What you need to know about Bali
PR is a great power. Once created, the image sits firmly in the mind. And nothing, that it does not correspond to reality, the advertisement has fulfilled its task. But the more frustrating is when reality completely destroys the myth. What does he know about Bali who has never been there before? Paradise island with impeccable beaches and cheap seafood. The land of ancient temples and traditional crafts. In a word, a dream in a beautiful glossy cover. But is it really so?
Where to stay?
You are met by Denpasar Airport. So you want to plunge into the waters of the Indian Ocean as soon as possible, but first you need to decide on a stopping place for living. Kuta is the estate of surfers. Large ocean waves crashing along the surf line, boiling with white foam. For bathing conditions are not entirely suitable. And Kuta itself is a rather fussy place with a lot of traffic, an abundance of shopping centers with unreasonably high prices.
Nusa Dua – tourist “reservation”, where local residents are not allowed. An ideal resort place, but without that special Balinese flavor, for which it is worth a visit to the island. Ideal cleanliness and comfortable conditions are priced very expensive, which does not correspond to the myth of cheap Bali.
The area of the famous Jimbaran was, in the past, a fishing village. Now many hotels of various ranks have been built here. Even small guest houses are expensive. Only a few hotel complexes have their own beaches. From the rest to the sea, you have to walk several hundred meters through the narrow streets that are not distinguished by cleanliness.
Beaches and the sea
Balinese are very religious people. Festive events are held with enviable constancy. This may be the next anniversary of a temple, a cremation ceremony, or Full Moon Day. Remembering all the holidays is almost impossible. But you can always find out about this by the state of the beach. Many boxes and baskets of palm leaves with offerings stand all along the shore. Plastic cups with drinking water and oil are donated to sea spirits. All this is washed away by incident waves.
Bali, Jimbaran
Even the fact that Jimbaran is located in a small bay does not save from the waves. Calm sea is a rarity. Big waves are not only not comfortable for swimming, but also, at times, deadly. The specificity of the surf is such that incident waves form the so-called “channels” with a reverse flow. Their strength is so great that, standing waist-deep in water, even physically trained people with the rank of master of sports in swimming cannot resist it. Lethal outcomes are not uncommon.
Another unpleasant moment when bathing may be a meeting with offerings. When a plastic cup of water or a T-shirt comes up to the foot. At the first moment, you feel the touch of something foreign and only then do you realize that it is not dangerous. But still, it’s unpleasant to swim in the water with household garbage.
Jimbaran Restaurants
Along the coast, on Jimbaran, restaurants stretched in a continuous line. Several kilometers of restaurants. It would seem that with such an abundance of catering establishments and local seafood, prices in restaurants should be low. On many sites you can read about the average cost of a dinner of $ 7-10, but in reality the price is much higher. In addition, taxes and service charges will be included in your bill. Many, faced with such a situation, experience a shock state.
The program of any tour includes a mandatory visit to the restaurants of Jimbaran at sunset. An unforgettable sight! Dinner is already taking place in the dark with candles. Romantic. But this darkness is good for restaurant owners. There are no spots on the tablecloths and how much they weigh on you. The body kit and shortcuts of visitors is a common practice on Jimbaran.
Dinner on the beach of Bali
After dinner, tourists are transported to hotels. There is only one narrow road from the beach. Taxis and buses are stuck in traffic jams. Until midnight, residents of hotels located on this street are forced to listen to the sounds of running motors and breathe in exhaust fumes. You have to make your way to your hotel, tacking between the cars and buses that have occupied the entire roadway. Here you need to be extremely careful, because locals on motorbikes are constantly squeezing through this traffic jam.
