Author: editaroundtheworld

Living in Zürich and loving it to the maximum,but traveling every time I have the opportunity.My wanderlust needs to be fed all the time!

Reunion Island – a piece of France in the Indian Ocean

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Travel

I wish I could tell that my first trip after a year and a half break from traveling – thanks COVID – went all smoothly and was great, but that would be a lie. Of course, there were beautiful moments, nice days and there were lonely and eventless days, filled with anxiety and pannick attacks. I actually needed to cut short my holiday and adress my health and forget holidaying for a bit.

That being said, I’ll start with the positives.

I boarded my plane in Paris with lots of excitement and wanderlust, flew eleven hours in a nearly empty plane, where everybody had their own row and still was a lot of space. Landed in Saint Denis, the capital city of the island and the warm weather felt amazing. The beach was calling me, hence I booked an Airbnb close to Boucan Canot beach.

Boucan Canot is that part of the island where mainly the French expats live and it pretty much feels like south of France but just with a bit of island vibe to it, which is very attractive by the way.

As soon as I took a shower and settled a bit, I was headed straight to the beach. That place became my second home while around there, being the place for sunbathing and meditating.

Boucan Canot beach is calm, but the waves are huge, I just went in shortly and went for a swim to the rock pool instead. Those waves are truly intimidating for me, who I’m a weak swimmer.

First day at Boucan Canot beach
Meditating at Boucan Canot beach

Boucan Canot has a few nice eating places with beautiful views and absolutely delicious samosas and caris , local food that I loved.

Restaurant with a view

Also, it’s a great spot for sunsets while enjoying a local drink.

Sunset at Boucan Canot

As I don’t drive, I was relying on public transport, traveling around by the local buses. Surprisingly they were reliable and quite comfortable.

Just a few bus stops from Boucan Canot, there’s Trou d’Eau, which I always mispronounced as Troudeu, the Canadian prime ministers name. So wrong! Anyway, that place is perfect for stand up paddle boarding, I spotted numerous colorful fishes while paddling around. The water is crystal clear, the beach clean and quiet.

Just nearby is also L’Hermitage beach, perfect for snorkeling and another good spot to sunbath and with lots of good restaurants.

The way to L’Hermitage beach
Crystal clear water at L’Hermitage

After a few days I changed locations and I was headed to Saint Pierre, which seemed chaotic and was slightly difficult to find my way around there, but that’s probably just because I’m not familiar with the island structures. However, I found my way to the port, which was quite a nice place to hang out at, especially in the morning. I chilled at the beach, ate a massive Americaine and strolled over to a Hindu temple.

Port of Saint Pierre

Probably the highlight of my entire trip was a day trip to the southeastern part of the island, where I had the chance to step on the youngest beach of the world, which was formed in 2007 , when the volcano erupted and the lava reached the ocean, creating the gorgeous black sand beach called Plage du Tremblet.

Plage du Tremblet

Reunion is well known for its beautiful waterfalls and mountains, sadly I can’t comment about the mountains cause I didn’t have the chance to hike, but the two waterfalls I visited were truly stunning.

Cascade Langevin
Cascade Jaquelina

During this awesome daytrip I visited also the route of the lava, where also the hikes to Piton de la Fornaise start. One day maybe I’ll be able to also hike there, by then I keep as memory two little lava stones on my bedside table.

My precious two little lava stones next to Buddha

With the hope of one day revisiting, hopefully more prepared and less stressed out, for now I keep the memories and pictures of the beautiful sunrises and sunsets and not only. Definitely a place to return to.

Sunrise in Saint Pierre
Sunset in Saline des Bains

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Grenada – the place that transformed me entirely

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Backpacking, carribean, grenada, island life, travel, Travel

Grenada was my first contact with the Carribean and although I had some ideas about it before, the culture shock has been inevitable. I knew I’ll love it before going there because in general the island lifestyle is cool everywhere, but here it’s in particular special.

I suppose I need more time in general to adjust than I thought. I was getting slightly annoyed about many things that function differently than in other countries. Such as when the taxi driver showed up whenever he could and everything was happening in slow motion a bit for my rhythm. With all these, there’s something special about this place and it’s people.

I got there just a day after Independence Day , but luckily I still managed to participate at some local news events.

My stay was initially supposed to be just one week, but sadly due to health issues I ended up being stuck for a month… Looking back at it I’m grateful for the experience because it put me face to face with myself and made me realise how ignorant I’ve been and taught me numerous life lessons.

What impressed me the most was how strong the community is over there. It felt like I’m visiting a little village, where everyone is connected and the mutual support is the main characteristic. I received so much love and support in the most unpleasant of circumstances that it was overwhelming and even suspicious at the time and I was unable to appreciate it right then, looking back at it I certainly do appreciate.

I didn’t do so much as I’d normally do, but there’s a few places I visited and liked, such as:

1. Esther’s bar and Grand Anse Beach

Grand Anse Beach has been named the best beach in the world for a good reason, it’s really beautiful. Along the beach there are several hotels and my favourite bar, where I spent a lot of time with a fellow traveler. For delicious, but strong cocktails I highly recommend.

2. Grand Etang National Park

Grand Etang National Park is great for hiking, meeting monkeys and admiring Grand Etang Lake. The lush green scenery is very calming and comforting.

3. Welcome Rock

In my opinion the best viewing point on the island. The hike is easy and the view is absolutely incredible.


4. Horse riding

At Bonanza Stables apart from the horses you get to see also a donkey, some cats and dogs and duck. It’s like a mini animal shelter, the cutest being the Rottweiler puppies.

5. Belmont Estate

To learn about chocolate making and taste the best ever chocolate, this place stays in my memories. It’s a shame to say that I’ve been living for years in Switzerland and never visited a chocolate factory, just to find out that even Switzerland is getting the coco from Grenada.

Oh, and apart from learning about the chocolate making process, which involves much more work than I imagined, you get the chance of meeting some cute animals too and if I recall correctly, Rainbow, the talking parrot.

6. Saint George’s

The capital city of St George’s is colourful and small, easy to get around just by walking. Fort George and The Carenage area are worth for a visit.

6. BBC beach

Much smaller than Grand Anse, BBC beach is way less crowded than other beaches, a good opportunity to hang out where mainly locals hang out.

7. La Sagesse beach

Another nice beach, especially great at sunset.

8. Waterfalls

Every Grenadian I met recommended me to check out some waterfalls. They are really nice and the hikes there will get you muddy, so a splash in the water will be quite refreshing .

Adelaide – a place that holds so many pleasant surprises

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Australia, Travel
The sad recent events that marked many people’s lives and brought devastating consequences on the wildlife in many parts of Australia have been difficult to witness while feeling and being so close. However, I still had hopes that Kangaroo Island would stay untouched of the fires and it’s natural beauty and uniqueness would remain. Sadly, I received the call while waiting to board my plane in Sydney that the tour I had booked will not take place because the fires are taking over literally the whole island. The next days I followed the news in disbelief and completely helpless, seeing how day by day this beautiful place was being transformed into ashes. 
As Kangaroo Island became a no option, my stay in Adelaide got an extra two days to explore, enjoy and discover. 
A rather underrated city, that some locals refer to as big village, started to unfold day by day and by the end of my stay I became quite fascinated by how diverse it is and how many things you can get out of it.

Food to feed your body

My centrally located accomodation made it very convenient to just walk my way around the city and within a couple of hours have a proper feel about where everything is.
I’ve chosen to start the day with a visit to Central Market and I instantly knew that the following days will start also there. Why is that? Because it’s the best place to pick up fresh fruits and veggies, provided by local farmers and sold in a friendly environment, which by the way reminded me of St Lawrence market in Toronto, Canada.
While at Central Market, one can pick from many different cuisines , I’ve spotted South American street food stand and Hungarian bakery, just to name some.
A few steps from the market is Chinatown, it’s small but compact, bringing together all sorts of Asian restaurants and stores.
Edo Sushi is a remarkable Korean – Japanese restaurant that I liked and the kimchi I ate there, although burned my tongue, will stay in my memories for its delicious taste.
No doubts that Adelaide is perfect for food lovers or curious people that are interested to check out different varieties.
The iconic Adelaide favourite, The Original Pancake Kitchen didn’t disappoint, although unfortunately I couldn’t even try their signature pancakes cause the gigantic burger they served me with, that came together with a massive portion of chips left no space in my stomach even for a tempting pancake. 
One of the days when I may have been a little too caught up with doing things and skipped a lunch, by dinner time I was really famished and also interested to check out the O’Connell street dining scene, that I heard it’s a bit more high class than the rest of the city. Not in the search of too posh or so, but for a real different vibe, Giulia, the friendly Italian traveller that I met and myself, we headed directly to Marrakech not Africa, only O’Connell street. The design and the whole decoration of the restaurant takes you though to Morocco with authentic lamps, cushions and art pieces, accompanied by Arabic music , all this providing a special vibe. The head waiter that looked after us in a typical Bangladeshi ( his origin country ) friendly manner, pointed out that all the decoration objects has been bought from Morocco and the chef is a well respected, award winning personality in the industry. Also, although I’ve noticed that in many countries if there’s a Moroccan restaurant is likely to be called Marrakech – how inspiring – the Adelaide Marrakech is not part of a chain.
Needless to say, the food has been delicious and a looot, our waiter even spoiled us with a dessert, saying: “ because you’re visiting and to have a nice Adelaide memory”. Well, that has been a fun, stomach filling Moroccan trip – with a touch of Bangladeshi generosity, Italian gesticulating and hmm maybe Hungarian hunger?! – right in Adelaide.
Culture to feed your brain
Often times museums and art galleries take the backseat while I travel because the outdoors is more appealing, but I’m glad that sometimes the culture fix gets squeezed in. I mean one day was 40 degrees, the next dropped to 16 and with just a jumper and some leggings that could count as warm clothing?! – the setting was perfect to take it easy indoors. 
That being said, off we went to check out the State Library of South Australia, where between all those ancient books I  found also a map of the world, that was more figureoutable than many of the words from the 3 kilos book. Not to forget, window shopping for fashionable young lady outfit has been more than inspiring and that’s an understatement. All jokes aside though, I liked the Harry Potter style environment and the collection of the books on various topics in really impressive. 
Right next door is the Museum of South Australia, that holds holds collections of national and international significance.
Our last stop was at the Art Gallery of South Australia, a truly impressive place filled with stunning art collections presented in an interactive manner.
Animals and oh, the amazing outdoors to feed your soul
What I loved most about Adelaide is that it has so much green space. Lots of parks and the river Torrens, all easy to acces. I spent without realising   a few hours just chilling under a tree by the river with a book in hand and some quaking ducks around me. The scenery is beautiful, peaceful and simply just fills you up with energy. Great for a morning jog, afternoon biking and evening yoga, not all in one day I guess… However, it’s a city where it’s for sure pleasant to live for a while to properly experience all the perks. 
 Botanic Garden
A nature oasis in the heart of the city, the botanic garden is Adelaide’s show off big park that hosts a significant diversity of flora and apparently fauna as well, having met several duck families leisurely roaming around.
Himeji Garden

To my surprise no tourist that I met in Adelaide heard about Himeji Garden. It’s true that’s it’s tiny and maybe not necessarily a must visit, but it’s pretty and peaceful and it’s a loss not checking it out. 

Morialta Conservation Reserve
Just a short drive north-east Adelaide, also accessible by public transport, is located this gem that I wish I had more time to explore. Greeted by a sleeping koala, the bushwalk started in a great spirit. The scenes are spectacular and after a couple days of rain some waterfalls will be spotted too, that wasn’t the case during my visit due to the drought. 
Cleland Conservation Park and Mount Lofty summit
Within the national park is located also the wildlife park, where in a safe environment the animals are being taken care of and look happy. Attention: this is not a zoo! Yes, you can say they are in capture because there’s needed to have some boundaries in order to keep a control, but the animals are in their natural habitat which is the wild, they do have plenty of space and they do get the care and attention they need to be kept healthy. From dingo to echidna, Tasmanian devil and the iconic kangaroo, you come up close with the fascinating Australian wildlife and no matter how many times you meet these special creatures it’s always an epic experience. 
From the wildlife entrance there are several trails that lead to Mount Lofty summit, I doubt that any of them would be difficult, although according to Aussie standards the one I’ve taken has been steep – hahaha , the whole hike I was searching for the steep part, reached the summit without finding it – . 
In any case the view from the summit is spectacular and the local cider tastes just a wee bit better from the top. 
 Adelaide sunsets
What I know about Australia  for sure is that sunsets will take your breath away, sometimes when you expect the least. The palette of colours that appear on the sky range from dramatic colours to soft, cotton candy style and and all in between, never knowing which one will show up. Adelaide’s beaches are very nice places to watch the sun going down, but occasionally the city center can be just as good. 
Whether sunset or no sunset, taking a dip and chilling on Glenelg, Adelaide’s most popular beach is not a bad idea. 
On the other hand, Henley beach, the less populated version of Glenelg might be a more suitable option if crowds are not your cup of tea.

It feels like I’ve discovered just a small piece of what Adelaide really is and still don’t understand why many Aussies that I met beforehand gave me a description of Adelaide, which sounded somewhere between the lines “ it’s boring” and “there’s nothing to do there, except wineries”.  Wineries, on a next occasion…

Nice cities to visit in Romania

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Travel
Most people that I met while traveling made big eyes and funny, Dracula related jokes when they heard I’m coming from Romania. It’s because the world doesn’t really know anything else about this Eastern European country other than the legend of Dracula. While that’s impressive already that people have heard at least this, I’m here to tell you: Romania is not all about Dracula, as the matter of fact for locals the spooky story doesn’t represent much anymore. On the other hand the beautiful medieval towns and the nature can always be a good reason to visit.
Timisoara
One of my dearest Romanian towns is Timisoara. Timisoara is located in the western part of the country, only two hours away from the Hungarian border and it’s considered the Little Vienna due to it’s similar architecture to the Austrian capital. It’s the city where the revolution started, but it’s also the city where nowdays the western culture finds its way into the Romanian society. Very laidback university town, Timisoara is lively and  rich in cultural events and festivals, being chosen as the European Culture Capital for 2021.
The city center is a great spot not only for shopping, strolling, people watching but also relaxation, because right next to the dominant cathedral there is plenty of green space and on both sides of  the Bega river serve as jogging or walking locations.
It’s considered also the town of flowers and as the name suggests springs is a great season to notice the numerous flowers planted all over the place. In front of the opera house kids and adults feed the pigeons, which are already so acostumed to people that it’s common the have them on your shoulders if you’ve got some food for them. A few steps from the city center there is Unirii Square, another nice place to hang out at. The church and buidings around the square offer a diverse view and for architecture lovers a good opportunity to notice the beauty of the baroccan style. While it’s the oldest square in town, it’s vibe is not at all outdated. The big number of terraces, where one can taste the typical Romanian food or enjoy a glass of wine, sometimes offer also live music and definitely a lively atmosphere. 
Sighisoara
From the west let’s travel to central Romania a bit and discover one of the prettiest medieval towns I’ve visited. Sighisoara has a unique charm that touched my heart instantly as I walked around a bit. Surrounded by the old walls and the towers of the Citadel, the town is listed by Unesco as World Heritage Site and it’s a definitely must visit place if you are in Transylvania and especially if history interests you. The defence towers of the town served as defense during the wars and were hollow and contained elevators inside.
In Sighisoara you will found also a few churches , the most significant being the Church on the Hill, which is right next to one of the oldest schools from Transylvania, to which also nowdays pupils walk through the covered stairs that have been built as a protection.  From the hill the sights are beautiful and peaceful. Locals are friendly and keen on sharing their own life experiences and stories in an outstanding English.
Brasov
If you’ve made your way to Sighisoara you can’t miss out on Brasov, another medieval town, much bigger an noisier, but with more options for the curious tourist. In winter it’s perfect for sports lovers, having well maintained ski resorts, in spring it has been good for hiking.
Tampa mountain is just a few minutes walk from the main square and in less than one hour hike you are on the top and can admire the stunning view. 
If one hour hike sounds like a lot, the easier version is to just walk at the base of the mountain or to one of the fortresses that are located on the hills surrounding the city. The views are still nice and very little physical effort is required to reach them.
In Brasov there are already plenty of signs of the German influences, one main example being the Black Church, which is the main gothic style monument in the country and it has the biggest six-ton bell.
Sibiu
In Sibiu the German influences are even more obvious than in Brasov, but the inviting atmosphere on a sunny day is the same pleasant. The typical big square with churches and shops around, lots of pigeons and relaxing people are a reminder that you are still in Transylvania.
Walking around I’ve discovered also the most beautiful street of Sibiu according to the sign and I can tell that it was indeed nice with all the colorful houses and flowers in front of them.
Romania’s oldest castiron bridge is called the Bridge of Lies and it’s right here, in Sibiu and it’s the pride of the town.
I haven’t met Dracula while being in Romania and shame on me, but I didn’t even go to the castle. On the other hand spending a little time in the towns and noticing the differences between them, probably was something I needed to do. Romania has its beauty, sometimes hard to see it, but it’s there. 

Zürich in winter

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Travel

Winter may not be warm, but it’s still beautiful and pleasant to a certain extent, especially in places such as Switzerland. The postcard perfect country is a great getaway destination, although far away from being cheap, it’s enjoyable on a modest budget too.

Zürich, the largest of the swiss cities, still small on an international scale, with just above 400 thousand inhabitants, is the main hub for visitors and expats. With its international airport located just 10 minutes train ride out of the center, Zürich is a cosmopolitan city that offers everything that any other city may have to offer. From shopping malls to cinemas, local and international couisine, a lake, two rivers, a hill that swiss people like to call mountain and a lot of delicious chocolate and cheese, Zürich has it all.

A dayticket for the local transport costs Chf 8,80 and it’s valid 24 hours. With such a ticket you’re good to go on bus, train, boat and tram, but make sure you limit yourself to the city only, which is zone 110, for further than that you’ll need an additional ticket.

The main train station is walkable distance from most attractions, however the cold winter temperatures will most likely force you into a tram.

Bahnhofstrasse is the central shopping street, where, if you’re on a budget you’ll be only window shopping, because stores like Louis Vuitton and Prada, won’t be inviting.

On the other hand, Zurich is a great spot for outdoors lovers, even in winter, the panoramic viewing points being for free and available for everyone that wishes to have a look at the city from above.

By tram 3 from Central to Römerhof station and from there by the Dolderbahn you’ll reach the gorgeous castle that serves as a posh hotel, called Dolder Grand. The viewing point from next to the hotel is amazing and the surrounding forest is great for strolling around in the snow.

Grossmünster, the church with the two tours, visible from everywhere in the center area, is a great place to go for a view. The ticket costs Chf5 to climb up to the tower, but it definitely does worth it.

You can’t leave Zurich without strolling around the lake, which on a good day, when the sky is blue will be looking amazing, with the mountains in the far backdrop .

Walking around in Zurich is tempting in any weather and the old town is charming and pretty. Lots of boutiques, cafes and sweet local shops, it’s a nice place to visit.

Although the coldness of people and the general rigid and formal atmosphere, Zürich is nice to visit for a few days.

8 best things to do in Ubud – Bali

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Backpacking, Travel

Ubud is the most touristy place in Bali ( of course I skipped the popular beach destinations such as Kuta, Seminyak and Uluwatu ) that I enjoyed and where the crowd was there but didn’t feel disturbing. As the matter of fact Ubud and the surrounding attractions offered me a few of my most memorable Bali trip moments. Ubud itself is small but packed with plenty of restaurants and cafes, however if you are after a different sort of experience head to :

1. Greenkubu Cafe

It’s just a short drive from Ubud and it seems to be still unknown for the tourists  or I was just lucky when I went there, but it wasn’t busy at all. It’s perfect for a delicious lunch in a scenic setting, where food comes at reasonable prices and it’s served by friendly waiters, that are generous enough to give you also a passion fruit right from the hanging vines that are all over the venue. It’s easy to spend a few hours here because it’s not only the great food, drinks and desserts that may keep you staying , it’s also the typical Balinese swing that you can hop on for a modest 25K IDR, whereas at other places for the same fun they charge four times more. 

2. Tegenungan Waterfall

With so many waterfalls on this island, there’s a few nearby Ubud too and you won’t escape the huge crowds at them. If you’re in the zone it does worth talking a look at Tegenungan, but swimming there is a no,no,no, as the water is dirty and lots of rubbish all over. 

3. Tegallalang rice terraces

The magnificent rice terraces for sure offer an outstanding view from any angle you’d look at them. The most popular and visited rice terraces in Bali, usually teeming with tourists, around 4 pm on a weekday I surprisingly bumped into just few people. 

4. Mount Batur sunrise trekking

My ultimate best Bali moment and my very first night trekking that rewarded me with a gorgeous sunrise at 1717 m . It’s a must-do if you’re a nature lover with a fairly good fitness level. On the main street in Ubud there are numerous companies selling their tours and the prices start from as low as 280K and can reach double. The driver picked me up at 2 am at my accomodation in Ubud and after picking up a few more people, we were driven to have breakfast – at 2:30 am for God’s sake! – followed by an aprox 1 hour drive to the base of Mount Batur, where we met the local guide that handed us a torch and off we went up the mountain… For like 2 hours. It was steep and not always easy but we made it just in time for the sunrise. At 6 am sharp we all looked in the same direction and were lost for words when the sun popped out from behind Mount Agung and started coloring the sky in a harmonious variation of pink, orange and purple. Even the monkeys started to gather around us for the show, we thought, but in reality they were just after our food. 

5. Campuhan Ridge walk

A much easier walk than Mt Batur, which is free and starts right in the center of Ubud, the Campuhan Ridge walk is a great way of escaping for a moment the noise of the village and just enjoying the surrounding nature. It takes aprox half an hour to reach the end of it and the best time is to go early morning or late afternoon because it can get quite hot and there’s no shade at all along the whole walk.

Instead of shade, there is another of my favorite places though:

6. Karsa Spa

Following the Campuhan Ridge walk, almost at the very end of it you’ll spot Karsa Cafe and the spa with the same name. I’ve booked my treatment aprox two weeks in advance because I read it’s a very popular place and gets booked out  quickly, so I wanted to make sure I’ll not miss out on my two hours of pampering. The one hour traditional Balinese massage was followed by half an hour scrub and another half an hour flowerbath. My therapist had been a real sweetheart and did her best to make my experience a special one, even hopping up on a chair to take the perfect photo. 

7. Kajeng rice field walk

One of the reasons I fancy Ubud is that there’s a few walk routes that you can do in nature. The starting point is in the center of Ubud and the walk takes you through the village of Kajeng, which is authentic and it has a local charm to it. The whole loop takes around one hour.

8. Ubud Market

I’ve spotted a few boutiques where shopping was tempting, however if you’re after the local vibe and you’ve got the bargaining skills, it’s Ubud Market where you should head to. From clothing to handmade purses and perverted bottle openers, everything is available “at a good price” as the vendors say.

Good to know: the first “ good price” they offer is always the highest, in most cases they drop it to less than half when you’re ready to walk away without buying their product.

Munduk and around – Bali travel tips

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Backpacking, Travel

I’ve never heard of the little village of Munduk before my travel to Bali, but people that have been there described it as peaceful, mountainous and pretty. I thought it does worth a try, so spontaneously hopped on a shuttle bus in Ubud, direction Munduk. The ticket cost me a modest 150K IDR and the journey took three hours. The drive to Munduk is in particular scenic, passing next to rice fields, lake and the mountains. The road is almost the whole way very curvy, I’ve been warned by a fellow traveler that I may get sick, but that didn’t happen, I was just enjoying the panorama.
When the driver suddenly pulled over and claimed we’ve reached central Munduk, I was looking with disbelief though because that didn’t look like a center at all, unless the center consist just of a restaurant on the side of the road. It was just me and another traveler, the rest of the passengers continuing their way further north. We got off and looked around, nodding towards each other that it’s impossible to be right in the center of Munduk and there’s nothing around. Luckily her internet reception was working, cause mine refused loading, this way we figured we’ve got more than 1 km to walk to actually reach the village and our accomodations. With our backpacks on ( cherishing the fact that I travel light ) and a few bad words told, we started rolling ( not literally ) downhill for the next few minutes until eventually reached the actual center of Munduk. According to the locals the shuttle bus normally drops people on the top of the hill, which is still bizarre because it’d really take just some extra minutes drive to the village itself. 
However, the mountainous setting is gorgeous and very peaceful, gives you the feeling that you’ve just traveled back in time. 
In any direction you look there’s the stunning Mother Nature smiling back at you.


Not only nature is beautiful, the locals are in particular nice people. It was enough to walk once from one end of the village to the other and locals were already calling me by my name, but they have never heard of the existence of my country. Once in Munduk don’t forget to:

Indulge in delicious local food 

As small of a village that Munduk is, it still offers numerous restaurants with spectacular views. 
Warung Classic has been my absolute favorite for the amazing food and the best spot to watch sunset and Warung Dong Paloh for the super delicious breakfast and the signature Balinese black rice porridge .

Take a dip in the gorgeous waterfalls 

I could rave about the great food, but it’s not just food that I’ve been so enthusiastic about, it’s also waterfalls. Yes, the Munduk area is probably the best in Bali when it comes to ticking off the list the most spectacular waterfalls. Walkable distance from the village center, there are three of them: The middle falls, Melanting and Red Coral. Each of them require a visiting fee of 10 -20 K IDR. I made it only to Red Coral waterfall and I was more than delighted with the scene, but I’ll let the picture speak for itself.


A short drive from Munduk, followed by a little steep but enjoyable hike, nestled in the lush forest, it’s the spectacular Banyumala Falls or simply Twin Waterfalls if the Indonesian name sounds too complicated. An absolute must visit, Banyumala is gorgeous and so refreshing. The best time to go is early morning, before the crowds invade it. I got there around 8:30 amand no other soul was there, except my two travel buddies for the day, but one hour later, when we were leaving there were already people coming. The entry fee is 30K IDR and it includes a small bottle of water, which comes handy considering the hike. Regardless, carry plenty of water with you wherever you go, it’s hot and humid at any time of the day and night in Bali. 

Visit temples and lakes

Lake Bratan, with its famous Beratan Lake Temple is located near the town of Begudul, less than an hour drive from Munduk. It’s the second largest lake in Bali and rated by Huffington Post as one of the 20 most beautiful lakes in the world. Tourists from all over the world visit this place, the temple being the icon of Indonesia. It’s certainly beautiful, but since it’s so extremely touristy it doesn’t represent anymore such a strong cultural and religious meaning.

If most people visit the popular Beratan Lake Temple, the hidden gems hunters go trekking through the jungle and canoe over the lake to find the less famous version of it.
Lake Tambligan Temple is situated beside Buyan Lake and although you can drive there from one side, it’s way more interesting, challenging and satisfying to sign up for a two hours jungle trekking adventure.
The cost of the trekking with an English speaking local guide is 275K IDR and it does worth every penny. First things first, our guide, Gudi ( I’m pretty sure that’s the wrong spelling ) handed each of us a bamboo trekking stick and we started venturing into the rain forest, following carefully his passionate explanation about the trees that we were seeing.

Along the way, in the middle of the jungle we stopped at a little temple, which he educated us about, mentioning that locals trek there on a daily basis to do the traditional offerings ritual. Quite an effort of them to do that daily?!


Gudi told us also about the previous years floodings and many more interesting information that kept us interested while following the trail. Time passed quickly and we weren’t even tired when we reached the lake and have been invited on the canoe, where we didn’t even have to paddle. Crossing the lake in the canoe has been relaxing and filled with beautiful mountain views. The temple is quite unique and the whole trekking and canoeing experience just adds to it.

Get your photo taken at Handara Bali Gates

Heading to the Begudul area it’s impossible to miss the famous picturesque gates that are all over social media. It’s actually the entry to a golf course and resort and in no time became so popular, that now they even charge 30K IDR for a 10 minutes photo session in front of them and the receipt you get is called  Selfie ticket. Hahaha!  Been there, done that…

Relax in Bali Botanic Garden

It provides a great escape to enjoy the cool temperatures under a tree and get familiar with the rare tropical plants and wildlife in their natural habitat. Ideal for any age, the gardens offer a vast variety of activities and families, including accomodation or treetop adventure park. 

Wake up for the sunrise 

Munduk is great not only for sunset, but sunrise is spectacular too. The early hours of the day are being announced by the roosters ( which annoyed me most times ),  I didn’t need to set an alarm, but after I dragged myself out of the bed I was in fact grateful to the noisy creatures.  Needless to say that the hardworking locals were not even close being as sleepy as I was, it looked like they were going full power already at not even 6 am. 

I’m sure there’s much more to do in and around Munduk, but I’m afraid my only three days there allowed me to do just the above mentioned ones. It’s been one of my favorite parts of Bali though, lots of memories made, nice people met and beautiful places visited. Sadly, during the hikes I did around there I’ve seen a lot of trash left behind, which seems to be a general issue in Indonesia. On that note, I’d like to add a reminder: while traveling please, please :

Padangbai and it’s hidden gems

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Backpacking, Travel

Most people use the little coastal town just as a transit from Bali to the Gili Islands or Lombok, without knowing that Padangbai has more than that to offer. 
I spent not just one, but two days there, indulging in finger licking delicious and ridiculously cheap local food and sunbathing on the nicest beach I encountered during my Bali trip. 
Everything is within maximum 15 minutes walking distance, but for those that prefer the two wheels, of course renting a scooter is easy to arrange.
Not a fascinating place at first, but when you reach the white sand beach, you surely have a different opinion.
Bias Tugel or White Beach or Secret Beach, as locals like to call it, is easy to reach, although it requires a light hike, hence advisable to wear sneakers. I wasn’t having the best of the time in my flip-flops, but no major difficulties occurred either.

The way is pretty straightforward, the trail is easy to follow, what’s slightly confusing is that the few signs indicating the beach is 300 m away appear all along the way and the number doesn’t change. It’s like you walk and walk but there’s still 300 m to go?! Anyways…
It’s a small, but serene beach, which happened to be quiet and most importantly clean!

Sadly, most of the beaches I’ve seen in Bali were not left without trash, so I was delighted to have found one where the sand is soft, the water blue and clear and no leftover plastic bottles and such. The few little restaurants by the beach offer not only food and drinks, but also beach beds and relaxing music for the perfect ambiance. 
Locals proudly let me know that it’s not only Bias Tugel that they’ve got, I should check out also Blue Lagoon. With such an inviting name and after such a positive surprise with the white sand beach, of course my next stop later that day was Blue Lagoon. And there dropped my enthusiasm … Basically the exact opposite of the first one, this beach is dirty and I certainly didn’t feel any desire of even stepping into the water because the plastic bottles were floating even there. It’s meant to be a good snorkeling spot, I can just hope that people will stop leaving their rubbish behind. I literally spent 10 minutes at Blue Lagoon and struggled to avoid the trash while snapping a few shots.


There’s a nice looking restaurant overlooking the water though and the walk from the town to the lagoon is enjoyable, but at this time I’d suggest going there with no high expectations.
Other than that, Padangbai is relaxed and friendly, locals are very eager to invite you to try their food at the warungs. My favorite eating place has been Padangbai Billabong, which is on the way to the lagoon. The food is fresh, well prepared and service is great.
I also noticed that fastboat tickets from Padangbai to the Gilis or Lombok are sold at half price than in Amed, although the distance is longer. 
Thumbs down: everything  seems to be moving in a slow rhytm in Padangbai, which is not such an issue in general, but nobody seems to be respecting any sort of schedule when it comes to transportation. I’m literally waiting for a shuttle bus for more than an hour and no sign of it as of yet. 

Gili Air sunsets and chilled out island life

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Backpacking, Travel

I reached Gili Air by fastboat departing from the little coastal town of Amed. The journey took roughly 40 minutes, however the boat leaves following a not well defined schedule, ticket sellers claiming it could be 9:30 am or 10, in many cases ending up 10:30 or even 11 am. The average ticket price for one way is 300K IDR, which includes a complimentary glass of water on board. 

Gili Air is the quiet sister of Gili Trawangan, known as the party island, the favorite of young British backpackers. The third of the Gilis, Gili Meno is the smallest of the three and for strong swimmers it’s reachable in a few minutes  by swimming from Gili Air it’s that close.
As I wasn’t looking for the craziness that Gili T has to offer, nor for total isolation on Gili Meno, the most suitable for my taste sounded to be Gili Air and frankly, as soon as I stepped on land I was convinced I took the right decision by choosing it.
The locals greeted me with friendly smiles and kind nods, offering their services in a generous but not insisting manner. At the harbour horse pulled carriages were available to transport you to your accomodation, those being the only transportation method, apart from the regular scooters and bicycles that you can rent at every step for just a few dollars.
As nothing is far away by walk actually, I made my way to my accomodation by strolling the cute, unsealed roads of the island, passing next to the mosque and other important buildings, such as health clinics and warungs ( aka local restaurants ). Speaking of mosque, the Gili Islands are predominantly Muslim, while Bali is hindu, but the rest of Indonesia is also Muslim. Confusing? It was for me as well, hence I asked some locals and the only logical answer I’ve got was that considering Bali islands geographical localization and the resistance to the new religion at the time, together with the Dutch colonies that preferred hindu over Muslim , the predominant religion on the island remained Balinese hinduism, while the rest of the country adopted a strong Muslim influence.
The small island vibe is pleasant and enjoyable, such a joy watching how simple the locals live and keep the positive outlook over life, even though natural disasters brought challenging times on them on several occasions in the past in forms of tsunamis and earthquakes.
The island is still in recovery after last years distructive tsunami, which Made, the chatty warung owner describes as : “ the scariest event that  I ever witnessed.”
Between the activities specific to the region is snorkeling, stand up paddleboarding and other water sports, but a simple walk all around the island will be very rewarding too. It took me in total two hours to walk around and the best time to do it it’s at sunset, the Gili Islands being famous for magical sunset views.
Plenty of restaurants and beach bars to choose from also, Gili Lumbung in particular serves amazing food and has live music every evening, except Friday. But watch out: whether in the hammock, on the swing or next to a cocktail, chilling on Gili Air becomes addictive after a while, my stay ended up being extended with two nights and I wouldn’t mind returning there .

Discover Margaret River region – Western Australia

by editaroundtheworld, posted in Australia, Travel

My recent Western Australia trip wouldn’t have been complete without visiting the famous Margaret River region. 
The small town of Margaret River is aprox 3 hours south from Perth and although I expected a proper river, Margaret is just a regular creek. However, there was no place for disappointment because the town has so much to offer and it’s very welcoming. Cute boutiques, restaurants with personality and great live music all around, Margaret River has been my  temporary home for two days and I loved it. 
Of course, there’s no person who’d go there and not visit the wineries.

The region is one of Australia’s best wine producer with plenty of small, family owned but also world famous wineries.

I’m not a wine expert whatsoever, but as a regular consumer and on behalf of fellow travelers that joined the same wine tasting tour, I say that the regions best product is certainly the Chardonnay. Delicious taste of wine, but also the food has been remarkable, making the day a succes and the tour full of joy and laughter. 


It’s certainly wine lovers paradise here, but if you’ve got sweet tooth you’ll be happy too. The chocolate factory welcomes you with several different types of chocolate and you can taste as many as you like and you are in the right location also for the best nougat I’ve ever eaten. 


After so much and wine and sweets, if there’s still space in the stomach, you shouldn’t miss out on the cheese tasting either, you’ll be amazed by the selection on offer.
Our tour ended at the distillery, where  we’ve been spoiled with a signature liquor offered by the sarcastic, yet friendly bartender.


Amazing atmosphere at all wineries, very friendly and generous wine makers with interesting stories to share, a wine tasting tour is the ultimate must do.
Although the Margaret River wineries may be the most popular in the area, it does worth checking out more.

Dunsborough

Greeted by the colorful double rainbow, I liked this cute town as soon as I got there. The rain stopped soon and I was excited to go on a discovery walk and try to stay away from wine at least for a day. The latter didn’t quite work out because they serve everywhere the tasty Chardonnays that I couldn’t say no to. On the other hand, I was more than pleased with the walk. Discovered a long stretch of walking path right next to the sea and on my way I met a few rabbits hopping around and some smiley locals that walked their dogs. It looked like everybody had a dog there, very dog friendly place. 


I didn’t expect to end up staying a few days in Dunsborough, considering it’s small size, but then it felt so good being there that I didn’t bother hitting the road, just until the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse.

From the lighthouse the view is amazing, but I recommend doing a bit of bushwalk to properly explore the Leeuwin – Naturaliste National Park. 
The main attractions around are Sugarloaf Rock and Canal Rocks, both impressive and interesting. 

Busselton

A few minutes drive from Dunsborough is another small, but fascinating town, Busselton, home of the famous Busselton Jetty, the longest wooden jetty in the world. 


At the end of the nearly 2 km long jetty is one of only 6 in the world underwater observatories. The $34 entry fee that includes the optional train ride to and from the observatory, aprox 30 min tour and another 30 min free time in the observatory, is money well spent. You’ll experience looking at the marine life in their natural habitat without even getting wet. 

Before this trip when I heard Margaret River I just thought about wine and that’s it. Little did I know about the natural richness of the area, but now that I’ve got a glimpse of it, I feel that I must return and dig for more.