Sightseeing in Tabanan

Sightseeing in Tabanan is a matter of where you stand. Tanah Lot is seen from the clifftop, down a lane of stalls and cafes to the rock, and about half a million people a year make that walk, the crowd gathering at sunset. In the highlands the Bedugul caldera holds three lakes: Beratan on the Tabanan side, and Buyan and Tamblingan over the line in Buleleng, which were one lake until a landslide split it. A road along the rim looks down on the twin lakes. Lower down, the Jatiluwih terraces are seen from the road that crosses them, and the forest temple of Batukaru stands at the foot of the mountain whose name it carries.

Tabanan sightseeing tours are private and by car, and the order of the day follows the light. Highlands come first, while the cloud holds off; the coast comes last, for the sunset. The long day of nine to ten hours chains Batukaru, Jatiluwih and Bedugul, sometimes with Nungnung waterfall on the way and Tanah Lot at the end. The coast loop of about five hours pairs Taman Ayun at Mengwi with Tanah Lot, in one version with a chocolate tasting between them. An afternoon day adds the Sangeh monkey forest and ends at the rock. A village day at Taman Anyar replaces temples with a school visit and rice planting, and a ten-hour day with a driver lets you set the list. Quad and dirt-bike rides on the black-sand coast also sit in this category.

Practical. The sun sets as early as 18:05 in late May and as late as 18:45 in late January, so a day that ends at Tanah Lot ends in the dark. Heavy rain falls from October to March, and the highlands run cooler than the coast. Start early for Jatiluwih, where cloud and fog usually arrive by noon. Bedugul is the long leg, one and a half to two and a half hours each way from the south coast. For temples wear a sarong and sash, available at the gate, and carry cash for small entrance fees.