The Bali Botanic Garden – aka Eka Karya Kebun Raya Bali – is located in the mountainous region of Bedugul in central Bali, and it is made up of both open areas for recreation and remnant mountain rainforest. Opened in 1959, the Bali Botanic Garden was established under the auspices of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, in 1959. It was first known as the Eka Karya Botanic Garden, where Eka means first while Karya means creation in the Balinese language, referring to the garden’s status as the first Indonesian botanic garden to be established after independence. The Bali Botanic Garden has a total area of 157.5 hectares (389 acres) of land and it is the largest botanic garden in Indonesia. Altitudes inside Bali Botanic Garden range between 1,250 and 1,450 meters above sea level, with  daytime temperatures average 17-25 °C and nighttime temperatures average 10-15 °C. The humidity averages around 70-90%. PLANTS Originally intended as a place for recreation that would specialize in the cultivation of conifer plants, Bali Botanic Garden is today a great addition to the rather sublime garden that contains 21,000 living specimens of plants belonging to 2,400 species ranging from orchids and begonias to medicinal plants and bamboos. Bali Botanic Garden represents and conserve various species from mountainous regions of eastern Indonesia like Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. Attractions include a large 300-species orchid display, carnivorous plants, a garden with 87 species of bamboo, a cactus greenhouse containing 100 species, a 188 species fern garden, 300 species of traditional Balinese medicinal plants and 218 species of ceremonial plants, a rhododendron garden with 20 species, a rose garden, an aquatic garden, a conservatory and one of the world’s largest begonia collections with 200 species. A key attraction is an herbarium containing 10,000 preserved plant specimens ranging from algae to flowering plants. Bali Botanic Garden has vast open areas profuse with tropical plants, and one of the most photographed trees in the garden is a giant ficus or fig tree located on the upper slope of Tapak Hill. ADDITIONAL FEATURES Apart from the flora, Bali Botanic Garden also represent fauna as it is home to around 79 species of birds, treeshrews (a small mammal) are regularly seen there and occasionally macaques can be spotted entering from the adjacent Batukaru Nature Reserve. Stunning views of Lake Beratan and of Ulun Danau Beratan Temple can be enjoyed from the slopes of Tapak Hill on clear days, three Hindu temples can be accessed from within the garden, and and a traditional Balinese style guesthouse located inside the park can accommodate visitors. Bali Botanic Garden is operated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and is a center for botanical research, conservation, education and recreation for visitors. In recognition of natural tourist attractions, cultural tourist attractions and artificial tourist attractions, Bali Botanic Garden won the Cipta Pesona Award 2011 from the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Bali Botanic Garden is located at Candikuning, Bedugul, around 2 hours drive north of Denpasar. It opens daily 7am to 6pm. Entrance fee is IDR 17,000 (about 1.5 US$) per person, with a IDR 11,000 (about 1 US$) charge for entering with a car. If you are visiting Bali Botanic Garden and you feel adventurous, head down to the Bali Treetop Adventure Park for some extra thrills. Follow this link for more information.  Asian Itinerary stay was kindly sponsored by Handara Golf & Resort Bali ! TO BOOK A DISCOUNTED ROOM AT HANDARA GOLF & RESORT, CLICK HERE !

The post Bali Botanic Garden appeared first on Asian Itinerary.