Bedugul is the name of the area south and west of the Danau Bratan lake. Taking the road passing Bedugul is the fastest way to travel from the southern tourist areas to Singaraja and North Bali.
. Rice fields not far from Bedugul. (Photo Bjorn Grotting)
From the south the road passes through some steep terrain before Bedugul, with a very scenic landscape. The Taman Rekreasi Bedugul (Bedugul recreation park) is on the south side of Danau Bratan, you cannot miss the entrance which is marked with a huge sign by the main road.
The high altitude makes Bedugul a nice and cool place to be, and during heavy rainfall it is rather cold compared to the lowlands.
. (Photo Bjorn Grotting)
It is a large market tn the Candikuning village, Bukit Mungsu, with a good assortment of fruit and vegetables. Sometimes you can even buy strawberries here.
Close by there is a botanical garden, Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bali, where you can take a relaxing walk among trees and orchids. The 120 hectare large garden contain about 500 types of orchid and a large number of tree species. You can find it by following a narrow road, about one km from Candikuning.
The Bratan lake is located inside an old caldera. On the western shores there is a famous temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan. You can rent a boat and take a round trip on the lake, with a stop at Ulun Danu (see Bratan). The Bedugul area is not yet spoiled by hawkers or other irritating aspects of modern tourism, and you can have a relaxing time here. There are some accommodation in Bedugul, Candikuning or Pancasari further north.
If you continue north from here you will pass the mountains, from there you can follow the road steep down on the other side towards Singaraja.
