Don't miss: Hire a boat or take a ferry to the surrounding islands - the coral beaches on the Gili Islands off Lombak were spectacular.

Don't bother: To sign up for group tours. You can hire a private car and driver for $30 a day and do a custom itinerary.

Coolest souvenir: Bali is renowned for its colorful wood masks and batiks, but I love the intricately painted eggs - real and wooden - depicting Hindu epics.

Worth a splurge: Kopi Luwak coffee. A civet eats the ripe beans, the stomach enzymes break down the proteins making it bitter, the scat is collected and processed. The coffee sells for $100 a pound.

I wish I'd packed: Some quality Tequila. Premium spirits and wine are hard to find due to Muslim restrictions and climate.

Other comments: Bali has ceremonies to celebrate everything from tooth filing to cremation, and they provide great insight into local customs and culture.

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This article appeared on page M - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle