Bali Barat: A National Park in West Bali

West Bali National Park (TNBB) is located in the western part of the island. It covers 77,000 hectares, or around 10% of Bali’s land area.

It includes the entire Prapat Agung Peninsula and large areas of land around Gilimanuk, Cekik and Banyuwedang, which are located in Jembrana and Buleleng regencies. The national park is about 100 km from Bali’s capital, Denpasar, or around 50 km west of the northern city of Singaraja, the capital of Buleleng Regency.

The national park is a protected area with rich biodiversity. It is home to around 160 protected species of animals and plants, including buffalo, deer, langurs, bats and various birds. This area is also the habitat of an endemic animal and symbol of Bali, the Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi).

Nature lovers will be interested to see more than 200 plant species, 300 bird species and many fascinating animals, including pythons, iguanas, barking deer, macaques, wild boar and turtles.

The national park is monitored by forest police, who protect rare animal species from poaching.

The national park is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00. Entrance tickets cost 20,000 rupiah for domestic visitors and 200,000 rupiah for foreign visitors on weekdays, or 300,000 rupiah at weekends.

· Parking.

· Public toilet.

· Information centre.

· Accommodation for those who want to spend the night in nature.

· Restaurant.

The park’s natural landscapes are diverse: tropical forests, dry savannah, acacia scrub, lowland forests and mountain forests. There are also several areas of dense mangrove forest. In the north of the park is a peninsula stretching northwards called Prapat Agung. Around this peninsula are long stretches of beach and coastal coral reefs, as well as the small island of Menjangan. The latter is a very popular diving spot.

There are several mountains, such as Panginuman, Bakungan, Ulu Teluk Accep, Nyangkut and Malaye, but unfortunately there are no suitable facilities for trekking. How about a forest walk as an alternative?

The park has forests that are safe for trekking, including mangrove forests, savannah, tropical jungle, evergreen forests and riverside areas. While walking through the forest, you may see rare animals and birds in their natural habitat, such as white starlings, Bali starlings, Javan plovers, black-headed ibises, storks, luwaks, deer, hedgehogs and many others. 

In 2018, West Bali National Park was named one of the “Top 100 Destinations” in the “Best of the Planet — Asia-Pacific” category at the World Tourism Fair in Berlin.

The park is about two kilometres from Gilimanuk Port and around 60 km from Denpasar. Given its huge area and many tourist attractions, it is almost impossible to see everything in one day. You should therefore be prepared to spend several days there, for example by staying at a nearby hotel. Clothes and footwear should be comfortable, and you should definitely bring a change of clothing. Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and enough drinking water to avoid sunstroke, heatstroke or dehydration. Follow the rules and instructions.

Mejangan Dynasty Resort is a luxury resort located on the edge of the reserve. The area is known for its secluded, quiet beaches, ideal for a relaxing break.

Mejangan Dynasty Resort offers a range of accommodation options, including luxury villas with private pools and rooms with ocean views.

All rooms and villas are decorated in a modern style with Balinese design elements and are equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay.

The resort has several restaurants and bars offering a variety of food and drinks. Guests can enjoy spa treatments, massages and other wellness treatments for complete relaxation and recovery.

Guests can choose from many activities, including tours of West Bali National Park, snorkelling and diving. Tennis courts and gyms are available for sports lovers.

This resort is an ideal place for those looking for a comfortable holiday in a beautiful natural setting on the island of Bali.

Accommodation starts from 3.8 million rupiah per night.

Menjangan Ecolodge is a unique place for those who want to spend time in a peaceful atmosphere. The hotel is surrounded by tropical forest and mangroves, creating an ideal setting for an eco-friendly holiday.

Menjangan Ecolodge offers various accommodation options, including rooms and bungalows equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay. The hotel actively supports a sustainable approach. It uses alternative energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.

Menjangan Ecolodge has a restaurant serving Balinese and international dishes made with local ingredients. Guests can enjoy various outdoor activities, including walks through the reserve, snorkelling and diving in the nearby waters. The atmosphere is peaceful and in harmony with nature, making it an ideal place for a mindful holiday.

Menjangan Ecolodge is an environmentally responsible hotel that helps preserve Bali’s unique natural environment and offers guests full immersion in its beauty and richness.

Accommodation starts from 700,000 rupiah per night.

The park’s infrastructure is fairly basic, so you should not expect good roads or a wide choice of campsites. In practice, there is one main road, but there are good opportunities for walking, cycling, mangrove tours, birdwatching, snorkelling and diving. All activities must be done with a guide and are best arranged at one of the park’s ranger stations.

In the village of Sumber Klampok, visitors can see the work of bird-breeding activists up close. This project was created to protect the Bali starling, which is endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. The centre’s main goal is to increase the population of this rare bird and return it to its natural habitat. The centre breeds the birds in captivity, provides medical care and carries out research aimed at improving breeding conditions and survival in the wild. It includes aviaries for keeping birds, egg incubators and birdwatching areas.

The equipment and conditions at the centre are designed to be as close as possible to the birds’ natural habitat.

Tours of the centre are usually available for visitors, where you can see the breeding process, learn about the life and behaviour of the Bali starling, and find out about the measures being taken to protect it.

After your walk, you can relax at the Banyuwedang Hot Springs. Entrance to the shared pool costs 10,000 rupiah per person. A private bath costs 25,000 rupiah.

Menjangan Island is known for its white-sand beaches and beautiful underwater gardens. In fact, Menjangan Island is considered one of the best diving spots in Bali.

At a depth of around 45 metres is the Anchor Wreck dive site. As the name suggests, this is a wreck site with rusty anchors. It is also known as the Anchor or Slave Ship. It is believed to be a 19th-century Dutch ship that sank during the Second World War. There are also several other dive sites, including Coral Garden, Eel Garden and the Underwater Cave.

Menjangan Island, surrounded by unspoilt white-sand beaches, stunning coral reefs and a fascinating underwater world, is a perfect example of natural beauty. Located about 10 km north-west of the Bali mainland coast, the island is part of the Bali Barat reserve. The word “Menjangan” means “deer” in Javanese. The name was given by locals who used to watch herds of wild deer swim to the island every spring.

It was on this small island that diving first began to develop seriously in Bali, around 1978, with the support of the Indonesian Navy, when the country’s main dive clubs gathered there. Menjangan has established itself as one of Bali’s leading international diving destinations.

The island itself is surrounded by a coral reef with steep drop-offs of up to 60 metres and complex rock formations. These distinctive features have created many large and small caves, decorated with sponges and soft corals and often inhabited by large groupers and moray eels, with juvenile groupers and batfish in the smaller caves. The seabed is also rich in large sponges and bright sea fans, some of which are truly huge. Thanks to the depth, moderate currents and protection from strong winds, tuna, schools of barracuda, angelfish, sea turtles and sometimes sharks can often be seen here.

In Secret Bay near Gilimanuk Ferry Port, an unusual play of currents has made the water here warmer, up to 25 degrees Celsius, creating a habitat for marine fauna from the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The shallow silty bottom, mixed with seaweed, is home to truly unusual marine creatures, some of which were only recently discovered by marine biologists for the first time, including four species of frogfish and the spotted frogfish.

In addition to frogfish, the bay is home to many different seahorses, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, lionfish, ribbon eels and many others. This unique bay has been and remains a favourite place for some of the world’s most famous underwater photographers and filmmakers, as well as researchers and marine biologists.

Menjangan Island is uninhabited, although there is a temple on the island. Balinese people who hold ceremonies here return to Bali in the afternoon, before dark. There is no accommodation or other facilities on Menjangan Island. Hotels and other places to stay can be found along Bali’s west coast, near West Bali National Park or in the Pemuteran area. The best time to visit the island is the beginning of the rainy season.

The island is located about 10 km off Bali’s north-west coast. You can get there by boat operated by Bali Barat National Park. Boats can be found in the small harbour of Labuan Lalang, located in Teluk Terima. A one-way motorboat trip costs around 500,000 rupiah.

Another way to reach Menjangan Island is to take a boat from the small jetty in Banyuwedang Bay. It is located next to The Dream Menjangan Resort. The boat trip to Menjangan Island usually takes 30 to 40 minutes. 

 Departures to Menjangan are available daily, depending on the weather.

- Ticket: 250,000 rupiah per person

 - Full-day rental of a 10-person boat: 900,000 rupiah

- Insurance: 4,000 rupiah per person

- Snorkelling guide: 400,000 rupiah

- Parking: 10,000 rupiah 

- Snorkelling equipment rental: 50,000 rupiah per person

Boat rental address for Menjangan Island: Jl Pasir Putih Banyuwedang, Pejarakan, Gerokgak District, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81155, next to Dream Resort Menjangan.

Boats to Menjangan Island must be booked one day in advance by calling: +6289505667788 (Aruna). 

Bali Barat National Park and Menjangan Island are an important ecological and tourist resource in Bali. They offer a unique opportunity to explore nature and wild land and marine fauna, while also highlighting the importance of environmental protection.

Sources: btnbalibarat.com, nusabali.com, kumparan.com