Bali Holiday Planner

In ancient times, it was a dangerous place where great herds of wild banteng and water buffalo roamed free, driven south by population pressure. It was the occasional hangout of Kebo Iwa, the legendary Balinese giant and master builder, and it served as a hunting ground for pheasant, wild boar and deer, favoured by the rajas of Denpasar and Mengwi. In fact, Bali's Bukit Peninsula was considered to be so mysterious, foreboding and inhospitable that it became a place of banishment for criminals, undesirables, debtors and political agitators.

The Balinese had little interest in this 140-square-kilometre, lemon-shaped, limestone tableland that dangles like a pendant upon a chain at the southernmost extremity of the island. A curious, windswept geographic feature, presenting dizzying cliffs, caves and timeworn sea temples, it stands out in sharp contrast to the lush, alluvial plains of southern Bali. Bukit is the Indonesian word for hill and, until recently, this dry-land outcrop was home solely to seaweed farmers, fisherman and cassava farmers, with the only other industry being the mining of blocks of building stone, from inland karst quarries.

The dramatic coastline of the Bukit, however, is pounded by Bali's most challenging surf and, in the early '70s, those in search of the perfect wave discovered some thrilling breaks. In 1975, two Australian surfers came to Bali and made a documentary film that was to become a classic. 'Balinese Surfer' portrayed how the local kids had broken through the centuries-old taboos and beliefs that the sea was the home of demons and evil spirits and taken to the waves on surfboards. By borrowing boards from the visiting American and Australian hippie surfers who they watched riding the breaks every day, it didn't take long for this first generation of Balinese to master the sport. It often used to take them half a day from Kuta to reach, for example, Uluwatu, the spot where they thought the waves might be breaking.

Bali has subsequently become one of the great surfing Meccas of the world. Hang around surfers and you will hear mention of Uluwatu, Padang, Impossibles, Bingin, Dreamland, Balangan, Nyang-Nyang and Green Ball. All of these world-class barrelling reefbreaks are located on The Bukit, with Uluwatu and its famous entry cave being the Island's first famous break, featuring the most consistent waves. Diehard surfers made their homes on the peninsula, while homestays and thatched beach warungs were built to accommodate and nourish visiting surfers.

Yet there was little infrastructure; no telephone lines, no electricity, almost no surface water and no streams. Roads were limited, many of the gorgeous beaches were inaccessible, and the only tourist attraction was Pura Luhur, the 11th century temple at Uluwatu.

Today, a number of the more affluent members of the surfing fraternity have chosen to build beautiful villas on the Bukit. From this elevation 200 metres above sea level there is the most amazing view of some of Bali's most famous beaches laid out like a map. Early each morning, a quick glance from the bedroom window will ascertain the best waves and destination of the day!

Indeed, these days the Bukit presents a very different image. From once being an inhospitable place of banishment, it has reinvented itself—since the Millennium— to become a target for development by the hospitality industry. It is now the most upmarket destination on the Island. The recipient of a great deal of media attention, the area now boasts some of Bali's most opulent destination villas, glamorous private estates, and internationally-branded boutique hotels. For example, there are just two Bulgari hotels (Jl. Goa Lempeh, T: 0361 847 1000) in the world; one is located in Milan and the other on the Bukit. Other prestigious brands include Raffles, Banyan Tree, Alila and Banyan's affiliated brand of Angsana, combining to make the peninsula the neighbourhood of choice for sophisticated and discerning travellers and residents.

The area is characterised by wide open spaces and clear blue skies, with breathtaking, panoramic views spanning the Indian Ocean and Bali's dazzling coastline. The turquoise waters are the playground of migrating whales, and the dry, rocky landscape is dotted with wild flowers, stunted bush, manioc, prickly pear cactus, beans, scarlet flowering flamboyants and fascinating kapok trees. This region is much drier than the rest of the island, cooled by coastal hill breezes; even in the rainy season, the idyllic, hidden, white sandy coves are reliable sun-traps. When the waves are calm and the tide is full, turtles and sea cows can be seen swimming in the crystal waters close to the shore. The clear horizon reflects the purity of the natural surroundings, and the expansive picture of aquamarine waters capped with white surf is a reminder that the ocean will never be built upon, so this spellbinding seascape is guaranteed to be there forever!

Looking north, from the highest most central point of the Bukit, the narrow isthmus that links the peninsula with the rest of the island is clearly visible, with the view extending past the crescent-shaped Jimbaran Bay and the airport to Bali's sunset coast, incorporating the settlements of Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu, before reaching inland to the highlands of Bedugul. On the eastern side of the isthmus, the tip of Tanjung Benoa, Benoa Harbour and Sanur are also easily perceptible. On a clear day, the awesome vista takes in Bali's chain of volcanoes from the mighty Mt Agung in the east and Mt Batur in the northeast, to Mt Pohen, Mt Sangkiang and Mt Batukaru, extending across the highlands of West Bali National Park towards the distant volcanoes of East Java.

Above: Dreamland @ Bali(Now known as New Kuta Beach)

Sadly, however, one of the loveliest beach destinations, formerly known as 'Dreamland' and now renamed 'New Kuta Beach' by someone lacking in soul, is currently being developed and its beauty destroyed. Upon completion the development will contain at least five luxury hotels, and around 2,000 houses comprising townhouses, condominiums and a retirement centre. There will also be an international school, an international hospital, a shopping mall, botanical gardens, and entertainment attractions including a water park similar to Waterbom in Tuban. Bali didn't really need another golf course, especially in a porous limestone area where water is scarce, but the 18-hole, championship, New Kuta Golf Course at Pecatu commands splendid views from its signature hole, no. 15. The course covers 85 hectares above the beach, and was designed by Ronald Fream.

Above: Balangan Beach

The Beaches on the Bukit include Balangan, an idyllic white sand beach fringed by cliffs and clear water. Relatively quiet, this beach is still spared from the annoyance of hawkers. There are a few cafes near the tree line, and the water here is superb for surfing and safe for swimming, as the waves break over the reef 200 metres from the shore. The beach at Bingin is pockmarked with rock and reef, forming intriguing tide pools at low tide; Impossibles Beach is another great setting for a seaside walk at low tide, while Padang-Padang is an archetypically enchanting beach nestled into a pocket of lava-rocks, with an entrance to the beach though a cave crevice.

                                                Above: Pura Luhur Uluwatu

Finally, at the end of the day, you may wish to visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu. This ancient temple is balanced on the very edge of a narrow rocky cape, and is particularly sacred to fishermen, who come here to pray to the sea goddess, Dewi Laut. Legend has it that the temple is actually a ship turned to stone and for sure, the grey volcanic rock, glowing with the radiant colours of the setting sun, will leave you with a lasting and haunting memory of spiritual Bali.