Asia Travel Guides

Points of interest

Gunung Kawi

In the bottom of this lush green valley is one of Bali's oldest and largest ancient monuments. Gunung Kawi consists of 10 rock-cut candi (shrines): memorials cut out of the rock face in imitation of actual statues. They stand in 7m/23ft-high sheltered niches cut into the sheer cliff face.

A solitary candi (memorial) stands about a kilometre further down the valley to the south; this is reached by a trek through the rice paddies on the western side of the river.

Each candi is believed to be a memorial to a member of the 11th-century Balinese royalty, but little is known for certain. Legends relate that the whole group of memorials was carved out of the rock face in one hard-working night by the mighty fingernails of Kebo Iwa.

One theory is that the whole complex is dedicated to Anak Wungsu, his wives, concubines and, in the case of the remote 10th candi, to a royal minister.

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Pura Ulun Danu Bratan

This very important Hindu-Buddhist temple was founded in the 17th century. It is dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of the waters, and is actually built on small islands, which means it is completely surrounded by the lake. Both pilgrimages and ceremonies are held here to ensure that there is a supply of water for farmers all over Bali.

The temple is truly beautiful, with classical Hindu thatch-roofed meru (multiroofed shrines) reflected in the water and silhouetted against the often cloudy mountain backdrop - one of the most common photographic images of Bali.

A large banyan tree shades the entrance; walk through manicured gardens and past an impressive Buddhist stupa to reach the lakeside.

For an almost surreal experience, take a quiet paddle across the lake and see Pura Ulun Danu Bratan at sunrise - arrange it with a boatman the night before.

The Perama Ulundanu eating house in the grounds has a pleasant outdoor terrace and the usual Indonesian and Western dishes.

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Museum Le Mayeur

The Belgian artist Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merpes (1880-1958) arrived in Bali in 1932. Three years later he met and married the beautiful Legong dancer Ni Polok when she was 15. They lived in this compound from 1935 when Sanur was still a quiet fishing village. The house is an interesting example of Balinese-style architecture.

Almost 90 Le Mayeur paintings are displayed inside the museum, with information in Indonesian and English. A free guidebook in English is available and is filled with useful information and beautiful colour photos.

Some of Le Mayer's early works are interesting, Impressionist-style paintings from his travels in Africa, India, Italy, France and the South Pacific. Paintings from his early period on Bali are romantic depictions of Balinese daily life and beautiful Balinese women - often Ni Polok.

The more recent works, from the 1950s, are in much better condition and show less signs of wear and tear, with the vibrant colours that later became popular with young Balinese artists. There are also beautiful black-and-white photos of Ni Polok.

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Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

This cool and dense swathe of jungle, officially called Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, houses three holy temples. The sanctuary is inhabited by a band of grey-haired and greedy long-tailed Balinese macaques who are nothing like the innocent-looking doe-eyed monkeys on the brochures.

They are ever vigilant for passing tourists who just might have peanuts and ripe bananas available for a quick handout. They can put on ferocious displays of temperament if you fail to come through with the goods and have been known to bite if provoked. Don't hand food directly to these creatures.

The interesting Pura Dalem Agung (Temple of the Dead) is in the forest, for this is the inauspicious kelod side of town. Look for the Rangda figures devouring children at the entrance to the inner temple.

You can enter through one of the three gates: at the southern end of Monkey Forest Rd; further east, near the car park; or from the southern side, on the lane from Nyuhkuning.

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Bali Orchid Garden

Given Bali's weather and volcanic soil, no one should be surprised that orchids grow very well. At this garden you can see thousands of them in a variety of settings. Fans will love everything, others will enjoy the back areas which have a wild tropical feel. The gift shop sells orchid plants as well as books about the flowers.

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Attractions

Denpasar

The capital of Bali has been the focus of much of the growth and wealth on the island over the last few decades, and though the traffic, noise and pollution make it a difficult city to relish, Denpasar still retains pleasant, tree-lined streets and gardens and is very much part of the 'real' Bali.

The Museum Negeri Propinsi Bali consists of an attractive series of separate buildings, including examples of both palace and temple architecture, featuring arts and crafts exhibits (the tiny cane cases for transporting fighting crickets are pretty special). The Taman Wedhi Budaya arts centre houses a collection of modern painting and woodcarving. Dancing groups and gamelan orchestras perform occassionally, mostly for the benefit of tourists.

Kuta Bay

The two beach sites of Kuta and Legian have been a major travel drawcard for more than 25 years, offering cheap accommodation, Western food, great shopping, surf, sunsets and riotous nightlife. However, the events of October 2002 shattered the idyll.

Nearly 200 people were killed after the bombing of the Sari and Paddy's nightclubs. This terrorist act put a severe dent in tourist numbers and the businesses that relied on them. Things are recovering, tourist numbers are picking up, but some wonder whether Kuta will ever be the same again.

Kuta is not pretty but it's not dull either. It's still the best beach on Bali, with the only surf which breaks over sand instead of coral. Behind the beaches, labyrinthine roads and alleys lead back to the most amazing clutch of hotels, restaurants, bars, food stalls and shops. Yet despite all the bustle and excesses and away from the traffic-clogged streets, Kuta is still a village: a place of quiet compounds and narrow alleys, where devotional offerings are placed in front of houses and neighbours emerge in the coolness of the evening to gossip in the street.

Gunung Batur

The volcanic cone of Gunung Batur and the lake that fills half of the surrounding caldera form one of Bali's most spectacular landscapes. Climbing Batur (1717m/5631ft) to see the sunrise is a magnificent experience, but be prepared for damp, cold and cloudy conditions and some aggressive souvenir sellers.

Events

Apart from the usual western calendar, the Balinese also use two local calendars, the Hindu saka and the wuku. The wuku calendar, which is used to determine festival dates, uses 10 different types of weeks between one and 10 days long, all running simultaneously! The intersection of the various weeks determines auspicious days. It's impossible to work it out yourself: when you arrive in Bali, go to a tourist office and ask which festivals and celebrations are coming up. Try to get to at least one.

The Galungan Festival, Bali's major feast, is held throughout the island and is an annual event in the wuku year. During this 10-day period all the gods come down to earth for the festivities and barongs (mythical lion-dog creatures) prance from temple to temple and village to village. The last and most important day of the festival is Kuningan.

Nyepi is the major festival of the saka year - it's the last day of the year, and usually falls towards the end of March or the beginning of April. The day before is set aside as a day of purification across the island. The night before, evil spirits are noisily chased away with cymbals, gongs, drums and flaming torches. On Nyepi itself, everyone stays quietly at home, making no noise, using no lights and doing no cooking. The idea is that when evil spirits descend, they are fooled into thinking that Bali is uninhabited and leave the island in peace for another year.