With 157 hectares of park to explore and 2400 plants species for a total variety of twenty-one-thousand plants, the Botanical Garden of Bali is the largest in Indonesia - a paradise of biodiversity at 1300 metres above sea level which shows off all the wealth of the island’s stunning nature. Perched on a hillside of the volcanic caldera of Bedugul, the park is known for its superlative views - on clear days they expand all the way to Bratan Lake, stretching out over the pluvial forests of the mountainside. Eighty species of birds, shrews and monkeys populate the area. However, the principal attraction is the wondrous plant life - the beauteous gathering of orchids, aquatic gardens, carnivorous plants, the giant ferns and one of the largest collections of begonias on the planet, just a few examples of the immense patrimony of the Botanical Garden. The most curious will want to visit the section dedicated to ceremonial plants and those plants that are part of the world of traditional Balinese medicine - a window on the culture of the island and the age-old symbiosis that connects the inhabitants to their environment. Fountains and trails mark the itineraries to follow on foot, while a ring road allows the forest to be traversed by car. An unmissable stop is the upper slope of Tapak Hill, where gigantic banyans or ficus benghalensis can be found, absolutely the most photographed tree in the park.
The Bali Kite Festival is usually held on the beach near Sanur between July and August, Bali's windy season. Throughout the area, kite flying is a way for local people to thank the Gods for giving them a bumper harvest and augur their future.
A collection fit for a king at the Buleleng museum
A particular museum, intended to preserve the cultural heritage of Northern Bali and whose collection, consisting of statues, sarcophagi, weapons and other relics, is mainly due to donations from the family of King Buleleng Ki Gusti Anglurah Panji Sakti.
Written by Balinese scholar Professor I Made Bandem and American art historian Bruce W. Carpenter, this stunning study of masks as an ancient art form is a richly illustrated book, with over 1000 color images by photographer Doddy Obenk.
On the hills of Bali, Ubud stands on the edge of the tropical forest and terraced rice fields dotted with Hindu temples and shrines, among the most famous on the island.