Here is a summary of some great things to do, not objective, very biased information, as you would expect from two very opinionated people. But you know, we are also very nice and understanding and want you to have a nice time.
Note that Pemuteran is a bit remote, so not all of Bali’s great sights and activities are that close. Check out the map to see how best to plan your trip.
Island Tour (available from anywhere)
It is easy (and cheap) to organise a driver to drive you around Bali, show you all the pretty stuff on the island. Go to Ubud (yes, this is where Eat, Pay, Leave was shot), indulge in some amazing food, see Monkey forest, check out the beautiful rice terraces, visit the many temples, see a traditional dance ceremony. Have a look on the Map page for a bit of inspiration.
Mountain Biking
Infinity Mountain Biking has great guided tours for all abilities, whether you want a leisurely ride through villages and the country side or some more hardcore biking.
Mountain Bike Park – we haven’t been but want to go!
Dolphin Watching (1 hour, map):
Lovina Beach, located one hour away by car, is known for its great sunrise dolphin watching cruises. These can be arranged through Taman Sari. It is approximate $20 for the cruise, or $40 for a private boat cruise with 2-3 people.
West Bali National Park (30min, map):
Our wedding site is right on the edge of this fabulous 770 square kilometres of nature. The park was firstly recognized as an area of importance in 1917 when the council of Bali rulers designated it as a nature park. It was fully established as an Indonesian National Park in 1941.The park consists of rainforest, dry savanna, acacia scrub and lowland forests, as well as more mountainous forests in the higher centre. There are also some pouches of dense mangrove forest.
It has trails for every nature lover:
The Tegal Bunder Trail is most popular with birdwatchers, and it is an easy two-hour walk. The ranger checkpoint is at the village of Sumberklampok about 20 minutes west of Cekik.
From the same checkpoint you can take the more strenuous Gunung Klatakan Trail to the south east. This is tougher walking for about eight hours, but it takes you through some memorable rainforest. There are other trails and opportunities for interesting hikes, but these are the two most popular and the easiest.
The Teluk Brumbun hike is famous for its savannah and landscape and a view of Menjangan Island can be seen from the ridge of the hill. This is a good place to spot the kind of fauna or animal living in the park such as deer,wild pig and macaque.
Menjangan Island, part of the national park, is a little piece of secluded, uninhabited paradise, located just a few miles from the coast of Bali. The island gets its name from the Javanese word for ‘deer’, thanks to an incredible natural phenomenon whereby flocks of the rare wild Javan rusa deer swim to the island every spring — some of them travelling an incredible 2 kilometres to get there! They are friendly:)
Diving
Bali has some world-class diving spots, suitable for beginners up to the very experienced ones.
If you have never been diving before, Bali Diving Academy the local dive shop at Taman Sari can take you on a Discover Scuba course. Anybody who can swim can try Discover Scuba. The instructor will explain some basic diving theory and after that students go into the pool to learn basic diving skills and how to control their position underwater. Once they are comfortable in the water, they can do a dive in the ocean. More information about them and the local sites they go to can be found HERE.
Below some diving area highlights, but there are many more.
Near (1min to 1 hour):
- Pemuteran house reef (map): is right in front of the resort where we are getting married. It is perfect for beginners, as it is an easy shore dive.
- Pulau Menjangan (map): Part of West Bali National Park, this island is only a short drive and boat ride from Pemuteran. There is some great wall diving close to the island. Have a look at the dive sites or check out this video.
Further afield (3.5 hours to several days):
- Tulamben/Amed (3.5 hours, map): Based on the east coast and famous for the SS Liberty wreck, which is based just off the beach. Easy dive for anyone certified. It is a 3 hour drive from Pemuteran.
- Nusa Lembongan (1 day, map): There is some seriously challenging drift diving in the channel between Nusa Lembongang and Nusa Penida, as well as some more tranquil diving off the North or South of Nusa Lembongang.
- Gili Islands (1 day, map): 3 islands off the Lombok coast, about a 2.5 hour boat ride from Bali. Has some amazing sea life, and has both easy and more challenging dives. Great for beginners and advanced divers, not to mention the chill island vibe.
- Komodo/Flores (map): There’s some seriously cool shit here, but you either need to fly there or take a multi-day boat trip.
- Raja Ampat (map): Off the charts! No seriously, this is off the charts in terms of biodiversity and remoteness, plus it is stunningly beautiful. There’s so many fish out there it will blind you. But is also very remote (West Papua) and not quick to get to. Oh, did I mention whale sharks?
Snorkelling (1 min, map):
Mostly the same as the above. The Pemuteran house reef and the snorkelling around Pulau Menjangang is particularly beautiful and accessible for snorkellers.
Surfing (3 to 4 hours):
Bali is a known as a mecca for surfers – both beginner and much, much better. The best surfing is on the southern tip of the island, and we’re arranging a day trip there for those who want to go as a group, but if you want a few days on the waves, it might be best to go before or after visiting Taman Sari, as it’s three hours north.
The surf is just classic around the Bukit Peninsular – directly south from Dempasar. Kuta is the main gateway to many of these breaks and has plenty of cheap accommodation but beware – you will get hassled 24/7. Kuta Beach (map) is a popular beach for tourists and surfers alike and the lineup here can get pretty hectic. The list of top surf spots nearby reads like a surfers dream list. Dreamland (map), Uluwatu (map) and Padang Padang (map) to name a few. If you have never heard of them you will almost certainly seen a picture of one of them in a surfing magazine. Canggu (map) is also becoming well known for its breaks and great surrounding town.
Bali picks up the swells from the Southern Ocean and from April to November will see consistent surf of up to 12 ft. This is also the dry season so its the best time to come.
Monkey Forest (3 hours, map):
If you are into animals and forests, or want to get your purse stolen by a monkey, you should make time for the Ubud Monkey Forest, a nature reserve center and temple complex which houses more than 600 monkeys that are acknowledged as long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis). There are 4 groups of monkeys each occupying diverse territories in the sanctuary which is considered a sacred place for Balinese people. The forest contains 115 different species of trees. The Monkey Forest contains the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal temple in addition to a “Holy Spring” bathing temple.
Horseback riding (25min, map):
Tucked away within the jungle of The Menjangan Resort on the unspoiled north-western tip of Bali, Bali Saddles is only 25 minutes from Taman Sari. Experience the beauty of the park on horseback, guided by our trained staff who tailor each trek to suit your riding ability, riding past a mangrove forest with views over the calm waters and the namesake Menjangan Island on the horizon.
Early morning or late afternoon are best, so both you and the horses avoid the heat of the sun. Their collection of Australian horses are good for kids too.
Golfing (2 hours, map):
For any golfers in the group, there is a “top flight”, 18-hole, 7024-yard (6.4 km for real people) course at Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club. Lonely Planet describes the golf course resort as resembling the villan’s grand lair in an old James Bond movie…try it if you dare! Although it is almost two hours away in Pancasari, a valley area which is actually an extinct volcano, the area has a lively market and the Danu Buyan Lake nearby, which has a 4km hike all around it. The area is also known for its excellent Indonesian cuisine. (about $50 per round).
Rafting (about 3 hours):
The Ayung river that runs west of Ubud has some fun white water rafting. Nothing too strenuous, because as one of the main rafting companies states: “We have ZERO accident”. Some would call that boring (crash-test-mountainbikers), others would find it nice to enjoying the beautiful scenery and come home from a holiday without any broken limbs.
Anyway, if you want to check it out, some rafting companies are: Sobek, Melangit River Rafting Bali,Mega Rafting Adventures and Good Bali Tour. Gotta love the creativity with these names.
Cooking class (at Taman Sari):
Explore the secrets of Balinese cuisine and its exotic flavours with a Balinese culinary experience. Our expert chefs at Taman Sari will leave you with unique memories and plenty of information for your future Bali-inspired dinner parties once you are back home.
Yoga (at Taman Sari and surrounds):
Yoga has a massive following in Bali, as you’ll have seen in Eat Pray Love I’m sure. There are weeklong retreats around the country, with a hotbed in Ubud, where yogies have invaded the place and health-food seems to be mandatory. There are half a dozen yoga studios in Pemuteran and Taman Sari has its own yoga class twice a week – check out our itinerary to learn more.
Meagan & Mike's Wedding 