Seminyak at First Sight (Nov 28, 2018)

It seemed counter-intuitive to book a trip to Bali when earlier in the year, its Mount Agung had erupted and caused the airport to close because of volcanic ash. Other parts of Indonesia like neighboring Lombok had suffered earthquakes, one of which triggered a tsunami that hit Palu in Sulawesi hard, causing deaths in the thousands. Tremors were felt in Bali. Yet, it was hard to resist the low fares to Bali for the dates that I wanted, late November to early December. I was looking for a beach holiday because my aunt, who went to Bali with us in 2012, was going to be in town again and she wanted one. She always does. Last year we went to Langkawi Island and it rained every day. She suggested Phuket or Krabi this time round, but by the time she confirmed when she would be in Singapore, the airfares had gone up considerably while tickets to Bali were still available for under $300. I was paying for three because my kids were going on the trip – K had to sit this one out because of work commitments – so I convinced her to go to Bali and hoped that things would work out. 

This four-night trip turned out to be $200 cheaper per head than our three-night 2012 trip, because 1. we flew on a budget airline, Scoot (paid extra for 20 kg check-in baggage and seat selection), and 2. we stayed in a pool villa in Seminyak instead of a beachfront hotel in Sanur. I feel like I got a good deal without too much loss of creature comforts, but my youngest sister wins bragging rights for having done five nights in Bali for $250, all in – flight (budget airline, low season), accommodation (in Kuta), transport (Grab), food and activities. I’m parking that nugget of information here to remind myself that Bali can be done on the cheap, because we all find ourselves itching to take off for a quick vacation sometimes, even when we’re practically broke, and after this second trip to Bali I am convinced that it is worth returning to over and over again. 

Prior to our arrival I had found us a driver, Norman, who was recommended to me by a colleague. He turned out to be a friendly and big-hearted man who spent his down time helping disadvantaged people in the community. As he drove us to our villa, he candidly told us that Norman was not his real name; it was given by a German client of his who could not pronounce his Balinese name, Nyoman. I learned then that Nyoman is a birth order name and refers to the third born. More fun facts: Wayan is the name given to the eldest, and Made to the second-born. One of the pleasures of travel is learning about culture through conversations with the locals. I looked forward to more.

We had no intention of hitting the ground running on our first day in Bali, so Norman dropped us off at Jas Boutique Villas and left us to unpack and unwind. The first thing that I noticed when we entered the walled grounds of our one-bedroom suite villa was that the pool looked small, and  I learned just how small it was when I found that I could not even do a lap in it. That was disappointing. For my sons, though, it was the best thing ever. It was their very own skinny-dipping plunge pool and no matter how long we were out sightseeing and shopping, they always had time and energy for it when we got back, making big splashes with their cannonball dives and speaking at the tops of their voices in excitement.

As satisfied as I was with the spacious bedroom and bathroom, the comfortable king size beds and the well-equipped kitchenette, I will look out for villas that have bigger pools before I book one at Jas Boutique Villas again. The point of having a pool villa is to be able to swim in it, otherwise we are better off in a hotel that has a big pool. 

We were supposedly located a walking distance from the nearest beach, Double Six, so we decided to make our way there for dinner. It took us about thirty minutes, with a stop at Sacred Ground cafe on Jalan Arjuna (Double Six Street) for ice-cream because the kids were complaining about being hungry and I thought it was okay to have dessert before dinner for once since we didn’t know how much walking we still had to do. 

In the fading light, under an overcast sky, Double Six, when we finally laid eyes on it, was underwhelming. The beach was clean and the golden sand was pleasant to walk on barefoot, but the water was an uninviting shade of grey. I would have to return another day when the skies were clear for a second opinion. What was impressive was the way the sky turned pink then purple before our eyes as we sank into beanbag chairs at K Resto for dinner. One great thing about the wet season was that the air was cool and balmy enough for al fresco dining. 

Dinner was splendid. My aunt and I ordered everything on the menu that looked good: ayam geprek, tahu goreng, sate ayam, udang telor asin, stir-fried vegetables, and for the boys, fish and chips and spaghetti bolognese. It was too much food even for people who hadn’t eaten in hours but we polished off much of it. 

On the walk back to the villa, we decided to stop at a DVD store to get some entertainment for the kids, since our room had a DVD player. We also went to a supermarket for milk, bottled water and juices. The street that led to our villa was quiet and a little dark at times, but safe. The only thing left to do was to order our breakfast – which came with the room rate – at Reception so that it would be delivered to our villa the next morning.

Based on first impressions, Seminyak seemed a vibrant area, with plenty of shops and restaurants, making it a very convenient base for tourists. The obvious down side of so much human and vehicular traffic was more rubbish than the government knew how to deal with. There did not seem to be a systematic, centralised waste management system. It was hard to find rubbish bins. Trash was simply dumped on vacant plots or on the streets. That was a shame. Nevertheless, I was glad to see a different part of Bali, a realer Bali than the exclusive and artificial paradise of five-star resorts. 

I went to bed hoping for good weather, even though rain was forecast for most of the week. We didn’t want to go home without going snorkeling, which my sons had never done and were very excited about.