February 26, 2025
It was around 10 AM, that we docked in Benoa our port in Bali. Our sail into the harbour was interesting. Jet skis everywhere circling our ship greeting us. Today was a special day for the Indonesian workers on board the cruise ship. Around 800 family members were allowed to come on board to visit their loved ones. A special Indonesian lunch was prepared for them in the dining room. I am sure the kids enjoyed the ice cream stations on board. This was very nice of HAL to do this for their employees.
Bali is one of the 17508 islands in the Indonesian archipelago. It is known for its beautiful beaches and culture. The population is approximately 4.4 million. Employment comes for 80% from tourism. Compared to most of the country which is Islam, in Bali the main religion is Hinduism (87%).
Today we were booked on a tour called East Bali Heritage. Our first stop was at the Royal Palace in Klungkung. Here we encountered a variety of ancient buildings. Our next stop was a Temple in Bangli. I would say this was a very impressive building. Men and Women had to cover up their shoulders and legs before they could enter the temple. The next stop was at a building surrounded by terrazed rice patties. Here we were served an Indonesian lunch (very good). During lunch the sky opened up big time. By the time we walked from the eatery to the bus we were drenched. Of course, when we got to the bus , the rain stopped. We had one more stop in the town of Blahbatuh, where we visited the Pura Agung Palace. Here they served us hot tea. After this last stop we were on our way back to the port. The traffic is very challenging in Bali. Soon as you get more in the rural areas, the roads become very narrow. Besides cars there are thousands of scooters sharing the road and all day ,I didn’t see one bicycle on the road (strange).
Overall, an interesting place to visit with nice beaches and excellent food and many many temples and palaces.
Cheers
Cor and Carol
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