Bali : What You Can See & Do

What You Can See & Do in Bali, Indonesia

Bali’s natural attractions include miles of sandy beaches (many are well-known amongst surfers), picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 3,000 meters (10,000 ft.) high, fast flowing rivers, deep ravines, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves, and lush tropical forests full of exotic wildlife.
The island’s rich cultural heritage is visible everywhere – in over 20,000 temples and palaces, in many colorful festivals and ceremonies (including tooth filings and cremations), in drama, music, and dance.

You can experience Bali on many different excursions and guided tours by coach, private car or "Big Bike", by boat or by air plane: seeing Bali’s beaches and rice terraces, the famous Besakih Temple on the slopes of holy Mount Agung, Lake Batur and it’s active volcano, Ubud, Legian, Kuta, Nusa Dua, and the temples of Tanah Lot and Ulu Watu from a helicopter is a really special experience.
Most full day tours by car (about 8 to 10 hours, min 2 persons) cost about US$45 to US$50 per person, half day tours US$30 to US$35. These prices include a multi-lingual guide and transport in an air-conditioned private car, all entrance fees, but no meals. Which guide and driver you choose can make or break your day: be warned that those who offer very low prices tend to waste your time by showing you hardly any more than those shops which pay them a commission on your purchases.

Kintamani Volcano Tour: The first stop is often in the village of Batubulan to watch a performance of the Barong and Kris Dance. Afterwards you visit the villages of Celuk (silver jewelry) and Mas (wood carving) to see Balinese artisans at work. Ubud, Bali’s cultural center, has grown to a busy town with numerous Balinese art galleries and shops. A scenic drive over small roads overlooking beautiful rice terraces brings you to the mountain village of Kintamani (about 5,000 feet above the sea) which offers spectacular views of Lake Batur and the volcano. You can cross the crater lake below the still active Mount Batur and visit the "Bali Aga" village of Trunyan. Return through traditional villages with stops in Tampaksiring to visit the temple of Tirta Empul, and to visit the Elephant Cave "Goa Gajah", a hermitage from the 11th. century used by both Buddhists and Hindus.

The "Mother Temple" and East Bali Tour: Drive to Besakih through various villages visiting on the way a weaving factory, see the famous painted ceiling at the old "Palace of Justice" in Klungkung, and visit the school of painting in Kamasan. The "Mother Temple" in Besakih is Bali’s most holy and Indonesia’s biggest Hindu temple. It was build in the 11th. Century in an altitude of 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) on the slopes of Mount Agung. You pass picturesque rice terraces on the way to the walled "Bali Aga" village of Tenganan, and continue to Candi Dasa on the East coast. On the way back it’s recommended to stop at the famous Bat Cave "Goa Lawah" with thousands of bats hanging from the walls.

Bedugul Tour: After a stop in Sangeh to visit its holy forest inhabited by wild monkeys, drive up into the mountains to Lake Bratan (1,200 meters above sea level) and the picturesque water temple Ulun Danu. Visit the busy flower, fruit and spice market in Candikuning where most of Bali’s vegetables come from. Drive back through small country roads, villages and rice fields, with a stop in an artisan village specializing in gold threaded textiles (Ikat) worn during important ceremonies.

North Bali Tour: Drive the scenic road via Pupuan through the mountains to Bali’s North coast. You’ll enjoy beautiful views of picturesque rice terraces, and large plantations growing vanilla, chocolate, coffee, cloves, and even wine grapes. Near the village of Banjar is a popular hot spring where you can take a bath in the natural pond. After a lunch on the black beach in Lovina you pass the old capital of Singaraja on the way to Git Git, famous for its multi-tier water fall. Return over back roads to see the unspoiled Bali. (This tour can be combined with the visit to Bedugul.)

Monkey Forest & Tanah Lot Tour: Visit the royal Taman Ayun temple in Mengwi (built in 1624), the holy monkey forest near Sangeh, and famous Tanah Lot. This picturesque Balinese temple was built in the 16th. Century on a huge rock 100 yards off Bali’s West coast and is surrounded by the sea during high tides. Spectacular sight, however, spoiled by thousands of tourists visiting every day during sunset. To avoid these, enjoy the view from the lobby of the nearby Le Meridien Nirvana Resort.

Handicraft Villages & Ubud Tour: Visit the artisan villages of Batubulan (stone carving), Celuk (silver & gold jewelry), Mas (wood carving), and Pengosekan (painting). Stop at the "Bali Art Market" in Sukawati to bargain for all kinds of handicrafts and textiles. Already in the 1930s Ubud had been made famous around the world as Bali’s cultural center by the German intellectual Walter Spies, the Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet and other foreign artists who’d made it their home. Today Ubud is a fast growing town with numerous art galleries and shops offering paintings, wood carvings, textiles, and all kinds of souvenirs. Don’t miss the MUSEUM PURI LUKISAN in the center of Ubud, the NEKA MUSEUM in Campuhan, the NEKA GALLERY in Ubud, the AGUNG RAI GALLERY in Peliatan, and the AGUNG RAI MUSEUM in Pengosekan to see the difference between creative art and more commercial products. Problem is that when you see their "Permanent Collections" at many "Galleries" you’ve seen real art, and when you return to their show rooms you don’t like any of the very commercial products any more. The SENIWATI GALLERY – ART BY WOMEN, founded in 1991 by Mary Northmore (the very personable wife of famous painter Abdul Azis) to help Balinese women to be accepted as artists, is a place you should not miss whatever you do. The main purpose of this Bali art gallery is to expose the long understated brilliance of independent women artists resident in Bali, and to motivate, train, and encourage young Balinese girls with obvious creative gifts. Visit also the BLUE MOON STUDIO and GALLERY, founded in 1994 with an emphasis on exhibiting contemporary artists. The LOTUS CAFE is perhaps the most popular meeting point in town and has become kind of an institution, and MURNI’S as well as the BRIDGE CAFE offer tasty snacks and full meals in very pleasant surroundings and at reasonable prices. For other interesting restaurants please visit Restaurants in Ubud. The various Balinese dance and Wayang Kulit performances (see below) in Ubud and in nearby villages are worth spending the early evening there.

BALI MUSEUMS & ART EXHIBITIONS

Denpasar

• Bali Museum
  Jalan Letkol Wisnu, Denpasar
  Open daily from 8 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. except Mondays.
• Danes Art Veranda
  Jalan Hayam Wuruk 159, Denpasar. Tel. 250 037
  Local and regional artists, rotating exhibitions.
• Museum of Archeology
  Jalan Letkol Wisnu, Denpasar
  Open daily from 8 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. except Mondays.
• Taman Budaya Cultural Center
  Jalan Nusa Indah, Denpasar.
  Open daily from 8 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. except holidays.

Kuta/Legian/Seminyak

• Randelli Gallery
  Jalan Raya Seminyak, Seminyak.
  Contemporary mix of pop, figurative and abstact art by young established artists both international and local.

Sanur

• Museum Le Mayeur
  Jalan Hang Tuah, Sanur
  Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Fridays.

Jimbaran/Tanjung Benoa/Nusa Dua

• Ganesha Gallery
  Four Seasons Hotel, Jimbaran. Tel. 0361-701 010
  Features local and international artists based in Indonesia often very high profile. Frequent happenings.
• Jenggala Keramik Bali
  Jalan Uluwatu II, Jimbaran. Tel. 0361-703 311
  description here

Ubud

• Agung Rai Museum of Art
  Jalan Pengosekan, Peliatan, Ubud.
  Open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 6 p.m. except holidays.
• Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA)
  Jalan Bima, Pangosekan, Ubud. Tel. 0361-974 228
  One of the most distinguished galeries in Bali, where you can see works of some Bali’s celebrated names like Spies, Bonnet, Hofker and Affandi. They also hold high profile events such as national art competitions and rotating exhibitions.
• Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum
  Jalan Raya Campuhan, Ubud. Tel. 0361-975 502
  Dedicated to the life and work of famed Philippino artists Antonio Blanco, the space includes his original studio, gardens and family temple.
• Bamboo Gallery
  Nyuhkuning, Pengosekan, Ubud.
  Open from Monday to Friday 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
• Blue Moon Gallery
  Jalan Tirta Tawar, Banjar Kutuh Kaja, Ubud.
  900 meters north of Ubud’s main road, and Studio Blue Moon, Ubud main road at Jalan Sriwedari
  Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, specializing in exhibitions featuring emerging contemporary artists.
• Gaya Fusion of Senses
  Jalan Raya Sayan, Ubud. Tel. 0361-979 252
  High concept space featuring major exhibiton by both international and local artists featuring contemporary art, paintings, performace, installations and sculptures. A real center for the arts.
• Komaneka Gallery:
  Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud. Tel. 0361-976 090
  A fine art gallery that focuses on young mainly local artists with higher education in the arts, who may have studios abroad.
• Low Art Gallery
  Jalan Raya Ubud No. 8, Ubud. Tel 081 338 565962
  Recently opened gallery specializing in the kitsch and the retro. Includes substantial collection of old movie posters and all kinds of weird and wonderful art.
• Neka Museum
  Jalan Raya Campuhan, Ubud.
  Open daily 8.00 to 5.00 p.m. except holidays.
• Museum Puri Lukisan
  Jalan Raya Ubud, Ubud.
  Open daily 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. except holidays.
• Rudana Museum
  Peliatan, Teges, Ubud. Tel. 0361-975 779
  Boasts an excellent collection of Balinese and other Indonesian fine arts by the likes of I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Affandi, Supono and Antonio Blanco.
• Sika Contemporary Art Gallery
  Jalan Raya Campuhan, Ubud. Tel. 0361-975 727
  Provides a venue for young creative artists, both local and itnernational. Holds regular temproary exhibitions and events.
• Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women
  Jalan Sriwidari 2B, Ubud. Tel. 0361-975 485
  Seniwati supports and showcases women artists and also houses a shop where crafts can be bought, some of them by artists who exhibit in the gallery.

Others:
For exhibitions and other events such as high-tech Wayang Kulit performances in Ubud, concerts, Western theater performances, bull racing in Tabanan, etc. as well as the daily movie programs, please see the daily "Bali Post" newspaper and the Friday edition of the English language "Jakarta Post" for details.