I arrived in Bali on August 19th, and at the airport, Bucek, the driver recommended by the hosts of Mango Forest, was waiting for me.
Compared to my arrival in Jakarta, it was completely different. Bucek speaks English and is very friendly. We chatted the whole time, and he told me many things about this beautiful island. The journey took more than 4 hours to reach the north of Bali, where my BnB is located in Kabupaten Buleleng. On the way, we also took a break to taste Balinese tea and coffee, which was excellent.
We slowly moved away from the city chaos to reach the hills and then descended towards the sea. As soon as I arrived, I realized I was in paradise. Here, there are only Balinese people, roosters, and very few tourists… I’ve seen very few in these 6 days of my stay. The place I had dreamed of is a reality! I was a bit scared by what I read about Bali; there are all sorts of things, from stars to stables, a bit of everything, and it certainly depends on where you go. I found an extraordinary place with authentic and welcoming people and nature and a sea that leaves you speechless.
I went to the Aling-Aling waterfalls, attended the Lovina festival, and visited Penimbangan beach, where the host took me one morning at 6 to release two-week-old baby turtles, so cute, very exciting. There, I met Mangku (I think that’s his name), who takes care of the turtles on that stretch of beach. He collects the eggs (to prevent them from being poached) and waits for them to hatch before releasing them after about two weeks. With Mangku, I then went to see the beautiful corals and fish in these warm and rich waters. I saw Nemo and all his friends! The colors are spectacular, and the water is warm; you can stay in it for hours. Mangku had tanks and a wetsuit, and I had a mask and fins :) It was sensational. The next day, I went on a boat with Awi to see the dolphins, and today I went again with Awi to plant corals on a metal sculpture anchored at the bottom of the sea.
There would be enough to write a book about this area and the people who live here! I highly recommend it if you want to experience something unique and authentic!
La Sber and Valentina are flying from Naples and arriving tomorrow afternoon. We will meet in Ubud.
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