Indonesia in Bali

Hello, beautiful Bali! It has been a travel dream of mine to visit this beautiful, mystical island for years, and now we’ve finally arrived! Our first stop was Nusa Dua, where we spent a few blissful days soaking up the sun, enjoying some much-needed R&R, and settling into island life before taking Jacqueline to her marine biology program. We soaked up every minute of our time in paradise—and even spotted a few monkeys along the way! Bali, you’ve been worth the wait.

Our next stop was Ubud, the cultural and artistic heart of Bali. We arrived at our hotel, beautifully nestled in the jungle, and immediately felt immersed in the magic of the island. We ventured to the Sacred Monkey Forest, where the monkeys are abundant. Sam had his cell phone briefly stolen by a very clever—and apparently opportunistic—monkey. A few stressful moments later, we got it back!

We enjoyed our day by wandering through the shops, visiting Ubud Palace, and discovering beautiful Balinese temples and colorful offerings around nearly every corner. On our final night, we ventured to Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, for dinner at Ambar. We enjoyed delicious sushi and bespoke cocktails complete with all the fancy accoutrements. It was the perfect, indulgent way to wrap up our time in Ubud!