BALIKINI: Day 2 (30th Aug 2015)
November 25, 2015
Bali Day 2, 30 Aug 2015 (Ubud)
- Payung Whitewater Rafting
- Bali Pulina Agro Tourism
- Tampak Siring (Holy Spring Water Temple)
- Tampak Siring (Holy Spring Water Temple)
- Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
- BBQ Pork/Beef Ribs
It was a day jam-packed with traveling and activities.
Let's skip the morning ritual and get straight to the Payung Whitewater Rafting and before I go any further, the cost for day 2 was around S$160/pax (WTF... For only Payung Whitewater Rafting and also, 12hrs private transport service; a freelance driver engaged by Natalie).
Again, benefit of doubts...
Natalie said the price we got for the whitewater rafting was half of the usual price (~S$60/pax) because our driver has some contacts linked to this Payung Whitewater Rafting.
The journey from Seminyak to Gianyar was about 45- 60mins ride, depending on the traffic. The driver whom I did not manage to get his name was actually quite a nice guy, with quite a fair bit of knowledge on the history of Bali. He could easily mention the height of the mountains, with the exact digits when being prompted.
Along the way, he gave us a brief idea on the culture in Bali, like whenever there's a temple or some cremation ceremony going on, he would explain in details and whatnot. It is a pity that we didn't manage to give him some tips after the day ended 'cos we thought he would be picking us up on the 3rd day but nahhh, Natalie took the wheels for day 3.
//
Payung Whitewater Rafting
Address:
Jln. Raya Payangan
Gianyar 80572
Bali, Indonesia
Email: payung_rafting@yahoo.co.id
The rafting guides are all well-trained and also, very experienced. They are able to converse in English fairly well, and there was actually one guide who is able to speak in basic Mandarin to cater to the tourists from Taiwan & China.
Whitewater rafting is supposed to be a raft that could accommodate 6 - 8 people but you could actually join it alone, as there's the raft which actually looks like a double kayak for the rafting.
The course of the river is approx. 12km long, and is a grade 1 or grade 2 river (rather gentle... with a few low drop points). It took us about 2 hours to complete the whole course with 2 stops in between to take a break (there's actually a stall at the river bank to sell drinks).
Along the course, you will get to see a 500m long of wall sculpture (if I remember correctly and that my guide didn't lie to us). You'd be so amazed, like how did they sculpt the wall where the river always flows. There are a lot of waterfalls as well, and the river is relatively clean, away from the civilization. Oh, we had to walk down to the river, for quite a distance but it was quite worth it.
The whitewater rafting package also comes with free lunch at the end of the rafting. It's kinda like a buffet, but do not expect it to be some international buffet from hotel. It's just their maggie goreng, rice, some chicken meat, and soup. FYI, anything tastes good with their Kicap Manis (Sweetened Dark Soy Sauce) so it was pretty alright for me.
There's also shower facilities there, but make sure you bathe/rinse yourself when other cubicles are not in use so the water flow from the shower head would be stronger and make sure someone is guarding your shower curtain... It's quite thin, making it kinda translucent so... either you bathe with your bikini on or get your friends to guard for you.
The most important thing for people like us...
There's also free WiFi at the wash-up/dining place!
//
Bali Pulina Argo Tourism
Address:
Jl. Raya Ceking Br.Pujung Kelod
Ubud Gianyar
Bali, Indonesia
This is the place where it exhibits the Luwak Coffee, it's free for all to enter and this place is actually recommended by our driver and so, he brought us there for some afternoon tea.
What is Luwak Coffee?
The Arabica & Robusta coffea are grown, and then eaten by Civit Cats, they SHIT it out, being harvested, hand-roasted and finally hand-grounded to become coffee powder. Yes, I shit you not. You're drinking the luwak coffee shitted out by the Civit Cats and oh god, it smells and tastes more aromatic than the usual coffee. Then again, I am not a coffee-lover/drinker.
Free entry but if you would like to try the Luwak Coffee, it's actually INR50,000 (approx. S$5) per cup but it comes with 7 or 8 others coffee/tea for you to try and their flavours will surprise your taste bud. It also completes with a small dish of sweet potato chips,
Opposite this Luwak Coffee Farm is this Padi Field cafe or something, I think it's walkable from the farm. There's a house on top of the padi field, like some isolated bungalow. It's quite a nice place to chill for the afternoon with coffee, tea and the chips.
The toilets are clean, and also, there's actually a guide who would bring you around talking about the process of the coffee powder and you get to actually see those Civit Cats and its poops with the coffee beans. HOW COOL IS THAT YO.
//
Tampak Siring (Holy Spring Water Temple)
It's a temple with the holy spring water to cleanse yourself from the sins you've done, kinda... Sorta...
You have to purchase the tickets at the entrance which I totally have forgotten what is the price but it isn't as expensive, probably S$3/pax.
Do not worry about wearing skimpy outfits (but you know, going to the temple... Maybe dress a little more appropriate), they actually provide you with shawl before entering, so you will just have to cover your legs if you are not wearing long pants.
The whole point of this Holy Spring Water Temple is to go down to the pond for a dip and rinse yourself with the water coming out from the sculpture which I have no absolute idea what is it or the history behind it... Thus, we didn't loiter there for too long before heading off to our next destination.
//
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Address:
Jalan Monkey Forest
Padangtegal
Ubud, Gianyar 80571
Bali, Indonesia
Email: info@monkeyforestubud.com
Website: monkeyforestubud
This is the final stop for our day in Ubud.
One thing for sure, the monkeys there are FREAKING AGGRESSIVE like 24/7, I was so afraid that the monkeys would attack me, or snatch my stuffs away... Even our driver warned us to put our bags in front of us and the moment if you put your hand into your bag, the monkeys would think that you are taking some snacks out for them.
This monkey forest... Is just a forest full of monkeys.
Small, big, baby, adult monkeys are all there and there's only one breed LOL, it's like the monkeys you see in MacRitchie Reservoir, and also, 3 deers in one of the enclosure.
The baby monkeys are cute, some of them would hop onto your neck and shoulder and there was once, the monkey got onto the German's head and then shoulder... The final move, the monkey hopped onto his arm like a baby in a cradle OMG so cute right.
None of his family members brought any camera or phones along so they didn't get to take photo of his dad with the monkey but I, as a good Samaritan, offered my help in taking photos for them and told them I could email them the pictures.
Guess what? I successfully obtained the email of his son. TEEHEE. Just kidding, his son looks relatively young like in his late teens.
We spent like 45mins in the forest before heading back to our town for dinner. While we were getting out from Ubud area, the way out is actually somewhat like the Kuta area. There are cafes, bar & bistro, and hotels along the street but a more chillax place than the Kuta area which is filled with all the clubs.
//
BBQ Pork/Beef Ribs
As we proceeded our journey back to our town, OMG I thought we would reach by 6pm plus but because of the peak hour traffic, it took us around 1.5hrs to get back and our driver dropped us at this famous grilled pork ribs.
Apparently, it's a place filled with a lot of foreigners, Asian foreigners. There's also free WiFi available and the sauce... The sauce was tangy and spicy for the ribs. The food was good, like you could go there for a grab and the price is somewhat reasonable. The waiting time wasn't that long even though there was a lot of people.
By the time we were done with the dinner, it was already 8pm, and there's nothing much to do in Seminyak area and we headed back to our Villa straight after dinner.
//
Now that I recalled back the activities we did on Day 2, it's actually quite a lot, and probably the most fruitful day for the whole 4D3N Bali Trip...
Alright, shall draft my day 3 in Bali in a couple of days!
Have a great week ahead, everyone!
Xx
Address:
Jln. Raya Payangan
Gianyar 80572
Bali, Indonesia
Email: payung_rafting@yahoo.co.id
The rafting guides are all well-trained and also, very experienced. They are able to converse in English fairly well, and there was actually one guide who is able to speak in basic Mandarin to cater to the tourists from Taiwan & China.
Whitewater rafting is supposed to be a raft that could accommodate 6 - 8 people but you could actually join it alone, as there's the raft which actually looks like a double kayak for the rafting.
The course of the river is approx. 12km long, and is a grade 1 or grade 2 river (rather gentle... with a few low drop points). It took us about 2 hours to complete the whole course with 2 stops in between to take a break (there's actually a stall at the river bank to sell drinks).
Along the course, you will get to see a 500m long of wall sculpture (if I remember correctly and that my guide didn't lie to us). You'd be so amazed, like how did they sculpt the wall where the river always flows. There are a lot of waterfalls as well, and the river is relatively clean, away from the civilization. Oh, we had to walk down to the river, for quite a distance but it was quite worth it.
The whitewater rafting package also comes with free lunch at the end of the rafting. It's kinda like a buffet, but do not expect it to be some international buffet from hotel. It's just their maggie goreng, rice, some chicken meat, and soup. FYI, anything tastes good with their Kicap Manis (Sweetened Dark Soy Sauce) so it was pretty alright for me.
There's also shower facilities there, but make sure you bathe/rinse yourself when other cubicles are not in use so the water flow from the shower head would be stronger and make sure someone is guarding your shower curtain... It's quite thin, making it kinda translucent so... either you bathe with your bikini on or get your friends to guard for you.
The most important thing for people like us...
There's also free WiFi at the wash-up/dining place!
//
Bali Pulina Argo Tourism
Address:
Jl. Raya Ceking Br.Pujung Kelod
Ubud Gianyar
Bali, Indonesia
This is the place where it exhibits the Luwak Coffee, it's free for all to enter and this place is actually recommended by our driver and so, he brought us there for some afternoon tea.
What is Luwak Coffee?
The Arabica & Robusta coffea are grown, and then eaten by Civit Cats, they SHIT it out, being harvested, hand-roasted and finally hand-grounded to become coffee powder. Yes, I shit you not. You're drinking the luwak coffee shitted out by the Civit Cats and oh god, it smells and tastes more aromatic than the usual coffee. Then again, I am not a coffee-lover/drinker.
Free entry but if you would like to try the Luwak Coffee, it's actually INR50,000 (approx. S$5) per cup but it comes with 7 or 8 others coffee/tea for you to try and their flavours will surprise your taste bud. It also completes with a small dish of sweet potato chips,
Opposite this Luwak Coffee Farm is this Padi Field cafe or something, I think it's walkable from the farm. There's a house on top of the padi field, like some isolated bungalow. It's quite a nice place to chill for the afternoon with coffee, tea and the chips.
The toilets are clean, and also, there's actually a guide who would bring you around talking about the process of the coffee powder and you get to actually see those Civit Cats and its poops with the coffee beans. HOW COOL IS THAT YO.
//
Tampak Siring (Holy Spring Water Temple)
It's a temple with the holy spring water to cleanse yourself from the sins you've done, kinda... Sorta...
You have to purchase the tickets at the entrance which I totally have forgotten what is the price but it isn't as expensive, probably S$3/pax.
Do not worry about wearing skimpy outfits (but you know, going to the temple... Maybe dress a little more appropriate), they actually provide you with shawl before entering, so you will just have to cover your legs if you are not wearing long pants.
The whole point of this Holy Spring Water Temple is to go down to the pond for a dip and rinse yourself with the water coming out from the sculpture which I have no absolute idea what is it or the history behind it... Thus, we didn't loiter there for too long before heading off to our next destination.
//
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Address:
Jalan Monkey Forest
Padangtegal
Ubud, Gianyar 80571
Bali, Indonesia
Email: info@monkeyforestubud.com
Website: monkeyforestubud
This is the final stop for our day in Ubud.
One thing for sure, the monkeys there are FREAKING AGGRESSIVE like 24/7, I was so afraid that the monkeys would attack me, or snatch my stuffs away... Even our driver warned us to put our bags in front of us and the moment if you put your hand into your bag, the monkeys would think that you are taking some snacks out for them.
This monkey forest... Is just a forest full of monkeys.
Small, big, baby, adult monkeys are all there and there's only one breed LOL, it's like the monkeys you see in MacRitchie Reservoir, and also, 3 deers in one of the enclosure.
The baby monkeys are cute, some of them would hop onto your neck and shoulder and there was once, the monkey got onto the German's head and then shoulder... The final move, the monkey hopped onto his arm like a baby in a cradle OMG so cute right.
None of his family members brought any camera or phones along so they didn't get to take photo of his dad with the monkey but I, as a good Samaritan, offered my help in taking photos for them and told them I could email them the pictures.
Guess what? I successfully obtained the email of his son. TEEHEE. Just kidding, his son looks relatively young like in his late teens.
We spent like 45mins in the forest before heading back to our town for dinner. While we were getting out from Ubud area, the way out is actually somewhat like the Kuta area. There are cafes, bar & bistro, and hotels along the street but a more chillax place than the Kuta area which is filled with all the clubs.
//
BBQ Pork/Beef Ribs
As we proceeded our journey back to our town, OMG I thought we would reach by 6pm plus but because of the peak hour traffic, it took us around 1.5hrs to get back and our driver dropped us at this famous grilled pork ribs.
Apparently, it's a place filled with a lot of foreigners, Asian foreigners. There's also free WiFi available and the sauce... The sauce was tangy and spicy for the ribs. The food was good, like you could go there for a grab and the price is somewhat reasonable. The waiting time wasn't that long even though there was a lot of people.
By the time we were done with the dinner, it was already 8pm, and there's nothing much to do in Seminyak area and we headed back to our Villa straight after dinner.
//
Now that I recalled back the activities we did on Day 2, it's actually quite a lot, and probably the most fruitful day for the whole 4D3N Bali Trip...
Alright, shall draft my day 3 in Bali in a couple of days!
Have a great week ahead, everyone!
Xx
Oh hello, there!
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