Tabanan is a great part of Bali, with a long coastline, sweeping rice-fields and cool highlands. It also has some parks that visitors might like to check out while exploring the area.
• Taman Sri Buwana:
Learn about Balinese village life in an organized setting. You can learn about the various aspects of Balinese village life close up. Taman Sri Buwana is located 9km north of the town of Tabanan, just south of Tunjuk.
• Butterfly Park:
The Butterfly Park (Taman Kupu Kupu) is located 7kms north of the town of Tabanan, at Wanasari, on the road to Penebel. The ride takes about an hour from Kuta. The museum is located 50 meters off the road, but is easy to find, due to the massive sign outside. The neat grounds and parking lot, lead into the souvenir shop and ticket office.
The entrance to the museum is close by, and after passing through a couple of doors, and a
set of hanging chains, you are inside the net-covered garden. Immediately you’ll see large
yellow and black butterflies fluttering around. Butterfly watching is a strange hobby, if you aren’t used to it, as these little creatures like to hide. It’s not like walking through the monkey forest, with hoards of friendly animals spilling out. At least a butterfly won’t try to steal your water bottle. The Bali Butterfly Park covers 3,500m sq, making it the largest park of its kind in SE Asia. The park provides an environment for butterfly preservation and study.
• Admission:
40,000rp
• Opening hours:
Daily 8am-5pm
Bali Butterfly Park
Jalan Batukaru,
Sandan Wanasari
Tabanan 80351
(0361) 814282 (0361) 814283
Fax: (0361) 814281
• Reptile & Crocodile Park Bali:
Located 8km north of Mengwi on the road to Bedugal, the Reptile & Crocodile Park is an Indonesian version of what a park should be. Facilities are not really up to scratch and the entrance fee is rather steep at 100,000rp. The park is open daily from 9am-6pm and has 4 types of crocodile and various kinds of lizards. For people wishing to see reptiles in captivity, the reptile park at Batubulan is of a higher quality.
•Margarana Memorial Park:
Located 2km to the west of Marga, on the Mengwi – Bedugal road, the Margarana Memorial Park commemorates the sacrifice Balinese people made towards Indonesian Independence after WWII. One of the great figures in Balinese history is Gusti Ngurah Rai, who led a band of locals to the slopes of Gunung Agung, to fight the Dutch is a guerilla style campaign. His last stand was November 20th 1946, in the village of Marga and is known as ‘Margarana puputan‘ (fight to the death). Ngurah Rai and his 96 men were all killed and he came to represent the spirit of the Balinese resistance. The site of this historic event has been tuned into the Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana and it dedicated to all of the Balinese fighters who lost their lives in the name of freedom, between 1945-1950. This park is a must see for every Balinese school kid, but receives little tourist attention. Inside the park is a shrine in honor of Ngurah Rai and a photograph of him, together with statues of independence fighters. There are also the words of his final letter ending in “Freedom or death.”
• Admission:
Donation
• Opening hours:
Daily 7am-4.30pm
Other points of interest in the district of Tabanan include the rice terraces at Jatiluwih, the temple at Tanah Lot, Sangeh Monkey Forest, Yeh Panas hot springs and Pura Alas Kedaton & Pura Taman Ayun.
