I was mostly terrified of the monkeys at Ubud Monkey Forest, but managed to get close enough to snap this shot of this family picking bugs off each other.

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Snapshot Sunday: Monkeys in Ubud is a post from: Farsickness

This is something that I now deeply regret.

While planning our trip to Bali, my friend proposed a visit to an elephant park outside Ubud. I thought that being able to ride an elephant would an incredible experience. I did some research on the park and it mentioned that the animals had been rescued from areas in Sumatra where logging was destroying the natural habitats of the animals and where many elephants were forced to work in harsh conditions. In my naive state, I thought they must have it much better toting around tourists all day in Bali. Without a second thought, we booked an all day tour to experience the elephants.

We were picked up from our guest house in the morning and after an almost hour drive along winding roads and through terraced rice fields, we arrived at the park. Newly built lodges and restaurants made to look like something you’d see on a safari, a museum, a gift shop, and an endless loop of commercials featuring the birth of some baby elephants at the park and advertising special events reminded me more of a theme park than an animal conservatory.

Once outside, I immediately caught a glimpse of a baby elephant standing inside a pen. As someone who is a self professed animal hater and generally calm person, I was surprised at my intial reaction of “OH MY GOD THAT’S THE CUTEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN!” But I went with it and hurried over toward to the big, precocious baby. There was a line up to take photos next to the elephant and as my turn grew nearer, I was a little nervous. I’m terrified of something as tiny as a cat and even though this thing was a baby, it was a heck of a lot bigger than any cat. My curiosity trumping fear, I handed my camera to the mahout and stood next to adorable animal it while he flapped his trunk around in front of me. I’d call this love at first sight.

We wandered around a little more and saw more babies! They were practicing for a show. You know, one of those shows where elephants do amazing tricks and the tourists watch on slack jawed. Once the practice was over the elephants were allowed to play. With each chomp on a piece of food, spray of water, and playful flick of the trunk, I became more enamored with these gentle giants.

I was plotting ways to bring one of the babies home with me (would’ve fit perfectly in my Korean studio apartment), when it was our turn to take a ride around the park. My friend and I climbed onto a large chair like saddle that was strapped around the elephant’s gigantic belly and the mahout guided our elephant into the line of elephants already carrying their squealing tourists.

An elephant’s gait is not smooth and the entire 15 minute ride felt like we were being slowly shaken up. The ride was uncomfortable, to say the least, and I was left wondering if there was any reason to ride an elephant other than just to say you had. Which really isn’t a good reason to do much of anything.

We dismounted our elephant and walked over to the nearby pavilion where we enjoyed an all you can eat buffet, included in the ticket price. While we ate away and relaxed, our elephant returned to the queue of people to pick up another heavy load.

Even after I returned to Korea, I couldn’t stop thinking about these striking creatures. As I read more and more about them, I learned about their intelligence, kindness, and sense of community. My love affair had turned into an almost obsession.

I then stumbled onto a lot of information about the dark side of elephant tourism. Elephants, even those who were rescued, are wild animals which means they had to be extensively trained to play the the roles of docile ride givers and perfect performers. I don’t know about the training methods used at the park I visited, but the training is often peppered with horrific abuse. While elephants are able to carry a significant amount of weight, the total load of the saddle, mahout, and two or more passengers can easily overburden the animal. The weight, combined with the hours they are forced to cart people around, is often bordering on overwork and is detrimental to the elephant’s physical and mental well being.

While I regret that I rode an elephant, I am grateful that I visited the park. It opened my eyes to these beautiful and awe inspiring creatures, and also to the horrifying reality of the ever so popular elephant tourism business in Southeast Asia. I now look forward to visiting other parks, such as Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, that focus less on entertainment and more on true elephant rescue and rehabilitation.

Have you ever done anything you regret while traveling? What do you think about animal tourism? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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Why I Regret Riding an Elephant is a post from: Farsickness

Although Lonely Planet didn’t have great things to say about the palace, I thoroughly enjoyed the morning I spent wandering around the ruins and restored buildings.  My friends and I began the day with some nasi goreng and Balinese coffee at a small restaurant overlooking the ponds of Taman Ujung Karangasem.  After finishing, we paid the small entrance fee (around 2USD), crossed a short bridge and began exploring the grounds.

In the middle of the water sits the main building, which was the primary housing for the royal family when they stayed at the palace.  It is connected to either side of of the pond by an ornate bridge.  Inside the building hang pictures of the king and his family.  While it’s not the most fascinating or beautiful interior it helps paint a better picture of the history of the palace.

The most impressive part of Taman Ujung, in my opinion, was not the buildings themselves but the actual grounds.  There are paths leading all around the ponds which are surrounded by well manicured lawns, colorful flowers, sculptures, and small gazebo like structures. In the distance it is possible to see both the sea and the mountains.  At times it felt as if I’d stepped into a Southeast Asian version of a European palace’s garden.

While we didn’t take advantage of this, you are also able to take a dip in the water.  For a small extra fee visitors can swim in water that has been blessed by a priest.  I am slightly disappointed I didn’t know about this at the time as I am sure this would have been a truly unique swimming experience!

Taman Ujung is the perfect place for a morning walk or run, before it gets too hot in the afternoon heat, and is definitely worth a look if you find yourself on Bali’s east coast.  Taman Ujung is located on the main road past Candidasa, about 6 km before Amlapura.  To get the most out of your visit, get there in the morning before both the crowds and heat arrive, and spend the extra 2,000Rp for a guide who can provide additional insight and history.

Taman Ujung Karangasem: A Palace in a Pond is a post from: Farsickness

This was the case when we went to the Alam Asmara Resort and Spa for massages and facials.  Bali is known for offering fantastic spa treatments at a fraction of the price you’d find in your home country, and Alam Asmara did just that.  The spa was beautifully decorated in a traditional Balinese style and the service was fantastic.  The three ladies who helped us were friendly and did everything to make sure we were comfortable.  I’ve had massages before but there is something innately relaxing about being in the tropics and seeing geckos run across the ceiling (honestly, and this comes from someone who is terrified of most living creatures that aren’t humans) that made this one to remember.

After being kneaded into a trance-like state we decided to caffeinate ourselves back to normalcy at the restaurant located on the back patio.  This low key place was located right on the water which allowed for some spectacular views of the jewel toned sea on this sunny day.

Following blended ice cream and espresso, we went to check out Pasir Putih, better known as White Sand Beach.  This rather short stretch of beautiful white sand is located off the main road and while it is described as East Bali’s “hidden gem” by many guidebooks, it would seem from the number of people on the beach that this is no longer the case.  Even with the larger number of tourists than I’d grown accustomed to seeing in the area, and the somewhat tumultuous drive to beach (another hilly, unpaved path), it was worth the trip.

Most of the other beaches in the area are made up of wet, black sand due to the volcanic ash and aren’t the best place for sunbathing or swimming.  On Pasir Putih the sand is soft and light in color, the waves perfect for swimming, and there are many beach front establishments selling ice cold Bintang and renting lounge chairs for less than a dollar. If you’re lucky the owners of these places will continue to adjust your chair every so often so you are lying at the perfect angle to soak up as much sun as possible.  Which was much appreciated.

On our last night at the villa we went to Candidasa for dinner and drinks at Vincent’s.  This restaurant, named after Vincent Van Gogh, makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into 1950s Havana with its retro vibe.  We made it about five minutes before happy hour was due to end, so we sat in the bar area for a quick pre-dinner drink.  They have an extensive cocktail list which reaches far beyond the typical pina coladas of beach front bars.  The dining area, located in a garden off the back of the restaurant, is full of tables positioned between palm trees and the entire area is lit only by torches.  The atmosphere complimented the wonderful array of Balinese and international dishes.  Well, the atmosphere felt more high dining until we got there and started eating.  About halfway through the meal my friend chipped a tooth on a piece of crab shell, no fault of the restaurant.  After a minor freakout we decided that the best way to survey the extent of the damage was to put the camera lens into her open mouth.  I’m sure the rest of the diners really appreciated a girl with a DSLR stuffed into her face and my jerking tearful laughs.  Luckily, I had no self sustained injuries during my meal and was able to fully enjoy the delicious food.  I started off with a calamari salad tossed in a chili dressing and continued with the more traditional dish of ikan pepes, fish cooked in a banana leaf with Indonesian spices and coconut milk.  Both dishes were seasoned perfectly and showcased the fresh ingredients and distinctive flavors of the region.  The prices at Vincent’s are a bit higher than many Balinese restaurants, but the quality of the food, attentive service, and (usually) wonderful atmosphere make a trip here worth it.

Candidasa has a lot of charm and a lot to offer the traveler who isn’t looking for massive resorts and all night clubs.  With great restaurants, beautiful beaches, dive shops, and spas you are able to find a lot to do and still feel like you are in Bali.

Out and About in Candidasa is a post from: Farsickness

Like I mentioned in my previous post, Villa Surya‘s location makes it a great jumping off point for day trips around East Bali.  Knowing this we squeezed into our rented Jeep and headed off early to check out Amed.  We cruised easily through the city center of Amalpura and then took a turn off the main road toward the water.  This is where the terror began.  The road began to climb upward and narrow significantly and at every blind turn I was sure we were going to collide with an oncoming vehicle.  But, this was also where real Bali began.  Away from the easily traveled paved roads lies untouched nature, beautiful beaches, and small villages of incredibly friendly Balinese people.

After a few too many cries from the backseat (the Jeep was a manual and I’m an American, thus was never actually behind the wheel) my friends pulled the car over so I could get out and compose myself.  I took a few deep breaths and looked over to see the vividly blue expanse of water.  The kind that seems to go on forever.  As I got in the car I told myself that even if we did got plummeting over the side of a cliff to our deaths, at least we were doing it in a beautiful place.

We continued driving and eventually hit a bunch of small villages.  These villages are especially poor due to the arid climate and poor growing conditions created by Mt. Agung and the people see few, if any, foreigners, and when they do they are usually accompanied by a Balinese driver.  Because we were three white girls driving by ourselves we created quite the spectacle.  Shouts of tumu (foreigner) could be heard and every time we drove past a child they shot a cherry “Hello!” our way.  At one point a woman called her entire family out of the house and started gathering neighbors to look at us as we were stopped in the middle of an intersection for quite a few minutes trying to decide which pothole filled path would lead us in the right direction.  In some places blatant gawking at your foreignness can make you feel uncomfortable, but here it just seemed to be caused by a general interest.  And they did eventually point us in the right direction.

Once we reached sea level again, almost two hours after setting off  (and an hour more than Lonely Planet said it would take) we knew we were in Amed.  We pulled off onto an even more narrow lane and parked the Jeep on the beach next to a lineup of colorful jukung, the Balinese boats typically used for fishing.  Besides the boats, the beach was empty as we frolicked around dipping our toes into the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

A little further up the road was the actual village of Amed.  Though traditionally a fishing village, much money has been spent by the government in the past years to encourage tourism to this part of the island.  The town center has rows of small hotels and guesthouses, local hole in the wall restaurants, and plenty of dive shops.  And while you will pass a foreign face when walking down the street, it is still nothing like the tourist havens of Kuta and Ubud.

After a lunch of fresh seafood on the sea we started the journey back to the Villa.  Much to my delight, we took the paved, flatter route home.

Off the Beaten Track and onto Unpaved Roads is a post from: Farsickness

The beautiful white villa was built in a traditional Balinese way that allows for the cool breezes from the sea to blow through the house and also provides beautiful views of neighboring rice fields and the ocean.  Grace, the cook and caretaker of the house, brought me a coconut and welcomed me to Bali.

For the next few days I lived a life of luxury.  Each day I woke up to a view of palm trees, the sea, and a rising sun.  And after a month of monsoons in Korea, that last one was the key of all of my happiness.  I would then go downstairs, plop myself into a lounge chair next to the pool and drink my morning coffee while reading and soaking up some rays.  Once everyone awoke we would indulge ourselves in a big breakfast.  I should preface all further food related discussion in this post by saying how much of a fantastic cook Grace is.  Truly magnificent.  In the morning she offered up the Bali tourist favorite of banana pancakes and also more traditional Indonesian fare like nasi goreng, or fried rice, topped with an egg.  After lingering over the food I eventually made my way to the open air bathroom for a shower.  Open air bathrooms are popular in Bali and I now know that you’ve never really experienced bathing until you’ve done under an open sky with a view of palm trees.

The villa’s location makes it a perfect jumping off point for days trips around East Bali.  In addition to some of the trips we made to other cities (posts about those will soon follow, do not worry) much enjoyment can be found from wandering around near the villa.  There are few, if any, tourists in this area which makes it a fantastic place to get a glimpse of real Balinese life.  A small stream very near to the house serves as a communal bathing area and the Balinese children were always especially happy to see us, shouting “Hello!” at every chance they had.  In about a five minute walk we could reach a beautiful black sand beach that was nearly deserted making it a perfect place to sunbathe and swim.

After a day of exploring in the hot sun it was nice to return to the villa for a quick jump in the pool and another delicious home cooked meal.  My favorite dinners prepared by Grace were nasi campur and mie goreng.  Nasi campur is a traditional Indonesian dish and means mixed rice.  The Balinese version of the dish included a variety of curried vegetables and meats, fried tofu, crispy bean curd with peanuts, a prawn cracker, and obviously, steamed rice topped with crispy fried garlic and onion.  The distinct flavor of Bali was tasted throughout and like all the dishes prepared here, tasted incredibly fresh due to the use of only local and seasonal ingredients.  Mie goreng, meaning fried noodles, is an incredibly popular dish eaten at all times of the day, all around the Indonesian archipelago.  Yellow noodles are tossed with onion, garlic, fresh vegetables and chicken, until they are lightly crisp.

After washing down dinner with a couple of Bali’s finest beer, Bintang, we would watch the sun set over the rice fields and listen as the geckos, frogs and other nighttime creatures started to sing their songs.  Every day at the villa was somewhat different, but they were all peaceful and accompanied by great food and a stunning setting.

For more information about Villa Surya, please visit their website.

Disclaimer:  Although I stayed at Villa Surya for a discounted rate, I was not asked for nor paid for my opinion.  All views are my own.

A Peaceful Paradise in East Bali is a post from: Farsickness