Our Bali Adventure: Swimming with Turtles, Manta Rays & Dolphins.

When we say we went to Bali, I don’t mean staying at a resort in Legian or Seminyak… We were lucky enough to base ourselves in my parents’ villa in the inland region of Tabanan. Located in a quiet little village with no tourists—just locals—and that’s the way we like it. Peace, calm, and endless rice fields.

While we relaxed here for the majority of our trip, we also headed to Amed for 2 nights, where we swam with turtles, discovered an underwater temple, and saw so many beautiful fish. Swimming alongside my spirit animal, the sea turtle, was an unforgettable experience—one I can’t wait to do again!

After returning to Tabanan for a few nights, our next adventure took us to Nusa Lembongan.

We caught the fast boat over and ended up staying in a cute little place with four small family-run cottages, complete with a popular restaurant and just a 2-minute bike ride from Dream Beach. We had the absolute pleasure of being there for Independence Day, where the locals walked through the village and onto Dream Beach to release 400 baby turtles. OMG!! I was so incredibly happy that we got to be part of this experience—so happy I cried tears of joy. (Josh has a photo of me trying to disguise my happy tears by pulling a face!)

We released our turtles on the count of three and then helped a few stragglers who kept getting caught in the shore break and washed back onto the sand. What a morning to kick off our time here!

The following day we jumped on a private boat that took us out to swim with manta rays. It was high season in Lembongan/Bali, so it was super busy at this spot, but we were lucky enough to see one manta ray swim directly beneath me. It took my breath away—this huge, graceful creature with a wingspan bigger than me, gliding effortlessly below. Surreal, to say the least.

From there, our captain took us to another bay to check out some beautiful fish and coral, but we unexpectedly came across a huge pod of dolphins. Then, out of nowhere, our captain asked: “You want to swim?” Next minute, Josh is straight in the water, and although I was shocked we could just do that, I figured—why not!

We headed over to the pod and looked down toward the bottom. I cannot describe the emotion that came over me—seeing this pod of dolphins with three babies swimming right beneath us. Again, I almost cried tears of joy. They were simply playing, and our hearts were full. What a random, unbelievable experience.

We went on to swim with more turtles, explore vibrant coral beds, and meet countless colourful fish before heading back for the day.

No surfing this trip—though we did take our boards and planned to get some waves, time got away from us and the surf (plus the crowds) wasn’t the best.

Our last few days were spent back in Tabanan and then in Umalas before flying home.

This trip to Bali was truly one of a kind—something I have never experienced before and one I’ll remember forever. I felt so blessed to share it with my man, my fellow ocean lover and best friend. Thank you for making this experience one we will cherish forever.

Moments like these remind me why we need to protect, respect, and love our oceans. Every creature we swam with—turtles, manta rays, dolphins—has a vital role in keeping our blue planet alive and thriving.

With love, peace, and ocean vibes,
Alicia