Tabanan Region

Tabanan, synonymous with rice, has vast expanses of terraced rice fields. But there are also historically important towns that are centres for music, dance and religion, and the mountain sanctuary of Pura Luhur Batukau, an ancestral temple still maintained by descendants of Bali’s royalty.

The fertile plains of the Tabanan region were once home to the powerful Mengwi kingdom, which emerged around 1700 after the fall of Gelgel. At one time, it controlled Bukit Badung in the south and areas as far away as east Java. Mengwi rule ended in 1891 when it was defeated by its neighbours, and its realm divided between Tabanan and Badung. Unlike the kings of Gianyar, Bangli and Karangasem to the east, the raja of Tabanan had no agreement with the Dutch. In 1906, the Dutch took control of his land, which was later distributed among the villages in the area. Rice was the choice of crop, and Tabanan today is known as the Rice Basket of Bali. Continue reading →

Remote west Bali sees few visitors because attractions are so widespread. Those who make the trek west will be amply rewarded with vineyards heavy with bunches of grapes, dramatic windswept coastal temples, isolated Christian communities, some of Bali’s best diving and a massive national park.

Travellers fed up with the congested roads of southern Bali will greet the seemingly empty roads of western Bali with euphoria. Not only are there fewer vehicles, but also fewer people here. A national park, a refuge for endangered wildlife, takes up much of this part of the island, while black sand beaches mostly unprotected by offshore reefs along the southwest coast are usually empty except for diehard surfers. This is the region called Jembrana, Bali’s ‘wild west” that once was home to the island’s earliest prehistoric inhabitants. Hindu high priests and aristocrats from Java first stepped foot on this part of Bali to spread the faith or lay claim to the island. Over the centuries, migrants from more populated areas in Bali, Java, Madura, Sulawesi and even distant Malaysia established communities here. This ethnically, culturally and geographically diverse area offers surprises to visitors who rake the effort to explore this region. Continue reading →

North Bali is almost a world unto itself in terms of its people, terrain and architecture. You can linger at the peaceful coastal resort of Lovina or head inland to the foot of lofty mountains where the cool highlands are speckled with waterfalls, serene lakes and temples, and coffee, clove and vanilla estates.

Geographically separated by a chain of towering volcanoes running from west to east across Bali, the northern part of the istand is not only physically different from the south but has also developed a distinctive character over time. For centuries, the coastal communities of the north participated in the trade that traversed the mlin Java Sea. The Dutch, too, conquered this part of Bali first in 1849, before moving south. All these have exposed the Balinese population to outside influences, making them much more cosmopolitan as a result. Continue reading →

East Bali

In the Balinese world view, the east is an auspicious direction. Not surprisingly, Bali’s pre-eminent temple, Pura Besakih, is here. Vestiges of a former grandeur such as the palace remnants at Taman Gili – remain, and there are startling black sand beaches with hundreds of fishing outriggers moored onshore.

Neither as developed nor as rich as the southern part of the island, the eastern side of Bali has a different ambience defined by its lava-strewn landscapes and high, bare hills ribbed with ancient rice terraces. Partly hidden by the eastern coastal ranges is the colossal cone of the active volcano Gunung Agung, which at 3,014 metres (9,796 ft) high, dominates this drier, sparser side of Bali. The coastal strip along the eastern shore lined with fishing and salt-making villages and black sand beaches has become a tourist destination in its own right. Unfortunately, the gathering of coral to make lime for local construction has irreparably damaged some of the reefs and led to the erosion of many beaches. Further inland, a few villages, set in lush valleys, still retain their archaic traditions. Continue reading →