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BALI, Indonesia 鈥� The morning sun turned pools of water in the rice paddies into mirrors. A farmer swung a load of coconuts onto his shoulder. Somewhere, a cow was lowing.
The scene should have been perfect, but something was off.
After four years, I was back in Bali to relive a memory of a walk through the rice fields near the town of Ubud.
My disappointment may have started with the bizarre signposts, on a dirt path in the rice paddies, advertising Italian restaurants and French rotisserie chicken.
Or maybe it was the villas sprouting up in the green fields, boasting of infinity pools and yoga workout rooms.
With Bali developing so fast, my husband and I realized we would have to look harder this time to rediscover the Indonesian island鈥檚 serenity and beauty.
We regrouped, got advice from locals and found our travel pleasures in places we hadn鈥檛 known to look for 鈥� in a simple meal of fried rice and coconut juice at a deserted beach, and in the treasure bins of an out-of-the-way antiques row.
Obviously, nobody heading to Bali expects to find an undiscovered paradise. It鈥檚 a longtime favourite of honeymooners, surfers and travellers drawn to its dancing, music and religion.
Though Bali is part of the world鈥檚 most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, most residents practise a form of Hinduism known for elaborate ceremonies and rituals.
The tiny island offers a touch of adventure and all the creature comforts. You can hike up a volcano, then come back to your hotel for a cappuccino and a massage.
Bali, specifically Ubud, is where Elizabeth Gilbert put the 鈥渓ove鈥� in Eat, Pray, Love, an inspiration for some tourists.
But sadly, amid the island鈥檚 speedy, haphazard development, sometimes it can be hard to see past the construction cranes, traffic jams and trash on the southern coast.
Even in landlocked Ubud, the island鈥檚 supposedly laid-back cultural hub, my taxi got stuck in gridlock outside a Starbucks. It seemed a fitting symbol for a vacation going wrong.
To tackle the infrastructure problems, the island鈥檚 dingy, overcrowded airport is getting an upgrade. Work is underway on toll roads to ease the traffic, especially bad around the built-up beach party town of Kuta. But the tourism numbers are growing so quickly, it鈥檚 hard to imagine how the island will cope. Last year brought 2.75 million foreign visitors, up more than 10 per cent from 2010.
This year, the island will get a publicity boost by hosting two very different international events.
