Tourism >> Best places to visit in Bali

Kuta has traveled from slave port to stardom. This is where modern tourism in Bali all started and it’s still the most happening place of all. With the building of the airport in Bali, Kuta became a firmly established part of the “Hippy Trail” and the Balinese responded with smiles, homestays and other simple accommodation, and eateries. From this small sleepy village with a white sand beach and good surf grew the Kuta of today which extends 8-10 km northeast of the airport and includes the villages of Tuban, the three villages of Legian, Seminyak, Basangkasa and now Petitenget, with hotels, resorts and restaurants virtually lining the length of the beach. It’s been fashionable for many years now to decry Kuta for its brashness, crassness and chaos, but the fact remains that the most cosmopolitan and interesting people are to be found here. Like it or not, this is 21st Century Bali, warts and all, without the sanitisation of the more planned areas. But even in central Kuta you can find quiet hotels and intimate restaurants, and while the beach may be crowded in pockets, most of it is virtually empty, even in peak season. This is where you will find the widest range of accommodation and the best shopping, from trinkets to well-priced designer wear to elegant homewares and exquisitely crafted furniture. You’ll also find the best variety of eating and nightlife: The beachside Hard Rock Café; the tired 24 hour Mamas; the noisy unsophisticated drinking holes such as Sari Club and Flanagans in Central Kuta; the earsplitting beachside 66 (Double Six) Disco; the trendy bars and restaurants of Seminyak; and the air-conditioned cigar bar of KuDeTa restaurant in Petitenget. Chaos and traffic notwithstanding, the Kuta area has it all. As the parts that make up the whole have their own distinct characteristics we list them going north/west along the beach from the airport. The divisions are not exact but close enough for our purposes.

Legian extends from The Legian Beach Hotel to Hotel Jayakarta on what is still known as Rum Jungle Road. All types of accommodation including villas are available, along with some good eating and a few interesting bars, most of which close by midnight. Legian is a quieter area with less traffic than either Kuta Central or Seminyak as it has its own one-way system leading in and out. The Beach hotels are separated from the actual beach by the new village-owned road, which is closed to traffic. Because of rocketing property values most expatriates have left this area for cheaper rents but you will still see untouristy things like westerners walking dogs and even one with a dog on his motorbike!

On the southeast Coast around 25 minutes from the airport is the site of Bali’s first luxury hotel, the multi-storied Grand Bali Beach. Thankfully a later law prohibiting buildings higher than palm tree level has kept the Bali skyline much as it was before the tourist boom. A white sand beach sheltered by the reef, Sanur probably has the safest swimming on the island and is also good for windsurfing and sailing. You’ll also find a wide variety of restaurants in the hotels, good outside eating and several interesting pubs. Sanur has retained its village atmosphere and tends to attract a more mature clientele and families, with most younger people preferring to stay in Kuta. Oddly enough though, Sanur also hosts the island’s red-light district, hidden in alleyways away from the hotel area! Sanur can be divided into 4 sub-districts: 1) The Grand Bali Beach Area 2) SINAHU - A classy area with good hotels on the beach, a boardwalk, an art market and good eating. 3) BATUJIMBA - Mainly villas belonging to the Indonesian elite and expatriates. 4) SENAWANG - South from the Bali Hyatt. Home to some pricey restaurants and the seedy red-light district.

Around 10 km south of the airport lies the international tourist enclave of Nusa Dua (meaning "two islands"). This purpose-built area is well planned and the site of beautiful top class hotels, with private beaches geared to the well-heeled and international conferences. The enclave is safe and manicured, with international restaurants at international prices. Though a tad sterile for many, Nusa Dua has its adherents and is a perfect place for those unhappy with the hustle and bustle associated with other areas.

The town of Ubud in the central foothills is set among rice paddies and ravines and still retains a relaxed pace and rural charm. Apart from its own attractions it is a good base for exploring some of the most historic sites (the “elephant cave” and 12th century reliefs at Gunung Kawi), trekking, bicycle riding and white water rafting. Ubud is also a town of painters. Accommodation and dining ranges from basic to world class (Princess Diana stayed here). Good food to suit all pockets.

The mountain village of Bedugul by Lake Bratan is on the main road connecting north and south Bali and is an interesting place to stay for a night or two, especially if you are a golfer as the renowned 18-hole Handara Golf Course is located here. Again the accommodation runs from basic to first class. At 1500m above sea level it can be chilly at night.

Tanah Lot is a famous rock formation off the Indonesian island of Bali. It is home of a famous pilgrimage temple, the Pura Tanah Lot and a popular picture motiv for tourists. History http://www.tanahlot.net Tanah Lot means "Land in the Middle of the sea" in Balinese language. Located about 20 km from Denpasar, the temple sits on a huge offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. Tanah Lot is said to be the work of the 15th century priest Nirartha. The story goes that during his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island’s beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods. The Tanah Lot temple was then built and has been an important part of Balinese mythological history for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. It was said that each of the sea temples was to be within eyesight of the next so that they formed a chain along the south-western coast. At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. There is said to be one giant snake which also protects the temple. It is believed that this snake was created from Nirartha’s scarf when he established the island. Restoration In 1980 the temple’s rock face was starting to crumble and the area around and inside the temple started to become dangerous.[citation needed] The Japanese government then provided a loan to the Indonesia government of Rp. 800 billion to conserve the historic temple and other beach locations around the island of Bali. As a result, over one third of the rock which can be seen is artificial rock created under the Japanese upgrade works. Tourism The area leading to Tanah Lot is highly commercialised and people are required to pay to enter the area. To reach the temple, visitors must walk through a carefully planned set of Balinese market-format souvenir shops which cover each side of the path down to the sea. On the mainland cliff tops, restaurants are built for the tourists to relax.So tanah lot is a beautiful place to visit. 8-P

Goa Gajah, ook wel Olifantsgrot genoemd, ligt ten oosten van Peliatan vlakbij Ubud in het midden van Bali. Goa Gajah dateert uit de 11e eeuw en is in 1922 ontdekt. De ingang van de grot bestaat uit een soort monsterlijk wezen met wijd open mond. De grot heeft een 13 meter lange gang die uitkomt op een T-splitsing. Aan het uiteinde van de linkergang staat een beeld (1 m hoog) van Ganesha met vier armen (de hindoegod met de olifantenkop). In de andere gang staan drie linga, die de manifestaties van Shiva voorstellen. Vlak voor de ingang staat een beeld van de boeddistische godin Hariti. Tegenover de grot ligt een fontein met zes vrouwenbeelden. Deze werd pas in 1954 blootgelegd door de archeoloog J.C. Krijgsman. Langs de grot loopt de rivier de Petanu. Opvallend is de mengelmoes van hindoeïstische en boeddistische elementen. Rond het jaar duizend moet de grot al gebruikt zijn door hindoes; waarschijnlijk daarvoor door boeddisten.

Nusa Penida is an island southeast of Bali island, Indonesia. Administratively, the island is a subdistrict of Klungkung regency. There are two small islands nearby: Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The Badung Strait separates the island and Bali. Diving sites Nusa Penida covers a wide area of diving locations. They are Penida Bay, Manta Point, Batu Meling, Batu Lumbung, Batu Abah, Toyapakeh and Malibu Point. The flow through the Lombok Strait is, overall, south-tending, although the strength and direction of the tidal streams are influenced by the monsoon seasons. During the southeast monsoons, the tidal flow tends south; during the northeast monsoons, the tidal flow tends north. In the area of the strait north of Nusa Penida, the pattern is relatively simple, with a flow, at peaktide, of about three-and-one-half knots. Tidal streams in Badung Strait are semi-diurnal, but the character of the stream is very complicated because its direction runs obliquely to the general south to north direction of Lombok Strait, and the channel has a curved shape. Toyapakeh Toyapakeh has a stretch of reefs, and in the southern part of the bay there is a similar area of rugged bommies, rich with color and fish. Big schools of fish, sea turtles, and occasionally Mola mola (sunfish) are highlight of Toyapakeh diving. Toyapakeh is special for its pillars of coral. Malibu Point Malibu Point is a diving site with gray reefs, reef white tips, silver-tips and numerous sharks. While Penida Bay is another anchorage, and the rocky islands have an interesting forms; something like an old resting elephant. The bay is vulnerable to swell, creating-up-and-down-currents. Then, Manta Point is a limestone rock off Pandan cafe. The swell is relatively strong. Nusa Penida/Lembongan Nusa Penida/Lembongan is a diving site with vast spread of coral reefs and good visibility. Big fishes are frequently observed at the area. Manta rays or sunfishes appear in the certain season. The site is also known of the very strong currents requiring divers some skills. Crystal Bay Crystal Bay is calmer than outer shore. There are schools of Anthias. A school of batfish comes around periodically. A bat cave is located nearby.

Mount Agung or Gunung Agung is a mountain in Bali. This stratovolcano is the highest point on the island. It dominates the surrounding area influencing the climate. The clouds come from the west and Agung takes their water so that the west is lush and green and the east dry and barren. Gunung Agung last erupted in 1963-64 and is still active, with a large and very deep crater which occasionally belches smoke and ash. From a distance, the mountain appears to be perfectly conical, despite the existence of the large crater. From the peak of the mountain, it is possible to see the peak of Mount Rinjani on the island of Lombok, although both mountains are frequently covered in cloud. The 1963-64 Eruption The lava flows missed, sometimes by mere yards, the Mother Temple of Besakih. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected. However, over 1,000 people were killed and a number of villages were destroyed in this eruption. Climbing the Mountain There are two routes up the mountain, one from Besakih which proceeds to a higher peak and starts at approximately 1100metres and another which commences higher from Pura Pasar Agung, on the southern slope of the mountain, near Selat and which is reputed to take 4 hours. There is no path between the two routes at the top. Cecilie Scott provides an account of the ascent from Pura Pasar Agung. The mountain can be seen from various directions in video, there is a well produced video of the climb from Pura Pasar Agung and a short video from the top above Besakih. Greg Slayden describes a climb from Besakih claimed to have taken a remarkable four and a half hours to the peak and Ken Taylor describes a climb that took much longer and which included getting lost. Guides are available in Besakih and the mountain can also be climbed without a guide. The climb from Besakih is quite tough. It is sometimes tackled as a single climb generally starting about 10.00pm for a dawn arrival at the peak and sometimes with an overnight camp about three quarters of the way up. It is far harder than the more popular Balinese climb up Gunung Batur. It is not a mountain that needs ropes and not quite high enough for altitude sickness but adverse weather conditions develop quickly and warm waterproof clothing is required and should be carried. There is no water available along the route. Proceed through the temple complex then continue on a path that travels continuously upwards on a steep narrow spur through open forest and jungle most of the way. There is little potential to get lost until the route opens up towards the top where the correct route doubles backwards. Many climbers miss this turn and continue up a small valley which can be climbed out of with some difficulty.