What is there to do in Munduk and Bedugul?

An hour and a half north of Ubud, the land climbs into an old volcanic caldera holding three lakes, and the temperature drops ten degrees. This is the part of Bali nobody puts in the brochure and half the visitors who go end up preferring it.

Bedugul and the lakes

Lake Beratan holds Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, the water temple with the eleven-tiered meru that appears to float, which is on the 50,000 rupiah note and in every second photograph of Bali. It is beautiful, it is crowded by 10am, and the gardens around it are worth the visit on their own.

Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan, a few kilometres north, are quieter, greener and better. The twin-lake viewpoint on the road above them is the classic stop, and canoeing on Tamblingan through the mist at dawn is one of the good memories people bring home.

Bali Botanic Garden at Bedugul, large, cool and almost empty, with an orchid collection and a treetop adventure park next door.

Candikuning market, for strawberries, vegetables and flowers grown up here that do not grow in the lowlands.

Munduk

A ridge village of clove and coffee plantations at about 900 metres, with views down to the north coast and, on a clear day, the sea.

The waterfalls. This is the densest and best cluster in Bali: Munduk Waterfall, Melanting, Golden Valley, Red Coral, and the Banyumala twin waterfall a short drive away, which is the most beautiful of them. Most involve a walk of 10 to 40 minutes, often down and then back up.

Walking. The trails between the plantations and the falls are genuine walking country, which almost nothing else in Bali is.

Coffee and cloves. The smell of drying cloves along the road in season is worth the drive by itself.

Jatiluwih

On the southern side of the highlands, the Jatiluwih rice terraces are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a completely different experience from Tegalalang: vast, gently sloping, with walking trails through them, and a fraction of the visitors. If you see one rice terrace in Bali, see this one.

The subak irrigation system that manages them is the reason for the listing: a thousand-year-old cooperative water management system run through temple networks.

Other things nearby

Git Git waterfall, on the north road, easy to reach and often busy.

Pura Ulun Danu Batur and the Batur caldera to the east, a different crater system.

Handara Gate, the golf course entrance that became a photo stop, with a queue and a fee.

Sekumpul waterfall, an hour east, generally considered the most impressive in Bali, and a serious descent and climb to reach.

Practicalities

Getting there: two and a half to three hours from the airport, 90 minutes to two hours from Ubud, two and a half from Canggu.

Weather: cool, and frequently cloudy or misty from mid-morning. Rain is more common than on the coast in every season. Mornings are the clear part of the day.

What to bring: a jumper or fleece, proper shoes for the waterfall trails, and a rain layer.

Getting around: scooter or driver. The roads are steep, winding and wonderful to ride when dry and unpleasant in rain.

Where to stay

Small hotels and guesthouses along the Munduk ridge, most with valley views, and a handful of excellent lodges around the lakes. Prices are low. Heating does not exist; blankets do.

Who it suits

Walkers, photographers, anyone who wants to be cold for two days, and families who have had enough beach. Two nights is the right length. It works well as a stop between Ubud and the north coast, or as a loop from Ubud with Jatiluwih on the way back.