Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sparsely populated and mountainous in places, west Bali stretches from the outskirts of
Denpasar to Gilimanuk, 128km away at the island's westernmost tip. Once connected
to Java by a now-submerged tract of land, the region has always had something of a
Javanese character. When Java's Hindu Majapahit elite fled to Bali in the sixteenth cen-
tury, the Javanese priest Nirartha started his influential preaching tour of Bali from the
west - leaving the region with a trinity of stunning clifftop temples at Tanah Lot, Ram-
but Siwi and Pulaki. More recently, west Bali has aquired a significant Muslim popula-
tion in the area west of Negara, giving it an above average number of mosques.
Apart from making obligatory visits to a trio of famous sights just west of Denpasar -
Pura
Tanah Lot
, Mengwi's
Pura Taman Ayun
and
Sangeh Monkey Forest
are the main draws
- few tourists linger in west Bali. You can see why: there aren't many visitor hubs here and
few sights per se. Yet for a lazy week's touring, there's much to enjoy. The southwest coast
has wild black-sand beaches and good surf at
Balian Beach
, a mellow villagey resort near
Lalang Linggah
, and just down the road at
Medewi
, while the best of Bali's coral reefs lie
off the northwest coast around
Pulau Menjangan
, near the little beach haven of
Pemuteran
.
Bali's only national park,
Bali Barat National Park
, is also here - a good option if you're
feeling adventurous. Inland, the island's second-highest peak,
Gunung Batukaru
, dominates
the vistas and its southern slopes hold the most fertile paddies in Bali - none on the island
are more spectacular than those around
Jatiluwih
, the focus for a famously scenic drive and
heartland of the UNESCO-listed
subak
rice-growing culture which is celebrated in a museum
in nearby
Tabanan
.
And one compensation for the lack of resorts in the west - arguably an attraction in itself if
you enjoy getting off the beaten track, even if it does mean that all but a few restaurants are
in
hotels
- is that there are several interesting places to stay in the area; from hideaways in
the hills to rainforest retreats and gorgeous small spa stays on the coast.
