoying a light breakfast as you literally fly over the water. The Waka catamaran is available for private charter and is the best way to get to the lesser visited Lembongan and Penida beaches where you can go tropical to your heart's content in some real Robinson Crusoe surroundings. Two or three days out here in Lembongan and the worries of the world dissolve but when you're ready to scoot back over to Bali the Bali Hai cruise is the fastest and smoothest option taking around fifty minutes to fly back to port. Jukung fishing boats do leave to Lembongan from Sanur but are best avoided as they are invariably overloaded, slow and frightening in rough seas.
Back on dry land in Bali and the traffic buzzes along at a far more frantic rate than on Lembongan. Being in the pursuit of adventure this month it only made sense to obtain a piece of kit that allows one to rule the road and tour the island in supreme luxury. I've been a fan of motorbikes since I first took charge of a semi automatic back in Ko Phang Nan ten years ago and crashed it into a tree on the trial run. Mercifully the Thais are a relatively forgiving lot and after a considerable amount of Baht changed hands I was permitted a second motoring attempt, which was far more successful for all involved. After a couple of weeks cruising around I was hooked. It wasn't anything like being imprisoned in a car: on a bike you could be part of your environment. Owing to bureaucratic annoyances back in the UK (namely having to pass a motorbike test) I gave up on the biking lifestyle for six months until I landed in Bali and found myself back on two wheels dodging wide eyed pedestrians, dogs, chickens and irate traffic cops.
Six months of riding a 50cc semi automatic was enough to convince me that an upgrade to a Honda Tiger would be necessary. Another six months later and I was standing on the forecourt of Dewata Harley-Davidson (Jl Ngurah Rai Bypass, Kuta, T: 0361 764 272), staring at a 1500cc Heritage Softail Deluxe and my heart was racing.
Harley riders have something of a bad boy reputation back in the West. Whether it's the chain wielding, handlebar mustached cliché of the Hells Angels or the anti establishment loner cruising through Marlboro country on his Electra Glide touring bike (no doubt on the run from the prison authorities), it's all negative connotations. As with everything else in Indonesia it's the complete opposite that is true, and it's no different when it comes to riding Harleys. Over here it's a sign of status, of social importance, a sense of belonging, being a team member and raising money and awareness for charities by riding all over Bali and neighbouring Java. But most importantly it's about having fun, and that was today's plan.
First I had to get the bike off the forecourt and damn was it heavy. At over 350 kilos it demanded serious strength to roll the beast out the garage. Just starting the engine was enough to drown out any words from the guy shouting in my ear: this is a hefty piece of kit and I was starting to wonder if I had the necessary skills and experience to commandeer it onto the busy Kuta bypass and up into the hills without causing severe damage to myself, other road users or innocent bystanders. Thankfully I had had the opportunity to take a smaller, sportier Harley around the car park near my office a couple of days before, the owner of whom is the man behind Island Biker Tours (www.islandbikertours.com, T: 081 557 017 26) and the leader of today's excursion up towards the hilly regions of Kintamani. After some general pointers and a couple of test laps around the forecourt, the Harley boys agreed that I should be let loose on the unsuspecting public. I signed off several liability waivers, agreed to behave myself, slapped on some sunscreen and mentally rewound several rules given to me in the earlier briefing.
Driving in Bali is a test of one's endurance, skills of anticipation and ability to forget about any kind of logic. You are permanently watching out for idiot behaviour, suicidal dogs and the really disturbing habit of people pulling out blind from hidden corners just assuming you will see them and brake in time. The basic rule of the road here is go fast, be aggressive, be aware and be as noisy as all hell. With a mean sounding Harley tucked between my legs I had all these bases covered, especially the last point as previous experience has taught me Indonesians are blind as bats when driving but the most noise sensitive race on the planet. "You won't need to use the horn," I was told, "just a couple of revs will clear your path." I was keen to put this suggestion into practice and we hit the road out towards Canggu immediately clearing a path through the traffic on the Sunset bypass.
Negotiating some of the smaller back roads through the north of Denpasar up into Sangeh and up to Petang the countryside was soon upon us. Less traffic, open roads and nothing to do but sit in third and watch the world fly by. The air became clearer, fresher and sweeter as we climbed up to Bedugul and the largest bridge on the island that connects the market town of Pelaga to the cold, upper realms of Kintamani. The feeling of freedom is indescribable. I've conducted many solo rides like this before on the Tiger but to be on a cruising machine with a serious amount of power at your disposal it is a whole other story. On the descent to Ubud I was running maths in my head: how could I magic up thirty thousand dollars to buy one of these bikes? And how could I fit surf racks on it?
An hour later and we're swinging down Sanggingan in Ubud and pulling up at Nuris for a beer and ribs lunch. The other guys are talking about a trip up to Amed on the bikes the following weekend, via Kintamani and a tiny linking road east to Sideman. An overnight stop in Amed, morning dives at Bunatan then back to Ubud for an early afternoon pit stop: I signed up immediately. Island Biker can put together custom runs on request in addition to the four tour routes in Bali that take riders way off the beaten track into some of the most stunning locations imaginable. The Seririt run carves a trail north through the centre of the island, looping back when you hit the northern shores and is a highly recommended route as is the ride around Manggis and Amlapura with some of the best maintained roads on the island.
Two hours later and we're back down south. Reluctantly I hand the keys back to the Dewata crew and climb on the Honda. It feels like I'm riding a matchstick with a flymo engine. I leave immediately before I put the hello bali office building up as collateral for one of the Dyna models in the showroom and head back to the real world, one where I'm no longer a Harley player on the roads of Bali… Until next weekend that is.
I made a terrible mistake on my last visit to Bali. I did not take my kids to Waterbom (Jl Kartika, Kuta, T: 0361 755 676), and they did not let it go. Kids have an inherent knowledge of where the fun is on, and they want to be there. Luckily parents in Bali are spoiled for choice, and if adventure is what you want, the menu is generous. I have amended my mistake, Waterbom is probably one of the most visited attractions, one that kids from 2 to 65 years will enjoy. The park is well laid out, the condition of the slides is commendable and the attraction has continued to invest in new and bigger slides. Chill out spaces like the giant pool, the spa and the lazy river provide respite while slides like the racer will appeal to the speed freaks.
Further afield Treetops (Bedugul Botanical Gardens, T: 0361 8520 680) is a premier attraction. Run by a French company, the quality of their team and the attention to detail will have your kids swinging happily among the treetops before you know it. It's a great feeling to be in the hands of professionals, giving kids a chance to let go and really enjoy the feeling of being high above the ground, safe and secure. Adults really love it as well.
Lions and Tigers and Rhinos aren't what you expect to find in Bali, but they are here and the newly opened Taman Safari (Jl Bypass, Gianyar, T: 0361 950 000) park gives their guests the opportunity to get up close to the wild animals in complete safety. Staying here is a real treat as well, an opportunity to wake up in the midst of the magnificent wild life is a real thrill.
Bali's Elephant Safari Park (Taro, T: 0361 977 884) is another soft adventure and getting close to the elephants is great fun, particularly for the younger kids. Riding the elephants is a slightly more passive adventure than the older kids may need but for all ages, watching the elephants going through their daily rituals, getting up close enough to touch them, feeding them and watching them play, is great fun. The park is beautifully landscaped and offers full facilities including a pool, bar and restaurant, spa and accommodation.
Learn to surf or learn to skate board. Bali's top surfing companies including Rip Curl (Kuta, T: 0361 735 858) and Surfer Girl (Jl Legian, Kuta, T: 0361 752 693) offer surf lessons and the lids really enjoy it. At various times of the year the waves can be gentle and kind to beginners and the surf schools are equipped with the tide charts to predict fairly accurately when and where the conditions will be ideal.
For my money, time willing, I jump on a plane with my kids (an adventure in itself!) and head for Lombok's Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is an ideal location for families as everything is there, safe, easy to access and relatively inexpensive.The fact there are no cars on the island is a big bonus, so older kids, mine are 8 and 9, can wander about by themselves. Snorkelling is easy to access from the beach, so they can don a mask (all for hire) and snorkel off the beach. As diving is big in the Gilis, there are courses for the children, from about the age of about 9.
Introductory courses by professional companies like Dream Divers, Blue Marlin and Bali Hai Diving, at Villa Ombak, are conducted in the pool and the staff are knowledgeable and caring which makes it safe and enjoyable. Once they pass the initial tests they can head out with more experienced divers to get a taste of what happens.
Simply being in Bali is an adventure for a lot of kids, finding their way around a different culture, learning a few words of the local language. Hiking in the rice fields or even mountain climbing can be fun for the more active. Horse riding at Umulas Stables (Jl Lestari, T: 0361 731 402) is great for young and old. Kiddie rides on Wednesday afternoon for the younger children are a great place to meet other families while older children can get really affordable individual lessons. Experienced riders can take the horses for a canter on the beach.
My most recent adventure with my children was both memorable and cheap; during a trip to Geger Beach at Nusa Dua, I shouted them a boat ride out to the surf break. Being that close to the big waves is a heady experience no matter how old you are. Bali has something for everyone, no matter how old, no matter your budget. Just another reason why we all keep coming back for more.
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