The popular view of Bali gives us Bintang beer, pool parties and music that carries long into the night. Thongs and singlets are acceptable everywhere and a day at the beach can turn into a night of dancing. With wild weekends, beach clubs and cocktails as the sun sets, this is not for the faint-hearted or older folk.

However, there is another Bali, which is so very different. Kath, together with her husband Steve and their Balinese partners are offering private tours well away from the rowdy bars and crowds. Ian and I went on such a tour in July. The luxury began as we were

met at the airport, introduced to our driver Putu and his wife Juni, presented with frangipani leis and escorted to our private vehicle for the transfer to Ubud.

Ubud is high in the hills with views over the tropical jungle. Sitting by the pool as we enjoyed our dinner of Nasi Goreng, we could have been in the South of France, especially as the couple at the next table were French!

After a leisurely breakfast, our cars collected us for our first day of adventure. We stopped at a palatial water garden, fed the huge fish and had lunch overlooking rice paddies. Then it was on to Amed with a brief stop for freshly brewed Balinese coffee and the local speciality, fried bananas. With our hotel right on the beach, we slept to the sound of breaking waves.

The days passed quickly with so many new experiences.

Highlights in my memory include: 

watching the sunrise over the mountains and waiting for the dolphins to frolic around our outrigger;

stopping at the roadside and receiving a blessing to keep us safe on the roads; 

eating grilled fish fresh from the ocean;

dressing in traditional saris to visit a monastery;

being on the ocean amongst phosphorescent plankton which flashed like a million stars;

discovering Bintang Radler which is like a shandy;

bathing in hot mineral springs;

travelling on a speedboat around a lake in the caldera of a dormant volcano;

tasting a variety of teas and coffees in a peaceful tropical garden;

making our own chocolate bar;

exploring a traditional Balinese village where it is easy to get lost in the maze of walkways.

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Our lasting impression of Bali is one of peace, friendship and tolerance.

We feel that we saw the real Bali, whilst being cared for and protected. We were sad to leave, but all good things must end.