Today we took a bike ride through northern Bali Island, starting at Mount Batur and ending at the Monkey Sanctuary in Ubud. We were able to see quite a lot of the rural countryside and even visit some local houses and farms.
Bali is fairly distinct from Java and other areas in Indonesia. For one, Bali is overwhelmingly Hindu while the rest of Indonesia is Muslim. This was evident in the countryside where the rural families lived in traditional, extended Hindu style family complexes. The compounds were composed of a main living quarters for the oldest family members, smaller living quarters for younger family members, a communal kitchen, a toilet, a family temple (located in the northeast corner of the complex – the northeast being religiously significant in the Hindu religion) and a central ceremonial house.
We also stopped by a small farm where rice was being harvested. Sam and Jack got a chance to join in. I don’t think they were much help – but they thought they were saving the day.
We spent the rest of the day speeding by wet rice paddies. Unfortunately, I am not very skilled at riding a bike with a 50 lbs human being on the back – and I wasn’t able to get any photos of the wet agriculture.
We booked our bike tour through Bali Eco Tours. The tour was a great way to see northern Bali. The boys always like biking and really enjoyed “farming.” The tour guide and route (all downhill) were child friendly. I would highly recommend it – we had a fantastic time.
Now, we are packing to head back to Bangkok! I will leave you all with this gem:
Will Travel with Toddlers 