The Best of Uluwatu

Bukit Cafe Tomato Egg Bake and Bacon

Single Fin Sundays

Single Fin

Fresh juice at the Corner Cafe

Bukit Cafe Breakfast Burrito 

Suka

After two months in our Uluwatu nook, we're sad to leave but feel accustomed to life in Southern Bali and ready to release our "Best of Uluwatu" list to link you with some of our favorites.  Many of these places you'll need; some of them, you'll want; others you'll wonder how you lived without.  We agree on most, but for a few categories you'll see our personal thoughts...overall, you'll can't go wrong in Uluwatu.  

The best motorbike rental company...

• Ulu's Family, on the right as you turn off towards Single Fin
• Safe bikes, deals for renting for longer periods of time, personable service

The best place to buy, rent, or customize a surf board...

• White Monkey Surf Shop

The best nightlife...

• Single Fin, Sunday Nights
• You have to get there early to get a table, but even if you can't get one you'll enjoy an epic sunset, bird's eye view of awesome surf, great DJs, and people from all over the world

The best driver...

• Mario, WhatsApp +62 896-9832-4488
• Kind, helpful, and so reliable

The best activity coordinator...

• Agung, WhatsApp +62 896-8393-0428
• Organized Mt. Batur, secret waterfalls, Gili transport and beyond
• We met him back in February and he's a gem

The best laundry...

• Padang Padang Laundry, across from Buddha Soul; this small place accounts for every item when you drop it off, giving you a copy of that record that you bring back for pickup
• Laundry smells great and is nicely folded, but they get busy and often need two full days

The best dive company...

• Bali International Diving Professionals
• Avandy Djunaidi is the Yoda of diving; don't learn anywhere else. (Note: He's not technically in Uluwatu, but he'll arrange transport and he knows underwater Bali better than anyone else.)

The best daytime beach...

• If it's low tide, get down to Single Fin and head left though the caves.
• You'll find a secret beach with shipwreck ruins and a lot of privacy

The best sunset...

• Balangan Beach Sunset Point
• Use maps.me to get here through the Bingin Beach entrance; the black sands are worth it

The best place to get a book...

• Yeye's is an Uluwatu staple- great food, beautiful atmosphere, awesome gift shop, and huge selection of books
• Trade two you've read for one that you want

The best breakfast...

• Bukit Cafe- anything on the menu
• Buddha Soul- the chocolate smoothie bowl, and all of their other healthy options, will keep you coming back 
  • Be sure to try Om Burger for lunch (same owner, epic black rice buns)
• Corner Cafe- There are two, and they're both great.  Cash only, but great prices.

Best juices and smoothies

• Yoga Searcher- fresh, healthy, organic (you can do yoga in the back and even book villas there)

The best Italian food...

• La Baracca is a newcomer to the Uluwatu scene, but the owners are from Rome and their food is exceptional (Jay's Pick)
  • Beautiful nighttime ambiance and personable service
• Rolling Fork is one of our favorite places to enjoy a long, slow, blogging dinner (Chantal's pick)
  • Homemade pasta is a must, and the lava cake will make you wish you started with dessert

The best milkshake...

• Suka Espresso has pretty much the best EVERYTHING
• Their Unicorn Milkshake is unbelievable 
  • This isn't about a milkshake, but the Lemme Wrap (chicken wrap) will change your life.

The Soaked Survivors

Shorelines of Gili 

Yesterday we were able to get on a fast boat back to Bali, though the company informed us we'd be going to a completely different dock because of weather.  We didn't care, so long as we could get off the Gilis.  So at noon, we shoved our way onto a boat and pushed our way to the top deck.  On our ride to the Gilis, we had been in the seats on the lower level, and with small windows the crashing and swaying felt intense.  We decided the covered, open air deck would give us a nice breeze (and we'd be the first to see land).

About 20 other people had the same idea, and as we set for our three hour ride, the guys running the boat put on club music, started selling beers, and it seems liked like a sunny, good time.  People were up dancing and everyone was smiling.  

Jay and I sat next to older German couples, who had also gotten stuck on the Gilis.  Their boat had needed maintenance the day before, so they'd decided to wait a day and rebook with a different company.  Apparently the boat they avoided had been overloaded, a lady fell overboard, and people were throwing up because of the chop.  We felt lucky to be on our fun boat, wind in our hair.

It started with gentle sprays of water, misting our faces.  And before we could even register, waves of water were spraying onto the boat.  We were all soaked in minutes, and remained that way for the final two hours of the trip.  The guys running the boat seemed unphased, and danced on.  

All we could do was laugh and I kept thinking, "I've never done this before."  We showed up at the dock soaked and shivering, all passengers smiling at each other and making remarks of survivors.  We are glad to be back to Uluwatu, thankful for our beautiful time on the Gilis and taking in our last week before our final days in Lembongan. 

The cutest breakfast at Manusia Dunia 

Snorkling Gili Meno

Stylizing the Ombok pool

my favorite wall on gili air

Look closely at my watermelon juice!

leaving our mark on gili meno

Long Hair Long Life

Gili Air, although initially peaceful and undeniably charming, came with a series of unfortunate events.  (Note: There are no pictures with this post, as it has not been pretty.) It started off simply enough; I came down with a cold and sneezed my way around the island, then got badly congested.  Not the end of the world.  I sat reading in a beanbag chair one afternoon as Jay went out to snorkel. 

He wasn’t out long when I saw him returning, figuring the snorkeling wasn’t very good.  I should know Jay better, and my adrenaline finally kicked in when he calmly said, “I may need your help.”

As he approached he presented his middle toe, covered in tiny spines from some creature and turning purple.  “I don’t think this is good,” he said.  About a 20 minute walk from our villa, I knew he needed tweezers and alcohol (which I should carry in a fanny pack at this point) so I took off sprinting and told him to ask for the wifi and start Googling.

When I got to the villa (not pretty in my congested state) my wifi clicked in and I had a message from Jay (and Google): sea urchin. Only my Jay would get hit by a sea urchin on the top of his foot.  I grabbed the supplies and sprinted back.  In my haste I’d forgotten my sandals, so hot sand added an extra element of fun to my run.

When I got there he was soaking the toe in vinegar, which we now know is the immediate “go to” for sea urchin stings.  It breaks up the venom.  I did my best to surgically remove the spines and we applied vinegar and alcohol until Jay was ready to walk.  Since we were walking around the island, we decided to finish our walk and ended up finding a Medical Center, aka a room with some stuff in it. (No tissues.  Out of tissues.)

They popped Jay on a table and told him the vinegar was a smart move, and really the only thing that works on sea urchin attacks. They did need to break up the stings as best as possible, so his body could absorb the poison and heal.  They picked up a contraption that looked like a miniature golf ball and proceeded to whack the toe and all of the purple spots repeatedly.  It looked incredibly painful, but Jay handled it like a champ and I shuffled through the shelves to find a decongestant.

I was still stuffy the next morning, so sent Jay scuba diving (his toe was successfully healing) and headed to the dock to book our speedboat back to Bali the next day.

Imagine my surprise when I approached our boat company’s counter and presented my tickets, only to be told: “No fast boats today or tomorrow.”  My series of questions and disbelief in my voice seemed to confuse them, but I managed to learn that the government had grounded all fast boats to and from the Gili Islands because of weather.  Our alternative?  A 9 hour slow boat.  My congested head started to spin.

How long would this ban last?  Ask the government.  Great.  Can I get their number?  As you can imagine, I was not the only confused tourist on the dock.  But we seemed to be the only ones concerned.  Apparently the locals are accustomed to boat schedules being suspended on a whim. 

So we made a series of choices.  I declared that I would not get on a boat for 9 hours (we still may have to…) We figured we needed a hotel for an extra night, anyway, so why not see the last Gili Island.  So here we are.  On Gili Meno.  Hoping the winds swing in our favor and we can get back to Bali tomorrow.

Last night we layed on the beach watching the movie, "Lion" on bean bag chairs, eating fresh BBQ, realizing that island life has its perks, so long as you adjust your clock with the trade winds, have some patience, and watch out for sea urchins.  As the locals say every time they pass us, “Long hair, long life.” No rush.  Couldn’t go anywhere if we wanted to.

Oh, and Jay's toe is fine.   

Already August

Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, Gili Air

I have no idea how it is already August.  Time is a funny thing.  Some lazy afternoons seem to last forever and then all of a sudden the plans we made and adventures we dreamed up have become stories, and photographs, and memories.  Our neatly packed bags are strewn across islands, jammed with sea shells, horse shoes, maps, tickets, and a whole lot of life. 

I'm sitting on our porch on a tiny island called Gili Air.  Jay is sleeping in while I sip tea and blog to the sound of the rooster crowing.  We spent our last days on Gili Trawangan catching breathtaking sunsets and exploring life under water.

Exile Beach Sunset Point, Gili Trawangan

Jay and I love scuba.  I think Jay's as at home in the water as he is on land and scuba is the perfect fit for us.  On the Gili Islands, you take boats out to different spots and our first stop was Turtle Point.  The boat was packed with people and while heading to the spot the locals throw wetsuits, booties, fins, and vests at divers.  Do they fit?  Well enough.  They didn't ask for proof of our certification or number of dives.  The honor system is alive and well in Indonesia. 

The dive groups are small, and Jay and I had one other girl and a "dive master" accompanying us.  (I put that in quotes because we knew he was a certified dive master about as much as he knew we were certified at all.  Honor system.) 

When it was our turn we quickly checked our tanks and suited up, sitting on the edge of the boat like we'd seen others do.  Mind you, we entered from the shore on previous dives so entering the water by boat was new.  I asked a few questions and was quickly shushed by Indiana Jay.  "Just lean back!" he said.  And we did.  And we were fine. 

Turtle Point, north of Gili Meno

As quickly as we fell backwards off the boat, our dive master said, "Let's go down," and our adventure began.  Jay and I, pun intended, dove right in, feeling grateful that we were trained by the legend, Avandy.  We knew exactly what we were doing and had a great dive.  I tend to overthink things, and this trip has been a great lesson in running on instincts and just "doing".  

So many parts of life you can only figure out as you go.  I'm learning that more every day. 

Massive turtles and eels and colorful coral were everywhere.  I can't even put into words our time under water.  It makes us awestruck every time.  Tomorrow we will dive again off Gili Air, the smaller Gili Island closest to Lombok.  Stay tuned for that.

But how did we get to Gili Air?  Funny you should ask.  There are two boat options: slow boat and fast boat done by private charters.  You can imagine which one is the bargain price, and at this point probably know that Jay and I always take the bargain price.  For about $4 USD a person, we took the slow boat (40 minutes) from Gili T to Gili Air.  I don't know that "slow" is the right adjective for the boat; I like to call it the adventure boat. 

If the boat looks sideways, it's because it is.

But we made it to the Gili Air dock

My most vivid memories of those 40 minutes are water flying in, the boat careening side to side, and planks popping up as people walked down the middle of the boat.  You get what you pay for.  I eyed the life vests figuring out a strategy to float our bags and use that flotation system like a kick board to get to shore.  Luckily, this terrible idea never had to be tested.  

The shoreline approached, and the bluish green waters welcomed us to another beautiful island.  Gili Air is even smaller and more remote than Gili T, with all the charm that comes with that remoteness and simplicity.  We are staying at Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, where there are rechargeable lanterns because the electricity often goes out island-wide.  This happened twice during our dinner last night, and the live band just kept on singing.  Jay and I, having forgot our lanterns, walked home in the dark and fireworks erupted over one of the other Gili Islands. Life here doesn't seem real sometimes.  

As we head into the last two weeks of our trip, we're soaking it all up and missing all of our family and friends back home.  We can't wait to share our travels with you.  Thanks to everyone reading along with us- wishing you a beautiful August. 

Reading deck at Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Peace on the porch, Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Shells of Gili

Gili Air transport

Gone To Gili

On Thursday, we caught a ride to Pandang Bai where we negotiated a fare to Gili Trawangan, one of the three tiny Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.  As you’ve probably figured out, there are very few set prices in Indonesia and the speedboats operate with the traditional, free-spirited Bali attitude.  The docks are flooded with passengers, all with tickets to different boats set to arrive at 9 a.m.  The boats arrive every few minutes for the next hour or so and passengers and luggage are shoved onto them while vendors hawk Pringles and Bintangs, often from the dock onto the boats.  Once on the boat, you bump your way about an hour and a half wondering if the life vests jammed into compartments on the ceiling are enough for the passengers, especially since there aren’t seats for every passenger.  At least we aren’t in Titanic temperature water and Jay and I had our scuba masks and snorkels.  This was my thought process.  This boat is not recommended for people with motion sickness, but worth every moment of what waits on the other side.

We stepped off the boat into the water and our luggage was thrown over the side to us.  We walked up onto the dock into another new world.  The Gilis have no cars and no motorbikes.  You can walk.  You can bicycle (through sandy, unpaved paths). You can take a horse carriage.  Yes.  As in an 1800's cart attached to a horse that flies down the dirt roads and makes you cling for dear life to the cart and pray an axle doesn’t break.  I haven’t cared about an axle since I played Oregon Trail in middle school.  

But it all works beautifully. 

DOCK SALES

Speed Racer

colorful even on a cloudy day

Our beautiful Gili T Home: Pandawa Resort and Villas

POOLSIDE PEACE AT PANDAWA

KING OF THE POOL

Gili T (as Trawangan is nicknamed) is the most social of the three Gili Islands and the largest, though you can walk the perimeter two hours.  The magic, mayhem horse carriages could probably fly you around in 40 minutes.  It’s one of the quaintest, most charming places I’ve ever been. 

The colors of the water and the sky seem impossible; no matter how beautiful the photographs, the reality is ten times more vivid and awe-inspiring.  The beaches are lined with swings in the water, so you can enjoy the cool water on your feet as you watch the sun slip into the horizon.  There’s a childlike simplicity in the swings and the colorful umbrellas and beanbags, the bells that jingle from the horse carts, and the bicycle bells dinging.  Lanterns light up the night and restaurants have live music and amazing barbeque filling the air.  Laughter and music and joy are everywhere.  It’s hard to put into words.  The island is intoxicating.