In May 2016, my wife and I found ourselves heading to Bali for a reason that had little to do with planning a vacation. One of my college roommates from UC San Diego was getting married, and the wedding was going to be in Bali.
We were living in the United States at the time, but before going to Bali, we stopped in Korea to visit my in-laws. From Korea, my wife and I continued on to Bali for the wedding. In total, we spent four nights and five days there.
It was an unusual way to take a vacation, but looking back, it became one of those trips that stayed with me—not because we visited countless famous places, but because of the people, the ocean, and the simple time my wife and I spent together when we were younger.
Arriving in Bali
One of my first memories of Bali was actually from the drive from the airport to our hotel.
There were several security checkpoints along the way, and we saw guards carrying guns as they checked people and vehicles. I remember feeling a little uneasy seeing that much security. It was something I wasn't used to seeing, and the sight of people carrying guns naturally made me a little nervous.
Once we arrived at the hotel, though, I felt more relaxed.
Maybe that was part of the reason we didn't spend much time traveling around Bali. We had a beautiful place to stay, the beach was right there, and there was plenty to do without going far.
My wife especially enjoyed the afternoon tea at the hotel. She loves afternoon tea, and the snacks they served were surprisingly good. But what I remember most isn't necessarily the food. It was watching my wife enjoy herself.
Sometimes that's what makes a trip special. You don't remember every dish you ate or every place you visited. You remember seeing someone you love genuinely happy.
A Day by the Ocean
We spent a lot of time around the hotel and the beach.
There wasn't much pressure to go somewhere or check something off a list. We could simply walk along the beach, talk, play in the water, and enjoy being together.
Looking back now, those simple moments are some of the memories I value most.
We were younger then, and life felt different. We could spend the day in the water, try something crazy, and not think too much about tomorrow.
We also went out on the ocean for some activities, including parasailing. My wife and I went together, and that made it even more fun. Being pulled into the air behind a boat and looking down at the ocean was an experience I still remember clearly.
We also went out on a very fast boat.
And when I say fast, I mean really fast.
It wasn't the kind of relaxing boat ride where you sit back and enjoy the scenery. The boat moved so quickly that it became part of the adventure itself. We were laughing and holding on as we bounced across the water.
Those were the kinds of things we did in Bali—nothing particularly complicated, but enough to make the trip feel like a real adventure.
The Fish That Wouldn't Leave Me Alone
The snorkeling trip is another memory that has stayed with me.
Before we got into the water, our tour guide gave us some bread. He told us that if we held the bread in our hands, the fish would come close.
I thought, sure, maybe a few fish would come over.
I was completely unprepared for what actually happened.
The moment I held the bread underwater, an incredible number of fish came toward me. It felt like they were everywhere. They swarmed around my hand and attacked the bread so aggressively that I almost felt like they were trying to eat my fingers too.
For a moment, I wondered whether I had made a terrible mistake by listening to the guide.
But it was also hilarious.
I had never experienced anything quite like it. The sheer number of fish coming toward us made the snorkeling trip one of the most memorable parts of our Bali vacation.
And again, I was glad my wife was there to experience it with me.
A Wedding at Bulgari
Of course, the real reason we came to Bali was the wedding.
My college roommate from UC San Diego was getting married at the Bvlgari Hotel. Friends from different parts of my life had come together for the occasion, including people I had met years earlier when I visited Hong Kong and friends from my university days.
It was strange and wonderful to see all of those people again in Bali.
We had all been younger when we first met. Now we were standing together on the other side of the world, watching one of our friends begin a new chapter of his life.
The wedding itself was beautiful.
It began before sunset, while there was still daylight, and continued until the sky became completely dark. The atmosphere was incredibly elegant. Outside, a beautiful light ceiling had been set up over the wedding area, creating a magical atmosphere as the evening progressed.
There were candles everywhere and flowers throughout the venue. As the sun went down, the lights, candles, and decorations became even more beautiful.
At the end of the ceremony, there was a balloon release. We watched the balloons rise into the night sky, followed by fireworks that brought the evening to a spectacular close.
Standing there in a suit in the Bali heat was another story.
It was incredibly hot, and by the time the wedding was underway, I was sweating through my suit. I remember feeling like I had been wrapped in a blanket while everyone else was trying to look elegant.
But none of that really mattered.
We had traveled all the way from the United States, stopping in Korea along the way, to be there for a friend I had known since our college days. There was something special about that.
I remember thinking how amazing it was that a friend I had met at UCSD was getting married in Bali, and that we had actually traveled all the way there to celebrate with him.
More than anything, I think we simply wished him a happy life.
Looking Back at Bali
When I think about Bali now, I don't remember the trip as a long list of tourist attractions.
I remember the beach.
I remember walking along the water with my wife, talking about nothing in particular, playing in the ocean, and having no real worries on our minds.
I remember the fish surrounding my hand while I tried to hold onto a piece of bread.
I remember flying above the ocean together while parasailing.
And I remember the wedding—the lights, flowers, candles, balloons, fireworks, and all the old friends who had somehow ended up together in Bali.
There is also something bittersweet about looking back at that trip now.
We were younger. We were more willing to jump into the water, get on a fast boat, go parasailing, and spend hours outside without thinking about how tired we might be later.
Sometimes I look back and think we should have played even more.
We had the ability to do it. We simply didn't realize at the time how valuable those carefree days would become.
Bali itself was wonderful, but it wasn't perfect for me. The heat was intense enough that I would have to seriously think about visiting again. And the sight of armed security guards and multiple checkpoints left me with some mixed feelings.
Still, those things have faded into the background over the years.
What remains is the memory of being young, being in love, traveling across the world for a friend's wedding, and spending a few days with my wife without worrying about much of anything.
Maybe that's what I remember most about Bali.
Not the hotel or the wedding. Not even the parasailing or snorkeling.
It's the feeling of being there with her, walking along the beach, talking, laughing, and playing in the water—as if we had nowhere else we needed to be.
LET'S GO!