Your first stop will be in Mengwi at Taman Ayun, the 17th century royal temple sheds an magnificent light on the principles of traditional Balinese temple architecture. Very few other temples were constructed along such `ideal` lines. Three terraces blend harmoniously into one another, each of them representing different worlds, dedicated to the Negative and Positive Forces in the universe and the relationship between both candi bentars, the typical Balinese split temple gates, separate them from one another. The complex is surrounded by a beautiful pond, adding to the elegance of the place. The last and highest court, dedicated to the Gods, is only accessible for Hindus, but by walking around, you have an excellent view on the serum with their uneven roofs, another quintessential element of Balinese architecture.
Then it is onwards to a market, located in the small village of Candikuning, above the southern shores of Danau Bratan. Its daily market is small but extremely diverse and colorful. It offers a vast range of fruit, spices and plants, including orchids. Just a little bit further down the road, Ulun Danu sits at the shores of Lake Bratan, the source of water for a large part of the island. It effortlessly combines Hindu and Buddhist elements into a unique sample of Balinese temple architecture. The location on the shore of the giant lake effectively filling a crater formed thousands of years ago by a seismic blast of an extinct volcano, is significant. The lake supplies most of the drinkable water to large areas of Bali. Dense pine forests tumble down the slopes of Mount Bratan to the calm shoreline dotted with holy shrines.
About halfway between Bratan and Singaraja, As the road starts descending from the Great Lakes in Central Bali to the north coast of the island, you pass by Gitgit Water fall. This is a quiet, peaceful and pleasantly landscaped spot, only one of several waterfalls in the area. A multitiered upper fall descends in fairly unimpressive steps but 2km further north, is a forty-meter single drop. A local belief has it that if you come to Gitgit with your partner you will eventually separate. Finally you reach Lovina with its black, volcanic type of sand. Lovina spans some 10 km along six villages on the northern coast of Bali. While Lovina may not be as big as Kuta-Tuban in the south, but it has nevertheless developed into a relaxing beach resort.
While returning to the south, you’ll pass by Banjar Hot Spring, a pleasant one kilometer hike away from the main road. It is widely believed its water can heal diseases. But it is the natural beauty of the environment that make it a well worth a visit. In many places you will see coffee, cloves and vanilla drying at the side of the road, alternating with stunning views of rice terraces, carved out delicately in the slopes of misty mountains. In Pupuan the road joins the main highway connecting Gilimanuk, the bustling port of in northwest Bali, and Denpasar.