Top free things to do in Bali, Indonesia

If you are not one to believe that the best things in life are free, this list of incredible free things in Bali may surprise you. From cliff-jumping to festivals, discover the best things to do for free in Bali.

Go Camping

In an island with a landscape so beautiful, camping can offer things luxe resorts may not be able to provide. From an unparalleled view of nature to falling asleep to the sound of crickets, camping in Bali is an unmissable experience for nature-lovers. Plus, it costs much less than any other accommodation options. The tropical paradise has numerous excellent camping sites, from the highest peak of Mount Agung, the scenic Bukit Asah, to the secluded Nyang Nyang Beach.

Observe the Festivals

Indonesians joke that Balinese have more holidays than everyone else in the country. And while that is covetable, the holidays provide tourists a lot of windows to observe lively traditional festivals. Balinese dedicate a lot of days to uphold their traditions and religious celebrations during their 210-day calendar system. That amounts to numerous festivals yearly, from the walking procession during Galungan to the ogoh-ogoh festival before the day of silence (Nyepi) and many other events after. Each locality has different ways to celebrate one special occasion, so the choices are virtually endless.

Go Hike the Hills

Hiking is one fun and free way to appreciate Bali’s stunning nature. Just by utilizing your own feet, you can enjoy the lush tropical jungles, fresh breeze, warm sunshine and vibrant wildlife. Head over to Campuhan Ridge for a short walk, with a picturesque view of Ubud, or to Mount Batur for a 3-hour hike culminating in the glorious sunrise.

Watch Sunset

Bali’s sunsets are notorious for being both easy to catch and easy to miss. Simply go to the western-facing beaches like Uluwatu, Tegal Wangi, Kuta and others, sit by the sand with a beer in hand (optional) and wait for the several minutes of wonder. If you have more money to spend, you can also opt for one of Bali’s hip sunset beach bar for well below $10 around Legian and Seminyak.

Walk Through a Rice Field

You’ll be surprised at how soothing this simple activity is. The sun is warm but the air is crisp, and you’re in the middle of a vast, picturesque rice terrace. In an instance, you’ll feel like the green calming sight has washed away your weary eyes from hours of staring at the screen daily. And, yes, taking pictures is still free.

Wander the Streets of Ubud

Many adventures, sights and experiences await in the streets of Ubud, the art and culture capital of Bali. The neighborhood is alive with a quirky and artistic atmosphere reverberating in every corner; in every small craft shop, temple, café and gallery, you’ll encounter it. If, during your relaxing stroll through the area, your ear catches a sound of live music playing, follow the music, and you might find a gamelan music group rehearsing. Most of the time they don’t mind an audience as long as you keep quiet. Also, don’t miss the art market, where you can find souvenirs for any budget or just look around.

See more: Top amazing Bali resorts for a perfect getaway

Source: Internet

7 top destinations in Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, is the city of contrasts, where both modern structures and old architecture perfectly co-exist next to each other. Here are the best attractions you can visit on your next trip to the capital.

Narikala Fortress

Overlooking the Abanotubani, the oldest district of the capital, the Narikala Fortress, a brick structure, dates back to the 4th century when Tbilisi was a Persian citadel. The fort sits on a steep hill between the sulfur baths and the botanical garden. The St. Nicholas Church, located inside the courtyard, is a fairly recent construction (1996–1997), but it replaces the original 13th-century one, which was destroyed by fire. You can walk up the steep hill from Maidan Square or take a cable car.

Kartlis Deda

Right next to Narikala, there’s a big statue of a woman holding a sword and a cup. That’s the Mother of Georgia or Kartlis Deda in Georgian. The aluminum figure rises 20 meters (65.6 feet) and is a symbol of not only Tbilisi but the country as well. The sword is for those who come as an enemy, while a cup of wine is for those who come as friends.

Metekhi Church

Located on the opposite side of Narikala Fortress, Metekhi Church is a famous landmark in the city, along with the statue of King Vaghtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi. This locale is where he built his palace and the first church in the area in the 5th century. The church that’s present today is from the 13th century and has undergone reconstruction several times since then.

Rike Park

One recreational space in Old Town is Rike Park, which features pools, fountains, a giant chess board, and several dozen chairs. During summer evenings, locals and visitors enjoy “dancing fountains” accompanied by music and a light show.

Tsminda Sameba Cathedral

The biggest symbol of the Georgian Orthodox Church, after the Soviet Union, is the Trinity Cathedral, as it translates in English. The cathedral, located on Elia Hill above Avlabari, is visible from almost every corner of the city center. The construction of the cathedral took approximately a decade and opened to the public in 2004. Its height is 84 meters (275.5 feet), including the gold-covered cross above its central dome.

Clock Tower

This fairytale-like clock tower is a relatively new edition to the capital. Made by Rezo Gabriadze, a puppet master, and a screenwriter, the tower features hundreds of handmade tiles created by Gabriadze himself. Every hour, an angel comes out of a door at the top and strikes a bell with a hammer; at noon and 7 pm, you can watch a small puppet show called “The Circle of Life.”

Stalin's Underground Printing House

Just a bit outside of the city center, Tbilisi hides a unique underground publishing house from where young Stalin and his colleagues used to spread Soviet propaganda at the beginning of the 20th century. The publishing house was built under a well, 17 meters (56 feet) below the ground. Activists accessed the room by climbing down the well, but it also had an emergency exit just in case their secret was leaked.

See more: Come to Georgia and taste its best traditional dishes

Source: Internet

Souvenirs to bring home after your Sapa trip

While Sapa is the ultimate trekking destination in Vietnam with sublime landscapes all around, the markets scattered across the region are also beautiful in their own ways and offer a lot of cultural insight. Here are some souvenirs you can grab for your friends and family back home that are meaningful.

Brocade and handicrafts

Wherever you walk in Sapa town, it is likely you will bump into a female from the age of five and up trying to sell you some handcrafted good. A bracelet will only cost you VND$10,000 which is just about USD$0.50. A small purse can cost around VND$100,000 (USD$5.00), but you can barter it down. We do not recommend that you do so, because a lot of effort is put into these items and lowering the price by a dollar could mean a whole day’s meals for them.

Brocade such as scarves, bags, quilts, embroidered jackets and woven skirts similar to those seen on local women are all meticulously hand-made with skills passed down through generations. It may take a person days or even months to finish a single item.

The Sapa market is a fabulous display of colors and warm smiles. You will find plenty of the aforementioned items spread out in front of each vendor who have created makeshift stalls for themselves on blankets. These H’Mong, Dzao and other ethnic minority ladies are lovely, hospitable, always smiling and completely enticing. Members of different tribes mingle together, and even though their outfits may look similar to the untrained eye, they have significant differences identifying each tribe, usually on the headpiece or other accessories. Most of these ladies even speak decent English, so you can talk to them and understand what it is all about.

Hemp is commonly grown around as the strong fibers are used to make clothes. Cotton and linen are also collected from the forest and silkworms are raised to make the beautiful silk thread used for embroidery. The colors, too, are made with natural ingredients. Yellow is made from turmeric, black from a local leaf, red and brown from the rind of local trees and blue from indigo leaves. With these, the locals get creative about patterns and styles. They really are a unique kind of beautiful.

Herbs and packaged foods

Dried and packaged medicinal herbs are also available, and they confer a lot of health benefits to the user. You can use these as you please – as tea, mixed into food, added into a herbal bath or even used with a nice, aromatic massage. Raw honey is a Sapa favorite, as is ta meo fruit, a local apple. Dried produce is also popular, such as horse meat and buffalo.

Fruits and veggies

Local fruits and vegetables are also sold in large colorful piles. The two most popular fruits one can find in Sapa are peach and pear. Vegetables such as radish, carrot, ginger, potatoes, eggplants are abundant, and often found in northern cuisine.

Bamboo sticky rice 

Bamboo sticky rice is a popular snack in Sapa and it is cooked in cut and carved up bamboo sections. The bamboo keeps the rice fresh for the long walks of the tribes people, makes it easy to transport, and also adds a little bit of flavor.

Silver jewelry

Silver is also made by numerous ethnic groups. The H’Mong and Dzao are known for their necklaces made of several silver circles put together. The weight of the bracelet is often an indicator of the person’s status. The shapes of these jewelry pieces are also a way of telling the tribes apart. These silver bangles can be quite expensive.

See more: A day to visit Sapa, Vietnam

Source: Internet