BALI

Hosted by Tracey Walsh
May 7-21, 2023

The rich and diverse culture of Bali plays out at all levels of life. From the exquisite flower-petal offerings placed everywhere, to the processions of joyfully garbed locals shutting down major roads as they march to one of the myriad temple ceremonies. To the other worldly traditional music and dance performed island-wide. Almost everything has spiritual meaning. The inhabitants of this small island are indeed a generous, genuinely warm people. From Ubud, the heart of Bali, to the beautiful beaches of Sanur, the mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of a paradise. It’s more than a place; it’s a mood, an aspiration, a divine state of mind. Add a stay at Bali’s special beaches and you have an unbeatable holiday.

A Message from Tracey
I have traveled extensively in service to others; with a medical team to Central America for many years as their photojournalist and around the world in service to the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.
This trip has been designed especially for us, a gathering combining community, spirit and adventure in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
So, pack your sarong and put a flower in your hair… and let’s go.
In Love,
Tracey

Your Tour Includes

• Round trip air transportation from San Francisco to Bali
• Round trip airport & hotel transfers
• 12-nights accommodations at first class 4-star hotels
• Service charges and taxes at your hotels
• Breakfast at hotels each day
• 6 lunches
• 6 dinners
• Transportation throughout Bali
• Sightseeing excursions including entrance fees
• Local guides throughout
• Porterage of one piece of luggage per person per hotel
• Plus protection by BMSJ’s $1,000,000 per traveler Errors & Omissions coverage

Special Features

• Meditation sessions
• A walk through the temples of the Sacred Monkey Forest
• Opportunity to bathe at the Holy Spring waters at the 9th century Tirta Empul Temple
• Enjoy an experience of a “walk on the wild side” on an Elephant Safari
• A Holistic healing for well-being
• A purification with a High Balinese Priest and Healer
• Special sunset farewell dinner and Kecak dance performance
• A Balinese Cooking Class at a local village
• A special Mother’s Day spa treatment and tea
• 3 full days of relaxing on Bali’s beautiful beaches and beyond

ITINERARY

Day 1- Sunday, May 7: Depart San Francisco
Airport check-in will be about 11pm this evening.

Day 2- Monday, May 8: Departure for Bali
Departure a little past midnight for your connecting flight to Bali, crossing the International Date Line.

Day 3- Tuesday, May 9: Arrival in Denpasar. On to Ubud (D)

Arrival in Bali. On arrival and after going through Immigration and Customs, we will be met and transferred to our reserved accommodation in Ubud — considered Bali’s Cultural Hub. After time to unpack and refresh ourselves, we enjoy a late light welcome dinner at our hotel this evening, before heading for a good night’s rest!

Day 4- Wednesday, May 10: In Ubud (B/L/D)
A relaxing morning after our long flights. We start our touring with lunch at the beautiful Lotus Restaurant before proceeding across a pathway and over a scenic lotus pond to Taman Saraswati Temple and Sacred Monkey Forest, a Hindu temple with ornate architectural details. The final visit of the day will be a walk through the Sacred Monkey Forest. The village’s residents view the Monkey Forest as an important spiritual, economic, educational and conservation center. Aside from 700 monkeys that inhabit the forest, we will also see an abundant species of plants, trees and an opportunity to breathe in real fresh air, while appreciating the ancient temples. Afterwards return to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Day 5- Thursday, May 11: In Ubud (B/L/D)
This morning we head to Tirta Empul Temple. It was built at 9^th Century during Warmadewa kingdom time. In this Temple will see the Holy spring water blowing from the Temple’s ground and inner pool. These waters are believed to have magic curative powers and people journey from all over Bali to purify themselves in these clear bathing pools. After our bathing we will enjoy a food offering that has been blessed by a Pemangku (Local Priest) as we continue to Tegalalang to have lunch and enjoy the view that is famous for its beautiful scenes of rice paddies we so often see in pictures of Bali. We will return to our hotel in the afternoon to relax a bit before we depart for dinner and a show at the LakaLeke Restaurant. Balinese dancing and music awaits!

Day 6- Friday, May 12: In Ubud (B)
After breakfast we will visit a Balinese Healer, to be able to address any health or life problems. Here we will participate in a purification with a High Balinese Priest and Healer. This healing session with a Tibetan singing bowl is to energize, balance and enhance your seven chakras, as well as to help improve your immune system. This is followed by a discussion with the Balinese Healer, to be able to address any health or life problems.

Day 7- Saturday, May 13: In Ubud (B/L/D)
This morning, we will visit Gunung Kawi Temple complex, a 11th-century temple complex in Tampaksiring. It is one of Bali’s most unique archaeological sites, comprising a collection of 10 ancient shrine reliefs carved into the face of a rock cliff. The main site overlooks the sacred Pakerisan River, which also flows by the Tirta Empul Temple. Across the river from there are ancient reliefs in a temple courtyard featuring old Hindu shrines in a more contemporary architectural style, which is attended by pilgrims especially during its ‘piodalan’ temple anniversaries. We then proceed to Penglipuran Village to wander about this traditional village that will present us with an insight to unique Balinese art, culture and customs. Continue to Kehen Temple, the Royal Temple of the Bangli Kingdom and now the Regency of Bangli. This is an ancient Hindu Temple complex that boasts unique architectural features. The Temple courtyard is reachable from ground level up a flight of 38 stairs that features carved sandstone mythical animal and Balinese folklore figure statues around the staircases and the central vestibule. The Kehen Temple was mentioned three times in three copper inscriptions dated from the late 9th-century, the early 11th-century, and the 13th-century. We will enjoy lunch at local restaurant before returning to our hotel to relax, some time for exploring the city or take a nap and finally having dinner together at our hotel.

Day 8- Sunday, May 14: In Ubud (B/L) Mother’s Day
A special Mother’s Day celebration, “Bali Style.” After breakfast, we depart our hotel to visit traditional market and buy ingredients for our cooking class. Then continue to the Balinese House compound with an introduction about this special house. This will be followed by a Cooking Class, where we will participate in prepping and cooking lunch with assistance by a local chef for every step of the way as we learn to use traditional Balinese utensils.  We will then do an offering to family temple before enjoying our lunch. After lunch we return to our hotel for tea and an afternoon at the spa.  This evening we will enjoy dinner at one of the wonderful local restaurants.

Day 9- Monday, May 15: In Ubud (B/L)
After breakfast, we will have an unusual experience as we travel to Mason Elephant Sanctuary. Here we take a “walk on the wild side” with an informative and scenic stroll atop an elephant through the cool Taro jungle. This will be an experience you’ll never forget, interacting and exercising with these resident giants. Afterwards, we will enjoy lunch with a view of the elephant bathing lane in the park lake. Return to our hotel for the rest of the day and evening free for independent exploration, shopping and dining at one of the area’s great restaurants.

Day 10- Tuesday, May 16: To Sanur (B/L/D) Travel Day
After breakfast, we depart Ubud for our first destination on this morning’s tour is the Royal Mengwi “Taman Ayun” Temple. This is an amazing temple complex surrounded by a moat and an elaborate stone entrance gate. Its courtyard boasts numerous pavilions and multi-roofed Meru Hindu shrines with intricately carved wooden gates. Afterwards, there is a stop for a visit at the Candi Kuning fruit market where we can find and taste a variety of tropical fruits and vegetables on display. We break for lunch at a local restaurant to sample a delicious, hearty Balinese meal, before continuing to the stunning Ulun Danu Temple, located at Baturiti, Tabanan Regency. Ulun Danu Temple is both a famous picturesque landmark and a significant temple complex. The smooth reflective surface of the lake surrounding most of the temple’s base creates a unique floating impression, while the mountain range of the Bedugul region encircling the lake provides the temple with a scenic backdrop. Its location within the waters, surrounded by the mountains, makes for a breathtaking setting. We will make our way to the water’s edge where we first visit Tanah Lot, a temple that was founded by the 16th century priest Danghyang Nirartha. Tide conditions permitting, we may be able to walk across the beach to the Temple. We continue to Sanur for our evening dinner and rest in our new hotel.

Day 11- Wednesday, May 17: In  Sanur (B)
This morning we will walk to the beautiful Tegenungan waterfall. Tegenungan Waterfall is situated in the Tegenungan Kemenuh village. Where we will walk through lush green forest to reach the waterfall. Followed by a visit to a local coffee plantation for coffee tasting, then off to Kintamani with soaking at hot spring of Batur. Afternoon free at your own leisure to do some shopping or just relax at the pool or the beach. Dinner on your own this evening after enjoying one of the most beautiful sunsets in Indonesia.

Day 12 – Thursday, May 18 : In Sanur (B)
We start the morning with a visit the Southern cliff of Bali. It’s a rocky precipice that drops almost 300 feet into the ocean. The famous small Temple of Pura Luhur Uluwatu, dating from the 10^th century, balances picturesquely on the cliff’s edge and is one of the six temples of the world revered by all Balinese. We return to our hotel for an afternoon of leisure and fun.

Day 13 – Friday, May 19 : In Sanur (B)
A full day free for independent activities, lingering at the hotel or take in the sun at the nearby beach where you can relax on complimentary sun loungers and parasols on golden sandy Sanur beach. Or spend the day getting spa treatments or a massage. Lunch & Dinner will be open so you can have dinner independently at one of the wonderful local restaurants.

Day 14 – Saturday, May 20: In Sanur (B/D)
Last “beach” day to soak up the sun, do some last minute shopping or just relax by the pool. As the sun sets, we will enjoy the legendary Kecak Dance performed by a group of men who dance in a circle around a blazing torch. This is followed by a delicious BBQ Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran Bay. Return to our hotel for our last night in Bali.

Day 15- Sunday, May 21: Depart for the USA
Transfer back to the airport in Denpasar and board our connecting flights back to San Francisco. You pick up the day you lost traveling to Bali, so you will have a same day arrival!

“We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the tonic to creativity.
When you get home… home is still the same.
Big something in our minds has changed, and that, changes EVERYTHING!”
Jonah Lehrer

Hotels (or similar)
Ubud – Tjamphham Hotel & Spa Ubud (6 nights)
Sanur – Prama Sanur Beach Hotel (4 nights)

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Price Per Person

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Travel Insurance

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Photo credits:

Balinese dancers by Crisco 1492 under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Pura Taman Ayun by Johannnindito Adisuryo under  Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 4.0 Internationallicense.

Ulun Danu Beratan by Susan.wibowo under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Tegenungan Waterfall: Magul, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons