Anyeong Noona

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Anyeong! It is soon gonna be the day where the attached is busy spending money for the loved one while the single is reminded of their singlehood status, yep, the V-day. If you are not interested in the day itself, how about planning for a trip instead? Noona herself has been wondering if she should go for another short trip (like a week-kind of a trip) but for now, let's just reminisce the good ol' time in Bali while saving up money for the next trip.

If you have the chance to go to Bali, you should never miss out the chance to dine on the beach. Jimbaran beach is famous for this dining experience and once should not go to Bali without experiencing this activity at least once in their trip. The famous restaurant to go to for this kind of activity is usually Menega Cafe but our driver insisted us to try New Moon Cafe. Probably because he earns commission from this cafe instead of Menega.

4D3N Bali Trip: Dining by the sea at New Moon Cafe, Jimbaran

Oh well, anyway all of these cafes/ restaurants are located alongside the same beach, Jimbaran so we decided to go with the driver's wishes and go find our table. There were so many tables available when we came around 5PM-ish. The sun sets around 7PM in Bali so we had so much time to kill while waiting.

The best way to kill time here is by chatting the afternoon away. Since there were 6 of us, the conversation seems to just keep on flowing from the usual family matters to work to life/ worldly affairs. Or anything random under the sun, really.

The sun set at Jimbaran Beach was pretty cloudy back then so we could not really catch a beautiful round sun coming down under the sea kind of sunset. Instead, before we know it, the sun has already went down behind the clouds and disappear right beneath the horizon.

We would not be able to last that long while chatting if we did not order a fresh young coconut. Sweet and refreshing indeed.

Since the sun is setting, it's time to make some orders for dinner. We were too lazy to move to another dining spot anyway. When you are going for this kind of dining activity, be prepared to pay a high price for basically every dishes on the menu. The first dish that we ordered is the veggie, the simple kang kong.

Cah Kangkung from New Moon Cafe Jimbaran

Next is the fried battered squid, which cannot go wrong really.

Fried Calamari from New Moon Cafe Jimbaran Bali

The most expensive of them all is of course, the grilled fish. Not sure what kind of fish is this but Omma was making a fuss over the price tag of the seafood sold by New Moon Cafe. Oh well.

Grilled Fish from New Moon Cafe Jimbaran Bali

Oh wait, turns out Noona was wrong about the most expensive dish. Because apparently Omma has ordered some jumbo prawns (which she ordered by number instead of weight). Taste good thankfully. Hahaha.

Hot Sambal Prawn from New Moon Cafe Jimbaran

The atmosphere is so good when it's completely night time as you can just chill while being blown by the gentle sea breeze.

Dining by the sea at New Moon Cafe Jimbaran Bali

Some buskers came to our table to perform a song (with hope that we pay them money, of course) and since they are able to perform Coldplay's Fix You (despite some key errors), we gave them token of appreciation for their attempt. Kinda make me can't wait about watching Coldplay in this coming April. Yeah!

Restaurants by the sea alongside Jimbaran Beach Bali

New Moon Cafe is located at:

Jalan Pantai Kedonganan, Kuta

Opening hours:

Daily 10AM - 12AM

Anyeong! Noona just had an amazing peking duck dish from the last CNY lunch which was sponsored by big boss, thankfully! Talking about ducks, do you know that Bali has a lot of yummy duck restaurant especially in Ubud area? Ubud is an area in Bali where you can enjoy the view of rice field, which is something different from the usual beach and ocean vibe of Bali island. It's 1.5 hours driving from Kuta but if you love to see a lot of green terraces, you may love Ubud.

Since there are so many rice fields in Ubud, most restaurants in Ubud offer the chance for its diners to have their food while sitting surrounded by the rice field. Natural dining experience? Hahaha. Noona's family chose to have their crispy duck lunch at Bebek Joni since we had never tried the crispy duck from this restaurant before. We could not get the table in the rice field area though and have to settle sitting in the normal area. Oh well.

The rice field area belongs to Bebek Joni restaurant is pretty huge. You can walk around on the pathway if you want to see the rice field closer.

Rice field at Bebek Joni Restaurant in Ubud Bali

Do you see the eating area which look like gazebos? That's where the rice field table located. A lot of diners wish to eat there so it is kinda difficult to secure a table there it seems.

Dining beside the rice field at Bebek Joni Restaurant Ubud

Right, enough fuss about the rice field table. After all, we came here to have crispy duck feast. Let's check out the menu and start ordering. Stat!

Our order came pretty slow probably because of the huge lunch crowd. Thankfully, there are some crackers which we could snack on. Noona kinda pitied her cousin who had not eaten anything since she woke up. She looks pretty ravenous and murderous at the same time. LOL.

After 30 minutes of waiting, our crispy duck set is finally here. Nothing fancy about the set to be honest. A piece of crispy duck, some veggie, crackers, the awesome Balinese sauce and a plate of white rice. Bebek Joni's crispy duck has a nice crispy texture to it and it tastes great with the chili sauce although personally Noona prefers the three types of sauces offered by its competitor, Bebek Tepi Sawah. It's a matter of preference really.

One thing that annoyed Noona's omma the most is the fact that we have to use cash to make payment which is kinda ridiculous because a portion of the crispy duck costs pretty expensive around IDR 100,000 (around SGD 11ish) and that's a really huge amount of cash when you pay for the whole family of 6. Thankfully our cash is enough to cover for the rest of the expenses till our last day in Bali. *phew*

Bebek Joni is located at:

Jalan Raya Goa Gajah, Pelitan,

Ubud, Bali

Opening hours:

Daily 8AM - 9PM

Anyeong! Noona just came back from an early New Year dinner with friend because apparently she was too busy to meet Noona over the New Year weekend (geez). Oh well, Noona should have accepted the fact that she should be grateful enough that someone is willing to make some time for her since she does not have that many friends. She starts to wonder if she should start socialising more in the year 2017. Or maybe she should start enjoying dating herself. After all, loving yourself is not really a bad thing in life, no?

Or maybe she should start spending more time with her Omma. Just like the last time she walked with her Omma at the sandy Legian beach in Bali. Omma always manages to wake up so early (like before sunrise kind of early) and hence, she would wake me up every morning during our stay at Padma Resort Legian to walk alongside the beach.

4D3N Bali Trip: Morning Walk at Legian Beach, Bali

Despite having to wake up early, Noona enjoyed the walk alongside the beach. The sensation of stepping on the wet sands is just precious.

Morning walk at Legian Beach Bali Indonesia

The thing is, Legian Beach is not really situated on the east side of Bali and hence, you can't really see sunrise from this side. The sunset, however, will be more beautiful from Legian beach's side.

Watching the seawater comes and goes really have a positive effect on your soul. Noona can forget all about her heavy workload and life struggles for a moment when she's busy watching the natural movement of the seawater. If only she has an ipod playing Coldplay's songs right now but wait a minute, the purpose of this morning walk is to be closer to Omma and not to Chris Martin's voice. LOL.

Calming ocean therapy at Legian Beach Bali

One benefit that I notice if you wake up early to walk on the beach is that you have a lot of space to take cool picture with the wet sands, the coming seawater and blue sky as your backdrops. No one is around to photobomb you. Woots!

At some parts of the beach, you can see the lovely trail of seawater creating imprints on the sandy beach. Chuwa~~~

Traces of seawater on sands at Legian Beach Bali

If you would like to enjoy the sea view on a more enjoyable seat, there are seats with umbrella beach available for use at the private parts of the beach which belongs to Padma Resort Legian. Unfortunately, Noona was too busy playing outside the hotel during her trip to Bali so she did not really have the chance to slack here.

Sunbathing at Legian Beach Bali Indonesia

Anyeong! Noona can't believe that it is already Thursday and it's three days left before the up and coming 2017. Anybody excited for 2017? If it is very difficult to be so enthusiastic about the coming year, maybe it will be better if you have booked a trip in the first three months of 2017 so that you have something to look forward to. Since Noona has just come back from Bali two weeks ago, how about a trip to Bali? If you are not really into beach or summer vacation but you love to explore the cultural aspect of a certain destination, Bali has it too. Surprise much?

In fact, Bali has a cultural park named Garuda Wisnu Kencana which is located at Ungasan area near Uluwatu. The admission fee to the cultural park costs IDR 100,000 (approx. SGD 10). You will start your journey to the adventure of Garuda (a large mythical bird which is the mount of Wisnu, one of the Hindu gods) from the pond. If you come wearing shorts, you will be asked to wear a piece of cloth to cover yourself because the area here is considered sacred amongst the Balinese. Do note that women with period are not allowed to enter the temple area (upstairs near the Wisnu statue). The park staff will explain all of these information to the visitors.

4D3N Bali Trip: Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Ungasan

You will need to climb a few stairs above to reach Plaza Wisnu. A short description of the area is available for your information.

Plaza Wisnu at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park Bali

Like mentioned above, Wisnu is a god of fertility giving wealth and life to the universe. Noona supposes he must have been one of the kind deities (and that's why there is continuing project to build his giant statue). The statue that we see here at Plaza Wisnu is not the complete version of what's supposedly the biggest Wisnu statue in the world. However, the project has been ongoing for years and yet, the statue still looks the same from the last time Noona visited the park way back in 2011.

Wisnu Statue at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Ungasan Bali

Oh well, since we are already inside, let Noona take picture with Wisnu god. The weather here can be so hot especially if you come around noon so make sure you are fully protected from the heat. The brown cloth (or sarong) is what will be given to you if you are wearing shorts.

Dress code at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Ungasan Bali

A few steps away from Plaza Wisnu, you will be able to see the status of Wisnu's mount, the garuda.

Garuda Statue at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Bali

Unfortunately, similar to its mounter, the statue of Garuda is not completed yet as of now and judging from its look, it may take a few more years to complete this whole project.

Close up of Garuda Statue at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Bali

The viewpoint from the statue of Garuda is however, breathtaking as always. Do you notice that the sky in Bali is always so beautiful?

The cliff view of Garuda Wisnu Kencana Bali

This open area may be used occasionally for concert and event but that day, there were no on-going events so we merely took a few pictures and walk back to the exit so that we can continue on to our next destination. However, if you have more time on hands, you may want to check out the timing of the cultural performances held at the amphitheater which is located near to the entrance of the cultural park. Cultural performances like traditional Balinese dance (e.g. Barong and Kecak) and mini concerts are usually held at this amphitheater so do check them out at your own convenience.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park is located at:

Jalan Raya Uluwatu, Ungasan, Bali

Opening hours:

Daily 8AM - 10PM

Noona wonders if people become somewhat hormonal and easily excited for other people's social affairs once they got divorced. Hahaha Noona's friend feels excited for a 1% potential date in otherwise, Noona's dry life. This kinda makes Noona depressed somehow. What has she done through out her life?

Well one thing that she knows she can do well is enjoying life. And oh boy she did enjoy her stay well at Padma Resort Legian in Bali, especially when it is time for breakfast. Complimentary breakfast buffet for two pax is given for every room booked at Padma Resort Legian. The funny thing is Noona and her Omma actually planned to do a bit of morning walk by the sea but it was raining cats and dogs. So they took a detour to the restaurant and decided to have a sumptuous breakfast instead.

4D3N Bali Trip: Breakfast Buffet at Padma Resort Legian

Actually, you will not be able to eat like a bird whenever you are eating breakfast in hotel. This is because most hotels serve breakfast buffet and there is no way you eat so little when you dine in buffet style. Once you enter the restaurant where the breakfast is served, you will be welcomed with an array of juice selection from the normal apple, mango and orange to a unique one like kale.

You can find a lot of croissants (which taste fabulous no matter if you pick chocolate or meaty filling), cakes and cronuts. Plain toasts are available too at the patisserie station of the breakfast buffet.

Oh right, here are the croissant that Noona was raving about earlier. You must get them (while they are hot).

Okay, moving on to the cooked meat station. If you love bacon so much, you will rejoice because you can have crispy bacon and back bacon. Noona particularly enjoys the back bacon very much despite the visibility of fat layers. #closeeyes

If you prefer your meat to be cooked in Chinese style, please help yourself to a piece or some pieces of char siew, which are served with brown sauce.

Chinese roasted pork at Padma Resort Legian Bali

If you are adventurous and feel like tasting local cuisines, you can make your way to the local cuisine station and enjoy dishes like beef rawon (certain kind of beef stew) or nasi lemak (coconut milk infused rice). There are Indonesian desserts available for trying too like chendol, etc.

Local Indonesian cuisine at Padma Resort Legian Bali

Local veggie-based dishes like gado-gado and ketoprak.

Indonesian cuisine at Padma Resort Legian Bali

At the end, Noona's plate always looks like something from English Breakfast section. The red beans taste great after years not eating them. Really. Hahaha. You can get the egg station chefs to cook egg in whichever way you like it.

Breakfast platter at Padma Resort Legian Bali

Three mornings like this and here comes rounder Noona. Hahaha.

Anyeong! Do you ever wonder why for a moment you want certain things and yet another moment, you kinda try to recall why you want those certain things in the first place? Noona wonders if all these mood swings are hormonal. Huh? What is she talking about? Oh well, it's definitely random topic which we should just ignore right now.

Back to the Bali trip which happened just last week, Noona kinda miss the relaxing atmosphere of walking in a street in Seminyak area, one of the popular stretch of road in Bali. The area is pretty quiet in the afternoon though.

4D3N Bali Trip: Wandering Around Seminyak Square

There are so many wall murals which you can find in Seminyak. Apparently arts are deeply embraced in Bali. There are no vandalisms spotted on the wall mural too. Good job of maintaining that, Bali citizens.

Another wall mural. By the way, if you'd like to try out Revolver, one of the popular coffee spot in Bali, you should go deep into the smaller alley here because Revolver is located here in the alley. It was under renovation last week though. Sad.

The weather kinda got into our nerves because the sun is very cruel around 1.30PM in the afternoon. So, we quickly sought shelter (with air-conditioner) at Seminyak Village. Seminyak Village is a shopping mall and it is currently decked in Christmas decoration as we are in the last month of the year already.

If you are bored at Seminyak Village, you should make your way up to level 2 (or level 3, Noona could not recall correctly) because there is a big handicraft store there which sells so many Balinese arts (both traditional and modern). You can even release your own creativity in the design process for certain items like umbrella, tote bag or purse.

Souvenir store in Seminyak Square Bali Indonesia

If you ever need some quotes to display in your house...

Vintage shop in Seminyak Square Bali Indonesia

Let's just ride a scooter and forget about the world...the store is pretty random Noona has to say because you can also find some household stuff here like cabinet, shelves and even sofa.

Art and craft at Seminyak Square Bali Indonesia

Seminyak Village is located at:

Jalan Kayu Jati No. 8

Seminyak, Bali

Opening hours:

Daily 10AM - 10PM

So, Noona woke up in the middle of the night to pee and after that, she lie awake on my bed, unable to get back to sleep so quickly. She suspect it is partly because of the tea, and partly because of my potentially swollen gum due to the hidden wisdom tooth. No idea which is which but one thing remains, Noona could not sleep. Zzz.

In times like this, Noona decided to embrace her writing desire since her Mum has sent her some of the pictures she managed to save in her phone while the rest are...inside Noona's laptop with no means to extract them out since her laptop got issues. The pictures which she sent relate to our family trip last year to the beautiful Bunaken Islands in Manado, Indonesia. These islands are favourite amongst both local and international tourists as famous snorkeling spot. In order to do snorkeling in Bunaken Island, you have to first, book your boat ticket to bring you to one of the islands.

4D3N Manado Trip: The Beautiful Bunaken Islands

The boat trip to the snorkeling spot is not that far, probably around 15 - 20 minutes. The boat operator will bring you to the main island to sign up with the snorkeling tour operator. A usual tour package will include snorkeling gears (the googles + the fins + the snorkel), the guide, the photographer (if you want to get underwater shot, yes I mean it), and lunch. It seems that price differs based on the extensive of the amenities provided (some even provided towel).

Looking at those beautiful hues of water, one cannot resist the temptation of swimming and snorkeling inside the clear blue water. Oh right, Noona forgot to mention about the price. The rental of the snorkeling gears can go to 150,000 Rupiah per person (around hmm, 15 SGD). The most expensive fee you need to churn out here will be for the photographer (+200 pictures) which can go up to near 1 million Rupiah (around 100 SGD) however, you can share this 200 pictures with the rest of the tour group as taking pictures underwater is not really that easy after a few shots. Shower room is available nearby so you can take a shower to rinse yourself of the sea water after the snorkeling activity (need to pay 10,000 Rupiah ~ 1 SGD to use the shower room though, never mind, let's support local business).

You will be given a life vest too so no need to worry so much if you are a weak swimmer or a non-swimmer. Yes, the water is that clear up to the point, you probably don't really need the googles if you happen to swim around the shallow water.

Right, so what is the trick of taking picture underwater with the fishes? First, you would need to purchase the bait for the fishes. Before you say yucks, the bait is not like what you imagine (i.e. worm and the likes of it). Apparently, the fishes living in this area loves to eat biscuit. But they will not be able to eat the whole thing, so you would have to crush the biscuit until it becomes crumbs and the fishes will surely come and swim around you. The challenge here, in order to take picture underwater, you have to dive deep down (which is very hard to do in the open ocean, no kidding). This is where the guide will give his helping hands to dunk you down. Once you are deep inside, you have to quickly grab the nearest coral (grab, don't destroy) to hang in your position until (a) the fishes come and (b) the photographer takes your picture.

Feeding fish underwater in Bunaken Islands

After a few shots, you would be very very tired. So it is really best to share that 200 pictures with the whole group cause there is no way for one person to take that many pictures under the sea. Unless we are half mermaid. XD

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