We arrive in Bali and transfer by private, air-conditioned coach to the magical mountain-top Pita Maha and Royal Pita Maha Hotels and Spas. We will be greeted with cold, fragrant towels and special juice drinks as we check into our private villas. Take the afternoon to unwind. Maybe you want to have a relaxing swim in the pool or have a light snack. overlooking the forest. This is a great time for your pre-booked spa treatment for tonight’s Royal Gala Reception and Dinner with H.R.H. Tjok Gde Raka Sukawati, torch bearer of the Pita Maha Art Movement and designer of both Pita Maha resorts. The evening will begin with a procession of dancers, the first of many who will lead us from cocktails to dinner. There will be various forms of entertainment planned for the evening which will captivate and charm you. If you ever saw the “King and I” then you have an idea of what to expect. Traditional dances from the Barong to the Kecak will be performed. This is definitely a Kodak kind of night and one which few foreigners will ever see.

We begin our day with a tour of Ubud, the artistic and spiritual center of Bali. We will take an orientation tour of the village and learn about the customs of the people. Bali is the only Hindu society in Southeast Asia and the gentle and gracious Hindu culture is reflected everywhere. Our local guide will explain the meaning of every flower and custom. We will familiarize you with Ubud so that you may explore the village at a later time. We then set out to visit some of the island’s many and diverse artisans. Almost every form of craftsmanship you find here in Bali has been handed down through generations.

First stop is the Galuh Batik Shop in the village of Tohpati, the center of Bali’s batik industry. Bali is known for its hand-dyed batik work, which is seen everywhere in the daily dress of the Balinese. We will proceed to the village of Celuk, and we will stop at the Krishna Yuna Art Shop, the center of Bali’s finest sterling silver jewelry. The artists will demonstrate the painstaking work of decorating the silver. And wait until you see the pieces of art made of sterling silver. It takes your breath away. We will then revisit Ubud, where we will have lunch at a local restaurant before returning to enjoy the amenities of the Resort. This evening we will dine at one of Ubud’s well-known restaurants. After dinner you may enjoy walking Monkey Forest Road or return by the hotel shuttle.

Balinese painting is one of Bali’s significant exported crafts, reflecting both Hindu-Javanese and Western influences. Ubud is the center of Balinese painting. After breakfast at the hotel, our group will visit one of the best art galleries in Mawang. It is the Muji Art Family Studio where their eclectic collection ranges from classical and traditional to modern and native. From there we travel to the village of Gianyar to the Sari Rejeki wood studio. You will marvel at the intricacies of the sculpted pieces whether they be in ebony, teak, sandalwood or crocodile wood. Some of the pieces are massive so take your time here. We will leave and proceed to a local restaurant for some great Balinese cooking. After lunch we will return to the hotel where you will have time to get a massage to soothe those shopping aches and pains before our evening meal in Ubud village.

Today is a busy day. After breakfast at the hotel we will visit the Palace of Puri Gianyar. Built in 1771 by Dewa Manggis IV. The palace lies on one side of the village’s central square. The palace consists of a number of traditional Balinese pavilions with magnificent wood carvings. Our tour will continue on to Sideman Village, known as a center for Balinese culture and arts, notably the spectacular “songket” textiles woven with threads of silver and gold. Sideman is also famous for its wonderful rice terraces. We will stop at Bukit Jambul for lunch at the Puri Boga Restaurant before returning to Ubud.

Dinner tonight is what makes our tour a total Balinese immersion. It is the creation of Prince Sukawati. We will be transported by coach to a village the Prince sponsors. The entire village will meet us as we arrive and they will prepare an evening meal and dine with us. This is about “getting to know you” as most villagers speak some English. You will be enchanted by them. They all want to know your name and practice their English. If you have a Kodak camera that produces instant pictures, please bring one with you. The villagers are enthralled with photographs of themselves. One of the best things Howard and I bring to other countries are ballpoint pens. These are very poor people and education is expensive for them. A pen is something children and adults covet. They don’t take up much space in a suitcase. As the Prince has had little contact with foreigners for over 12 years, this village excursion--planned entirely by him--brings us all closer together. After a dinner that few tourists will ever experience, we will return to the hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for Kintamani, a mountainous region which includes some of the most magnificent scenery on the island. Luminous green rice fields cover the undulating land. The revered Gunung Batur (5633ft), an active volcano, dominates the landscape. The placid Lake Batur rests in a huge crater, overshadowed by Batur, and the lesser-known but higher, Gunung Abang (7062 ft). A tiny market village, Kintamani is 4921ft above sea level. After lunch at a local restaurant we will return to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is on your own. Have an invigorating Swedish massage to get you ready for our Gala Farewell Dinner at the Royal Pita Maha, on the open terrace overlooking the River Oos. You are in for some amazing acts again, such as the Frog Dancers. The Prince has a night of surprises planned so again, bring your camera.

This is the day to take advantage of a number of optional tours, including an elephant safari through rice fields and villages, which we loved, a bicycle ride down the side of a volcano through centuries old villages and magnificent countryside or white water rafting for the truly adventurous. (That was great fun)! All excursions include lunch. When you return to the hotel, it will be time to check out.

We will then be transported through Tegallalang, which boasts marvelous views of the tropical coffee plantations, palm trees and an impressive panorama of rice paddy terraces to the village of Kuta where we will check in to the magnificent suites of the Patra Bali Villas and Resort. The transition from the mountains of Ubud to the beaches of Kuta is seamless due to the quiet setting of the Patra Bali. Dinner tonight will be in the Patra Bali's famous Japanese restaurant.

You have many choices today from riding horseback on the beach to an early morning dolphins-in-the-wild tour and swim. Today would be a great day to schedule time to visit Anika Tailor where they will quickly and inexpensively (generally 24 hour turn-around) create designer threads out of any material you select, based upon your photographs or patterns. (Bring pictures or patterns from Ralph Lauren to Versace and they will make them exactly as pictured.) Your most difficult task will be choosing from the rooms full of fabric from around the world. Anika Spa is one of our personal favorites as the setting is charming and the prices are the best in town. They will send a driver for you and bring you back after your spa treatment. Try their “Duo massage” with two therapists. There will be pre-reservation packs in your travel documents. Lunch will be in the Patra Bali's main restaurant.

Our dinner tonight is poolside at the Patra Bali for an Indonesian BBQ night the likes of which you’ve never seen. From 13 appetizers to soups and potatoes of every kind, the Grill corner will have lamb, pork, prawns, mackerel, snapper, sea crab and skewered squid all done with an Indonesian touch of spice. After dinner we’ll head to the club right off the pool for more fun.

Your day is free. You have many choices. Take the hotel shuttle or cab (they are really cheap) to the great shopping in nearby Legian and Seminyak. There is an optional cooking class (additional fee required) hosted by world-famous chef Heinz von Holzen of the Bumbu Bali restaurant who will personally instruct our group. The class begins at the local markets at 6AM to purchase the ingredients to be used in the day’s preparations. You will prepare a total of 27 Rijsttafel recipes which will make a magnificent lunch. Or maybe you want to spend the morning around our enormous pool with a lime squash drink nearby. The Patra Bali Spa is in a gorgeous setting. You can hear the sea, feel the breezes and immerse yourself in paradise. Lunch will be in one of Kuta’s native restaurants.

Around 5 PM we will enjoy a pleasant ride along the hills of Bali’s southern peninsula. This area, known as Bukit, offers a landscape and topography different from any other region of the island. This arid terrain is formed by millennia of coral sedimentations and is a world of its own. The beautiful, wild beaches are havens for surfers. At the end of the peninsula, perched on a sheer cliff, is the venerated Uluwatu Temple guarded by monkeys. Watch your hats and glasses as these little guys love to grab and run with whatever they can get! A performance of the Ramayana epic-based Kecak dance with the majestic temple and sunset as its background will top this memorable evening. On our way back to Kuta we will stop for a lobster dinner on Jimbaran beach under the stars.

Your morning is free to play or grab a cab to some of the best shopping around. Are there any optional tours that you haven’t taken yet? Go to Anika Spa and have your feet bathed in frangipani flowers before having one of their many spa treatments. Or simply enjoy quiet time around the pool. Lunch will be a pizza party at the Italian restaurant by the sea. Around 2PM we will visit Mengwi with the 17th century Tamanm Ayun Temple, a legacy of the glorious Royal era. From there we will head to the nearby Sacred Monkey Forest of Alas Kedaton. There is fun bargaining shopping here so make sure you are up on your Rupiahs. The afternoon ends with a spectacular sunset at the Tanah Lot Temple, one of the most photographed in the world. Dinner tonight will be at the famous Bumbu Bali restaurant for their famous Indonesian Rijsttafel which is a menu of 29 different dishes.

This is the day to get all the last minute shopping done, take one of those fantastic tours you haven’t gotten to yet or get in one more spa treatment. Why? Because they are so cheap and make you feel so good! Be sure to purchase some of the oils used for the massage. The jasmine is like nothing you can find in the States. Lunch will be a wonderful buffet at the Patra Bali.

Tonight the Patra Bali is throwing us a most unusual Farewell Dinner. It will be a sumptuous Mongolian stir-fry. You will chose from a huge variety of Indonesian starters, soups and hot selections of different forms of rice, pasta and potatoes. The live cooking will have a complete selection of meats, fish, prawns plus all the ingredients to make you sizzle. There will also be a cheese fondue and a carving table with roast lamb and roast beef with pepper sauce. There will be a wonderful musical group that plays everything (quietly). This will be a night to remember.