Jaunted

Have your driver drop you off at the Ubud Art Market (Pasar Seni Ubud) and wander the maze of vendors a little, gawking at the abundance of mother-of-peal salad forks and carved phallus bottle openers. Since it's been a few hours after breakfast, you won't feel too bad about stopping into the single Starbucks across the street.

It's a large, well air-conditioned Starbucks that even features a gong out front. The menu and prices are comparable to the Starbuckses of the USA, so maybe instead wander next door to Lotus Cafe or a block down to Rendezvous-doux Cafe for a more local experience and tropical lassis.

No matter what you do, take twenty minutes to go behind the Starbucks to a magic land not visible from the street. Back there you'll come upon the dramatic image of the Pura Taman Saraswati, a temple fronted by a seriously lush lotus pond. Cross its bridge and check out the stone and woodwork. It is a temple dedicated the goddess of learning, literature and the arts and who doesn't like all those things?

Ignore the hawkers lining the road who'll offer you "transport," only to reveal that transport is on the back of their rickety motobike. Ubud is walkable. Do some shopping and finally swing by the Pura Dalem Ubud temple, which is dedicated to "the dark things." OoooOOhh.

Now you're nearly ready for lunch...

Our full "Awesome Day on Bali" series:
· Breakfast at Biku
· Late morning at the "Starbucks Temple"
· Noon drinks
· Seafood lunch on Jimbaran Bay
· Afternoon and evening surfer-spotting on Bingin Beach
· Sunset cliff-side

*Private car info: We recommend hiring a private car and driver if you plan on doing a full day of sightseeing and touring Bali. It's not particularly luxurious; it's something of the norm, since Bali is huge and the streets are not pedestrian-friendly. Any hotel should easily be able to arrange a car; we got ours through the Anantara Seminyak for $45/day.

Hard to believe, but this is a Starbucks:

[Photos: Cynthia Drescher]