Baru di Bali

Away from the Busy December of Kuta and thereabouts, we went up north heading to Lovina through the rising curve of the road in Bedugul, where the heat of Bali sun is softly covered by the cool mountainous breeze and the glaring sun is quietly filtered by the fogs that float on top of the surrounding hills down to the lakes in the area. The hours spent on the road provide breathtaking natural views with several attraction points where visitors could make a stop to fully enjoy the sceneries or simply to rest and relax before continuing their journey.

We made our first stop at Lake Bratan, which on that day was very full with tourists enjoying the lake by taking advantage of the available amusements like Jet Ski, parasailing, boat trip and even fishing. We could see how excited the tourists were through the smiles and eager eyes on their faces while queuing, waiting for their turns to enjoy the amusement to come. Flash lights from cameras were also taking part on the busyness on the mid cloudy day in Bratan, when the tourists were turning their happy moments to last.

An hour in Bratan flew just like in a heartbeat when the thin layer of fog covering the lake was slowly faded by the emerging light from the sun. Didn’t want to miss the bright day, we got back to the road and headed to the nearby Bedugul Botanical Garden, which is also known as the Kebun Raya Eka Karya. The sun and cool breeze of the Bali’s central mountains made the greeneries of the vast savannah together with tall trunks of the trees looked astonishing. This widely known weekend-retreat was also full with people picnicking, enjoying the view from a higher ground.

Several Balinese Hindu temples are also located within the area of the garden surrounded by thousands of plant types and multifarious of floras, from which the complete collection of the flowers used for the offering are also cultivated.

Moving upper out of the botanical garden, we headed to Lake Tamblingan which is located in the plateau area with green hill surroundings. Tamblingan owns the fascination where the nature authenticity is felt through the absence of motorized boats. This lake is ideal for jungle trekking adventure because it is very amazing with the rain forest including flora and fauna observation. Many visitors also use the area for camping program or outdoor team building while enjoying the sight of the local residents fishing using their small traditional boats in the middle of a beautiful nature.

Away higher leaving the Lake Tamblingan we made a stop at a road side to greet the friendly monkeys. Different from the stereotyped monkeys in many parts of the island, the ones in Bedugul are very calm and somewhat cute – especially when they put this begging look on their faces so that the tourists will buy them peanuts.

After the monkeys and nearing Lovina, we stopped at Gitgit Waterfall. Gitgit is quite popular especially due to its location that is not very far from the main road. Signs posted on the roadside, with a warung (shop) and obvious parking area, make it even easier for the passers by to spot this attraction. Entrance to the waterfall is of steps going down around 500m through rice terraces on one side and shops on the other. When the row of the shops ends, that is around 100m before the waterfall, the sounds of singing tropical insects and bugs accompanied by the humming from the running water start to occupy the scene. For a moment, walking down the mossy path within a rainforest setting, we felt like being in one of those Indiana Jones’ adventures.

Watching and listening to the water hitting the bottom rock made us felt so relaxed that we spent quite sometime sitting on one of the big rocks in the middle of the river doing nothing else. With the very soft drizzles from the water splashes touching our skins, we turned all freshened up.

Having enough ‘rest’ at Gitgit, we continued our tip going down to Lovina. Sharp descends and turns of the road could be dangerous; it is, therefore, a careful drive is highly advised.   

After around half an hour, we finally arrived in Singaraja. This northern regency, which covers around 30% of the whole island of Bali, is a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of South Bali: no traffic jams, no loud music from the clubs, no massive crowds. Looking at this situation, we were very sure that this part of the island is still waiting to be discovered, for it offers a wealth of activities and attractions that will keep you busy even for a long stay.

Going through the small roads in Singaraja to Lovina, we caught a glimpse of Bali as it is told by the early travelers in the island. We encountered a rush of a traditional ceremony where the sounds of gamelan music was filling and flying in the air. It was nothing for the residents living in the area as it is a regular part of their daily lives; but for us, it was amazing to hear that kind of melody not performed on a stage. Little children playing and running on an open field still in their ceremony outfits and people walking on the road sides all were stopped and nodded their heads to the direction of our car as we passed through their area. Only within an instant, we knew that we were going to love the unsurpassed beauty of this area, home of the dolphins in Lovina Bay where its calm seas lap the black sandy shores.

The Climate is very temperate in this part of Bali. The mountains and the volcanoes to the south protect the northern portion of the island from frequent rainfall, and contribute to a drier climate and lesser humidity. When it rains, it is usually in the afternoon or early evening for about 1 to 2 hours; it is seldom that it rains for an entire day. Therefore, it is definitely possible to visit Bali during the rainy season. Actually, many prefer the rainy season due to the lushness of the vegetation and the decreased intensity of the sun.

Having enough sight-seeing on the villages, we made our way to the most important Buddhist monastery in Bali, the Brahma Arama Vihara. This Buddhist temple offers a spectacular view complete with golden Buddha statues set in a natural surrounding. All visitors are free to participate in a meditation session. Since the monastery is, obviously, aimed for religious service – thus not a tourist site – all visitors are highly advised to behave themselves and pay a full respect, especially because all doors in the monastery are opened for everyone. Consisting of five important complexes, this Buddhist monastery offers a breathtaking view of the hills of Banjar Tegeha village for it blends beautifully with the peaceful environment.

To conclude our Lovina trip we went to the Banjar Hot Spring located 10-minute drive from the monastery. The hot spring has several swimming pools with carved statues on the walls spewing out the hot water into the pools from overhead. The hot soak in the middle of nature was very refreshing especially after a long drive checking out places in this northern part of the island. A number of shops offering snacks, drinks and souvenirs are also available within the hot spring compound. And if soaking in the hot water is not enough, you could always have a relaxing massage in a place that is set in the middle of the greeneries of the hot spring area through a drawbridge.