In Reply to: Does sound great posted by jod on Tuesday, 20. February 2007 at 13:07 Bali Time:
I would highly recommend Bali Budaya Tours,aka, Bali Eco. They have been running cycling tours for ten years and pioneered the eco/cultural cycling tour. We began by being picked up from our hotel in a new mini bus. We went up to the volcano for breakfast and didn't want to leave : the views were stunning. We later visited a Balinese plantation, where the guide explained about the cultivation of plants, how the Balinese live outside tourist areas and their relationship with the land. We ahd the opportunity to try some tropical fruits, had coffee and were told how coffee was grown and processed. Afterwards we began the bike ride. We cycled all the way back to Ubud, but had numerous stops. We stopped at a temple, a large Banyan tree, went for a walk in the rice paddies and wwere invited into a wedding ceremony. We also saw traditional craftsmen at work. The ride was spectacular and our guide Darma is a wealth of knowledge, who answered all our questions. There was plenty of water and fruit during the journey. We had the delight of ice-cold face towels to cool us down. We had an amazing Balinese feast for lunch, including the smoked duck. The food was delicious and there was plenty!! After lunch we visited a Balinese home and met the family. We finished with a visit to the monkey forest, which is a temple of the dead. The tour lasted all day and it was the most wonderful experience I have had in all my years of travel. I would thoroughly recommend the tour and the guides. You can e-mail them on bulanindah@dps.centrin.net.id They have asmall website linked to clubCocos. Enjoy!!!!!!!