Dance and music is so intertwined with Balinese life that it is second nature. So much so that it seems like many dancers and musicians are performing in a casual manner even when performing at the highest caliber. The performance was held at the Peliatan Palace in Ubud, not to be confused with the Royal Palace in Ubud.

I attended a November performance where it started to rain in the middle of their opening musical performance. Everything simply moved from the outdoor venue to their sheltered, more cozy venue in one of the pavilions in the compound and one or two dances were dropped from the program to keep within time. The move was done in the casual and pragmatic island attitude. I found the music to be pretty dynamic and the dancers sharp and entertaining. I enjoyed equally watching both the dancers and the musicians in the gamelan. Of the dance performances I attended in Bali, I enjoyed this dance troupe and gamelan the best. I will definitely attend another performance from the Gunung Sari dance troupe when I'm back in Bali.

I really loved the temple and surrounding area. One thing you have to be prepared for is all the vendors that are along the path. Not a great aspect, but they're at almost every temple. There are a couple of paths through the temple compound that end up intersecting with each other, so you shouldn't be able to get lost. The area is larger to explore than I originally thought going in, which was nice. The crowds tend to stay closer to the statues carved in the mountain, and for good reason, they are amazing to see. This is a must, but heads up. It is one of the further treks from the parking lot to the temple area that we did.