Bedugul Tour | Ulun Danu, Handara, Wanagiri, Hidden Garden Coffee — Jea Wanders

 

If you want a refreshing escape from the bustling beach towns of Bali, then Bedugul is the place to go. It is a charming mountainous town in the highlands of Bali, offering wondrous natural scenery, including beautiful lakes and stunning mountain views. Bedugul is a culturally rich and tourist-friendly destination in the central-north region of the island, with cool temperatures that provide a pleasant day away from the hot and humid coastal areas. This Bedugul tour is a perfect representation of all the things mentioned above.

It was on our third day when we went up to the highlands to experience the chill side of Bali. For this trip, we booked a car rental with driver from Klook to take us to the Bedugul area. We were picked up from our hotel in Mailaku House early at 6:45 am, and arrived at our first destination around 9 am.

 

Ulun Danu

Located on the calm shores of Lake Beratan is Ulun Danu—a peaceful park having impeccable gardens and unique Balinese architecture. The park covers a wide area of gardens with different kinds of beautiful flowers in full bloom. To behold the picturesque view of distant mountain peaks and tranquil lake as you wander and breathe-in fresh highland breeze are my most favorite things about this place.

Entrance Fee = 75,000 IDR or ≈257 PHP
Parking Fee = 5,000 IDR or ≈17 PHP

There’s a lot more interesting spots to see here apart from what you see in our photos. This is a huge complex to explore and it’s better if you can allot a couple or more hours for this site (if your itinerary permits). The weather is cool and comfortable, but still make sure to protect your skin from the sun.

There are pine trees almost everywhere and the ambiance actually resembles our very own Baguio in the Philippines. The place is neat and tidy (seems that not many Filipinos were present), not crowded, and really feels far-flung.

After more than an hour’s wandering around the park, we then hopped into our rented car to proceed to our next destination. In less than 10 minutes, we arrived at the iconic Handara Gate.

 

Handara Gate

A traditional Balinese gate structure, Handara Gate is one of the most famous landmarks in Bali. This massive, towering stone gate is set against the backdrop of lush mountain scenery. This is why many tourists are taking the opportunity to snap photos of this scenic spot. Handara Gate is located within the grounds of the Handara Golf & Resort Bali.

Entrance Fee = 50,000 IDR or ≈171 PHP
Parking Fee = 5,000 IDR or ≈17 PHP
Photographer’s Fee = 20,000 IDR or ≈68 PHP

Aside from the entrance fee, a photographer’s fee of 20,000 IDR is collected for the 5-minute photo-op session. This also includes short video clips, and the photographer will use your camera phone. You will need to queue along with other tourists, and they will provide a queuing number. In our experience, we waited for about 15-20 minutes before our turn.

Next in our itinerary is Wanagiri Hidden Hill which is about 15-min drive from Handara Gate.

 

Wanagiri Hidden Hill

A trip to the highlands of Bali is even more worthwhile when you visit Wanagiri Hidden Hill. This tourist attraction sits high in the mountains, offering panoramic views of the twin lakes: Buyan and Tamblingan. The place is surrounded by lush greenery, perfect for its unique photo spots such as bird’s nest and swings overlooking Lake Buyan. This is popular especially for instagrammers and even couples who want to have exceptional romantic photos together.

Entrance Fee = 100,000 IDR or ≈343 PHP
Parking Fee = 5,000 IDR or ≈17 PHP

Inside the premises, there are locals who offer to take your photos in exchange for a donation. We took the offer twice and spent around 54,000 IDR or ≈185 PHP on the donations.

To be honest, the place is a bit cramped even with fewer tourists. I expected a more spacious ambiance, but maybe it’s just me. Nonetheless, the views are beautiful and we enjoyed the photo-ops.

Time for lunch and our driver took us to a nearby warung.

 

Lunch

Warung Tenten Bamboe, located just along the way back to where we came from, was our driver’s easy suggestion for our lunch break. We had a good mountain view at first, but later became foggy followed by a downpour. We just enjoyed our food together and hoped that we won’t experience the “Bali belly” that many tourists were warning about local warungs. We’re worried because we’re eating outside our trusted restaurant in our hotel (Mailaku).

We ordered Gurame Bakar (110,000 IDR), Nasi Goreng Special (105,000 IDR), Chicken Satay (95,000 IDR), and Nasi Putih (15,000 IDR). Everything’s good, especially that our bellies are fine. Thank God! Quite pricey, but at least we’re safe.

After this, we’re supposed to head back to our hotel. But our driver suggested a side trip along the way. He took us to Hidden Garden Coffee & Swing which is about 30-min drive.

 

Hidden Garden Coffee & Swing

Hidden Garden Coffee & Swing (or Hidden Garden Agriculture) is a one-stop destination for those considering to try a giant Bali swing, taste different types of coffee and tea, and buy Luwak Coffee beans (for the curious). Great destination to cap-off our Bedugul tour!

Entrance Fee = 0
Swing = 200,000 IDR or ≈685 PHP

I first tried the giant Bali swing to heal the inner child in me. I got nervous at first, but after all the safety gears were set, I felt safe and excited. They also offered me to rent a long tail dress, which I did not avail. I just wanted the swing (plus I did not understand the purpose).

There’s a free coffee tour which lasted about 10-15 minutes, followed by the free coffee and tea tasting. After that, you may decide which ones you’d like to buy. They say it’s optional, but of course it feels mandatory after all the “free” things they have provided. But to be honest, I liked their Roselle Tea and Turmeric Tea. I had to pick only one because Jec wanted to buy the Luwak Coffee (it’s priceeyy).

We bought their Luwak Coffee Beans (150,000 IDR or ≈514 PHP for 50g) and Turmeric Tea (165,000 IDR or ≈565 PHP for 150g) to bring home.

 

End of Bedugul Tour

We thought we were really heading back to our hotel, but turns out, we’re not yet ready. We decided to drop by Ubud Market for a quick souvenir shopping. What I generally observed in Ubud Market was that everything looks cheap, not until you ask for the price. We just bought a few ref magnets and key chains.

After this we headed to our hotel for real (just in time for dinner). What I loved about Mailaku House is that we’re always excited to come back for dinner after a tiring day outside. This/they were our home, our safe place in Bali.

 

---

 

Bedugul Tour: How to Book a Car Rental with Driver via Klook?

1. You may avail this tour below.
2. From the Package Options, pick “Zone 2 – Full Day”
3. Select your desired Date and Number of days (since it’s a day-trip, choose 1 day).
4. Click “Book now”

Package inclusions:

• 12-hour private charter service (max of 4 passengers)
• Fuel fees
• Hotel pick up and drop off service
• Driver’s meals

Note: Entrance fees and parking fees are not included in the package.

 

---

 

Read Next:

 

Related