The Bali Strawberry Farm and Restaurant is actually slightly downhill from the Bali Treetop Adventure Park and we passed by it on our way up the mountain, and Ulun Danu Bratan – the famous temple by the lake – is also just 10 minutes away. So, all three spots are really in the same general area. Our itinerary included a visit to the Farm and lunch at the restaurant, but in a planning goof on my part, the farm didn’t offer fruit-picking during this period as it was off-season.
Still, the farm offers a panoramic view of the area and while there was a fierce overcast and a swiftly moving and thick layer of mist, the weather was wonderfully cool – permitting for a both scenic and very pleasant lunch that comprised Nasi Goreng, Pizza, Chicken Satay, and Crispy Duck!
Of the half-dozen temples we visited during our Bali 2008 trip, the one that I really liked the most was Ulun Danu Bratan, a temple that sits on the edge of Lake Bratan with the mountains of Bedugul on the backdrop. The temple grounds sit in a fairly large park, and I remembered it being free of crowds – permitting those amazing shots of the area that I took on a tripod. The place in 2018 is terrifically different, and not for the better: it now charges a hefty admission price, and the area is extremely developed with long rows of shops and eateries, and – perhaps also because of the day we were there – saw massive congestion of both tourist and also local crowds. What I’d hope for a serene experience now again was turned on its head by noisy crowds chattering in Chinese, and wielding long selfie sticks and posing and posturing for Instagram.
Still, it started lightly drizzling and within minutes of what was just overcast weather, the place turned terrifically foggy! That made for some interesting photo opportunities and I snapped away.
In all, Ulun Danu Bratan is worth a visit only if you don’t mind the crowds. Otherwise, skip it – or strategize a timing for the visit where no one is around.
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