Tabanan



Tabanan is a town in Central Bali.

Understand
Tabanan is the capital town of the regency of Bali with the same name. Parts of Tabanan regency lie in Central Bali and other parts would be more often regarded as part of West Bali. For the purposes of this guide the Tabanan area will be classified in Central Bali, as that is where the key areas of interest to visitors are located.

The coastal areas in the south used to be not well known by visitors due to a lack of infrastructure, but they have become lightly developed, and there are some high profile accommodation options there. Tabanan is though more usually associated by visitors with rolling green landscapes, hills and especially the imposing Mount Batukaru, Bali's second highest peak at 2,276 metres.

The town of Mengwi has a long and rich history associated with its royal family, and the best modern-day manifestation of this is the splendid temple complex at Taman Ayun.

Get in
The main coastal road from Denpasar to West Bali passes right by Tabanan, and access from the main tourist centres in South Bali is straightforward. Most visitors to the Tabanan area arrive with their own transport. The town is served by bemos departing from Ubung bemo terminal in Denpasar. These arrive on the northern outskirts of town at Pesiapan terminal.

Get around
There are a lot a bemos available in the town of Tabanan, and some of these will be useful in getting you to interesting sights in the region. Taxis and private vehicles for hire are thin on the ground here though. Most visitors arrive with a car and driver, in their own hired vehicle or by motorbike, and get around the region in that way.

See
There are numerous smallroads and unmade tracks that lead from the coast road south of Tabanan to the waterfront. The beaches here are all black sand. The most well known of them, and one with some good accommodation options, is Yeh Gangga. This is well signposted from the main coast about 2.5 km past Tabanan, heading west. Much of the west coast shoreline is unsafe for swimming.





Do
A drive of the scenic mountain road from Antosari to Pupuan is highly recommended. Take the main coast road west from Tabanan for about 12 km until you reach Antosari. From there turn north (right) off the coast road. The next 30 kilometres is very scenic indeed as you pass through several small villages to reach Sanda and then onwards to Pupuan. Throughout this drive Mount Batukaru rises majestically to the east and areas to the west are largely unpopulated all the way across to West Bali National Park. Lots of excellent photo opportunities along this route. You can continue on past Pupuan to the north coast at Seririt, or turn southwest to return to the south coast road at the village of Pekutatan close to Medewi Beach.

The famous surfing beaches at Balian and Medewi are less than one hour west from Tabanan.

Climb Mount Batukaru
This is a very different experience to Bali's other major climb up Mount Agung. Unlike Agung, Batukaru is a long extinct volcano and it is forested to the peak. There is none of the desolate, barren beauty of Mount Agung. It is though an interesting climb through some areas of dense primary forest and despite its relatively minor elevation (2,276 m), one which should only be undertaken by the physically fit.

Weather conditions are a critical factor in any climb here. Batukaru is a damp place and it rains for much of the year. This is probably the wettest place in Bali. Do not even think about a climb of Batukaru in the wet season (mid-October to late March), or when rain is forecast. The paths become running streams very quickly here. July and August are the best months.

There are 3 main ascent routes all of which converge at the same point at Munduk Nyanggang. The start usually depends on where you are staying: Wongayagede, Sarinbuana or Sanda. The Sanda route is the toughest and longest (6 to 7 hours to the top), and the Sarinbuana route the easiest. From the point of convergence at Munduk Nyanggang, the peak is another 2 to 3 hours of tough climbing depending on your level of fitness and the prevailing weather conditions.

A bonafide guide should always be used and can be arranged through your local hotel or employed directly at Pura Luhur Batukaru. Expect to pay anywhere between Rp 800,000 and 1,000,000 for a good experienced guide for a day return trek. All of the local guides also offer less arduous treks in the local area, including the ascent to Munduk Nyanggang only.

Camping is allowed on the mountain, although there are some restrictions close to Pura Luhur Batukaru during important ceremonies. For enthusiastic outdoors types, there is ample scope here to camp out on the mountain for one or more nights and really explore the area. Ask a guide for some ideas.

There is no food or water (some stream and spring water is OK, but be careful) for sale on the mountain, so bring in enough with you. Due to its sacred nature, no beef or beef products are permitted on the mountain and all visitors must respect this.

Buy
Tabanan is a very commercial town and does not have shopping aimed at visitors.

At any of the main tourist attractions you will find the usual souvenir stalls.

On the drive from Antosari to Pupuan there are several coffee plantations and processors who offer the chance to purchase freshly roasted beans.

Eat
All hotels and resorts have their own restaurants attached.

In Tabanan town there are numerous decent local restaurants and a night market.

Drink
Those visitors who especially enjoy mountain views should stop for an afternoon break and perhaps a cup of coffee on the scenic drive from Antosari to Pupuan.

The beach resorts at Yeh Gangga are a great spot to enjoy a sunset cocktail.

Sleep






Go next

 * Heading westwards, the quiet surfing village at Medewi Beach is less than one hour from Tabanan while the ferry port at Gilimanuk can be reached in two hours.
 * The north coast can best be reached via the scenic Antosari-Pupuan-Seririt road.
 * Another way to reach the north coast is by driving north from Mengwi and taking the eastwards cut across from Wongayagede. You will drive through Jatiluwih and Bedugul from where the north coast at Singaraja is less than a one hour's drive. You can visit the Pura Luhur Batukaru temple near Mount Batukaru and the area around Jataluwih has spectacular rice fields nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Bedugul has a fruit market, a botanic garden and the picturesque Pura Ulun Danu Bratan temple.