Aaaaaah. Yesssss. This is exactly what we hoped for in our Bali experience. Nestled in the forest of the national park (sound familiar?), we take a bungalow on the beach and walk around in a blissful state, get settled and don our snorkel, mask and fins. The water is HOT! But once we get out a ways, it cools to a wonderful temperature. Old lava and dead coral, but enough fish to be of interest and taking the time to explore, find two baby moray eels, some weird pipefish things and an assortment of reef beauties. We’re home.
I have my usual bout of intestinal upset and take it easy, but the next day we’re on the boat to go to Menjangan (local word for the small deer that live everywhere) island to snorkel and picnic. Fun and Philip turns into the Incredible Mr. Limpet, whirling down 18 feet or more to investigate under overhangs and we both collect detritus floating by in the water.
We picnic at the ranger’s station on the island:
And return to relax, shower and then enjoy a massage down on the beach.
Not a great photo, but you can see how I felt. On the way back to our room, we take the time to watch this little bugger clambering up and down trees to munch his afternoon snack:
Super low tide the next morning and on the way to breakfast, who is out strolling and drinking (yes, drinking salt water):
and the badass mangrove is exposed to fuel my imagination to think of torture devices I saw in Vietnam:
Another morning of bird-watching,
then a trek through the forest…laughing at the shore when we see what seems to be an evolutionary step between a frog and a fish. These creatures go jumping/skimming along the water. So fun to watch.
Evening cocktails in the Bali Tower, from which it’s easy to see the big and bigger volcanoes, but too cloudy for the sunset:
Pretty dang cool.
And yes, the food is is up to par. Lillet sate:
Leave tomorrow for to drive to Ubud, with a couple of stops along the way. In the touristy city for only a day and a half before leaving for the diving jewel of the Pacific. Stay tuned!