Sightseeing in Bali

Arts, Crafts and the Spirit of Bali
This type of tour is a great introduction to Bali's fascinating culture and landscapes, along with its rich traditions of art and crafts. Traveling through picturesque rice fields and quaint villages, visiting a spectacular volcanic lake and an important local temple as you discover more of the island. Visit a local village and enjoy a performance of traditional Balinese dances, such as the masked Barong dance and the Kris dance. After the performance, you can drive through the verdant Balinese countryside to another village famous for its impressive woodcarvings.

Visit the mysterious Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah), which dates back to the 11th century and draws its inspiration from ancient Hindu mythology. Hewn out of the rocks, the entrance to the cave is carved intricately and depicts entangled leaves, animals, ocean waves and demonic human shapes.

Then continue on to Kintamani village and enjoy the spectacular views of Lake Batur with the Mount Batur volcano in the background, ribbons of black lava running down from its peak into the deep valley below. Make a stop at Kintamani for lunch.

Travel on after lunch to Tampaksiring, Bali's Holy Springs. The local people believe that waters of the spring have magical healing powers.

On the return journey, stop at Ubud, Bali's famous village of artists. Visit one of the many art galleries and see the artists at work. Time permitting, you may also like to stop at the village of Celuk, famous for its gold and silver works, where you can see skilled craftsmen creating exquisite pieces from gold and silver.

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Magical North Bali
Explore the varied Balinese countryside on a journey to the northern coast of Bali. Stop at the village of Bedugul, one of the most important flower and vegetable markets on the island, where the color and variety of fresh tropical produce is well worth seeing.

Continue on to the north, stopping at Pacung in the highlands to enjoy the spectacular view of the surrounding valley. Visit the serene Lake Bratan, which fills the crater of an extinct volcano. Take a short hike through the jungle to reach Git Git waterfalls, an impressive sight.

Next, visit the town of Singaraja on the north coast of Bali. This was the traditional capital of Bali during the colonial days and some remnants of period architecture can still be found. Continue on with your journey to Lovina Beach, famous for its black volcanic sand.

On the return journey take the time and drive through coffee plantations and spectacularly terraced rice fields at Pupuan.

Discover the East Coast
Take a trip to Eastern Bali, an area often overlooked by most first time visitors to Bali. Being less disturbed by tourism and modern influences, this is also the area where traditional customs and rituals have survived best.

Visit the famous Besakih Temple at the foot of Mount Agung; this temple is especially revered by the Balinese as the 'mother temple', or the spiritual source of all temples in Bali. Your journey will take you past rice field terraces on Bali's scenic east coast, take a stop at the Balinese Royal Courts at Klungkung - known as 'Kerta Gosa', or the Hall of Justice.

Later, visit Tenganan, one of the original Bali Aga (Ancient Bali) villages, where traditions have changed little over the centuries. Drive along the coast line until you reach the fishing village of Kusamba and the beach resort area of Candidasa.

Before returning back to your hotel, take a brief stop at Goa Lawah, Balinese for a bat cave.  The sheer number of local inhabitants (of the winged variety) - who will be getting ready to begin their day's work by the time you get there - and the noise they generate - is quite awesome!

Sunset at Tanah Lot
Take an afternoon trip into the countryside, where you can stop and take a short walk through scenic terraced rice fields. Cultivated in unique Balinese style, the rice fields are surrounded by coconut trees and tropical plants including sweet potato and tapioca.

Continue on your drive to the Royal Temple of Mengwi - Taman Ayun. Dating from 1634, this picturesque temple complex is surrounded by a moat with carved wooden gates and shrines.

Next, visit the Kedaton Monkey Forest, a cluster of tall trees that are home to hundreds of monkeys. This is a sacred spot for the Balinese, who consider monkeys to be holy animals. Of course, the monkeys consider the foreign visitors to be an inexpensive source of hats and sunglasses - so you'd better hang on to yours!

The end of your journey is at the picturesque site of Tanah Lot - famous in Bali as the Sunset Temple. Experience the spectacular sunset beyond the black lava towers which silhouette the sacred 16th century temple, housed on a rock jutting out in the ocean. This is truly a 'Kodak moment'.