Bali is predominantly Hindu with worshippers setting up offerings everywhere - in front of entrances, on their vehicle dash, on altars in homes / businesses / streets / temples, on the shorelines, etc. The smell of incense permeates the air. Because they pray and set up offerings 3x a day, it becomes quite costly. A fair portion of their income goes towards sweets, cigarettes, incense, crackers / food and flowers that make up an offering packet. They take the...

Sanur may have earned its nickname 'Snore' because of its low key, relaxed feel rather than the party scene in Kuta but we loved it! In Australia's reality show, 'What Really Happens in Bali', the stories about Kuta's Poppies Lane are crazy. The antics of schoolies (under 18 yrs old) and Aussies seeking thrills like cliff jumping abound. Motor accidents from drunkenness and drugs are also common. We wanted none of that so we picked Sanur, a place described for...

We left Australia's wet, cold climate for the welcomed relief of Bali's warm, sunny retreats over Term 2 break. We chose 2 main hubs, Sanur and Ubud, to explore from. Daily tours were cheap to visit the other nearby areas. In hindsight, while our experience was beautiful, we should have selected more remote areas, away from tourists, to find black sand beaches, homestays, and more Javanese ceremonies and local foods. Since our haggling skills were a little ru...