Bali // rice terraces

we didn't intend to see the rice terraces in Bali, or at least not in the way that we did.

we had booked a cycling tour that would take us through the terraces and fields, explain the growing process, and include two highly rated meals including breakfast overlooking the volcanoes. instead, we got an unscheduled detour and an overpriced buffet that upset my stomach for the rest of our trip.

let me back up. when we booked our day of touring the island, we had a very specific itinerary in mind. there were 3 temples that we wanted to see, and that was it. they tried to book us the standard tour, but we said no, we want to go here. but they told us it was too far, and we should go to just two temples. we were a little disappointed but we said ok, since this is their island and they should know how long it takes to get from one place to another.

the morning of, we got into the van and our driver said "we will go see the dance first!"

understandably, we were all confused. despite our best efforts to communicate our desire itinerary, he wanted to take us on the prescribed tour of the island. we managed to dissuade him from a few stops [such as the dance and the butterfly house] but ended up at a few extra places on our trip. this included the coffee tasting and a drive through the rice terraces.

despite the circumstances of our being there, we tried to make the best of it. [it wasn't difficult with these views]

it's hard not to be amazed at the way the land had been shaped. even though I live in Taiwan [where they certainly grow rice] and have traveled through Asia, I have never seen rice terraces on this scale.

and it's also pretty amazing to think that this place will always be here. as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the rice terraces are protected from being destroyed by modern development.

we ended up canceling our bike tour, though I think that would have been my preferred way to see the rice terraces. I would definitely recommend stopping by on your trip to Bali... just try to go on your own terms.

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Brittany. she drinks her tea with sugar and blogs about her quest to create life experiences by traveling over at Life Changes ii.