Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
The national park is too far away for a com-
fortable day trip from Ubud or South Bali,
though many dive operators do it. You'll want
to stay at one of the places suggested under
Sleeping, opposite ).
If you don't have transport, any Gilimanuk-
bound bus or bemo from North or West Bali
can drop you at park headquarters at Cekik
(those from North Bali can also drop you at
the Labuhan Lalang visitors centre).
LABUHAN LALANG
To catch a boat to Pulau Menjangan, head to
the jetty at this small harbour in the national
park (opposite). There's also a small park
visitors centre (p280), warung and a pleasant
beach 200m to the east. Some of the warung
rent snorkelling gear (50,000Rp for four
hours) and can point out the best sites.
Local boat owners have a strict cartel and
fixed prices: it costs 250,000Rp for a four-hour
trip to Menjangan, and 20,000Rp for each
subsequent hour, in a boat holding 10 people
(or five scuba divers with equipment). A guide
costs an additional 60,000Rp.
GILIMANUK
0
500 m
0
0.3 miles
ON A WING & A PRAYER
Also known as the Bali myna, Rothschild's mynah, or locally as
jalak putih,
the Bali starling is
perhaps Bali's only endemic bird (opinions differ - as other places are so close, who can tell?). It
is striking white in colour, with black tips to the wings and tail, and a distinctive bright blue mask.
These natural good looks have proven to be a major problem as the bird has been poached into
virtual extinction. On the black market, Bali starlings command US$7000 or more.
The wild population has been estimated to be a dozen or none - well below the number needed
for sustainable reproduction if that's even possible. In captivity, however, there are hundreds if
not thousands. Unfortunately the bird is so docile that a mass escape seems unlikely.
The internationally supported Bali Starling Project attempted to rebuild the population by
re-introducing captive birds to the wild. At the Bali Starling Pre-Release Centre, formerly caged
birds were introduced to the food sources of the natural environment and encouraged to nest
in native trees, before being released around Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park).
This proved impossible. Despite heroic efforts by some staff members, birds were often killed by
predatory falcons, while countless others were stolen from the centre by armed thieves.
Today international support for the project has faded. There is talk among scientists of starting
another at a double-secret location on Nusa Penida but plans haven't jelled.
It's possible to visit the
Pre-Release Centre
(
A
B
1
Teluk
Gilimanuk
9
10
5
2
2
3
8am-3pm)
. Some 6km off the main road through
the park, the compound is supposedly closed to visitors, but with great sincerity - and possibly
100,000Rp - you might talk your way in to see the remaining birds. Whatever you do, don't fall
for suggestions that you need to go through the guides at the park information offices. Should
this happen you'll feel like a Bali starling (or an egg): poached.
Near Ubud, the Bali Bird Park (p205) has large aviaries where you can see Bali starlings. The
park was one of the major supporters of efforts to reintroduce the birds into the wild.
h
1
Market
3
8
INFORMATION
Bank BPD Bali..............
1
A3
Police Station...............
2
A2
Post Office..................
3
A2
Sleeping
The choices are quite luxurious. All have dive
operations.
Mimpi Resort Menjangan
Unfortunately, the coral has suffered some-
what from coral bleaching (caused by warm
water during the 1998 El Niño event) but it
is recovering.
Divers who like wall diving will love it
here. Most of the dive sites are suitable for all
experience levels except for Anker Wreck, a
mysterious sunken ship that challenges even
experts. The closest and most convenient dive
operators are found at Pemuteran (p269) and
Lovina ( p263 ).
Labuhan Lalang, will bring you to Jayaprana's
grave. There are fine views to the north at
the top. Jayaprana, the foster son of a 17th-
century king, planned to marry Leyonsari,
a beautiful girl of humble origins. The king,
however, also fell in love with Leyonsari and
had Jayaprana killed. Leyonsari learned the
truth of Jayaprana's death in a dream, and
killed herself rather than marry the king. This
Romeo and Juliet story is a common theme in
Balinese folklore, and the grave is regarded as
sacred, even though the ill-fated couple were
not deities.
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Dragon Road
Monument..............
4
B4
Museum Situs Purbakala
0362-94497, 0361-
701070; www.mimpi.com; r US$95, villas US$195-355;
ais
(
Gilimanuk................
5
A2
%
SLEEPING
Dragon
)
At isolated Banyuwedang, this 24-
unit resort has a large site extending down to
a small, mangrove-fringed, white-sand beach.
The rooms have a stark, simple design with
open-air bathrooms. Villas have a hot-spring
tub and their own private courtyard; some
have a pool.
Waka Shorea
(
4
Hotel Lestari................
6
B4
Road
Monument
Hotel Sari.....................
7
B4
6
7
TRANSPORT
Bus & Bemo Stop.........
8
B3
Bus Terminal................
9
A2
To Rumah Makan
Charter Boats............
10
A2
Ayu (100m); Cekik (2km)
and won't need to stop in Gilimanuk. The
museum is the only attraction - the town is
really a place one passes through quickly. It
has the closest accommodation to the national
park if you want to start a trek early.
PULAU MENJANGAN
This uninhabited island boasts what is
thought to be Bali's oldest temple,
Pura Gili
Kencana
, dating from the Majapahit period
in Java. You can walk around the island in
about an hour, but the attractions are mainly
underwater. Snorkellers can find some decent
spots not far from the jetty - ask the boat-
man where to go. Dive sites are dotted all
around the island, so it's worth discussing
the possibilities with the dive master when
you arrange the trip.
0362-94666; www.wakaexperience
.com; units from US$165;
%
)
Located in splen-
did isolation in the park, Waka Shorea is a
10-minute boat ride from the hotel's recep-
tion area 100m east of Labuhan Lalang. It's
a boutique resort, with units built on stilts
among forest. The emphasis here is on na-
ture, whether through diving, trekking or
bird-watching.
GILIMANUK
%
0365
as
Sleeping
Park visitors will want to spend the night as
close to the park as possible in order to get an
early start. Gilimanuk (p284) is closest and
has basic choices. Much nicer are the luxury
hotels in Labuhan Lalang (opposite). The best
all-around choice is in Pemuteran (p270),
12km further east.
There is a free camping at the park head-
quarters in Cekik (p280). The grounds are not
Information
There is a Bank BDP Bali (without ATM) on Jl
Raya, a post office, a police station and wartel,
but not many shops or other services.
Sights
This part of Bali has been occupied for thou-
sands of years. The
Museum Situs Purbakala Gili-
