WHAT TO DO
ULUWATU
Uluwatu Temple, locally known as Pura Luhur Uluwatu, is one of the must-see temples in Bali, second to Tanah Lot in the western coast of the Tabanan regency. The temple sits on the south-western edge of a limestone cliff that is surrounded by a forest, home to hordes of grey long-tailed macaques. The surf breaks near Uluwatu is also named after the temple, which is part of the premier surfing playgrounds of the island’s southern coast.
During the evenings, the cliff temple and setting sun serve as a wonderful background to the kecak dances that are regularly held at the open-air theatre, located only several hundred meters south of the complex. Beware of the monkeys, as they are naturally adept pickpockets, and don’t fall victim to the avoidable scams.
GWK
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, or ‘GWK’ for short, is a major landmark project in the hills of Jimbaran, comprising a half-built, to-be-completed statue of the Hindu god Vishnu and his mythical guardian Garuda eagle. The vast 250Ha grounds features a multi-use venue, and is a great stopover along your travels to the other highlights within the Bukit area. In its current form, the god’s torso, his hands, and the Garuda are located in separate venues and become icons for each.
And when complete, the project will result in a towering 145m-high landmark, visible from low-lying areas north of the peninsula, and which will be included in the world’s list of tallest landmarks. There’s an onsite restaurant, shopping arcade and Segway rentals that you can enjoy for cruising around the vast site.
THE NEW KUTA GOLF
The New Kuta Golf is one of the island’s premier golf courses, featuring a championship standard course and Indonesia’s first links style layout. The par 72 golf course offers enough variety to ensure a satisfying experience for all golfing skill levels. There are 18 holes, with its signature cliff-top hole 15 overlooking the gorgeous Balangan Beach.
The whole course covers a vast 85 hectares with turf consisting of seashore paspalum grass. The golf course is right next to the water park of the same name and is only a 20-minute transfer from the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Tuban. Complete onsite facilities include the Link Restaurant serving western and Indonesian favourites, as well as a pro shop, a spa, and a number of meeting facilities.