Kintamani
A trip to the Kintamani volcano will take you to one of Bali's most famous attractions and you will get a fabulous look at the countryside of Bali and its unique culture.
On your way to the volcano, you can stop to see traditional Barong and Kris dance.
As you pass through Celuk village, you can visit a gold and silver smith, and there are woodcarvers at Mas or Kemenuh villages.
On the way up, you can see the mysterious 11th century elephant caves temple (Goa Gajah) and drive up to the village of Tampak Siring to see Gunung Kawi temple.
The village of Seribatu has a lovely the spice garden where you can stop and enjoy lunch or continue on to Kintamani. Along the way back you will also see some beautiful terraced rice fields and can explore the Ubud monkey forest.
Bedugul.
Heading first to Pacung, stopping at the Candi Kuning markets, these are wonderful for spices and pashminas in particular. The stalls are predominately Islamic and there are many Muslim food stalls around and so it's interesting. I like to visit a little Balinese lady in the middle of these markets just in front of the spices. Look for the temples in the stalls to find the Balinese.
Have bought different things from these markets, gold threaded checked fabrics for outdoor tablecloths.
Beautiful pashminas. Lovely spices and cashews (to eat in Bali).
Also in these markets are western built toilets. Crackers bar and loos.
Can have a drink at the bar (with your cashews) or a meal there at the top deck restaurant.
It takes about 1 1/4 hours to get here from Kuta.
Moving on another 15 minutes you arrive to Lake Bratan and it is usually very misty. It is cooler in these parts of Bali as you have entered the mountain area.There is a magnificent looking temple on the lake and you are walking around through beautiful gardens.
There is a small section of markets there of course.
Sometimes you will see the man with the "creatures" in these gardens. Python, Birds, Mongoose, Bats and Iguanas. You can pay a small amount and ask them to take photos with your camera. If you can't see him, ask someone.
Just up the main road on the opposite side to the lake is a place called The Strawberry stop. Has the most yummy strawberry pancakes and milkshakes.
It also has beautiful gardens of which the tables and chairs are in and you can enjoy your food as well as the gardens and backdrops.
If you travel up the road further....maybe another 10 minutes or so, there are monkeys on the side of the road. There is a little lady there that sells you bananas to feed them.
The views over the cliff are stunning. If you keep going, you drive through the mountains and when you come out the other side you are not too far from Singaraja and Lovina........but this makes it much too far for a day trip. So turn around after the monkeys and head back.
If you have time, there is the Bali Treetops adventure park in the Botanical Gardens in Bedugul, particularly good for the young or young at heart.
If you are a golfer, then there is Handara Kosiedo golf course in Bedugal also. You could play 9 holes rather than 18.
Take notice on the way up to this area, there are often things you will see on the side of the road and beautiful scenery.
Located on one of the many winding turns is the ruins of a large mountain resort, set amongst what is now sprawling, overgrown gardens. According to locals, this place was built "a long time ago", complete with ballrooms and set on a cliff. It got to the opening stage....complete with beds, however the owners went broke and it never opened.
Most drivers know this place, and as it is now abandoned, you may stop and wander up the driveway past the chain and have a look. Beware of slippery moss and puddles which may have formed during rains. There are unfettered views from the hotel rooms which are definitely worthwhile. It is strangely peaceful and quiet up there, however, you may leave feeling a little melancholy at the grandness of a vision that never came true and the reality of what it is now.
This is an easy day trip.
Whinnie's Bedugul trip
A favourite trip . Will just add that the Candi Kuning Markets are one of only a few places where you can buy dried jack fruit by the packet. A really nice snack, a real favourite.
As an alternative route to get there, start out at Tanah Lot and drive up via the Jatiluwih Rice terraces, it does add a bit of time to the trip but the payback is some amazingly different landscapes.
Bedugul trip
the trip you described to Bedugul with a detour to Tanah lot on the way back. highly recommend the treetops adventures. So much fun.
Candidasa
Do a day trip Up to Candidasa, stop at Goa Lawah (the bat caves) on the way then pull into Padangbai and have a look.
Have a snorkel at Blue Lagoon. You can use your own gear or hire theirs. Allow maybe an hour.
Have lunch at Candidasa at Vincent's, Balissa or even Le 48 which is getting very good reviews.
A stretch of your legs after lunch along the beach or down the laneways and then if time allows on to Tirtagangga Water Palace. This is another 10 to 15 minuites on. This will be a long day but doable..
Sanur
Head over to Sanur mid morning for a look at the Beatles museum.
Take a wander down the main road Jalan Tamblingan stopping at anything that takes your fancy in the way of shops, Hardy's etc.
Look at the Bonsai gardens at the back of Bonsai cafe.
Walk to the left of Bonsai and go along the beach until you find Benno's. Enjoy a yummy lunch on the beach.
Walk down to Tootsies and Jenis in the strip of market shops in front of Benno's....3/4 of way down on the right hand side. Shop 28 snd 29. Fixed price, no haggling.
Hire a bike and cycle along the beach path and when you get down further, you will find near Sindhu beach hotel Tootsies other shop...another fixed price. And her Warung there also if you need a drink.
When you have come back from cycling, have a massage from Jeffrey and “her” friends under the trees next to Benno's. About 40 or 50 000rp. She says there are too many made’s so she goes by her sons name.
Bukit
One favourite day trip is to the Bukit area stopping first at the beautiful Padang Padang beach. The beach and water here are fantastic and the shorebreak is usually calm so it's a great place to swim. There are several warungs so you can eat and drink. The walk back up the stairs can be a killer, so don't go in the middle of the day. From Padang continue on to the famous surf spot of Uluwatu where you will see world-class waves and lots of talented surfers. Head down the cliff, past all the warungs and go down a steep set of concrete stairs (be careful there is no railing) into the cave where surfers have to paddle out of to get to the break. This is a great place to take photos. Head back up the stairs and choose a warung to sit at, order a fresh fruit juice, banana pancake, jaffle or nasi goreng and enjoy the incredible view of one of the most spectacular coastlines on the island. You can make this a half-day or full day tour.
Ubud
Would go via Tegallalang, about 15 minutes from ubud but about 5 kilometers of fabulously cheap homewares and shopping and you will often meet the artisans that made them. Walk up one side and down the other hopping into the vehicle when you want to skip a few. it is worth noting not to do Tegallalang on a Sunday as much of it is closed.
Would then go to Cafe Wayan and Bakery for lunch. Beautiful gardens and food and staff and cheap.
would then visit the monkey forest after lunch, they tend to be fuller by then and so less naughty. Do keep your bags zipped up and do not feed them. The trees in there are amazing and so many babies to awwww at.
Would then go down to Murnies Warung by the campujhan bridge and sit on the 4th level for a drink.
If you are interested in going to the Birthing centre…can take bunny rugs, bras etc then all are welcome....
Here are some rough directions from the Ubud market. With the market on your right you continue along Jl Raya Ubud and turn right into Jl Hanoman. Continue down this one way road, pass Dirty Duck and Monkey Forest Rd turnoff, pass new Siam Sally on left, entrance to Tegal Sari on right, wind around, pass service station on your left, then take next turn right. Go down under the dip, wind up and you will see road on your right, one way street, do not enter. Next road on right, opposite Spirit Hotel, turn right. Sign indicates Laka Leke restaurant. This road is one way and starts and ends on main road in the Nyuh Kuning village. Drive in and around to exit road and the centre is boldly on your right, not far back up to the main road.)
Another option for Ubud
Go to Taro Elephant park or the Zoo or the Bird park in the morning.
Come down to ubud for lunch, maybe by the campujhan bridge at Murnies warung (4th level) or anywhere really, there are loads of wonderful places and then wander around the streets just investigating.
Ubud
Would suggest going to an art gallery and would suggest ARMA. It's a series of buildings with lovely gardens so if you have kids they could play outside if they didn't want to see the exhibits. There's also a nice cafe there.
If you are into health food and simple ambience, Sari Organiks is another lunch place you could consider. It's a beautiful 15 min walk through rice fields and has the same view as Indus, but from the other side of the gorge. The track starts near the Pura Dalem at the west end of Jalan Raya. There's a carpark where your driver can wait or you could take him with you if you get on well.
Would spend your shopping hour on the road to Tegallalang (not on a Sunday). It is lined with kilometers of little shops that sell the sorts of handicrafts, homewares etc that get exported. They generally offer good prices and with a little bit of bargaining you can pick up wonderful things, and often see them being made.
If you want a scenic drive there, get the driver to take you up J. Sukma (next to the Palace) through Bentuyung and Junjungan. You'll meet the Tegallalang road (Handicraft Highway) and can then go shopping on your way to the 'classic' ricefield view. There is a little road to the right just past there that goes to a village called Sebatu, about 15 mins further north. You see the most amazing wood carvings being done up there, and there is a really beautiful temple there, not many tourists go. Take sarongs and wear modest tops, it's a real temple and it's respectful. And stay into the evening for a dance show.
Itinerary, coming in from the south (Legian area for example) is... ARMA for your first stop so you get your art dose. Swing by the Monkey Forest, leave if you don't like it. Don't shop on Monkey Forest Rd, it's very touristic. Go to Sari Organics or Indus for an early lunch, then head via Bentuyung/Junjungan to Handicraft Highway for a shop/look/stroll. Your driver can meet you up the road or shadow you. Head up past the Tegallalang to stop in at Dewa's cafe for coffee. Which is just at the intersection to Sebatu. Nice view, simple place, without hawkers.
Go up to Sebatu, spend some time at the temple then back onto the Tegallalang road (afternoon photos) and back into Ubud. You could stop again for another shop if see something interesting (you will!). Get your driver to drop you off at the Post Office and wander around the older back streets of Ubud, Jalan Jembawan area. Walk to whatever dance you've chosen to go to (there's about 9 a night, info from the Tourist Info Centre but your driver for sure will know if he's a professional). You can buy tickets at the door and they are great. Or your driver can choose and buy them for you. Finished by 9 and back home after a snack somewhere.
Denpasar (A shopping trip)
DENPASAR for the day....
Local department stores and cheap shopping; It is not where a lot of tourists go and is about half an hour away but well worth the trip. Take a driver for a half day (200 000) or a full day (400 000). He will store your packages in the car.
Ramayana department store……
Tiara Dewata department store...
Robinsons department store……
Mataharis department store.
Lunch in KFC at the bottom of Mataharis or at the top of Ramayanas is a food court.
There are markets in Denpasar also (bargain hard)
If you need a watch repaired or want to buy a good watch then there is a watch shop opposite Ramayana store called Toko Arloji Bali Permai 0361 262691, usually need 4 days to fix and you will have to go back and pick up, but ¼ of the price of what it costs at home.
Fixed price shop Erlangga 1 Denpasar fixed price shop U.D Erlangga 1(original and best)
Jl Nusa Kambangan No 28B Denpasar ph -0361 221 1281
Some examples of shopping there include; Glitter thongs 10,000 each, Batik sheet sets at 90,000 each (king size) "Bali t-shirts" for 12,500 each, Batik shorts n shirt set 22,000, Ikat "blankets" for 65,000 each. Heaps of things jewellery, paintings, woodcarvings, anything you can think of.
Nusa Lembongan
Another memorable day is a day to Nusa Lembongan with snorkelling on the reef, a buffet lunch, banana boat ride a visit to the seaweed drying area and down into an underground limestone house (not great for claustrophobics) then cocktails and dancing on the way back. There is time whilst on the ocean to have a little explore and lie around in the resorts hamocks and use their pool. There are two parts to this day and you choose which one you want, the alternative is not to go ashore, but stay on a floating pontoon, with slides into the ocean. This more about watersports than seeing the island.
West Bali National Park
Some published maps show the national park as extending a great deal further, but in reality the park is encircled by forest that comes under the jurisdiction of the provincial forestry department. Just a fraction of the national park is open to the public and its biggest attraction by far is Menjangan Island (Deer Island), whose spectacular coral reefs draw snorkellers and divers from all over Bali. On dry land, encroachment and illegal tree feeling has degraded some of the forest and the handful of rarely trekked trails are only worth it for the reasonably rewarding bird watching, though you can also take a boat trip through the shoreline mangroves. Grey macaques live in the roadside forests and can often be seen waiting for titbits from passing drivers. Feel free to send your inquiry to get the Nature Tour in Bali or Java (Francophone).
West Bali The south coast
The road from Seririt to th south coast commands some breathtakingly lovely views as it crosses throught the mountains, rice-growing valleys and small hilltop villages of Bali's central spine. Seven kilometers south of Seririt the road branches southeast for Mayong and Danau Tamblingan. On the southbound road, the first great viewpoint comes 12 Km south of Seririt, ater Busung Biu, where you can stop in a lay by to admire the vista of rice terraces tumbling down into the valley, framed by the peaks of Mount Batukaru to the southeast. The road divides at the village of PUPUAN, 22 Km south of Seririt, the site of a hundred metre high waterfall called Blahmantung. Despite the height, the falls are less than spectacular, only rally worth visiting in February or March when water levels are high from several months of rain. The 1.7 Km long access road is steep and rutted, signed just beyond the southernmost limit of Pupuan; you can walk it in about half an hour.
The clear, shallow water between Labuan Lalang and Pulau Menjangan is protected from excessive winds and strong currents by the Prapat Agung peninsula, and its reefs are mostly in good health, not least because patrols by national park officials and local dive operators has helped put a stop to the highly destructive practice of dynamite fishing. The reefs form a band 100 m to 150 m around the coastline, offering seven different dive sites, with drop-offs of 40 m to 60 m, first class wall dives, and superb visibility ranging from 15 m to 50 m. Two of these sites, off the southeastern corner of the island, offer outstanding snorkelling: at Pos II, the extensive reef wall drops down around 50 m but tops out very near the surface and is a phenomenally rich trove of sea fans and soft and hard corals visited by masses of reef fish, parrot fish, clams, nudibranchs and all manner of other reef dwellers. At nearby Cave Point, the reef features lots of nooks and crannies, some of which are accessible to snorkellers. Elsewhere, in among the expansive sea fans, enormous barrel sponges and black tree corals so distinctive of this are, the reefs teem with yellowback fusiliers, puffer fish, barracuda and silvery jacks. There's also an old shipwreck lying 45 m deep off the western tip of the island, frequented by sharks and rays as well as by Moorish idols, sweetlips and snappers. It's a small prahu, known as the "Angker", but is rarely visited because it's too deep for normal PADI divers. The shipwreck's anchor is only about 6 m deep, and features on some dive excursions, but is some way from the ship itself.