We were scheduled to return to KL the next day. So to complete our honeymoon in Bali, we decided to spend the day at the spa, do a tad bit of shopping and tour around Bali.
Itinerary of the Day
Batu Bulan (Batik shopping)- Lunch- Spa in Ubud and jalan2 lorrr- Dinner in Sanur- Shop for some souvenirs in Krishna- Hard Rock Bali
Kartika Chandra Batik Centre
In Bali, as some of the regular Bali visitors would know, they categorise and define each cottage industry to a designated area. For batik, Batu Bulan is the place to be. There are many batik factories in Batu Bulan. So do your research to identify the one you really want to go to if you're very much a batik enthusiast. In our case, it was one of those things we're ok to just 'walk-in' to. You can also ask the locals or your driver on which is the best one to go to for some batik 'canting' lessons.
Pak Yuda dropped us off at one of the batik factories, Kartika Chandra Batik Centre, in Batu Bulan. From entering to "tengok-tengok" only, I ended up buying some awesome batik clutches which are dirt cheap compared to the ones I've been eyeing for a very long time on one of our local fashion websites. My husbie and I each purchased one batik fabric for ourselves. Ohhh, don't forget, they charge their items in Rupiah and USDs. In general, batik fabrics in Bandung and Jakarta are way cheaper and you'd have plenty to choose from. Nonetheless, batik fabrics from Bali are still pretty and worth the purchase. Just don't set that high expectation to purchase in bulk when you can do so from Bandung and Jakarta.
Bliss Spa, Ubud
After lunch, we made our way to Ubud for a spa session. At peak time, I suggest those interested to make reservations. Even for our visit being at non-peak time month, we had to try a few spas to finally get the right one at a good price.
We totally loved the service at Bliss Spa. We both opted for full body massages and it was the perfect end to our fifth day and last night in Bali.We came out refreshed and relaxed. Did I mention that our spa has its own working paddy field? Aper lagi...bergamboorr laaaa...
Around Ubud
I would describe Ubud as very much a hippy town. If you want to buy paintings, here is the place to be. For the time being, husbie and I are just happy surveying art to purchase in our next visit, strolling about around town and soaking up the local culture.
One place did peak my interest. Eversince our first night in Bali, there was a string of customers lining up at one of the local gelato shops. I even dismissed it earlier on as people just over-hyping stuff, getting into the holiday mood and having gelatos like they've never had one before. My mistake. Sedap mak ouiiihhh! It's one of the best gelatos I've ever had. No wonder people queue up like they've never had a gelato. I'm not sure of the details but Gelato Secrets is supposedly set up by an Italian couple who just wanted to bring a piece of home to Bali. Try their valhorna series!!! It's awesommeeee!
Dinner in Sanur
Since it was our last night in Bali, we wanted to treat Pak Yuda to a lavish dinner. We were truly grateful for Pak Yuda's services and local insights. Pak Yuda recommended that we go off to Sanur to sample authentic Minang dishes in Natrabu. Supposedly there is a branch in KL but husbie and I never heard about it before. Oh well, it was good and we were happy to have dinner there.
Before dinner, Pak Yuda drove us about around town to have a feel of Sanur. There are many nice hotels there and I understand Sanur caters to the older generation. I too hear that many Malaysians prefer to frequent Sanur as it is quieter somehow. Good for older couples and families.
Souvenir galore in Krishna
Krishna is the best place to shop for souvenirs. There are a lot of choices from t-shirts, key chains, snacks, fridge magnets, paintings and much more. All at different range of prices with most of them being cheap and affordable. One thing I'd like to highlight here is that if you wish to purchase batik items like batik clutches, batik purses, etc, you're better off purchasing them at the batik factories. I've done a comparison and the quality of batik items purchased directly from the factories are definitely better than those at souvenir chains. Yes, they do get their items from local factories but somehow I feel us girls would be more satisfied with the choices and quality presented in Batu Bulan.
Hard Rock Bali
A must visit for all tourists. Nuff' said. Get your Hard Rock Bali shirts and enjoy Kuta.
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| Me feeling the tourist vibe in Ubud |
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| Gelato Secrets...may I have some more please? |
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| Locals working the small patch of paddy field in Bliss Spa, Ubud |
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