Mountain cruise in Central Bali

Just back from a cruise through the highlands with Toby, Maya, Ollie and Asia. I did the driving and right now feel like a zombie. Wanting to show them climatically different areas, and places that were not toursity, I chose to head west from Ubud to Mambal, then up to Bedugal.

Bedugal is the location of Lake Bratan and the lakeside temple of Pura Ulun Danau Bratan. We stopped just before that for some boiled corn on the cob, sold to us by Balinese ladies at roadside, for 1,000rp each, then swung in for a temple visit. Entrance fee was 10,000rp for adults, 5,000rp for kids. The temple has an 11 tiered meru (pagoda-like structure), and is one of the most important temples is Bali.

After circling around Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan, we dropped down to Munduk, the road heading in the NW direction, towards the north coast. Catching the switchback towards Pupuan, we hit my fav place, Sanda Butik Villas for a lovely lunch, if a little late. One of the mirages of Bali, is looking at a map and trying to calculate time. Today we swung round hundreds of hairpins bends, doing a kilometer sideways, for every 2 forwards.

Weather in the highlands was wet, with sporadic dry spells. Pleasantly cool though. This this evening, Toby is busy with Maya, Ollie & Asia don’t lie to party and I’m fried.