Bali: The Land of Golden Sunsets
Oh Bali, you are so beautiful!
Quite a few years back, I had come across a picture where a girl in a blue dress and a Muji hat was standing in front of the iconic Bali gate. The picture was carelessly beautiful and the intricately designed gate cast a spell on me. Since then it had always puzzled me how can something as simple as a gate have such an impact on me. It was just a gate. Just another picturesque frame.
It took me 2 long flights, 3 security checks and a 3-hour drive to realize that it wasn’t just any gate after all – it was the Gateway to Heaven.
This is also known as ‘Candi Bentar’ meaning split gateway. It can be found at the entrance of every temple and other religious places in Bali.
Apart from this gate, what’s iconic to Bali is its golden sunsets. Being a sucker for sunsets, I was lucky enough not to miss most during our stay in Bali. The most memorable one was on Day 2 of our trip. We had visited the Tanah Lot temple in the afternoon and were dropped at the hotel just in time for the sunset on the Kuta beach. We changed quickly, rushed down to the street, grabbed hold of a scooter and sped to the beach. There was not a second to lose.
By the time we reached, the sky had turned a vivid crimson. It then started to scatter the light around like a fireball. The clouds floated in to mourn the dying the sun as the sea slowly began to engulf it. The sky looked like the last masterpiece of an artist who had carefully started pouring his purples, reds and blues on the canvas but forgot to stop. The colour had spilled on to the sea turning it into a sparkling scarlet and the sand a stunning gold. It was like the Midas touch – whatever the sky touched, it turned into gold.
Sunsets have a sneaky way of playing with your mind and body. It relieves you of your stress, gives you fairly lasting goosebumps and temporarily empties your mind of every thought you had. Watching this sunset, I could feel the noise around me fading away. What remained was the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. Time stood still. The sand under my feet and palms felt warm. I buried them in a little. The wind brushed against my ears quietly and I felt complete. This was my billionaire moment. I was rich with a sunset made of pure gold. Nothing else mattered.
Slowly, the sun gave way to a star-studded sky and we saw fireworks light up the sky far away. I leaned on to Tathagata’s shoulder as we walked along the beach. This is what dreams are made of. And I am living it every single day.
“Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today”
A few more sunsets for your eyes:
More on Bali here – Bali: A Coffee Date to Remember
Ronita
I love lazy afternoons, sunsets, tea, the smell of old books and oxblood staircases. I'm a bit of an old soul discovering life and adding more elements to my identity as I go.
10 Comments
Nancy Sevilla
Bali is seriously one of my favorite destination spots and I wish to live there someday!! Thanks for sharing this! Hope you enjoyed your stay!
xo
Nancy
http://www.fancynancista.com
Ronita
Hey Nancy! We enjoyed it so much that we were thinking about extending it. But anyway, we’re coming back for sure.
Nitin Singhal
Ronita, You are an amazing travel writer. When I was reading this, I felt as if I was experiencing Bali through your writing.
Ronita
Thank you so much Nitin! Bali is an incredible place and I hope you plan a visit someday. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Karletta
I really enjoyed your descriptive writing. There was so much I loved about your piece. Your sunset scene brought me right to Bali, in that moment. I look forward to reading more of your adventures.
Ronita
Thank you Karletta. I have so many beautiful memories to share about my Bali visit. Bali is so magical that no matter how much I write, it doesn’t seem enough.
knycx.journeying
I agree the island is blessed with beautiful sunsets and amazing sceneries. One of my favorite places to visit on the island is Uluwatu, and I saw one of the best sunsets that I have seen there in my entire life so far. @ knycx.journeying.com
Ronita
I can imagine how beautiful the silhouetted Uluwatu temple would look during the sunset.
Cherrie
I used to think Bai was overrated until I was able to visit myself and fell in love with this beautiful island. I can’t wait to go back someday.
Ronita
You’re so right, Cherrie. Bali has so much to offer that one trip isn’t enough. I might plan a second trip too someday.