I underestimated the drive north and I left quite late, since I was enjoying so much the comfort of SenS Hotel & Spa. The sky was covered in cottony clouds and the weather forecast app told of a 70% chance of rain. I drove out of Ubud towards the village of Mambal, where famous Green School – www.greenschool.org (a visit can be arranged through https://greenschoolbali.openapply.com/tours/new) – is located and where I caught up with an old friend of mine at the school cafeteria. The coffee turned into a snack and by the time I left for the hills it was nearly 3pm and the sky was turning black. The car climbed along trafficked roads until, a few km before the mountain village of Bedugul, the sky burst open and rain started falling copiously, making the drive hard to say the least. People on moped wore anoraks and makeshift plastic covers, buzzing left and right around cars along the wet road. The rain made visibility scarce, and I had to pay attention to anything and anyone around me. Thanks to its location at an altitude of 1500 mt above sea level, Bedugul enjoys a mild mountain weather and crisp air. I drove past the stunning Lake Beratan, a shallow lake with the high caldera about 1230 meters above sea level, and luckily my destination was not far. Handara Golf Resort & Spa  – www.handaragolfresort.com -, at an elevation of 1400 mt above sea level, is not only an award-winning golfers paradise attracting golfers from around the world. It is also an oasis of green fields and vegetation, showing off the fantastic scenery of its surroundings, and offering a range of the most comfortable accommodation for discerning travelers. I felt at home right away in my well-appointed golf view deluxe room, which as the name states, commanded extraordinary views over the main course, the lake and the surrounding mountains. I relaxed in the balcony, listening to birds and cicadas, and watching the rain fall, until it temporarily stopped, allowing me to go out. TO BOOK A DISCOUNTED ROOM AT HANDARA GOLF & RESORT, CLICK HERE ! My Toyota did not need to take me far, as Ulun Danau Beratan Temple  was a mere 2km away. Built in 1633 on the edge of Lake Beratan, the amazing main structure boasts 11 stories of meru (coned roofs) that overlaps, giving its magnificent shape; these are dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. Ulun Danau Beratan Temple  is used for offering ceremonies to the lake goddess Dewi Danau, and has a magical feel to it, as when looked at from afar, it looks like it is floating on the lake waters. Further down the same road, I stopped at the Candikuning Market, for a traditional meal: rabbit and goat satay and a very tasty goat soup, enriched with lots of local spices, all gulped down with a warm, sweet local tea. A great meal at this apparently unassuming joint right inside the main market, called Mr Satay Ponorogo. Highly recommended. At Candikuning Market you can also buy fresh fruit, veggies, strawberries, roasted corn and local delicacies like spinach and prawn crackers, as well as a good range of tourist souvenirs and sarongs. A drive to the side road connecting to the lower coastal area of Lake Buyan revealed a great neighborhood of farmers that plant mainly strawberries and spices in their neat gardens by the lakeside. I drove to the end of the through road, where a path that apparently circumnavigate the whole lake starts. A great adventure for future trips to this area of Bali! The menacing clouds built up again, so I went back to Handara Golf Resort & Spa and called it a night. The day after I woke up quite early, prompted by the shining sun appearing from behind the peaks. I had breakfast at Handara Kamandalu Restaurant before heading to Bali Kebun Raya Botanical Gardens – kebunrayabali.com/ – open daily 7am/6pm – entrance IDR 17,000 (about 1.5 US$) per person, IDR 11,000 (about 1 US$) per car -, only a few km away. I was stunned by the collection of plants in the massive park area. Next activity was at Bali Treetop Adventure Park – 22 US$ pre-booked, 25 US$ at the door – open daily 7am/6pm. Situated inside the Botanical Gardens, this is a place to test your agility by moving from one tree to another the way Tarzan way. Put it this way, it sounds easy, and though it was indeed fun I must admit it was challenging after all. Read about my experience HERE ! TO BE CONTINUED… STAY TUNED ! A drive around Bali – Part 1 – the south A drive around Bali – Part 2 – Ubud, hills and mountains A drive around Bali – Part 4 – scenic Munduk A drive around Bali – Part 5 – the North coast A drive around Bali – Part 6 – the West coast The Toyota Agya was kindly supplied by Echo Bali Car Rental TO BOOK A DISCOUNTED ROOM AT HANDARA GOLF & RESORT, CLICK HERE !

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The Ulun Danu Beratan Temple is a significant temple complex located on the western edge of the Lake Beratan crater in Bedugul, central Bali. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple has become a famous, iconic and picturesque landmark, one of the most photographed in Bali, sharing its scenic qualities with the seaside temples of Uluwatu and Tanah Lot. Ulun Danau Beratan Temple lies at 1239 mt above sea level in the Bedugul highlands by majestic Mount Agung, the largest volcano in Bali. This amazing temple was built in the 17th century (in 1633) in worship of the main Hindu trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, and is specifically dedicated to the goddess of the lake, Dewi Danu. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple can be traced back to the rise of the Mengwi Kingdom, as proved by the Papyrus Chronicle of the Mengwi people, placing the temple founding right in an era when the Mengwi Empire thrived. Its name was simply taken from the lake where the temple was built, Lake Beratan. Ulun Danau Beratan Temple has a magical feel to it, as when looked at from afar, the smooth reflective surface of the lake surrounding most of the temple’s base creates a unique floating impression of the temple, while the majestic mountain range of the Bedugul region encircling the lake provides the temple with a scenic backdrop. The amazing main structure has four gates, facing each of the four points of the compass, and boasts 11 stories of meru (coned roofs) dedicated to Hindu god Shiva; it is their overlapping that give the temple its magnificent shape. The temple complex is comprised of four groups shrines dedicated to the gods of Mount Batur and Mount Agung: prominent Lingga Petak to its east which has the function to worship God Shiva; Penataran Pucak Mangu to its north is dedicated to God Visnu; Terate Bang is used to worship God Brahma; and finally Dalem Purwa, used to worship Goddess Danu, who is considered to be an equivalent of Goddess Laksmi. Ulun Danau Beratan Temple offering ceremonies to the lake goddes Dewi Danu are scheduled into two types: the so-called Piodalan Agung, executed every six months (210 days) and every 12 months (420 days) on Anggara Kliwon Julungwangi, an auspicious cleansing day for the mind of the individual Balinese family members who meditate and pray to cleanse one’s mind and the physical world in which one is reincarnated; and the so-called Pakelem, a ceremony that celebrates the awarding of life, fertility and prosperity which the area lake and mountains are believed to control. A special mention should be given to the lake, which apart from being one of the ultimate sources of water for the rivers and springs that irrigate central Bali, it is especially important for the Balinese as it is considered not only holy, but of a particular variety. The temple priests say that the lake is fed by springs located at each of the wind directions, and each of the springs is the origin of water for that particular region of central Bali, with farmers from North Bali collecting their holy water from the northern spring of the lake, and so on. Bathing is forbidden, and visitors have to wear a sash band and refrain to go too near the waters at the temple.   Ulun Danau Beratan Temple is located in the Bedugul area, a favorite cool upland weekend and holiday retreat for locals and island visitors alike from the southern and urban areas. The sight and cool atmosphere of the Bali uplands have made Lake Beratan and Ulun Danau Beratan Temple a favourite sightseeing and recreational spot. Not to be confused with Ulun Danau Batur Temple, which is on the rim of the caldera at Lake Batur. Entrance to Ulun Danau Beratan Temple is IDR 50,000 (about 5 US$) for foreigners. Check Asian Itinerary drive around the Island of Bali here !

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