🐒 Day 12 & 13 – Monkey Heists, Poolside Bliss & the Heart of Bali

July 24–25 | Kuta, Bali, Indonesia

☕ Day 12 – “One Sugar Cube or Two?”

We let ourselves sleep in today—waking up at 9:15 AM, with sunlight already spilling through the curtains and the sounds of splashing water from the hotel pool below. The air in Bali has a softness to it in the morning—warm, fragrant, never in a rush. There’s a feeling here that even time moves more gently.

We wandered down to the buffet where I grabbed my now-daily obsession: the Flat White Coffee. There’s something about sipping it slowly, watching the warm cream swirl like clouds across the espresso, that feels like a ritual.

They don’t have Splenda here—just these giant, crystalized sugar granules that crunch when you scoop them. At first, I was annoyed. Now, I love it. It makes me think of simpler times—“One cube or two?”—before everything became artificial and fast. Something about this chunky sugar and this velvety coffee makes you want to linger, to actually taste your morning.

After breakfast, we met Tri—our guide, our driver, our steady presence throughout Bali. I don’t think I could ever fully explain Tri. You’d have to meet him to understand the way he makes you feel like you’re being looked after without ever making you feel like a burden. He’s quiet, observant, warm. There’s a wisdom about him—the kind that’s not learned from books or training, but from a life fully lived.

When we first met him, we thought we were just getting a ride. But what we got was someone who instinctively knew when we needed guidance, when we needed space, and when we just needed a good laugh. He’s shown us the Bali that doesn’t show up in travel blogs or TikTok videos. He’s shown us his Bali.

We handed him our ambitious itinerary—six stops, multiple temples, one waterfall—and he glanced at it, smiling like a man who has seen many tourists try to do too much.

“Let’s start with Uluwatu Temple,” he said.“We’ll go one by one. We’ll see how the day feels.”

It took us nearly two hours to go 15 miles. I’m not exaggerating. The traffic in Bali is an organism of its own—scooters layered five across, trucks squeezing into spaces that don’t exist, horns that don’t honk in anger but as a kind of social language. The lines on the road are more of a suggestion than a rule. But in the chaos, there’s rhythm. No one yells. No one flips anyone off. It’s as if everyone just trusts the dance.

And Tri? He moved through it all like water. Not rushed, not reactive. Just present.

When we finally arrived at Uluwatu Temple, the view alone made the journey worth it. It’s perched on the edge of a massive limestone cliff, with the Indian Ocean roaring beneath it like a sleeping beast. The sun glinted off the waves. The temple gates stood tall, weathered by centuries of wind and devotion.

We wrapped ourselves in purple sarongs and gold-trimmed sashes. There’s something sacred about being asked to cover yourself in order to enter—like you’re stepping into a space that doesn’t belong to you, and must be entered with humility.

At The Entrance of Uluwatu Temple

Slade and Tara at The Entrance to Uluwatu Temple

Slade and Tara at the Entrance to Uluwatu Temple

At The Top of Uluwatu Temple

As we walked through the temple grounds, Tri told us bits of its history—the way it honors the sea gods, the ceremonies held here at sunset, the daily offerings of flowers and incense laid with such care along every path.

Slade and Tara at The Top of Uluwatu Temple

The View at The Top of Uluwatu Temple

The View at Ulawatu Temple

But then came the monkeys.

Uluwatu Temple Monkey

Tri warned us at least five times: “Please, Miss Kolleen, no sunglasses. Phones away. Hold your bag.”

He wasn’t being dramatic. These monkeys are trained pickpockets with zero remorse.

One poor woman learned the hard way. We watched as a monkey lunged from a tree and snatched her sunglasses straight off her face. She screamed, panicked, shouting, “Those were 200 Euros!”And the monkey? It stared her down, tilted its head, and then, without blinking, snapped the sunglasses in half and dropped them. I was stunned… and then I laughed so hard I had to hold onto the railing to keep from falling over myself.

Slade got a little too bold with his phone camera and caught the attention of one particularly vengeful monkey, who launched at his phone. Slade, thankfully, held on tight—though his expression said he saw his life flash before his eyes.

Monkey Grabbing Slade's Phone

Tri calmly explained that the monkeys here are clever. They know how to steal. The rangers reward them with food in exchange for stolen items. But the monkey has to be given something in both hands, or they won’t let go. It’s a whole system of monkey extortion.

Only in Bali.

We took a thousand stairs back down, drenched in sweat and laughter. At the bottom, Tri—ever observant—said gently, “Miss Kolleen, I know you want to see a waterfall tomorrow. I’ll take you to one with a lift.”I laughed, partly embarrassed and partly grateful. He just gets it.

We were tired. Fading. But Tri knew a place. He always knows a place.

About halfway back to the hotel, he pulled into a small, tucked-away restaurant with wooden floors, carved stone statues, and the kind of ambiance that makes you stop mid-conversation to take it all in.

Slade and Tara at The Entrance to The Restaurant

The owner came out to greet us, his smile warm and unhurried. Tri joined us at the table, which felt like a gift. In Bali, most drivers keep their distance. But this wasn’t about roles. This was about people.

We shared stories over fried noodles, fish, and Bintang. Tri showed us photos of his children—two daughters and a son—and told us about the rituals they go through as they grow. He didn’t speak loudly, but everything he said was full of meaning. You could hear in his voice the pride, the love, and the hope he carries for them.

In Bali, when a girl reaches puberty, she often takes part in a traditional tooth-filing ceremony, called Metatah or Mepandes. While it may sound unusual at first, it is one of the most important Hindu rites of passage in Balinese culture—marking the transition from childhood into adulthood.

The ceremony usually happens in the family compound or temple and involves filing down the sharp tips of six upper front teeth. Symbolically, this represents smoothing away negative traits such as greed, anger, lust, jealousy, pride, and confusion—qualities that can “bite” if left unchecked. By filing the teeth, the girl is believed to step into womanhood with greater spiritual balance and self-control.

Tri's Daughter's Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Bali (Indonesia)

She is dressed in elaborate Balinese attire—bright silk fabrics, gold sashes, and often crowned with intricate flower or gold headdresses. Offerings of fruit, flowers, and incense surround her, and priests chant mantras as the family gathers to witness the transformation.

It’s not just a religious act; it’s also a celebration. Families invite relatives and neighbors, prepare feasts, and sometimes even combine the tooth-filing with other milestones like weddings or major temple ceremonies.

For Balinese girls, this rite is both deeply spiritual and profoundly social—it ties them to their community, their ancestors, and the values that will guide them into adulthood.

Tri's Daughters Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Bali (Indonesia)

Tri's Daughter's Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Bali (Indonesia)

Tri's Daughter Admiring Her Newly Filed Teeth

There was something so special about that meal. The food was amazing, yes—but it was more than that. It was being let in. It was hearing a story you weren’t expecting, and knowing it’s now a part of yours.

Tri and His Beautiful Family At The Coming Of Age Ceremony

Tri And His Wife At Ulawatu Temple

Tri And His Family At A Local Temple

By the time we left, the sun was setting. Our itinerary still had a few stops, but none of us said a word. We didn’t need to. “Let’s just go back,” we told Tri. And he smiled. Of course.

Back at the hotel, we dipped in the pool, grabbed a quick bite, and fell into bed. Not everything got checked off the list. But somehow, this day felt full in all the right ways.

🏖️ Day 13 – “The Cabana Was Calling”

We woke up late. The kind of late where you check your phone and laugh because it’s closer to lunch than breakfast. The buffet was still open, so we wandered down, and I made peace with the offerings I’d been side-eyeing all week. Toast, eggs, hash browns, fruit—Bali-style. It wasn’t mac & cheese, but it was enough.

We headed down to the pool and—miracle of miracles—they had a cabana cancellation. We snatched it like we were on a game show.

That cabana? It became our sanctuary. The breeze was soft, the sun was filtered through tall palms, and the only decision we had to make was whether to jump in the pool or stay reclined just a little longer.

The View From Our Cabana

Snack Basket In Our Cabana

Slade and Tara rented underwater propeller scooters, and I swear they turned into water-bound daredevils within minutes. They zipped around like they were in a Bond movie—laughing, racing, completely carefree.

Slade And Tara With The Underwater Propeller Scooters

Michael and I spent the day between the cabana and the swim-up bar, sipping fruity drinks that came with pineapple slices and umbrellas like tiny trophies of our laziness.

Michael, Slade, And Tara At The Swim-Up Bar

Then, of course, drama: Tara’s bikini string got sucked into the propeller. There was panic. There was twisting and tugging. Finally, cool as ever, Tara goes, “Why don’t you just unscrew the top?”Genius. Problem solved. Crisis averted. Bikini intact.

Snack Board That Was Delivered To Our Cabana

After an entire day of lounging like royalty, we changed and wandered into town to do some last-minute shopping. The streets buzzed with motorbikes and incense. Shopkeepers smiled and invited us in gently—never pushy, just proud of what they had to offer.

Bali Shoppes

Beautiful Wall Graffiti

Horse And Carriage For Rent

Scooters For Blocks

Bali Sunset

The Mall And All The Locals Lined Up At The Converse Store

Phone Chargers For Rent At The Mall

Tara And Slade On The Street In Bali

Phone Booth On The Street

After a bit of shopping, we stumbled into a glowing restaurant strung with lanterns. Dinner escalated quickly: Tara had pasta, Slade ordered Pasta and lobster for about $20, Tara had Pasta Carbonara for about $13, and Michael went all-in with a 1.3-kilogram tomahawk steak—nearly three pounds of meat—for only $55. That’s right: a steak the size of a baseball bat for less than dinner at Applebee’s. The waiter checked three times if he was serious. He was.

Slade And Tara At The Italian Restaurant We Had Dinner

Slade's Pasta And Lobster

Tara's Pasta Carbonara

Michael's Tomahawk Steak

Michael's Medium Rare Tomahawk Steak

It turned out to be even bigger than it looked. Michael, Slade, and Tara teamed up and only made it through about half before surrendering. The rest went to a scrappy little street dog walking on the nearby seawall, tail wagging as if he’d won the lottery. In Bali, dogs aren’t just pets—they roam freely, wander temple grounds, and are considered guardians of spiritual balance. Feeding one felt less like giving scraps and more like honoring the rhythm of life here. That dog got his share of the feast, and in return, gave us a look that said, “Now that’s how you do Bali.”

The Scrappy Dog Feasting On Our Tamahawk Steak

Then the drums began.

Without warning, the courtyard lit up with a fire dance performance—synchronized movement, spinning flames, and tribal beats that echoed in your chest. It felt ancient and thrilling and intimate all at once.

The Fire Dance

We walked back to the hotel under a sky full of stars, full in every sense of the word.

Kuta and the Hard Rock gave us exactly what we didn’t know we needed—rest, laughter, and a chance to simply be. It was loud at times, buzzing with scooters and nightlife, yet within the hotel walls we found a little oasis: lazy mornings with flat whites, afternoons under palm-shaded cabanas, evenings filled with music that made the walls pulse with life. It wasn’t the Bali of quiet temples or jungle stillness—that part is waiting for us in Ubud—but it was the Bali of joy, of connection, of family. Kuta was our soft landing, our first taste of island bliss, and it will always hold a place in our hearts as the spot where Bali truly began for us.

Goodbye For Now, Hard Rock, Kuta, Bali

Thank you for taking this detour with us. Tomorrow, we head to Ubud—the place where stillness meets soul.

Thanks for taking this journey with me.