The one problem with people asking me about Bali? Putting it into words. When I sat down to write this, I knew I was going to have to come up with more than just “wow”. When Philippine Airlines and the Balinese Tourist Board invited me out to Bali and the Gili Islands, I jumped at the chance. I’d heard many good things, but I had no idea what kind of paradise I was in for. Despite it being mid-season when there’s a tendency for it to rain, we didn’t see a single drop. I got 8 nights of bliss. Here’s how it went.
Nusa Dua- Paradise Beaches And All-Round Resort Luxury
I was travelling with some other UK travel agents, so we all met at Heathrow Airport for our flight out. We landed quite late (about 10 p.m.), but the prompt minibus transfer to our hotel was a sign of things to come- the service here is impeccable. Nusa Dua is the South Balinese peninsula known for its dazzling beaches, lush rainforests and luxury hotels. We stayed in the Laguna, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa- definitely what it says on the tin.
The Laguna sits right on Nusa Dua beach overlooking the Java Sea. Inside, it’s marbles, Balinese woods and contemporary chic. Outside, it’s landscaped gardens, 7 pools (lagoon, saltwater, sand-floored and kiddie), plus the stand-out feature- the beach.
It was total paradise. White sands, blue waters, sunbeds and intimate thatched or cabana loungers. Even the bar overlooks the lagoon. The agenda was 100% R&R, although we did go into the Bali Collection, which is basically your downtown. A lovely selection of shops, bars, restaurants and al fresco terraces. The whole of Nusa Dua is a gated community, you won’t find any rowdiness and the security checks are really tight.
Onto Ubud- Tropical Rainforests, Temples And A Monkey Forest
I could’ve stayed in Nusa Dua forever, but after 2 nights, it was onto even more beauty. Our private minibus to Ubud took about 45 minutes. Whoever had the idea to build a hotel with 2 infinity pools overlooking a rainforest was onto something.
Ubud is the jungle-set region where Julia Roberts filmed Eat, Pray, Love. You’re wrapped by lush rainforests and rice paddies here. Sunset rays shine through the Talah Lot Temple which feels like something out of a movie. This iconic pilgrimage site used to be land-based. Corrosion isn’t always a good thing, but something about the island setting, pouring light and an immense sense of stillness does make it feel quite spiritual. Ubud’s temples are world-famous, including the Royal Family Temple of Taman Ayun.
A few words on the Maya Ubud Resort & Spa. Overlooking lush rainforests and completely serene, this hotel is perfection for couples, families or solo travellers looking for top-class everything (in the world’s most beautiful setting). This resort is set in 24 acres of riverside jungle, the villas have private plunge pools and there’s free yoga and rice-field treks. Ubud Palace is 10 minutes by car, as is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which we visited. It was adorable to see baby monkeys here, although they are cheeky. One of them grabbed someone’s paper bag (with her bikini in it) and just ran off with it! The forest also has a beautiful temple towards the exit.
Some of my group chose a cycling trip, but I was too tempted by the poolside lounging. I did, however, brave the Plataran jungle trek. Definitely a “trek”, but with so much wildlife and nature, it was so worth it. In the evening, we went into Ubud town centre for some cocktails and dinner. There’s loads of choice along the main strip and if you’re there in the day, tons of local crafts, textiles and markets. There’s also the beautifully carved Goa Gajah “Elephant Cave” and the hilltop Blanco Renaissance Museum.
Lombok- Bamboo Jungles, Waterfalls, Villages And The Happy Cafe
We reached Lombok Island by ferry speedboat- get the top deck if you can. Our first destination was the western region of Senggigi, known for its beaches, sweeping views and lively town centre.
Our hotel was right on Mangsit Beach with Mount Agung as the backdrop. It was really stunning. I wound up having a villa with a private pool all to myself, so no complaints there. The area has lovely shrines, but our itinerary took us on an incredible bamboo rainforest trek to open waterfalls. Local village women were our guides, and I’ve got to say, they’ve got more stamina than any man I’ve ever met! I got an insight into Sasak village life, plus a cracking night in the town’s Happy Cafe. From lounging poolside overlooking the sea to the Michael Jackson and George Michael acts in the evening, this was a really fabulous few days. Like everywhere, the fish and seafood were fresh, there’s everything from steak to pasta, and you’ll never have a disappointing meal.
Lombok is also home to Indonesia’s second-highest volcano and stunning craters, plus it’s the gateway to the idyllic Gili Islands, which was our next stop.
The Gili Islands- Crystal Water Bliss, Horse & Cart Transport And Chilling
The Gili Islands are a triplet set of isles just off the coast of Lombok. We visited the smallest first (Gili Meno), then the largest (Gili T). These islands are a literal piece of heaven. Think powder-sand beaches, lapping waters, thatched beach shacks and a little something for everyone. Coral reefs here are beautiful, there are turtles and the snorkelling is brilliant.
Gili Meno is super laid-back and ideal for couples or families- it’s actually nicknamed “The Honeymoon Island”. Public transport in Gili is horse and cart only, so you really get that removed feel. Bear in mind though that there’s a big difference between Gili Meno and the party-centric Gili T. I still enjoyed Gili T, but it’s got more of a backpacker vibe. You’ll find fun stuff like beach-screened movies and open cooking station restaurants, but Gili T is definitely less secluded. Unless you’re on T to party, you go to the Gili Islands to switch off (which is precisely what I did). The sun, sea and sand wasn’t quite as stunning as Nusa Dua, but I was sad to leave, overall.
I’d sum Bali up as amazing. The people were some of the kindest and friendliest I’ve ever met and the beaches were some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Whether it was jungle-facing pools, bamboo trekking or those sunset-bathed temples, everything about Bali and the Gili Islands was breathtaking. You can check out our Lombok, Gilli Islands and Beach Holiday featured on our which is a similar itinerary to what I did, or check out our recommended Bali Multi Centre Holidays for more ideas.. or give me a call.
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AlisonFletcher
Brilliant trip organised by Dave, included Helsinki, Tallin, Vilnius and Riga. (4 different countries) Everything ran smoothly. Dave organised hotels, flights, taxis, ferry and coach. Have used this company a few times and can't recommend highly enough they are fab 😀
Posted 2 days ago -
Sandra
As always, Chris was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He gave me good advice on my travel plans and booked the holiday on my behalf. I've used eshores a number of times, and will continue to do so.
Posted 5 days ago -
Harrison
We haven’t been on our trip yet but based purely on the experience of booking the trip we are pleased with the result. It started with a bit of a hiccup as we spoke to a member of staff who never came back to us but when we reached back out again we were placed in the hands of Andy who has helped us book a 2 week trip to India including the golden triangle and then a few days on the beach. Andy was very patient with us with our changes to our tailor made holiday, even when we asked him to explore different areas only to revert back to the original plan. He also recommended moving the holiday back one week which created a saving of over £700 which meant we could upgrade the room for our beach stay in Goa. Andy was also available on weekends if we wanted to speak and regularly picked up the phone as opposed to keeping it to purely email dialogue. Hopefully the holiday will be amazing but based on the booking experience I would recommend eShores if you’re looking to book a tailor made holiday
Posted 5 days ago -
Wendy
I spoke to Lynette who was extremely helpful in understanding the trip that myself and my sister in law wanted from Thailand. Myself and my sister in law are both 72years young and we are really looking forward to our trip.
Posted 6 days ago -
Dawn
Excellent service from Matt at eShores. So very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. I booked Mya holiday after all his hard work finding me the perfect holiday that I wanted. Superb service and not pushy all all.
Posted 1 week ago -
Amrik
We have booked two big holidays this year for a group of 8 and a group of 10, Rachel has coordinated our holidays with the utmost excellence, during the consultation we changed countires hotels and even flights but it did not phase Rachel one bit. Exceeds customer expectations by helping advising and supporting throughout the holiday. We are off to Thailand and Dubai in August and then followed by India and Thailand in November, I have rang emailed Rachel many times during the booking and I got very prompt responses even on her days off. Rachel is a credit to EShores and EShores is setting standards regarding customer focus.
Posted 1 week ago -
IainWilliam
I can’t praise Lynette at EShores enough. She has organised my trips perfectly to the point that I wouldn’t use anyone else. She listens to what I want or to the problem I have and comes up with a solution. Nothing is too much trouble. Try them out yourselves and I bet you become a repeater too!
Posted 1 week ago -
Kevin
At short notice, I needed a quote to travel through the USA (July the 20th) I emailed eShores with an idea of what I wanted to do, within a short period of time I had a response from Matthew, After several amendments to my holiday which wasn't any trouble to Matthew, Holiday all booked, now looking forward to travelling through the USA Have to say, the service I had through eShores was fantastic, well done Matthew for working through the changes,
Posted 1 week ago -
Marcus
Dealt with Adam who was great, I went back and forth many times, nothing was a problem for him. We got there in the end and Adam arranged a 3 place holiday to Malaysia and Singapore. We go on 5th August, will if update review when we return. EShores so far brilliant hats of to Adam.
Posted 1 week ago -
Jill
We as a family used eShores last year to go to USA, and they were brilliant, my husband and 1 are going to Italy with them this September and we have just booked again to go back to USA with them next May, very efficient and Matt is lovely to deal with
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