Taman Tirtagangga complex was built over 60 years ago by the final regional king who was clearly obsessed with water palaces and based this one on the Palace of Versailles in France; well, sort of. Named after the Ganges River in India, the palace was destroyed, like many other buildings in eastern Bali, during the eruption of Gunung Agung in 1963, but the gardens (not the palace) have been lovingly rebuilt. With fountains, statues and stepping stones across ponds choked with lotus flowers, Tirtagangga is much more of a garden than a collection of buildings, and more appealing than the other water palaces at Ujung and Semarapura. Tirtagangga is tranquil, superbly-maintained and often refreshingly empty, because tour groups just dash in and out during the middle of the day. The two spring-fed pools look inviting, but the water is quite cold and there’s no privacy, and the changing sheds are decrepit. The countryside, especially behind the Good Karma restaurant at the car park, is begging to be explored on foot but, of course, trails are designed for locals traversing between rice fields and villages and not for hiking. (See Best Walks on page 114 for more details.) Tirtagangga is somewhere to linger, not rush; a place to soak up the fresh, cool air and admire the views of Agung and, sometimes, Rinjani volcano on Lombok. Better still, stay at a home-stay nearby or at the magnificent Tirtu Ayu Hotel (see Best Hotels on page 78) inside the gardens. At least, stay for lunch and/or the stupendous sunset.
Times Daily 8am–6pm Dress A sign asks visitors to “dress appropriately.” If swimming, please dress modestly: not in Kuta-kini swimwear. Getting There Along the road between Amlapura and Culik. Go on an organized tour; take a bemo between Amlapura and Abang or Culik; or by Perama shuttle bus from Padangbai or Candidasa (minimum of two) Also nearby Tenganan, and the east coast road between Ujung and Amed
8 Cycling on Nusa Lembongan Island Discover what Bali must’ve been like fifty years ago
Although located between the southern beaches of Bali and Gili Trawangan, Nusa Lembongan is like neither: there are no mini-marts or nightclubs; not even a post office. And there are no cars, so with the perfect combination of (mostly) paved and flat roads, and zero traffic, it’s ideal for cycling—although a mountain bike and heavy-duty leg muscles are needed for the hilly interior. Start your trip from Jungutbatu, where bikes can be rented from shops and guesthouses. A flat road (1.2km/0.75 miles) passes through Jungutbatu village and beach before becoming progressively pot-holed as it leads (2.2km/1.3 miles) to Mangrove Beach. Along the way you’ll pass seaweed farms and often need to stop to “ooh” and “aah” at the jaw-dropping double-layered views of the volcanoes on the Bali mainland. Mangrove Beach is a dead end, so go back (1.4km/0.86 miles) to the obvious and only turn-off and follow the flat road (4.8km/3 miles) south through the uninhabitable man-grove forest—which is even more eerie at high tide—as far as the next T-junction. You now have three options: (1) pedal across the island to Jungutbatu (1.8km/1.1 miles) along a road that’s steepish in both directions, but doable; (2) head back (4.2km/2.6 miles) to the shortcut (at the new bale meeting hall) which leads back to the road that passes Jungutbatu beach; or (3) continue for a hilly, but not too steep, 3.4km (2.1 miles) to Lembongan village. If you choose option three, you can then detour across the rickety suspension bridge to Nusa Ceningan and stop for sweeping views of the remarkable harbor clogged with seaweed farms. From the T-junction in Lembongan village, it’s a flat 1.2km (0.75 miles) to Dream, Sunset, or Mushroom beaches. Otherwise, complete the Lembongan loop back to Jungutbatu along a road that is Tour-de France-steep heading in the other direction, but surprisingly manageable going north.
Getting There Refer to page 62 for details about boats to/from Bali Tip To avoid the steep bits, stick to the road between Jungutbatu and Mangrove Beach, and the one through the man-grove forest along the east coast.
9 Ubud’s Taman Saraswati Dances Bali’s best dance performances are in a temple in Ubud
One of the “toughest” decisions you’ll have to make is which of the multitude of traditional dances to attend—and where. A leaflet from the tourist office in Ubud lists 13 types of performances held at 18 different locations. (Refer to Best Dance Performances on pages 110–11 for more information about what to see.) But unless you’re an aficionado of Balinese dance and music, you’ll probably be more interested in the where than the which, and no setting in Ubud, and probably the rest of Bali, is more delightful for a traditional performance than Pura Taman Saraswati. The temple’s location is not only elegant but also convenient, and the audience can sit comfortably close to the stage with the pond behind and the temple as a backdrop. Built 60 years ago and dedicated to the Goddess of the Arts, the temple is renowned for the pond choked with lotus flowers, so it’s often called the “Lotus Pond Open Stage.” The gardens and pond can be visited during the day but only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. Otherwise, you can admire the whole complex, and enjoy the serenity only meters from the comparative chaos outside, at the attached Café Lotus or the amazingly congruous Starbucks. (Diners at Café Lotus can watch a traditional dance from the restaurant, but only patrons in the front row will be charged for a ticket.) Taman Saraswati hosts a Janger Dance (Sunday); Women’s Gamelan & Children’s Dance (Tuesday); Barong & Children’s Dance (Thursday); and a bright, enthusiastic combination including a Legong dance on Saturday.
Times One hour (7.30–8.30pm) Cost Rp80,000 (fixed price); no reserved seating Address Jalan Raya Ubud Dress As you wish Tip Patrons in the first few rows may be invited to join a dance at the end! Add in Dinner at Café Lotus or an après-show drink at the Jazz Café Tebesaya
10 Rice Terraces at Jatiluwih An indescribable amphitheater of cascading rice fields
Words cannot describe the sheer beauty of the rice field terraces at Jatiluwih, where emerald-green amphitheaters cascade down the slopes under the omnipotent glare of four volcanoes, including Bali’s second highest, Gunung Batukau (2,271m/7,450ft). You’ll be stopping every 3.6 seconds to take photos, marvel at the skills required to tend and harvest the padi fields, and wonder how they were even chiselled from the rocky landscape centuries ago. It’s so extraordinary that UNESCO has recognized the area for its beauty and the ancient methods of growing, harvesting and irrigating the rice. Much of it is padi Bali, a taller and more nutritious variety of rice that only grows once a year. The area is now a popular stopover for the rash of eco-buggy-nature-cycling-adventure-trekking companies that have blossomed unabated in recent years. But the rice fields are not designed for hiking, although opposite the Warung Teras Subak café a walking trail has been created along a ridge providing astonishing 360-degree views. The road that weaves alongside the rice fields is about 4km (2.5 miles) long, starting from Warung Jatiluwih, the first of the buffet restaurants, to the last, Billy’s Terrace Café, which also offers the best views. Few venture onwards along the atrocious road to Pura Luhur Batukau, one of Bali’s most revered temples high on the slopes of Batukau (see page 54). Inevitably, there are plenty of places to stop, eat, and admire the views, as well as a few homestays.
Address There’s a turn-off at Baturiti, along the road between Denpasar and Candikuning/Bedugul, but it’s probably more convenient from the road starting at the “Corn Cob Statue” in Candikuning. Always follow signs to “Senganan” and “Jatiluwih 259” (the name of the road). Getting There There’s no public transport, but it is included on some organized tours. Otherwise, charter an ojek (motorbike taxi) from Candikuning. Tip Bring a jumper and wet weather gear in case Also nearby Bedugul, and the temple at Lake Bratan
11 Ubud’s Monkey Forest Eerie temples, forest walks, and cheeky primates
