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eastern district of Bali is Karangasem, which is dominated
by the mighty Gunung Agung. The east has many places
of interest and some great beaches. Bali's highest mountain
is Gunung Agung (3142 meters), towering majestically
over eastern and northern Karangasem. The most disasttrous
volcanic eruption took place on 17th March 1963 when
Agung laterally blew its top.
Streams of lava and hot volcanic mud poured down to
the sea in the southeast of the island, covering roads
and isolating the eastern end of the island. The whole
island was covered in ash and crops were wiped out.
It obliterated many villages and temples, and killed
thousands of people. Most of those killed were either
burned to death or suffocated by the searing clouds
of hot gas rushing down the volcanic slopes. It wiped
out the entire villages of Sorga and Lebih high on the
slopes of Agung. Surprisingly, Besakih, just six kilometers
from the crater, suffered little damage.
These days Mount Agung is quiet and the mother temple
Pura Besakih perched 1000 meters up the slope attracts
a steady stream of devotees and tourists. Pura Besakih
is Bali's most important and probably best-kept temple,
comprising about 30 separate temples in seven terraces
going up the hill. Every district in Bali has its own
shrine or temple at Besakih and just about every Balinese
god is honored.
If you want to climb Mount Agung, you must request
permission from the temple authorities, as no one should
stand higher than the temple when a ceremony is being
held. You can ascend the mountain from behind the temple
or through the village of Sebudi village, near Selat.
It's a tough 6-8 hour climb and you are recommended
to leave in the early morning and hire a guide.
Padang Bai is the port for the ferry service to Lombok.
It's a sleepy fishing village situated in a perfectly
sheltered bay. The beach is picturesque and quaint with
a long sweep of sand where colorful boats are drawn up
on the beach.
From Padang Bai the road follows a beautiful stretch inland
and turns off at the mountain village of Tenganan. Tenganan
is a Bali Aga village one of the few Balinese communities
to resist the Majapahit invasion of 1343. It is a walled
village consisting of two rows of identical houses. This
is the only place in Indonesia where double-weaving ikat,
Geringsing, is produced. The village is also famous for
its lontar sacred books, traditional Balinese palm-leaf
books.
On the coastal road 13 kilometers from Tenganan is the
once-quiet fishing village of Candi Dasa. You can expect
to find plenty of accommodation, restaurants, bars, souvenir
shops, and some nightlife. There are fantastic views from
the headland and on a clear day Agung mountain rises magnificently
behind the range of coastal hills.
The main town and capital of the Karangasem district is
Amplapura. Puri Agung Karangasem palace is an imposing
reminder of the time Karangasem was a kingdom. It has
a three-tiered gate and beautiful sculptured panels on
the outside.
Six kilometers from Amlapura you will find the Tirta
Gangga water palace. This palace, built around 1947
by Amlapura's water loving king, is a place of beauty
and solitude . The palace contains a network of pools
and a swimming pool fed by some of the most beautiful
rice terraces in Bali.
North of Tirta Gangga is Tulamben. SS Liberty, the American
war ship sunk by the Japanese in 1942, lies just off the
beach and is accessible from the beach. It's a long way
from anywhere on this barren coast, but worth a pause
on your travels
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