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loominggaia · 5 years

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MATUZAN CUISINE

(lore under cut)

OVERVIEW

Matuzu Kingdom is very expansive, its borders stretching across most of Serkel. This bountiful land has much food to offer and its diverse population has devised many clever ways of preparing this food. Today Matuzu Kingdom is facing an obesity epidemic, but it’s no wonder why when such a bounty of high-fat, high-sugar cuisine is so readily available.

PALM WINE

Palm wine is an ancient staple of Matuzan cuisine. While it originated in the Midland Jungle, it quickly found its way across the entire continent. It is less popular in other parts of the world, but in its homeland this wine is enjoyed by all classes and species of people. It is made from the sap of various palms which are native to the continent. Its flavors and variations extend into the thousands.

DOLPHIN STEAK

Serkel’s rivers and coastlines are rich with fauna. Dolphins are regarded by locals both as pets and cuisine. Their meat was once considered peasant food, fit only for dock workers and poor fishermen. In more recent times, it has found its way to the tables of the wealthy, usually served alongside fresh vegetables. This cuisine is particularly popular with Aquarian peoples like sirenes and cecaelia.

GOAT’S MILK

Milk is an important staple for all people in Matuzu Kingdom. It is dense in calories and fat, sustaining the kingdom’s hard-working laborers. Goat’s milk is less popular for the wealthy, as goats are a symbol of poverty, easy to keep and abundant throughout slums and rural villages. Cow’s milk is preferred by the rich.

HOG ROAST

Serkel’s wild hogs are large, aggressive, and highly dangerous creatures. To hunt and kill one is considered a great accomplishment worthy of celebration. For this reason, the hog’s head is traditionally decorated before being served. This may be done by painting its face or placing a wreath of flowers on its head. To waste any part of the hog is considered disrespectful to the hunter and the host.

SUGARED LOCUSTS

Every summer, locusts plague crops all around the Midland Savannah. They come in great swarms to eat, mate, and die. However, the local farmers cut their losses by capturing the locusts and eating them instead. They may be roasted or eaten raw, but to preserve them for later, they are painted with honey and rolled in sugar. Sugared locust is considered candy, popular with adults and children alike. They are a good "travel food" that one can take with them on long journeys, providing a lot of protein and carbs in a small package.

HONEY CAKE

This dish originates in Dryad’s Wood, Serkel. Originally, elven locals made it by layering tree pulp and honeycomb, then baking it into an extremely sweet cake. But as the recipe spread across the land, other peoples changed it to suit their tastes. Today, the most popular variant of Matuzan honey cake is made with wheat flour, honey, chocolate, and topped with berries. Its signature is the honey and chocolate layering in the center, resembling stripes on a bee. Sometimes actual bees are added as a topping.

EKUMELA PIE

Ekumela pie is native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. In recent times it is enjoyed by all in the Midland Jungle. It is an easy and versatile dish made from flour and the nutritious ekumela fruit. This pie is quite versatile, and depending on what other ingredients are used, it can be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert.

CHICKEN’S EGG

The humble chicken’s egg sustains many peoples all over Looming Gaia. But in Matuzu Kingdom, it is a favored dish for all holiday events. On special occasions, the eggs are hardboiled and the shells are painted to honor the gods before being eaten. Traditionally they are served in a colorful cup and eaten with a utensil.

SETSIKI BRAIN SOUP

Setsiki are small monkeys native to Uekoro and the surrounding region. Their meat is not very popular elsewhere, but it is a sacred food for the Uekorans, enjoyed only by nobles and the wealthy. Peasants who kill a setsiki will face jail time, even if they do so out of desperation. All parts of the setsiki are eaten, but the brains are considered the tastiest and most nutritious part. While soup is the most common dish, they can also be enjoyed roasted or raw.

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#food #cuisine #lore #looming gaia

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missymwac · 5 years

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The Egg Dress: a photo rescue story

I am starting a rescue effort. It has nothing to do with dogs, cats, or dolphins caught in tuna nets. I’m not trying to salvage old buildings nor save the environment. I still use plastic straws, people. I admit it.

What I am rescuing is old photos.

I rescue them from garage sales and thrift stores. Old photos that nobody wants. It hurts my heart, that nobody wants them; that these precious portraits held no value at all and so they were given to be sold.

It hurts because these photos are of people and each of these people had a story. A life that mattered. Their lives didn’t cease in importance because they weren’t important to the family member who threw them in a box marked $1.00 each.

And having rescued them, I give them a story. I use their faces as inspiration. I offer a glimpse into a possible life behind the still. I draw back the curtain just a bit and imagine what might their life might have been like.

To be honest, I wrestled with this. After all, I don’t know these people. I wondered if I was dishonoring their memory by assigning to their lives a short story from my imagination. But the more I dug into dusty boxes of unwanted photos, I realized that the real dishonor is found in abandoned photos that end up in dusty boxes.

I honor them by giving them a voice.

So I hope you enjoy this story and the stories to follow, but more than that, I hope you take a good long look at the portraits. Look at their faces. Look into their eyes.

Remember that your family’s history lives on paper.

THE EGG DRESS

At the age of 9, Beatrice was wiser than most adults she knew. Or, at least, that was Beatrice’s opinion. And a girl as smart as she was should certainly be allowed to pick out her own dress to wear for the portrait. Margaret and Trudy got to choose their dresses: Trudy, the navy with white polka dots and Margaret, the soft pink with a million buttons up the front. Steven chose his dark brown suit. To be fair, it was Steven’s only suit and this was probably the last time he would wear it for awhile. Steven would be leaving soon. The Army was going to make him a soldier. “A Private,” her Father had said, which Beatrice found hard to believe, since Steven couldn’t keep anything private, like the truth about Mother’s rose bush that met its death under the wheel of Beatrice’s bike. Steven saw it all. She begged him to keep it a secret; he didn’t. Maybe the Army would change that. Maybe he would return so private that he wouldn’t say anything to anyone ever again.

Her parents didn’t talk a lot about Steven leaving, and when Beatrice brought it up, her mother’s eyes filled with tears and her father just looked at his shoes, as though the words he wanted to say were written in their scuffs and worn leather. Beatrice couldn’t understand why adults didn’t talk about people leaving. It seemed like the time to talk about it was before they left.

Father was able to pick out his own clothes for the portrait, of course, but Father was funny about clothes. Some early mornings, Beatrice would see Father walk in the front door wearing the same clothes he wore the night before. She reasoned he slept in them to save Mother the extra washing, but Beatrice wished he wouldn’t. Father’s eyes were always so red when he came home in the early morning wearing his night-before clothes and Mother would scold him. Beatrice thought it would just be easier if Father put on his pajamas at night like everyone else. Mother sometimes became so angry about it all that she would go in her room and only come out again after Father went in. Beatrice would press her ear hard against the door, but unlike Steven, Mother and Father kept it private. Beatrice was wise enough to know that sleeping in pajamas was really important to Mother. She hoped Father would one day understand that.

As far as Beatrice could tell, little Jimmy was the only one who needed Mother’s help with his cardigan and tie, but Jimmy was only 5. He was practically a baby, unlike Beatrice, who could read almost anything, including Margaret’s dime store novels, sounding out even the big words she didn’t know, like “heaving bosom.” She knew her multiplication tables and long division and that Tokyo was the capital of Japan. Certainly a girl as wise as Beatrice could be trusted to pick out her own clothes, which is why that hot afternoon in April, Beatrice appeared in the living room wearing her wool Christmas dress. It was red, her favorite color, and had tiny snowflakes embroidered on the collar.

Margaret was standing by the window, buttoning her million stupid buttons. She looked up and snorted.

“Bea, why are you wearing your Christmas dress? It’s almost Easter. You look ridiculous.”

Beatrice glared at her. “You got to pick yourclothes. This is what Iwant to wear.”

“Well, nobody really cares whatyouwant to wear. Mother is going to make you change. I mean, really, Bea.” Margaret shook her head, laughed, and resumed her buttoning.

Margaret always thought she was right about everything. Everything. Trudy was much nicer to Beatrice, but then, Trudy was not home as much as Margaret. Beatrice thought that if Margaret had as many friends as Trudy, maybe she’d be nice, too. Maybe she wouldn’t cry in her room as much or mope around the house. She wasn’t always a sourpuss, though. Now and then, Margaret would allow Beatrice to dress up in Margaret’s red patent leather pumps with the white bow in the back. Beatrice liked the clip-clop noise they made as she walked. Margaret was really nice those days.

“Beatrice!” her mother called from down the hall. “In your room now, young lady, and put on the correct dress.”

“Told you,” said Margaret.

Beatrice turned to head for the bedroom. She felt Margaret’s smirk follow her. She rounded the corner and there, on the bed, was the dress her mother chose. Of all the dresses in all the world, Beatrice was convinced that this dress was the ugliest. There had never been nor would ever be an uglier dress. Beatrice didn’t like the color, she didn’t like the scratchy fabric and the oval pattern reminded her of hardboiled eggs cut in half. In fact, she called it The Egg Dress. She disliked it almost as much as she disliked Margaret.

She slipped off her Christmas dress and yanked the Egg Dress over her head. But the Egg Dress had a smaller opening than the Christmas dress and despite Beatrice’s tugging, the dress refused to budge beyond her hair bow. Beatrice couldn’t pull it down or up. She was stuck in the Egg Dress, her arms sticking out the sleeves midway like some sort of escape trick gone wrong.

As she wiggled and hopped around the room, trying to free herself from the dress, Beatrice wondered if this is how she dies. She learned in school that humans need oxygen to breathe and it was hard to breathe with her face pressed up against the fabric. She knew that when she died, she would go to heaven, she wasn’t really afraid of that, but Beatrice became panicked when she realized she’d end up in heaven wearing an awful Egg Dress.

“For crying out loud, Bea.” Margaret’s voice drifted through the fabric. “Let me help you.”

Margaret walked in from the hall, grabbed the dress with both hands and gave it a firm yank downward. Beatrice’s head popped out of the dress like a turtle from its shell. Relief washed over her. She wasn’t going to die but more importantly, she wasn’t gong to be spending eternity in an Egg Dress. She was so thankful, she didn’t even care that it was Margaret who had saved her. That is, until Margaret opened her mouth.

“You fat head. You didn’t unbutton the dress enough. What a crack up you are.”

Margaret put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Normally, Beatrice would get angry at being called a fat head, but Beatrice’s attention was elsewhere. In her haste to help Beatrice, Margaret had missed the last 4 stupid buttons of her dress. Through the gap, Beatrice could even see Margaret’s slip. The unbuttoned fabric reminded Beatrice of a set of puckered lips, saying, “YOU FORGOT THESE STUPID BUTTONS.”

Beatrice had a decision to make. Beatrice knew that they would all be leaving the house soon. She knew that the walk to the photography studio would take them by Daniel Mulligan’s house. Beatrice knew that Margaret had a crush on Daniel. Beatrice knew that Margaret would be horrified to learn later she walked by Daniel with some of her stupid buttons undone.

Beatrice knew she should tell Margaret.

“Honestly, Bea,” Margaret continued, ‘it’s like you came from the Stupid Farm.” Margaret looked at Beatrice with pity and shook her head.

And that is why 9 year old Beatrice, who was smarter than most adults, and wearing an Egg Dress, kept her mouth shut.

#old photos #family photos #family portraits #memories #family history #short stories #rescued photos

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charllieeldridge · 4 years

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Bali Tours: A Guide To The Best Activities

Famous for its beaches, rice terraces, and temples, Bali is one of those places that seems to be on everyone’s bucket list. Whether you’re a backpacker, honeymooners, or a traveling family, the Island of the Gods is an appealing destination. In this post, I’ll dive into some of the best Bali tours to help you plan the perfect trip there.

While it may look tiny on the map, Bali is actually a pretty big island. It takes about four hours to drive from south to north, or an entire day to make a lap around the coast.

It’s mostly known as a beach destination, but Bali is also home to lush forests, rushing waterfalls, and towering volcanoes. As you might imagine, there’s a wide variety of Bali activities you can take part in thanks to this diversity.

Adventure-seekers will be happy to hear that you can go scuba diving, ride an ATV through the jungle, and climb a volcano at sunrise. All of this and more is possible on one island!

I definitely see the appeal in just kicking back and relaxing in a lounger on the beach, but there’s so much more going on in Bali. Even if the main purpose of your trip is some R&R, there are plenty of Bali tours for you as well. Perhaps a leisurely stroll through the rice terraces or a cooking class to break up all that chill time.

I’ve done several laps all around the island to find the best Bali activities to recommend for visitors. Read on for a detailed list of the best Bali tours out there.

Adventure Bali Tours

For the adventure-seekers, here are some of the top tours and activities you won’t want to miss.

1. Sunrise Hike to Mt. Batur With Breakfast

In all of my Bali adventures, this remains my personal favorite. They pick you up super early in the morning (or late at night depending on your perspective) to begin the tour. Depending on where you’re staying, it’s a 1 or 2-hour drive to reach Mt. Batur.

The ascent begins at around 4AM and it takes about two hours to reach the summit. It can get really chilly up there right before sunrise, so make sure to bring some warm clothes.

After watching an epic sunrise, you get breakfast on the mountain. Have you ever had hardboiled eggs cooked in a volcano? You will after this tour! It’s pretty amazing.

From there, you walk a bit more to take in the views of the crater, and the panoramic view of three volcanoes — Mt. Agung, Mt. Abang and Mt. Rinjani in Lombok.

There are a few options for hiking up to Mt. Batur, but you want to make sure you go with a reputable company. Check out Your Bali Trekking Tour which has thousands of positive reviews on Get Your Guide. If you like hiking, this is one tour in Bali you won’t want to miss.

2. Mt. Batur Black Lava Jeep Tour

Those wanting to experience the incredible scenery around Mt. Batur without the early morning hike can check out this tour. You’ll hop into a 4WD Jeep with a guide to explore the lava formations.

This is one of the most exciting Bali tours out there. Riding in these open-air jeeps, you’ll get to see some of the most amazing scenery on the island. Of course, there are plenty of awesome photo opportunities along the way.

After a few hours of driving around the lava formations, you’ll head to the hot springs for lunch and a relaxing dip. The tour starts at 6:30 AM and lasts about 8 hours. Click here to learn more about this tour.

3. Downhill Bike Tour

If you’re staying in the Ubud area and are keen to do some cycling around Bali (but with minimal effort), this is the tour for you! You’re picked up in the Ubud area and driven to the slopes of Mt. Batur in the Kintamani area.

Here’s where you get kitted out with a mountain bike and gear, before hopping on and beginning the descent.

Along the way, you’ll visit an organic plantation and take a stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage rice terraces. Later on, there are stops at different handicraft villages around Ubud.

The tour finishes up with a delicious meal in a local restaurant. They depart at either 8:30 AM or noon and last about 6 hours. Tickets for this highly-rated downhill biking tour can be purchased here.

4. Sanur Cycle Tours

Some of the most enjoyable Bali tours I’ve been on were with these guys. They have a wide range of cycling tours for you to choose from. These vary in length from a few hours all the way up to an epic week-long tour.

If you’re an early riser, you can jump on their sunrise tour. Catching a beautiful sunrise is definitely one of the top things to do in Sanur. We had a great time on their morning tour, visiting a local market, riding along the beach, and checking out the super cool Man Shed bar.

One of their most interesting options is the Jurassic Park tour. This one takes you to Taman Festival, an abandoned theme park where nature has taken over. Be sure to bring your camera along for this one, as there are some great photo ops.

Their half-day tours typically last a few hours and cost $25-30 per person. They provide the bike and helmet, as well as drinking water in a nice reusable bottle that you can keep. Check their website to see all their tour options.

5. ATV Jungle Buggy Adventure

Adrenaline junkies will love this epic ATV jungle adventure. On this tour, you’ll head to Bali’s first ATV track. It’s a 4.5 km-long track that’s tons of fun to whip around.

You’re sure to get dusty after a few laps around the track, but that’s no problem! After racing your ATV around, you get to relax by the pool for a while before heading back to your accommodation.

This exciting tour starts at either 9 AM or 3 PM and lasts for 4 hours. The tour includes lunch and insurance. Note that you must have a driver’s license in order to partake. Click here to reserve your spot.

5. Hidden Canyon, Waterfall, and Temples Tour

This tour offers a nice mix of adventure and culture. You’ll get to walk into the famed “Hidden Canyon” and go for a swim before heading to the massive Tegenungan Waterfall.

It’s a long walk down the stairs to reach the waterfall, but it’s well worth it. Take a dip in the refreshing water or do a bit of cliff-jumping if you’re up for it.

The second half of the tour takes you to two amazing Balinese temples. First up is Goa Gajah, which is also known as the Elephant Cave. Then it’s off to Gunung Kawi, one of the oldest monuments on the island.

This is a great way to tour Bali and some of its best sights in just one day. Tours depart at 8 AM and last for 7.5 hours. It costs just $29 to join a group tour, and you also have the option of taking a private tour. Click here to book.

Wondering where to stay in Bali? We have you covered with our epic guide to the best destinations around the island, and the top accommodations in each place. Whether you’re into surfing, outdoor adventure, or beach bumming, there’s a place in Bali for you — Where To Stay in Bali: A Guide to the Best Areas and Accommodations

Water-Based Tours in Bali

Getting out on the water is a must in Bali — you’re on an island! Here are some of the best water-based activities you can try.

1. Snorkeling Day Trip to Nusa Lembongan

Off the southeast coast, there are three smaller islands that are actually still a part of Bali. These are the Nusa Islands — Lembongan, Ceningan, and Penida. And actually, some of the best beaches in Bali are found here!

One of the best Bali tours around is a snorkeling day trip over to Nusa Lembongan. It’s an epic tour where you visit three different snorkeling spots around the islands. Expect to spot parrotfish, angelfish, turtles, moray eels, and maybe even manta rays.

This tour starts at 7:30 or 8:30am (depending on where you are being picked up from) and lasts for 9 hours. The price includes pick-up, snorkel gear, a beachside lunch, and a kayaking tour of the mangroves. Click here to learn more and to book your spot.

2. Ayung River White-Water Rafting

Among the exciting Bali activities on offer is this white-water rafting tour down the Ayung River. This is the longest rafting tour available on the island, hitting 30+ class II and III rapids!

With Mason Adventures, you start further north up the river than other companies — meaning you’ll have the river to yourself. Not only is the rafting an epic adventure in itself, but the natural beauty of the area is stunning. Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys!

This tour can be enjoyed by anyone from age 5 to 65. Tours depart at 9 AM and 1:30 PM and last for 5 hours. Click here to learn more and to reserve this exciting tour.

3. Seminyak Beginners Private Surfing Tour

Bali is a world-famous surfing destination with waves for all levels. One of the best places for beginners is Legian Beach, and that’s exactly where this tour takes you.

All you need to bring is your swimsuit as they provide the board, rash guard, and sunscreen. Start with a 30-minute lesson on the beach and then get in the water to start carving it up.

Best of all, these surfing lessons only cost $11 an hour and include GoPro shots! After a few hours with an instructor, you’ll have some sweet pictures and videos. Click here to find a time for this great surfing tour.

4. North Bali Sunrise Tour with Dolphins, Waterfalls, and Temples

This tour packs a lot into one morning by covering some of the highlights of north Bali. It’s an early 3 AM start if you’re staying down south to make the drive up to Lovina, which is one of the top places to visit in Bali.

The reason you leave so early is so that you can enjoy the sunrise and see the dolphins when they’re active.

Upon arrival, you’ll hop in a boat to go out on a sunrise cruise to spot dolphins in their natural habitat. After that it’s a trip to the amazing Gitgit Waterfall before heading to a famous lakeside temple.

It’s a 10-hour tour in total but you’re still back at your hotel in time for lunch! This highly rated trip is one of the best tours in Bali for a reason. Click here to learn more and to book your spot.

Cultural Bali Tours

If you’re not into adventurous, outdoor activities, there are still numerous tours in Bali that you’ll enjoy. Here are some of the top culture and foodie excursions.

1. Food Tours

Foodies will be happy to learn that there are plenty of Bali tours centered around eating. One such tour is called the Bali Food Safari, where you’ll get to sample 12 dishes across 4 different venues.

One of the coolest things about this tour is that it’s a mystery! They don’t tell you exactly which restaurants you’ll visit or which dishes you’ll try, but they always pick some great spots.

The Bali Food Safari only runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. It starts at 5:30 PM and is an awesome tour for foodies! Click here to learn more and to book.

For something a bit more local, there’s an excellent 3-hour food tour of Denpasar. Most tourists never even make it to the island’s capital, so it’s well off the beaten path.

This tour is both delicious and informative, as you’ll learn a lot about the local culture as well. You get to try five different dishes along the way and it only costs $35 per person. Click here to reserve your spot.

2. Balinese Cooking Class at an Organic Farm

You know what’s even better than eating delicious Balinese food? Eating delicious Balinese food that you cooked yourself! That’s exactly what you’ll get to do on this great tour.

You’ll start with a visit to a local market to procure the freshest ingredients possible. Then you’ll head to the organic farm where the cooking school is located and enjoy a tea or coffee before you get to work in the kitchen.

They offer both a regular and a vegetarian menu for you to follow. At the end, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor with a delicious meal. You also get to bring a recipe book home to wow your friends with your Balinese cooking skills!

This highly rated (and awarded) tour starts at either 7:15 AM or 12:15 PM and last for 5-6 hours. It costs $30 per person and includes round-trip transportation. Click here to learn more and to reserve your spot.

3. Temple Tours

When planning out your Bali tours, I recommend scheduling in at least one or two temple tours. After all, this is the Island of the Gods! There are hundreds of temples across Bali of all shapes and sizes.

My personal favorite takes you down to Uluwatu Temple on the southern tip of the island. Here you get to watch a beautiful sunset before taking in a kecak performance. It’s one of the most interesting cultural shows you can see in Bali!

This tour doesn’t start until 3 PM, so you have plenty of beach time beforehand! After the show, you visit the scenic Jimbaran Bay where you have the option to get yourself a seafood barbecue dinner. Tours cost $44 per person. Click here to learn more and to book your spot.

Another great option takes you to two different temples as well as one of Bali’s stunning water palaces. First, you’ll visit Lempuyang Temple. Also known as the “Gates of Heaven,” this is one of the most popular Instagram spots on the island. Just be prepared to wait in line for your turn!

Next up is Tirta Gangga, a tranquil water palace and beautiful place to explore. A riverside buffet lunch is included in this tour as well. Finally, you visit Pura Besakih – the Mother Temple.

This top-rated, jam-packed tour departs at 7AM. Don’t miss this tour if you’re interested in Balinese culture and seeing the spectacular temples. Click here to reserve.

4. Best of Ubud with Jungle Swing

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali and one of the most popular places to visit on the island. This 10-hour tour takes you to several of the highlights in and around Ubud for an awesome day.

It starts with the Sacred Monkey Forest in the center of Ubud. The forest is literally full of Balinese long-tailed monkeys. If you show up with snacks in your bag, don’t be surprised if they try to steal them! Keep a grip on your camera and sunglasses as well.

After the monkey business, you head over to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. These are some of the most impressive rice terraces on the island. Next up you’re treated to lunch at a nice restaurant in the jungle.

The second half of the tour takes you first to the Tirta Empul water temple. It’s definitely one of the most interesting temples to visit in Bali.

Another highlight of this tour is visiting a coffee plantation that’s home to a giant swing. It’s the perfect spot to snap a memorable photo. Finally, you get to cool off with a refreshing dip at the Tegenungan Waterfall.

This huge tour departs in the morning and lasts all day. Click here to learn more and to make your reservation.

5. Traditional Villages

If you’re short on time and want to tour Bali in just one day, this is the option for you. This massive tour lasts ten hours and covers a lot of ground in that time.

First up, you’ll visit two different villages to see local artisans at work. One is famous for its batik weaving while the other is known for its silver and gold jewelry.

This tour also includes a visit to a traditional Hindu temple before moving on to many of the island’s highlights. You’ll check out the Monkey Forest, Tegalalang rice terraces, Mt. Batur, and the Tegenungan Waterfall among others.

For a group of 2-3, this tour costs $55 per person. If you have four or more, it’s only $50 each. That includes entrance tickets and lunch, so this one is an amazing deal. Click here to learn more about this popular tour in Bali.

6. Northern Charm

There are postcard-worthy images all over Bali, and this tour takes you to several of them. First up is the extremely photogenic Ulun Danu temple on Lake Beratan. It was built in honor of Dewi Danu, the goddess of the lake.

The tour continues to the stunning Handara Gate before moving on to a twin waterfall. Be sure to bring your swimsuit so you can take a refreshing dip in the cool water.

Finally, you head to the Wanagiri Hidden Hills. Here you can take in the incredible views of the lakes while perched on a swing. This photo will definitely rake in the likes on your Instagram!

The Northern Charm tour departs at 7 AM and lasts for the entire day. Click here to reserve this fun and chilled-out tour.

Relaxing Bali Tours

Here are a couple of easy tours in Bali that anyone can enjoy.

1. Bali Instagram Tour

It’s no secret that Bali is one of the most Instagramable places in the world. Just do a quick search for #bali and you’ll see plenty of eye-catching photos.

If you’re looking to fill your own IG feed with some stunning pics, this is the tour for you! It takes you to temples, waterfalls, and palaces that are all super photogenic.

There are tons of different options for this tour.

If you’re willing to splurge a bit, you have the option to take a private tour with your own personal photographer. You can also add on a professional drone video of the trip. Click here to see all the options — this tour has thousands of positive reviews and is very popular. Make sure you book in advance.

2. Ubud 2-Hour Spa Treatment

Sometimes you just want to be pampered on your vacation. This 2-hour private spa treatment at a riverside luxury resort in Ubud is the perfect option for you!

The treatment begins with a short foot bath ritual before an hour-long massage. They use frangipani oil that helps to relax your mind and body.

Next, you get a nice body scrub before winding down with a relaxing milk bath. The treatment finishes with a quick trip to the sauna and some delicious ginger tea.

There are several different time slots available, click here to make a reservation.

Enjoy All the Activities in Bali

As you can see, there’s no shortage of options for excellent Bali tours. Whether you’re looking for adventure, hoping to soak up the local culture, or just into some R&R, there’s a tour for you on the Island of the Gods.

Even with just a week in Bali, you can hike a volcano, carve up some waves, visit traditional temples, cycle through the rice terraces, and treat yourself to fine dining and spa treatments. No wonder so many people call this place paradise!

Take it from me that there are endless options to tour Bali. After visiting the island twice, I decided to just go ahead and live there for a year to really see it all. Goats On The Road spent 3 months in Canggu and loved it there as well. There’s just something magical about Bali…

Have you been to Bali and have an amazing tour to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us hear about it!

Images in this post are courtesy of Shutterstock.com.

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