Biking through Bali

Today my parents, sister, and I explored Ubud by bike. It's probably one of my favorite travel experiences I've had!

We had breakfast overlooking Lake Batur, with the active volcano Mt. Batur looming in the distance.

We sampled several types of teas and coffee, including kopi luwak, one of the most expensive coffees in the world ($700/kilogram). The beans for this coffee are first eaten by a civet (a raccoon-like creature) and then pooped out. Honestly, I didn't think much of it, but it was interesting to try!

We got to see many exotic fruits and spices, and learn about the medical and cultural importance of some of the local plants.

The steps of the Hindu temples we passed were adorned with flower offerings, or canang sari. These are put out daily.

We visited a compound and saw how the rural Balinese live. One of the adults we saw didn't know her own age.

The kids were really cute!

Banyan trees are considered sacred in Bali

More cute kids!

You can see how intricate the finished pieces are behind this wood worker

Afterwards we had a delicious lunch (including smoked duck!) surrounded by rice paddy fields.

The bike tour group was Bali Eco Cycling. The rate was $40 per adult - a steal, considering how incredible the tour was, plus breakfast and lunch were included. We highly recommend them!