Heaven, there is no other term to define the place where the film was shot “Ticket to Paradise”, at the cinema in October, with George Clooney and Julia Roberts, who are back to work together after twenty years from the days of “Ocean’s Eleven”. An island made up of fairytale beaches and tropical forests, ancient temples and expanses of rice fields, resorts of a thousand and one nights and super cool clubs.
We are talking about Bali, the most famous island in Indonesia. The Hollywood star couple stars in the romantic and somewhat irreverent comedy set in this heavenly territory and plays the role of divorced parents struggling with the marriage of their daughter Lily.
The young woman, during a holiday in Bali, finds true love and decides to marry him. Her parents will try in every way to prevent the wedding. A plot not too original, but at the center of which there is this island that really makes you dream.
Bali the Island of the Gods
A real paradise on earth, loved by tourists from all over the world: the charm of Bali cannot fail to conquer anyone who sets foot there. That’s why it was chosen by Universal Pictures to set the film “Ticket to Paradise” there. Not for nothing is it known as Island of the Gods. Located south of the Equator, it is the perfect place for the ideal holiday, with sea, sun and space for relaxation and fun, with an average temperature of 30ºC all year round. Despite the tourist boom in recent years, Bali has managed to maintain its own authenticity.
From the brightly colored lakes, nestled between the rock of the mountains and the volcanoes, to the large terraces planted with rice, with dense patches of vegetation that hide villages and temples.
Bali is all this, but even more: it is not only nature that attracts, but also the culture and popular traditions, which they must see. Julia and George, who can be breathed between its high mountains and the white beaches. It is fascinating to admire the dense tropical forests and the mountains of the North, which reach up to 3000 meters.
What to do in Bali
There are numerous sites that can be visited on the island of Bali. Between breathtaking natural landscapes and temples full of spirituality, here are the places not to be missed during a trip to Bali.
The temples of Bali
One of the main attractions of the island are the numerous Buddhist and Hindu temples scattered throughout the territory. There are so many structures that you won’t be able to visit them all, but there are two really unmissable. The Tanah Lot Temple it is one of the most characteristic of Bali, also because it is located in the middle of the sea, on a rocky island on the east coast, in the Tabanan area. What makes it unique also makes it inaccessible: it is not possible to physically visit the temple but the view alone is worth the trip.
The Uluwatu Temple, located in the Bukit peninsula and perched on a cliff, overlooking the sea is really worth a visit. Immersed in the natural landscape and carved into the coral rock, the temple is located at a height of 75 meters above the Java Sea. The purpose of this structure is to protect the island from evil spirits and was also home to the pilgrim Danghyang Dwijendra, who spent the last days of his life here. The best time to visit this temple is in the evening, at sunset, to enjoy a breathtaking view of the ocean.
Bali’s parks and rice fields
The island of Bali is full of wonderful natural places, parks, terraced gardens and rice fields to visit. There Forest of the Apes is one of these places: located in Ubud, it covers an area of 12.4 hectares, with 186 species of trees and plants present. About 750 macaques live in this place and tourists can observe them at close range: be careful, however, they seem to be skilled thieves! The aim of this forest, which is a nature reserve, is to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
The Butterfly park it is one of the most magical places in Bali. This beautiful place is located in the Tabanan area and here you can admire hundreds of specimens of butterflies and insects typical of the area. Inside the park there are also some exhibitions in which dried specimens of butterflies are exhibited.
The Rice fields of Tegallalang finally, they offer a splendid panorama of green terraced fields built on the hills. These rice fields are among the most spectacular in Bali, as they are built on steep hills. The best way to admire them is to take a walk on the paths that lead from the valley to the top, passing through the rice fields. Well-trained guides are also available at Café Dewi who can accompany you and explain the irrigation methods and the stages of rice cultivation.
However, there are several ways to get to know the island of Bali including a tour that in a full day takes you to discover all the most picturesque and emblematic places of the island: you will visit a temple, a waterfall, a palace on the water, a paddy field and end your journey by trying the famous jungle swing. You can book directly from here this tour.
The other location of the film
Before landing on the island of Bali, however, some scenes were shot in another earthly paradise. This is Hamilton Island, in the archipelago of Whitsunday Islandsoff the east coast of Queensland.
We are talking about that area of Australia where the sea is pure spectacle, where the Great Barrier Reef is located which offers breathtaking views such as the famous Heart Reef, an extraordinary natural composition of heart-shaped corals (this protected island can only be admired from above).
Here the troupe stopped for a month. And they certainly didn’t struggle to stay in such a place.
The location of the movie “Ticket to Paradise” is a true paradise