Bali Subak system

Despite its popularity and fame, the island of Bali is far from being the most pleasant to visit in Indonesia. Indeed, it is overpopulated and lacks any attempt at urban planning or land management. This results in constant traffic jams. Moreover, public transport is scarce and does not allow to reach the touristic places. And everything costs four times more than in the rest of the country. However, the island has a very well-connected airport and a world heritage site, which makes it a must visit.

I visited Bali in February 2023, after returning from a trip to Flores to visit Komodo. We spent four nights and three days there. We were based in Ubud for the first few nights, a cab having taken us there from the airport. We shared the car with two other Québec tourists we met on Flores.

The next day, we walked to the Goa Gajah and Pura Yeh Pulu temples (both outside the core zone). Hindu symbology is rather difficult to understand for the uninitiated, but the guided tour of the second one gave us an interesting introduction. A short ride on the back of a motorcycle brought us to the first component of the World Heritage Site, Candi Tebing Gunung Kawi in the Subak Landscape of Pekerisan Watershed. There, we were lent a sarong for free, as it was the case for all the temples. You can ignore all the people trying to sell you one before the entrance. This …

I visited all the components of this WHS over a week in August 2018. Even though Bali has some very touristy spots and notorious tourist traps, it has its very own architecture, culture, traditions and is practically the only place in Indonesia were the majority practice Hinduism.

Even though the inscription is centered on the subak system and landscape, this WHS has much more to offer than just another water management system. Personally, I was expecting something along the lines of UAE's aflaj or Madeira's levadas. What I visited in Bali can be roughly divided in 3 aspects. 1) Nature - Lake Batur, Mt Batur, 2) Beautiful man-made landscapes - Subak Landscape of Catur Angga Batukaru, and 3) Temples - Supreme Water Temple, Royal Water Temple and Pura Gunung Kawi Engravings. So to sum up all 3 aspects, the experience I had reminded me mostly of Kathmandu valley with multi-storied temples everywhere and a culture which is very much alive.

I based myself in Ubud and organised a full day driver services to the different places I had researched before my arrival. Early starts are highly recommended to beat the crowds and to avoid getting stuck in traffic jams. As I usually skip lunch, visiting popular places such as Taman Ayun at around lunch time meant I had the place almost to myself. If you want to avoid being hassled just buy a cheap sarong and wear it before entering the temples or else be adamant that you're …

Despite having been to Indonesia for quite several times and already visited 3 World Heritage Sites of this country, Bali which is the most famous and popular tourist attraction and possibly the “first” and “must visit” place to visit for every itinerary was logically omitted from my travel plans for many occasions. The reason was I was afraid that one day I would have a chance to attend seminar on this island, so I decided to skip this island and use my times to explore somewhere else. Unfortunately, Bali already lost its status of Southeast Asian premier seminar destination to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, as a result, my expectation to have seminar in Bali has become uncertain. During my recent business trip to Singapore, I added few extra days to visit Bali and its World Heritage Site.

During my three days in Bali, I hired a car with driver as recommended by my friend in Jakarta, a very convenient choice for such a short visit and a driver also acted as a guide who could shield me from those infamous scam and hassle in many temples. From all sites that I have been, 3 sites are recognized by UNESCO, Taman Ayun Temple, Subak Landscape of Pekerisan and Lake Batur. The royal temple of Taman Ayun is famous as the grandest survival of once powerful Mengwi Dynasty’s architectural style. The large complex was surrounded by moat with elaborate palatial main gate that illustrated the glory of the builders. …

I recently spent two days touring the Subak areas.

On the first day I visited the Pura Taman Ayun, a very neat compound which can only be seen from across a hedge. It features 11 roofed pagodas and a canal full of lotus blossoms.

From there I continued to Mount Butukaru and the Jatiluwah rice terraces, a large area of man-made terracing.

Another day I took the steep road that climbes up to the rim of the caldera overlooking the volcanic cone of Mount Batur and its namesake lake. Here I changed into Balinese costume to allow me to visit the Pura Ulun Danu Batur. This large complex is clearly a site of religious significance to the Balinese.

During the descent I stopped at Tegalalang for lunch and to see more rice terraces.

Visiting these sacred sites in Bali is in marked contrast to the usual Balinese tourist haunts of Nusa Dua, Kuta and Ubud.

Subak (irrigation) system in Bali is not a mere irrigation system. The water that irrigates the paddy fields comes from the water temple surrounded by the paddy fields.

While water holds a spiritual meaning for Balinesse, to purify, cleansing, to become a better being.... hence the whole Subak system has the same spiritual meaning as a whole.

The long awaited inscription for Bali into the WHS has finaly come. This place is arguably one of the most wonderful places ever existed. Where you could feel different while in different part of the island... and one couldnt get enough of Bali for sure..

As I already mentioned in my Yogya Palace review: I think Indonesia deserves a couple more WHS. Bali certainly can be one of them, and it might be in reach after a 2008 deferral. ICOMOS advised the Indonesians to "reconsider the choice of sites". They suggested including at least one site representing the subak system of water management. And a water temple such as Tanah Lot would be nice too.

I spent 4 days in Bali, basing myself in central Ubud, and liked it a lot. One day I went on a wonderful bike tour near the Batur volcano, ending at Lake Batur. They took us through a lot of little villages and past rice paddies. Each village is littered with temples, every family having its own, plus at least three for the general community. Hinduism is so alive here. It brought back my best memories from Nepal and India (Bali looks a lot more prosperous compared to those countries, by the way).

I also visited the water temple Tanah Lot on my way back to the airport. This one is so close to Kuta that it is overrun with tourists. It has a pretty location on a rock just off the shore. The tide was low during my visit, so I could just walk across. The temple itself is closed to visitors however, you can only see a cave.