Hetal Chirag
When we were travelling through Bali, we stopped by Ubud Monkey Forest on our way to Tegenungan Waterfalls. As you stroll through the jungle it feels like you have entered a dream world with moss-covered ancient sculptures and hanging roots from tall banyan trees. You can also say hello to monkeys swinging from one place to another while exploring the lush green forest.
Feeding tiny bananas to the monkeys was also a fun experience. You just have to hold a banana in one hand and stand still. Monkeys will literally climb on your body and take the banana from you. Did you know that Ubud Monkey Forest is home to around 700 monkeys and more than 180 species of trees? This unique forest also contains three ancient Hindu temples dating back to 13th Century.
After visiting the monkey forest and exploring ancient temples, we drove to
Tegenungan Waterfalls. It’s a hidden gem you must explore while visiting Bali if you feel like being a little adventurous. Getting to the gorgeous Tegenungan Waterfalls is an exciting journey in itself. You need to walk down the stairs to reach the trail that leads to a narrow bridge made from bamboos and tree trunks held tightly together by a few straps.
The next day we went to Uluwatu to check out a unique theatrical performance of Ramayana called Kecak Fire Dance. Bali trip would be incomplete without witnessing this iconic cultural dance. The dance is performed right before sunset at the amphitheatre located on the cliff-top at Uluwatu Temple. As a group of men sitting in a circle rhythmically sing “chak, chak, chak”, dancers go around the fire and perform different segments of Ramayana. A spectacular backdrop of sunset over the ocean combined with gentle breezes, soft orange rays, vibrant costumes, human vocals and a bright fire in the centre makes this dance a must see performance. The show starts at 6 pm so if you would like to get good seats, get there around 30 minutes before the show.
