April 2024
Before visiting Bali, I expected temples, rice terraces, and tropical scenery. What I didn’t expect was how seamlessly everything blended together.
Back home, historic sites tend to stand apart from daily life. They have parking lots, ticket booths, signs, and clearly defined entrances. In Bali, some of the most beautiful temples seemed to exist just beyond ordinary storefronts and narrow passageways. Walking down a busy street, you might pass a small doorway that opened into an elaborate temple complex filled with carved stonework, shrines, and centuries of history.
It quickly became clear that religion wasn’t something separate from everyday life. It was woven into it.
It’s hard to believe but this entire post is only about the hotel I stayed at for the first few nights. It truly deserves its own post. In fact, it is the thing I took the most photos of for the entire trip! You will see why in a moment.
I arrived a day before the rest of the group, which gave me time to explore the ARMA Museum & Resort on my own. The property felt less like a hotel and more like an extension of the surrounding landscape. Lotus flowers floated in ponds, stone sculptures emerged from dense tropical gardens, and moss-covered carvings appeared around nearly every corner.
The room and pool areas were impeccably clean which is always a good start. Little did I know what else I’d discover over the next 24 hours.
I spent much of the day wandering the grounds, photographing flowers, statues, and reflections in the ponds.
At some point I discovered a quiet library and coffee shop tucked away on the property. It became my favorite place to sit, relax, and absorb my first impressions of Bali.
As evening approached, I watched a traditional Balinese performance illuminated by firelight, my first introduction to the music, costumes, and storytelling traditions that would appear throughout the trip.
