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?

I am ashamed to admit that it took me nearly 7 years from when I first touched down in Indonesia, to visit the Gilis - the three pint sized islands located just off the coast of Lombok. I promised myself that I would not complete this year’s trip to Indonesia without taking a few days off to see the islands and going on diving adventures with turtles. I stayed true to my intentions. It was a four day experience I will never forget!

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.

“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.

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.