3 days in Bali: first impressions of Indonesia's most touristed island

I stretch awake, roll over, and check my phone: 6:15 a.m.

I still haven’t adjusted to the new time zone. I still can't believe I'm in Indonesia.

I wash my face, careful not to swallow any contaminated tap water. Pull a banana off the hand Danny bought at the fruit stand down the street. Peel it, and eat its soft flesh.

I step onto the patio and embrace the humid blanket that is air in Bali’s. Warm, thick, but still gentle at this hour.

I stretch while watching the koi fish bounce around each other in their tank. Between me and the koi is a glistening pool. Beyond are streets buzzing with traffic and a gaggle of men building the second story of a building.

Plumeria flowers, garbage thrown from motorcycles, and bird songs are strewn everywhere. Monkeys abound in the forests.

It is peace and chaos at once. This is my first impression of Southern Bali.

I’ve been in Bali only three days now, but already I am struck by the juxtaposing tourist sheen and relative poverty here.

Many buildings are crumbling or half-finished. Garbage galore. The few sidewalks that exist are crumbling. And there isn’t a chance to see the island's famed Mount Agung through all the smog and pollution.

But that is just a single slice of this richly complex place. There is also an uncanny beauty I am only starting to discover.

Vines droop from trees. Monkeys smartly eat coconut (and anything they can get their hands on). Kind vendors welcome me with the warmest smiles. The sun is lavashing and the food is delightful.

There is something to be said too about the laid-back nature of the people here– seemingly the locals and tourists alike. With the snap of a finger, you can hop on a motorcycle and weave through traffic, arriving at the beach in minutes, and thanking the driver with a universal smile.

Local informal eateries ‘warungs' are everywhere. No reservations needed. Just wash your hands, sit, and enjoy local delicacies like gabu gabu– fresh steamed veggies with a thick peanut sauce. The price you ask? $1.50 USD.

I've only seen a few beaches: Padang Padang takes you through an enchanting rock tunnel and spits you out into a throng of packed bikini-clad tourists. While hectic, it is great fun to watch surfers and I even swam out into a purple cave, only two minutes from shore!

However, I far prefered the relative peace and spaciousness of Dreamland Beach. Little rock islands dot the shore. The waves are bliss. Being in the ocean, for me, is always a state of playful bliss.

The food and beaches have been fun to explore, but arguably the most exciting thing to report is that I'm learning to ride a scooter!

It is one of those “come on, everybody does it!” moments that actually makes sense. The streets are too jam-packed and aggravatly slow to navigate via car, plus being on a bike is quite the rush and allows for so much freedom!

Bike rental cost for the entire day: $6 USD. 'Petrol' is filled by a roadside bottle.

Biking everywhere I've noticed a hundred little banana-leaf boxes filled with flowers --offerings to Hindu gods. I was surprised to learn that Bali is one of the few (if not the only) primarily Hindu island in Indonesia.

The influence of Hindusim also means the island offers a lot of yoga and beautiful tea ceremonies!

I attended a beautiful vinyasa flow at La Tribu (a mere 10-minute scooter ride away from where I'm staying) and was blown away by the energy of the space. It has been ages since I've gone to a yoga class. It moved me to tears.

There is something about moving in tune with the breathe. Sweating, stretching, dropping a depth of presence that attunes myself with my highest self.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of Bali, let alone the entire country of Indonesia. I can't sum it all up in a sentence, or even in a post.

What I can say is that with each new place I go my mind and heart expand.

I am grateful.

With love,

Ava//

Rewilding Child