Bali Vacation - Pura Taman Ayun

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun Temple

Whilst on our Bali vacation in March 2011, we hired a driver cum guide to bring us to some of the Bali attractions, one of which was the Pura Taman Ayun Temple.

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun Temple

Close-up of the entrance

As we started walking in to Taman Ayun, it started to pour heavily.  We had to take shelter at this courtyard close to the entrance.

Courtyard

Taman Ayun Temple is the Royal Temple of the Mengwi Empire.  Located in Mengwi Village, 18 km from Denpasar, Taman Ayun is one of the Bali tourist attractions that you simply must visit.

Admiring the architecture

Here, you will be greeted with Balinese architecture and beautiful landscape garden with a fish pond filled with pretty lotus flowers as well.

Taman Ayun Water Fountain

Taman Ayun pond

Balinese architecture

Artworks...

Artist at work

In the groumds

Resting area

Surrounded by a moat, Pura Taman Ayun literally means "Garden Temple In The Water".

Beautiful lotus

Moat filled with lotus flowers

 What is interesting about the Taman Ayun Temple is that the temple was built in the 17th century and served as the family temple of the Mengwi dynasty, whose kingdom survived until the late 1800s.  Pictured below are the famous multi-storied temples or wooden merus which are pagodalike shrines. 

Multi-storied roof temples

Inside Taman Ayun compound

Close up of Taman Ayun temple

Wooden merus

Inside Taman Ayun compound with the multi-storied roof temples in the background

Merus

If you love admiring architecture, Pura Taman Ayun is a must visit whilst on any Bali vacation.  The merus or multi-storied temples are an interesting sight.

Bali Vacation - Ubud Monkey Forest Bali

Whilst on a Bali vacation, we had a free and easy sightseeing and our driver cum guide brought us not only to Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant for us to get a spectacular view of the Kintamani Volcano and Mt Batur, he also brought us to the Ubud Monkey Forest Bali, also known as the Mandala Wisata Wenara Wana Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

Sacred Monkey Forest Ubud Sanctuary

Entrance fee...

 Being an animal as well as a nature lover, visiting the monkey forest in Ubud was one of the highlights of my Bali vacation!  :D

In the grounds of the Monkey Forest Bali

Cheeky guy showing his butt

The monkeys that are seen in this monkey forest sanctuary in Ubud are the long-tail macaques.

Love this picture below as it looks just like Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King, in the novel Journey To The West.

Long tail macaques

Looking for food

Food...

 The presence of sacred forest is a demonstration of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

Map of the Monkey Forest Bali

Information on the Monkey Forest Ubud in Bali

More about the Balinese Macaques

If you want a safe and smooth visit to the Monkey Sanctuary Forest, check out the dos and don'ts on the notice below.

Notice

The Monkey Forest of Padangtegal represents a sacred Balinese Hindu site.   Information on the temples in the Monkey Forest Ubud.

Information on the temples

Funeral or Cremation Temple in the grounds of the Monkey Forest Ubud

The doctrine

Welcome...

 
Here is a notice at the entrance of the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud Bali.

Notice at the entrance

Mother and baby

Pregnant

Some antics by the monkeys...  :P

Baby monkey trying to use the video...  :)

Monkey trying to get the banana from her pocket

Looking out for each other

We had a fun time at the Monkey Forest Ubud Bali where the long tailed macaques entertained us with their antics.  If you are an animal and nature lover, this would be a great place to visit.

Bali Vacation -

During our Bali vacation, on a day tour, we stopped at the Grand Puncak Sari restaurant to have lunch.

Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant
Penelokan - Kintamani Bangli 80652
Contact:- 0366 51073

Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant

Grand Puncak Sari is a very large restaurant on two floors.  The upstairs section has an open terrace as well as glassed-in area, whilst downstairs is all glassed-in.  You can get spectacular views of the Kintamani volcano and Mt Batur as well as Batur Lake.

Kintamani is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bali.  At the Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant, you can have a leisurely view of the active volcano of Mt Batur as well as the beautiful lake as seen in the pictures below.

Mt Batur

Mount Batur, also known as Kintamani Volcanao, is located at Kintamani and it has erupted about 24 times since year 1800 and still active up to now.

Beautiful lake

With the magnificent view of its caldera, and also the beauty of Lake Batur which fills the large part of the caldera, the crater of Mount Batur is the central interest of the place which is estimated to have 13 square km size. The view is the main reason many tourists come here.

View of Mt Batur from Grand Puncak Sari restaurant

Buffet menu

Buffet section

Various kinds of Balinese food

Gaily decorated

Fruits

Satay

Balinese food

Another view of Mt Batur

More food

Clear vegetable soup

We had a nice meal there whilst enjoying the spectacular view of Mt Batur and the Batur Lake from afar.  It was also nice and windy out on the terrace where we managed to snap beautiful pictures to keep as fond memories of our Bali vacation and Kintamani Volcano.