BALI TOURS MAP

Welcome to Bali ...

Our island is a divinely beautiful place, a land of emerald green rice fields, languid blue lakes, crashing and cascading streams, endless golden beaches protected by spectacular coral reefs, stark volcanoes, and cool mountain peaks.

• Legend Temple

1. Uluwatu Temple
Pura Luhur Uluwatu is like a flying ship of stone under sail 70 meters above the Indian Ocean. It is one of the sadkahyangan group of Hindu Balinese temples. Legend has it that it was built in the 11th century by the priest Mpu Kuturan, and rebuilt by 16th century by the wandering Javanese priest Danghyang Niratha, who chose this spot to achieve moksah, the deliverance from the cycle of reincarnations.
The temple is now home to a small, mischievous colony of monkeys.

2. Tanah Lot Temple
This splendid temple renders homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. It is one the six axial temples, sadkahyangan, sacred to all Hindu Balinese. According to legend, it was founded by the 16th century wandering Javanese priest, Danghyang Niratha. This small temple is built on atop a large, jagged outcropping of rock, just off the coast. Watching the silhouettes of the temple’s meru as the sun begins to set is an experience not to be missed.

3. Taman Ayun Temple
The Kingdom of Mengwi’s former glory is preserved in the Royal Temple of Taman Ayun. It was built around 1646 by the prince, Cokorda Munggu, and was restored in 1937. It is surrounded by a wide moat. Inside one finds many meru, or multi-roofed pagodas, dedicated to the divine ancestors and to deities of the mountains, Agung, Batur, and so on.

4. Batukaru Temple
Halfway up Mt. Batukaru sits Pura Luhur, an unusual complex of shrines and a pool set the middle of a dense, tropical forest. The temple is one of the six axial temples, sadkahyangan, sacred to all Hindu Balinese. It was built to venerate the deities of the mountains and of the lakes. Archaeological finds would indicate that it has served as a sanctuary since prehistoric times.

5. Goa Gajah
This mysterious complex is probably the oldest relief example of ancient Balinese art. A fantastically carved entrance depicts entangling leaves, as well as animals and demonic human shapes running from the gaping mouth which forms the entrance of the cave. A monstrous demon’s head looms above the entrance. There is also a bathing place with elaborate statues and a number of Buddhist antiquities, dating back to the 10th century, when the site was most likely used by high Buddhist priests as a monastery.

6. Kebo Edan Temple
The temple, dating back to the 13th – 14th century, is the site of the 3.60-meters stone statue, Kebo Edan, or “Mad Buffalo,” in a dancing pose, with knees bent and legs wide apart. Sankes curl around his wrists and ankles, and a phallus (actually, four of them) bursts from beneath his sarong. The dancer’s feet rest on a dead body. Kebo Edan may have been a center where tantric rituals were performed. The temple also houses other remarkable satatues.

7. Penataran Sasih Temple
One of the most impressive relics in Indonesia has been housed in the temple of Pura Penataran Sasih. For as long as two millennia. It is the 3-meter long bronze drum known as the “Moon of Pejeng” (sasih means”moon”), the largest of its type in the world, dating back to the Dongson Bronze Age pf the 4 th century BC. The temple also prossesses a number of 11 th century stone statues, among them a Lingga and a Siwa.

8. Gunung Kawi Temple
Roughly three hundred stairs lead down a ravine to the Pakrisan River, where on either side sits the complex of 11th century Gunung Kawi. The site consist of nine rock-hewn Candi (temples), stone monk cells, and a traditional temple. There is no doubt each Candi served as a memorial to deifield royalty whose identities are uncertain.

9. Mangening Temple
The peacepul temple complex of Pura Mangening with its large Prasada sits almost across the road from Tirta empul. Prasada, now very rare in Bali, are square-based, multi-roofed temple building similar to the ancient Candi of Central Java. The Pura is built around a sacred an picturesque spring shaded by a great tree.

10. Pegulingan Temple
A few mitutes walk up the road from Pura Mangening, Pura Pegulingan is an early Buddhist temple dating back to the 9th century. The temple houses the only stupa in Bali. Although this temple is categorized as ancient archaeological remains, Balinese still worship on the promises.

11. Goa Lawah Temple
The Bat Cave Temple, Pura Goa Lawah, one of Bali’s state temples, is located along the shore road, in full view of Nusa Penida. The cave walls vibrate with thousands of bats hanging from the ceiling. The cave is reputed to extend some 20 kilometers to Pura Besakih, and it many conseal an underground river which surfaces at Pura Goa, within the Besakih complex. Goa Lawah is believed to be inhabited by Naga Basuki, the mythical sacred serpent and caretaker of the earth’s equilibrium.

12. Besakih Temple
Nestled on the slopes of Mt. Agung, Pura Basakih, the “Mother Temple,” the most sacred and powerful of the innumerable temples and shrines on the island, is a 22-temple complex spreading up the mountainside. Each temple has its own purpose and ceremonial season, but the three dedicated to the Hindu Trinity are the most important. At the center sits Pura Penataran Agung, dedicated to Siwa, and on either sides, Pura batu Madeg and Pura Kiduling Kreteg, dedicated to Vishnu and Brahma, respectively. There is always something going on at Pura Besakih, with village groups coming to collect holy water or to pray for the soul of a dead relative, and every 210 days, each temple has its own odalan, or anniversary festival.

• Tour Area

1. Denpasar
Badung Market
The largest traditional market on the island is housed in a huge, triple-story building. Different types of goods are sold in different sctions of the building. In the basement, we find fruits, vegetables,fish, and meats, and on the floors, flowers offerings, spices and hardware. On the upper floors, textiles, dance, and ceremonial dresses, hardware, silverware, and so on. Even if you are not a buyer, the smells, the atmosphere, and the lively crowd are experiences not to be missed.

 Museum Bali in Denpasar
The museum, built in 1910 by the Dutch Colonial Government. combines the main architectural elements of palaces and temples. It consists of pavilions occupying attractive grassy courtyards, each showing different regional architectural styles. The museum gives an excellent survey of Balinese art from ancient times to the early 20 th century. Of note are museum’s exceptional ethrographic collection, and the small but significant display of textiles and traditional paintings.

 Werdi Budaya Art Center
Built in 1973, and set in a restful garden with lotus ponds amid richly carved baroque Balinese buildings, the Taman Werdi Budaya houses exhibitis of modern paintings, masks, and wood carvings. Additionality, the Art Center hosts the art festival, during which gamelan and dance groups from every Bali regencies compete for prizes.

2. Ubud
Ubud is by all accounts the Arts Capital of Bali. Since the 1920s, the serene of this village has lured celebrities and artists from the world over: writer Covarrubias, anthropologists Mead and Bateson, musicologist and composer Mcphee. In the 30s, Rudolf Bonnet and Walter Spies, with the support of Cokorda (Prince) Gede Agung Sukawati, founded an association, the Pita Maha, to encourage young artist of the area. The Ubud of today is no longer the sleepy artist’refuge that it was even ten years ago, but it still offers, away from its main street, a glimpse of unspoiled, rural Bali. Within a radius of some ten kilometers live tremendously accomplished dancers, painters, and carvers. Festivals, celebrations, and dance performances are always available, every day of the week.

 Wood Carving
The Brahman village of Mas has become Bali’s premier wood carving center. One can see the busy crftsmen in the small workshops of the many galleries that line the main road. Wood carvings come in a wide range of prices and quality, from the inexpensive local soft wood carvings to the high-quality works of recognized masters, in jackfruit, sandalwood, or ebony, fetching prices in the thousands of US dollars.

 Silver
Celuk is the center for the manufacture of jewelry in Bali. As with most Balinese crafts, gold and silver work is largely a family affair. Most of the families are of the Pande, or blacksmith’s caste. Almost every family in the village is involved in the trade and operates a small production workshop in its house.

 Painting
Ubud is renowned from times past to the present for its painters, from Rudolph Bonnet, Walter Spies, and I Gusti Nyoman Lempad to A.A. Gede Sobrat, I. G. Ketut Kobot, and Arie Smit. Signs aim visitors to painters’ studios all over town, where one can buy directly from the artists. There are many galleries where one can admire many different style of painting : the Neka Museum, Museum Puri Lukisan, the Agung Rai Museum of Art ( ARMA), the Rudana Gallery, and of course the Lempad House.

3. Tegallalang
This village is about half an hour north of Ubud. It is surrounded by sensational views of terraced rice fields. Tegallalang is known as the center for wood carving of flowers, animals, birds, etc, which can be bought at wholesale prices.

4. Kertagosa, Semarapura
Klungkung, known since 1992 as Semarapura, was the smallest, yet also the greatest, of Bali’s kingdoms. Its Palace, Puri Semarapura, was almost totally destroyed by the Dutch on April 18, 1908, following the puputan, or mass suicide, of its occupants. Together with the great gate called Pemedal Agung, the Taman Gili (Water Garden) somewhat miraculously survived with its two buildings: the 17th century Bale Kambang, or Floating Pavilion, and Kerta Gosa, or hall of Justice. Both Pavilions are famous for their beautifully painted ceilings, rendered in the traditional kamasan style. The paintings of Kerta Gosa are reminiscent of Dante’s visit to the underworld. This series of paintings depicts Bima’s voyage in the underworld to retrieve his parents’souls.

5. Tenganan
The village of Tenganan is one of the most conservative Bali Aga, or original pre-Hindu Balinese communities in Bali. Its customs and traditions date back a thousand years. The three hundred or so inhabitants believe the god Indra granted them their culture and way of life, so they have faithfully protected this covenant through the centuries. The aristocratic Tenganan still communally own their large tracks of land, cultivated by Balinese labor. Tenganan is one of the two places in the world (the other one is Gujarat State, in India) where one of the masterworks of traditional textile art – the double ikat – is woven. A colorful festival, Usaba Sambah, is held yearly, which includes the pandan fights, accompanied by the ancestral gamelan selunding.

6. Karangasem Palace
Following the Mt Agung eruption of 1963, the name of the town was changed to Amlapura in order to “fool” the evil spirits and protect it from future damage. Of the several puri (palaces) near the center of town, the only one opened to the public is Puri Kanginan, an eclectic 20th century mix of designs from Europe, China, and Bali. It consists of several pavilions surrounded by pools and connected by walkways.

7. Tirtagangga
This beautiful area of East Bali offers breathtaking panoramas of terraced rice fields, in the middle of which sits the cool, spring-fed pools of Tirtagangga, located seven kilometers from Amlapura. Tirtagangga means” Ganges Water” and refers to the sacred river in India. This Indian-inspired complex of pools was built by the Raja of Karangasem, in 1948. Tirtagangga is the perfect stop for relaxing, a refreshing swimming in its cool waters, and having a simple lunch in the small restaurant on the premise.

8. Baha
This village, located few kilometers east of the Royal Temple of Taman Ayun, is a step back in time, with its fields of stunning beauty and its traditional houses. One noties the uniform architectural style of the compounds with their long-established entrance gate design. In each family compound, three generations live together in the old tradition, with three main buildings in the living area, at the corner of which seats the family temple.

9. Alas Kedaton
The sacred forest of Alas Kedaton is home to hordes of monkeys that inhabit both the trees and the temple, Pura Bukit Sari, in the heart of the forest. Thousands of fruit bats, “flying foxes,” hang from the towering nutmeg trees.

10. Jati Luwih
At 850 meters, halfway up Mt. Batukaru, this area offers one of the most dramatic vistas in Bali. Jatiluwih, which means “ Supreme beauty of nature,” overlooks a shimmering view of terraced rice fields, stretching in endless contours over hills and valleys. The village houses are still built with the traditional thatched roofs, and the farmers continue to grow the padi Bali (Balinese rice), tastier than the modern hybrid rice.

11. Bedugul
A cool mountain retreat in the central highlands, nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano. Serene Lake Bratan occupies the crater, on the shore of which sits the beautiful Pura Ulun Danu dedicated to Dewi Danu, goddess of water and irrigation. Nearby are the Kebun Raya, or Botanical Garden, covering an area of 129 hectares, featuring more than 650 tree species and some 550 varieties or orchids. The fruit and flower market of Candi Kuning is a popular stop for visitors. Further down the road is the Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club whose 18-hole golf course is listed among the world’s top fifty.

12. Kintamani
A wind-blown market town strung along the road on the rim of the 14-km wide caldera of the still-active Batur volcano. From this location, 1,500 meters above sea level, one has a clear view of the spectacular blackened cone of Mt Batur, surrounded on one side by a moonscape-like lava field, and on the other by the blue water of its lake.

13. Gitgit Waterfall
Ten kilometers south of Singaraja, the village of Gitgit is the site of one of Bali’s most majestic waterfalls. A 500-meters walk through coffee trees and giant-size bamboos takes you to the foot of the 45-meters waterfall, which is surrounded by lush vegetation. A fine mist hangs in the air above the cold water pool where visitors can take a rejuvenating swim.

14. Banjar Hot Spring
Surrounded by bamboos and luxurious gardens, this is the perfect setting for a day’s relaxing. Three are three pools of running hot sulfurous water, each at different temperatures, starting at a pleasant 45 degrees C. This is a highly sensuous, relaxing experience.

15. Pemuteran

 Melanting Temple
Pura Melanting is located in a beautiful setting, one kilometer inland from the sea, at the end of a pretty country road. Dedicated to the god prosperity, this temple with its huge and ornately carved candi bentar ( split entrance gate ), is impressive against the background of mountains. Away from the beaten path, this temple is a perfect setting for meditation.

 Taman Sari Bali Cottages
The tranquility of unspoiled northwest Bali. Tastefully appointed cottages in traditional Balinese style. Open-air dining pavilion at the water’s edge. Pristine natural beach for swimming. Protected coral reef and underwater treasures.

16. West Bali National Park
Bali Barat National Park is mountainous and consists of primary monsoon forest, mangrove swamps, savanna and coral islands. The park covers 77,000 hectares, roughly 13% of Bali’s total land area, in the western part of the island. It is the last refuge of one of the most endangered birds of the world, the Bali Starling, as well as the rare Java Deer. The park’s 66,000-hectares marine reserve is centered on Pulau Menjangan, and the excellent coral reefs that surround it.