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#KCworldtrip

Courtney Mesken

Courtney is spending 2016 getting wander-fully lost with her partner Kim.
Goal = 52 countries in 52 weeks.

#KCworldtrip

Latest posts by Courtney Mesken (see all)

• An Arabic Adventure - November 27, 2016
• The Dazzling Wonders of Myanmar - October 13, 2016
• It’s More Fun In The Philippines - September 8, 2016

It’s almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream – Bern Williams

A short flight from Australia, beautiful Bali was the first stop on our worldwide adventure.  6 days of sun, swimming, sugary cocktails and of course spectacular sunsets.  There was just something magical about the colours and the way the light dispersed over the Indian ocean which certainly had us dreaming.  Due to the fact we visited Bali during New Years, we were especially full of wonder and excitement about how the year would pan out.  Accompanied by 3 of our best friends for the week, we couldn’t have planned a better start to our adventure. 

Booking a villa is honestly the way to go when staying in central Seminyak.  Our delightful abode boasted 3 bedrooms with ensuites, a kitchen and a lovely pool surrounded by stunning gardens.  An oasis in the middle of busy Seminyak, Villa Ayatana was a welcome treat after a day in the hot summer sun. 

Relaxing at our gorgeous villa

The central location of Seminyak meant only a short stroll from your home away from home to the bustling beaches and our first glimpse of the sought after Bali sunset. 

Watching the sun go down at Seminyak Beach

Bali is well known for it’s party scene, which is one of the reasons we chose it for our New Years celebration.  We wanted a casual venue right on the beach which would give us an amazing view at sunset and opted for Potato Head Beach Club which gave us just that.  Definitely not a cheap venue and not one for our usual backpacker budget, but certainly worth the splurge for a special occasion. 

If you’re looking for a chilled venue in Seminyak, look no further than La Plancha, a vibrant Spanish beach bar with good tunes, friendly staff and a great menu.  It’s also one of the most colourful places we’ve visited with hundreds of bright umbrellas and beanbags to relax whilst watching the sun go down. 

Whilst Seminyak has a lot of great restaurants, bars, clubs and beaches, there’s plenty more to do in Bali only a few hours drive away.  Tanah Lot, the pilgrimage temple on a rock formation, is a popular tourist attraction and has incredible views at sunset. 

Some of Bali’s most iconic landscapes can be found in tranquil Ubud, 30km north from Seminyak.  Full of rainforests, coffee plantations and terraced rice paddies, Ubud is a lovely day trip away from the hustle and bustle.  It’s also home to many adventure activities including white water rafting which we had a ball doing. 

In search of more fantastic ocean views, we trekked down south to Uluwatu and payed a visit to Single Fin, a relaxed cafe where you can watch the surf roll in and chill out to their “Sunday Sesh” vibe.  Perfect place for an ice cold Bintang! 

Uluwatu is also home to many incredible cliff faces, one of which is on the skirts of the monkey forest.  Thick hedges of green over white chalk rock and a crashing blue ocean, the view from the path around these stunning cliffs make a lovely afternoon walk.  Be sure to keep your belongings in check and don’t carry any food on you as these adventurous monkeys aren’t shy!