Discover Beautiful Bali and the Gili islands, Indonesia

As winter looms on the Northern Hemisphere, for some of us - the dark mornings and nights have us suffering from SAD [Seasonal Affective Disorder]. If you are one of these people negatively affected by the winter months and are chasing the sun - why not escape for a week or two to beautiful Bali in Indonesia. A true island paradise, surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Bali Sea and the Indian Ocean, Bali is home to religious temples, volcanic mountains, coral reefs, iconic rice paddies and is well known for its yoga and meditation retreats. (Did I mention Bali boasts some of the most vibrant sunsets I have ever witnessed and the bonus ball - it is delightfully affordable and caters for all budgets.) Get your case at the ready - I have summarised some of my Bali highlights - feel free to embed them into your itinerary...

The Sunrise Trek at Mount Batur Volcano - The Ultimate Bali High (and low)

Mount Batur is an Active volcano, situated in the Bangali Region of Bali. For decades tourists have been trekking up to the summit to witness the sunrise over neighboring volcanic mountains - Mount Agung and once you reach the top it isn't hard to see why. The scenes are absolutely breathtaking. A little word of warning - this trek is no mean feat - especially setting of at 5am in the dark of the night, my experience on this mountain was one I won't forget in a hurry... It was Valentines day and I had set off with two of my girlfriends on this excursion that we had booked through local guide Mount Batur Sunrise Trekking btw. Having suffered from the dreadful Bali Belly just days before I was determined to conquer this volcano. Just a little trek they said. A little stroll in the park they said. Not so much guys! My advice - pack light and don't forget the toilet roll and wetwipes! Half way up the mountain (in the dark of the night) I needed to go to the toilet. Like I really needed to go - my bowels were unforgiving at this point and I found myself running off piste somewhere in my attempt to find shelter to do my business only to have flashlight after flashlight beaming in my direction. Humiliation wouldn't cover it. I pleaded with my friends to leave me there. Leave me there on the side of this volcanic mountain and some how I would make my way back to base camp when I was feeling human again. #digmeagraveimdone But friends being friends they were having none of it. Dragging me up that mountain with our guide now carrying my (very overly packed and heavy) backpack somehow I made it to the summit and it truly was magical. We were in the clouds, I was able to forget about the humiliation that had just been and was enthralled by the scenery surrounding us. Bizarrely there were also monkeys running around everywhere and breakfast - well breakfast was a banana and a boiled (well steamed) egg that was cooked on the very volcano we stood. In hindsight I don't think we fully appreciated the dangers of this little excursion - but then do you ever when travelling - we were very much in the moment.

Allow 2-3 Hours to Summit Mount Batur and another 1.5 hours on the decent. Be sure to go with a local guide who can explain all the mountain's history and tales of the land.

Bathe in the Natural Hot Springs at the foot of Mount Batur

After the Volcano trek, reward yourself by submerging into the hot springs, just a short walk from the base of Mount Batur. This is a real treat, true serenity - and if your muscles are really sore why not have a full body massage from one of the local masseuse. This is the place to truly unwind and embrace the natural beauty of Bali.

Bathe in the Natural Hot Springs

Stay in Adiwana Monkey Forest in Ubud

Ubud is home to the iconic terraced rice paddies and holy temples, situated in uplands of Bali and surrounded by rainforest, in my opinion, Ubud is the true cultural hub of Bali. I went here to really switch off and staying in the Adiwana Monkey Forest (hotel) helped me accomplish this. It is like a little retreat in a retreat, with its own little outdoor pool and serene garden, it is just a stroll away from the main streets and Ubud traditional art market.

Sip on Sundown Cocktails while watching the waves crash in @ Rock Bar Bali

Perched a top distinctive rock formations along Jimbaran’s pristine sunset coast at the 5-star Ayana resort and spa, Rock Bar Bali lives up to expectations being dubbed as one of the 'worlds best cocktail bars'. Watching the waves crash into the cliff face, this is without a doubt thee most atmospheric experience I have had to date when sipping a cocktail (or four). Instagramable points - 10/10

Say Hello to the Gods at the Uluwatu Temple

The Uluwatu Temple is a Balinese Hindu sea temple located in Uluwatu which is perched on top of a steep cliff. It is one of the 6 key temples considered to be Bali's 'spiritual pillars' and sitting out on the Indian Ocean, is one of the most magical backdrops to watch the sun go down. Dress appropriately (as it is a religious temple) and watch out for the naught monkey thieves - one landed on my head and ran off with my sunglasses! You couldn't make this stuff up, keep your bags zipped at all times.

Uluwatu Temple - The Water Temple, Bali

Sample world famous Kopi Luwak Coffee at the gardens of Negari coffee house

I am not mad caffeine fanatic myself but I couldn't go all the way to Bali and not try some of the world's most unique and expensive coffees you can find - the Kopi Luwak Coffee which is coffee beans partially digested by a civet cat. I am still not sure if i know what all the fuss is about, although the coffee did taste remarkably smooth, however I couldn't help thinking that this accidental discovery by Indonesian farmers generations ago has manifested into an industrialised production, probbaly not as rare as it is made about to be - and more alarming the animal cruelty element to producing these beans. None the less, a stroll through the gardens and sampling the other variations of coffee on offer at Negari coffee house such as the Coco coffee was a real treat.

Luwak Coffee tasting

Looking for Beach Club Vibes?

Whilst I was keen to make my Bali experience one like no other (which I feel I accomplished) for the most part I tried to stay away from the mainstream clubbing experiences that we have in Europe, and the party town of Seminyak in particular. However, toward the end of my trip - I just couldn't keep my inner party girl at bay. She wanted to come out to play - and come out to play she did hitting up Bali fave - Potato Head. Potato Head serves as the center of the island's creative scene, regularly hosting film screenings, cultural conventions, and world-famous DJs - clear your schedule and spend the day and night here. With daybeds positioned around the infinity pool, a swim-up bar, and three restaurants, there is something for everyone, even just people watching kept me entertained for hours.

Escape to the neighboring Gili Islands

Looking for a paradise within a paradise - this is as good as it gets. The Gili Islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air, near the coast of northwest Lombok Island, just a short boat trip from Bali (we opted for the blue water express). The Gili's are so splendid that this short paragraph won't do them justice - nor did my three day trip. On my break to Bali - I left the best until last - but then sadly ran out of time (and annual leave) and had to cut my time on the Gili's short. I crammed in a lot in my short stay but these little islands will need to be revisited for at least a week to fully appreciate what they have to offer. The Gili's are a divers heaven with crystal clear waters and shipwrecks and seas turtles and the infamous shark point. Not being a diver myself (albeit I have tried) I opted for a snorkeling excursion where I got to swim with the majestic hawksbill sea turtles. We stayed on Gili Trawangan or 'Gili T' which is the larger of the three islands. I would suggest making this your base and you can boat over and back or island hop in a day to the other Gili islands. Noting that the island is a strictly no motorised vehicles, we got around via (donkey) and carriage and bikes. It was great. Total relaxed, chilled vibes. #islandlife Make sure to catch the sunset on the west of Gili T - I would recommend the Ombak Sunset Hotel, as the name suggests - as it is located at the most western point of the island.

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