When I woke up that first morning in Bali, I didn’t know where I was exactly. The room was huge, there were birds singing outside in a manner that I have never heard before. I even looked up to see if maybe I have left the TV on the night before. Bright light was coming through the terrace door. Got up and opened it… Oh my! Where was all this last night!

View to wake up to
There was such a wonderful view from the terrace onto the hotel courtyard that I just stood there, stunned by the scenery. It took me a while to breath in and out, to hear myself saying anything other than “oh my!”. There were paths through the lavish greenery curving in all directions and coming together a bit further away to go straight to the beach. I could even see the sea. And up there in the sky, huge, white, fluffy clouds were lingering. I didn’t know then that I would be fascinated by the clouds in Bali throughout my journey. Is it just me or the sky really looks so beautifully different when you go halfway around the world! Such lovely, sigh-worthy views!

Fascinating clouds
Private tours
After coming to my senses, having breakfast and taking long strolls around the hotel complex and its various facilities, I had tea with the local guide who picked me up at the airport the previous night. I wasn’t really interested in all those touristy tours the local travel agency was offering, but it turned out that I could make arrangements with the guy to be my private guide. It meant that I can choose what I want to visit and when.

Lush greenery along the pathways
Given that I always come slightly prepared in a sense that I try to gather as much info about the place I am going to travel to (even books I bring to read are always in accordance to the destination), it took us maybe half an hour to agree upon our route for the upcoming 10 days. The guy is going to come and pick me up at the hotel almost every other morning and we will go around the island together. I would pay for the “tours” and would have to cover all the entry fees, lunch and coffee breaks, and wouldn’t have to worry about the car or the gas. This was going to be such a good idea!

Traditional temples in the complex
It all just fell into place – I could visit everything I wanted, under my own terms, had enough time to do the tour around the whole island and the guy was great. Like almost all the people from Bali, he was smiling all the time, being kind and polite, he often spoke about his daughters and his young wife, their life there. It was fun to compare different circumstances we live in, totally different cultures, traditions and well – the weather.

Beautiful statues
Bali climate
My trip to Bali was at the beginning of March. It was still hot and humid, at least according to the Balinese weather. I was amazed to learn that the temperatures here range from 22 to 32 degrees Celsius, all year round. The guide told me that people living on the island don’t have any heaters, they don’t need them since it doesn’t actually get cold, ever!

Walking out to the beach
While talking about the weather, he said that he has seen the snow only once – and it was in the ice chamber in Ubud mall years ago.
“It was possible to go inside, to step onto the snow, touch it. But, hum, I wasn’t that curious!”

Perfect day for fishing
This was so amusing. He was laughing when seeing my reaction to “didn’t hold the snowball in my hands, ever” and then I laughed when his eyes opened widely when I said that in Central Europe we have all the four seasons.
“The temperature can reach 40 in the summer, but also 10 below zero in winter. I don’t think that we have ever had a winter without the snow!”
He just blinked again and said:
“Really? Oh my! You must have a lot of clothes then!”

White clouds over the rice paddies
How interesting is that, right! Such glimpses of the world’s cultures are only possible when traveling and getting to know previously unfamiliar lands and people. These are the glimpses I have actually had in mind when thinking about the name for my blog. Such an emanation of diversity!

The low tide
Wet and dry season
Still, however different the weather was in Bali, I actually found it perfect. It was usually around 28 degrees, sunny with occasional rains and beautiful large, white clouds. It could rain heavily, but it wouldn’t last for more than half an hour. The rain was warm and it was even pleasant to swim during such “a nasty weather”. The sea is warm all year round!

Chasing the sea
The wet season goes from November to March, it’s hot, humid, and it can change quickly from sunny to, well, stormy. January is the month with the heaviest rains. The dry season starts from April, while the driest months with pleasant temperatures are July and August. That is when most of the tourists come, it’s the peak of the season. Hence the reason for slightly higher prices in the summer.

Interesting rocks emerging from the sea
Disturbing the crab
Another thing I was taken by surprise was the tide. I didn’t expect the low tide to be so – low! I mean, the sea pulled back for about 100 meters from its original beach level every day. It was like you have to chase the sea in order to swim properly.

Playing in the shallow waters
One day, the sea took off away from the shore and I took my camera walking along this suddenly elongated beach. I went further away, found some beautiful shells and knelt down into the shallow waters so that I can take another photo up close. While I was trying to take that shot, something was pulling through underneath my knees, digging its way out of the sand. I felt it move and instinctively pulled back. I could even hear it scratching through the sand grains. And there it was – palm-sized crab that I have accidentally set on, with its beautiful green shell. While I smiled in awe saying “Oh, excuse me, my dear!” out loud, it dug itself back into the sand.

Beach becomes huge
Escaping the tide
Few days later I was taken to the famous sea food restaurant which was touristy, but still a pity to skip. It was when I have decided to try the crab dish for the first time. It wasn’t that amusing to pick one out of the water tank they were held in, in order to cook and serve it for me, but I tried not to think about it. My guide was laughing seeing me with my eyes shut, pointing my finger to the tank randomly while saying “that one”.
“That’s not the same crab from the beach, you know!”, he said teasing me still.

Discovering new things during the low tide
Anyway, we sat at one of the tables on the restaurant’s beach. There was a band playing all the popular old songs from the West, the restaurant was full, tourists all around. Arak cocktail was nice, never had one before. My crab was eventually served, it seemed it wasn’t that big, but I was satisfied. Tried to handle my meal while the guide was laughing occasionally, seeing me struggling with crab’s legs while actually admiring its colors and patterns on its shell. It took me a while to eat it, true. Halfway through, the guy has already eaten his fish and he was waiting for me to, well, eventually finish my dinner. After a while, he asked what the time was:
“Just asking. Hope you’ll finish before the high tide washes us all off!”

Can you see the crab in the middle?
How can one forget such funny situations! Whenever someone mentions a crab dish nowadays, I instantly remember how I ate my first one almost until the Balinese tide washed me away, along with the plate! And the guide. And the band. And the whole tank of all those other crabs with their pretty shells!
Next: THE MOTHER TEMPLE (3)
The full Bali SERIES
Danik
Love reading your experience on Bali here. I love the crab picture at the end, with my eyesight, I couldnt even see it! Hope to get to Bali soon. Great post 🙂
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed reading it. And I know, that crab camouflaged itself pretty good. 😀
divyakshi
Your article took me back to Bali. To the gorgeous island with fluffy clouds in the skies and green pathways and intricate statues and sunny weather and smiling people 🙂
Loved Bali! The landscapes, the culture, the temples every thing is just so pretty and the best part is that it is inexpensive. SO good to hear about your private tour with a guide that gave you so much flexibility to see what you want and spend time accordingly! Lovely read!
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Thanks! I can see that you’ve had some great time in Bali as well! 😉 😀 I could go back any time.
Leah
What a curious comment about the clothes. I never thought of it that way, but yes, it’s true (and necessary)!
Danijela WorldGlimpses
I guess that we take a lot of things for granted, and there, it’s totally intriguing to someone halfway around the world. 😀
Medha Verma
Haha, I never thought how it could be funny to people from Europe that tropical places like Bali or even countries in the Middle East (like the one I live in, the UAE) never see 4 seasons. We know only one season here and that’s summer. It’s either VERY hot or not that hot and that’s about it. We do not have spring, we do not have autumn and definitely not winter! So cool that you found a guy to take you around for the 10 days of your visit to Bali, it is such a lovely city, isn’t it?
Danijela WorldGlimpses
It is interesting, you have to admit, just as much as it is for you with one season to imagine having to clean your car of snow every morning during winter before going to work! 😀 😀
Where do you live in UAE? I’ve only been to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and I know what it’s like to be there in August. 😀
And when did you see the snow for the first time in person, at the shopping mall or you’ve traveled somewhere?
You see how interesting these differences are, I just love it! 🙂 <3
Thanks, Medha!
Nisha
Bali is a wonderful island and our well written post only makes me more nostalgic. When we went the weather quite fine and we could enjoy all our outings. I agree with you that however much we may have read about a place, only when actually visit we begin to understand the place. Happy travelling!
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
So glad you had such nice time on the island, I can so relate to that! <3
Meg Jerrard
Truly is a wonderful view from the terrace you had! I’m not a big tour group person either, but private tours are fabulous because you can visit places at your own pace, and it’s fabulous being guided by a local, and the private tour makes you feel like you’re more of a friend than them being a tour guide. It sounds like you had a fabulous time – glad the weather was perfect for you, and that you didn’t get washed away with the tide!
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Hehehe, thank you, that was a close call, with that tide I mean. 😀
Totally agree with you on group tours and private guides. It’s true, the guy was like a friend, I ended up sending daily greetings to his wife and kids. And my touring the island was so relaxed and in my own pace, just like it should be when you travel! 🙂
Ami Bhat
Bali tends to charm everyone who visits it. Whether it is its mountains or the sea. There is a strange calmness that it has attached to itself – one that I can sense in your writing. Glad you had fun there. Cheers
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Thank you, so glad I’ve achieved to put that feeling and the whole island atmosphere itself into words. 🙂
Indrani
Such a sweet well written post. I could feel Bali through them, especially the crab 😀 😀 I was there some months back and you are so right about the amazing rocks there and they have temples too on them. The low tides give ample opportunity to explore.
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Hehehe, so glad you like the crab story. That’s the one I won’t forget, that’s for sure. 😀
I was also fascinated by Bali temples. Check out few following posts in the series, you’ll see how much! 🙂
Lauren
It’s really good to know the weather here and how the “seasons” work. I always just assume that it’s constantly bright and sunny 24/7 by the photos! We have four very drastic seasons here in Canada, and of course I’m always trying to escape the winter 🙂
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Bali is perfect for escaping the winter. Their “winter” is the heavy rain while it’s hot and humid all the time. So, if you want to keep the snow out of the picture for a while, this is as good choice as it gets! 😀
Siddhartha Joshi
I completely understand why you were so surprised by the view…it’s so so beautiful! Add to that the chirping birds, and it almost feels like heaven 🙂
You certainly found a great guy to show you around and also told you about his life – a private tour that’s also personal! Wonderful 🙂
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Oh yes, I consider myself fortunate to have been able to see the island with such a lovely companion. It tells a lot about the place, don’t you think. 🙂 One is usually more or less fond of the country regarding the encounters as such and its people in general.
Thanks, Siddhartha. 🙂
wayansuliarsadaily
hope you have a memorable vacation in Bali. thanks for visiting our island
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Oh yes, I did, thank you! You have one beautiful island. <3
fajarlaksono
Bali is wonderful
Danijela WorldGlimpses
Oh, I know, totally agree! Beautiful island. 🙂