Bali doesn’t have a theme park of note, but it does have an abandoned amusement park, called Taman Festival. It’s one of the few truly abandoned sites on the island and it’s a fascinating place to visit.
Whether you’re a fan of abandoned places or curious about the, potentially supernatural nature of the site, our guide to Taman Festival Bali will tell you all you need to know to plan a visit to this fascinating spot.
Where Is Taman Festival, Bali?
Taman Festival is not far from Sanur, Bali’s sleepy beach town (though not for much longer given the pace of development in the town) and it’s near Padang Galak Beach.
Address: Jl. Padang Galak Beach No.3, Kesiman, Kec. Denpasar Tim., Kota Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
How To Get To Taman Festival, Bali?
Taman Festival Bali is close enough to most of the beach towns and Ubud to catch a Grab or Go-Jek to get there.
No matter how much of an intrepid backpacker you are, it’s a good idea to arrange return transport with the driver as you may find it hard to get a new ride at the theme park.
What’s The Best Time To Visit Taman Festival?
There’s no bad time of year in Bali to spend some time in an abandoned theme park and you can visit Taman Festival in the wet or dry season.
In fact, we think this ghost town looks better in the wet season when the vegetation that has engulfed the buildings here is at its wildest. It makes an exciting location just a little more exciting.
Is There An Entrance Fee For The Abandoned Theme Park Taman Festival?
No, there’s no entry fee at Taman Festival Bali. However, you will find this tourist hot spot is “guarded” by fake security guards who will solicit a donation for entry – 10,000 IDR is enough to enter the abandoned theme park, so don’t overpay.
The History Of Taman Festival Bali
You may not believe it when you see it, but this place cost $100 million dollars to build and it was a really big deal back when it opened.
The theme park opened its doors to the public in 1997 and it was an exciting place with the world’s only inverted roller coaster (at that time), volcanoes, crocodile pit, 3-D theatres, the world’s biggest swimming pool, etc.
Sadly, disaster struck just a year later and, ironically, on Friday 13th, the park’s laser equipment was destroyed in a lightning strike.
The investor turned to their insurers for a payout and were turned down. The Tiger Economy Crisis was spreading throughout South East Asia at the time and nobody wanted to put any more cash into the venture themselves.
So, in 2000, everybody quit and went home, abandoning everything. In a horrific turn of events, reminiscent of Jurassic Park, they abandoned the crocodiles too!
In fact, while you can find abandoned theme parks all over the world, most abandoned sites, don’t have a legend of the crocodiles emerging from a crocodile pit to eat all the people in the park!
That’s why if you want to find Taman Festival, you may find that this local Balinese legend puts people off giving you directions.
What To Expect At Bali’s Abandoned Theme Park Taman Festival?
Bali’s abandoned theme park, Taman Festival Bali, is a derelict site and you need to be careful as you wander past the old ticket booths and around the crumbling buildings.
There is broken glass on the ground from the broken windows, jungle vines snake between buildings and form trip hazards and urban legends say you may even encounter roaming spirits as you pace the place.
However, though financial difficulties saw this place left abandoned decades ago, you can still make out most of the attractions of the park and there’s a lot of great street art to be found here too (apparently graffiti artists don’t care about shattered glass and ghosts as long as they can find a spare wall among the dense foliage).
You may find film reels scattered in the old cinema, but we don’t recommend going inside the buildings as they have suffered irreparable damage and could be dangerous.
Mainly, you should just explore the sights and get some cool photos of the wreckage of the park wrought by nature over the years.
Places To Stay Near The Abandoned Amusement Park Taman Festival
As every travel writer knows, this area offers excellent accommodation choices for very reasonable prices. This may not last as Sanur becomes more popular each year, but for now, some of the best options include:
Harsono Boutique Resort Bali – a fantastic boutique 5-star resort with an amazing private pool area. The resort has an excellent onsite restaurant and some of the nicest rooms in the Sanur area. However, it’s a bit of a walk from most of the main attractions and the rest of the town.
Sanur Residence – this is a gorgeous 5-star villa complex almost on the beach with amazing views of the ocean. It’s the perfect place to get away from it all as part of a big group in Bali. However, it could use a little more maintenance as it looks a touch shabby in certain areas.
Puri Nusa Indah – an attractive hotel built around an old-school courtyard space. They have an excellent swimming pool area and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. The prices are very reasonable for Bali too.
Graha Madesimon – this is something of a hidden gem in the town and it’s one of the most peaceful places in the area. If you want open spaces, and to feel like you’re in the great outdoors in the town, it’s an excellent option.
Katang-Katang Guest House – a very good value guest house run by a lovely local family who will make you feel right at home. However, there’s only limited parking at this spot, so make sure to check if there’s enough land for your vehicle before you book.
Places To Eat Near Taman Festival
You won’t go hungry in Sanur and there are some great places to eat not far from the Taman Festival Bali theme park. Some of our favourites include:
Margot Riverside – a pleasant riverside restaurant serving both Indonesian and Western food. It’s very popular, though, so if you want to be sure of getting what you want on the menu – get there early in the day as they can sell out fast.
Warung Dapur Alam – if you’re in the mood for some tasty Asian fusion food in a relaxed garden setting then this pleasant warung is definitely a good choice. It’s super reasonably priced and very popular with locals as well as tourists.
Babi Guling Cinta – a very basic warung that specializes in Balinese Suckling Pig, the food is tasty but we couldn’t help but wish for bigger portions on our visit.
Warung Ujung Bu Dewi – a nice beachside coffee shop selling snacks, local seafood and delicious noodles
Things To Do Near Taman Festival, Bali
There are a few other attractions in the local area including:
Pantai Padang Galak – a simple beach with more pebbles than sand. It has a nice view over the ocean and some pleasant fish restaurants along the shore.
Biaung Beach – a black sand beach that is popular with locals but almost unknown to tourists. It could use a little more regular cleaning from our experience.
Pantai Gumicik Keteweel – a very nice black sand beach but to get to the sand, you need to wade across a river which has materialized in the channel by the shore.
Manyar Beach – a rocky beach that isn’t great for sunbathing but is excellent for fishing.
FAQS
What Happened To Taman Festival In Bali?
A lightning strike destroyed expensive equipment in the park which in the middle of a regional financial crisis caused serious financial difficulties for the owners. In the end, Taman Festival simply closed its doors because it was bankrupt and tourists wouldn’t go to a park with faulty attractions.
How To Book A Holiday In Bali To See Taman Festival?
We always recommend that you book your holiday in Bali through the Bali Res Centre.
Final Thoughts On Taman Festival, Bali
Taman Festival Bali is not your typical destination on the island and if you want to see a crumbling theme park and the ghosts of crocodiles and more, then you may really enjoy your time here.
It’s certainly not an expensive place to visit as a tourist, and if you’re in Sanur, it’s really not far to travel either.
There are also enough other things to do in the area to justify a longer trip from some of the main beach towns or Ubud.
