Quiet beach scene in Sanur, Bali

Bali, Indonesia

Bali. Bali. Bali. Oh my goodness, Bali. I cannot wait to go back here and stay longer.

Settling into Sanur

I stayed in Sanur, the quieter side of Denpasar, which turned out to be the perfect home base for exploring the rest of the island without getting swept up in the busier tourist strips.

Ubud, temples, and rice terraces

From Sanur, I made my way to Ubud, wandering through the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and the surrounding rice terraces, then out to Tanah Lot Temple, perched dramatically on its rock formation above the surf. I also got to see how coffee is made at a local plantation — watching the whole process up close made me appreciate my morning cup a little more.

Scooters, surfing, and a volcano

I rode scooters throughout Denpasar, learned to surf at Kuta Beach, and spent time talking with local artists about their work. I also visited Mount Agung, a volcano that erupted just two days after I was there — a reminder of how alive this island really is.

This trip was shot with a Canon 5D Mark III. If you want to learn how to use your own DSLR to capture your adventures the way I capture mine, my ebook walks through exactly that.

Quiet beach scene in Sanur, Bali
Ubud rice terraces stretching across the Bali countryside
A long-tailed macaque at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud
Stone carvings and jungle canopy at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
Tanah Lot Temple perched on its rock formation at sunset
Waves crashing near Tanah Lot Temple on the Bali coast
Terraced rice paddies near Ubud, Bali
Traditional coffee plantation in Bali showing the roasting process
Scooters lined up on a street in Denpasar, Bali
Surfers paddling out at Kuta Beach, Bali
Local market scene in Denpasar, Bali
Ocean view along the Bali coastline near Kuta
Sunset silhouette over Tanah Lot Temple
Rice terraces glowing in late afternoon light near Ubud
Coffee cherries drying at a Bali coffee plantation
Balinese countryside road lined with rice fields
Quiet beach scene in Sanur, Bali, another frame from the trip
Ubud rice terraces stretching across the Bali countryside, another frame from the trip
A long-tailed macaque at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, another frame from the trip
Stone carvings and jungle canopy at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, another frame from the trip
Tanah Lot Temple perched on its rock formation at sunset, another frame from the trip
Waves crashing near Tanah Lot Temple on the Bali coast, another frame from the trip
Terraced rice paddies near Ubud, Bali, another frame from the trip
Traditional coffee plantation in Bali showing the roasting process, another frame from the trip
Scooters lined up on a street in Denpasar, Bali, another frame from the trip
Surfers paddling out at Kuta Beach, Bali, another frame from the trip
Kuta Beach sunset with surfers in the water, another frame from the trip
Local Balinese artist at work on a painting, another frame from the trip
Traditional Balinese art and carvings in a village studio, another frame from the trip
Mount Agung volcano rising over the Bali landscape, another frame from the trip
View of Mount Agung from a distance in Bali, another frame from the trip
Denpasar street scene with scooters and local shops, another frame from the trip
Sanur beachfront in the quieter part of Bali, another frame from the trip
Rice terrace path winding through Ubud, another frame from the trip
Balinese temple gate with traditional stone carvings, another frame from the trip
Tropical jungle canopy near the Sacred Monkey Forest, another frame from the trip
Local market scene in Denpasar, Bali, another frame from the trip
Ocean view along the Bali coastline near Kuta, another frame from the trip
Sunset silhouette over Tanah Lot Temple, another frame from the trip
Rice terraces glowing in late afternoon light near Ubud, another frame from the trip
Coffee cherries drying at a Bali coffee plantation, another frame from the trip
Balinese countryside road lined with rice fields, another frame from the trip
Quiet beach scene in Sanur, Bali, another frame from the trip
Ubud rice terraces stretching across the Bali countryside, another frame from the trip
A long-tailed macaque at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, another frame from the trip
Stone carvings and jungle canopy at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, another frame from the trip
Tanah Lot Temple perched on its rock formation at sunset, another frame from the trip
Waves crashing near Tanah Lot Temple on the Bali coast, another frame from the trip
Terraced rice paddies near Ubud, Bali, another frame from the trip
Traditional coffee plantation in Bali showing the roasting process, another frame from the trip
Scooters lined up on a street in Denpasar, Bali, another frame from the trip
Surfers paddling out at Kuta Beach, Bali, another frame from the trip
Kuta Beach sunset with surfers in the water, another frame from the trip
Local Balinese artist at work on a painting, another frame from the trip
Traditional Balinese art and carvings in a village studio, another frame from the trip
Mount Agung volcano rising over the Bali landscape, another frame from the trip
View of Mount Agung from a distance in Bali, another frame from the trip
Denpasar street scene with scooters and local shops, another frame from the trip
Sanur beachfront in the quieter part of Bali, another frame from the trip
Rice terrace path winding through Ubud, another frame from the trip
Balinese temple gate with traditional stone carvings, another frame from the trip
Tropical jungle canopy near the Sacred Monkey Forest, another frame from the trip
Local market scene in Denpasar, Bali, another frame from the trip
Ocean view along the Bali coastline near Kuta, another frame from the trip
Sunset silhouette over Tanah Lot Temple, another frame from the trip
Rice terraces glowing in late afternoon light near Ubud, another frame from the trip
Coffee cherries drying at a Bali coffee plantation, another frame from the trip
Balinese countryside road lined with rice fields, another frame from the trip
Quiet beach scene in Sanur, Bali, another frame from the trip
Ubud rice terraces stretching across the Bali countryside, another frame from the trip
A long-tailed macaque at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, another frame from the trip
Stone carvings and jungle canopy at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, another frame from the trip

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Ubud, Bali?

Ubud is known for the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, surrounding rice terraces, and easy access to nearby temples — it’s a great home base for exploring central Bali.

Where can I learn to surf in Bali?

Kuta Beach is one of the most popular spots on the island for beginner surf lessons.

Is Mount Agung safe to visit?

Mount Agung is an active volcano that has erupted in recent years, so conditions and access can change — always check current volcanic activity advisories before planning a visit.

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January 30, 2018

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