Finding Peace in Bali’s Temples
Emma, a 28-year-old graphic designer from Seattle, was running on empty when she booked her ABrenna Travel trip to Bali. Work stress had drained her, and she craved peace—something to quiet her mind. Bali delivered, wrapping her in its spiritual embrace, thanks to Wayan, her Ubud-based guide whose gentle smile and deep knowledge turned every moment into a revelation. “It felt so real,” Emma says of her first temple visit, where priests blessed her with rice and holy water, the ritual grounding her in a way she hadn’t expected.
Wayan took her to Gunung Kawi, a 10th-century temple carved into cliffs, where moss clung to stone guardians. The air was thick with incense, and Emma felt a calm she hadn’t known in years. They biked through Ubud’s rice fields, emerald terraces glowing under the sun, stopping at a roadside shack Wayan swore was the best for coconut water. He was right—the sweet, cold sip was pure bliss. Wayan’s stories brought Bali to life: legends of gods at Pura Lempuyang, where Emma snapped a photo of the “Gates of Heaven” that’s now her phone’s wallpaper, or tales of warriors at Besakih, the island’s mother temple.
Her boutique hotel was a haven, its pool fringed with lotus flowers and a balcony where fireflies danced at night. Breakfast meant nasi goreng, dragon fruit smoothies, and banana pancakes, served by staff who learned her love for extra honey. Wayan mixed spirituality with adventure— a silversmith workshop where Emma crafted a silver ring, her fingers clumsy but proud, and a Balinese dance class where she giggled through the intricate steps. One evening, they joined a purification ritual at Tirta Empul, wading into holy springs as locals prayed. “It was like washing away a year of stress,” she says.
“Wayan knew every temple’s story—it wasn’t a tour, it was a journey,” Emma reflects. From a sunset at Tanah Lot, waves crashing against the temple, to a quiet morning weaving palm offerings, her week was peace in motion. Ready to find your Bali calm? ABrenna Travel’s here to guide you.
