Posted by Mia Villa Bali on Wed, Jan 12, 2011
Exquisite Experiences for grown ups and little ones alike
There are so many natural and cultural wonders to see during your Bali holiday that you are going to be perplexed as to which tour to choose first. Individual or guided, each these tours will offer you a full day of majestic experiences on this majestic island. Jut make sure that once you arrive here, or even before you depart, you make yourself a detailed plan with the major sightseeing tours that you want to take.
Rich North Coast Experience
Driving throughout the north coast (including the Pupuan area in the west), will offer you a very rich visual experience:
- Stepped rice terraces
- Coffee and cocoa plantations
- Aromatic cinnamon, vanilla and clove fields
- Vineyards
After you have soaked it all in with your eyes and soul, it is time to soak your body in the Banjar hot springs waters, with healing powers. It is a less than 25 km from the town of Singaraja, and it is definitely a place to visit. 
Next, make a stop at the Git Git waterfalls, a 35 meter tall natural wonder. Located in the heart of a rainforest, where potential visitors are the wild monkeys jumping around, the rich north cost experience is something you will never forget.
Pagoda –style holy temples and Sangeh monkey forest
About 15 km from Denpasar, you can find the sacred Taman Ayun temple (a 20 m high complex of buildings), which has very imposing architecture and is surrounded by fish ponds. Looking at the complex from a distance, it seems like all these beautiful structures are floating on the water. Taman Ayun would literally translate into “beautiful garden”, and here you will truly find heavenly gardens with flowers, statues of the Gods and grand decorative fountains scattered all through the inner yards.
Don’t forget to include in your tour the Tanah Lot temple as well, as here you will experience exotic beauty at its peak. The temple is built on large rock in the sea, and the sunset here is an attraction for thousands of tourists and professional photographers who gather to see the wonder.
Take a little joy to your life by visiting the Sangeh monkey forest as well, where you are going to have a chance to see the sacred 40 meters tall nutmeg trees.
Enjoy Bali
It's not the number of tours you choose to take, what's important is that you make sure you get a little bit of everything, and make your holiday a rich experience:
- Sports tours with the entire family
- A day of fun in one of the many theme parks with your kids
- Dine at least once in a genuine restaurant serving traditional food
- Visiting at least two or three sacred temples
- See both the silver white beaches and the black volcanic sandy beaches
- Visit the handicraft villages (handmade silver jewelry, wood crafting, etc.)
Posted by Mia Villa Bali on Sun, Jan 09, 2011
Exquisite Experiences for grown ups and little ones alike
Bali is an exotic destination, where you will find activities suitable for the entire family. The tours around the island are very well drawn up, and they include many interesting spots to visit, activities like sports, food experiences, exclusive shopping tours, so that you will not get bored even for one minute. This is what is great about Bali: that you live each minute that you spend on the island.
Traditional Indonesian villages, a gorgeous lake and an almighty volcano
If you want such a sightseeing rich tour, then you should choose the Kintanami area for touring. Usually, you will start your journey by visiting three or four little villages filled with genuine art: watching street dance performances, visiting the “capital” of handmade silver jewelry which is Celuk, or if you love to see busy hands at work, genuine locals who are masters of wood carving creations, then you can do that when you go through the village of Mas.
Next, a road trip through Ubud city, where you will be amazed by the magnificent beauty of the rice terraces, after which you arrive at Kintanami. Here, you will have in front of you a splendid experience: a view upon the Lake Batur and the almighty volcano, a scene which offers a dreamy atmosphere. On your way back from the tour you can make a stop at the cave of the elephants (or Goa Gajah) which is a historic cave; centuries ago, this was the most famous gathering place for yogis in Bali.
Wild monkeys, rich golden threads and holy temples.
A Bedugul tour will take you through all these splendid experiences. You will visit the Sangeh monkey forest, where you will definitely catch a glimpse of the huge nutmeg trees that sometimes can be as tall as 130 feet. Sangeh is a true wonder-place and a destination that your kids will simply adore.
Next stop will usually be at the sacred Ulun Banu temple (Beratan Lake area), where you can have a few moments of sacred inner peace. On your way back, there are many tiny interesting villages to go through and of course don’t forget to admire the traditional Indonesian textiles which use golden thread weaving methods (the silk and gold sarongs).
East is culture rich
You can take a tour of Eastern Bali -bear in mind that the island in itself is not that big, and you can actually get to all the important spots within one day by taking such a tour. The Eastern side will offer you a rich cultural trip, where you are advised to visit the largest and most important sacred place in Bali – the Mother Temple of Besakih. You will feel like you have stepped on the holiest place on earth. It is a must see Indonesian cultural spot.
Then, you should definitely visit Klungkung Palace (the Kertha Gosa Pavilion – hall of justice), where you are going to be amazed by the ceiling paintings. It is a very interesting and rewarding cultural experience, and you are going to learn new things 
pertaining to the Balinese culture and tradition. On your way back, shake up the atmosphere a little bit and only if you admire bats, visit the bat cave of Goa Lawah - a most thrilling adventure!
The Mia Villa Team
Posted by Mia Villa on Mon, Nov 15, 2010
Rumor has it that, in Bali, you can actually find more temples than actual homes. The Balinese give great importance to tradition and to celebrating their religious roots; Balinese Hinduism. By visiting a few of the most important temples in Bali you will get a deep insight into the oldest living religion. Here are a few of the most gorgeous temples that you are advised to visit during your stay at Mia Villa.
The sacred mountain
At 3,000 feet high, the Besakih Temple is known as one of the most wonderful and sacred places on the island. As you climb up the stepped terraces and 22 separate temples that make up Besakih, each step will bring you closer to the miraculous view on the top. Do prepare yourself for some spiritual walking too, because there are a lot of stairs to climb.
High on a Cliff
The Uluwatu Temple was built back in the 11th century. There is a lot of history residing within its walls, and the view is simply magnificent. The temple is located on a cliff, standing at 76 meters above the ocean, and is mainly built of black coral rock. The temple was built as a dedication to the sea spirits, providing beautiful sunsets into the Indian Ocean. Don’t forget to catch a dance show at the Uluwatu Temple, it is definitely worth it.
Rising out of the Indian Ocean
The Tanah Lot Temple, which is actually built on a rocky foundation, seems to literally rise out from between the waves of the Indian Ocean. This huge tourist attraction is located only 20 km from Denpasar. Its architecture amazes all, as it is a mix of traditional Balinese architecture with a touch of rough nature.
The Elephant Cave
If you want to see something different than the traditional pagoda style temples, then Goa Gajah will definitely offer you that uniqueness. The Goa Gajah temple is also known as the elephant caves. The temple is located within a cave with an extraordinary entrance. In earlier times it used to be a gathering place where the Balinese came to practice and master yoga and meditation techniques. Buddhism and Hinduism are joined together at this temple, as you can find statues of both Ganesha and the Ciwa as symbolic interpretation of both beliefs.