“Walking is a man’s best medicine”
It is hard to live by that quote with all the advanced transportations available these days. The fact walking beats all your health problems, even with scientific shreds of evidence provided, doesn’t seem enough to persuade us to manage one brisk 10-minute walk a day. Do you know a 25-minute daily walk adds seven years to your lifespan? In case health issue doesn’t move you, then perhaps the nature vitae will spur you into action.
One of the best ways to explore this island is on foot. Whether visiting historic landmarks, going to traditional markets, discovering hidden spots or hour-long nature trails, your walks will be filled with so many characters on every turn of the street. And not to mention the limitless possibilities to see something from a new angle.
Sanur Beach
Offering an opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery, this 7 kilometres length trek is recommended to go for a morning walk when the air is still fresh. Sanur in the morning is really peaceful, and therefore there is a good chance for you to see people doing yoga or meditating along the coastline. Here, the walking track is flat and smooth as the surface is made of asphalt and paving stones. Later in the morning, you will see busy maritime activities of Sanur where people going to Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan.
Mangrove Forest
This trekking spot remains hidden from the tourist sight. Offering wooden boardwalk trails and floating decks, you can walk around the area and enjoy what nature has to offer. This mangrove forest is very important for coastal ecosystems, which contains a wide number of birds and fishes. It is recommended to come with your family, as this place is one of the best places on the island to educate your children about the importance of preserving nature. If you decide to walk here by yourself, go trek in this 1,300-acre forest with a very calming setting and blend with nature. You can get a good picture of the overall forest from the lookout towers.
Campuhan Ridge Walk
This is the most famous spots among all. Offering a scenic paved-jungle track, the whole area provides a great retreat from the hectic southern parts of the island. This nine-kilometre hill track starts at the entrance to the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas and Spa. You can easily see ‘Going to The Hill’ sign with an arrow pointing left. The next thing you know, the lush surroundings of the valley comes to sight. Along the track, you might meet some fellow trekkers on their way back from their earlier jog. The track leads to the majestic Pura Gunung Lebah, a housing area and small art galleries. You will not see rice terraces until reaching at the very end of the track. It is advisable to do this walk either early morning or late afternoon.
Desa Budaya Kertalangu
Not only famous for its peace monument, but there are also photo spots, restaurants, fishing ponds, and local art and cultural performances. Not only that, there is a 4 kilometer jogging track in the middle of the rice fields. So when we jog, we will see a beautiful expanse of green rice fields as far as the eye can see. In addition, we can also see the daily life of farmers who live in the area. They also sell their harvest and you can buy directly from them. This adds a new experience to your trekking.
As a suggestion, start trekking at 5 am to 7 am or around 5 pm to avoid excessive sun exposure.
Sangeh Monkey Forest
You can only find trekking experience along the nutmeg forest at Sangeh Monkey Forest. This nutmeg forest can protect visitors from the heat of the sun because of the dense and large nutmeg trees. If you are tired, you can rest in the gazebos. This forest area is inhabited by gray-tailed monkeys. However, visitors are prohibited from feeding the monkeys so they don’t get sick or even die. There are sacred temples in this forest, namely Pura Bukit Sari and Pura Melangit which is signifies that this place is sacred.
