Roundtrip 21 days Bali and Gili islands - snorkeling, nature and culture

Denpasar

Denpasar is the busy capital of Bali.
Besides some museums and the market there aren’t many tourist attractions in the capital, though you can do some great shopping for cheap prices.

Sanur

Sanur is located directly on the Indian Ocean.
The beach of Sanur beach is protected by a reef at some 100 meters off shore, which means that the waves are much gentler than in Kuta.
Sanur is a quiet old fishing village with lots of hotels, restaurants and shops

Favourite restaurant

My own experience: Mades Restaurant, in the centre of Sanur. Delicious Balinese food and Indonesian dishes!

Mades Restaurant - Sanur

Pemuteran

Pemuteran is a small fishing village in the northwest of Bali, at the Bali-zee.
It’s situated at the edge of the West-Bali National Park very close to the beautiful seagardens of Menjangan island, one of the most fabulous diving spots in Indonesia.
In the village Pemuteran itself is not much to do. But almost every hotel offer plenty of facilities to fulfil your wishes.
Pemuteran is a perfect place to relax a couple of days after a tiring Java trip.

Favourite restaurant

According to Vera, the tahu and tempeh goreng with saté and gado gado are delicious!


Warung Makan Nengah

What to see

Diving or snorkeling at Nusa Menjangan is the must-do in Pemuteran. Book at your reception a day in advance and you will be taken by boat to the island of Nusa Menjangan. We bet you will meet Nemo and some turtles?
Hiking in the National Park west Bali. Not the breathtaking tropical rainforest of Sumatra or Kalimantan, but you will always encounter some strange birds, monkeys, deer and pigs.
Dolphin spotting at Lovina. You don't have to stay in Lovina for the dolphins. Almost all hotels offer a dolphin excursion. You leave around 5 in the morning by car to Lovina and go there on the boat to the dolphins.
Turtle Hatchery Project. Within walking distance, between the Taman Sari an Adi Assri resort is the turtle center, where the eggs wait in a kind of hatchery for the young sea turtles to hatch. They are protected there for the first few weeks of their lives, until they are large enough to be released on the beach and choose the full sea.

Nusa Menjangan

Nusa Menjangan is een klein eilandje in het noordwesten van Bali. Het behoort tot het nationaal park west Bali en je moet ook niet raar opkijken wanneer je grote edelherten op het strand ziet staan.

Lovina

Lovina is a seaside village in the North at the Bali Sea. The black beach does not immediately invite you to swim or snorkel in the sea. In any case, there is little to see underwater.
Compared to the South of Bali it’s quiet here, whereas all facilities to enjoy your holiday are present. The village has a cozy center with restaurants and shops.
Lovina's must-do is an early morning trip to see the dolphins. With a bit of luck you will be with a few boats in a school of dozens of dolphins, but it can also be unexpected.
Close to Lovina, the Banjar Hotsprings and the Buddhist monastery Brahma Arama Vihara are worth a visit. Furthermore, the West Bali National Park is a short distance away. A visit to the former capital of Bali, Singgaraja, with its many old buildings is very worthwhile.

Ubud

Ubud is called the artist village in central Bali. In and around the busy center are numerous sewing and art studios and several museums and theaters. Dances are performed daily, including in the palace. A visit to the art-market opposite the palace is also definitely worth it.

You can choose a hotel or resort in the busy center, somewhere quiet in the middle of the rice fields or on the border of the river.

Things to see and do

Too much to mention all...
Ubud Palace and Puri Saren Agung Temple: Here you can marvel at traditional Balinese architecture. Daily also the scene of Balinese dances
The Monkey Forest Monkey Forest: A must see for many, personally a torment for me to watch monkeys that have become more than brutal.
Agung Rai Museum of Art houses artworks by, among others, Walter Spies, Rudolf Bonnet and many other artists. The museum's goal is to keep Balinese art alive.
Museum Puri Lukisan specializes in modern Balinese paintings, sculptures and carvings
The Blanco Renaissance Museum is mainly focused on works by the Spanish painter Don Antonio Blanco
The Campuhan Ridge Walk is a must do: Take an early morning hike for this 2 hour hike across the ridge to the village of Bangkian Sidem
And there is much more to see in the Ubud area!

Favourite restaurant

The specialty of Ubud is crispy fried duck, Bebek Bengil. There are several restaurants where "Dirty Duck" is on the menu. Our favorite is restaurant Bebek Bengil at the Jalan Hanoman in the center.

Another great restaurant in the center is Cafe Lotus , with a very extensive menu and a beautiful pond at the Jalan Raya Ubud, close to the Royal Palace .

Many trendy and cozy restaurants can also be found in the quieter Pertiwi district.

Kintamani

Kintamani is the mountain village on the southwest flank of the Gunung Batur volcano. The many restaurants offer beautiful views of the volcano and Lake Danau Batur

The Gunung Batur is reasonably easy to climb. The climb to the top of the volcano starts at 4 a.m. Led by a guide, it is two hours to the top and two hours back. At sunrise you have a beautiful view of the volcanic landscape and Gunung Agung. Many climbers then visit the hot springs of Toya Devasya.

The Batur trek can be started from Kintamani, but also from Ubud, for example.

Gili Meno

Gili Meno is the smallest island and is located between Gili Air and Gili Trawangan. It is also called the honeymoon island.
The island is only accessible by public or charter boat from the other 2 Gili islands, or with the Eka Jaya fastboat from Bali and Lombok.
Everything on this small island radiates peace and also has the most beautiful beaches of the three Gili islands.

Things to see

There is a bird park on Gili Meno where various species of birds such as the flamimgos, eagles and cockatoos can be viewed. The Turtle Sanctuary on Gili Meno aims to protect the green turtle swimming in the sea around the Gili Islands, you can see the little turtles swimming in the water tanks.

At the beach on the west and east sides you have the best chance to see the turtles swimming in the shallow water.

There are only a few shops, lounge bars and restaurants on the island.
You can also walk around the island in about an hour, take a ride by Cidomo or do a snorkeling or diving excursion.

Nusa Lembongan

An hour's boat ride from Bali are the bounty islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida.
Nusa Lembongan has beautiful beaches with even nicer names such as Dream beach and Mushroom Bay beach. Snorkeling is excellent from the beaches, but take the boat to beautiful and interesting locations between Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida, or to the Mangrove, where you will spot countless colorful fish.

Via the Yellow Bridge you go from Nusa Lembongan to Nusa Ceningan. It is the smallest of the 3 islands and is less known to tourists. It has a beautiful but small beach at Mahana Point.

The Nusa is a paradise for experienced divers, with manta rays, sharks and beautiful corals. In the months of August to November you will also find the impressive and ugly Mola-Mola sun fishing here. Beginners should consider strong currents.
The food on the Nusa's is comparable to that in South Bali. Fresh fish is of course best when the fish is really fresh.