UTAR Alumni

JUNE 2017

Bali..

NASRINA BINTI MOHAMED RABIK

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS) CHEMISTRY

Batch of March 2016

It's just like an imaginary paradise with the pristine white and black sand beaches, volcanic giant mountains, ancient cultures, lush of vegetations and of course, countless temples! I'm going to take you all on a virtual trip there through this article.

Let me start with how I get to know about this trip organized by UTAR Alumni. Fortunately, I am the type who checks in email regularly and was lucky enough to see it in my inbox. That moment itself I decided that I am going to join the trip! Together with me is my sister and my friend who were also excited for the journey no matter what it is. Except for the air-tickets which we had to book by ourselves, everything else such as transportation, food, accommodations and entry tickets to the places of interests was included in the travel package which seemed reasonable and so finally we flew to Bali together with 41 other participants!

Upon arrival in the airport, we had a warm welcome and garlanded with flowers and yes, that gave us the feel of VIPs. Our tour guides arranged two buses for us as the mode of transportation throughout the tour. Next, we moved for dinner in Kemangi Restaurant located in Denpasar. Besides the wide varieties of seafood for our hungry tummy, we also had the chance to watch the traditional Legong dance performance on the stage. Some of our friends also joined on stage as the dancers invited to dance with them. After the satisfying treat for the eye and stomach, we headed to check-in our hotel. We stayed in Swiss Belhotel Tuban, Kuta. It's a 4-star hotel and we got a room for 3 which is very spacious and cozy.

On our 2nd day in Bali, we moved on the adventure after our breakfast in the hotel. Our first stop was a handicraft shop where we shopped for about 30 minutes, then we continued our journey to the famous Tegallalang Rice Terrace. We were stunned by the breath-taking panoramic view of the heavenly green lush rice terraces located in north side of Ubud. The high roadside location is quite cool and breezy. You would not notice how fast time moves when you were busily enjoying the nature until your tour guide calls you.

Then, we headed up the mountain to Kintamani which is more than 1000m above sea level. As a nature lover, this is one my favourite places among the others. Once we reached the top, we saw a standing giant active volcano called Mount Batur. There's nothing more magnificent than witnessing such a huge mountain over a caldera lake. That place was flooded with tourists from all over the world and we had to squeeze in among them to click some scenic pictures. We also enjoyed a nice lunch treat in Kintamani Restaurant (Grand Puncak Sari 2).

The first temple we visited among the thousands of temples in Bali was Pura Kehen. According to our tour guide, it was built in 9th century. Before entering the temples in Bali, you are expected to dress accordingly: legs should be covered and you have to wear a temple-scarf around the waist. You must climb up the steep 38 stairs before you reach the beautifully decorated entrance of this mystical temple. The old banyan tree and large trees surrounding it, create the unique feature of this ancient complex. There are also numerous remarkable carvings around the temple. As Pura Kehen is believed as the most sacred temple of the region and serves as the state temple of Bangli, it has become one of the most important temples in the region with many religious ceremonies taking place here.

A visit to Pura Kehen temple can easily be combined with Penglipuran Village, one of the remaining truly traditional Balinese villages. This village is way more authentic and unique as the villagers has managed to retain their tradition and customs from their ancestors and maintaining the 76 houses in the village in a very good and clean environment, contributing it to become one of the famous tourist spots in Bali. We were welcomed almost into all the houses by the friendly residents. Old bricks still stand in their place, traditional kitchens are covered in soot from the billowing wood fire hearths, and the compounds are uniquely laid out, each following old Balinese spatial and architectural set of rules. Each of the houses also sells handicrafts and souvenirs which is their source of income. A visit to this traditional village is a unique experience and a chance to get away from the "modern" Bali life! In the end of the day, we had dinner in a local restaurant and checked in to Aneka Lovina Hotel as we had to get up early the next morning to catch some dolphins!

Excited to see dolphins for the first time, all of us got ready by 5.30am and reached Lovina Beach at 6.00am. There were 6 to 7 of us in a boat and the boatman took us on a ride to the middle of the sea. The beaches of Lovina with the blackish chromatic sands are also famous for gorgeous sunrises. As busy working adults, we do not always get the chance to watch a sunrise and so, I was totally mesmerized by the beautiful sunrise over the beach and mountains. And then it happened, our first fin and sighting. Just as a reminder, always keep your camera gear ready as these flippers breach the smooth water surface in a blink of an eye. We sighted the dark-skinned spinner dolphins. The boats generally kept a safe distance allowing the dolphins to swim freely. Our skipper would either slow down or turn off the engine as soon as the dolphins were in sight. No bait was thrown in the water to lure the dolphins closer, and the dolphins genuinely seem like they were having a good time too.

After a fun-filled dolphin sighting, we had breakfast at our hotel and moved to Ulun Danu Temple. The picturesque Danau (Lake) Bratan in northern Bali harbours a temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, sitting on a small promontory and arguably the most photographed site on the island. This temple is set within a very well landscaped garden. Although entry to the temple itself is not allowed, the surrounding view of the temple complex, beautiful gardens and the majestic but often clouded Gunung Catur (the crater filled by the lake) is definitely worth seeing. We even saw a couple's wedding photoshoot which proves this place's picture-perfect views. Tired of clicking memorable pictures, we had our lunch in the nearby hotel while enjoying the lake view.

Before heading to Tanah Lot, we stopped at a Balinese Coffee Plantation - it was amazing. We tasted a big flight of coffees, saw how the world's most expensive coffee (Luwak coffee) was made. The coffee plantation was nestled in the forest, with incredible views and landscapes.

After being a bit caffeinated, we got back in the bus and they drove us to the most visted tourist spot in Bali, Tanah Lot. Definitely it was jam-packed with busloads of tourists, but it's also beautiful, remarkable, stunning and almost magical. Do not worry if you forget to bring your camera or runs out of battery. You can hire one of the many local photographers at the site. Surrounded by waters on all sides, Tanah Lot temple is only accessible at low tides. The water recedes at low tides to reveal a sandy foot path between the shore and the island, allowing visitors to walk across the water to the temple. There are no boats to the island, it can only reached by foot. I was pretty much disappointed that the water is not recommended for swimming or surfing due to strong waves. Despite all that, we were lucky enough to watch the spectacular sunset in Tanah Lot. The sky turned a rich gold and the temple jutted out above the line where the ocean meets the sky. With each small descent of the sun, the sky would change. It would turn from a pure gold to a mix of bright oranges and pale denim coloured blues. The scenery was absolutely mind blowing! After a tiring walk throughout the day, our tour guide decided to take us to Jimbaran beach. We had a lovely dinner of fresh grilled seafoods by the beach along with live singing and performances by the Balinese.

Here comes the last day of our trip. Like the saying goes 'Save the best for the last', I guess that's what our tour guide did. Our next halt was at the famous Uluwatu temple surrounded by the Indian ocean. We passed through a winding path of forest which is teeming with monkeys that are preying with people's food or anything they think like it. The temple is apparently considered as monkey forest due to the number of monkeys around the place. My jaw instantly dropped upon seeing the glorious view of the cliff! Towards the other end of the complex, the views are more amazing! I could not help but be mesmerized with the giant waves and stunning cliffs as I walked towards the other end of the temple. It was very scenic and I could help but to take a souvenir photo against the panoramic cliff as this is the other place that I loved most in Bali. After we got stunned by Uluwatu's natural beauty, we had a short tea time in Nyang Nyang Beach. We were tranquilized by the breezy wind while we sip our last cup of drink in Bali and enjoy the pisang goreng.

Now, it's time to say goodbye to Bali. This place has really surpassed my expectations, and I was guaranteed to leave the place with awe. The fascinating mountains, seascapes, cliffs and temples are definitely a feast to the eyes for nature lovers which I have tremendously cherished. On top of many beautiful places to see, the Balinese people are also genuinely hospitable and friendly that made our visit worthwhile. Heartfelt big thanks to UTAR Alumni for organizing such a great trip for us. Not forgetting to mention, Mr Naaresh and Mr Lim who were also with us throughout the journey. I am really looking forward for the next trip by you guys!

About Me: Hello everyone! I am Nasrina, a former student of UTAR Kampar from Chemistry course and this is my first write-up for UTAR (besides my reports and thesis, of course). Hope you all liked it! Thanks!