Travel Adventures In Bali

Gluten Free In Bali – Restaurants and Resorts

The food was exquisite. It was so easy to be gluten free in Bali. Every restaurant served delicious food with plenty of gluten free offerings. Most restaurants even made fantastic gluten free bread! I was in heaven. You can see the highlights in the video below.

There were culinary adventures using Indonesian spices, ingredients, and seasonal products and many with a sustainable approach. Some resorts and restaurants had their own gardens.

I had the opportunity to take a few cooking classes which were fun and informative.

Wellness is a theme in Bali. Each day we were served a healing beverage called Jamu Juice to start the day. Click to get the recipe.

Here is the Food and Fun video and below is a description of each place with a few details.

Embers Restaurant in Ubud is a beautiful place to eat using local ingredients, some of them from their own gardens. Each dish was prepared with delicious spices and a variety of tastes and textures.

Mozaic Restaurant is one of Bali’s best culinary adventures using Indonesian spices, ingredients, and seasonal products with a sustainable gastronomic approach. It’s at the level of a Michelin Star restaurant with all the warmth you can expect in Bali. The food was phenomenal, both in artistry in taste.

Plataran Menjangan Resort – This is a tranquil hideaway located within the protected sanctuary of West Bali National Park in the northwest corner of Bali. The Plataran Menjangan Resort offers an escape to nature at its most beautifully raw and untouched. It’s surrounded by lush forests, mangroves, and crystal-clear waters. The food was traditional with many options. I took a cooking class there which was a lot of fun.

The Damai is a boutique resort in the green hills above Lovina. They have beautiful villas in a lush tropical park with stunning views over the North Bali coast and the distant volcanoes of Java. The award-winning restaurant serves delicious local and international cuisine with organic ingredients from the resort’s own gardens and farm. We went on many excursions in this area to temples, waterfalls, dolphin watching and the local market. Most of all Lovina is where you experience the joy of everyday island life, ‘Bali as it used to be’.

Samabe Bali Villas is a Bali beach resort situated in southern Nusa Dua. It’s right on the beach where we spent many days relaxing in the shade under the palm trees and swimming in the calm, warm Indian Ocean. At the restaurants they served afternoon tea and local and international food. There were many activities at the resort including cooking classes, a Jamu making class (see post) and fruit carving. It was fabulous.

Koral Restaurant is one of the most wonderful dining experiences I ever enjoyed, as you see in the video below. It’s located in an aquarium at The Apurva Kempinski Hotel in Nusa Dua. All of the senses are stimulated at this unique venue. We enjoyed watching amazing fish including sharks and manta rays while feasting on elegant dishes inspired by Indonesian coastal flavors and crafted from local ingredients. At Koral diners dine at a venue that is both casual and refined.

Bali’s Natural Wonders

Bali has many great natural attractions that go beyond the beautiful beaches. Here are some of the highlights from our visit. Read more about each place below.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a nature reserve and temple complex in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. The Sanctuary is home to over 1260 long-tailed macaques, who are considered sacred by the local Balinese people. Dating back to the 14th century, it has been regarded as a sacred place, housing spiritual forces and guardian spirits. The monkeys, seen as sacred animals, symbolize both protection and mischief, fostering a unique connection between humans and wildlife.

Dolphin Watching In Lovina – We began our day at 6am with a breathtaking sunrise over the calm waters of Lovina Beach. A local fisherman took us out on a traditional boat to witness playful dolphins in their natural habitat. It took a few hours to find the dolphins but it was a beautiful experience out on the water. The people of Lovina are very proud of their dolphins.

Gitgit Waterfall is beautiful as it cascades over the cliff in the jungle and tumbles into a small pool surrounded by giant boulders and lots of lush greenery. It’s huge with a height reaching 48 meters making it the tallest waterfall in Bali. Getting there is short scenic hike through the stunning natural landscape, surrounded by clove gardens , encountering diverse flora and fauna along the way. The cascading waters create a refreshing mist that envelops the area, providing a cool respite from the tropical heat.

Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is located on the shores of the sacred lake Bratan the Bedugul highlands of Bali

• It’s a Hindu water temple dedicated to the goddess Dewi Danu, considered the guardian of Bali’s water supply. 
• The temple is a significant religious and cultural site for the Balinese people, representing the harmonious relationship between humanity, nature, and the divine. 
• The temple is part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites in Indonesia. 

The style of the building follows the Trimurti belief; three holy colors to represent the three gods: Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. The first color is red, to the lord Brahma, The Creator. Second, is black. The symbol of the lord Vishnu, the balance and preserver of the universe. Finally, white for the god Shiva, The Destroyer.

Bali Botanic Garden is Indonesia’s largest Botanic Garden (157 hectares) with big trees, flowers and statues. It has an amazing collection of ceremonial plants, tropical plants, carnivorous flora, a greenhouse with 300 orchids (not in bloom when we were there), and another with a large collection of cacti.

• The giant Patung Kumbakarna Laga sculpture towers above the landscape of the Bali Botanic Garden. It’s a significant cultural and artistic landmark that depicts the battle between the giant Kumbakarna and Rama’s monkey army from the Ramayana epic, serving as a symbol of Balinese culture and mythology. 
• Ramayana Boulevard is a series of statues depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Water Purification Ceremony

While in Ubud, we went to an authentic Balinese cleansing ceremony at one of the holiest Hindu sites called, “Tirta Empul. The sacred cleansing ceremony,  “Melukat” is deeply rooted in Balinese culture. It’s a sacred ritual, passed down through generations, to neutralize the mind, body and spirit of any negative energies while enhancing wellness and healing.

History

The Tirta Empul Temple is believed to have been founded in 962 AD. It’s a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, the god of water. “Tirta Empul” translates to “holy water spring.” It’s has a fresh water spring that bubbles up from the ground, so the water is always pure and fresh.

• Local stories say that the holy springs at Tirta Empul were formed after a great fight between a king and a magical being, giving the springs healing and purifying properties. 
• Another legend attributes the creation of the spring to the Hindu god Indra, who is said to have struck the earth with his staff to restore the health of his warriors. 

Purpose of Melukat (cleansing ritual)

• Melukat is a deeply spiritual practice for many Balinese Hindus, symbolizing purification and renewal, and is seen as a way to connect with spirituality and community. 
• People seek Melukat for various reasons, including seeking physical or emotional healing, clearing negative energy, or preparing for important life transitions. 

The ceremony involves prayers, offerings (like flowers and incense), and blessings from a priest which you can see at the beginning of the video.  

I found it to be a deeply moving experience giving me a sense of renewal and healing.