A Glimpse of Hidden Bali

The legendary Indonesian island of Bali has often been described as “paradise on earth”. Whether it still is or not, depends where you choose to visit and stay while on the island. The most popular and most crowded area is around Kuta Beach, which is frequented mostly by young part goers. These days, only party animals would still consider Kuta a paradise!

Also popular but less crowded areas lie just north of Kuta, at Seminyak and Canggu, on the west side of the island. Canggu is not far from the famous sea temple of Tanah Lot. To the south of Kuta are a number of beautiful, high end hotels in and around Jimbaran. Overall, the southwest part of the island has the most tourists, and feels like it. Get up before the crowds to catch the sunrise, and you can see that paradise is still here.

Another tourist hot spot visited by a very large percentage of visitors, is the once quiet hamlet of Ubud, in the central highlands. Ubud is still the stunningly gorgeous arts and crafts center of Bali, but the downtown area is a non-stop traffic jam. If you are not a fan of tourist hordes, choose your hotel or rental villa carefully. Many amazing and peaceful areas surround Ubud, and you can still get away from the crowds if you make the effort.

One hidden gem is just off Bali’s southeast coast, less than an hour’s boat ride from Sanur. The island of Lembongan is home to a vast seaweed farm tended by individual farmers. There are no crowds and the great green and blue scene is both exhilarating and relaxing, always changing with the tide, and great for photographers.

The eastern side of Bali sees far fewer tourists than the Kuta or Ubud areas. For a great scenic hike through fantastic rice terraces, Tengannan sees few tourists, and in the off season you may not see a single foreigner, except for your companions! The full hike, more of a long walk really, takes about two hours. The rice terraces of Bali are not only among the most beautiful in the world, but to be in the middle of them is remarkably peaceful.

Perhaps the most paradisiacal single spot on Bali is the multiple, 200 foot waterfalls of Sekumpul in north Bali. It’s not easy to get to and not on the main tourist routes, so sees few visitors. Just be in good shape, because you have to take a thousand steps down and a thousand back up! Where the steps end at the bottom, there is another short hike along a path and through a slippery rock creek to reach the stunning scene of ten or more falls tumbling 200 feet into a misty pool.

The people of Bali are among the friendliest and warmest anywhere, so no matter where you travel on the island, you are sure to be charmed, but most especially when you go off the beaten path to discover areas that remain hidden to most.

Bali is truly for everyone, and even more so for photography enthusiasts interested in culture, landscapes and portraits. For privileged inside access to hidden Bali, the services of a professional photography guide will take your trip to a whole new level, and ensure that you return home with not only an improved skill set, but a number truly remarkable images not possible to get on your own.