Munduk and North Bali

Munduk is a mountain village in Bali's central highlands, and the north coast below it, around Lovina, is the island's quiet shore. This is the cool, green side of Bali: waterfalls, coffee and clove plantations, crater lakes and black sand beaches. It is far from the airport, at about 51 miles to Munduk and 62 to Lovina, and it suits travelers who want nature and calm more than beach clubs.

Where Munduk and the north are

Munduk sits in the western highlands of central Bali, in the wider Bedugul area, at more than 700 meters above sea level. The north coast lies beyond the mountains, with Lovina about 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, from Munduk. By road Munduk is about 51 miles from the airport and about 39 from Ubud.

A different climate

Altitude changes the weather. Travel guides describe the highlands as distinctly cool, and the climate figures published for south Bali, which come from a sea-level station, do not apply here. Pack a sweater and a rain jacket for Munduk in any month. The north coast is at sea level and warm.

A different pace

Travel guides describe North Bali as quiet black sand beaches and the old capital city, in contrast with the heavily visited south. Our view is that the quiet is the reason to come.

Munduk

Munduk is known for waterfalls, plantations and walking. Travel guides describe the area as popular for trekking and extremely scenic, with coffee and clove trees lining the highland roads. The village sits at more than 700 meters, about 39 miles by road from Ubud.

Waterfalls

Waterfalls are what Munduk is best known for, and travel guides call Munduk Waterfall perhaps the most impressive accessible falls on the island, powerful in the wet season. We give no trail lengths, difficulty ratings or entrance fees, since we have not sourced them. Ask at your accommodation about the path and its condition after rain.

The twin lakes

Near Munduk are the twin crater lakes of Buyan and Tamblingan, set in forest. Travel guides mention walks around the lakes. Mornings are the conventional time for views in the mountains, before cloud builds; that is our advice and not a forecast.

Ulun Danu Bratan

The temple of Ulun Danu Bratan stands on the shore of Lake Bratan, in the same highlands, and travel guides list it among the area's main sights. It is a working temple, so Bali's rules on modest dress in sacred places apply. It is commonly visited on the drive to or from Munduk.

The north coast

The north coast is Bali's calm sea. Travel guides describe Lovina as a string of quiet coastal villages with black volcanic sand beaches and coral reefs offshore, popular with visitors who want a beach stay without the pace of the southern resorts. Singaraja, nearby, is the largest town on the coast.

Lovina's dolphins

The outing Lovina is known for is a boat trip at dawn to see dolphins offshore, which travel guides describe as popular and easy to arrange. We have no official source on how the boats are regulated or how often dolphins are seen, so we promise nothing. Ask how many boats go out and how close they approach.

Singaraja

Singaraja was the administrative capital of Bali in the Dutch colonial period. Travel guides describe wide streets, some old houses and a museum holding traditional palm-leaf manuscripts. It is a working town and not a resort, of interest to travelers who like history.

Sekumpul

Inland from the coast, Sekumpul is a group of waterfalls in a jungle valley, described by travel guides as among the most spectacular on the island. Reaching waterfalls in Bali generally means steps and a walk; ask locally how long the descent is and whether a guide is required.

Getting there

The north is a long way from where most visitors land. Munduk is about 51 miles from the airport and Lovina about 62, across the central mountains on winding roads. We give no drive times, since they vary. Our advice is to treat the journey as a day in itself, with stops on the way.

From Ubud

Ubud is the natural stepping stone. It is about 39 miles from Ubud to Munduk, and the road passes the highlands around Bedugul and Lake Bratan. A driver hired for the transfer can stop at the temple and a viewpoint, which turns a travel day into a sightseeing day.

Getting around

Public transport is thin in the highlands. A car with a driver is the practical way to reach waterfalls and lakes. A scooter on steep, wet mountain roads asks more of a rider than the flat south does, and it requires a license matching the type of vehicle driven.

Who the north suits

Munduk and the north coast suit walkers, nature lovers, couples and anyone who has seen the south and wants the other Bali. They suit a second or third base on a trip of ten days or more. They are a weak fit for a first trip of one week, where the drive takes a large share of the time.

How long to stay

Our advice is two or three nights in Munduk, which allows a waterfall walk, the lakes and a slow morning. Add the north coast if you want sea as well as mountains. A single night is mostly driving.

Practical notes

The State Department says adequate medical care may be harder to find in rural areas of Indonesia and that an injured traveler will likely need to go to a major city. Carry what you rely on, wear proper shoes on waterfall paths, and bring cash, since card acceptance is not something to count on in villages.