West Bali National Park

The Bali starling

The Bali starling is white, with a blue mask around the eye. It is critically endangered, is found in the wild only on Bali, and the park is its original home. Captive breeding and release inside the park is the reason any remain in the wild.

Birds are most active early in the morning, so the birdwatching trip leaves at 06:00, with an afternoon departure at 15:00. Sightings are frequent but cannot be guaranteed. See bird watching and the Bali starling.

West Bali National Park covers about 190 square kilometres at the north-western tip of Bali, about four hours by road from the airport. It is the least visited part of the island, with fewer villages and drier hills than the south.

The park contains four habitats: mangrove along the shoreline, open savannah inland, monsoon forest on the higher ground, and coral reef offshore around Menjangan Island. All four can be visited in a single morning.

Wildlife

The park is best known for the Bali starling, a white bird with a blue mask around the eye. It is critically endangered and is found in the wild only on Bali. Captive breeding and release inside the park have kept a wild population alive. Sightings are possible but cannot be guaranteed.

Rusa deer graze the savannah early in the morning and towards dusk. Menjangan Island is named after them: menjangan means deer in Javanese. Banteng, the wild cattle native to the region, use the same grassland but are rarely seen. Macaques and civets are common along the forest edge.

Birdwatchers can also expect the Javan kingfisher and the crested serpent eagle, among many other species. The best times are first light and the hour before dark.

Offshore, the reef has hard and soft coral, large numbers of reef fish, green turtles and reef sharks. Our snorkelling and diving guides cover the reef in detail.

Getting there

The drive from the airport or Denpasar takes about four hours, and slightly less from Ubud. The park is too far for a day trip from the south. We recommend at least one night nearby, and two or three nights to see both the reef and the forest.

The park has three entrances:

• Cekik: the main gate and park office, where the west and north coast roads meet. Permits, information and guides are available here.
• Labuhan Lalang: on the north coast, the harbour for boats to Menjangan Island. Use this entrance for snorkelling and diving.
• Gilimanuk: closest to the ferry terminal, and convenient for travellers arriving from or leaving for Java.

A car, with or without a driver, is the most practical way to arrive, as the park covers a large area and there is no transport inside it. Public buses between Denpasar and Gilimanuk pass Cekik but are slow and infrequent. We can arrange transfers from the south, from Amed, or from the Java ferry.

Walking in the park

Trails range from short, flat coastal paths to half-day climbs. The route up Gunung Klatakan passes through the densest forest in the park and is the most demanding. The paths near Labuhan Lalang are easy and take one to two hours.

Some routes require a licensed guide. This is a park rule, and it is also practical: the trails are not consistently marked, and a guide knows where and when wildlife is most likely to be seen.

Menjangan Island

Menjangan Island lies off the north coast, about half an hour by boat from Labuhan Lalang, and is part of the park. Its reef drops into a wall close to the shore, so snorkellers and divers use the same boats and sites. The island has temples and a resident population of deer.

Trips normally leave in the morning, when the water is calmest. Boats and guides are limited, so advance booking is recommended.

Fees and rules

Entry to the park and to the marine area carries separate fees, set by the park authority and payable in rupiah. Fees change, so any figure published online should be treated as a guide and confirmed at the gate or when you book. Each of our trips states whether the fee is included.

Park rules: stay on marked trails, do not feed the animals, do not remove anything from the park, and do not touch or stand on coral.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and the best time for both walking and the reef. Underwater visibility is usually best in September and October. From November to March the park is greener and quieter, but rain is heavier and boat crossings are cancelled more often.

Where to stay

A small number of resorts lie inside the park. Most accommodation is just outside it. Pemuteran, twenty minutes east of Labuhan Lalang, has the widest range, from guesthouses to dive resorts, and is the most popular base for the reef. Lovina, about an hour further along the north coast, is convenient for the dolphin trips. We book accommodation in all of these areas.

What to bring

• Shoes with good grip. The trails are dry, loose and steeper than they appear.
• Plenty of drinking water, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Binoculars for birdwatching.
• Cash in rupiah for park fees, which cannot always be paid by card.
• A rash vest for snorkelling, for sun protection.