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9 – Bali, Indonesia
You’ve no doubt heard deafening
raves about Bali from all who’ve
gone before you, and a stop there on
your RTW is the ideal time to find
out what all the fuss is about. This
small island is one of over 17,000
that make up Indonesia, and yet it
has several elements that make it as
unique as it is magical. Most of Bali’s
over 3 million inhabitants practice
their own form of Hinduism, which is
a stark contrast to the Islam practiced
by nearly all the rest of the country.
The traditional morning offerings
consisting of flowers, incense, and
other items in leaf baskets can be
seen everywhere you go, and also
help add exotic fragrances to the
pleasant assault on your senses.
Bali is usually reached by cheap
flights from all over the region,
although ferry service from the larger
island of Java is possible as well.
Flights land at Denpasar
Airport, which is near the
capital city and also near the
infamous Kuta Beach area.
Aside from being the site
of the tragic bombings in
2002, Kuta is also known as
a hangout for surfers and the
party crowd. It’s worth see-
ing, but it’s the least amazing
part of the island by far. Be
sure to visit the art village of
Ubud, and also to tour other
parts of the island to really
get the full experience. You
can hire a driver and a van
for a small sum, which will
enable you to visit many
ancient temples and see the
stunning rice terraces at your
own pace. Rooms in simple
guesthouses can be found
starting at around US$5 per
night, and food and drinks
tend to be amazingly cheap
as well.
10 – Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Seeing the largest collection of living
things on the planet is understand-
ably high on the list for any visitor
to Australia. If you are a scuba diver
then you are all set, but if not you can
snorkel, fish, or fly over it, or even
see many of the wonders through
glass bottom boats and platforms.
Most visitors concentrate on the
Marine Park not far off the coast of
Cairns, but those with more time and/
or money have nearly infinite other
opportunities to visit less popular
sections or some of the spectacular
islands in the region.
The best way to get to Cairns is to
fly, since the distances from any-
where else interesting are great, and
the scenery on the ground is not too
spectacular. Fortunately, there are
plenty of relatively cheap flights to
Cairns available from all major Aus-
tralian cities as well as major airports
throughout Southeast Asia.
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SEPTEMBER 2012 -
SEXY X2
MAGAZINE -
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