Interesting Water Activities in Bali

Although I have went to Bali three times during the course of my stay in Indonesia, I never fail from learning something new. What I have learned this trip is the unique yet dangerous water activites they have here.

The hotel I am staying in, like many others in Bali, is situated next to a beach. As a result there are many different activities provided by the locals as a form of income for them. Such things that I have come accross is the jet-ski and boat rides, which I have come accross before. However, there are many such as the donut ride, the banana boat ride and the flying fish ride, all of which are very unfamiliar to me, perhaps due to the fact that they are very dangerous and would not be possible if the safety regulations in Indonesia was actually enforced. As far as I can tell, they are rides unique only to Bali. I have rode on all of them and found them to be very interesting.

The Banana Boat Ride is basically a boat that is made by a inflated figure of a banana. As seen from the picture, another boat will tow the "banana boat" towards the ocean and eventually circle back. Despite it's shape, the banana boat is very stable and cannot be capsized easily. However, small turns in the banana boat can cause a large amount of water to spray onto your face. As a result, visibility on the boat will almost be close to impossible unless you are wearing something to protect your eyes, such as swimming goggles, making this ride not a good one for sightseeing.

The Donut ride is one similar to the ones you can find in water parks. It is similar to the Banana Boat Boat Ride. However, you are sitting in an inflated object similar to a donut. The "Donut" can cater to up to five people although people of a heavier weight have to sit at the sides to prevent the flotation device from capsizing. The Donut ride is a very unstable one, perhaps due to its non-streamlined shape. The pull from the boat also causes the "donut" to tilt upwards, causing the ride to be even more unstable. However, because of the lack of safety regulations in Indonesia, this ride has become possible to ride on. The "donut" also has the tendency to move from side to side, causing the frequency of collisions with waves to increase. This often causes the boat to "jump" from side to side as it travells up waves. This is why it is very important to stay onto your seat in this ride to avoid being thrown off.

The Flying Fish ride is the ride out of the three that I find most dangerous. This ride can only cater for two people due to the simple fact that the floatation device will leave the surface of the water and therefore be impossible if the weight of the craft was beyond a certain measurement. The craft, towed by a boat, will be brought out to sea. Then, because of the slight incline at the end of the floatation device, it will be able to lift itself off the surface of the water if the speed of the boat is fast enough. You will not be provided a strap or a belt to hold you in. The only item gauranteeing your safety would be the handles found at the side of the craft.

These three rides are ones found exclusively (as far as I know) in Bali and they are extremely thrilling to ride but very dangerous as well. If you plan to ride any of these rides, please bear in mind my opinions that you have just read.