Discover Karangasem Regency - The Spirit of Bali

Nature and Scenic Beauty

Verdant Surroundings

Karangasem, at Bali’s easternmost tip, is a haven of natural beauty. Travel its scenic roads and be surrounded by lush greenery everywhere you look. This tranquil region offers a peaceful escape, with rice terraces, tropical forests, and hidden waterfalls showcasing nature’s splendour.

Amlapura: The Regency Seat

Amlapura, the administrative heart of Karangasem regency, blends tradition with modernity. Explore bustling markets, historic palaces, and daily Balinese life. The central location makes it an ideal base for exploring the region. Almost anywhere in town, you can see the majestic Mount Agung, adding a dramatic touch to the landscape.

Cultural and Spiritual Significance

Mount Agung: The Sacred Volcano

Mount Agung, Bali’s highest peak, holds deep spiritual significance. This active volcano is believed to be the abode of the gods. Holy water from Mount Agung is essential for major temple ceremonies across Bali. Pilgrimages to Besakih Temple, the Mother Temple on its slopes, offer insights into the island’s spiritual heritage. The trek to the summit is challenging but rewarding, with stunning views and a profound sense of accomplishment.

Learn more about Bali’s Mountains, click here.

Agricultural Abundance

Salak Fruit: The Regional Mascot

Karangasem regency is famous for its Salak fruit, also known as snake fruit. The unique taste and texture make it a popular snack. Remarkably, 90% of the Salak exported from Bali comes from Karangasem. Visit a local plantation to see how this fruit is cultivated and taste it fresh. It’s a delicious way to learn about the region’s agricultural heritage.

Coconut Production

Karangasem is the largest producer of coconuts in Bali. Coconut palms dot the landscape and are vital to the local economy and culture. These trees provide food and materials for building and crafting. Visit a coconut farm to see the processing stages, from harvesting to creating coconut products. The abundance of coconuts highlights the region’s agricultural richness and daily life.

The Besakih temple is the biggest temple in Bali, the Hindus’ mother temple worldwide and it’s situated in Karangasem together with the Lempuyang temple, the Gate to Heaven. In Amlapura, you have the Water Palaces, Tirta Gangga, and Taman Ujung Soekasada, which belong to the king’s family until now and managed by the local government.

And last but not least, Karangasem is the region where the original Arak (liquor) comes from.

Must-see places in Karangasem

Candi Dasa

A popular tourist hotspot in East Bali. Candi Dasa is a relaxing – some would say sleepy – sea–side town, with little beach due to some severe environmental mistakes made in its recent past. But don’t let that put you off!

Candi Dasa offers excellent diving and snorkeling, attractive historic villages, some fantastic trekking opportunities – and beautiful beaches such as Virgin Beach close by.

Within hearing distance of the waves, a range of suit–able accommodation can be found. This qualifies Candi Dasa as an excellent base for exploring East Bali. A long road along the coast forms the main center of Candi Dasa, with seaside hotels and hillside restaurants. This road is part of the main route that goes around Bali, so traffic noise can be a problem when trucks roll through the town.

The Road To Padang Bai

The busy port of Padang Bai is situated on a beautiful bay surrounded by hills, with easy access to some lovely beaches nearby. In East Bali’s Karangasem region, it is half away between Sanur and Amed at north coast.

For most travelers, Padang Bai is just a gateway to Lombok or the Gilis, but this charming little village has a relaxed atmosphere and is worth a stop as a destination in its own right. But beware, you may be staying longer than planned, and it’s a great base from which to explore East Bali.

Padang Bai offers some excellent snorkeling and diving to colorful reefs. Snorkeling is available directly from the beaches at nearby Blue Lagoon and Bias Tugel Beach. Both beaches are suit–able for swimming and are relaxing places to spend the day in the sun. For geology lovers, the abandoned Pantai Pasir Hitam offers some exciting rocks.

The Beautiful Virgin Beach

One of the many beautiful beaches in Bali. With a white sandy beach and turquoise blue water. Once a genuinely pristine beach, it is now home to a few local warungs, each with many beanbags, deck chairs, and umbrellas to linger over—a great daytrip for families as well as couples.

Until recently, Virgin Beach was not well known because it is not easy to find, but you can not hide such a gem for long, yet this dream beach is still far from mass tourism. The beach is just under 700 meters long.

Apart from a few large rocks, fishing boats, and coconut trees, there’s not much here. Here you can simply enjoy a relaxing day at the beach without any temptations.

If it’s too relaxing, you can rent snorkelling equipment or go bodysurfing; the gentle waves are ideal. Watch out for the time of year as there can be two-meter waves and unfortunately, as with most beaches in Bali, there are times when the waves can wash plastic ashore. The Warung owners do their best to keep the beach clean.

Landmarks of Karangasem Regency

Besakih Temple – The Mother of all Hindu Temples

Besakih Temple is a temple complex in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung, in Karangasem, in eastern Bali. It is the most important, largest and most sacred temple of Bali‘s Hindu religion and the mother temple of all Hindus worldwide.

It is perched almost 1000 meters above sea on Gunung Agung‘s side and is an extensive complex of 23 separate but interconnected temples, the largest and most important of which is Pura Penataran Agung. The temple is built on six levels that lead up the slope in a terraced manner.

Taman Ujung Soeksada

The garden at Taman Ujung was built for the King I Gusti Bagus Djelantik in 1909 by the architect van Den Hentz and Loto Ang.

The Water Palace is an incredible sight, offering various ponds filled with koi fish, beautiful greenery with beautiful views and numerous monuments with Balinese gods, in which you can make a lovely tour. The charm of this unique architecture, which is a mixture of European Middle Ages and Balinese architecture, makes this place unique.

Mount Agung

The sacred and highest active volcano in Bali It is one of the 5 highest volcanoes in Indonesia. The spirits of the ancestors are at home on him and also the Hindu deity Shiva lives here.

Legend has it that Mount Agung was created when the Hindu God Pasupati split Mount Meru (the spiritual axis of the universe) into two parts and made Mount Agung from a fragment. That is why the mountain is seen as the centre of the world.

Tirta Gangga

It is a beautiful water garden and was built by the last king of Karangasem Regency in 1948 and is now open to the public.

It features a labyrinth of pools, ponds, and fountains surrounded by neatly cut lawns adorned with lush gardens, stone carvings, and ornate statues.

This park is pretty massive, so give yourself some time to relax and stroll around.Tirta means holy water, Gangga is a river in India. The water source in Tirta Gangga is called „kelebutan“ or water that comes from the ground among the roots of big banyan trees.

The water from Tirta Gangga provides water to all areas of Karangasem Regency.

Visit Karangasem

Explore the regency seat of Amlapura, steeped in tradition yet buzzing with modern life, and marvel at the majestic silhouette of Mount Agung, Bali’s highest peak and spiritual epicentre. Dive into the region’s vibrant culture as you sample exotic Salak fruit, savour coconut delicacies, and immerse yourself in the timeless rituals of local temple ceremonies.

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