Bali: "A Living Postcard"

According to Trip Advisor, Bali, the "Island of the Gods" is a "living postcard" that brings fantasy to life.  Since Bali was one of my bucket list destinations I had to see for myself!  

This summer, my husband and I wanted a romantic destination to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary and Bali was it!  I can second Trip Advisor's description of Bali.  There is literally something for everyone to enjoy  -- unique Balinese culture, beaches, great food, sightseeing, nature.  To date, our visit to Bali has been one of the best vacations ever.  

If you're on the fence about Bali, get off.  Go!  With such a long bucket list, I rarely return to a destination, but Bali is definitely on the short list of places I'd return in a heartbeat.

Bali seems exotic and expensive, but it can really be affordable!  We are not rich folks, by any means.  Remember, I'm the wanderlust traveler who loves a good deal.  Though I usually use miles to cover travel expenses, whenever I travel halfway around the world, I'd rather earn than burn miles. 

I called several travel agents and found that packages for two that met the amenities we wanted smashed our budget. I received quotes for $9000 and $15,000 for air, hotel and tours and some didn't include accommodations for the whole duration!  Is it too much to ask for four or five star accommodations with airport transfers, butler service, privacy, daily breakfast, private plunge pool, on or near the beach for 10 days at an affordable price?? Not to me.

Enter in BJ's travel.  Yes, you read that right.  BJ's Wholesale Club has worldwide travel services at a great discount!  BJ's packages fell right within our $5000 to $6500 budget. In addition, to the reasonable flight and hotel for two, we received a $200 BJ's gift card upon our return.  We were able to travel to Bali with overnight layover in Hong Kong (Bonus!!) and stay at the fantastic Kayumanis Nusa Dua Private Villas & Spa which met and exceeded our wish list.  

Kayumanis offered such personalized, high-quality service -- including complimentary shuttle service, a welcome drink and complimentary massage.  On day one we had such a warm greeting.  By the second day, they knew us by name.  The Kayumanis resort offered ultimate relaxation with a well appointed villa influenced by traditional Balinese design.  Butlers delivered breakfast to our villa daily or on the beach to watch the sunrise. We enjoyed afternoon tea and typical Balinese sweets each day. Without fail, we were greeted with a smile and hello from every last member of the Kayumanis team.  It felt like home away from home.  But that seemed to be the theme across Bali. The Balinese people were just warm and inviting everywhere we went.


We booked private tours with guides who showed us Bali through native eyes.  We found the companies via Trip Advisor and they were very punctual, friendly and inexpensive.  We drove from Nusa Dua to various sights across Bali enjoying cultural dances, gorgeous sunsets at beautiful temples like Tanah Lot, seeing waterfalls, visiting the Monkey forest, taking an authentic Balinese cooking class and more! 

To top off such an amazing experience,  I earned more than 20K frequent flyer miles for air travel to Hong Kong/Bali. Then another 400+ for staying at a Marriott property in Hong Kong. These additional miles were the icing on the cake getting me even closer to my next status level and even more travel opportunities.  

Stay tuned!