Ending up in Balian went down something like this...
Me: Hey Sally, I saw a picture on Facebook that looks like you are in Bali? We are in Bali, too!
Sally: Yes!! Ryan is coming, too!
Me: We should meet up.
A few short days later we came knockin' on the front door of Sally and Ryan's villa. Unbeknownst to Ryan, his cousins were on the other side of the door waiting to surprise him. After the shock of randomly bumping into family on the opposite side of the world wore off, we threw our bags into a van and headed up the west coast to the small village of Balian. The two hour journey gave us time to get up to speed with each other's lives; we had last seen each other two years ago, in Mexico.
Me: Hey Sally, I saw a picture on Facebook that looks like you are in Bali? We are in Bali, too!
Sally: Yes!! Ryan is coming, too!
Me: We should meet up.
A few short days later we came knockin' on the front door of Sally and Ryan's villa. Unbeknownst to Ryan, his cousins were on the other side of the door waiting to surprise him. After the shock of randomly bumping into family on the opposite side of the world wore off, we threw our bags into a van and headed up the west coast to the small village of Balian. The two hour journey gave us time to get up to speed with each other's lives; we had last seen each other two years ago, in Mexico.
Balian got us away from the loads of tourist down on the Bukit Peninsula.
The perfect A-frame shaped waves welcomed my longboard and for the first time since arriving to Bali, my senses were not on 'fight or flight' mode while sitting out in the line up. Although Balian has a heinous rip current which gobbled up anyone who paddled near it.
The perfect A-frame shaped waves welcomed my longboard and for the first time since arriving to Bali, my senses were not on 'fight or flight' mode while sitting out in the line up. Although Balian has a heinous rip current which gobbled up anyone who paddled near it.
Sally arranged the most incredible accommodations ever! We spent our days relaxing, combing the beach, drinking cold beers on the patio of this funky two story home and eating long meals together.
'So-tee' the dog and Kadek the housekeeper kept us entertained and guessing. We mulled over the lovely lady who continued to tell us about 'Kadek'...Kadek leaves at 3, Kadek cleans, Kadek feed So-tee. The owner of the airbnb had informed us the housekeepers name is Kadek. Wtf?, where is Kadek and who is this strange lady? After some sharp observations of language and actions, we later came to understand that the Balinese people don't speak in first person. Oh, and the dog she had told us was named 'So-tee'; whom we totted around for the past few days, as our own...his name is Shorty.
'So-tee' the dog and Kadek the housekeeper kept us entertained and guessing. We mulled over the lovely lady who continued to tell us about 'Kadek'...Kadek leaves at 3, Kadek cleans, Kadek feed So-tee. The owner of the airbnb had informed us the housekeepers name is Kadek. Wtf?, where is Kadek and who is this strange lady? After some sharp observations of language and actions, we later came to understand that the Balinese people don't speak in first person. Oh, and the dog she had told us was named 'So-tee'; whom we totted around for the past few days, as our own...his name is Shorty.
The Balinese owners of the surfboard rental shop were more concerned with the jellyfish welts on Sam's body then the busted surfboard he brought back. The woman quickly returned to apply vinegar to the welts and the man shrugged off the busted board. The repair work for a new fin and big tail dings set us back a mild twenty bucks.
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Useful Information
How to Get There: The easiest {and also surprisingly very affordable} is to rent a driver or take a taxi. Our transport from Seminyak to Balian set us back 500, 000 rupiah {$30 usd}, for the two hour drive. Each town has its own taxi stands and it is simple to arrange transportation from anywhere on the island. It is almost impossible to flag down a taxi from the road because it is not permitted. You must walk to the local taxi stand or contact Blue Bird Taxi who are located throughout the island.
Costs:
Food:
Costs:
- Surfboard Rentals: 100,000 rupiah for a longboard & 75, 000 rupiah for a short board for the entire day {$7 usd}.
- Places to Stay: There is something for every budget. Even though it was high season, we probably could have walked around and found something upon arrival without a reservation. We loved our Funky Balian Beach House {$125 usd entire house, $67 usd downstairs only}. A few other options we saw in town: Pondok Pitaya and Pondok Pisces.
Food:
- Market: Veggie market and basic needs across the main highway at the entrance of town. There is also smaller markets with basics throughout the main roads by the beach.
- Restaurants are scattered along the main roads by the beach, but my favorite is Tom's Cafe. It is located on the main road along the beach, at the top of the hill. 50% off drinks and free wifi.
