MUNDUK, BALI - MOUNTAINS, HIKES, FOOD - 28 SEPTEMBER TO 1 OCTOBER 2019

MUNDUK

COSTS

Car Balian to Munduk - 500 000r

Car Munduk to Balian - 500 000r

Nadya homestay – 500 000R per night includes breakfast

Temple tour - 350 000r not including temple tickets

Pura Ulang Bratan - entrance fee 50 000r per person

Various waterfalls – 10 000r or 20 000r entrance fee.

NYOMAN'S STORY

We left Balian and had  a pretty drive through the mountains to Munduk. Along the way, Nyoman told us a story of the first arrival of the Javanese Hindus to Bali. A beautiful story!

Long ago a holy man guided a group of people to the island of Bali from Java. They settled there and tilled the land but soon they caught a sickness and they all died. The holy man returned to Java and after much meditation he discovered that they needed to make an offering by burying four precious metals in the earth. He returned to Bali with a much larger group of people and buried the offering in the earth at where Besakih stands today. The group survived, spread across Bali, mixed with the local Bali Aga people and tilled the land. They learnt that they must make offerings so that did not get sick again.

Nyoman explained this was why there are so many offerings for every facet of their life so that remain healthy.

THE MOUNTAINS

THE ROOM

We settled into our room at Nadya Homestay on arrival.

Jacinta was very happy with my choice. A large very clean room with a spacious bathroom. The bed was a large four poster with a drooping white mosquito net. There was a glass wooden slide door to the balcony with a view across the valley and a mountain peak beyond. We could view this as we laid on the bed. Pretty!

In Jacinta’s words to me, ‘I done well!”. That is a big than big compliment from my darling.

 THE FIRST HIKE

Our first hike was down the road from our hotel and towards the rice fields. It was a steep walk along the road with motorbikes, cars and trucks either zooming or podding along. A turn off to the right and we were on a narrower and quieter road.

We passed houses with small gardens and cloves drying in flat spaces in the sun.

We reached a dirt track on our right and traversed along it. We passed ricefields and stands of clove trees. The path ended leading to homes and farms. Looking up we could see our hotel perched on the side of the thickly vegetated ridge.

We back tracked ascending the steep incline back to our hotel.

THE BIG HIKE

Our second hike was a long one. We followed the main road at Munduk up and up and up. The traffic was roaring past, the temperature was increasing, shade was limited and the road just seemed to keep getting steeper. A not so fun start.

We reached the track that lead to the waterfalls.

The track was fun to walk along. We passed trees, pretty and compacted homes and small warungs. The track was cemented in parts and natural in other parts. There were many steps leading up and down the ridges. Some of these steps were well maintained and others very rough. No steps seemed to be of the same height. So it was like one small step, one medium step then one ridiculously high step, etc, etc. Good for the calf muscles.

The three waterfalls we visited were stunning. They were high and the water dropped with power as it plummeted down the slick cliff edge to a pool of water. The force of the water resulted in a strong wind being generated with horizontal rain fron the waterfall spray. Very cooling!

I had a swim in one waterfall pool. It was cool and refreshing.

The luckiest thing about our hike was the lack of people at each waterfall we visited. The first waterfall had a crowd of about twenty people but they were leaving as we arrived. Then we had it for ½ hour on our own. Lucky!

The waterfalls were nice to sit and rest near. We soaked our feet in the water while eating our nut mix, drinking water and admiring the drooping vegetation of the waterfall canyon. Two of the waterfall had been modified with beautiful and subtle flower gardens that blended in so well with the natural greenery.

There were also a number of sturdy bamboo bridges to cross over at the falls and along the walking track.

The hike took us about four hours and was a wonderful experience.

THE LAST HIKE

Jacinta had a big sleep in. When she woke we had breakfast then a short walk/hike. Well, in the end it wasn’t short and not a walk.

We followed the road downhill from the hotel and continued straight where previously we had turned right. The homes very so unique being build in various precarious positions, Some were on solid ground with a huge drop off the edge, others on concrete stilts about three storeys off the ground, others were layered on top of other floors that didn’t seem to match in style and others that5 were relatively normal.

The road was festooned along its edge in places with beautiful flower arrangements either small and subtle or large overhanging blooms.

We took a turn to the left following a small waterway but it came to a dead end after 20 metres.

Further along the road we took another turn off to the right that according to Google Maps was a rice field track that lead back to our hotel. We took the track and it traverse around a hill through terraced corps of rice and cloves. It reached a sort of dead end but we continued onwards much to the annoyance of two dogs who barked viciously at us as we walked through their territory. The path a short while later dissipated but we continued sliding and traversing down the terraced slope till eventually there was nowhere to go but back up. We ascended the hill and eventually found our way back to the barking dogs. This time the dogs were aggressively unamused and added a bit vicious sentiment to the barks and snarls.

We were back on the path and backtracked our way back to the hotel.

THE TEMPLE TOUR

We organised an afternoon tour with the hotel to see a few sights.

The driver drove us up and up from Munduk until we levelled out on the crater ridge on the extinct volcano. We stopped at a lookout spot to view the two crater lakes below. There were wooden seats and tables to have a coffee while we viewed the lakes and volcanic backdrop.

Next stop was the temple on the edge of Lake Bratan. The parking lot was packed with cars , buses and motorbikes. The temple grounds were crowded with a massive amount of older Indonesian students. Some of them were very noisy. The actual temples were locked and there were no ceremonies or anyone dressed for ceremonies.

Okay it was not going to be a magical mystery tour where one could seek and witness the divine. Still, it was nice looking at the architecture, the smaller island temples and the stone carvings on the temple walls. The lake and volcanic cliffs were such a pretty backdrop especially as it was shrouded in mist and clouds.

Next stop was the traditional market. A few fruit stalls were opened but overall most stalls were closed and covered with a trap and there were only a few people wandering around.

An early morning tour would be better. Going by car was good as the road was so steep, narrow and windy. There was also a lot of traffic and it was raining on parts of the high ridge.

THE FOOD

Munduk had great local food and where we stayed there were a lot of restaurants. We ate lunch and dinner at different venues to spread our money love. I was impressed with the satay sauces and a dessert called kelok pisang which was sliced boiled bananas in a mixture of coconut and palm syrup. It was sooooo good!

The restaurants and warungs had great views of the mountains and valleys. The hosts at every establishment were friendly and very appreciative of having their food complimented.

INDONESIA - BALI - NUSA PENIDA - 23 to 26 August 2014 - 'CLOSE TO BALI 30 YEARS AGO'

INFO

Penida Gardens Hotel – 250 000R – fan okay
Motorbike - 60 000R
the gallery – nusa penida – 081999887205 or 087860330551 Namaste bungalows – jalan raya sakti crystal bay  – imam lalu – contact@namaste-bungalows.com - +62 (o)81917933418 – www.namaste-bungalows.com

MY JOURNEY

I left Legian being picked up by a shuttle bus and dropped at the Nusa Penida ticket office at Sanur. From there I walked to the beach and the boat landing area. I ate at a warung while waiting. The boat landed on the beach and there was a massive crowd boarding. They were mainly Indonesians going to a ceremony on the island.

The trip was calm and the locals going to the ceremony were very friendly and inquisitive. The boat landed at Sampalan, Nusa Penida. I got an ojek to look at the hotels. I liked the look of Penida Gardens. I settled in and organised a motorbike.

I drove along the coast towards Crystal Bay. It was an easy fun ride with little traffic but a lot of pot holes. At Crystal Bay, I put my gear into a warung and had a couple of snorkels. The water was so clear and calm and the coral and fish were plentiful. I walked around the bay over dry reefs and cliffs faces. It was awesome scenery!

That night, it was Putu’s birthday. He was the manager of the hotel. All the guests went to the party which was ½ hour drive away. There was cake and beer but no food. It started off as a food fight, then beers, then cake, then beers and then entertainment – limbo rock, guitar, singing and various games. The people were nice – Putu, the Irish couple, the Italian couple, the Basque girls and the Spanish guy, Putu’s friends and Miss Banyuwangi . The names of everyone eluded me except Marko the Italian guy.

What a great first day!

The next day, I chatted with the Italian couple and Irish couple at breakfast.

Later, I went a long ride to, over and around the mountains then down to crystal bay. The journey was so good being filled with friendly locals, deserted roads, villages, getting lost and pretty mountain and coastal scenery.

 At Crystal bay, the surf had changed from yesterday. It was wild and treacherous. The outside island in the middle of the bay had 3 metre waves rolling around either of it then crashing together in a spectacular display of water awesomeness.

I had a careful swim near shore. The waves and rips were deadly. Later, about 15 minutes after I left I was told that a Indonesian guy drowned where I was swimming by the warung lady the next day.

On the ride back I pulled into Namaste Bungalows, which wasn’t far from Crystal Bay. It had nice rooms, good food, a pool and a pretty rural location.

Further along the road, I stopped at The Gallery Coffee House, which also has good food. Over the next few days, I stopped here for a friendly chat with Mike, the owner, his daughter, who is a concept architect, her daughter and other visitors. It is a really good place to sit and enjoy life. Nice people!

The following day, I was on the bike again for a long, long ride along east coast and inland. Once again the scenery was pretty and the people friendly.

The next day, I had a snorkel at Toyapakeh in the morning. This place was really pretty with neat and clean warungs lining the white sand beach. There were many boats and a headland. This looked like a better place to stay than Sampalan. The snorkelling was okay but the stinging red jellyfish came in with the tide and I was out as fast as I could. On shore, I met five friendly ladies from Paris who were on a tour of the island. We chatted for a while in French/English.

I rode back to the hotel, paid my bill and caught an ojek it to my return boat to mainland Bali.

INDONESIA - BALI - BALIAN - 13 to 19 August, 2014 - 'SURF AND SURROUNDINGS'

Info

Car Legian to Balian 350 000R

Ayu home stay aircon room -  200 000R

Motorbike 60 000R

Car Balian to Legian 450 000R

My journey

It was a smooth trip to Balian from Legian. There was lots of traffic of course but that is, par for course, on the road to Gilimanuk.

I settled into Ayu’s aircon top room – 200 000R – nice bed, hot water and a balcony with surf view.

Now, I have been to Balian many times. Each time it is a different trip depending on weather, surf, people and my mood.

This stay was full of surprises, I met very nice people, had the best motor bike rides and the surf was good.

The surf was over head height the whole stay with some quality waves on the lefts and outside rights. My toe was feeling heaps better and my surfing was improving with fitness and practise.

I met Scotty, who I ran into a number of times later. We got a long well from the start and had so much past history in common yet we had never met.

Talking to Scotty one day and another guy walks up. It was Mark, who I met in Sri Lanka in 1985. He was building a house at Balian. It was great to see him again.

I met Ann from Bordeaux; she had an interesting life having had three kids and lived in Caribbean for years.

Amazing who you meet there!

I hired a motorbike and had a number of bike rides in the afternoon when the wind turned onshore.

I motored north taking in the beaches north of Balian. It was great fun motoring along the main road then turning off onto minor roads and dirt tracks. I rode pass and along rice fields, beaches and villages. I had a few chats with some locals.

One guy had a series of strings with plastic tied to it at various intervals all around his rice field. When birds landed in his rice fields, he tugged on the string which vibrated along the length and breadth of the string in large waves scaring off would be rice eating birds. I also came across a resort on a very isolated stretch of beach. It looked nice, quiet but too lonely for me.

On another ride, I rode north to Truckstops and had a walk around the reef and beach, then up to Pura Siwi Rambut, which is past Medewi. This temple is in a very scenic coastal location with a number of temples over the complex. Pretty!

 I followed coastal road but there was not much surf potential except erratic beach breaks. At one stage, after mermaid statue, the road turned to dirt and passed rice fields when suddenly there were a series of dingy looking karaoke bars. Welcome to Negara brothel district! The main road was fun but the buses were very hazardous – move off the road or die – I chose to move.

On another ride, I went up into the mountains behind Balian. It was such a good ride. Up, up, up and a turnoff to a temple led to a view over the coast from Balian to Soka. On the way back, I took a small turn off which lead down the mountain along a dirt/concrete, road/track. There were a lot of people to talk to along the way, which were working on road maintenance or tending to their fields. It was steep and challenging!

I got a call from Brian – visa extension – to come back for visa photos. Off to Legian I go!