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Last year in Bali, we took a couple of non-Viking excursions with our friends Mike and Gloria. We took a bicycle ride through the rice paddies and a van ride through central Bali. This year we embarked on a similar experience, taking an all-day non-Viking excursion with our friends Bob and Janet. They live in a town near us in California, and Janet has been assisting Gail with her needle felting workshops.
At 7:45 am we met our drivers, Peter and Rizal, who work for “ForeverVacation Bali.” Our 10-hour tour was called “Bali Ultimate Monkey Forest Tour,” but we would see many more sites.
Our first top was Tanah Lot Temple. Tanah Lot is a rock formation off the coast of Bali. A temple was built on the rock in the 1500 and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. Today it is a popular spot for tourists and photographers. During high tide it looks like an island. During low tide you can walk across to it.
From there we drove to the main highlight of the day. Sangeh Monkey Forest is inhabited by 600 gray long-tailed macaque monkeys. Unlike other monkeys in Balinese tourist areas, these monkeys do not steal tourists’ glasses or cell phones. (At the Uluwatu Monkey Forest, the monkeys have actually learned that if they steal tourist items, they will be given bananas to return them. Not a good habit.)
At first, all was going well. Our guide gave us nuts and leaves to feed the monkeys, and we had monkeys climbing all over us. The problem came when one monkey tried getting into Gail’s water bottle. Instinctively, Gail reached out and put her hand on the monkey’s back. (There are numerous signs declaring “Don’t touch the monkeys.”) The monkey did not react well – he turned and bit Gail on her elbow. Fortunately the bite did not break Gail’s skin, but she has a definite mark. And she no longer has any desire to be anywhere near monkeys.
Fortunately, our next stop was lunch. We drove almost two hours to get to Waroeng D’Yoni, a restaurant in the middle of the rainforest, but we were rewarded with an absolutely stunning view.
From there, the Cantik Coffee Plantation was almost next door. We instantly recognized this plantation from our trip a year ago. Amazingly enough, the site guide recognized Russell from a year ago as well. We got to sample a dozen different teas and coffees, including the legendary Luwak coffee, which is made from beans defecated by civet cats. (We are not especially fond of the taste of Luwak coffee.)
Another drive took us to Tirta Empul Temple. This Hindu Balinese temple was built around a large water spring in 962 CE. Today, Balinese and visitors go to the water temple for its holy spring water, which they bathe in for spiritual purification.
Our final stop of the day was Kanto Lampo Waterfall. Located in the rainforest, this is another popular attraction for tourists and photographers due to its impressive limestone rock formations. The path down has many, many flights of slippery stone stairs. But we donned our bathing suits and had a refreshing respite from the heat and humidity.
Our long drive back to the ship took two more hours, due to massive traffic. This turned our 10-hour excursion into an 11-hour excursion. We returned to the ship absolutely exhausted. We have no further excursions planned for our final day in Bali tomorrow, but we are already satisfied with everything we have seen.
