Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
signer shops. Travellers seeking more relaxed alternatives generally head north to the beaches
around and beyond Canggu, across the southern peninsula to
Sanur
or offshore to
Nusa
Lembongan
; to sedate
Candidasa
or
Amed
further east; or to the black volcanic sands of
Lovina
on the north coast. Quieter, smarter seaside options can be found at
Jimbaran
in
the south and
Pemuteran
in the northwest. On Lombok, the trio of white-sand
Gili Islands
draw the biggest crowds; there are quieter islands off the
Sekotong
peninsula, a wide range
of resort accommodation around
Senggigi
and a series of extraordinarily beautiful beaches
near
Kuta
in the south. All these resorts make comfortable bases for
divers
and
snorkellers
and are within easy reach of the islands' many reefs.
Surfers
have countless swells to choose
from, including the famously challenging Uluwatu on Bali and Desert Point on Lombok, as
well as many more novice-friendly breaks.
Most visitors also venture inland to experience more traditional island life. On Bali, the
once-tiny village of
Ubud
has become a hugely popular cultural centre, still charming but
undeniably commercialized, where traditional dances are staged every night and the streets
are full of organic cafés, art galleries, yoga studios and myriad purveyors of alternative ther-
apies.
Tetebatu
on Lombok occupies a similarly cool position in the foothills, although, like
the island as a whole, it lacks Bali's artistic heritage. In general, the villages on both islands
are far more appealing than the towns, but Bali's capital,
Denpasar
, the historic district cap-
ital of
Semarapura
, and Lombok's
Mataram
conurbation are each worth a day-trip for their
museums, markets and temples.
Bali's other big draw is its proliferation of elegant Hindu
temples
, particularly the island
temple of
Tanah Lot
, the dramatically located
Uluwatu
and the extensive
Besakih
complex
on the slopes of Gunung Agung. Temple
festivals
, most of which are open to tourists, are
also well worth attending.
Both islands hold a number of
hiking
possibilities, many of them up
volcanoes
. The best is
undoubtedly the climb to the summit of Lombok's
Gunung Rinjani
, which at 3726m is one
of Indonesia's highest peaks. The ascent of Bali's
Gunung Agung
(3142m) is shorter and
less arduous although still pretty challenging. The climb up
Gunung Batur
(1717m) is much
less taxing and therefore more popular. Bali's sole
national park
, Bali Barat, has relatively
few interesting trails, but is good for
birdwatching
, as is the area around
Danau Bratan
in
the centre of the island. Even if you don't want to go hiking, it's worth considering a trip to
an inland village for the change of scenery, views and refreshing temperatures; the villages
of
Sidemen
,
Tirtagangga
,
Sarinbuana
and
Munduk
are all good bases.
