Indonesia - Bali - Danau Bratan - 2009

Candikunning is situated near Danau Bratan. It is a small town with a tourist/local market and a number of restaurants (Indonesian food is the main items on the menus). Nearer to the lake and towards Bedugul are a number of hotels.

The weather is cool with mist filling the lake in the evening and/or early morning. The local people are very friendly and helpful. In general, it is a peaceful and relaxing place that is very different to the rest of Bali. The scenery is calming.

THINGS TO DO

All these can be arranged from your hotel. Guides are needed on some treks.

Visit the beautiful Pura Ulun Danu Bratan – beautiful temple on the lake. It is worth seeing by boat as some of the temples which are part of the complex are on small islands.

Taman Reckreasi Bedugul – this has a number of water sport activities.

Bali Botanical gardens – 7 000 rupiah entry - lots of grass areas to sit. Heaps of people from all over Bali and Indonesia come here to relax, especially, on the weekend. Get a picnic lunch from Candikunning market and the bakery down the road from the market. There are a number of greenhouses in the grounds with specific types of plant species. A treetops ropes course which is divided into colour coded levels and is heaps of fun – 230 000 rupiah per person.

Hired a canoe for 30 000 rupiah per hour and canoe around Danau Bratan. Two hours is plenty. Visit the Japanese caves (Goa Jepang) and the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.

Walk through Candikunning and the market. The people were either friendly or indifferent when we visited it. The market has also small alleys to walk through. The markets are very interesting selling fruits, vegetables, flowers and tourist items. Strawberries sell for 5 000 rupiah a large punnet or 3 punnets for 10 000 rupiah.

On the left of the road down the road from the market is an excellent bakery. The food is excellent and it has an amazing variety of European pastries.

Drive along saddle above Danau Tamblingan and Danau Buyan – amazing views

Visit Mundok and walk around the one road town. There are places to stay here as well.

Trekking at:

Start at Danau Bratan - trek 4 hours - goa jepang, gunung catur, pura puncak mangu (monkeys here)

Start at Danau Tamblingan finish at Danau Buyan

Trek to Gunung Lesong

Trek around Lake Tamblingan – start with locals canoeing you across lake canoe, walk, temples, rainforest.

Waterfall trek at Mundok