Bali The Full Circle


"Once upon a time, the earth was walked by hearty travelers. With endless time on their hands, they set out into the unknown, enjoying the journey more than the destination. Some never came back, those who did were changed forever."

In 2009 two good mates from Melbourne Australia decided to travel around the Island of Bali on their motor bikes and explore some of the less known destinations of Bali.
Both Nick and I have been to Indonesia several times and thought that we knew the island of Bali very well, but this trip was to prove us wrong. This is a photo compilation of breathtaking places, off the tourist track and some of the places we stopped along the way that will show you a Bali that you have never seen before. Traveling around the island on a bike is probably the best way to enjoy the scenery and experience firsthand the great people of the Balinese country side, which makes Bali what it is.
1. First Day Legian


Legian was our starting point where we acquired our bikes and where we spent our first night to prepare for our journey. Legian a bit less dense than Kuta, this area has good accommodations on the roads that run between Jl Seminyak (The main north-south axis) and the beach, most of them in the middle to high-end price range.


We stayed overnight at the "Casa Padma" deluxe suite.




2. Soka

The coast from Soka Beach to Lahanglingggah has endless beaches with grey sand and gorgeous waves .Swimming is hazardous as the surf and the current are strong. You will find the Goa Lawah (“The Bat Cave") hidden on the shore just west of Soka Beach. From the entrance of Soka Beach, you can walk 200m on the main Tabanan-Gilimanuk highway, passing two small bridges along the way. On the beach side, look for Pura Luhur Srinjong sign-board and follow the path to the temple - The temple itself is open only for religious activities. We were lucky enough to be their during the Nyepi festivities and managed to get some great photos of the Pre-Nyepi purification day celebrations.

Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isaawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar (in 2012, it fell on March 23rd). It is a Hindu celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Nyepi, a Government holiday in Indonesia, is a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New year.


Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalan, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.


Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.


On the day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together.



3. Negara


Few travellers stay in Negara, except in August when the town springs to life for the annual bull race (Mekepung). Many warungs and restaurants along the road offer various types of Indonesian food.This is your chance to taste the hot Chili curries and padang cuisine, originally from the West Sumatra and popular throughout Indonesia. Migrants from Madura and the eastern tip of Java have brought their specialties of crispy sate Kambing ( goat Kebabs).


4. Palasari


Not far from Negara and inland, Palasari and Blimbingsari are home to the largest Christian communities in Bali. The settlements date back to 1939. Despite the fact that there were only a few hundred non-European Christians on Bali at the time, the Dutch feared that missionaries would corrupt the local culture. They wanted to make sure that Bali remained unaltered as an attraction for tourists and a showcase for enlightened colonialism. The colonial government asked that the missionaries and their followers relocate to these remote areas. The Catholics settled in Palasari, while the Protestants settled further west in Blimbingsari - which they turned into a training centre for missionaries bound for jungle postings. A peaceful village with the biggest Catholic church in Bali, Palasari is a good start for walks in the gorgeous countryside. Constructed from 1954 to 1958, the white building is adorned with Balinese carvings and charming black roofs at the rear, and surrounded by well-kept garden. Palasari Reservoir serves irrigation needs in the area.

5. Gillimanuk


There is not much in Gillimanuk other that it is the gateway to main land Java. Ferries link Ketapang, in East Java, to Gillimanuk, in west Bali, all day long. The trip lasts 30 minutes, to which you must add the time needed to buy your ticket, wait around, load and unload.



6. Pemuteran


Isolated at the western tip of Bali, under the watch of majestic, arid mountain slopes, Pemuteran has a peaceful, soothing atmosphere. Less well-known than Lovina's, its black-sand beaches attract smaller numbers of travellers. Divers appreciate its quiet waters devoid of current and its proximity to the wonderful coral reefs of Menjangan Island. The hills behind Pemuteran would be mostly barren if it were not for grapes, which grow all year long on these sunny slopes. This is your only chance to visit a vineyard in Bali and taste local rose wine. We stayed at the Taman Sari resort. The spacious cottages of this slightly upmarket resort are set up in a pretty garden with a beachfront pool. The advantage of being their during the off season period is that we managed to get a large villa that could have easily accommodate at least 6 to 8 people for as little of $US75 a night.
For its grand opulence, we nick-named the place “The Kerrie Packer Villa"


Photos Below Pemuteran Beach


Photos below - Our Villa "Shanti Om"


8. Pura Melanting and Pura Pulaki


The main road from Seririt to Pemuteran is lined with few temples, wedged between the arid mountains and the black-sand coast. Each holds a different symbolic function related to the life of the region. The first from the West, Pura Melanting is also known as the "main market temple" (Pura Pasar Agung) around Pemuteran; visitors come here to pray for good fortune in trade. Along the main entrance is a dragon statue with lotus flower on its back, representing the path of the temples protecting goddess. The black stone temple looks particularly impressive during the rainy season, with the grassy hill in the background. Pura Pulaki known as the key temple of Pemuteran is built at the foot of a black-stone hill facing the beach is devoted to Danghyang Nirartha, the great religious leader of the 16th century. The view is wonderful at dusk when the sun falls gradually on the front side of the temple, creating an almost surreal atmosphere.


9. Lovina and Tukadmungga


We arrived at Lovina early in the morning on Nyepi day and since that we only had until 6.00 PM that day to enjoy the surrounding before we were locked in our hotel compound for 24 hrs. Having both spent Nyepi in Bali before we were both well prepared. We found a 3 star hotel right on the beach and again a very affordable price. So affordable that we both had a separate room in a small compound with our own dipping pool - The Sunari Villas and Spa Hotel was what we needed to spend Nyepi day indoors with all the comfort.


Lovina is the name given to string of villages centred around Kalibukbuk from Pemaron in the east to Temukus in the west. This romantic name contributed to the appeal of what was hoped would become an alternative to the famous Kuta area - a tranquil beach resort for tourists interested in peace and dolphins. Alas Lovina has been a victim of its own success. Its grey -sand beach and busy main street lined up with hotels and restaurants no longer offer a pristine experience. Yet Lovina remain as convenient base to explore North Bali. Both Nick and I wanted to kill some time before the Nyepi day 6.00 PM curfew and the hotel was not the place to explore more of North Bali. Nick was lucky enough to be talking to a beach vendor, while I was sipping on a beer (Bintang) at the bar, who mentioned that there was a traditional and unknown event that takes place every year between two villages (Desa) and is unique to North Bali. This event is call " "Gebeg Gebegan" and is held in a small village call Tukadmungga located deep in the interior country side of Lovina .


In Tukadmungga the following traditional ritual takes place the day before Nyepi. A cow is slaughtered and the skin is laid with ceremonial honours on the road. After sunset and the finishing of the regular ceremonies, a few teams fight to get the skin of the cow, and the price is the meat of the cow. The team that first knows how to drag the skin in their area wins. (Gebeg Gebegan Sampi)... This event was the highlight of the trip for both of us.


Photos Below- Our Hotel in Lovina - The Sunari

Photos Below- Our own little private Villa at the Sunari




Photos below - Commuters of Tukadmungga



Photos Below - Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for the Ngrupuk parade, which takes place on the eve of Nyepi day. Ogoh-ogoh normally has form of mythological beings, mostly demons. As with many creative endeavours, based on Balinese Hinduism, the creation of Ogoh-ogoh represents spiritual aims inspired by Hindu Philosophy. The main purpose of the making of Ogoh-ogoh is the purification of the natural environment of any spiritual pollutants emitted from the activities of living beings (especially humans). The forms of Ogoh-ogoh represent the Bhuta-Kala (Bhuta: eternal energy, Kala: eternal time), according to Hindu teachings. The imperceptible potentials of nature cannot be thoroughly explored by anyone. Philosophically, civilized men are required to manage the natural resources without damaging the environment itself. Aside from being the symbol of Bhuta-Kala, Ogoh-ogoh is considered a symbol of modes of nature that form the malicious characters of living beings. Ogoh-ogoh is usually made by the group of artists found in villages around Bali. After being paraded on a convoy around the town, finally it is burnt to ashes in a cemetery as a symbol of self-purification. An Ogoh-ogoh is normally standing on a pad built of timber planks and bamboos. The pad is designed to sustain the Ogoh-ogoh while it is being lifted and carried around the village or the town square. There are normally eight or more men carrying the Ogoh-ogoh on their shoulders. This procession is accompanied by orchestral music performed by the youth. The use of flares is also a main part of the parade. During the procession, the Ogoh-ogoh is rotated counter-clockwise three times. This act is done at every T-junction and crossroad of the village. Rotating the effigies during the cremational parade and the eve of Nyepi represents the contact of the bodies with the spirits. It is intended to bewilder the evil spirits so that they go away and cease harming human beings. The Ogoh-ogoh is a very recent addition to the Nyepi ceremonies, first appearing in Denpasar in the early 1980s. At that time, they were carefully monitored for any criticism of the Suharto regime.

Photos Below - Faces of Tukadmungga

Photos Below - Procession from the temple - End of Nyepi day celebration in Tukadmungga


Photos Below: "Gebeg Gebegan" Tukadmungga



10. Munduk & Tamblingan Lake


Both Munduk and Tamblingan Lake are a short distance through the hills from the busy town of Singaraja


Munduk is a cute little eco-friendly village high up in the mountains with gorgeous views, numerous waterfalls and is a great place for hiking through clove, cocoa, coffee plantations and rice fields. This beautiful village in north Bali was once a popular place for Dutch colonists to escape the heat from Singaraja so they build their rest houses here for visitors in 1903.


Even now you can find these houses scattered across the area and some have been converted into proper guest houses for travellers who love to explore this gorgeous part of Bali.





Map Of Munduk and surrounding area


Photos Below - Lake Tamblingan and Lake Buyan





11. Singaraja


Singaraja is the regency seat of Buleleng. The name is Indonesian for "Lion King" (from Sanskrit  simha and raja or Tamil "Singa Raja"). It is on the north coast just east of Lovina. It has an area of 27.98 km² and population of 80,500.Singaraja was the Dutch colonial administrative centre for Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands from 1849 until 1953, and the port of arrival for most visitors until development of the Bukit Peninsula area in the south. Singaraja was also an administrative center for the Japanese during their World War Two occupation.Gedong Kirtya, just south of the town centre, is the only library of lontar manuscripts (ancient and sacred texts on leaves of the rontal palm) in the world.
The main route from the South runs from Denpasar to Singaraja through the misty, vegetable-growing terraces around Bedugul.


Photos Below: Singaraja Town Market


12. Tejakula
From Singaraja we continued along the spectacular cost with narrow beaches of black sand, pebbles and rock buffeted with gentle waves. In the hills, winding roads offer stunning views of steep canyons and clove gardens covering arid slopes all the way to Tejakula.


Tejakula was the perfect place for an overnight stop and the perfect place to escape the crowds.  We found another little gem for our accommodation - Poincianna Bungalows located a little further, in the village of Tembok. It was a small, clean, newly built resort has a few modern-style bungalows facing small garden and located on the edge of the ocean. 


The cost of a bungalow was so low that we decided to rent two separate bungalows for a bit of space. 




Photos Below - Tejakula




Poincianna Bungalows

Photos Below - Our Bungalows at PociannaPoincianna



Photos Below - The view from our Bungalow at Dusk
Photos Below - Nick having a swim at Tajakula after a long ride and a few beers


13. Mount Agung
From Tajakula we continued our ride along the cost to the Tulamben for some photo of the mighty Mount Agung.


Mount Agung is often hidden from sight, specially during the rainy season, its summit shines a fearful aura as it suddenly materializes above the clouds. The 1963 eruption ripped apart the submittal cone, sending volcanic stone blocks 7 Km away, and killing more than 1000 people. The lava spared the Besakih temple, on the southern slope, reinforcing the perception that the tragedy was a divine intervention.


Today, Geologists are warning that Mt Agung is a disaster in waiting, as a fierce eruption is likely at any moment, and means of predetection are inadequate. Oblivious of the danger, Balinese have rebuilt their homes on its fertile slopes, and hikers come daily to enjoy the view from the top.



Photos Below- On the slope of Mount Agung still covered with clouds



14. Amed
After passing the verdant rice terraces of Titagangga, the landscape changes dramatically as one reaches the northeast coast. Hidden behind Mt Agung and the small northeast coast. Hidden behind Mt Agung and the smaller Mt Seraya on the east most tip of Bali, the east coast receives little rainfall, and bears a lot of resemblance to Lombok, visible across the strait. Clinging to austere slopes, small communities carve a tough living from peanuts, cassava and fishing. Tourism is sparse and provides only a small additional income. It feels like another world as you drive along winding roads leading to black-sand beaches full of colourful jukung boats.


The area referred by tourists as Amed Beach is a string of villages stretching to the east of the village of Amed.  Amed has a good choice of hotels and dive shops pleasantly scattered along the coast.


To experience the true Amed, you need to explore the interior where no tourists dare to venture. There you will find small villages among lush rice fields and green forests in contrast to the coast of Amed.




Photos Below - Sun rise in Amed














Photos Below - Sunset at Amed





  Photos Below: View of Amed Coast









Photos Below - The Interior of Amed


Photos Below- Electricity cables on Bamboo poles provides power to many small villages




Photos Below- Small Christian Church in the Jungle


Photos Below - Blue Moon Villas, our accommodation in Amed





15 Amlapura

A mere 6 Km from Candidasa, the road leaves the coast and heads towards Amlapura, also called Karangasem, after the name of the district of which it is the capital.


A few kilometers to the north of town, Titagangga with its exquisite royal water gardens, is a great area to relax.


16. Candidasa



The stretch of coastline from Manggis through Candidasa town itself and east to Bugbug, is normally just referred to as Candidasa.


This is a laid back and very relaxing area of Bali with a wide range of accommodation options. Many visitors, especially Europeans, combine a stay in the hot spots of south Bali with a more relaxed break here. The black sand beaches are very narrow and often disappear altogether at high tide.



In the hills just four km inland from Candidasa at Tenganan, is the most famous Bali Aga (original Balinese) village. There is another (distinct) Bali Aga community in the village of Trunyan on the shores of Lake Batur near Kintamani, but visitors are advised that Tenganan is much easier to reach and far more welcoming of outsiders.


The Bali Aga people have retained an ancient pre-Majapahit Balinese culture, and this is apparent in the many obvious differences from the rest of Bali which you will find in Tenganan. The villagers maintain a strict adherence to ancestor worship, cosmology and other animist beliefs, as well as a rigid social organisation. Villagers must live inside the village and marry from within. Tenganan is closed to outsiders after dark. The dialect of Balinese spoken here is heard nowhere else, and differs substantially from even the other Bali Aga community in Trunyan.


This is an isolated community in almost every way. The village is separated from the rest of the world by a solid stone wall that entirely encompasses the village. There are four gates in the wall, one for each point of the compass. All houses are exactly alike and aligned either side of natural stone pathways. Each house is accessed by a flight of steps and then a simple gate which opens into a courtyard, around which are arranged the bedrooms, the kitchen and a longhouse which serves as a store. Each house has its own empty shrine where it is believed ancestor spirits reside when they visit their descendants.



Photos Below - Candidasa Jetty





17. Ubud


Throughout the centuries, the emerald beauty and fertility of the surrounding hills drew congregations of princes and artists to Ubud. But the destiny of Ubud as a point of confluence may have been sealed in the 8th century by Rsi Markendya, a wandering priest from Java.

According to legend, he found the perfect meditation site in Campuhan, where the eastern and western branches of the Wos River meet. Today travellers can admire the peaceful Gunung Lebah temple near this holy site, below the suspension bridge at the western edge of Ubud


We are certainly no strangers to Ubud. There is one place in Ubud that Nick and I love foremost in this part of Bali and that is the delicious ribs at the famous Naughty Nuri's Warung.


It might be a stretch to call this hole in the wall fronted by a smoking barbecue grill a true warung. Sure, it’s open to the road and has a corrugated metal roof, but Naughty Nuri’s, as its Westernized name might suggest, is perhaps better known for its mean martinis and sashimi than its Indonesian dishes.

Blame owners for the eclectic, warung-meets-Irish-pub vibe: Isnuri Suryatmi, an ambitious amateur chef from Java, and her husband, Brian Kenney Aldinger, an American expat. The couple opened this roadside cafe in 1995 because Ms. Suryatmi , who goes by the nickname Nuri, loves to cook and Mr. Aldinger loves to eat out and socialize.


Every Thursday is sushi night, and it’s usually standing room only. The two-room restaurant — covered with framed newspaper articles, drawings from local artists and photos of regulars — is a favorite meeting spot for the island’s expats, who gossip over ruby red tuna picked up that day at the harbor in Benoa.
So legendary are the pair, that they deserve a place on this Blog.




18. Denpasar


Most tourists avoid Denpasar due to the high density population and pollution. Denpasar is the capital city of Bali It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade, and the surrounding metropolitan area has roughly 2 million residents. Denpasar was the capital of the kingdom of Badung. It was conquered by the Dutch during the Dutch intervention in Bali ( 1906). The royal palace was looted and razed by the Dutch, leaving today's central square "Taman Puputan" in which a statue to the 1906 Puputan can be seen


Denpasar eventually also remains the administrative center of the Regency of Badung and Denpasar even starting in 1958 also made the seat of government for the Province of Bali.


By Denpasar become the center of government for the Level II and Level I, Badung Bali experienced rapid growth both in terms of physical, economic, social and cultural rights.


The physical state of Denpasar and the surrounding area has been developed in such a life of its people and also have a lot of shows characteristics and urban properties. Denpasar was the seat of government, center of commerce, education centers, industrial centers and tourist center that consists of 4 districts, namely West Denpasar, East Denpasar, South Denpasar, and North Denpasar..


We only stopped in Denpasar on our way back from Ubud to catch up with our friend Adrian
and his family.



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