Bali
boasts lush garden forests, beautiful beaches and incredible
rice paddies spilling down the sides of dramatic mountains
– and so much more. It has a strong Hindu spiritual
life, with more than 20,000 temples, and a rich culture
of dancing, music, art, architecture, and festivals.
A trip around the island is highly recommended. Most
villages are around half a day away by road, so it is
worthwhile hiring a car, jeep or moped, or arranging
a rate for a private cab..
Tourist Destinations :
Sanur
Sanur is where Bali's first luxury beach hotel was built
over 30 years ago, and has since been the spot for luxurious
seaside accommodation. Conveniently located near Denpasar,
on the main road leading to the east, Sanur is not nearly
as frenetic as Kuta, nor as well-mannered as Nusa Dua.
Many foreigners have built lavish villas and bungalows
here, and this is the preferred place for up-market,
long-term stays on the island, especially around the
Batu Jimbar and Belanjong areas.
The main attraction is the white sand beach bordering
a reef-sheltered lagoon. Due to the protection of this
lagoon, this beach is one of the safest on the island,
and thus perfect for families. There is no surf unless
you travel far out on the reef, and one cannot swim
at low tide, but at other times this is the best place
in Bali for windsurfing and sailing.
Nusa Dua
Tourist groups, beach fanatics and international conferences
home in on Nusa Dua. Located in a large, landscaped
park, the complex also comprises an international convention
centre, a championship 18-hole golf course, a luxury
shopping centre, a medical clinic, and an amphitheatre
for music and dance. Tanjung Benoa is the natural northern
continuation of Nusa Dua, with the white sand beach
stretching the length of the coast. It is a booming
resort, popular with water sports enthusiasts.
Jimbaran
Located on the isthmus south of Ngurah Rai airport and
a continuation of the white sands of Kuta Beach, Jimbaran
Bay is one of Bali's most recently-developed resort
areas. Tranquil compared to Kuta, it retains much of
its fishing village charm. With its shallow water and
lack of sharp coral, Jimbaran is ideal for families.
The area also remains free from the aggressive vendors
that are such a bother in Kuta.
Kuta and Legian
The white sands of Kuta are still arguably the best
beachfront on Bali. The beach is much cleaner than it
was just a few years ago, although the vendors remain
annoying. Kuta is not the fishing village it once was:
it is now a booming Pacific resort and its streets are
clogged with tourists and traffic during peak seasons.
Legian is a bit quieter, less crowded, and more suitable
for longer stays, although in many ways it has become
an extension of Kuta. Further north, Seminyak, Petitenget
and Canggu offer more tranquillity.
Ubud
An interesting mélange of rural Balinese life
and modern services co-exist here. Only 60 minutes from
Ngurah Rai airport, Ubud is close to many of central
Bali's major sights. Despite the fact that visitors
may outnumber residents during peak periods, Ubud retains
the atmosphere of a small country community and, in
contrast to the hassle of Kuta, the pace of life is
very relaxed. It's a great place to tour on foot or
by bicycle and there's a wide range of facilities for
tourists of all budget ranges, as well as being close
to beaches 10 km away.
The Taman Burung Bird Park, situated in Batubulan, is
home to more than a thousand birds (250 exotic bird
species) from Indonesia and from all over the world.
It is set in a two-hectare magnificent garden filled
with tropical plants, water features and spectacular
aviary rain forest, with the famous Komodo dragon. Other
places, such as the Tirta empul Temple, Mas village
– a village specializing in woodcarvings, and
The Museum Lukisan Ratna Warta extend the magnificence
of Bali
Buleleng
This Regency sprawls across the full length of Bali's
north coast. It is hot, dry and fringed with black sand
beaches and coconut palms. It stretches from Karangasem
on the northeast coast to the untouched jungle territory
of Bali's National Park, on the west end of the island.
The regency was more exposed to foreign influences in
the distant past. Buleleng was a port for trading boats
coming east on the route to the Spice Islands, where
Chinese, Arabic, European, and Bugis merchants came
to exchange opium, arms, and "kepeng " for
Balinese rice, fruits, cattle, and slaves. In 1882,
the Dutch made Bali and Lombok into a combined Residency,
and Singaraja became its capital city.
The original capital of Bali, Singaraja, is right on
the sea, and its harbour has been its key to local development.
A bustling centre of local commerce, its people are
boisterous, open and friendly, and reflect their local
climate.
About 10 kilometres west of Singaraja, the black sand
beaches of Lovina and Menjangan Island are safe and
wonderful places for swimming and snorkelling. Lovina
also offers dolphin viewing. Menjangan Island, part
of the West Bali National Park, has the most beautiful
coral reefs in Bali. Along with the nearby Labuan Lalang,
this is a great place for diving and snorkelling. |