We set off by car to the Batuan Temple, located in the middle of Batuan Village en route to Ubud. The locals will help to wrap a balinese sarong (kamben) around you, as a sign of respect, before you are allowed to enter the temple. There is no entrance fee but visitors are encouraged to make a donation. Donors can write their names in a guest book and you will be will be given blessings during the next prayer session.
exploring the temple grounds
Thistle seeds flying all around
locals making square offering baskets with coconut leaves
Offerings are made by Hindu locals to the Gods twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. Family life is sacred to the Balinese, with each traditional Balinese home having its own temple built on the garden grounds where the family worships.
We then head to the Sacred Monkey Forest, also known as Mandala Wisata Wenara Wana. It is one of the most popular destination in Ubud and one of the "must-see" destinations for tourists to Ubud. The entrance fee is 30,000 Rupiah and you can roam amidst the lush greenery at your leisure.
Walk around at your leisure. There are vendors selling bananas at the entrance but don't carry them around if you are afraid of being pounced on or climbed on!
The massive aerial roots systems of really old banyan trees
An adorable statue + the typical Balinese offerings of assorted flowers and sweets
Entrance to a Temple in the Monkey Forest, but it was closed
Inside the Temple
There are four groups of monkeys, about 340 monkeys in all, occupying different territories in the Monkey Forest. These baby monkeys are just really cute. But don't touch them as the mothers get aggressive.
We head to I Made Joni, a simple yet beautiful restaurant overlooking the padi fields. This is the view from our dining table on the second floor. The staff will seat everyone on the first floor, but as sugggested by our driver, we requested to go up to the second floor where the view is much better.
Bebek Goreng, or Crispy Fried Duck, is a traditional Balinese speciality
This delicious, very fresh, well portioned tuna steak was dressed with onions, chillies and limes. Tuna in Bali is just amazing. Did you know that Indonesia is biggest tuna-producing country in the world, and much of it is caught in Bali. It is so abundant (and therefore inexpensive in Bali) that locals even use sashimi-grade tuna for everyday cooking.
Price: 75,000 Rupiah (about SGD8 or USD6.4)
Top Right: Crispy Duck, or Bebek Goreng which is a traditional Balinese delicacy
Bottom Left: Smoked Duck served with Lawar (Balinese Salad)
Bottom Left: Smoked Duck served with Lawar (Balinese Salad)
Price: 95,500 Rupiah (about SGD10 or USD8)
The 2 floors of I Made Joni
We head towards Tanah Lot to catch the sunset. "Tanah" means reef and "Lot" means the sea. So "Tanah Lot" really means small island floating on the sea. The temple is only 20m from the coast, so tourists can walk to the temple from the coastal lip. It is said that there are black and white snakes among the coastal reefs surrounding the temple which protect the villagers from harm. Hindus worship the Bhatara Segara, also known as the Ocean God, at the temple.
Dinner is at Made Warung, you could say the most famous Warung in Bali. "Warung" refers to a small casual restaurant and there are hundreds in Bali.
a beautiful alfresco setting
Nasi Campur Special for 63,000 Rupiah (SGD 6.7 or USD 5.3)
