This vast Buddhist sanctuary ( candi sewu means "thousand temples") was built in the 8C by the kingdom of the Sailendra, who governed the south of the island at the time. The main temple, crowned with a stupa and surrounded by eight anne..

Candi Plaosan is a complex of temples 2km from Prambanan, and combines Hindu and Buddhist decorative elements. The sanctuary is thought to celebrate the union of a Buddhist princess, Sailendra, and a Hindu king, Sanjaya, the two dynasties that shared..

Although dating from the same period as Candi Kalasan, Candi Sari has a radically different style. This handsome building with three parts, which stands on a high base and is topped with stupas , is more reminiscent of Candi Plaosan. Like the latter..

To the east of Solo stands Lawu Volcano, with its dark green velvety-looking slopes, on which tea plantations grow alongside paddy fields and forests. Two little known Hindu temples, Candi Sukuh and Candi Ceto , are hidden in this setting of untam..

One of the most mysterious and fascinating of Java's temples, Candi Sukuh (15C) dominates the Solo plain from 900m above sea level. The remarkable iconography of its reliefs and statues has boggled specialists as it does not correspond to the norms..

On the slopes of Lawu Volcano, 1 200m above sea level, Candi Ceto stands like a mirage rising out of the mist and greenery. It is a contemporary of Candi Sukuh (c 1468-1475) and devoted to the same cult. However, its seven terraces are reminiscent ..

After taking in the story of the Sampoerna family, owners of the kretek brand, at the informative museum, visitors can get a fascinating glimpse of the kretek cigarette production facility in operation: more than 3 000 workers rolling cigarettes ma..

The serene temple is set in beautiful shady grounds in Mengwi, surrounded by water and embellished with a pond of lotuses. Cordoka Munggu, who had this sanctuary built (17C), transferred the capital of the Mengwi Kingdom here. The complex was restore..

Perched on a black rock surrounded by sand and lapped at by the turbulent waters of high tide, this temple dedicated to the sea deities seems to defy the elements. It is thought to have been erected in the 16C under the aegis of the famous Javanese B..

Nusa Lembongan has inherited its infertile and dry limestone relief from the little archipelago of Penida, whose three islands lie of the coast of Sanur. Its inhabitants, among the poorest in the country, live mainly from harvesting algae and the isl..

A splendid view over the southeast coast of Bali with the silhouette of Mount Agung on the horizon... With its fishing boats and the odd bungalow, Jungutbatu is one of Bali’s most unspoilt beaches, little affected by the commercial encroachment evide..

Between Sayan and Kedewatan, the landscape becomes increasingly striking: shimmering in the sun, the verdant rice paddies drop in terraces down to the winding banks of the River Ayung (its turbulent waters are ideal for rafting). To best admire this ..

If heading for Mount Batur, or just seeking an outing (by bike perhaps) around Ubud, this lovely road heading northeast runs through a verdant landscape of shimmering rice paddies. It is also a chance to see charming temples (Pura Gunung Sawi Sebatu,..

This lovely ornithological park has waterfalls, lotus ponds, tropical flowers and trees, plus the world’s finest selection of Indonesian birds. It also has a variety of other species from around the world: multicoloured parrots, elegant birds of para..

Bali’s second-highest mountain, volcanic Batukaru (2 276m) has on its southern flanks the island’s finest terraced rice paddy landscape, particularly around the villages of Gunungsari and Jatiluwih: the latter’s name means “truly marvellous”. It ha..

Sited on the slopes of the sacred Mount Batukaru, Pura Luhur Batukaru emerges from a verdant backdrop often shrouded in mist. Amidst tree ferns, bamboo and banana trees, moss-covered sculptures are home to an extraordinary colony of butterflies. In t..

Bali’s highpoint (3 014m), a landmark in all views of the south and east of the island, the Agung volcano is the navel of the Balinese world: along with Mount Batur, it was born of the splitting in two of the mythical Mount Meru, the centre of the co..

Although built 1 000m up on its slopes, Mount Agung’s 1963 eruption miraculously spared Bali’s most sacred temple. Visitors should try to see one of the numerous ceremonies that take place here over the course of the year. Among this complex of 23 te..

In the pleasant town of Bangli, ancient capital of the Gelgel dynasty, the impressive Pura Kehen was the site of sovereigns’ coronations. It rises over eight terrace levels against a backdrop of lush greenery. Elephant statues greet visitors at the..

At the northern end of the lake, the picturesque village of Songan has a magnificently decorated pretty temple. Pura Ulun Dnu has superb multi-roofed meru at its threshold, at the foot of the fern covered caldeira slope. From there, on a fine day i..