BANGLI BaliIsland

Bali Maps By Area
Amlapura / Karangasem	Kota Madya Denpasar	Semara Pura / Klungkung
Badung	Gianyar	Singaraja
Bangli	Negara/Jembrana	Tabanan

The regency of Bangli covers two distinct geographical areas; the volcanic uplands of the Batur and Kintamani area, stretching down towards the sea near Tianyar and Tejakula, and the upper part of the rice growing area of southern Bali, overlooking Gianyar and Klungkung.  To discover Bangli regency starts here with the sidan rice terraces, gently rising to a beautiful view over Bukit Samprangan. The road then climbs towards Bangli through Taman Bali where you meet the charm of the island-clusters of shrines in the midst of paddy fields, brick entrances along village streets, and pule and giant Banyan trees towering above.
Bangli is home to the mountain lakes and water sources that make Bali so fertile. Numerous villages are scattered across a landscape of rice terraces, lush valleys and forests. This mountainous region is a strikingly different site of Bali Aga traditional communities. Mount Baturis just a small volcano, but its setting is in the heart of a huge crater 14-km in diameter. Adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. As the road rises steadily from Bangli or Tampaksiring, from Panelokan, the main road runs right round the rim towards Kintamani, the panorama shifting as you circle around the crater.
The volcano is still active today as Balinese all over the island who still remember the great eruption of 1917 but now the mountain offers an impressive view of Mount Batur.
One very interesting excursion in Batur is the climb down the inside of the crater from Panelokan to Kedisan. You can then drive around the smaller Mount Batur, through Songan. From Toya Bungkah, boats cross the lake to a Bali Aga village called Trunyan. This place is notorious for its mortuary traditions. Instead of cremating the dead, the Trunyan community leave the bodies to decompose naturally in a special cemetery. There are also hot springs and lodging in Toya Bungkah. From Songan there is a beautiful trek to Tianyar to the north coast of the island.
The most interesting monument in Bangli is the Pura Kehen temple, just to the north of the town. As the state temple of the Bangli kingdom, Pura Kehen occupies the site of an earlier temple, which dates back to the 9th century. It owes much of its appeal to its unique ambience, set majestically on a number of levels against the background of a hill forest, with large trees shading the shrines and gates of its courtyards.
From Bangli eastwards it's a beautiful drive towards Karangasem and the Besakih mother temple via a seemingly unending succession of hills, valleys and rice terraces. Take the main road northwards to Kintamani and the volcanic scenery of Batur awaits the tourist - the most spectacular panorama on the island.