Escape to serenity in Bedugul

Escape to serenity in Bedugul

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Bedugul, Bali

The fog descends slowly, engulfing the peak of the hill.
Sometimes you still can see Pucak Padang Dawa temple,
majestically situated on the top of the hill.

The fog, the hill, the ancient temple and the darkness that
formed slowly around the Bedugul area created a distinct sense of
serenity and temptation to lie back and enjoy the scenery -- two
of the main things that make Bedugul a favorite holiday
destination in Bali.

Located some 1,100 meters above sea level in Tabanan regency,
some 60 kilometers and just one and a half hours by car from
Denpasar, Bedugul is the right place to escape to from the
scorching heat of southern Bali tourist destinations, such as
Kuta or Nusa Dua.

Bedugul boasts several tourist attractions, from the tranquil
deep-blue Beratan Lake, where visitors can enjoy various types of
water sports and activities or immerse themselves in the concept
of religious peaceful coexistence beautifully manifested in a
Buddhist stupa at Ulun Danu Temple, to the wide green of the 18-
hole Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club, one of the island's
finest.

There is also the 120-hectare Bedugul Botanical Gardens, which
not only give visitors plenty of space to connect with Mother
Nature, but also a chance to learn about the gardens' around
1,130 species of plants.

And for those who like to bring something from the places they
visit, Candikuning market is full of numerous interesting things,
from locally produced fruits, vegetables, spices and plants to
wooden handicrafts and garments from various areas on the island.

A few kilometers due north of Bedugul, a beautiful 40-meter-
high waterfall is ready to be explored in the Gitgit area.

Various treks are available for the adventurous who want to
know the real Bedugul, up close and personal.

The tragic World Trade Center attack apparently has had little
impact on this area. The manager of a hotel in Pacung, some five
kilometers south of Bedugul, says occupancy rates are normal.

"November is still low season, and our occupancy rate is
normal for the low season," the manager said. "We do not target
any specific market, or country. Perhaps that's the reason we do
not feel the impact of the decrease in American tourist arrivals.

An officer of the local Traffic and Transportation Office,
Nyoman Sukisna, revealed that over the past several days there
had been an increase in domestic tourist arrivals."I counted 60
buses full of domestic tourists entering Bedugul yesterday," he
said last Monday.

Being well endowed with nature has its dark side too, in that
everyone wants a piece of it. Development has spun out of control
with many big contractors building luxurious villas, residences
and apartments. Unfortunately, conservation is not considered an
important priority.