INDONESIA || Bali - travel vlog (Ubud, Tegalalang & Ceking Rice Terraces) 15 Degrees North

15° North are travelling again! This time we are in Indonesia on the paradise island of Bali. There we visit: Ubud, Tegalalang & Ceking Rice Terraces, Sacred Monkey Sanctuary, Mount Batur, Balian Beach & lots of temples, including the Besakih Complex.
Jérémy and Ben here again! We love to travel and to satisfy our wanderlust, we are on a worldwide odyssey exploring the best places for a break around the world. We love to escape Britain to experience the best culture, cuisine and attractions that the globe has to offer. If you’re a tourist like us and just need a good itinerary for what to do and how to do it when you’re in Bali, we will show you the best things to put on your itinerary.
Make sure you subscribe: ruclips.net/channel/UCNCk...
Check out our Asia Playlist: • ASIA
Follow us on Instagram: @fifteendegreesnorth
Music: www.purple-planet.com
Bali is a tropical island in the middle of Indonesia. As you arrive at the airport, there’s a sign saying “Welcome to the last paradise on earth”, which is a bold claim, but let’s see whether the Balians are right. A Mecca for surfers, the south side of the island has vast rolling beaches, covered in black volcanic sand. And palm lean over the cliffs, silhouetted against beautiful crimson sunsets.
But while the beaches are definitely worth exploring, that’s not why most people come to Bali. For that, you have to head inland, to the world-famous town of Ubud. Here you’ll find an ancient palace and stunning temples, although temples are not in short supply in Bali. Unlike the rest of the island, Ubud has become very westernised, with bars, restaurants and coffe shops aplenty. For many people, a trip to Bali is ALL about Ubud, but for the really authentic experience, you definitely need to step outside the city limits.
One thing that everyone wants to see in Bali is the rice paddies. These are the famous ones and, unsurprisingly, they’re only a short distance from Ubud. They’re absolutely stunning, as you can see, but we’ll let you into a little secret here. These rice paddies are... completely staged.If they look too good to be true, that’s because they are. These are not working rice paddies whatsoever. Instead, they’re essentially a park, with perfectly manicured grass on the steps. They charge you an entrance fee to walk through it, while there are many bars and restaurants overlooking it. Don’t mistake us, they are absolutely stunning, but they’re not the authentic Balian rice paddies that everyone is looking for.
Next we visit the monkey forest, which is, again, only a short trip from Ubud. The forest is full of monkeys, so they’ve built a temple to the god Hanuman, who is the Hindu monkey god. We encountered some very friendly monkeys when we were travelling in Malaysia, but here they were a little more aggressive. They’re very used to people coming and feeding them, so if you’re not there to give them food, they’re not going to be the most friendly monkeys in the world. If you pay a local guide, they’ll show you how to approach the monkeys properly and even get them to come and sit on your shoulder if you like. Otherwise, we would advise that you keep a safe distance from them.
Leaving Ubud behind, we stayed in the north of the island in this gorgeous traditional Balinese house. This side of the island is where you need to go if you want to escape the tourists and have more of an authentic experience. Our house was nestled in the middle of the rice paddies, which we couldn’t resist going out to explore. And yes, these are indeed real ones, with locals working in the fields throughout the day.
Although Indonesia is a Muslim country, Bali is the only part of the country that has a Hindu majority. In fact, 87% of its population are practicing Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is actually quite distinct from other denominations of the religion. Not only do they worship the Hindu gods, but also their ancestors, Buddhist saints and they’re animists too, worshiping the spirits of animals, rocks, rivers, the weather...Which is a lot of things to worship. Unsurprisingly, this means that their religion is very visible in day-to-day life. Every house has a temple or an altar, while processions are commonplace and offerings are made every few hours. You’ll find yourself stepping over offerings on the street, trying not to disturb floral offerings on doorsteps and permanently being followed by a gorgeous cloud of incense.
The biggest temple in Bali is the Besakih Temple complex in the east of the island. Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung at an altitude of over 1000 metres, there are 23 temples, most of which date from the fifteenth century.