Bali country guide
Bali country guide
Visitors come to Bali for all kinds of reasons and the purpose of the visit will usually inform each person’s itinerary. Backpackers generally come to see Kuta and Legian, while golf tourists are here strictly for the greens. Other visitors make a pilgrimage to the fabled hill town of Ubud and its incredible art galleries, while others enjoy seeing Bali’s many Hindu temples. The natural attractions of Bali are innumerable, and there are dozens of volcanic mountains and foaming rivers to explore.
Kuta is Bali’s backpacker/tourist central – think Bangkok’s Kho Sanh Road, but bigger and by the beach. Endless hawker stalls selling sizzling snacks and fake DVDs line every nook and cranny of this bustling area and there are some large outfits like the Hark Rock Cafe and other mega nightclubs located here in Kuta. The vibe here is noisy, busy and runs long into the night. Mornings are quiet.
In the hills above Kuta, Ubud has grown into the second tourist centre of Bali, but has none of the frantic pace and craziness of Kuta. Ubud is famously a sleepy town famed for its art and crafts. International writing workshops are held here, and most of the resorts and hotels in Ubud cascade down the mountainside and offer breathtaking views and lovely morning mists.
The Monkey Forest is near Ubud and is an evergreen must-see for all visitors to Bali. Though the thousands of monkeys that live here are left to their own devices and live, technically, in the wild, they are so used to crowds of banana-wielding tourists that they will have no hesitation in approaching all and sundry and even going through bags and trouser pockets.
There are nine major Hindu temples in Bali, but literally thousands more smaller and personal temples scattered about the island. By far the most important temple in Bali in the Mother Temple which is located at the base of Mount Agung near the village of Besakih. This is a particularly massive temple and half day tours are the norm. Elsewhere, the temple Uluwatu at Pura Luhur Uluwatu is accessed by a popular dirt road and attracts a lot of visitors who have rented motor cycles for their visit to Bali.
Mount Agung is the biggest mountain in Bali and takes about three hours to ascend. It is an active volcano and the caldera and crater lake are very impressive. Guided tours operate around the clock but intrepid travellers can follow well-trodden paths to the summit.
Bali’s legendary beaches reach a peak at Jimbaran Bay on the north side of the island. The waters here are especially clear and generally safe for swimming at all times of the year. The beaches at Kuta and Legian are hectic and the water may seem dirty – it is clean, but the darker colour of Bali’s volcanic sand makes the water appear less clear.
Visitors with an interest in Bali’s turbulent recent past may want to visit the Bali Bomb Memorial in Kuta, on Jalan Legian. This memorial commemorates the 202 people who lost their lives in October 2002 when terrorists detonated two large bombs at popular Bali nightclubs which were packed with holiday makers at the time.
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