Many people head to Bali in search of cheap Bintangs & nights they won’t remember. While Bali has a vast array of bars and nightclubs this pacific island is also a gateway for those who like to get up early and spend there days exploring.
1 – Climb a Volcano
Bali has two active volcanoes, Mt Batur & Mt Agung, plus a range of other treks.
We chose to do the Mt Batur sunrise hike. At 3am we pulled up at the base camp, found ourselves a guide (careful everyone here tries to rip you off!) and headed towards the summit. For anyone with a moderate level of fitness the hike is fairly easy. To get to the second peak took us about 1.5 hours, it was beautiful to be up there in the dark watching the stars with only a handful of other people. We waited with cups of hot tea watching the sky grow lighter and the outlines of Mt Agung and Mt Rijani (lombok) became clear. As the sun peaked above the mountains the clouds flocked beneath which gave the illusion of a cloud ocean.
The walk down was slightly more difficult for those who don’t have their ‘volcano feet’ (lucky I spent nine months running down one) which meant my counterpart took a few tumbles, as did many other hikers. We arrived back at base by 8am and were sound asleep in the car by 8:05.
2- Visit the waterfalls
The jungle in Bali is ripe with waterfalls. So gather a few friends, rent a driver for $40 & head for the hills! A two hour drive north of the Seminyak/Kuta area will get you in range of 5+ different waterfalls and 2 Hotsprings. Not to mention that just the views along the drive are worth going for. Most waterfalls have a small entrance fee of 5000idr and the pathways are clearly defined. If you don’t feel up to the walk, have no fear! We took nan and some locals transported her on the back of there bike! 
3- Go Green in Ubud at the Green Village & Green School
Bamboo is a completely renewable resource and some of the worlds top rated bamboo comes from the islands of Indonesia. Thus it makes sense that nestled in the hills of the jungle you can find the Green Village which is comprised of 7 houses made entirely of bamboo! Each is designed differently but all leave you feeling as though you are part of the set of Tarzan. You can short term rent these houses starting at $300 per night (only a little out of my budget).
Just down the road from the village is the Green School. The school caters for a few hundred children, mainly international, however proceeds from the tour go to funding 25 full time local students. Moreover, the school gives free English lessons to 250 kids in the local area every school day. Walking through the school is a dream, all bamboo buildings, open classroom settings, veggie gardens, renewable energy on display…you can see why people are paying big bucks to send there kids here! The tour was very informative & it was interesting learning about holistic curriculums, nice to see that the world is looking at alternative education! 
4- A day on The Lawn, Canngu
No trip to Bali is complete without a trip to the beach & canngu offers to perfect day trip. The Lawn in a beachfront, well lawn, which provides umbrellas, rugs, cushions, a slacking, swing set & even an old Kombie from which you can buy icy cold drinks. If surfing a your thing you can rent a cheap surfboard next door. If surfing isn’t your thing then just grab a fresh coconut and watch the sets roll through as the sun sets on another day.
5 – Cafe Hopping
Holly & I love nothing more than sipping on coffee and brainstorming ideas, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do this once departing from Australia but Bali has proved me wrong, very wrong. The Bali cafe scene is, dare I say it, cooler than the Aussie culture. Although the espresso may not be as good the decor and food menus are on point. Most cafes are plant based and organic – #healthyliving #activewear. Nalu bowls are the big craze, try out one of the pitaya bowls served in a fresh coconut! $8 will get you coffee & a meal and while this isn’t cheap in Bali it certainly is a steal considering that the produce is organic. Our fave spots to chill were- Peleton Canngu, Betelnut Canngu & Cafe Organic Pettitinget.
I never really want to go to Bali, but when my best gal pal invited me along I had to say yes & it’s something I certainly don’t regret! Staying off the booze & enjoying nature is easy in Bali – just stay out of Kuta.
Ashs Adventures Abroad 
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