Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Bali Dreams

H&M top, Zara shorts, Michael Kors bag, Steve Madden sandals

Bali, Indonesia has long been a dream destination of mine. I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to tag it to our trip to Hong Kong earlier this year. In one word, Bali was simply Amazing. More than just beautiful beaches, it's a place with rich culture, friendly locals, and delicious cuisine. We spent a week on this paradise island and loved every minute of it.




Other than spending quality time at the pool soaking up the Bali sun, we spent most of our days exploring nearby regions - Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak. The narrow streets were bustling with motorcycles and people shopping at charming boutiques. From trendy clothing to furniture stores, you can find nearly everything in these small shops. My favourites were the boutiques with traditional batik. I was mesmerized by all the patterns and colors and wished I had the luggage space to buy a few pieces. As a compromise, I purchased a batik bracelet instead!









I think many of you would agree that trying local food is probably the best part of travelling. The food at the Padma resort where we stayed was amazing, but so was food at smaller restaurants around town! I'm Chinese and love my fried rice, so of course I had to try their Nasi Goreng. After all, it is Indonesia's national dish! The shrimp chips and sweet chili sauce perfectly complimented the meal.  It was SO delicious that my lack of sharing with the boy was justified :)





Our day trip inland to Ubud was the most memorable. Located in the central region of the island, Ubud is known as Bali's arts and culture centre. Driving through the town, we saw countless shops selling oil paintings, sculptures, wicker furniture, decorative mirrors, you name it! We stopped often to gaze at the stunning panoramic view of the rice terrace.  I could have stayed there forever.  Nearby at the Monkey forest sanctuary, I was tempted to kidnap one of the oh-so-tiny and cute baby monkeys... although I know his mother would have shredded me to pieces! We had a positive experience at the park but were warned they can be vicious. Not sure about vicious, but one fella was sure spoiled. He wasn't impressed with the size of the banana I gave him so he grabbed my hat in protest!