After picking up two Aussies staying at a hotel close to the Club Med in Nusa Dua, our third day out in Bali began with yet another long drive northwards. Our destination: a second Lukak coffee plantation, although not because we were craving another £5 coffee but because this was where we would meet up with the Kiwi family who would complete our party of eight for a day of cycling.
Along with rafts and elephants, mountain bikes are another popular option for tourists to Bali and this tour was one of dozens claiming an easy, largely downhill cycling experience in the foothills of the volcanoes around the town of Kintamani.
We’ve done plenty of cycle tours in cities around the world, but never on mountain bikes fitted with suspension before. This was exactly the type of bike that was needed however, as we were soon cycling down some steep, and very rugged terrain, dodging plenty of mud and ruts along with the occasional precipitous drop!
Although our advertised itinerary included several attractions during our 25 kilometres and 3 hours of cycling, the only really interesting diversion was a Balinese village where we were shown around a traditional house and introduced to some of the villagers and their pets.
It was towards the end of our wander around the village that it began to rain… heavily, and for most of the rest of the day! Fortunately, we had a support vehicle, who kitted us out with ponchos so we were able to finish the tour without getting completely drenched.
As has been our experience everywhere we’ve been in Bali, we were warmly welcomed by many of the locals who seemed genuinely happy to give us a smile and the occasional “hello”. Although the rain did put a bit of a dampener on things, the bikes provided a great way to see villages, temples, jungle and rice paddies up close, and being part of a bigger group provided good banter throughout.
