This is the tale of a little walk, up a hill off Ubud's main street, and through relatively flat, slightly terraced rice paddy, now dotted with ever-more concrete villas and bungalows. It's a 15-minute walk, or about 800 metres, a sign at the turn off along Subak Sok Wayah tells visitors, to get to a restaurant that has grown enormously in popularity since opening a few years ago. If you know a bit about Bali you'd have guessed by now: it's Sari Organic or Warung Bodag Maliah.

Here it is, among the rice fields.

It's not a long walk, but it can be a hot walk along a meandering cement path that passes through some very typical Bali scenery: farmers at work, the devoted making offerings, a motorcycle whizzing past every few minutes. It's not very well shaded, so do wear a hat.

Rice. It's hard work.

And yes, you'll need a drink as soon as you arrive. Juices, as you'd expect, are their forte. Their carrot, apple, ginger hit the spot for me (25,000 rupiah) but the menu includes plenty of options, such as a green cleanser -- broccoli, apple, celery, lemon and honey (25,000 rupiah). If you've not tried a turmeric drink in Indonesia, give it a whirl: the turmeric here is juiced with aloe vera (25,000).

Not a mirage.

The organic restaurant has an attached farm, part of which you'll pass on the way through to the restaurant -- and part of which is actually the restaurant, if you take a seat in one of their outdoor cushion-strewn, alang-alang roofed bales.

Yeah, that's pretty fresh.

Or you can sit inside the open air main building, at tables and chairs, or on little raised platforms with cushions. Either way, the view's pretty neat. The crowing roosters act as orchestra.

Did someone say bucolic?

The menu is short, sweet, simple and moderately affordable. Vegetarian nasi campur is 40,000 rupiah; pasta with house-made pesto is 35,000 rupiah; a vegetarian kebab of tofu and tempeh with zucchini, peppers and mushroom with rice is 33,000 rupiah. But there's meat too: grilled chicken with veggies and pesto sauce and rice is 55,000 rupiah.

We went for the gado gado (35,000 rupiah).

So much for telling the kids they can't eat the leaves in our garden.

And the raw papaya salad, a combo of raw papaya, cucumber, carrot and peanuts with a sweet and sour dressing (35,000 rupiah).

Crunch.

Somebody was surprised to see the size of the fruit salad.

"It's bigger than my head!"

Don't forget to look up as well as out while you're eating.

A rainbow for a cloudy day.

Sari Organic isn't without its detractors, who fear that the restaurant's opening has helped to bring crowds and development to the stunning area. Surely responsibility for development lies with authorities who fail to enforce zoning regulations -- we've been told this area is greenbelt, which means buildings shouldn't be in the area. This restaurant could be elsewhere, with the farm produce brought to it.

Sadly, this isn't the first area in Bali to see its beautiful paddy eaten by rapacious developers.

Could the last person off the paddy turn the subak tap off?

Still, for now there's beauty to be found, wherever you care to look.

Plump tomatoes, a scented rose.

Sari Organic/Warung Bodag Maliah
Subak Sok Wayah
T: (0361) 972 087
sari-organik@hotmail.com

Tags: development, organic food, Sari Organic, Warung Bodag Maliah

This isn't a piece about seeing all the sights around Ubud at a cracking pace, but rather about suggesting some tips on doing what one can really do best in Ubud: chill out, eat, relax, eat, take it easy, eat, hang out... eat -- you get the picture.

No sights. Just treats. Just this one day.

Check into your hotel -- see our recommendation below, or choose from our overall picks here -- in the late afternoon, and make a stop somewhere like Three Monkeys for a drink as you ease into the vibe of Ubud.

Chill, man.

Then head over to the Yoga Barn, a 20-minute walk away on Jalan Hanoman, for a sunset session of Iyengar-inspired restorative yoga. The frogs and crickets and other insects will come out to perform a fantastic orchestra as a few dozen yogis lay around in various positions of repose, eyes closed and breaths deep and energising; this is a great way to sort of sink into Ubud's embrace. (I've covered the session in more detail here.) A drop-in class is 110,000 rupiah.

Shhh!

Jump into a transport car as soon as you're back on the street and head up to Spa Hati for a late massage session. This spa is a little out of the way but go on, make the effort in the name of a good cause. The cute outdoor massage room, with sliding doors and surrounds for privacy, is something a little special in this price range -- a one-hour "blissful dream" massage is 165,00 rupiah -- this compares to say US$69 dollars for a one-hour Balinese massage at the much more upmarket Maya Ubud spa.

The next morning, have your hotel breakfast, but if you take our suggestion on where to stay you may want to head out instead -- Tutmak does super coffee and great breakfasts too.

Protein and coffee and you're ready for yoga... in a bit.

Get in early and you won't have too full a stomach for a session of yoga at Taksu, a short walk away. Check the schedule -- there aren't as many classes as at the Yoga Barn -- the Barn's schedule is here -- but you'll likely find something that fits and the little oasis of a spot is worth making a detour for while you're on your relaxation retreat.

Taksu also offers an array of alternative therapies and massage treatments -- you could do worse than hanging around for a few hours in their spa.

Zen magic.

Meandering back along Dewi Sita, a top good-for-you spot is Soma, where a range of delicious juices are on offer with raw treats and meals as well.

Treats that are good for you, of course.

Juiced up, if you haven't had a Taksu session, stop at one of the two Reflexology Bali spots on the same road. A one-hour foot, hand, back and shoulder massage costs 110,000 rupiah -- again, to compare, you're looking at 425,000 rupiah for a one-hour session of reflexology at the spa at Alila Ubud. Simply but tastefully decorated, an hour getting your foot knots worked out here will prepare you for a spot of window shopping.

Put your feet up. But not as high as the sign.

From Jalan Dewi Sita, loop around Jalan Monkey Forest, Raya Ubud, and back down Jalan Hanoman to window shop your way past some of Ubud's retail offerings. We've already written a piece on shopping in Ubud -- while a lot is still relevant, we were amazed how many new places had popped up since our last visit this time around.

Oooh, shiny!

By the time you get to Hanoman it'll be time for lunch -- look no further than Clear Cafe for an amazing, your-body-is-a-temple meal. And they have takeaway biscuits. If you're keen on trying Balinese food though, stop at Ibu Oka's, close to the junction between Monkey Forest and Raya Ubud.

Did we mention this is all about treats?

For your afternoon hedonistic splurge, book into the small and basic but decent Sang Spa 3 on Monkey Forest. In terms of facilities, this spot makes an effort, but it's at the budget end of the spectrum. The massage I had here -- my first-ever four-hand treatment -- was superb and professionally done. The one-hour "good karma" massage was 220,000 rupiah -- a four-hand massage at the Four Seasons Sayan? 75 minutes is 1,650,000 rupiah.

Be warned: I was hit by a motorbike going down one-way Jalan Monkey Forest the wrong way on my way here, so do keep your wits about you.

A simple spa, a simple state of mind.

Ubud is your oyster when it comes to dinner -- you could undo all your good work with a few martinis at Naughty Nuri's, but if you want to stay on track, a meal at Kafe would do the trick -- they're open until 23:00 daily.

Where to stay?

We have already recommended Ubud Lestari as a great, family-friendly place to stay but if you're on your own little retreat, it also works perfectly. It's spotlessly clean, tasteful, central, spacious, has a pool and paddy views, and you won't see too many other people as there are only a handful of rooms. The only hiccup here is getting a booking, as the staff, though friendly, don't speak great over-the-phone English.

Wishing for seven days...

I actually began my stay at Merthayasa Bungalows, also on Monkey Forest Road, as Ubud Lestari said they had no rooms when I called ahead. But when I dropped by they did; I didn't hesitate to forfeit almost a night's payment to move, as when I had pointed out the table in the room at Merthayasa as being dirty, the staff member simply brushed the pile of plastic tags and knots of human hair onto the floor. Nice! Expect to pay 350,000 for a fan-cooled room (air-con optional 50,000 extra) at Ubud Lestari.

Happy hedonistic relaxing!

Tags: Taksu, ubud lestari, Yoga Barn

When you say Ubud, some people may think "Yoga!"  -- or, even, "Hippies!" -- yet the offerings may not be quite as extensive as the tourist-town's reputation would have you expect. Yoga Barn really has the market cornered for yoga in the style that Westerners are after, while Taksu is another decent offering, though it doesn't quite attract the crowds of the former. Yoga is also on offer at Bodyworks (the spa of which we've written about here) but we didn't try it out for this piece -- and I'm sure there are others tucked away we're not aware of -- please do add to the comments if you know of any and we'll check them out at a later date.

We guess it's a barn because of all the animal poses going on inside.

Thanks to sustaining a knee injury during hot yoga, I headed to a sunset restorative class rather than one of the more energetic classes on offer at the Yoga Barn, tucked a short walk away behind Siam Sally on Jalan Hanoman. The serene space is also home to Little K, which focuses on raw vegan foods (08:00 to 14:00, the receptionist said, though the website says till 09:00 till 16:00 -- perhaps call ahead) and KUSH, the Barn's Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Centre. It's all immediately calming, all woods and glass and stones and greenery. (Some classes are held back in an "annex" above Kafe further back on Jalan Hanoman.)

A drop-in class is 110,000 rupiah paid upfront, and a small change room and shower caters to the yogis. Both the upstairs and downstairs studios are very natural, soothing, open-air affairs, with the surrounding shrubbery and rice paddy bursting into a cacophony of sound at sunset -- perfect for a meditative class. Mosquitoes also descend at this time, but natural repellant is offered ahead of the class beginning, so do put plenty on.

Shhhh!

A few arriving students and I weren't quite sure whether the previous class was just finishing or whether it was full of students for our class; turns out they were students for our class and the Barn was packed. The Iyengar-style restorative class on offer here involves using loads of props, which is a bit of a headache when there are easily way more than 30 people trying to get bolsters, blocks and blankets out of cupboards (would perhaps suggest taking the cupboard doors off and just having shelves?). But once sorted to begin with, the props stay out, and the yoga instructor Tina led an excellent class, relaxing 90-minute class -- helped along by the amazing orchestra outside -- that seemed to be over before it began.

The Yoga Barn is the place to head if you enjoy doing yoga accompanied by the energy of a crowd. On the other hand, I rolled up a few minutes late to a morning Kundalini/meditation class at Taksu to find I was the only person there. Yikes! I had been hoping to hide up the back, and ride on the energy of everyone else, but nope, it was just the enthusiastic Made and I.

The river's reverence a hushed meditation ...

Classes here too are 110,000 rupiah, which you pay at the business-like office before walking down quite a few steps and through the sprawling grounds over bubbling subak streams to get to the open-air yoga studio, bordered by one of the streams and looking onto green shrubbery and fluttering butterflies. Taksu is also home to a spa and offers an array of healing treatments, offered in open-air rooms dotted around; there's also a raw food-focused restaurant. The vibe is a little different here; a bit bigger, a bit more concrete and stone than at Yoga Barn.

Good morning, here's your mat! Yours, and nobody else's.

As you'd expect, it was quite an intense 90 minutes, and Made (described accurately on Taksu's website as having a "priestly essence"), to his credit, gave a class with as much energy as he would have a full house, I'm certain. After a discussion of the philosophy of Kundalina yoga and chakras, we did a seated meditation that absolutely murdered my legs, but I did feel cleansed and energised the rest of the day.

While it seems the influx of tourists looking to find themselves after (*whispers*) Eat, Pray, Love doesn't seem to have widened the yoga studio offerings in Bali's Ubud, a new one is now on the way -- and it does look fantastic. Check out what's coming from early next year here.

Thanks to Soma from Localista for some tips on this piece.

The Yoga Barn
44 Jalan Hanoman, Pengosekan, Ubud
T: (0361) 971 236
www.theyogabarn.com

Taksu Spa
Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud
T: (0361) 971490
www.taksuspa.com

Tags: Taksu, yoga, Yoga Barn

If you like your food healthy and imaginative -- even somewhat worshipful -- make a beeline to stunning Clear Cafe when you're in Ubud. The spot, tucked away on Jalan Hanoman so within walking distance of most guesthouses in Ubud's central area, has been open a year or two now, and it's surely testament to its popularity that it's now renovating to put in an extra floor.

Abandon your fear of the vegetable. I mean, your shoes.

Shoes are left at the entrance to the airy, temple-like interior -- a somewhat religious theme emerges here -- and the space soars with anticipatory drama, a collision of slick lines and natural curves, indigenous materials and industrial cleverness.

God's in those sunbeams you know.

And then there's the menu, which to take that theme a step further and use a Nigella-ism, treats your body like a temple. The focus is on whole, natural, organic food, with vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike set to find something to tempt them here.

After a long, leisurely read of the compelling, alcohol-free menu -- it's online here where you'll no doubt pick up some ideas for your own cooking repertoire -- I went for the mint-infused water (I sipped the lavendar on a previous visit and preferred that -- there's also rose and cucumber on offer, 5,000++ rupiah) with the Grand Puri Salad, a mix of rocket, blue cheese chunks, sheared apples, candied, crunchy cashews and a mango chili aioli (45,000++). It was -- how could it not be? -- divine. It sure feels right eating food like this in bare feet.

It's alive!

Other light meals include sandwiches such as the Clear Caprese (45,000++), which is mozzarella, arugula, vine ripe tomatoes and pesto on baguette with balsamic reduction, and nibbles like Tofu Purses, diced apple, onion, tofu, red pepper, coconut & tamarind sauce tucked in purple cabbage (35,000++).

The waitress had asked if I was having a main when I ordered, but I thought I'd wait to see the size of the salad, and the serving was indeed meal (or late lunch) size. So while I skipped a main it wasn't without regret: among the offerings are "Snow Tofu", coconut crusted tofu with sauteed greens in a tamarind sauce and garlic mashed potatoes (45,000++) and "Bali Raja Tataki", cocoa cayenne seared tuna, daikon and beets in a mangosteen sauce (70,000++). Clear seems to be all about taking the best of Bali's local ingredients and creating poetic temptation.

I did, however, have some room for dessert and a cashew-nut milk-based latte (20,000++). My piece of raw mulberry pie (50,000++), a decadent but light piece of heaven -- sort of like guilt-free ice cream cake -- looked so fantastic the next table commented. Various other cakes and pies are on offer, and the waiter will bring them out for you to have a look if you're keen. They may seem pricey, but they're generally nut-based, which means the ingredients aren't cheap to start with.

My only gripe really is the usual plus plus -- here 10% tax, 10% service, which is closer to five-star restaurant rates than simple restaurants -- but then the starting prices for the quality being served are very reasonable. Be warned if you go at the moment too that renovations are underway in the rear of the restaurant, so not as many tables are available as usual.

It's not alchemy after all: decadence and guilt-free combined.

In short, Clear Cafe is a standout in a field of many healthy offerings among Ubud's restaurant offerings.

Hallelujah!

Clear Cafe
Jalan Hanoman No. 8
T: (0361) 889 4437
http://www.clear-cafe-ubud.com/

Tags: Clear Cafe, healthy food, raw food

Yesterday the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age ran a piece titled "Bali: why bother?" by staffer Carolyn Webb. It's obvious from the story that Webb didn't especially enjoy her time in Bali -- that's not at all unusual and thankfully Bali isn't for everyone. What was unusual was that the piece got a run in "serious" newspapers. Was it just linkbait? Probably, which is sad. But it has got people talking, so let's go through it, piece by piece.

Another painful day in tourist hellhole Ubud.

"I once vowed never to go to Bali. The drunk Aussie tourists! The traffic! The noise! The tacky souvenirs! I mean, why would you go?"

Why indeed Carolyn?

"Well, earlier this month I caved in. They were holding a writer's festival at Ubud, the bustling town in the hills, well north of both the smoggy capital Denpasar and the beachside tourist trap of Kuta."

It's also about an hour southeast of Jatiluwih rice terraces and 90 minutes' south of the glorious beaches and snorkelling at Amed.

"I wanted warm weather, and it was cheap. Wasn't Ubud full of temples, verdant rice fields and friendly people?"

I wanted a cheap holiday awash with cliches. And yes, Ubud is full of temples, verdant rice fields and friendly people.

"Well I went. And I wasn't greatly impressed."

Sorry to hear that.

"First the good points. Perfect weather, lovely countryside once you get away from the towns. Fantastic, fresh cuisine including home-grown fruit, meat and coffee. Sumptuous but cheap hotels. Beautiful culture with Hindu temples every 20 metres, lovely dancing and artwork.

The Ubud Writers' and Readers' Festival, starring singer Paul Kelly and novelist Alexander McCall-Smith was great, staged in laid-back tropical cafes and function centres."

Sounds familiar. We hear this frequently.

"In short, Ubud would be a great holiday destination, if they removed the frankly terrible street touts, and the tacky souvenir shops. I am not exaggerating to say that vendors of transport and souvenirs harass tourists from morning to night."

Ubud is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island, but there are touts and tacky souvenir shops. Welcome to Asia, Carolyn.

Bali: Where children walk through verdant fields to attend tout school.

"Single women, especially, cannot walk more than 10 metres without being shouted at, approached, pleaded with, harangued and harassed with the words, "Miiisss, miiisss, transport, taxi, where you going ... miiiisss?" I thought my name had been changed to Miiisss."

This statement is simply rubbish. Single women? What? How can you speak for people who are not single women? Many people get harassed. Most people ignore it.

"I was once strolling along one of Ubud's main roads when a young man drove his motorbike across the footpath, blocking my way so I had to stop. (The word "taxi" is used loosely in Ubud - they're not regulated, nor do they have meters and anyone can call their motorbike or car a taxi.)"

Rubbish. There are private cars for hire and there are taxis.  Motorbike taxis are very rare in central Ubud -- I don't ever remember seeing one downtown.

"This tout smiled and asked if I wanted "transport". I smiled and explained very politely that, in Australia, if a woman gets on a motorbike with a stranger, that is called prostitution. He looked as though I'd just told him the sun was a balloon. I don't think he honestly had a clue what I was on about."

I'm not surprised -- I have no clue what Carolyn is on about either.

"So why did I decline? Umm. Apart from possible serial killer issue, how about the strong likelihood of falling off the unregistered and possibly unroadworthy bike with no safety gear or helmet on to the crappy roads, well beyond the reach of any known travel insurance policy?"

Well, the simple response is not to get on the motorbike. Travel insurance companies have heard of Bali.

"I often wondered what these touts would think if their sister or mother got on a motorbike with a strange man."

Nothing. It's normal. It happens all the time. What does your family think when you get in a taxi in Australia that is driven by a man?

"On another occasion, I had slipped away from the noisy, dusty main streets into the countryside and was happily walking past rural villages and fields (which are quite lovely) when another young motorcyclist stopped and approached me.

"You want transport, miiiissss?" he yelled. "No thanks," I smiled and kept walking. But he wouldn't take no for an answer, following me on his motorbike. "Where you staying, miiisss? You must need taxi." This went on for about five minutes, with me walking away from him until he left."

One day, in Asia, I was harrassed by a persistent motorcycle taxi driver. Quick, send a missive to the SMH.

Sex on wheels, Kuta.

"In the space of a week I started to hate walking the streets of Ubud - a bizarre thing when you're supposed to be relaxing on holidays. I would cross the road if I saw a gang of young men sitting on a stoop but they still would yell out 'MIIIISSSS, TRANSPOOOORT!!!"

I hated it so much I spent a week there.

"I once saw a Western tourist with a T-shirt that said "no transport, no massage", which I laughed at, but I later seriously wished I had my own."

Versions of these are available across Southeast and South Asia -- depending on what the most commonly spruiked goods are. In Nepal they tend to include "No hashish". I hate to think what frenzy that would have thrown you into.

"Then I started pretending to use my mobile phone as I walked, which oddly enough actually worked, save the odd, determined "Miiiisss … ""

Translation: I started to talk to non-existent people rather than just saying no thanks or ignoring the person who was actually talking to me.

"I developed a resentment of locals, which I'm sure is undeserved. I just wish they could see how bad their touts are and lock them away in a dark room."

Yes, it is undeserved.

"Tourists are similarly harassed in Ubud if they go shopping in the kilometre-long retail love-in that is Monkey Forest Road. Picture walking down Chapel Street and being constantly screamed at from each doorway to buy things. Should I have enjoyed this?"

I've walked up and down Monkey Forest Road perhaps fifty times and have never, ever had a shop owner yell anything at me. To be clear though, I do always speak to imaginary people on my phone when in Ubud to avoid contact with other humans.

The wooden penises are kept out back.

"As I walked along this thoroughfare, I started to notice ever-cheaper and more tacky souvenirs – wooden penises, plastic skeletons having sex. I mean, who buys these things?"

Australians.

"Imagine the conversation with the quarantine officer at Melbourne Airport: "Aah, thank you sir, we'll have to get your wooden penis irradiated but otherwise, it's all fine.""

Knowing Australian customs, they'll probably confiscate it.

"More to the point, who makes these souvenirs? Are there entire villages near Ubud that make wooden penises?"

Well, there are entire villages across Bali making all manner of tourist knick knacks out of wood. This is how they make their living. The wooden penis you're fixated on is actually a phallic symbol to do with other-worldly matters rather than the carnal pleasures you're on about. They also make lots of beautiful wooden treasures -- not surprisingly you don't mention them -- you must have been on the phone when you walked past.

"Occasionally in Bali, itinerant hawkers would bail you up. One of the most disturbing incidents was the day I went on a half-day bus tour of the countryside taking in a spectacular volcano north of Ubud. We stopped on the rim road to view the distant volcano and on the way back to the bus an elderly man shoved a wooden statue of a Hindu god in my face, babbling in a very agitated way "You BUY?', pleeeese Miiiiss!!! You buy!!!!"

I made the mistake of touching the sculpture and he shoved it further towards my face, screaming at me. I knew it was an act he put on for every tourist so I didn't get too upset. It was just absurd. And really rude. Then he blocked the path to my seat. My tour guide watched on benignly. In the end I edged into my seat, stared straight ahead and the hysterical hawker went away."

One day, in Asia, I was harrassed by a persistent wooden Hindu God vendor. Quick, send a missive to the SMH.

Gratuitous beach shot. Uluwatu.

"Many times, with the "transpooort" guys and hawkers, I wondered: do the locals have any idea how their treatment of tourists comes across?"

This is probably the one valid point in the entire story: touts really are annoying. But I can say that in a sentence, not a rambling piece in one of Sydney's best newspapers.

"Then I thought, is it just me? Do other Australian tourists find the whole tout behaviour thing charming or amusing? I mean, do they see it as part of a carnival atmosphere that you just laugh off?"

It's just you, Carolyn.

"I thought it was vile. It didn't reflect well either on the Balinese or on the tourists; it was a lowest common denominator tourist hell."

You went to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia and it was a tourist hell.

"Maybe I'm uninformed."

Hmmm.

"Maybe the locals are so impoverished they adopt desperate measures to grab cash when they can, and we as rich Westerners should feel glad they are making a living. We should thus smilingly welcome the overt rudeness and invasion of privacy and lack of respect."

The locals are just trying to get by. They work in restaurants, hotels, as drivers, artisans -- all sorts. It's called making a living.

"(Bad behaviour does go both ways - I equally would condemn those frightening Aussies overseas who urinate in the street and wear bikinis into temples. I was gobsmacked to see one topless young white guy at 11am one day strolling down Monkey Forest Road, open stubby in hand, his shorts almost down to his thighs to reveal his underpants)."

Finally.

"My point is, aren't there better ways of doing business? If a tourist is treated so badly they don't want to ever return, isn't that a bad thing for Bali? Or do tourists not care how basely they're treated as long as they get a cheap flight, room and meals?"

My point (mine, not Carolyn's) is, aren't there better ways to have a holiday? Bali is a big place. It has magnificent beaches, stunning countryside and much of it has an utterly untouristed appeal. There are hundreds of villages and destinations that see a fraction of the visitors Ubud does.

But you didn't bother to make the effort to see or experience any of this, Carolyn. You visited Ubud across the Writers and Readers Festival, when, not surprisingly, there are a lot of visitors. You didn't like it. But rather than get up and find some of the gems that have had people falling in love with Bali since the 1920s, you decided to opt for a lazy cheap shot raving about dildos, touts and serial killers.

Yes, Bali faces challenges. Traffic and the environment in particular require urgent attention -- I'll be the first to volunteer that. But opportunistic rants like that above, which offer zero in the way of constructive criticisms really do nobody any favours.

Hope you enjoyed the Festival.

I'm still in the post-festival glow of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2011 so thought I could wring out one more post about how great it was.

Balinese dancers and future novelists at the UWRF. Photo courtesy of Chris Gosfield.

I had, as I hope my posts conveyed, an excellent time. I'd never been to a writers' conference or festival before so the entire experience was a new one, and far exceeded my expectations. My favourite part of the festival was the opportunity to meet so many like-minded souls -- both readers and writers. It was rare to have a conversation with anyone and have them not turn out to be incredibly interesting (and if they weren't, I could always fall back on talking about myself).

I'll admit that as a non-Australian, I wasn't familiar with a lot of the writers featured at the event where Aussies skewed heavily. This was wonderful in its own way, though, because I came home with a long list of previously-unknown books that I plan to read in the coming months. I'll also admit that I didn't know who Paul Kelly was, apart from the fact that Sam told me I really should listen to his stuff. Nevertheless, I knew to be impressed when he sat at my table and later, bought us a round of drinks [ed: name-dropper!].

Some of my particular favourites were: getting to see Agustinus Wibowo's amazing photographs, making filthy jokes with DBC Pierre, getting writing advice from Meg Mundell, being inspired to read poetry by Jaya Savige, hearing James Oseland, the editor-in-chief of Saveur, talk about food, finding a soul mate in Benjamin Law and hearing Trinity, Indonesia's leading travel writer, talk about her experiences at nude beaches.

But mostly, just being around a group of sharp, literary people was a pleasure and an inspiration.

Here are a few tips for 2012:

* Sign up for workshops and special events early. By the opening of the festival, most were already sold out.

* Book your Ubud accommodation early. Although there's lot of accommodation in town, you'll be happy to have that out of the way.

* Read the featured writers' books! I wish I had known I was going a little sooner, because I would have done a lot more reading, and had a lot more to talk about at the festival.

* Don't think too much about punctuation in the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival title. This is a recipe for head-wrecking.

You've had enough of sand and you just want half a day off the beach doing something a bit different with the kids that doesn't involve chasing them around too closely, like you would need to say at the zoo or Waterbom. Here are a few places you can do just that.

Lollipops Playland, Waterplay and Cafe

Now ready for the crowds.

Lollipops Playland, Waterplay and Cafe has just opened on Sunset Road in Seminyak, meaning it's just a hop, skip and a jump away for people staying in that area. We visited a few weeks ago during the soft opening period, but have since heard pretty much all of the activities are up and running, from the water play, splash pool area through to the harness obstacle course at the back and the main play area, where there are trampolines, ball games, a toddler play area, large slides and myriad other distractions, such as an air blaster that foam balls dance around in (that one had me enthralled).

Bring your own socks, or you'll have to buy a pair to enter. The park is for kids aged one to 12, with an attached cafe that does Asian-style Western food -- think "egg sandwich" as meaning a fried egg on white bread with lettuce and tomato, McDonalds-style French fries, and Bali kopi. But if you can look past the pretty average food, and get in early before it gets busy (as this place is bound to), then this is a spot the kids are going to love for a few hours of mostly indoor, out-of-the-sun play. (The splash park wasn't open when we were there, but we've since heard good things.)

Lollipops Playland, Waterplay and Cafe
Sunset Road No. 902, Seminyak, Bali
T: (0361) 8475992 / 8475987
www.indonesia.lollipopsplayland.com/
Open daily 09:00-21:00, but from October 1 08:00-20:00
Admission: Ages 2-15 125,000 rupiah, adults 25,000

Fun World

It's a jungle out there.

We've already written about Fun World at some length, but it's worth a mention here as it's similar in many ways to Lollipops, but much more spacious -- but it's also in the middle of nowhere, really -- a 30-minute drive from Sanur, or a 20-minute drive from Ubud. It's also rather overpriced for tourists -- US$15 -- compared to Lollipops, and I wonder whether that price may now drop (it's 38,000 rupiah for locals or permanent residents).

Like Lollipops, the cafe here is very local, meaning you'll get a decent fried noodles and fair Bali kopi, but forget a latte or fresh sandwich. It can get hot in the afternoons and it does tend to get more crowded as the day wears on, but get in early and you'll likely have the place to yourselves for a few hours.

Fun World
Jalan Lettu I Wayan Sutha II
Peninjoan, Batuan, Sukawati, Bali
T: (0361) 294 924
www.balifunworld.com
Open weekdays 09:30-20:00, weekends 09:30-21:00

3V

Looks like someone just turned the tele on.

3V is a great concept: large, stunning pool, open-air restaurant serving fresh, delicious meals, and a designated kids' room suitable for kids aged around seven and up to play on their own for a bit. When we were there, this room was unstaffed, but seems to be available anyway for kids to use while their parents are eating. (There are also villas and a fitness centre attached.)

When you're there, you'll see noticeboards with various scheduled activities for kids and families though, which includes barbecue and movie nights through to summer camp activities. Seems they haven't updated their website for a while and there's not much info on their Facebook page either, so if you're keen perhaps call ahead to see what's on, or just drop in. The spot is a bit off the beaten track in Kerobokan, but it's well signposted and about a 10-minute drive from Seminyak. Keep an eye out for the various "antique" shops in the area -- there are some real gems.

3V
Jalan Merta Sari 31X, Kerobokan, Bali
T: (0361) 881 1295
www.3vkerobokan.com
Open daily 07:00-22:00

Tags: 3V, fun parks, fun world, kids activities, lollipops

A friend recently mentioned offhand Gaya's Gelato and my ears pricked up as I often take the Sayan ridge route to get to Ubud from Sanur. This takes you past the large Gaya Fusion, an art space with an attached restaurant and villas, but I hadn't noticed any ice creamery ... What was I missing?!

Subtle and smooth, kind of like the ice cream.

Really delicious gelato, it turns out.

The next time I popped up to Ubud I stopped off. Sure enough, to the right of the gallery (which always has interesting exhibitions worthy of a peek) is a simple but sublime shop selling gelato -- and biscuits. There's only about a dozen gelato flavours to choose from, and we're not talking complicated, either -- creme caramel was probably the most unusual, in among the vanilla, mango, chocolate, strawberry and so on. It's 20,000 rupiah for a single scoop, or 35,000 for a double -- comparable to what the fancy multinational ice cream shops charge in the malls down in the busy south.

Quality not quantity! But why yes, I will have two scoops.

Absolutely smooth and creamy, this is the gelato Italy is famed for, sweet but not overly so, immediately melting in the mouth. They don't use preservatives, or anything artificial, and it's hand-made.

Of course, you're not going to travel too far out of your way to go buy an ice cream scoop, but if you are in the Sayan area -- say to head to hotels such as the Four Seasons or Kupu Kupu Barong, or you're on your way back south from somewhere along Raya Campuhan like Naughty Nuri's -- then you really should stop here. (If you're heading to the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, combined with a trip to the gallery this is a worthy 10-minute drive away.)

Be still my beating heart.

One disappointment: they don't do coffee, and my creme caramel gelato was screaming out for an espresso on the side. There's a restaurant above the gallery right next door, but there was a bit of confusion as to whether I could take the ice cream up there, or they might bring coffee down, but I didn't push it. I wanted to eat that ice cream, pronto.

Gaya Gelato
Jalan Raya Sayan, Ubud
T: (0361) 979 252/979 253 
www.gayafusion.com/gelato/info.php

UPDATE: There's now an outlet selling Gaya Gelato (and Illy coffee) on Sanur beach. If you head down Pantai Karang (the road that runs off Danau Tamblingan next to Smorgas), you'll hit the beach after going through a small car park. Turn left along the boardwalk, and the spot is about 50 metres along, on the left hand side. This is very good news for ice cream lovers in Sanur. Very. Good. News.

This is what you're looking for:

Ice cream, you scream, this is where you go when you're screaming for ice cream.

Tags: gelato, ice cream, ice creamery

Let's be honest: attending a writers festival is hard work, and the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival is no different. If you're not pouring over your schedule trying to juggle your panels with your lunches, you're busy actually attending a session, sitting in a possibly plastic chair for hours on end, listening, pondering, asking questions, thinking... You deserve a break after all that, right?

Step inside...

Enter: escaping to an Ubud spa for an hour or two, either -- scandalous -- during the festival or in the days leading up to it or afterwards.

Two of our favourite budget spots are Bodyworks and Spa Hati. You can certainly go cheaper than these two -- during my most recent visit to Ubud I passed a streetfront "spa" offering an hour-long full body massage for 40,000 rupiah, a foot massage for 30,000 or a cut and shampoo for 20,000. And you can certainly bust out the plastic for real indulgence at somewhere like L'Occitane's Mango Tree (which is stunning, but a real splurge). The former two, we reckon, are a happy medium: affordable but good.

Frangipanis soothe the eyes, roosters rock the ears.

Bodyworks has been around since 1987 (and is unrelated to Bodyworks in Seminyak). It's a bit of a healing centre -- people with ailments can go directly to Ketut Arsana, the founder, for a proper treatment, but you can also just go because you need a bit of a treat.

The centre is set in a traditional Balinese family compound, filled with various treatment rooms, and other little spots, like an open-air bale with a few gamelan instruments set up, lending an authentic, old-school feel to the place. No air-con, no fuss, and no frills, other than a frangipani or two on the treatment bed and some simple unobtrusive music, accompanied by a few roosters crowing in the distance and the reassuring grunts of someone else getting massaged on the other side of the rattan-like wall.

Looking into the Bodyworks compound, from the third-level treatment area.

On our most recent visit we had a one-hour deep tissue massage in one of the third-level rooms, which was priced at 175,000 rupiah plus 10% tax). While we were expecting just a one-size-fits-all rub down, it was a really thoughtful, intense massage by a therapist who really knew her stuff -- a completely different experience from some others that charge a lot more, I might add. It was a unique style, with some focus both around the butt/hips and the area where the shoulder blades meet the rib cage -- I loved it and the therapist really worked out some tough spots. Some oil is used -- you make your selection from scents such as sandalwood, jasmine and lavender, and while the quality isn't top shelf, it's not cloying, as cheap oils can sometimes be.

The menu is on their website, but you'll have to call to check the latest prices.

You think you're shy?!

Our second favourite is Spa Hati, which is a bit of a hike away from Ubud's main area -- maybe a kilometre or so from the market, but it's not too pleasant in the heat so you might want to use transport to get here (and arrange for a pick-up).

Spa Hati is a commercial enterprise, but it operates within the Hati Foundation -- profits are ploughed back into the foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life of the Balinese by providing education and employment-related courses, among a slew of other worthy work that you can read about here. I know, it means a guilt-free treatment for you! Does it get any better?

Zen amid the paddies.

On our most recent mission here we had the hour-long "ancient rituals facial" (155,000 rupiah). Though the bulk of the treatment rooms are in a longhouse-style pretty cement building, the facial was done in the pretty Zen-like standalone room above, looking out into a green area. The treatment included a thorough facial, finished off with a cool fresh cucumber mask, as well as a very good oil shoulder and arm massage.

Only half-close your eyes, or you'll miss the grassy green view.

There's a whole range of packages on offer (check their website), with the manicures and pedicures done in a pretty little pavilion that opens out on to paddy in the distance.

It's crucial to book both places in advance -- they are popular, and with good reason -- but just ask your hotel to do it for you, both spas are pretty well known.

Ubud Bodyworks Centre
25 Hanoman Street, Padang Tegal, Ubud
T: (0361) 975 720 / 971 393
www.ubudbodyworkscentre.com
info@ubudbodyworkscentre.com

Spa Hati
Jalan Raya Andong 14, Ubud
T: (0361)977 578
www.spahati.com
spahati@balihati.org

Tags: Bodyworks Ubud, facials, manicures, massage, pedicures, Spa Hati, spas

Maybe I'm just getting older, but while I used to find Thai and Cambodian traditional dance dull when I lived in the countries that produced the style, I find myself these days enjoying the slightly less staid Balinese dance. While Balinese dances can be incredibly intricate and slow moving, there's an element of almost slapstick humour in some of the dances and performances (such as kecak, best seen at Pura Uluwatu).

Hello!

Ubud is home to the greatest array of dances that are easily accessible to tourists. We recently attended a Legong-style performance at the 16th century Ubud palace. The "palace" in terms of a performance space may not be what you'd expect -- it's simply the palace courtyard, a large flat area filled with plastic chairs and blocked from prying eyes by tarpaulins strung around the outer edge. The stage is a raised platform however, so you can quite easily see the performance even if stuck behind someone tall.

The stage is bright enough to take photos without a flash; but not um, necessary in focus.

Either side of the stage is flanked with members of a gamelan orchestra, whose frenzied, rich music warms the crowd up before the first glittering dancers appear.

The programme we saw was a series of careful, colourful performances, beginning with Puspa Wresti or the welcome dance. Next up, a mask dance (with rather freaky Mona Lisa eyes on the mask, let me tell you), then Kebyar Duduk from northern Bali, the sacred Kupu Kupu Tarum, or butterfly dance,  and then a version of the famed Legong Kraton. To be a Legong dancer used to be the pinnacle of a Balinese dancer's success -- but it was a pinnacle reached before the age of around 14, by which time a girl would retire.

The programme noted a few more dances to come, but my four-year-old (for whom entrance was free) was nearly asleep by then, so we made a quick exit.

So many dances, so little time.

Dance performances are held all around Ubud and its outskirts, but we saw a Saturday night performance by the Bina Remaja Troupe, beginning at 19:30. Ticket sellers mill around the top of Monkey Forest Road, opposite the palace courtyard, and though it seems a tad dodgy, you simply pay your 80,000 rupiah to them for your ticket (prices can vary for different events), which is actually the programme or brochure (reading "ticket" on the front).

Get in early to get a seat close to the front. A few drink sellers walk around before the performance, so you can sip on something while you wait, and we were told there was a bathroom around the back, though we didn't need to use it.

We actually bought our tickets then walked 100 metres or so up the road to have a coffee and cake at Casa Luna ahead of the dance starting; we headed in at about 19:15 and got seats about half-way back from the stage, which were decent enough.

Tags: Balinese dance, Legong