All posts tagged: indonesia

FINDING THE BEST RENDANG IN PADANG, INDONESIA

Published by Nicole Isaacs

Padang is a city in Indonesia often overlooked by tourists, but along with its stunning sunset beaches, it’s a culinary hub for traditional Indonesian food and the origin of the country’s national dishes…and in Indonesia, rendang is king. When I took my first bite of Rendang on the island of Siberut, little did I know that my life would never be the same. I had found my favorite chicken dish in the world. The complex and rich flavor of rendang had me speechless. Rendang is a spicy meat dish that is most similar to curry. The dish can be made with chicken or beef, and because the beef rendang is cooked longer for the meat to get extra tender, the sauce tastes a bit richer than the sauce for the chicken rendang. Lucky for me, I had a local and friend of mine, Erú take me to one of the best places to eat rendang in Padang! We ventured to Sari Reso for a great authentic Indonesian meal. Eating rendang is a “hands-on experience”, and …

BALI TRAVEL VIDEO

Published by Nicole Isaacs

Check out my video from my trip to Bali! What do you guys think? Would love your thoughts, suggestions or comments. I love this one. To see my full Bali guide and itinerary check out my previous Bali posts.  -Nicole Special thanks again to Four Seasons Bali, Ritz Carlton Reserve Ubud, and the W Resort and Spa Bali.

FOUR SEASONS BALI EXPERIENCE

Published by Nicole Isaacs

FOUR SEASONS SAYAN I couldn’t leave Ubud without experiencing the Four Seasons Sayan. It came highly recommended and is another great choice when looking into luxury accommodations in Ubud. Also located in the middle of the rainforest and alongside the Ayung River, the Four Seasons exudes complete tranquility surrounded by the beauty of mother nature. It’s unique architecture was built from the inspiration of Ubud’s signature rice terraces, staying true to traditional Balinese design. The resort’s main entrance is breathtaking, with a vast circular lily pond on top of the main lobby, signifying the center of a large rice bowl. The lush property is surrounded by tropical palms, rice farms, lily ponds and scattered gardens of fruit trees, medicinal and spice plants, all of which are labeled by name. The Four Seasons put together a personalized itinerary of Sayan Signature Experiences which allowed me to really get the full resort experience. I practiced Power and Anti Gravity Yoga in the amazing open air bamboo studio overlooking their own rice terraces. Anti Gravity Yoga uses a …

BALI, INDONESIA | FIRST STOP: UBUD

Published by Nicole Isaacs

I am breaking up my Bali posts because there is just so much to write about! I am going to write a post for each resort I stayed at in Bali along with all the activities I did at each. I’m also going to share some information about Ubud in this post. My first stop in Bali was the Ritz Carlton Mandapa Reserve. UBUD The town of Ubud is an hour and a half drive from Bali’s international airport, Denpasar. Ubud represents traditional Bali, you can really feel the authentic Balinese culture. It’s in the uplands and surrounded by rainforest, rice terraces, Hindu temples and shrines– Bali’s most iconic landscapes. Ubud is also known for the center of Balinese crafts and dance. It feels very far removed from the hustle and bustle of the populated town of Kuta and Bali’s beach party scene in Seminyak. It is the ultimate place for serenity and relaxation, and the perfect place to practice yoga and mediation. If visiting a spiritual healer interests you (like the healer Ketut in …