Monkey Forest-Ubud

Sacred Monkey Forest sanctuary

This cool and dense swathe of jungle, officially called Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana.
The sanctuary is inhabited by a band of grey-haired and greedy long tailed Balinese macaques who are nothing like the innocent looking doe-eyed monkeys on the brochures. They are ever vigilant for passing tourist who just might have peanuts and ripe bananas available for a quick hand-out.
The interesting Pura Dalem Agung is in the forest and has a real Indianan Jones feel to it. Look for the Rangda figures devouring children at the entrance to the inner temple.
(reference lonely Planet)

Come....come said mother monkey...
Protect the baby monkey.....

Walking around in Monkey Forest...so cool

Hei..hei....monkey beat my arm...

KUTA BEACH

Kuta Beach-South Bali

For many people South Bali is Bali; for many others it is anything but. Chaotic Kuta and upscale Seminyak throb around the clock. In the south, the Bukit Peninsula is home to some of the island's largest resort, while in the east Sanur follows the subdued beat of its reef-protected surf. The coast features a fine range of beaches.

KUTA

The Kuta region is overwhelmingly Bali's largest and tackiest tourist beach resort. Most visitors come here sooner or later because it's close to the airport and has the greatest range of budget hotels, restaurant and tourist facilities. Some find the area overdeveloped and seedy, but if you have a taste for a busy beach scene, shopping and night life, you will probably have a great time. Go elsewhere on the island if you want a quiet, unspoilt tropical hideaway.

It is fashionable to disparage Kuta and its immediate neighbor to the north, Legian for their rampant development, low-brow nightlife and crass commercialism, but the cosmopolitan mixture of beach party hedonism and entrepreneurial energy can be exciting. It is not pretty, but it is not dull either, and the amazing growth is evidence that a lot of people find something to like in Kuta.
Kuta has the most diversions and the best beach-but the worst traffic and most persistent hawkers.

History
Mads Lange, a Danish copra trader and an adventurer of the 19th century, established a successful trading enterprise near modern Kuta, and had some success in mediating between local rajahs and the Dutch, who were encroaching from the north. His business soured in the 1850s, and he died suddenly, perhaps murdered. His grave, and monument erected later, are near Kuta's night market.

The original Kuta Beach Hotel was started by a Californian couple in the 1930's but closed with the Japanese occupation of Bali in 1942. In the late 1960's, Kuta became a stop on the hippie trail between Australia and Europa, and an untouched 'secret' surf spot. Accommodation opened and by the early 1970's Kuta had delightfully laid-back atmosphere. Enterprising Indonesians seized opportunities to profit from the tourist trade, often in partnership with foreigners who wanted a pretext for staying longer.

As Kuta expanded, Legian further north became the quist alternative, but now you can't tell where one ends and the other begins. Immediately north again, Seminyak continues north from Legian. All this has taken its toll, and the area is chaotic mixture of shops, bars, restaurants and hotels on a confusing maze of streets and alleys, often congested with heavy traffic, thick with fumes and painfully noisy.

(reference: by lonely planet)

Bali Island

Bali may be small in size- you can drive around the entire coast in one long day-but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travelers what Bali means to them and you will get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerizing dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.

And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly Island of Indonesia. There are pleasure of the Body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘Extra Bag’’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavors of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurant that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.

Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed, Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right around the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of Nusa Lembongan.

As you stumble upon the exquisite little offering left all over the island that materialize as if by magic, you’ll se that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sunbathing and partying at Kuta Beach

• Hitting the latest bars, restaurants and clubs at Seminyak

• Experiencing Bali's elaborate cultural life in Ubud and surrounding villages

• Chilling out-or may be catching a wave on Nusa Lembongan

• Hiking through and enjoying the superb views of lush valleys from the region around Munduk

(ref; Indonesia by Lonely planet)

Lunch in Ubud-Bali

Shopping Batik in Ubud-Bali