Terraced paddy fields, abundantly available in highland area, can be best viewed at Tegalalang and Pacung. We passed by Tegalalang on the way from Denpasar to Batur Mount. We made a brief stop (about 15 minutes) to take a look on the terraced paddy field. The terraced field can be seen just beside the road. However, tall coconut trees planted beside the field flawed the good view. The information we had stating Tegalalang is 500 m above sea level. However, the weather was hot and humid. The farmers just finished harvesting, leaving behind brown and muddy field by the time we visited the field. The view would be better one month earlier when the field just turned into golden sea and about to be harvested.
Coconut trees blocked the good view of terraced paddy field at Tegalalang (left). Nice looking restaurant (Japanese style?) opposited the rice terrace.
Pacung is the best place for terraced paddy field, not only the cozy and windy environment, but the less obstacles between the viewing platform and the field. The place is 800 m above sea level, laid on our way to Bedugul. We stopped for a rest at Pacung and took our buffet lunch at Labhagga Restaurant and Sky Lounge (the price, around RM22 per person).
Great view of terraced paddy field from Labhagga Restaurant and Sky Lounge, Pacung, a must see scenery in Bali.
Labhagga is a name that we will remember. The reason, Betty accidentally left her purse in that restaurant. The purse then, was sent 30 km from Pacung to Legian (one hour by car), right to the lobby of our hotel early the next morning, free of charge by the staff from the restaurant. So, if you ask about our comment on that restaurant, excellent is just enough for the food and the view, and then some more for the service and honesty.
Clockwise from top left: Our photo taken from Labhagga, backgrounded the terraced paddy field; A view of Labhagga Restaurant and Sky Lounge; My brother Ling Yong and his wife-to-be, Livien taking lunch in the restaurant; and LS's parents amazed by the size of the roses just outside the restaurant and insist a photo with it.
Natural spices is another attraction of Bali. On our way to Kintamani, we took a rest at Sai Land Natural Agrotourism Park, Bangli where we tasted numerous of natural spices, tea, and coffee, including Luwak Coffee. The coffee is special due to the process by fox. Interested? More information available at Wikipedia about Luwak Coffee. You can come to my house to take a cup of it before we finished it (we bought 200 g of the coffee, with around RM50++). A cup of Luwak Coffee can easily come to USD50 outside Indonesia.
Local workers serving tea, coffee, and spices to us (Left). Our tour guide, Mayo explaining how Luwak Coffee being produced (right).
Group photo taken at the entrance of Natural Agrotourism Center of Bali, at Bangli.
There are two active volcanos in Bali, namely Mount Batur (1717 m) and Mount Agung (3142 m). Mount Batur can be seen from Kintamani while Mount Agung can be seen from Besakih. Kintamani is 2 hours away from our hotel by car. We took our buffet lunch at Batur Sari Restaurant, it serves halal Indonesian food. Mount Batur,around 24 eruptions were recorded since 1804, can be seen clearly from the restaurant. Taking buffet was more worthy than ala carte in that restaurant, as the price for a plate of fried rice is around RM20. So, why don't we just go for the buffet with more that 15 types of food with a top-up of RM 7? The shape of the volcano that we can see in the photo below was formed during the great eruption in 1917.
Buffet lunch at Batur Sari Restaurant, Kintamani facing Mount Batur. What's the feeling of dining in front of an active volcano? Well, the answer- it's cool!
Photo showed Lake Batur and Mount Batur harmonized like Ying and Yang. The blackened area is caused by the lava from its last eruption. This is a must see scenery in Bali.
