INDONESIA - Sanur, Bali - Feb 2026

Indonesia - Bali - Sanur - February 9th to 16th

My departure from Australia was delayed, and as I have to be in the UK by the end of March, my travel time was rather truncated....ChatGPT 😉 advised me to spend all my time in one certain country (of my choices) but an opportunity arose to at first depart via Indonesia. 

Linda needed to leave Australia and return to refresh her Visa stay....and as Australia is so bloody remote from anywhere, one of the closest and cheapest ideal spots was Bali, a mere 6 hour flight from Brisbane, but well past half way to my ultimate destination, and in the tropics - so possible scuba!

The only issue was that in January and February, Indonesia is in the rainy season...but now on completion of the break, yes, when it rains, it really does...but generally we have been fortunate, and as the week progressed it got much better, which aligned with our plans, and what a gorgeous place, on a number of levels.

Sanur, was our resort, - with a beach front complex...a really top spot. Seafront path for quite a distance with a diversity of eateries and stalls, and very relaxed.

Met at the airport by our taxi man via Booking.com, but he became our tour operator and friend.... Gosa was brilliant, we had a full day out visiting temples, a coffee plantation, waterfall, paddy rice terraces etc Driving through all the rural villages: some specialising in wood carvery, silver, stone carving etc.

Many places look quite shanty, but materialism is very low down on the Hindu philosophy, so the exterior looks of places could be misleading, according to research. The traffic though was insane, even in the rural parts...cars and so many more scooters and motorbikes, all undercutting, driving outside inside...cars cutting across...but no rage, not even a horn beep! Hindu temples are so plentiful with offerings daily made in so many places, some in unexpected places....this is the culture...and Hindu closely follows spiritualism....where confrontation isn't on the agenda!

Interestingly 93% of Balinese are Hindu, whereas 93% of the rest of Indonesia is Muslim...the history is quite interesting, in general, it was an escape by the Hindus when Muslims from the Middle East moved into Indonesia...research it!

Anyway the week:

I haven't dived properly for probably 12 years...ChatGTP recommended Indo Divers, and soon I was sat with my dive guide Hadie, and a mad driver, taking us the hour up the coast to the Blue Lagoon. Perfect refresh dive on soft coral, buoyancy came back really well, after we added an extra kg (4kg in total, full 3mm wetsuit and aluminium tank - for reference!)...lots of beautiful coral and wildlife. Second dive was a tiny more challenging with some current, hence bigger shoals and a solitary reef shark....it was good to be back...and followed by a slap up bali meal just on shore....delicious although I was not totally sure what I was eating!

 Immediately the confidence was back, so I signed up for a three dive boat session...starting at Manta Point, surfacea 45 min boat journey to Gosa-Penida Islands. Mantas were so regular, with some great video...the only issue, was on returning to the  the swell and waves had got up! Getting out was sort of ok, but then the boat journey (only a 15 person dive boat) to the next dive site was rather rocky to say the least, including several belly flops and just once a major tilt! Two people were consequently looking for huey over the side of the boat!

 

 Anyhow the next two dives were excellent, with the final one being (I felt) a rather speedy drift dive along a reef wall, with zillions of fish of every colour...although Hadie later stated that the current was quite moderate to what it can be ! So 5 dives, just what I wanted and needed...more to come on my travels I'm sure.

 

GOSA'S DAY OUT:

Drove to Ubud, I assumed this would be rural with less traffic and more open scenery. The traffic hardly relented, with no apparent rules, but no anger..not even the slightest. Ubud is known for the centre of crafts...we passed communities that specialised in various products including silver, wood, and volcanic rock...some of the products / designs were amazing, and so many...we wondered where the market was for all of it...apparently much overseas and of course the wealthier Indonesians.

Hindu shrines are all over, although some are more special than others especially Gunung Kawi,  with the shrines cut into the rock. I did a Beckham impersonation there, wearing a sari,  to cover my legs! It really was impressive though, and set in a stunning jungle environment.

We visited the Luwak coffee plantation, with a number of taster flavoured coffees...include what our "salesman" described as the most expensive coffee in the world ($50 a cup in New York so he said). It's made by feeding a captured Civet...it eats the ripe sweet berries, and they basically collect the shit, and make coffee, although our man was not so honest. The use of civet, like a stoat, is controversial, as they are caged, although our man said it had been rescued. When we declined the purchase of any bags, the guys demeanour changed  very clearly....even if we bought Lin had no space in her luggage, and I wasn't lugging coffee bags to wherever I ended up next!

Next was rather a tourist Instagram place, Tellallalgang, a rice terrace...quite staged I thought...and so did my pal ChatGPT! Sure there are much more impressive examples, around the island, not simply managed for tourists. The "Bali Swing" apparently is looked upon as a must do, typically the outward swing is over an edge...nothing at all dangerous about it, but there was an age limit of 65! Oh how Linda larfed, the age limit also included a magic carpet and a zip line. Oh to be considered so old!!

There are several waterfalls across Bali, but Gosa took us to probably the worst tourist trap...Tegenungan, packed out, although a steep descent to the fall itself, did somewhat thin the masses. The Instagram monkeys were full at it, especially a rather voluptuous woman, posing seductively in the water, in a tiny bikini...even handling her own breasts...fvckin sad really.

Gosa had plans to take us to somewhere else, but both Lin and I were rather worn out, more by the lengthy car journeys, in such chaotic  traffic. So we returned to our chilled resort.

On a map, we hadn't gone that far into the island, and I hoped if we had the time, there would be much more interesting and tourist free places...one day maybe?

On our non plan days, we chilled and walked around Sanur and especially along the coastal path...plus a Balinese massage on one morning!

Gosa organised a Penida Island day, 8.30am fast ferry, met at Penida by another taxi man...the three spots we visited were quite impressive....but the crowds were really mental...many Chinese....the first spot was Broken Beach and Angel's Billabong...with an impressive arch...but the road leading was single track, snided with cars and scooters...and at best just had potholes...the car time again wore us out, and this was far worse than the Ubud trip....we also visited Kelingking Beach and Crystal Beach (which was quite nice and less busy)...but again we wanted Sanur and to relax. However, the speed ferry back was more than half the size of the one that brought us out. It seemed inconceivable that all the passengers could fit on, but they did, in the hull affectively, very claustrophobic and a little worrying re safety...fortunately the sea was relatively calm, and we got back OK...but there were very worries looks on people on certain bumpy occasions....including Linda, and Indonesia does not have the best safety standards nor record.

 This was our last day, we could've done with another free day, but off in separate directions at the airport, Linda back to Aus and the family, and me heading north!

In conclusion the week was excellent, we mixed a variety of chill and activity (especially me)  - the Hindu culture gives it a friendly I guess spiritual vibe...perhaps another visit one day, perhaps again as part of an Aus trip...but can now think about staying in more of an Indonesia  - the downside was the intensity of traffic even out on the rural roads and of course the masses of tourists on Penida.

But where to? 😊