The East...

Amlapura

The principal city of Karangasem district of Bali. The old Palace of the Raja being the most famous attraction, although the peaceful and attractive town offers a soothing change of pace.

Besakih

The biggest temple in Indonesia, the Mother Temple is situated on the slope of the sacred and still active volcano, Mount Agung (3140m). Every year thousands of pilgrims, and many thousands of tourists flock to this temple, which consists of 18 towering grass-thatched pagodas spread along the roadside on the steep mountain slopes.

Candidasa

Set at the foot of the majestic Mt. Agung, the white sandy beach of Candidasa is only visible when the tide is out, but the grassy foreshore and beach are great places to catch the sun and recharge the weary traveller's batteries (usually after the long bus trip from Singaraja).

This is an excellent base for daytrips around Eastern Bali. Tenganan, Goa Lawah, Amlapura and Pedang Bai are all within easy reach, and good diving is available a little further afield at Tulamben, where a US ship sunk during WWII may be viewed in its underwater resting place.

Candidasa.

A wide range of accommodation and restraunts exist, but prices may sometimes seem out of touch with the standard--take the time to shop around, as some of the small family run places offer great value amongst the larger corporate owned hotels that overlook the beach.

Candidasa also has some larger shops where the traveller may stock up on food items such as bread, breakfast-cerial and other consumer items that are not generally available in the markets.

Goa Lawah (The Bat Cave)

One of Bali's most famous caves, situated in a temple courtyard and inhabitted by thousands of bats. Hold your nose if you must, and be fascinated by this crazy, noisy and somewhat smelly place! The cave itself is one of the most holy in Bali, and is believed to be the home of the dragon named Naga Basuki.

Not far away, is the seldom visited coastal village of Kusamba, where the resources of the ocean are used to make salt. The beach there is dotted with small huts that are used to store the salt, or to house the salt workers.

Klungkung

Capital of the Klungkung District, this town is known for the famous "Kerta Gosa" court house, with its ceilings depicting the carriage of justice in the form of now extremely fragile wayang paintings. This is really a must see place, set in beautiful gardens, with moats around the open-sided courts and the nearby palace.

Mt. Agung

Bali's most holy mountain, the spectacular Mt. Agung towers more than 3000m over the north-eastern corner of Bali. It is the place of the biggest temple in Indonesia, the Mother Temple at Besakih, and is very popular with hikers who can choose to walk up or down the mountainside with or without guides, or who trek overnight to enjoy the brilliant sunrise.

Padangbai

Ferry terminal seaport for the nearby island of Lombok. Expect to pay around Rp.5,000 (ecconomy) to Rp.10,000 (first class) to travel to Lombok. Tickets may be purchased at the terminus, or from any of the tour operators in the major tourist centres. The ferries leave every two hours but take several hours to reach Lombok so try to leave early.

The beaches of Padangbai are amongst the best in the east but are largely ignored by visitors in favour of nearby Candidasa. Unlike many of the villages in Bali, Padangbai is a Muslim town, and presents a different face and culture to that found elsewhere on the island.

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Above: Typically seen on the beaches of Bali are the traditional fishing boats.

Tenganan

Protected from the outside world for centuries by its walls, Tenganan has maintained a unique pre-Hindu culture, which includes gladiatorial dances re-enacting the battles of centuries ago.

Tenganan is also famous for "Double Ikat" weaving style, known as gringsing, which is said to offer the wearer magical powers.

Tirta Gangga

The old bathing place of the former Rajah of Karangasem, which is particuary famous for the ingenious networks of swimming pools. Public bathing is allowed.

Located on the slopes of Mt. Agung, some of the exotic bathing pools were damaged when this still active volcanoe last erupted, but the water gardens are a serene and relaxing place to get away from the clutter and noise of the busy tourist traps.

Tulamben

Located on the east coat, Tulamben has a facinating wreck of a US merchant ship, the Liberty, which was sunk during WWII. Today, snorkellers and divers visit the rusty remanents to see the coral, sponges, anemone and the thousands of tropical fish that have taken up residence.

The drive along the eastern coast of Bali (from Singaraja to Candidasa) is one of the most scenic that could be imagined. A trip from either of those places to Tulamben will provide great ocen views from the winding cliff-side road.

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