Journey to West Bali

Destination 1

Gilimanuk is a port town in West Bali. It sits on a small peninsula at the far western tip of Bali, less than 3 km from East Java, from which it is separated by the Bali Strait. The town is usually seen as a stopover to Java and few visitors linger here for long.

For most people, there is only one reason to come to Gilimanuk: it is the port for ferries to and from Banyuwangi (Ketapang) in Java. Ferries run every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day and take about half an hour to make the crossing, although loading and unloading can take much longer. Since the onset of terrorist problems in Bali, security is much, much tighter at Gilimanuk than it used to be and you should be prepared for some long queues.

Gilimanuk is very small, and you would never have a reason to do anything other than walk.

There is little of interest here, but Gilimanuk is only 15 to 20 minutes from West Bali National Park, and there are pleasing views across the Bali Strait to the mountains of East Java.

1 Museum Situs Purbakala, Jl (about 500 m east of the ferry terminal), ☏ +62 365 61328. M-F 08:00-16:00. Architectural excavations in the Gilimanuk area have revealed the earliest evidence of human habitation in Bali. This small museum houses a collection of skeletons and artifacts found near Cekik, which are thought to be 3,000-4,000 years old. Worth a visit if you have an hour to kill before jumping on a ferry.

Destination 2

The Bali Barat National Park, founded in the year 1941, was originally an initiative by the Dutch with the purpose to protect the endangered Bali Starling bird and the last remaining wild banteng, a native animal from which most of the Balinese cattle descend.

The park can be found in the most western part of the island. Nowadays it has a total area of 19,000 ha. but at the beginning the park extended much further eastward than it does today, at that time covering a total area of about 77,000 ha.

The Bali Barat Park is mountainous and it consists of primary monsoon forest, mangrove forest (310 ha.), lowland rain forest, savanna, sea grass vegetation types (40 ha.), coral reefs (810 ha.), sandy beaches, and both shallow and deep sea waters (3,520 ha.).

As the Bali Barat Park is a protected area, accessibility and land use are subject to a zoning system which defines the degree of allowed activities. If you plan to explore the park, you will have to hire an official Park guide. More information about park guides can be found further down this article.

The park is surrounded by six villages with a mixed ethnic population (Balinese, Javanese, Madurese and Bugis). Administratively these villages are either governed by the Buleleng or Jembrana district.

At the peninsular Prapat Agung one will find an extensive web of footpaths, which makes it the most accessible part of the park. The cape is cut off from the rest of the reserve by the main road Singaraja-Gilamanuk, as well as by several forestry plantations inland of Teluk Terima.

The Bali Barat National Park shows a high bio diversity in a relatively small area. At the end of the last century, 110 species of coral belonging to 18 families were recorded, of which 22 species were of the mushroom coral family (there are just 29 species of mushroom coral recorded worldwide!), and there were at least 27 species of Acropora coral found in an area as big as only 2 ha.

The Marine reserve includes the cape shores and several sanctuary islands, with many seabirds, in the bay of Gilimanuk, on the island of Menjangan and the excellent coral reefs surrounding it. The good drop-offs on Menjangan’s south side are only surpassed by the particularly superb reefs on its northern shores. The island is a popular spot for locals and tourists wishing to dive for a variety of fish and coral reef exploration.There are no dangerous currents to contend with in this area.

The Park has over 175 species of plants, 14 of which are endangered like cendana, or sandalwood (Santalum album).

With about 160 different species Bali Barat National Park is a paradise for bird-watchers.

The Bali starling or Rotschild’s Myna (Leucopsar rothschildi) is also the mascot of the Park. It loves a clean habitat and has a short flying range. Being easy to catch, this species needs special care and protection to safeguard its decreasing population.

The wildlife consist mostly of sea and shore birds, the most conspicuous being the Brown Boobies and Lesser Frigate birds. There are two colonies of Terns that nest on a sandy cay at the entrance to Teluk Lumpur (also known as Mud Bay) whilst the Frigates and Boobies roost on Pulau Burung. The number of White Starlings left in the wild is unknown.

Bali Barat National Park is easy accessible from Gilimanuk, the ferry port where ferries to and from Java come and go. Gilimanuk is reached by ferry from Java or by bus from Denpasar or Singaraja. From Gilimanuk take a minibus or ojek to Cekik for the last three kilometer. Here you will find the PHPA headquarters. An other entry point is Labuhan Lalang, accessible by minibus from Gilimanuk. Labuhan Lalang lies at the main road to Singaraja, which cuts through the park. To reach Menjangan island you can hire a motorboat from Labuhan Lalang (30-40 min).

Destination 3

Visit Jembrana and look for Perancak Beach. It is located in Perancak Village, Negara District, Jembrana Regency. Guaranteed, you can enjoy the amazing evening scenery there. You should come to Perancak Beach in the afternoon. Because there are many interesting places that you can visit there too.

Still in the Perancak Beach area, you can visit turtle conservation. Perancak Beach is conservation with the highest number of sea turtles in Bali. You can see how the turtles lay eggs. Until they let go of the hatchlings to the sea. If you want to see the turtle laying process firsthand, come in April or September. This conservation has also collaborated with the World Wide Fund, so you can ask a lot about the turtle cycle.

In addition, Perancak Beach is also known as a fishing village. So you can choose lots of fresh fish. You could even be invited to sail to the sea by fishermen. If you successfully negotiate with them. An exciting experience, isn't it?

Well, before you want to see the sunset from this beach, try to take a walk around the mangroves. You can enjoy the fresh air, accompanied by the chirping of birds and mangrove trees. Once satisfied, you can visit Pura Gede Perancak which is on the cliff if you are interested. Seeing the sunset from there is also fun.

But if you just want to relax on the beach, it doesn't matter. You can order fresh drinks while sitting on the beach. Accompanied by the breeze and the distinctive smell of the ocean. But, if you are on Perancak Beach in July, you must see the traditional canoe rowing competition! Regular competitions are held every July 20 to commemorate the anniversary of the City City. So, prepare the right time to visit.

Destination 4

The biggest temple in the Jembrana regency, Pura Rambut Siwi, occupies the West coastal area with majestic grandeur of Balinese architecture and a captivating ocean backdrop. The temple was already built by the time the Javanese Hindu priest Dang Hyang Nirartha stumbled upon it in his travels during the mid-sixteenth century. Nirartha stopped here to pray one afternoon and he quickly entered into a deep state of meditation. During his meditative prayers, the walls began shaking. They continued shaking harder and harder, until the entire temple complex collapsed around him. The temple was in total ruins and the unruffled Nirartha sat in the middle of the shambles, unscathed.

Destination 5

Menjangan Island, from the west
Menjangan Island is a small island, located 5 miles to the north-west of Bali island and is part of the Indonesian archipelago. "Menjangan" in Indonesian means "Deer". The name was given by the local population observing wild deer herds swimming to the island every spring and covering a distance of approximately 1.2 miles.

Even though the island is a significant part of Bali Barat National Park, it is assigned to the Javanese administrative district and falls under its jurisdiction. The closest big cities are: Singaraja, located in the north of Bali and Banyuwangi, located on the eastern coast of Java. The closest settlement is Sumberkima village. The nearest airport is Letkol Wisnu regional (approx. 8 miles from the island) and the nearest commercial airport is Banyuwangi International Airport in neighboring province Eastern Java.

The island is considered to be an important part of the local tourism industry, because its marine fauna incorporates one of the best-preserved coral reefs in the area. All scuba-diving shops arrange daily trips to the island.