After a spectacular trip to Borneo, I was completely satisfied with this year’s world tour. Our tour through Australia was amazing, our wedding and adventures through New Zealand couldn’t have been better, and Borneo blew away every expectation we had.
Before heading home, however, we had one more stop to make.
Bali.
An Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs, it promised not only relaxation but adventure as well.
Really, the best of both worlds!
But other than knowing that, I had to be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect from Bali. As we were actively planning Borneo as we went along, we never got a chance to do much research on Bali prior to arriving.
In fact, only one day before we arrived Kevin and I booked our first hotel, The Ritz Carlton in Nusa Dua.
Our official resort-style honeymoon was about to begin!
Now, Kevin and I normally don’t stay in a lot of resorts. While we are expert relaxers, lounging on the beach or next to a pool isn’t really our thing. We also prefer to get a more local experience staying in AirBNB’s or guesthouses during our travels. But when we spotted a deal for a room that had sliding doors to our own private pool entrance – we were all over it.
For a week, I thought we’d be able to lounge.
Nusa Dua is an area in the southern part of Bali known for its concentration of large 5-star resorts. It’s not quite where you go for a Balinese cultural experience, but it is where you go if you are looking for a top notch resort.
Once again, it’s our honeymoon. So why not?
For a week, we basked in the luxury of the resort. We started our days off with an incredible breakfast buffet, followed by beers and a swim in our private lagoon.
Later in the afternoon, we’d head to the main pool overlooking the beach. The crystal clear waters of the ocean shone bright blue, showcasing the beauty of this country.
While we arrived at the end of the rainy season, we had fantastic weather other than one mid-afternoon shower. As a perk too, the resort was not very busy with relatively few people at the beach and the pool.
We really do love travelling during shoulder seasons!
Over the next few days, we tested out every type of lounger you could imagine – those along side the pool, in the pool, and on the beach.
Servers wore roller-blades zipping around guests delivering pool side food and drinks. Our drink of choice was Bintang – the official beer of Bali!
For non-resort lovers, we were loving every second of this vacation!
What I was also loving was the fact that all staff referred to us as “Mr. and Mrs. Tori” as I put the reservation in my name (and on Kevin’s credit card).
I totally had this marriage thing figured out.
For a week, we enjoyed the relaxation of the pool, walked the beach, and dined in their exceptional restaurants. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I was extremely thankful for our time together (as always)!
After a week, it was finally time to move on. While we enjoyed the Ritz-Carlton, we were ready for a more authentic Balinese experience.
Ubud, here we come!