Bali’s
dramatic scenery and spectacularly rich cultural heritage can make the island a
demanding place to visit. Not in a negative sense, of course, but simply because
of the sheer number of things to do and see – while still managing to maintain
that daily rendezvous with your hotel pool and beach!
WHAT TO SEE
Denpasar
While
the Balinese capital may not be the most peaceful or tidiest place in Bali, it manages to retain its Balinese flavour in many
ways, with temples still much in evidence. The Pura Jagatnatha Temple, resembling a Balinese palace, is
now an interesting art museum.
Kuta
Once a lonely village, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort with its
wealth of shops and nightclubs, popular mainly among the young. The resort is
the place for meeting and mixing with locals and visitors
alike.
Nusa Dua
The
Nusa Dua resort area, part of the Bukit
Peninsula in southern Bali, has some of the island’s most luxurious hotels, and
is known for its fine sandy beaches and clear waters.
Jimbaran
Bay
Beautiful
Jimbaran Bay, just outside Denpasar, enfolds a long sandy
beach, with the old fishing village of Jimbaran at one end and luxury resort
hotels at the other. It’s lined with little restaurants offering fresh seafood
which you can enjoy while overlooking one of the island’s best beaches and
spectacular sunsets.
Ubud
Ubud, home of Balinese culture and local handicrafts, is just an
hour’s drive inland from the main beaches. Ubud is endowed with many fascinating
art museums and galleries, most notable of which is the Puri Lukisan Museum, housing a collection of Balinese
art dating from the turn-of-the-century. In this area, too, you’ll discover
something of the real Bali amid rice terraces,
lush forests and breathtaking gorges.
Batubulan
By driving northeast from Denpasar, stone figures on the roadside
mark the village
of Batubulan. Divinities
and demons are carved from sandstone for ornaments of houses and temples – you
can visit the workshops to see how it’s done!
Besakih
Temple
On the slopes of Mt Agung, the graceful ‘Mother Temple of Bali’ is
the biggest and holiest of all Balinese shrines – and over a thousand years
old.
Tanah
Lot Temple
One of Bali''s most important sea
temples, dating from the 16th century and dramatically situated atop
a huge rock surrounded by the sea. The best time to see Tanah Lot is in the
late-afternoon, when the temple is in silhouette.
Uluwatu
Temple
This cliff-top temple in the south, dedicated to the spirits of the
sea, has some of the most exquisite architecture in Bali – and its spectacular setting makes it popular for
viewing sunsets.
Tampak Siring
The temple of Pura Tirta
Empul, built around a sacred spring whose water is
believed to have curative powers, is over 1,000 years old. Its bathing places
have long been used for good health and prosperity. Regular ceremonies are held
for purification.
Kintamani
The mountainous region around Kintamani, with its deep crater lake,
bubbling hot springs and spectacular views, make this area a ‘must’ to visit.
The highlight is the breathtaking view of the smoking Mount Batur
crater and Lake
Batur
below.
Bali
Bird Park
& Bali Butterfly
Park
You won’t have to be an enthusiast to marvel at the diverse and
amazingly colourful collections of these two parks.
WHAT TO DO
Sports
Between them the beaches of Bali can
offer most types of popular watersports. Snorkelling and scuba-diving are major
Bali activities, with a number of venues along
the coastline. Surfing first brought here by Australian surfers is also a hot
favourite (Kuta and Ulawatu are known for their good surfing waves). There’s
even ocean-rafting for the more adventurous! If you inclined more towards land
sports then there are three major 18-hole golf courses (one in the crater of an
extinct volcano!). You can enjoy mountain-biking – and horse riding on the
beaches or through rice fields; or how about an elephant or camel safari?
White-water rafting is a popular pursuit, with trips on the Telaga Waja, Ayung,
and Unda rivers. Paragliding is an exciting way to see Bali ‘from the air’, while bungee-jumping and ‘slingshot’
are also on offer.
Adventure
See the volcanic crater of Mount Batur
from the air on a flight-seeing trip that circles over the crater and Lake Batur.
Shopping
If shopping’s your heart’s desire then you’ll find shops and markets
in Denpasar, resort areas like Kuta and Sanur and villages everywhere ready to
serve your needs! Bali is a treasure chest of fine art and handicrafts, antique
and semi-antique furniture, paintings, delicately carved jewellery, wood and
stone carvings, masks, woven and dyed fabrics. But remember - the first price is
not the last price in Bali!
Entertainment & Nightlife
Come sundown, head for resort areas like Sanur, Nusa Dua, Kuta,
Legian and Seminyak if you like your nights lively. Here you can be sure of
finding watering holes, clubs and discos to suit, some open till dawn (nightlife
in Bali after dark often starts late, nearing
midnight in some cases). Many resort hotels stage traditional Balinese dance
performances – but for a more authentic setting the best way to see traditional
dances, wayang kulit and gamelan
orchestras, is to attend a village temple festival during the day – they happen
somewhere on the island almost daily.