Bali's Secret Liveliness of Dolphins and Orchids

Bedugul and Lovina, Indonesia

Greatest Moment: While in Lovina, Bali, we were told to see the dolphins. Not just see them, but canoe beside them!!! So we ventured to the northern coast of Bali, to see the black sand beaches and the majestic creatures. Little did we know, that the dolphins in fact were just the icing on the cake, and the activity itself the warm gooey center. In Lovina, settled in a cute little hotel surrounded by rice fields, we woke early and eager to see dolphins. We did not purchase a seat in the many boats going out to see the dolphins, because they more-so “hunt” the dolphins and cause an awful cluster around the few dolphins that do surface. So we rented canoes as the boats zoomed past us, and paddled on the dark waters into the still morning hours before dawn. This was such a great moment. With boats already passed, the sun began to rise as we sat and watched it. The deep orange and pink horizon began to rise over the distant volcanic peaks, and we alone sat on the glass-like water that mirrored the incredible event that is morning! From there we paddled our hearts out, each one singing for just one dolphin to jump before us! We saw that morning a team of dolphins that jumped out of the water before us, running quick from the mass of boats that trailed them. Satisfied, we began our trip back to shore, stopping to take many breaks as we were at this point tired. And good thing we did, because when the water settled from the lack of oars entering it, we saw clearly through the pristine water an endless coral reef. Blue star fish littered the space between the reefs, and bright blue fish swam in schools. We again saw the cast of ‘Finding Nemo’ as we sat in our canoe, treasuring this unexpected and stumbled upon view of the water beneath us. It was in total, a miraculous morning!

Worst Moment(s): This category was won by hotel-centered moments. In Bedugul we found a cheap homestay to spend one night. It was very cute, and the food was very inexpensive. However, the little air movement gave birth to a very thick air, and the moisture locked in all the sheets and what felt like all of our pores. While it was just one night, it was one night too many. We then booked a nice hotel in Lovina afterwards, however getting there was not easy. We were dropped off by a local taxi and pointed in the direction of our hotel. This turned out to be the wrong street, and a nice local man lead us through rice fields along a very narrow path to our hotel. It was on this trail, that Kathy rolled her ankle, and naturally with the added weight of our bags and backpacks, she went tumbling down. Luckily not into the ravine that bordered one side of our concrete trail, but into the picturesque rice fields did she land. Covered in mud and humiliation, she tenderly got back up—though with no help from Jamie, who was apparently either unable to with the weight of her bags, or with the not-so-well-hidden laughter. The local man helped her, and all was a ridiculous ordeal.

Lesson Learned: We stopped in Bedugul to see the famed Ulun Danu temple. It is a Hindu Temple that floats on a small piece of land, bordered by a beautiful lake and the view of Batur Volcano in the backdrop. We took a boat ride at sunrise to see the temple, and we fell in love with its cute placement. However, it was very close to the land and very small. While we appreciated it for what it was, we were surprised at its size and placement. So lesson learned, pictures can be very misleading, but who can complain about a morning boat ride to a 300 year old temple?

Cultural Insight: Bedugul turned out to be a gem to stay the night in. We planned this stay last minute, and found it to be a very cute town. We arrived there as it began to rain, and we decided to do the temple in the morning. That gave us the afternoon to explore what else Bedugul had to offer. We loved the botanical gardens, as they were the largest and most beautiful gardens we have ever been to. It was as if they enclosed a part of the jungle and put signs on all the trees and natural flora. We walked for hours around it, and saw medicinal plants, orchid and cactus gardens, and the wondrous Bayon trees. Even in the roads leading up to the gardens, we see many shops that were filled with the same orchids that were in the gardens, and learned that Bedugul is a large regional producer of orchids. There are many businesses that transport orchids to Europe and America from there, and is locally known for its orchid markets. Who knew! It was a cute, quaint town, and we enjoyed the nature that surrounded it. Not to mention its altitude that gives it a cool atmosphere and wonderful view.