Travel for travelling - Bali - Naughty Nuri's Warung & Cafe Lotus & PUTRI BALI SPA

UBUD 20,3,2014

Beautiful countryside views in Ubud

March is the rainy season in Bali, but we were lucky as there was only one rainy day during our eight day trip. It was a sunny day so we decided to walk to Naughty Nuri's Warung for the barbecue pork ribs!

UBUD was one of the cities which still retained traditional Indonesian culture. We enjoyed the beautiful countryside views all the way to the restaurant. We saw rice paddies, tropical plants and the local style buildings. Their life was very simple and plain, and it reminded me of those days when I lived with my grandmother in the country 20 years ago in Taiwan. I miss that time so much!

Map of Ubud, Bali, including Putri Bali Spa, Naughty Nuri's Warung and Grill, Supermarket, Cafe Lotus and Ubud Palace

Walking from UMA MANDI Hotel to Nuri's Warung took about 30 minutes. There was a big supermarket and a couple of cafes on the way, so if we got tired we just stopped and rested.

Nuri's Mexican Bar & Grill front sign

Naughty Nuri's Warung also has two restaurants, and they are not far apart. The restaurant is a country American style - simple but lovely. They are famous for their grilled pork ribs, and it is indeed very delicious! They prepared the pork ribs with some herbs first, then covered them in their special sauce before grilling them. The meat was tender inside and crispy outside, and the homemade sauce was really tasty! I could eat two serves at one time ~ ha! They also had a variety of grilled meats, which I will have to try next time!

Nuri's Mexican Bar & Grill BBQ pork rib and the restaurant

Near the Ubud Markets, there was a nice Italian ice cream shop, which had a cute pink sign. The two flavors we chose the first time were rich and creamy, I think they were cappuccino and white chocolate. The passion fruit flavor seemed very popular so I chose it one the second visit, but I didn't like it, as the flavor seemed too light. Two scoops with a cone were about US$4.

Gelato Secrets Icecream shop - Italian style near the Ubud Markets

We had another afternoon tea at BreadLife bakery. Their decorating was quite novel, and we chose two different chocolate cakes. Both of them tasted not bad, but the took away milk toast was so yum! We went in to this shop for the free WiFi, but could't connect on it at all ...

BreadLife bakery in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia - nice chocolate cakes!

For dinner we chose the well-known Cafe Lotus restaurant - it was a magnificent place! Traditional style buildings, elegant pink lotuses and beautiful lake views. No wonder it is so popular! Our table was quite close to the lake, so enjoying the food while observing the picturesque scenery was just heaven!

Cafe Lotus and its lotus garden lake in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

We ordered the Bebek Betutu and Nasi Goreng which were recommended by websites. After that we went to the garden and walked around the lake which was very relaxing. Most of restaurants in Bali were pretty. They used the natural plants and flowers to adorn the dinning environment, and kept their unique architecture style. So beautiful!

However, their meals were a little bit disappointing. It said on the menu that they stewed the duck for 12 hours but it was very dry actually. D said it tasted like canned tuna, and it was not cheap at around US$13. Nasi Goreng was fine, with the side dish of satay chicken on skewers which was pretty good.

Cafe Lotus and its Nasi Goreng and Bebek (duck) Betutu in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

We were supposed to have massages on this particular morning, and the receptionist tried to book for us but they were full until evening, so we changed our visit to 7pm. At Putri Bali Spa they offered free pick up services, however it was only one way for the amount two people were spending on massages.

Putri Bali Spa - Massages

PUTRI BALI SPA was on the same street and very close to Naughty Nuri's Warung. Their furnishings were quite modern but still had their own Bali style, which made an interesting combination. Their service was great! The masseuse will ask how you feel during the process - whether they are too strong or not. My masseuse was a middle-aged woman, and she seemed very experienced and quite powerful. I was more than satisfied with her ability. D's girl was a teenager, and D kept saying that he liked harder if possible, so after 30 minutes she couldn't stand it anymore and just swapped with my masseuse... D was really treacherous!
They also prepared fragrant candles to help us relax, and each massage room was all decorated with beautiful flowers and plants. In addition, every room had a bathtub and shower facility so that we could totally enjoy the relaxing moments in such a private space. After the massage treatments they provided hot ginger tea with cookies as well. The full body massage was 80 minutes and only US$10, so very highly recommended!!

Putri Bali Spa - inside the lobby, free ginger tea and cookie biscuits!

Most big massage/spa shops and restaurants all can accept payments by Visa or Master Card. But besides the 2% to 3% fee for overseas transactions/foreign exchange fees charged by your bank or the card, some shops will charge an extra 3% to 5% fee, so it is better to remember to ask before checkout!