Bali Car Rental Blog
Eastern Bali Trip with Car Rental Either Self Drive or With Bali Driver
13 June 2013There are a lot of tourist destination in Bali with nature view and Bali local architecture worth to explore during your holiday in Bali. Just rent a car either self drive or with Bali driver. East of Bali area is one to the amazing trip to do. Let us visit Candi Dasa, Tirta Gangga or Taman Ujung Sukasada. Tirta Gangga literally means water from the Ganges and it is a site of some reverence for the Hindu Balinese. Strictly, the name refers to the water palace built here in 1946 by the King of Karangasem, Bali. It is though widely used to refer to the general area which includes the water palace and some particularly stunning rural areas around.
Tirta Gangga is a popular side trip from the nearby coastal resort towns of Amed and Candidasa. Organized tours are widely offered. Public buses run from nearby Karangasem town can be chartered from Candidasa. If you are driving yourself, Tirta Gangga is on the main east coast road just north of the town of Karangasem, Bali (Amlapura) and is fairly well sign posted. The area around Tirta Gangga is noted for its rice paddy terraces. This is a great area of Bali in which to walk with many small roads and paths to explore.
The primary draw in this area for visitors is the Tirta Gangga water palace, a lovely maze of pools and fountains surround by a lush garden and stone carvings and statues. The one hectare complex was built in 1946 by the late King of Karangsem but was destroyed almost entirely by the eruption of nearby Mount Agung in 1963. It has been lovingly re-built and restored and has an air of authentic royal magnificence. The centre piece of the palace is an eleven tiered fountain, and there are many beautiful carvings and statues adorning the gardens. This is a great spot to unwind and it has a real atmosphere of old Bali. You can bathe in the pools. The area around Tirta Gangga holds some stunning rice paddy terraces. Those postcard pictures of Bali rice terraces which you have all seen are usually from photographs taken here.
Lempuyang Temple (Pura Lempuyang Luhur) is about 10km east of Tirta Gangga on the slopes of Mount Lempuyang. This is one of the key nine directional temples on the Bali Island. Park in the car park and walk up the steps to the temple. The lower temple is always open but the upper temple (at the top of the dragon staircases) is often locked, so it is best to go with a Balinese driver who will usually be able to arrange for the temple priest to open it up for you. It’s situated high up a mountain and there are magnificent sunset views at dusk.
Taman Ujung to the southeast of Karangasem (Amlapura) is another water palace built by the predecessor of the King who constructed Tirta Gangga. It must be said that it is rather inferior, but still a charming attraction Tirta Gangga and worth a visit. Taman Ujung was built in 1909 as a relaxation and recreation palace by the then King of Karangasem, I Gusti Bagus Jelantik. It was largely destroyed by the eruption of Mount Agung in 1963, damaged again by an earthquake in 1979, and has not been restored on the same scale as Tirta Gangga. You do get a sense of how lovely it must have been though. From Tirta Gangga, head back south to Karangasem and then take the minor road south east to the village of Ujung. Taman Ujung is another 2 km past the village, very close to the coast. If you are staying in Tirta Gangga or Candidasa, you will certainly be offered tours which include Taman Ujung. Recent years, there are many pre wedding photo shooting taken by either overseas or local people, as Taman ujung has a unique western and Balinese style architecture.
This place is also a great trekking area with some of the best walks in Bali to suit all levels of fitness. Guides can be arranged easily at the water palace or from your hotel. The areas around Selat and Sideman (off the main Karangasem to Rendang road) are especially good. You also can bathe in the pools at Tirta Gangga and take photos. Almost every twist and turn you make in this area presents yet another photo opportunity. The terraced rice paddies and other landscapes are especially attractive but do not neglect the water palace itself.
