Bali Heaven Official Blog

About the divers’ paradise

It is a small fishing village situated in the north east coast of Bali, whose name has been derived from Batulambih, the local expression for many stones, due to the volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung. It is a divers’ paradise and has become a tourist hub since the famous wreck of the US army ship off the coast. There are other diving sites too and during the high season one can expect to find many famous writers and photographers in this place which offers unparalleled glimpses into a rich marine life and a colorful world of gorgonians, fishes and other corals contrasted by the black sand that hinders visibility in the area.

The Liberty Shipwreck – the famous dive site

One of the most famous spots in Bali, this cargo ship laden with guns during WWII was torpedoed by the Japanese and to save it from sinking was semi beached at Tulamben. The 1963 eruptions of the Mount Agung caused the wreck to slide further very close to the beach 30 m offshore. The location of this wreck which varies in depth from 9 – 30 meters with a shallow part touching the sand slope is ideal for diving for all qualifications being considered one of the easiest dives in the world. The 120 m long wreck offers a wonderful view of as many as 400 species of fishes including the famous 12 inch Big Eyed Trevally silver fish, wrasse, goatfish and the surgeonfish.

However, this wreck, as many people perceive is not the only diving site in Tulamben and there a couple of other sites too making the fishing village the diving capital of Bali.

Coral Garden

For those looking for snorkeling, there cannot be a better place. Also famous for the Night Dive with flashlight fish and Spanish dancers, this place is full of unexpected marine specimens like fine corals and sponges with an average depth of 8 – 12 meters.

Kelebit Rocks

One can reach this spot, south east of the Tulamben wall through a 15 minute ride in a local jucung or outrigger. It is one of the best diving sites with greater depths and better visibility too. The water is slightly colder and the diving is possible through offshore rocks arranged like 3 steep ridges and 2 channels providing home to a diverse marine life and some exotic species including the manta rays, the hammerhead sharks and the barracudas.

Drop Off Wall

This site is located 15minutes away from the stony beach and was famously formed by the lava flow from Mount Agung. This site too offers the same glimpse of marine life as other spots with an amazing aquarium section with many surprising treasures.

Learn a thing or two about marine life

There are very few sites in the world with a greater variety of marine life that includes Anglerfish, neon nudibranches, Sweetlips, black corals, sponges, Butterflyfish, Garden Eels, octopus, cuttlefish, boxer crabs, Whale Sharks, big Bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon Wrasse, Lionfish and many other varieties of fishes, coral reefs and other organisms.

Warung means a restaurant in Balinese local language. Warung Murni or Murni’s Warung is one of the most famous ones, capable of drawing visitors and tourists all on its own. Run by an American Balinese couple, Warung Murni was opened in 1974 and is one of the original eateries in the country serving various kinds of food.

Location of the restaurant

Warung Murni is located in the scenic place above the reputed Campuhan or the meeting point of the two rivers of Ubud. The 3 storey building is known for its coziness and the picturesque quality is enhanced by the Ayung River flowing at its feet. There is a steel cable in front of the hotel which is supporting the bridge next to it and the surrounding greenery is breathtaking. This bridge is called the Tjampuhan suspension bridge and it overlooks the Tjampuhan River.

History of the place

When this restaurant was opened in 1974, it became Ubud’s first real restaurant and till date remains one of the favorite of the people. In the entrance to the lounge, there is a large Ganesha statue, the Elephant God worshipped by Hindus for success in any task they undertake. This statue was commissioned in 1997 and was completed in 2002. Murni bought the property in 1975 and that is when the business started to expand, after starting out with just one bamboo table and a shop that sold sarongs, paintings and carvings.

Levels at Murni

Murni’s Warung has 4 levels. In the first level you will walk across a display cabinet of pastries and cakes, so you have an idea about what dessert you will order and in what quantity. You can also take a look at the high walls elegantly decorated by art from Murni’s own collection.

Level 2 with the famous Ganesha statue is the lounge area, where guests can sip on a drink and get nostalgic even as time gently drifts by. The aesthetic elegance of the ambience free of sophistication lends a natural aura to the restaurant missing in most modern eateries.

Level 3 of Warung Murni is reserved for parties. There is an amazing ambience where one can enjoy all out. Warung Murni has wedding and birthday cakes, Balinese music, Balinese dances, menus that can be personalized, aromatic incense and romantic lighting, floodlit trees and river gorge in the backdrop, display of art, champagne, Australian, Chilean, French and local wines, la carte and buffet menus and waiters and waitresses in Balinese costume all adding to the amazing feeling lent by the place perfect for socializing and parties where everyone can have a relaxed soothing time.

Level 4 is a personal favorite of many of the couples. You arrive to a place built right above the river. A candlelit dinner amidst an exotic locale with the sound of gushing stream in the background and greenery to view is really as good as it gets. All in all these 4 levels provide one of the most authentic setups for eating in true Balinese style.

Nusa Penida

There are 3 islands on the south eastern coast of Bali viz. Nusa Ceningan, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Amongst these Nusa Penida is the largest island, totaling around 200 square kilometers. It is a hilly area with a maximum height of 524 meters and is much drier than the surrounding islands of Bali. Although better known that other islands the tourist infrastructure in this island is very limited. An interest thing about this island is that due to scarcity of natural water, nothing much can be produced which is why most of the food stuff is transported from elsewhere making the prices higher than other places in Bali. However, this island has great natural rugged beauty that is still virgin and fresh without any hint of commercialization anywhere.

How to Get here

You can arrive at Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan or from Kusamba, Padang Bai or Sanur, although travel services are not deemed very safe. There are public boats plying closer to the suspension bridge between Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan. You can also get charter boats especially on the Jungut Batu beach. There are daily cruises from Benoa Harbor in Bali which also includes water sports activities and hence is something tourists will really enjoy a lot.

Major Attractions for Sightseeing

If you are one of those who like places with great scenic beauty, then Puncak Mundi or Mundi Hill, the highest point of the island provides a magnificent view at 521 meters above sea level. Alternative energy is harnessed in the area to with wind turbines and solar panels. There is a temple atop the hill too.

Goa Karang Sari is certainly one place you wouldn’t want to miss because of its limestone caves. There are some attractive stalactites and limestone formations that you would really enjoy seeing. These limestone caves have spiritual importance too.

At Ped Village on the road between Toyapakeh and Sampalan, you can find the Pura Penetaran Dalem temple, a Hindu Balinese structure which is mesmerizingly grand and beautiful. Toyapakeh itself has a reef stretch that you would love exploring, along with various fishes. The place is famous for sea turtles, sunfish or mola mola and also coral pillars.

Crystal Bay is another lovely white sand beach at Banjar Penida to the west of Sakti village is another wonderful attraction. You would love this idyllic spot as it is perfect for camping besides being attractive for snorkeling and sparkling blue waters. You can also pay a visit to the Sebuluh waterfall near the Batu Madeg village. South coast limestone cliffs along with some rare karst formations are stunning and will take your breath away.

What can keep you busy

Nusa Penida is not all about sightseeing. In fact it is one of the best diving destinations in the world with as many as 20 diving sites including Manta Point, Suana Bay, Malibu Point, Crystal Bay and Toyapakeh. Malibu Point with its silver tips, reef white tips, gray reefs and a large number of sharks is especially beautiful. The Manta Point itself is a limestone rock off the Pandan cave.

There is no dearth of lovely coastal villages in Bali but Lovina is amongst the best of the lot. It was actually renamed by a Buleleng regency official keeping in mind the future tourism influx. On the North coast towards the West of Singaraja, there are 7 traditional villages that culminate into one in a 10 km stretch. These villages are Kalibukuk, Anturan, Temukus, Pemaron, Tukad Mungga, Kaliasem and Banyualit with Kalibukuk considered as the town center of Lovina. Some of the beaches are made up of black sand but are safe for swimming with July and August being the crowded seasons.

Getting to Lovina

Lovina can be reached through shuttle buses which leave from Sanur, Ubud, Padang Bai and Candi Dasa. Although there are mini buses called bemos, travelling long distance could be painful. You will get buses from anywhere in Bali. There is transportation made available by “Perama”. By car, one takes 3 hours from Kuta, 2 hours from Ubud and slightly less from Sanur. One can take rest by breaking journey at Bedugul.

Villas of Lovina

There are some wonderful villas where you can relax and enjoy the amazing view around. Master Pool Villas with butler service and some lush gardens offer one a relaxing vista from hardwood verandahs and pavilions with amazing sea view. The ceilings of hardwood, bathrooms with bathtubs and open air showers are amongst the many amenities available for the visitors. Rare antiques, royal fabric, Bale pavilions and private swimming pools are all part of the amazing villas. You can enjoy the charming rural life of Lovina and its rice fields along with sophisticated bedrooms, living room etc inside the villas. Umah Raja Villa for example, is lavish with a cinema and DVD library to give you the best of both the worlds.

The lovely black sand beaches are great for a soothing promenade. One of the places worth visiting is the Brahma Vihara Arama, Dencarik. This is the largest Buddhist monastery of Bali. With a clearly Buddhist orange roof, the monastery is popular for its Balinese carvings too. It offers stupendous views all around and within there are many stupas and gold Buddhas with amazing ornamentation. The Banjar Hot Springs nearby is another spot that attracts a lot of tourists. It is a quiet and lovely place that offers tranquility and peace.

The Banjar Hot Springs, 10km west of Dencarik have mouths carved out of stone that gush out hot springs. With a cleansing environment, the waters at soothing temperatures are rich in sulfur and have a therapeutic effect. There are lockers and changing rooms to encourage a cozy bath in the spring.

Diving enthusiasts can head off to Menjangan Island, Tulamben and Amed on day trips. One can also enjoy a traditional massage in the many spas like Bali Samdahi and Agung’s Spa. One can enjoy Thai massage and Thai food reflexology here too. There are some outriggers in various colors that take one on fishing trips where one can enjoy dolphin sightings on an enjoyable ride.

Mount Batur and Lake Batur

Mount Batur (Gunung Batur) is an active volcano which is located between two concentric calderas. It is located in the north western direction of Mount Agung in Bali, Indonesia. The larger caldera lake with an amazing dimension of 10 X 13 km has on its south eastern side a beautiful, picturesque lake that attracts many tourists.

History
These calderas and Mount Batur itself were said to have formed approximately 30,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption. The inner caldera which measures about 7.5 km in diameter was said to have formed by Ubud ignimbrite emplacement about 28,500 years ago.

Attractions
Two main villages Toya Bungkah and Kedisan are the two main villages near the caldera. These two villages primarily depend on agriculture. Danau Batur (Lake Batur) is Bali’s largest crater lake and is also a great fishing site, besides providing a breathtaking view to tourists from all over the world.  One can view the 700 meter high active volcano located on the edge of the caldera rising above the beautiful lake Batur. The crater is around 65 meters deep. There is a temple of Pura Ulun Danu Batur located on the rim of the caldera too which is dedicated to the Goddess of the Lake. Stunning views of the lake attract many photographers and nature enthusiasts. The lake often gets shrouded in mist while there are some hot springs that sometimes reach temperatures as high as 57 degrees Celsius. One can visit the caldera through the steadily rising road from Bangli to Tampaksiring and then across Penelokan towards Kintamani.

Trekking
Usually the trek starts around 3am so that one can reach the top of the crater at dawn. Most of the local guides and very well mannered and can speak English. They are patient and nimble and help trekkers out through a quite straight forward trekking route compared to Mount Agung. One of the common attractions of the trek is the guide cooking omelets with eggs on the smoldering rocks of the mountain. The luminous Bali sunrise and the craters spitting sulphur and the magnificent peaks all give tourists some unbelievable and memorable moments and the pictures stick to their minds for a long time to come.

If one is trying to reach Mount Batur by bike, it takes only an hour to reach it from Ubud. The greater part of the ride is full of rice fields on either side offering you some amazing scenes. One can also visit a few tiny villages and enjoy the local ambience. One such village is Penulisam on the western side of the volcano with a very nice temple complex too. Although one can take the trip anytime, locals believe many ghosts and spirits are trapped inside the crater. Many tourists come here to just take a relaxing boat ride on the lake which is about 10 km long and 65 meters deep at the deepest part. There are quite a few hot springs around the area too making it a wonderful terrain and a perfect tourist destination.

Gado Gado Restaurant & Bar

Gado Gado restaurant & bar is a very famous Bali restaurant because of its location next to the beach and also because of its modern European style cuisines, with an experience accentuated by the high quality of service provided. The Asia Pacific Management Forum had voted the place as the best restaurant in Asia where guests can have a late but warm breakfast, a nice lunch by the sea and a candlelit dinner along with a few drinks with friends at night in a romantic setting. Neither the sand nor the stars seem too far away. The restaurant is consistently voted amongst the best in all Seminyak restaurants in terms of food quality and the pricing on the menu.

The History
Gado Gado was originally founded in the 80s when it was one of the most fashionable clubs on the island. The legendary night club had live trees on the dance floor adding to the effect too. The club has matured now with age and the restaurant, one of the most highly rated in Bali, was opening in the summer of 2001.

The Ambience
The ambience of Gado Gado is an intermingling of cultures and varying influences. There is a traditional alang-alang roof and a modern open space European ambience underneath. The restaurant is very close to the sacred Hindu temple, Pura Camplung Tanduk. The wooden deck of the restaurant is cooled by the breeze blowing from the Indian Ocean right in front. The flexibility of the place has always been one of its strengths. The multi-functionality is at display even as the spaces can be rearranged to accommodate as many as 600 guests, making it a preferred destination for events and parties.

Gado Gado Events
The restaurant is a common venue for many events starting from birthday parties, Christmas parties, corporate dinner parties, fashion shows, romantic candlelit dinners, private parties, product launches, wedding reception and New Year Eve celebrations.

The Menu
Gado Gado restaurant menu provides a wide variety of options to the visitors with starters like crispy fried pickles and chilli aioli shrimp, the popular Mediterranean Trio or hummus, tapenade and tortilla chips with roasted pepper spread, and the fried green tomato. The salads include Baby spinach, iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing, Caesar with romaine and lavender butter croutons and mixed greens. The menu also includes sandwiches, shrimps and tender chicken for kids, pasta varieties like linguini Alfredo and flatbread pizzetta with veggie, five kinds of cheeses, and other ingredients.

The Main plates too have some good variety with vegetarian dishes, seafood platters with shrimp and fish, andouille sausages, prime sirloin steak, pan seared bone in pork chops, grilled chicken using high quality basmati rice, Tikka sauce and vegetable medley and the cedar plank salmon made with sautéed spinach and garlic mashed potato. There are daily specials in the menu along with desserts. The menu also boasts of some exotic Martinis including classic gin martini, French martini, citrus and red rose martinis.

Nusa Lembongan

This small island is located 20km off the coast from Bali and is a paradise with scenic settings and tranquility different from the commercial buzz of South Bali. Clear blue waters, sandy beaches and lush green settings give you a quiet and cozy time to relax.

How to Get There
Separated from Bali by the Badung strait, one can reach Nusa Lembongan from Bali using a boat or a cruise trip depending on the budget. These boats leave from Sanur beach, Benoa Harbor and Padang Bai Harbor. You can also take fast boats of the Scoot cruise or speed boat service from Mushroom bay known as Tamarind Jaya Express.

Attractions of the paradise

Reefs and Snorkeling
If you are a nature lover or photographer, you will have the time of your life in these scenic settings. There are many beautiful beaches that you can visit. The island is surrounded by coral reefs with limestone cliffs and white sand beaches. If you are a marine life enthusiast, you can go snorkeling and explore some biodiversity in the marine life.

Beaches
Dream beach, Sunset beach and tamarind beach are three wonderful beaches you can access from Nusa Lembongan. These bays of white sand allow you to sit back and relax. Tamarind Bay offers a spectacular view of Mount Agung and although swimming could be dangerous, the beaches are ideal for laid back relaxation. At Sunset beach one can see dramatic caves of limestone cliffs exposed during the low tide. Those who are interested in surfing have something to cheer as the island is popular for surfing breaks like Lacerations, Shipwrecks and Playgrounds. One can also go for scuba diving and fishing and enjoy the sparkling, aqua blue waters around the island paradise. You can use any of the local boats called perahu for a leisurely ride. You can find manta rays, white tipped reef sharks, nurse sharks, ocean sunfish also known as mola mola, and different species of sea turtles.

Suspensions Bridge
One can go for a stroll or a motorbike ride over the yellow suspension bridge that connects Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan. The suspension bridge can be found near the estuarine channel and although scary is relatively safe to cross for a nice experience.

Other attractions
A few minutes from the Dream beach or Sunset beach, you can find lot of rocks and sit and enjoy the sight of water crashing and rising in plumes against the rocks. You can also use the jukung outrigger boats to explore the mature mangroves around the west coast road. To enjoy some magnificent views of Bali you can head to the largest Hindu temple of the island, the Puncak Sari temple. On the Southern side of the village you can explore the numerous seaweed farms meant for the Asian cosmetic industry. The island is also one of the best places to view a sunset with blood red light engulfing the sky. One can get better views from high ridges and also the beach at Jungut Batu.

As proclaimed by him, Kuni has 3 major passions which amazingly intermingle and blend to provide a fine dining experience. This is the passion for food, passion for ambience mostly the right amount of lighting and passion for making every single guest welcome and fully satisfied with the experience at the restaurant. These are also the fundamental principles behind the success of the place, which is one of the more popular Japanese restaurants in Bali.

The Location

Kuni’s Bali restaurant is located in Jl. Laksmana 80 (ex. oberoi), Seminyak Bali not far away from the Indian Ocean. There are quite a few famous hotels in the proximity like the The Oberoi. It is very close to the Peti Tenget Temple in the picturesque locality of Badung, one of the tourist hubs of Bali.

The Ambience

Japanese modern is the concept running behind the aesthetics of the place. The décor is stunningly simple which is what makes it very pleasing to the eye. It is accentuated by the plants, the tables and the bamboos each fitting perfectly into the location and culminating to provide a wonderful picture. A lot of focus seems to have been paid to the serenity of the place and space available for guests by avoiding Japanese kitsch, found at many other restaurants making them garish and overly sentimental but in poor taste. The dining room is situated in the middle of the garden, so that guests can choose to dine inside in the light of the candles or in the open air under the beautiful stars of the Bali skies. The garden is full of colorful tropical plants and trees.

The Food

Kuni’s offers high standards in Japanese traditional dining with a wide range of items like the very popular gyoza and tempura and also innovations like the delicious prawn spring rolls and Thai type squid salad. You can also go for sushi and sashimi treats which are selected with utmost diligence and care by selecting fish freshly from the sea. From the local waters, the tuna is used to create the Magro sashimi delicacy, a favorite of many visitors.

The Kuni’s is not limited in the variety. You would be surprised to find Kushi Yaki section in the kitchen where you would see grilled food on skewers. One can view this section which is behind the glass at the restaurant’s entrance. To accentuate the Bali dining experience, Kushi Yaki combinations are carefully and expertly prepared using fish, beef, chicken and vegetables in order to accompany other dishes and meals. The versatility of the restaurant is what makes it so popular especially for groups of guests with individual preferences. For the vegetarian there are many dishes in each of the menu sections. For the noodle lovers, there are plain noodles as well as buckwheat dishes. There are traditional Japanese delicacies as well as recipes borrowed from local cuisines to give the visitors a complete dining experience where they are spoilt for choices. Not to mention the simple, classic and elegant ambience that adds to the magic of a soothing and satiating dinner.

As the mercury goes up, one place in Bali which will surely be a cool retreat for you is the highland area of Bali, comprising of Candi Kuning, Pacung, Pancasari, Wanagiri and Bedugul itself. Located 1400 meters above sea level Bedugul is located on the crater of an extinct volcano and is surrounded by beautiful lush green vegetation that is supported by 3 lakes, Bratan, Tamblingan and Buyan.

How to get there?

This lush green area is located 50km to Denpasar’s north. One can reach there on bemos which ply regularly to Bedugul from Denpasar on one side and Singaraja on the other. If you want to enjoy the scenic beauty even more closely a taxi ride or a motorcycle ride through the area is not a bad idea at all.

Things to Check Out

There are quite a few attractions which you shouldn’t give a miss when in Bedugul. The waterfalls in the area, although less visited are really fascinating. They really roar during the rainy season and are well worth the visit. The Munduk waterfall is 1km west of Munduk market and is one of the best spectacles the island has to offer. The 50 meter high Gitgit waterfall is near the Gitgit village which can be reached after cross Lake Bratan on the way to Singaraja, a small distance from the main road.

For those who are really interested in plant species, you can visit one of the 4 official botanical gardens in Indonesia, the Bali botanical gardens. You can identify it from the front entrance which has giant statue of stone. If you have love for trees and plants, this 160 hectare area could keep you interested all day long.

Jatiluwih which is 8km from Bedugul is a scenic marvel with lush green, terraced rice paddy fields nestling under the shadows of the beautiful Mount Batukaru. Those who love hiking and trekking will enjoy the landscape. There are a couple of refreshment cafes too. This place was nominated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as one of the world heritage centers. The Lake Bratan temple, known locally as the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is one of the showpieces of Bali and is perhaps a part of every tourist’s Bali album. Located on Lake Bratan’s western shore, the beautiful temple provides a picturesque view by almost looking like floating on the water. It was constructed in the early part of the 17^th century and is dedicated to the goddess of the lake, Ida Batara Dewi Ulun Danu (Dewi Ulun Danu), a stunning silhouette on the banks of the lake and a true snap for the photographers.

Trekking enthusiasts can join any of the organized treks to Mount Catur which is 2096 meters high. One can also take strolls and treks around Jatiluwih enjoying the scenery. 20km south of the central Bedugul, one can enjoy the Angseri hot springs. For those who love some buzz, the Bukit Mungsu traditional market in Candikuning is the place to pick tropical fruits, exotic spices, strawberries, orchids and corns. You can also find crops of coffee, cloves, vanilla and cacao in the surrounding area.

Ngurah Rai International Airport

Ngurah Rai international airport is Bali’s one and only international airport. The code for Bali is DPS which stands for Denpasar, the capital city of the beautiful land. It is a low rise international airport compared to the standards at most international airports. This is because unlike the general convention of having the arrivals and departure check in at two different levels stacked above each other this airport has both of them on the ground level itself. The layout of the airport is flat with domestic terminals and international terminals connected by a walkway. These domestic and international check in counters are on opposite ends which means it is slightly difficult for those who are making a close international and domestic connection.

Location and History
The airport which is 13km south of Denpasar has been named after I Gusti Ngurah Rai, who is an Indonesian National Hero, who died against the battle with Dutch at Marga in 1946 during the Indonesian Revolution. The airport is also located only 2.5km from Kuta resort center and is close to many tourist locations of Southern Bali. The airport is 3 km long reaching out almost to the ocean. Every year as many as 3 million passengers use this airport for flights to and outside Indonesia. The airport is serviced by many major and low cost airlines, tourist charters etc. The international airport has as many as 14 gates while the domestic terminal has 3 gates.

Facilities at Bali International airport
Like most international airports, Ngurah Rai International Airport has lot of duty free shops of cigarettes, liquor and perfume. There are many souvenir shops too although, one is better off buying the local products outside the international airport. The currency offered is also less than what one would get inside the airport. There are many restaurants, reflexology or foot massage shops and a few electronic shops inside the airport. The business class and first class passengers can also avail the lounge in the airport too. There are many purchase kiosks in the airport too. In terms of sheer volume, Ngurah Rai International airport is the third busiest airport of Indonesia after Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and Juanda International Airport in Surabaya.

Places to visit around the airport
The Ngurah Rai International Airport has many tourist attractions in its vicinity. The airport is very close to a lot of tourist places in Southern Bali. This makes this airport, a strategic location for tourists to Bali. The Kuta Beach, which is 5 – 8 km from the airport, Kuta Square around 8 km away, Legian which is 9 km, Seminyak which is 8 – 10 km away, Sanur Beach which is 13 – 15km away, Jimbaran Beach which is 3 – 6 km away, Nusa Dua, which is 20km away, Tanjung Benoa Water Sport which is 20km away, Turtle Island which is 18 – 22 km, Uluwatu Temple which is 23 km away and Tanah Lot Temple which is about 40km away are some of the locations located very close to the international airport.