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Overview

Customized trip to Bali

Right in the middle of the world’s largest archipelago, an island of incomparable beauty lies just south of the equator, luxuriant, fascinating, and intriguing: Bali. One word comes to mind when trying to describe this Indonesian jewel: Eden. As you’ll discover for yourself on this customized trip to Bali, everything here seems straight out of paradise: sunny landscapes filled with pleasant cascades that could easily have been carved by the hand of a god, volcanoes rising through the clouds, dense tropical forests, colorful flowers and lush vegetation, and endless fine sands on beaches that border a deep blue sea…Hiking along the trails of this Island of the Gods you will come to realize that Bali is more than a natural wonder. Celebrations, ceremonies, dances, religious processions and myriad other rituals take place on a daily basis, strengthening the divine atmosphere that reigns here. Beyond good and evil, life and death, everything here seems to be blessed with a sacred beauty. Temples and palaces, mystical trances and everyday magic, hypnotic sounds of the gamelan orchestras and peasants carefully carving their rice fields in the hillside, it’s as if every motion, every instant, and every place is meant to make life more beautiful and serve some higher calling. Spirituality is an integral part of Bali’s cultural life – yet another idyllic aspect to this island that brought out by the inhabitants’ natural grace. Centuries of influence from foreign visitors have preserved a unique branch of Hinduism, with its own society, where everyone has a specific role to play starting at a very young age. This two-week customized trip to Bali is your chance to explore this island paradise on a journey that combines cultural discovery with superb hikes, taking you to the heart of this unique kingdom.

Contact Uniktour’s Southeast Asia specialist for more information on this wonderful customized trip to Bali!

Itinerary

Day 1| Departure from Canada

Day 2| International flight

Day 3| Denpasar - Ubud.
Our staff will be waiting for you when you land at Denpasar airport. A short transfer will take you to Ubud. Nestled in the hills north of Denpasar, Ubud is known for its painting schools. Cokorda Gede Sukawati, a prince from the kingdom of Gianyar, had the ingenious idea to invite all the artists in Bali to settle in Ubud to master their crafts without any restrictions, even granting asylum to those who had been rejected by their kingdom of origin. Artists practicing a variety of crafts started flooding into Ubud, which slowly developed into Bali’s cultural capital. Today, the elaborate decorations on the island’s palaces and temples are a testament to the work accomplished by the many artists that came here seeking refuge and found it in the local noblemen’s pockets, in exchange for their craft. Despite the exponential growth of tourism in the area, this town has managed to preserve its beauty and peaceful atmosphere. The rest of the afternoon is spent at leisure. Overnight at hotel.
1h transfer

Day 4| Ubud
Today you are free to discover Ubud and its surroundings, where elegant temples and gaudy palace walls line the streets. During your city stroll you discover the intricate carvings on the wooden doors of Puri Saren, the fine ornamentation at Pura Saraswati and the splendid sculptures of Pura Puseh, as well as many other museums and galleries. Another curious tourist attraction is Ubud’s Monkey Forest Temple, located slightly outside of the city center. Walks and strolls exploring Ubud’s surroundings will reward you with well-preserved rural scenery of breathtaking beauty. Overnight in the same hotel.

Day 5| Ubud - Tampaksiring - Ubud
This morning we take a stroll in the superb rice fields as we head for Tampaksiring. A family of Balinese artisans will welcome us into their traditional home and offer us some typical Balinese food – absolutely delicious! Return to Ubud in the afternoon for some more free time to explore the town. Overnight in the same hotel.
1h transfer - 4h hike

Day 6| Ubud - Belimbing
This morning will take you to Belimbing, a small village surrounded by superb rice fields. Today, we will cross some of the most extraordinary terraced rice paddies in Bali. After settling into our hotel, we take a walk and explore the area’s lovely wilderness. Overnight at a villager’s home.
2h transfer – 3h hike

Day 7| Belimbing - Pemuteran
Morning transfer to Pemuteran, a small resort town on Bali’s northwest coast, far from the tourist masses. The rest of the day is spent at leisure, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the beach’s fine sand. You have the option of renting a boat to take a closer look at the underwater treasures surrounding Mejangan island, where a life-sized multicolor aquarium is waiting for you on the coral reefs. Sometimes, it looks like all of Bali’s fauna is gathered here! Among others, Bali’s rare starling can sometimes be spotted here. Overnight in a seaside hotel.
2h de transfer

Day 8| Pemuteran - Munduk
Early transfer to Munduk, located in one of Bali’s most historical areas, often considered the birthplace of Balinese civilization. Dutch settlers once used it as a holiday resort due to its proximity to the ancient colonial capital of Singaraja (on the north coast). Early in the afternoon, stroll around the village and explore the surrounding area, which includes picturesque coffee and clove plantations growing next to forests and cascades. Overnight in a losmen, in an amazing restored colonial house.
2h transfer – 3h hike

Day 9| Munduk – Volcanic lakes of Tamblingan and Buyan - Ulun Danau Temple - Bedugul - Catur
Today’s hike takes us towards Bedugul, along two volcanic lakes: Tamblingan and Buyan. These two lakes were once part of the same body of water until a landslide separated them in 1818. This magnificent walk is a great excuse to discover the area’s culture and agriculture, all the while enjoying the island’s lush tropical forests first hand. Our day’s hike takes us to the peaceful waters of Lake Bratan, lifeblood of the area’s rivers, rice fields, virgin forests, and streams. In the afternoon, we visit Ulun Danau, a beautiful Hindu-Buddhist temple. An immense banyan tree welcomes you to this enchanting monument built on superb grounds and surrounded by lush gardens. One of the temples is hidden away on a small island, its 11-tiered roof reflecting elegantly in the peaceful waters of the lake. We then take the pulse of the area at picturesque Bedugul market before continuing on towards the village of Catur, halfway between Bratan Lake and Mount Batur’s caldera. Overnight at a villager’s home.
1h transfer - 5h hike - A = 500m - D = 100m

Day 10| Catur - Penelokan - Toyabungkah (Mt Batur)
This morning, take a lovely morning stroll through the village, passing lovely orange groves and coffee plantations, and return to your host later in the morning. This is a great opportunity to learn more about rural life here, and maybe even to witness a cockfight (considered a sacred local ritual, this is a favorite pastime among the Balinese) and to observe the customs and traditions of the local villagers, who aren’t accustomed to mass tourism. Early in the afternoon, we reach the edge of Batur volcano’s caldera, measuring 14 km. This imposing size is a telltale sign of Agung’s tumultuous past and lets visitors know that this volcano was once much bigger than it currently is. Cone-shaped Mount Batur will lie at our feet in the middle of an immense caldera, one half of which is occupied by Bali’s largest lake, while the other half is covered in plantations and lava flows, remnants of the 1917 and 1926 eruptions. We descend into the caldera to get a closer look at the lava flows. Short transfer to Toyabungkah, at the foot of a volcano. Overnight in a losmen.
45 min transfer- 5h hike - D = 300 m

Day 11| Toyabungkah - Mt Batur - Toyabungkah - Kehen Temple - Tirtagangga
Towards the end of the night, we start our ascent of Mount Batur. We reach the oldest crater shortly before sunrise and then walk around the neighboring craters before stopping by the most recent one, which is also the most active (keeping a safe distance). In the afternoon, we head to Kehen Temple, close to Bangli, often described as one of Bali’s most beautiful temples. Short transfer to Tirtagangga’s water palace (translated as “Waters of the Ganges”), on the southeastern shores of Agung. Officially known as Tirta Ayu, this network of freshwater basins was once one of many aquatic palaces built by a king from Karangasem. This beautiful site is surrounded by terraced rice fields and is an ideal place to unwind after today’s hike. Overnight in a losmen.
2h transfer - 5h hike – M = D = 600 m

Day 12| Tirtagangga - Tenganan – Sidemen
Back on the road, we pass fields and rice paddies until we reach the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, a stronghold of Balinese culture before the rise of Javanese influence under the Majapahit Hindu empire. To protect their village against unwanted intrusions by anyone who isn’t a member of the Batara Indra cult, visitors are only allowed in the village from noon until nightfall, after which time they are asked to leave the grounds. This applies to all visitors, Balinese and non-Balinese alike. Tenganan villagers once went so far as to sweep away guests’ footsteps, so that no trace would remain of their visit. Unlike other Balinese villages, Tenganan’s origins are traced back in the Usana Bali, a holy scripture chronicling this people’s ancestry. These texts tell a story in which the god Batara Indra chose the people of Tenganan to tend to these lands and dedicate their lives to divine worship. Since everything is written down in this sacred text, nothing can be changed or taken away from Tenganan village life. To disobey these rules would incur the wrath of the gods and perdition for the people of Tenganan. Those who dare defy the holy scriptures or who fail in their duties are banned from the village and forbidden to participate in any spiritual activities. A short transfer will take you to Sidemen in the afternoon, after which you enjoy an afternoon of leisure. Overnight in a bungalow.
1h transfer – 4h hike – M = D = 200 m

Day 13| Sidemen - Sanur
Our last hike in Bali should be the crowning moment of our trip, bringing us to the slopes of the island’s southeastern hills, from which we get superb views of Agung volcano and the Indian Ocean. Early in the afternoon, he head to the south coast for Sanur’s superb beaches. Overnight in hotel.
3h hike - 2h transfer

Day 14| Sanur
Today is a day of leisure: make the best of the hotel’s amenities and enjoy the beach. Overnight in the same hotel.

Day 15| Sanur - Airport
Enjoy some free time before being taken to the airport for your international return flight.
30 min transfer

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Additional information

Daily schedules are given for information purposes only. A = Ascent – D = Descent

Level - Easy
Most hiking takes place on well-marked trails. The ascent of Batur volcano is possible all year long and does not require any technical climbing. Changes in altitude do not exceed 600m.

Load carried
You carry only what you need for the day. Your luggage is transported by vehicle.

Volcanoes
Ascent of Batur volcano
Hike to the food of Agung volcano

Further details
• As you will climb Batur during the night, a proper headlight (with spare batteries and bulbs) is absolutely essential.
• Plastic sandals are useful when swimming in the ocean, due to the large quantities of coral. A waterproof camera will allow you to take superb shots of the underwater world (disposable cameras are a good option).
• Since you are responsible for paying for your meals in Ubud and Sanur, make sure you bring a maximum budget of 20 CAD per meal, keeping in mind that it is easy to eat for less than 15 CAD in Indonesia.
• Ubud, Bedugul, Tirtagagga, and Sanur all have moneychangers.

Overview

Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and the largest archipelago in the world. With a population estimated at 240 million people, it is the fourth most populous country in the world and the first predominantly Muslim country for the number of believers. Indonesia is a secular democratic republic, of which the capital is Jakarta, a megalopolis of 12 million inhabitants located on the island of Java.

The archipelago has long been synonymous with wealth and abundance; that inexhaustible reserves of natural resources, a fascinating melting pot of mysterious cultures that soon became a favourite destination for Europeans who developed transcontinental trade. Today, gems such as Bali, Java or the countless archaeological sites continue to attract travelers from around the world. With an abundant and varied nature, majestic landscapes, excessive wildlife, ancient culture, refined arts and crafts, Indonesia, whatever one comes to find, keeps its promises of heaven on earth.

Tourism

SEISMIC ACTIVITY

Indonesia is located at the focal point of the Pacific plate, the Eurasian plate and the Australian plate. The result is a very strong volcanic activity and frequent earthquakes. Poorly fixated, the outer arc is the scene of many earthquakes. The city of Ambon, formal capital of spice trade, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1764. The last major earthquake occurred off the coasts of Sumba (1977) and Flores (1992). The inner arc of the country is the largest volcanic zone of the world: 128 active volcanoes, of which 80have emerged over the past twenty-five years. Since 1918, a violent eruption occurs on average every three years. Among the major disasters, the eruption of Krakatoa (1883), located in the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java, made 36,000 fatalities after the tsunami it caused, while in Bali, the Gunung Agung (1963) plunged the city of Surabaya (Java) in complete darkness for twenty-four hours. The current eruptions are usually explosive, with pyroclastic and incandescent lava flows. Lahars, devastating mudslides, are cold when rain accompanies the eruption, and hot when the crater lake drains off rapidly. Sumatra has a hundred volcanoes, which makes the largest system in the world; the Toba is a gigantic collapsed dome (100 km long, 300 km broad), cut in half by a ditch partially occupied the lake of the same name. Java has 125 volcanoes, of which 25 are active. The most impressive volcanic forms are the calderas; natural amphitheaters that can exceed 10 km in diameter. Those volcanoes often lay on a clay and marl base, rocks on which they were able to slip, like the Merapi in the 10th century. Its sliding may have caused the ruin of the first Hindu and Buddhist kingdom of Mataram located in Java.

Geography

The archipelago comprises 17,000 islands themselves gathered into sub archipelagos. To the north and from west to east, the Greater Sunda Islands are the largest in the country: Sumatra, Borneo (including the northern part of Malaysia) and the Sulawesi archipelago. In the trail of the long and narrow island of Java located below Borneo, following an arc-shaped line oriented to the south-west, stretch the Lesser Sunda Islands of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores and Timor. Further to the east lie other islands such as the Moluccas, West Irian, and finally the western part of New Guinea, with its straight border separating the island in half from Papua.

Due to its location on a tectonic midpoint, the archipelago is very mountainous: on Sumatra, Mt. Kerinci rises to 3,800 m in Java and Mt. Semeru to 3,676 m. The peak of Indonesia is located in Irian Jaya (Puncak Jaya 5,030 m). The great eastern plain of Sumatra, the southern plain of Borneo and the northern plains of Java are exceptions. Two arcs almost completely encircle the "floor of the Sound": the internal arcing, from Sumatra to Flores and Banda, and the external arc from Nias and Mentawai to Sumba, Timor, Ceram and finally Buru.

If vast tropical forests cover two thirds of the country, the east coast of Sumatra and parts of the north coast of Java are covered with mangroves and swamps. Indonesia now comprises over 320 national parks. Walking through the rice fields and the forests, climbing volcanoes (trekking), all-terrain vehicle road trips, boating on a traditional prao, snorkelling and diving, water sports and activities such as surfing, bodyboarding, windsurfing, rafting, bungee jumping .. The landscapes of Indonesia offer unlimited possibilities!

Culture

Indonesia is a country with a culture virtually as impressive as the number of its population of over 240 million inhabitants. This diversity is partly explained by the fact that the country is not uniform but comprises several islands, that each have their own history and communities. Today, the dominant religion in the archipelago is Islam, whose presence has been attested in the 13th century by Marco Polo, but Christianity and Buddhism and Hinduism are also vivid, though much less numerous. Even with their minority religions status, they both have been very influential regarding the architecture of temples and palaces, as well as for the sculpture field.

The language is another form of diversity. Although the Indonesian Bahasa (close to the Malay) is considered the only official language, Javanese and Sundanese are also common in their respective regions, as well as hundreds of other dialects, mostly of Austronesian origin. There are nearly 300 Indonesian ethnic groups. The majority of residents are from a crossbreeding between old local tribes and the Chinese, Indians and Arabs.

The Indonesian culture is mostly reflected in the arts. The most popular of the Indonesian arts is wayang theatre, playing with puppets shadows, and of which the only puppeteer is called the Dalang. The performances of wayang are always accompanied by music. In most cases, a widely popular orchestra composed of percussion instruments and called gamelan is used. Dances are also part of theater performances. In Bali and Java, traditional dances can have a religious function, as well as ceremonial. Also, the Balinese pendet or Javanese bedhaya have a spiritual function, while the Balinese legong or Javanese serimpi have a ceremonial role. In Java, four schools of court dances stand out: the Kraton of Surakarta, the Kraton of Yogyakarta, the Puro Mangkunegaran (princely court of Surakarta) and Puro Pakualaman (court of Yogyakarta).

Traditional Indonesian textiles include the ikat (woven fabrics with designs originating from Nusa Tenggara, but common throughout the archipelago), the songket (silk interwoven with gold and silver threads), the Lampung carpet or the famous Javanese batik, made of wax and dye patterns printed on fabric. The Indonesian pottery is raw and naive in Lombok, influenced by Chinese ceramics in the Singkawang region, marked by the West and glazed in Bali. The Toraja people are specialist of pearl jewelry, while the Dayaks and Lombok put together cowries, small shells of great value, in delicate artifacts.

Wood carving is also widespread in Indonesia. The original purpose of these sculptures was to protect homes against evil spirits. In Java, a traditional couple of wooden figures, the loro blonyo, is during weddings set aside from the bride and the groom to draw upon them the evil spirits, or at the door of a house to welcome visitors. In Nias, Sumba, in the Toraja country and in the Ngaju and Dusun villages of Borneo, wooden statues representing ancestors still take a huge part in religious life. In Bali and Java in particular, the ornate furniture is highly developed, especially teak (jati). Finallly, carved wooden masks are frequently used in community rituals or in theater.

Climate

The warm waters that surround Indonesia provide a hot and tropical climate year round. Average temperatures rise at 28 °C along the coastal plains, 26 °C in the inland and 23 °C in the mountains. Because of its position on the equator, temperatures in Indonesia slightly vary throughout the year, as well as the length of days: the difference between the shortest day and the longest does not exceed 48 min, allowing arable land to be cultivated all year.

The major factor in the Indonesian climate is neither the temperature nor the pressure of the air, but the amount of precipitation. The extreme variations in precipitation are related to the monsoon. Generally, there is a dry season (June to September), influenced by the Australian continental air masses, and a rainy season (December-March). In January and February, a high pressure system spreading over the Asian continent reverses the trend. The result is multiplied by the monsoon, breezes of the Indian Ocean, eventually producing significant amounts of rain in many parts of the archipelago.

The west of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo's inland, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya are the most humid regions of Indonesia, with a rainfall amount of over 2,000 millimetres per year. In part, this humidity comes from the high mountains that trap damp air. The city of Bogor, near Jakarta, claims to put up with the highest number of storms and rain a year in the world, 322 days. On the other hand, the closest islands to Australia – including the province of Nusa Tenggara and the eastern end of Java - tend to be dry, with some areas experiencing less than 1,000 millimetres per year. The humidity rate varies from 70-90% from a "season" to another. Cyclones and storms pose fewer problems for mariners and fishermen than violent ocean currents, particularly in the Straits of Lombok and Sape.