“He who has stopped travelling, has stopped living.”
I guess that quote really stands up when it comes to exploring Bali. It
is almost impossible to get bored and feel monotonous living in Bali.
For the true explorers who are on the continuous quest for new
discoveries, this island is an ideal place to satiate that hunger.
Waterfalls, beach, crater lakes, paddy fields, vineyards, North Bali
gives you no chance to complaint. Being the greenest area of Bali, North
Bali also provides a diverse set of tourist spots to explore.
Where to go
For all those who cannot resist of going to the ocean, Lovina Beach is
the only destination in the North Bali. Characterised by calm waves and
side-lined by coconut trees, it is visited by all those who crave for
relaxation. Lovina is sun-drenched, with patches of shade from palm
trees. The tourist area stretches over 8 kilometres, and consists of a
string of coastal villages – Kaliasem, Kalibukbuk, Anturan and Tukad
Mungga – collectively known as Lovina. A short drive from the black sand
beach of Lovina, those who are keen into architecture can visit The Royal Palace of Singaraja, which depicting royal grandeur and majestic European buildings.
If you need to pacify your soul, Pura Ponjok Batu can
be an alternative. Meaning Stone Cape, this ancient, spiritual place
owes its uniqueness to a rock promontory, which from the crevices of
rocks grows frangipani trees and shrubs that grows artistically. This
Hindu temple is used for praying to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi. For Buddhist,
praying at the Brahma Vihara Arama is a must. Located
at Tegehe Village, this biggest Buddhist temple in Bali rises
majestically overlooking Lovina Beach with lush green hill as a
background. Painted with colorful decorations, this place is also a
perfect place for relaxation while admiring the beautiful buildings and
surroundings.
Soaking
in the healing waters of a natural hot spring is the most effective way
to relax in nature, and a quick visit to one of the island’s most
popular hot springs can be a solution. Located in the Banjar Village,
with lush, jungle-clad slopes surrounding the sacred area, Banjar Hot Spring
consists of hot ponds filled with warm water. The sulphuric water,
which believed to cure skin diseases, spills from the mouths of some
stone-carved mythical dragon into three pools at a tempting temperature
of 37 degrees Celsius. The presence of brimstones in the water lends the
healing property for various skin diseases, which explain why the place
is known as the “Magical waters of Bali”.
One of the most famous waterfalls of north Bali is Gitgit Waterfall.
Located in the plateau area with the height about 35 metres, the
waterfall is surrounded by tropical trees with some plantations
protecting the rain forest around it.
The forest lovers will be treated well at the Lemukih village,
which lies in the northern slope of the island at an altitude of 638
metres above sea level. It is dotted by gorgeous rice paddies, coffee
and fruit plantations, making it ideal for those who want to stroll
around and explore deeper into Balinese lifestyle. Encircled by green
forests and mountains, Lemukih provides a rather picturesque view. The
dense tropical rain-forests are a perfect spot for trekking. It is
characterised by 3 beautiful, gushing waterfalls which start at
different heights. The water is cool and clean and pours out from the
greenery above. The pounding sound of water falling and splashing
creates a much desired tranquillity all around.
The wine lovers can enjoy the North Bali by visiting the vineyard of Hatten Wines.
Situated between the towns of Seririt and Pemuteran, this place offers
wine tasting and exploring experience. The Hatten Wines winery is a
modern state of the art facility, bottling over 50000 bottles of wine
each day. Like most places, Bali also has its own cultural drink called
Tuak, universally known as palm wine. It is a milky fermented alcohol
made from the sap of palm trees. It has a sour taste, and a strong burn
as you swallow. It is available for purchase in some restaurants and
shops and should be tried by every wine lover to know the rustic flavour
of Bali.
What to do
Apart
from the terrific sceneries to gape at, North Bali provides loads of
activities to indulge in. The Kalimudah canyon is the next best thing
for sporting Canyoning destination. In this activity,
you will come across two different sections. The first section is a
sequence of water slides, jumps and short rappels with glorious gorges
made of volcanic rock, sulphurate water basin that come out from the
underground. The second part is sportier, including swimming, floating,
enchanting rappel descents along the waterfall and jumps up to 10 metres
high.
Another rewarding activity is undoubtedly dolphin watching at Lovina.
There is a certain ecstasy to waking up at sunrise, walking to the
beach, finding a local boatman and embarking on an adventure. In no time
the dolphins appear in pods of ten to literally hundreds. Some
mornings, they even put on a full dolphin show with backflips, massive
jumps and sometimes even tail-walking.
For trekking lovers, North Bali provides more than enough jungle treks. Trekking at Lemukih Village
is a rare and unique opportunity to experience the traditional culture
and the beautiful nature. You can trek all the way to temples, rice
paddies, coffee and fruit plantations. If you want to burn more
energies, follow a track with stone steps that winds down for about 90
meters to the waterfalls of Leimukh through jungles and rivers. If
that’s still not enough and you feel like experiencing more of the wild
rainforest, the beautifully crafted nests of Bali's central highlands
will make the trek to Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan
memorable. Covered by fog most of the times, the two crater lakes are
located within the caldera of extinct Bedugul volcano. You can also set a
camp near the lakes.
Trekking along the vineyard can also be a part of your itinerary, and therefore a visit to Welcome Center & Observation Deck of Hatten Wines
vineyards is an option. The Alphonse Lavallee grapes is grown locally
in most Balinese vineyards, producing very tasty wine. Your trip will
start with a quick walking tour of the vineyard. The tour will include a
lesson in wine making, grape picking, and a visit at Hatten Wine’s
laboratory. Finally, the activity you have been waiting for… wine
tasting!
The
magnificence of North Bali is just endless and gets even better with
more exploration. With adrenaline pumping activities to lazing around in
beach and strolling across paddy fields, this northern part of the
island leaves no stone unturned to satisfy every ounce of your soul. A
perfect region to distress one’s mind and body, North Bali truly
captivates the heart and soul.
This article is also published at NOW! Bali Magazine
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