Tour Details
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Starts any day. January to December
9 days from $4495.00Arrive Denpasar, Indonesia
Welcome to the island of Bali. You are met on arrival at Denpasar airport, and taken directly to your luxury resort in the seaside town of Candi Dasa. En route, your guide will brief you on the events and adventures that lie ahead.
Cruise & Snorkeling
This morning, take a cruise along Bali’s eastern shore aboard a 50-foot traditionally styled Balinese outrigger. The warm tropical waters are teeming with brilliantly colored reef fish – a delight for snorkelers. Enjoy refreshments and a light lunch before returning to the resort. As an alternate option, you may choose to trek or cycle though the countryside. This afternoon, you can relax at the resort or choose to explore the area. (B,L)
Candi Dasa to Ubud
Today travel inland to Ubud. En route, stroll between Gumung Village and Kastela Village to see the local rice field terraces. You’ll next visit Tirta Gangga “water of the Ganges”, a sacred water palace, built in the early 20th century by the last king of Karangasem. This magnificent area boasts many decorative ponds, fountains, lush plant life and natural bathing pools. Enjoy lunch of a delicious Megibung traditional feast in a bamboo restaurant with views across the rolling fields and rice terraces in various stages of harvest.
After lunch, continue to Besakih Temple, the ‘Mother Temple’ of Bali which is located on the western slopes of Mt Agung, Bali’s highest volcano and the largest and most important temple on the island. Stop en route in the village of Sibetan to observe traditional weaving and visit a salak plantation where you can taste Bali’s famed ‘snakeskin’ fruit.
You’ll be taken to your hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,L)
Mas Village Experience
Today you will get a true taste of the local culture, traditions and lifestyles of Bali. Begin with the exploration of a small village called Mas, known for its wood carving tradition. Here you will have a chance to take part in activities that are ‘uniquely Bali’. You will then receive a blessing by a priest and meet with an astrologer who’ll tell you more about your destiny by using ancient methods.
Afterwards, you’ll enter the traditional Balinese compound and work with a local wood-carver to learn the methods of making a handicraft. Not only will you learn new skills but you will also immerse yourself in the typical life of a Balinese. For the beginner, it is recommended to start with bath soap for the media, draw the pattern on carton paper and begin to carve a turtle. You will be equipped with complete necessary carving tools and guided along the way.
You will then learn to make Balinese dishes and watch the local chefs processing fresh ingredients to make a delicious meal, which you’ll enjoy after some time meandering around the village. (B,L)
Ubud to Seminyak
Today, you’ll be driven through small villages and incredible landscapes, stopping for pictures and with your guide who will explain the islands’ culture, flora and fauna. You’ll arrive at Bratan Lake, a volcanic lake that is surrounded by spectacular views. You can visit the famous Ulun Danu Temple which sits on a small island on the far shores of the lake.
Next you’ll explore the colorful market of Candikuning before enjoying lunch at Bamboo Forest Restaurant, a fabulous restaurant located the middle of a tranquil rainforest on the slopes of Batukaru Mountain.
After lunch, you’ll walk through the Jatiluwih rice terrace, a UNESCO Heritage site, where the guide will explain the incredible irrigation systems that allow the people to harvest rice up to four times a year.
Finally, you will visit Bali’s most famous sight, the sea temple of Tanah Lot. Located on a barren volcanic rock in the ocean, the temple is sometimes pounded by huge waves: a magical setting. At sunset, enjoy an afternoon cocktail at Pan Pacific Hotel before heading back to the hotel. (B,L)
Alas Kedaton Excursion
This morning, visit the UNESCO Heritage listed, Taman Ayun temple, built in 1634 to serve as the Royal family temple of the Mengwi dynasty. The temple is a truly stunning piece of historic architecture, surrounded by a moat with multi–roofed meru shrines and intricately carved wooden gates.
Continue to Alas Kedaton or “Holy Forest,” where hundreds of monkeys live free in their natural habitat, residing high in the nutmeg trees and at the Pura Bukit Sari temple. Afterwards, you’ll return to Seminyak for a late lunch at Metis restaurant. Metis offers a truly exemplary culinary experience in a sumptuous setting. Blending French and Mediterranean cuisine, this is one of the most sophisticated tables in Bali. (B,L)
Seminyak to Yogyakarta
Enjoy a day at leisure before you are taken to the airport for your flight to Yogyakarta on the island of Java. Upon arrival, you will be met, and taken to your luxury resort, surrounded by extraordinary beauty. (B)
Yogyakarta & Borobudur
This morning you will be driven down to the Kedu Valley to explore the Borobudur Temple. Buried for centuries under ash from a volcanic eruption, Borobudur Temple was rediscovered in 1814 and is celebrated as the largest Buddhist monument in the world. Your expert local guides will reveal its secret meanings and bring to life the knowledge contained within its reliefs.
After the visit of Borobudur, continue with a visit to nearby Mendut temple. Older than Borobudur, this pyramid-shaped temple houses three impressively carved stone statues; Sakyamuni (Sitting in cross legged pose with turning the wheel of dharma hand gesture), Awalokiteswara (A bodhisattva as a human helper), and Maitreya (The savior of humans for the future). The statues are thought to be some of the most impressive in their original location in Java.
Enjoy lunch in a restaurant with overlooking Borobudur Temple. In the mid-afternoon, you’ll get a taste for local life with a horse cart ride through Candirejo village. Known as a dokar, the local horse cart will take you through this peaceful, charming village. You’ll travel along small lanes lined with traditional houses and stop to see village activities such as making cassava crackers, playing the gamelan and harvesting and drying of vanilla and chili.
The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. (B,L)
Depart Yogyakarta
Today you are taken to the airport for your departing flight home or on to your next destination. (B)
Alila Manggis, Manggis
Alila Manggis’ breathtaking location between the sea and Bali’s sacred Mount Agung inspired a seamless concept for the resort by its designers at Kerry Hill Architects, with free-flowing interaction between the buildings and surrounding nature. A traditional alang alang thatched roof covers the lobby, beautifully offset by polished ivory and coloured concrete floors. A latticed screen of diagonally laid stones is a feature at each end of the lobby. Four two-storey buildings of cool white stone, lit up in geometric beams of warm tones after dark, house the guestrooms. Each block is a skilful execution of traditional and contemporary Balinese architecture, set at a 45° angle to the beach, allowing all rooms and suites a view of the sea and the resort’s centrally featured pool.
Uma by COMO, Ubud
Uma by COMO, Ubud is a luxury central Bali hotel. The contemporary Asian design of our 46 rooms, suites and villas are relaxed, sunshine-filled spaces. Our restaurants, Kemiri and Uma Cucina, boasts world-class cuisine while COMO Shambhala Retreat at Uma Ubud focuses on holistic wellness, with active pursuits including temple visits, biking and trekking.
The Oberoi, Bali
A beachside haven that offers a complete Balinese experience, filled with serenity, hospitality and tropical beauty. Discover all that is serene and mystical about Bali at The Oberoi; a wonderfully secluded cluster of luxury villas and lanai set in 15 acres of tropical gardens on Seminyak Beach. Built in traditional Balinese style, you can relax in truly fabulous settings that celebrate your privacy with charming thatched roof villas, private pools, unique garden bathrooms and exquisite interiorsfeaturing Balinese art. Enjoy heavenly views from the swimming pool that looks out at the ocean. This exclusive resort reflects the wonderful romance of Bali.
Amanjiwo, Magelang
An ancient soul resides deep in the earth of Central Java, a peaceful spirit which rises up through the misty volcanic terrain to touch the elements of centuries past and present, leaving a tangible sense of timelessness in its wake. It is here amongst verdant rice terraces and gentle palm trees that Amanjiwo resides. Situated in a natural amphitheatre, Amanjiwo faces the world's largest Buddhist sanctuary, the 9th century Borobudur, as well as the mystical Tidar Hill, believed to house the spiritual and geographical centre of Java. Four slumbering volcanoes rise dramatically in the distance surveying the graceful limestone monolith that is Amanjiwo, while the rolling Menoreh Hills rise directly behind. Resting in the rural heartland of Central Java, Amanjiwo is surrounded by extraordinary cultural, physical and spiritual beauty, and embraces its good fortune with serene Yogya (local limestone) arms. The main structure, from which these two arms extend, is a circular limestone monolith, centered by a soaring bell-shaped rotunda. The main structure also houses Amanjiwo's grand entrance from which a graceful flight of steps leads up to the Rotunda Bar, the stately colonnaded Dining Room and the Terrace, all of which offer incredible views of the Kedu Plain, and the sacred temple of Borobudur. On arrival at the resort, young Javanese girls in traditional batik sarongs offer a heartfelt welcome with smiles and showers of fresh rose petalsa greeting as warm as the hospitality youll enjoy throughout your stay. Amanjiwo's Romanesque amphitheatre-style pool, built from smooth limestone blocks, also offers breathtaking views. A portal to this, the heartland of Java, Amanjiwo also offers numerous ways of exploring the region, from a personalized tour by car to the solid back of a Sumatran elephant.