Kadek Sukerata for transport, dolphin watching, snorkling, trekking or a tour

If you are looking at Bali for a private driver or someone who can organize a trip then I can recommend you Kadek Sukerata

He is modest and speaks good English

In Lovina he can arrange a boat to see dolphins

He also arranges trekkings and snorkeling

He can be reached via Whatsapp (0062 81936240589)

or email kadekkalibukbuk@gmail.com

Snorkeling in Nusa Dua, South Bali, was disappointing

         

We have snorkeled in Nusa Dua but the water wasn`t very bright and there

wasn`t much fish to see

In Jimbaran we booked a snorkeling trip to Nusa Dua

We were picked up at the hotel and there was a guide going with us

We might snorkeling one hour but once back at the beach it turned out

we had snorkeled 45 minutes

Afterwords it was a disappointing and expensive trip

If you like snorkeling in Bali, I recommend Menjangan Island

The beaches at Nusa Dua are white sand, long and very safe for swimming

There is also a public beach here Pantai Geger/Geger Beach

This is the best place to head to if you are not staying at Nusa Dua

Nusa Dua either refers to the entire eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula at the southern tip of Bali, or it more commonly refers to the purpose-built, gated and beautifully maintained tourist enclave (Kawasan Pariwisata - Tourism District)

at the southeast side of this peninsula

Nusa Dua enclave has three manned gates and everyone entering

is subject to a security search

While some may criticize this for creating the sense of an "artificial location", given the prior acts of terrorism in Bali many guests appreciate the fact

that security checks are made to enhance their safety

A beautiful red dragonfly in Bali

               

This particular red dragonfly we saw in Bali

Unfortunately, I couldn`t find more information on this dragonfly

Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects in the world

Dragonflies can fly backwards, change direction in mid-air and hover for up to a minute

Dragonflies are major predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants, wasps, and very rarely butterflies

They are usually found around marshes, lakes, ponds, streams, and wetlands because their larvae, known as "nymphs", are aquatic

About 300 different species of dragonflies (Odonata) are known in the world

Though dragonflies are predators, they themselves are subject to being preyed upon by birds, lizards, frogs, spiders, fish, water bugs, and even other large dragonflies

Kebun Raya Eka Karya also known as Bali Botanic Garden for botanical research and recreation

             

Click on the photo to enlarge

Eka Karya Botanic Garden, also known as Bali Botanic Garden is a botanic garden in Bedugul, Bali, for botanical research, conservation, education and recreation

It`s operated by Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI)

The Eka Karya Botanic Garden is established on July 15, 1959 and situated at 1250–1450 m above sea level overlooking Beratan Lake and Ulundanu Temple,

with an area of 157.5 hectares (389 acres)

The temperature of the garden range from 17 - 25°C in daytime

and drops to 10 - 15°C at night

Its humidity average is around 70-90%

The Gardens contains more than 18,000 taxa of plants belonging to 2100 species, representing various species from mountainous areas of eastern Indonesia:

Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua

In addition its herbarium contain 10,000 preserved plant specimens ranging

from algae to flowering plants

Apart from plant collections, there is also a traditional Balinese style guesthouse that functions as guest house for visitors

The garden's main collection are divided into several subsection: orchids (293 species), Balinese ceremonial plants (218 species), medicinal plants (300 species), cacti (68 species), ferns (80 species), begonia (200 species), and various aquatic plants

The garden itself is home to around 79 species of birds

On 15 July 1959, Eka Karya Botanical garden in Bali was officially established on the slopes of Tapak Hill, Candikuning village with an altitude of 1250-1400 m.

In Balinese language, "Eka" means first while "Karya" means creation, referring to the garden's status as the first Indonesian Botanic Garden to have been established

after the Indonesian independence

Bali Botanic Garden was originally intended to specialize in cultivation of conifer plants (non-flowering seed plants, or Gymnosperms) and as a place for recreation

The garden is also equipped for scientific, cultural and technical activities

The Botanical garden is so big that you can drive through with your car 

Pura Taman Ayun water temple in Mengwi is on the UNESCO World Heritage list

             

Pura Taman Ayun or Mengwi Water Temple,  is 2 km west of Mengwi

on the road to Abiansemal, near Ubud

Daily open from 8AM-6PM

This very pleasing temple was built in 1634 by the King of Mengwi as his family temple

Accessible via the main gate (kori agung)

There are several meru-towers represent the mountains,

the place of the gods

The highest Meru has eleven floors

In the "arena" (at the box office right) images were shown of cockfighting

The terraced courtyards of the temple are set in very well maintained grounds,

surrounded by man-made waterways and entered over a bridge

Mengwi is about 8km east from the town of Tabanan

Pura Taman Ayun water temple in Mengwi is on the

UNESCO World Heritage list