The Bali Botanic Garden or Bali Botanical Garden or Bedugul Botanical Garden or Eka Karya Botanic Garden (Eka means “first” and Karya means “creation”) is Indonesia’s largest botanical garden.
It was founded in 1959 and sits far above sea level with an awesome view of the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple and Lake Bratan.
If you’re in North Bali, you might want to check out Bali Botanical Garden and our guide will help you know what to expect when you get there and how to get the most out of your trip.
Where Is The Bedugul Botanical Garden?
Bali Botanical Garden is on the slopes of Tapak Hill which is in the mountains of Bedugul in the Northern area of Bali (which is in Eastern Indonesia).
The Address of the botanical garden is Jl. Kebun Raya, Candikuning Village, Kec. Baturiti District, Kabupaten Tabanan, Bali 82191, Indonesia
How To Get To The Bali Botanic Garden
The Bali Botanical Garden is quite a long drive from much of the island and it’s probably best to hire a private car and driver to get here.
This isn’t expensive (a day’s hire including petrol and the driver is about $35 USD or $50 AUD – 500,000 IDR) and it means you can also visit other sites in the area such as the Ulun Danu Temple which is famous for “floating” on the lake below (it’s an optical illusion created naturally by the lake in rainy season, the temple doesn’t float, it’s on the banks of the lake).
What’s The Best Time To Visit The Bali Botanical Garden?
We should note that the opening hours of this garden are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
That means if you turn up at another time of the day, you won’t get in.
The opening hours are also subject to change on public holidays in Bali and you should always call ahead (+62 368 302 3211) to check when you can go to the Bali Botanical Garden.
Otherwise, you will find that in this cool mountainous region, there’s really no bad time to visit the botanical garden.
The weather will be pleasant in the cool Central Bali upland for most of the year, and while it does rain more during the wet season (November to March) it doesn’t rain so much that it will stop you from enjoying the ceremonial plants, rare tropical flowering plants, non-flowering seeds plants, traditional medicinal plants, etc.
You will also find that different plants bloom at different times of year, so you might be missing out on something special if you don’t visit the Botanical Garden when you have the chance.
Is There An Entrance Fee For The Bedugul Botanical Garden?
Yes, the entrance fee from Monday to Friday is a very reasonable 20,00 IDR (that’s about $1.35 USD or $2 AUD) and on weekends it’s 30,00 IDR (that’s about $2 USD or $3 AUD).
These entrance fees were last increased in 2021, so it’s possible that given Bali’s habit of raising entry fees and tourist sites that they may be due for a price hike in the near future – so, try to visit soon and save some cash!
A Brief History Of Eka Karya Garden
This garden was established in 1959 and it opened to the public and the scientific research community at the same time on the 15th of July that year.
It was the brainchild of Sukarno, the legendary first president of Indonesia.
The garden was designed to support recreational tourist activities, scientific research and the cultivation of conifers.
The garden was closed in 1965 when the nation’s political instability reached new heights but was reopened in 1975.
It was also expanded to a much larger site and took on the role of a conservationist team for the plants of East Indonesia.
The garden was expanded once again in 2001 and sadly, as with so many businesses in Bali, it was forced to close for much of the pandemic.
What To Expect At The Bedugul Botanical Garden
Eka Karya Garden is a garden and it has an amazing collection of ceremonial plants, tropical plants, carnivorous flora, over 300 orchids, over types of cacti, more than 180 fern species, and the world’s biggest collection of begonias!
It’s also something of a bird watcher’s paradise and you can find over 70 species of birds in the garden.
Mammal watchers might, if they’re lucky, get to see a rare treeshrew in among the trees and there’s also the occasional monkey that makes its way in from the Batukaru Nature Reserve, nearby.
The Eka Karya Garden is also home to three small Hindu Temples which are not always open to visitors.
It’s a very popular tourist destination for the local people and Balinese people outnumber foreigner visitors about 35 to 1 based on the garden’s most recent guest figures!
Where To Stay Near The Bali Botanical Garden
The majority of hotels and resorts in the area are a short drive from the garden and not within walking distance.
The best places to stay within 20 km or so are:
Munduk Moding Plantation Nature Resort – this is a gorgeous hotel with private villas that offer their own pools and jacuzzis. It also has an excellent infinity pool with a gorgeous view over the rainforest nearby. It’s not cheap but which place with private butler service in every room is?
Buahan a Banyan Tree Escape – this is another stunning resort with a spectacular infinity pool. If you want to stay in nature and enjoy a thorough five-star pampering, this is the place to be. It’s fairly expensive though.
Hanging Gardens of Bali – there are infinity pools and then there’s the hotel which was voted to have the world’s finest infinity pool and that’s the Hanging Gardens of Bali. The setting here is first rate and the breakfast is amazing.
Sanak Retreat Bali – this is a lovely hidden paradise of a place with local plantations nearby. The pool is freshwater which is unusual for Bali and the setting is rural and chilled out.
Enjung Beji Resort – this simple bungalow complex isn’t the cheapest place in this area, but it is the closest place to the garden and it’s just a 1.2-kilometer walk away. You get an amazing lake view and the service and breakfast are good. However, the hotel isn subject to the call to prayer early in the morning and that can make sleep a little difficult.
Where To Eat Near The Bali Botanical Garden
Once you’ve had your fill of plant research, you can get full in some of the local restaurants including:
Warung Makan Wayan – a fabulous and affordable family-run warung that specializes in Balinese food. If you only visit one restaurant in this area, you might want to make it this restaurant.
Warung Rekreasia Bedugul – the food is very good here, but the portion sizes are very much on the small side. It’s a nice serene location, though, and ideal for relaxing with your own thoughts.
Strawberry Stop – there’s an emphasis on locally grown strawberries here and the food is both sweet and delicious. The staff are very nice too.
Magoes Warung Bedugul – the service can be a little variable in this warung but the food is always delicious and there’s a huge variety of choices on the menu.
De Danau Restaurant – this restaurant has a great view over the lake but it can be a little hit-and-miss when it comes to service. They seem to be aimed mainly at big tour groups.
FAQs
Is Bali Botanical Garden Worth Visiting?
Yes! However, it’s fair to say that on a recent trip to Bali Botanical Garden, it’s clear the place suffered during the Covid years and desperately needs an influx of cash to bring it back to its original standards.
Despite this, it’s a very large garden is a very beautiful sight with lush greenery that features so many rare and endangered plants and supports important plant research and botanical research in Southeast Asia.
The stunning collection of carnivorous plants is a real highlight of a visit to the Eka Karya Garden and we would definitely stop at this garden every time that we’re in the area, particularly if you’re off to see the temple on the lake.
What Scientific Services And Facilities Does Bali Botanic Garden Offer?
The garden began with the intention of providing scientific insight into the plants of Eastern Indonesia and it’s operated by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).
Thus, in addition to being a showcase of and primarily a collection of tropical plants, the garden offers a research library, a herbarium, glasshouses for growing plants (and guarding against the very cool air that the region is subject to at times), a nursery and a plants registration database.
How Do I Book A Holiday To See Bali Botanic Garden?
We always recommend that you book your holidays in Bali through the awesome people at Bali Res Centre.
They’ve got the trips to Bali Botanical Garden covered and they can also arrange accommodation, flights and transport at very competitive rates.
Final Thoughts On The Bali Botanic Garden In Bedugul
If you’re going to Bedugul to see Beratan Lake and the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple, then it’s very much worth making a side trip to the specialist collections of plants in Bedugul Botanical Garden.
It’s a beautiful place and a natural habitat of so many lovely plants and creatures.
