Bali - West
Bali Barat National Park - The open grasslands and mangrove swamps in Bali Barat National Park are very different from the densely cultivated ricefields of South Bali. The park was originally set up to protect the endangered Bali starling from encroaching human habitation. Stop in to the Bali Starling Recovery Project near Labuhan Lalang to see the birds up close.
Arrange for hikes through the park to see the barking deer, mouse deer, crab-eating macaques, leaf monkeys, wild boar, and the Balinese native cattle, called "banteng." To hike in the park, you will need a guide and permit; guides can be hired at the national park headquarters in Cekik or at the ranger station in Labuhan Lalang.
Pulau Menjangan (Deer Island) has spectacular snorkeling, clear water, pristine coral reefs, and tons of tropical fish.Stop in for a soak at Banyuwedang Hot Springs, just outside the north entrance to the park. Relax in the restorative water under the mangroves.
