PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Bali & Lombok ..................... 2Map .................................. 420 Top Experiences ....... 6Need to Know ................. 16What’s New ..................... 18If You Like ........................ 19Month by Month ............. 21Itineraries ........................ 24Bali & Lombok Outdoors 29Travel with Children ...... 40Regions at a Glance ....... 43

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND BALI & LOMBOK

Bali & Lombok Today ..... 306History ............................. 308Local Life & Religion ....... 318Food & Drink ................... 329The Arts........................... 337Architecture .................... 349Environment ................... 356

Bali & Lombok Today Change Without Change ‘This nation of artists is faced with a Western invasion, and I cannot standidly by and watch its destruction.’ Andre Roosevelt, wrote this in 1930. Yetsomehow the Balinese have always found a way to stay true to themselveswhether in the face of invasions from Java or volcanoes exploding, or whilewelcoming three million visitors annually. Who can question the ingenuity of people who fly kites so they can have fun and talk to the gods?

Worrisome Developments Unconstrained development threatens some of the very qualities thatma e Ba i a wonderful place to visit. The coast is especial y vu nera e. In2000, for example, rice fields extended north from Seminya a the way to Pura Tanah Lot Today this landscape is almost lost to villas and tour

n: on;

e of sed uc-

23-bali-lombok-today-bal14.indd 306 12/12/2012 3:01:59 PM

Local Life &Religion Bali Ask any traveller what they love about Bali and, most times, ‘culture’ –sometimes expressed as ‘the people’ – will top their list. Since the 1920s,when the Dutch used images of bare-breasted Balinese women to luretourists, Bali has embodied the mystique and glamour of an exotic paradise.

For all the romanticism, there is a harsher reality. For many Ba inese, ife remains a near hand-to-mouth existence, even as the islan ros ersue to tourism and the middle class grows. And the idea of cu ture can

sometimes seem misplaced as overzealous touts test your atience intheir efforts to make a living.N

TIM

ACY

25-local-way-of-life-bal14.indd 318 17/12/2012 3:05:16 PM

A Place Like No Other Bali is like no other destination in the world. Its rich culture plays out at all lev-els of life, from the exquisite ower-petal o erings placed everywhere to the proces-sions of joyfully garbed locals, shutting down major roads as they march to one of the myriad temple ceremonies, to the other-worldly traditional music and dance performed island-wide.

Bali’s Essence Yes, Bali has beaches, sur ng, diving, and resorts great and small, but it’s the essence of Bali – and the Balinese – that makes it so much more than just a fun-in-the-sun retreat. It is possible to take the cliché of

the smiling Balinese too far, but in reality, the inhabitants of this small island are in-deed a generous, genuinely warm people. There’s also a fun, sly sense of humour be-hind the smiles. Upon seeing a bald tour-ist, many locals exclaim ‘bung ujan,’ which means today’s rain is cancelled – it’s their way of saying that the hairless head is like a clear sky.

One Island, Many Destinations On Bali you can lose yourself in the chaos of Kuta or the sybaritic pleasures of Semin-yak and Kerobokan, surf wild beaches in the south or just hang-out on Nusa Lem-bongan. You can go family friendly in

Welcome to Bali & Lombok

01-welcome-to-bal14.indd 2 12/12/2012 2:48:54 PM

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

305GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

Hiking Rinjani 18 Glance at a map of

Lombok and virtually the entire northern half of the island is dominated by the brooding, magni cent presence of Gunung Rinjani (3726m; p 276 ), Indonesia’s second-highest volcano. Hiking Rinjani is no picnic, and involves planning, hiring a guide and porters, stamina and sweat. The route winds up the sides of the great peak until you reach the rim of a vast caldera, where there’s a jaw-dropping view of Rinjani’s sacred crater lake (an important pilgrim site) and the smoking, highly active mini-cone of Gunung Baru below. Danau Segara Anak with Gunung Baru, inside Gunung Rinjani

Surfing Lombok 19 From Lombok to the

Antarctic is virtually half the globe – that’s some distance for the azure rollers of the Indian Ocean to build up speed and momentum, so it’s no surprise that the island’s coastline has some truly spectacular waves. Tan-jung Desert (Desert Point) is the most famous of these, an incredibly long ride that tubes over a sharp, shallow reef. If that sounds a little too hard core, head to the town of Kuta, where you’ll nd dozens of challenging surf breaks a short distance away.

Sunrise Over Trawangan 20 If you think Gili

Trawangan (p 288 ) is a stunner by daylight, you should see it at dawn after a night of dancing to some of the hottest electro, trance, reggae and house music in the region. You won’t nd slick decor, ashy visuals, door sta and sti entrance prices in Trawangan, where the parties started as raves on the beach and still have a raw, unorganised spirit. Local DJs normally spin hypnotic tribal sounds and superstar DJs have been known to turn up and play unannounced sets. Quiet sunrise on Gili Trawangan

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03-top-experiences-bal14.indd 15 20/12/2012 1:47:41 PM

Lombok, our authordown the fresh, the rthe transformed, thehappening. Here arefavourites. For up-toreviews and recommlonelyplanet.com/inand lonelyplanet.colombok.

Unesco Recognition

1 After years of waiting, Bali rejoiced when Unesco added its traditional

rice-growing culture to the World Herit-age List. Included: the Jatiluwih rice ter-races and Pura Taman Ayun. (p 248 )

Popular Canggu

2 Shops, restaurants and inns are giving vitality to the villas and rice

elds of the Canggu area. The long, wave-pounded beaches are ever-more popular. (p 89 )

Kerobokan’s Beach

3 Gl t d l b

Traffic Schemes

7 Visitors and residenup with south Bali’s

jams. A complex new intJl Ngurah Rai Bypass anof Kuta is one scheme m(p 168 )

Lombok Internationa

8 The long-completednew Lombok Intern

near Praya is nally opewith more international ights. (p 375 )

Dive Schools Galore

What’s New

05-whats-new-bal14.indd 18 19/12/2012 3:49:35 PM

I SBN 978 -1 -74220 -303 -4

9 781742 203034

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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Ryan Ver Berkmoes,Adam Skolnick

Kuta &Seminyak

North Balip230 Central

Mountainsp215 East Bali

p179

Gili Islandsp286

Lombokp258

West Balip245

South Bali &the Islands

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Ubud &Around

p94p48

p137

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 364Transport ........................ 374Health .............................. 383Language ........................ 388Index ................................ 398Map Legend .................... 407

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Treatment for minor injuries and common traveller’s health problems is easily accessed in Bali and to a lesser degree on Lombok. However, for serious condi-tions, you will need to leave the islands.

Travellers tend to worry about contracting infec-tious diseases when in the tropics, but infections are a rare cause of serious illness or death in travellers. Pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart disease, and accidental injury (especially traffic accidents) account for most life-threatening problems. Becoming ill in some a ho e er is rela

BEFORE YOU GO Make sure all medications are packed in their original, clearly labelled containers. A signed and dated letter from your physician describ-ing your medical conditions and medications (including generic names) is also a good idea. If you are carrying syringes or needles, be sure to have a physician’s letter documenting their medical necessity. If you have a heart condition ensure you bring a copy of your electrocar-diogram taken just prior to travelling.

If you take any regular medication bring double

cash at the time ment.) Some polto call back (reveto a centre in youcountry where anassessment of yois made.

RecommenVaccinatio Specialised traveclinics are your bof information; thavailable vaccinebe able to give spommendations foyour trip.

Most vaccinesproduce immunitleast two weeks agiven. Ask your dan International Cof Vaccination (oknown as the yelwhich will list all ttions you’ve rece

The World Heazation recommenSoutheast Asia infollowing:

» Hepatitis A Pralmost 100% proup to a year; a bo

Health

33-health-bal14.indd 383 12/12/2012 3:04:07 PM

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ELEVATION

Top Experiences ›

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got three days or 30, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

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Two Weeks Bali & the Gilis

Start your trip in Seminyak, which has the best places to go out for a meal, a drink or even a new frock. Allow at least three days to experience the refined charms of Kerobokan and the wild nights of Kuta. Once you’re sated, head west, driving through the rice terraces of Jatiluwih and on to Pura Luhur Batukau, a holy tem-

ple up in the clouds. Head northwest to the crescent of mellow beach resorts at Pemuteran. From here, you can snorkel or scuba Bali’s best dive site at Palau Menjangan. Driving east, stop in Munduk for some hiking to remote waterfalls.

Carry on via Candikuning to Ubud, the cultural centre of Bali. Nights of dance and culture are offset by days of walking through the serene countryside. Do a day trip to the ancient monuments at Gunung Kawi. Head down to the cute little beach and port town of Padangbai and catch a fast boat to the Gili Islands. Wander the islands, enjoy Gili T’s surprising nightlife and go snorkelling to spot a turtle.

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Begin your trip at Balangan Beach. Settle back in the sand and let the jet lag vanish. Stop in Denpasar for a purely Balinese lunch and then head up the hill to Ubud to get a full taste of Balinese culture. Next, tackle Gunung Agung, the spiritual centre of the island. Start early to reach the top and take in the views before the daily on-

slaught of clouds and mist. Having climbed Bali’s most legendary peak, head west to the village of Munduk, which

looks down to the north coast and the sea beyond. Go for a walk in the area and enjoy water-falls, truly tiny villages, wild fruit trees and the sinuous bands of rice paddies lining the hills like ribbons. Then head south to the wonderful temple of Pura Luhur Batukau, and con-sider a trek up Bali’s second-highest mountain, Gunung Batukau. Head down to the newly popular Balian Beach on the west coast for some chilled-out time in a funky surfer scene.

Next, bounce across the waves from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan, the island hiding in the shadow of Nusa Penida. The latter is visible from much of the south and east – it’s lush, arid and almost unpopulated and makes a good day trip. Take in the amazing vistas from its cliffs and dive under the waves to check out the marine life.

Head to the Gilis via the direct boat from Nusa Lembongan for more tranquil time cir-cumnavigating the three islands and diving offshore. Take a boat to Senggigi, but ignore the resorts and head south. Well off the beaten path, the south coast near Lombok’s Kuta has stunning beaches and surfing to reward the intrepid. The seldom-driven back roads of the interior will thrill the adventurous and curious, with tiny villages where you can learn about the amazing local handicrafts. Many of these roads lead up the flanks of Gunung Rinjani, the volcanic peak that shelters the lush and remote Sembalun Valley. Trekking from one village to the next on the rim can take days but is one of the great walks.

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Best of BaliBali Day Trips

One Week Best of Bali

Start at a beachside hotel in Semin-yak or Kerobokan; shop the streets of either and spend time at the beach. Enjoy a seafood dinner on Jimbaran

Bay as part of a day trip to the monkey-filled temple at Ulu Watu.

In the east, take the coast road to wild beaches like the one near Pura Masceti, followed by the well-mannered royal town of Semarapura with its ruins. Head north up the breathtaking Sidemen Road, which combines rice terraces with lush river val-leys and cloud-shrouded mountains. Then go west to Ubud, the crowning stop on any itinerary.

To spoil yourself, stay in one of Ubud’s many hotels with views across rice fields and rivers. Sample the offerings at a spa be-fore you try one of the myriad great restau-rants. Bali’s rich culture is most celebrated and most accessible in Ubud and you’ll be captivated by nightly dance performances. Check out local craft studios, including the woodcarvers of Mas. Hike through the sur-rounding rice fields to river valleys, taking a break in museums bursting with paintings. Finish by heading north to the imposing 1000-year-old rock monoliths at Gunung Kawi.

One Week Bali Day Trips

This is for the traveller who wants to unpack only once, seeing what’s pos-sible on Bali during a series of relaxed day trips. Start with a beachside hotel

in Sanur, such as Hotel La Taverna or Tand-jung Sari, both of which have a refined yet relaxed charm.

Day trip one starts with the short drive to the markets and museums of Denpasar, followed by a visit to the shops of Seminyak and Kerobokan. Finish up with a sunset seafood grill at Jimbaran.

Day trip two heads to Ubud for a half-day strolling the streets, looking at the shops, galleries and museums. Take different routes there and back so you can enjoy sights such as the temples of Pejeng, the carvers of Mas and the village market at Sukawati.

Day trip three follows the wave-tossed volcanic beaches along the coast road to the northeast. Stop at Lebih, which has a temple and mica-infused glittering sand. Go inland to the temple ruins and market at Se-marapura, then head north along the beau-tiful Sidemen Road. Next, loop west and head back down through the tidy regional centre of Gianyar, where you can check out large traditional fabric showrooms.

26

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Two Weeks Lombok Explored

Kick off in gorgeous Kuta and spend a day or two finding the perfect beach. East or west of town there are a dozen or so bays to choose from: magnifi-

cent Selong Blanak is just one. While you’re here, it would be rude not to sample the fa-bled south Lombok surf – tiny Gerupak is an excellent place to either take a lesson or hitch a boat ride to an epic break. Tranquil southwest Lombok is not far away for more aqua action; swim in sheltered transparent water or explore the dozen or so islands here by boat. Tiny Gili Gede makes a perfect base; you can reach it by boat from Tembowong.

Sacred Gunung Rinjani is next up; get here via roads from Tembowong. Either explore its foothills from the rustic base of Tetebatu, or go the whole hog and trek from Senaru to the crater rim, the sublime cra-ter lake or the summit itself (depending on your time, energy and commitment level). After Rinjani your body will need some se-rious pampering, and the spas of Senggigi are the ideal place to recuperate, with mas-sages and treatments for all budgets. Finish off with a trip or two to the sights around Mataram, such as the intriguing temple of Pura Lingsar or the hilltop shrine Gunung Pengsong.

One Week Gilis Explored

The ideal place to get to grips with island life is Gili Air, where the main beachfront strip is perfect tropical lounging territory. Here you can wile

away a day or two doing nothing but chill-ing with a book, taking a dip when you need to cool off, snorkelling the offshore coral (maybe you’ll spot a turtle) and feasting on inexpensive fresh seafood. OK, now you’ve acclimatised.

Next up is Trawangan, where there’s much more action. Here the perfect day could start with a morning dive at a site such as Shark Point, followed by a healthy lunch and an afternoon snooze. Then take a gentle cycle round the sandy lanes of the island, slipping in a sunset cocktail on the west coast. After dinner it’s time to feel the beat and strut your stuff at one of Trawangan’s parties, or catch a reggae band at Sama Sama.

The final stop is idyllic Gili Meno, where, once you’ve secured the perfect place to stay, there’s little to do except wonder at the sheer drop-dead beauty of the island and the clar-ity of the sea. If you can drag yourself away from the beach, you could pop by the turtle hatchery.

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» (above) Boats at Mushroom Bay, Nusa Lembongan (p127) » (left) Munduk Waterfall (p226)

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KUTA & SEMINYAK . .48Kuta & Legian . . . . . . . . . . . .50Bali’s Best Beaches . . . . . . . 57Seminyak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Kerobokan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85North of Kerobokan . . . . . . .89

SOUTH BALI & THE ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . .94BUKIT PENINSULA . . . . . . . . 96Jimbaran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96Around Jimbaran . . . . . . . . .98Central Bukit . . . . . . . . . . . . .99Balangan Beach . . . . . . . . . .99Pecatu Indah . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Bingin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Impossibles Beach . . . . . . . 102Padang Padang . . . . . . . . . 102Ulu Watu & Around . . . . . . 103Ungasan & Around . . . . . . .104Nusa Dua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Tanjung Benoa . . . . . . . . . . 107SANUR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110AROUND SANUR . . . . . . . . .118Pulau Serangan . . . . . . . . . 118Benoa Harbour . . . . . . . . . . 118DENPASAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118NUSA LEMBONGAN & ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Nusa Lembongan . . . . . . . . 127Nusa Ceningan . . . . . . . . . . 133Nusa Penida . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

UBUD & AROUND . . . 137UBUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

AROUND UBUD . . . . . . . . . 170Bedulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Pejeng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Tampaksiring. . . . . . . . . . . . 173Tegallalang . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173North of Ubud . . . . . . . . . . . 174South of Ubud . . . . . . . . . . 174

EAST BALI . . . . . . . . . 179Coast Road to Kusamba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Gianyar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Sidan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Bangli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Semarapura (Klungkung) . . . . . . . . . . . . 185Around Semarapura . . . . . 187Sidemen Road . . . . . . . . . . 188Pura Besakih . . . . . . . . . . . .190Gunung Agung . . . . . . . . . . 191Rendang to Amlapura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192Kusamba to Padangbai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193Padangbai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193Padangbai toCandidasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Candidasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Candidasa to Amlapura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Amlapura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Around Amlapura . . . . . . . 204Tirta Gangga . . . . . . . . . . . 204Around Tirta Gangga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Amed & the Far East Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

Kubu Region . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Tulamben . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212Tulamben to Yeh Sanih . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

CENTRAL MOUNTAINS . . . . . . . 215GUNUNG BATUR AREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Gunung Batur . . . . . . . . . . . 217Around Gunung Batur Crater . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Around Danau Batur . . . . 220DANAU BRATAN AREA . . . . 222Bedugul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222Candikuning . . . . . . . . . . . .223Pancasari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225Danau Buyan & Danau Tamblingan . . . . . . . . . . . . .225Munduk & Around . . . . . . .225GUNUNG BATUKAU AREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227THE ANTOSARI ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

NORTH BALI . . . . . . .230Yeh Sanih . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232Singaraja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232Around Singaraja . . . . . . . .234Lovina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235West of Lovina . . . . . . . . . . 241Pemuteran . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242

WEST BALI. . . . . . . . .245Pura Tanah Lot . . . . . . . . . .247Kapal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247Marga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Sangeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248Tabanan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248South of Tabanan . . . . . . . .249North of Tabanan . . . . . . . .249Antosari & Bajera . . . . . . . .249Balian Beach . . . . . . . . . . . 250Jembrana Coast . . . . . . . . 250Negara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251Around Negara . . . . . . . . . .252Belimbingsari & Palasari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252Cekik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252Gilimanuk . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253Taman Nasional Bali Barat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254Labuhan Lalang . . . . . . . . .257

LOMBOK . . . . . . . . . .258WEST LOMBOK . . . . . . . . . . 259Mataram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259Around Mataram . . . . . . . 264Lembar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Southwestern Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Senggigi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267NORTH & CENTRAL LOMBOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272Bangsal to Bayan . . . . . . . .272Senaru & Batu Koq . . . . . .273Sembalun Valley . . . . . . . . . 274Gunung Rinjani . . . . . . . . . .275Tetebatu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277SOUTH LOMBOK . . . . . . . . 278Praya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278Around Praya . . . . . . . . . . .279Kuta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279

East of Kuta. . . . . . . . . . . . .283West of Kuta . . . . . . . . . . . .283EAST LOMBOK . . . . . . . . . . 285Labuhan Lombok . . . . . . . .285South of Labuhan Lombok. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285

GILI ISLANDS . . . . . .286Gili Trawangan . . . . . . . . . . 288Gili Meno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297Gili Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301

Ryan Ver BerkmoesCoordinating Author; Kuta & Seminyak, South Bali & the Islands, Ubud & Around, East Bali, Central Mountains, North Bali, West Bali Ryan Ver Berkmoes was fi rst entranced by the echoing beat of a Balinese gamelan in 1993. On his visits since he has explored almost every corner of the island – along with side trips to Nusas Lembongan and Penida, the Gilis and Lombok. Just when he thinks Bali holds no more surprises, he fi nds, for example, a new seaside temple

on nobody’s map. Ryan never tires of Bali; sometimes his island social calendar is busier than anywhere else. Away from the gamelans, Ryan writes about travel and more at ryanverberkmoes.com and on Twitter (@ryanvb).

Adam Skolnick Lombok, Gili Islands Adam Skolnick writes about travel, culture, health and poli-tics for Lonely Planet, Outside, Men’s Health and Travel & Leisure. He has co-authored 18 Lonely Planet guidebooks to destinations in Europe, the US, Central America and Asia. On his recent trip to Lombok his peculiar road karma included several epic dives and the blissful discovery of stunning new beaches, islands, ho-tels and restaurants. He also encountered runaway horse carts and car crashes,

and, well, he was surrounded by a mob of 50 people who wanted to kill him. But he survived! You can read more of his work at adamskolnick.com. Or fi nd him on Twitter (@adamskolnick).

Read more about Ryan at: lonelyplanet.com/members/ryanverberkmoes

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

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