Venerably called the Island of Gods in popular media, Bali has been on the forefront of many travellers minds and bucket lists these past few years. Widely circulated images of perfectly manicured rice fields, paradise beaches and stunning traditional temples shared on social media immediately come to mind. Is Bali truly the tourist paradise and premier digital nomad, health and investment hub that many advertise it to be? Is there a dark side to one of the world’s top tourist destinations? Should you visit Bali, and what is it really like living and being (legally) employed on the island as an expat?

This past week I was invited to spend three days at the Keliki Luxury Lodge in Bali - a truly memorable experience, which I was pleased to share with my partner Daniel. Keliki Luxury Lodge, a scenic sanctuary nestled between the lush Indonesian jungle and Bali’s famous rice fields - a brain child of five French friends with a shared dream: to build a space of exotic tranquil elegance and impeccable service.

Toward the end of the crawlspace I felt the air change into musty fog. It felt like I was in a cloud. As I crawled out of the rabbit hole and stood upright I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was standing at the foot of what must have been a 60-80 foot high and 310 meter long misty dark cave of absolutely gargantuan proportions. We were … quite literally, inside of a mountain.

It was also surreal to once again be back on Western soil. Everything was bigger, faster and louder, even driving out of LAX I could feel the energy shift. Two days earlier President Joe Biden had been sworn into office. It was a new America with a completely new administration.

Viceroy Bali is located on a land where the lush rice fields Bali is so famous for meet the jungle, aptly named ‘The Valley of Kings’. The dream of Viceroy began when Margaret Syrowatka discovered the land with her brother on a motorcycle trip through the ricefields in 2003. Before the land was acquired by the Syrowatka family, the land belonged to the Balinese Kingdom of Peliatan.

“Imagine what it would be like, to meet the first sunrise of the year from the top of a volcano”... mentioned in casual passing conversation a few years back, the thought lingered in my mind as only a dream.

If you are a lover of secret paradise beaches and epic lookouts, Penida offers some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. In fact, you’re just not going to see many beaches in Bali that come even close to what’s next door on Penida.

Mindlessly staring at the floor in front of me I saw a withered little thing make it’s way around dozens of feet in the crowd. She was just a puppy, noticeably weak and terribly shy. She looked like she hadn’t eaten for days and was barely able to stand up once she slumped over beside a garbage bin.

In a secret Kaba Kaba jungle valley a mere twenty minute drive from the bustling tourist centre of Canggu, lies Bali’s newest gem - Ulaman Eco Retreat. Offering a luxurious, tranquil and picturesque getaway from urban life, the 11 room eco sustainable resort had its soft opening at the end of May of this year, which is when it fell at the top of my radar of places to visit.

These days Lovina is empty of tourists, much like the rest of Bali. Solitary fishermen and dolphin guides roam the streets adjacent to the beach vying for a client among merely a handful of visitors who come down to the shore to catch a glimpse of nature at play. At Lovina Beach, a tall statue of a dolphin made of stone towers above the neighborhood reminding everyone of why they’re here.

The landscape looked almost surreal, sprawling green fields and plantations laid out for miles below us. Towering above them and overlooking the turquoise blue waters of Danau lake was the Batur Volcano.