Bali Botanic Garden

The Bali Botanic Garden, or Kebun Raya Bali, occupies a large slope at Candikuning, high enough above the coast for the air to feel cool and the afternoons to cloud over. It was established in the late 1950s and is the largest garden of its kind in the country, with collections built around orchids, ferns, bamboo, begonias, roses and plants used in Balinese ceremonies. Paths run between big trees hung with moss, and there is a small temple complex and a lawn where families picnic. A treetop rope course operates on one edge of the grounds. It is a quiet, unhurried stop on the way round the lake district of central Bali.

History

The garden was established on 15 July 1959 as the Eka Karya Botanic Garden, "first creation" in Balinese, the first Indonesian botanic garden founded after independence, and it was first meant to specialise in conifers. Development stopped in 1965 and the garden reopened on 30 April 1975, enlarged to 129.2 hectares and given the added role of conserving plants of the mountains of eastern Indonesia (Wikipedia, Bali Botanic Garden).

Highlights

• The orchid collection - glasshouses of Indonesian orchid species, at their best in the morning.
• The fern garden - tree ferns and shade beds on the cooler upper slopes.
• The bamboo collection - stands of species from across the archipelago along the loop road.
• The ceremonial plant garden - species used in Balinese offerings and rituals, labelled by use.

When to go

April to October is drier, though at this altitude cloud and drizzle can arrive any afternoon. Come in the morning for clear air and open glasshouses. Weekends bring Balinese families up from the coast for picnics. The garden is large, so either drive the loop road or plan on a couple of hours of walking.

Things to know

It rains a lot up here and there is not much shelter between collections. Labelling is uneven and some beds look neglected. The treetop course and the strawberry stalls outside give parts of the area a day-trip feel that sits oddly with a research garden. Traffic on the road up from the south can be slow, particularly at weekends.

Nearby

Lake Beratan and its lakeside temple are minutes away, with Munduk beyond.

Key facts