Bali is known for its famous beaches, but this paradise is also home to beautiful temples, lush forests, mountains, markets, artists and wildlife. As an Acupuncturist-at-Sea, my springboard for island tours was the southern port, Benoa. I am not a sun goddess, so I sought our more land-based sites. Read on to learn about Bali’s beachless attractions.
Bali is the westernmost island of the Lesser Sunda Islands archipelago of Indonesia. Even more, it’s part of the Coral Triangle, with the highest biodiversity of marine species and reef-building coral species. The beaches along the southern island’s coast have white sand; while in contrast, the northern coasts’ sand is black. Bali’s central mountains include active volcanoes, such as, the highest Mount Agung “Mother Mountain” and Mount Batur.
Bali’s volcanic nature is the reason its known for such fertile soils for agriculture. For example, south of the mountains is where most of the island’s rice paddies grow, whereas the north is home to most of the coffee plantations. Also, Bali is the only Indonesian Hindu-majority Island, expressed through its numerous spiritual temples. Bali is renowned for its artistic culture including arts, such as, metalworking, Batik, dance, sculpture, painting, leatherwork and music. Also, tourism is the most important sector of the economy of this exotic island.
Best of Bali’s Beachless Attractions
Forests, Mountains & Culture
While I love the beach, my fair skin doesn’t make me much of a Sun Goddess. So, I often seek out more terrestrial things to do in my port-of-calls. And while Bali is known for world-class swimming and beaches, it’s rich, mountains, lush forests along with artistic and spiritual culture are fun to explore. As an Acupuncturist-at-Sea, I spent days off in Bali, venturing off from Benoa by either organized tours or taxi. Here are the attractions that I enjoyed on port days in Bali:
Ubud Monkey Forest and Markets
The Ubud Monkey Forest is first and foremost an ecosanctuary and natural habitat for the Balinese long-tailed Monkeys. However, it’s not a petting zoo and these playful creatures can get quite feisty. So, it’s best to just observe among the approx. 1,000 monkeys living in the sanctuary. Besides monkeys, this area is a lush tropical forest with ancient temples and exquisite sculptures. For example, there are nutmeg forests and massive Banyan tree roots above ground throughout the park.
Also, there’s even an ancient bathing temple called Pura Baji. Overall, it’s a pristine natural habitat, utilized for conservation and research of the Balinese Long-tailed Monkeys. And don’t forget about the popular Ubud Art Markets for a spectrum of souvenirs or handicrafts.
Bali Bird Park
This lavish bird park in Gianyar Regency houses more than 1,000 exotic birds, representing more than 250 species. This is on par with Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park, with diverse natural habitats including plants, such as, palms, cyads, bamboos, fruit trees and cactus.
The park is home to natural habitat with diverse botanical diversity. It features 52 different species of palms, jungle fruit trees, cactus and bamboos. Additionally, there are 3 lakes as homes for a variety of water birds. Most importantly, the Bali Bird Park protects Indonesia’s endangered wildlife, such as, the Bali Starling.
Tegalalang Rice Terraces
The emerald rice paddies of Bali are renowned for their scenic beauty and innovative, cooperative irrigation system. The Tegallalang rice paddies are in the villages of Ubud, Pejeung and Camphuan. The high roadside is a popular spot for photos and gazers. Also, there are numerous cafes and tourist stops along the way here. Additionally, the Bali jungle swings are popular, immersing into the views, thrill and wonder. The Bali Swings vary at different heights from 10 m to 78 m above the ground.
Lake Batur
The active Batur volcano’s eruption created the crescent-shaped crater lake. This devastating eruption caused many deaths and damage. Because it lies at 1,000 km above sea level, the temperature remains cooler here. The lake offers many watersport activities, such as, swimming, boating and canoeing. Additionally, the lake has its own hot springs for rejuvenation among the dramatic landscape.
Penglipuran Village
Near Lake Batur is the picturesque and well-preserved traditional Penglipuran Village in East Bali. Now, it’s a community-based tourist destination. At 700 m above sea level, among cooler air you can enjoy its colorful gardens, farmland and bamboo forests. Many of the locals open up their homes to sell handicrafts and art. Overall, it’s a cultural and natural feast with much to see and do, while supporting the local community.
Tohpati Batik Village
Bali is where I first learned about the ancient art form of Batik, that is made with wax-resistant dye on fabrics. Indonesian Batik is known for it high-quality craftsmanship, patterns, design and meticulous techniques.
The Village of Tohpati famous for its Batik Wand Weaving Center. Here, tourists enjoy shopping tours, where they also observe how the artwork is created. It’s fascinating to watch the amount of intricate detail going into this traditional way of painting fabric. Overall, this is a great opportunity to explore the culture and shop, while supporting the locals.
Metalworking and Silversmiths of Celuk
This is another area to enjoy a shopping tour and observe the process of the artwork. In Celuk or “Silver Village,” most members of the community are a silversmith at some level. For decades the village has been known for its high-quality silver and gold jewelry. Just like the Batik tours, in Celuk visitors can observe how their artwork is made and directly purchase from the artist, and therefore, support the local artist.
Enjoy Bali!
Bali has so much to offer from both its nature and culture. Truly, from my experience it’s one of the most creative and spiritual cultures of the world. Bali inspires us to discover things about our own inner artist. If your travels bring you to Bali, feel free to leave comments or tips below.
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