It was over before it began: a motorbike’s engine goes down a gear, I lean back towards my open car door to let the bike pass, the driver grabs my shoulder bag and I scream — teaching my two children, still in the back seat of the car, a few choice swear words as my … read the full post

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. Check into your hotel — see our … read the full post

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 … read the full post

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 … read the full post

Japanese cuisine is fairly easy to find in Bali, and Sanur on the southeast coast has a good selection of places, from the newish and  sleek-lined on the beach through to a few old standards where the emphasis is on comfort. Let’s kick off with new Minami, the second branch of the well-regarded Ubud original. … read the full post

Having covered a few yoga studios in Sanur, it’s time to have a squizz at the Seminyak and Canggu areas of Bali. Top of the list for a drop-in class while you’re holidaying in this area of Bali has to be stunning, back-to-nature Desa Seni, with its open-air, alang-alang roofed Tri Murti studio. This is … read the full post

You can always grab a fantastic streetside or market meal in Bali, or duck into a restaurant with a babi guling sign and be sure of a pretty decent feed. But if you’d like to delve into traditional Balinese cuisine in restaurant surrounds, where should you head? Restaurants are not big historically in Bali, with … read the full post

We did a part 1 to our waist-busting series on Bali’s babi guling some time ago, and though I only have two restaurants to add at the moment thought it worth jotting them down, though only the first was memorable. First up: Babi Guling Negari. You’ll find this spotlessly clean joint specialising in our favourite … read the full post

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 … read the full post

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. 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 … read the full post