trip to Singaraja

Even sleepy Singaraja is getting crowded these days, so leave the town behind and head off to the east, taking the coast road towards Tulamben, and take a day or two to discover some of the unexpected highlights of the region! East Buleleng has peaceful temples with incredible carvings, gamelan makers, Neolithic remains, the only natural dye weavers and some of the oldest Bali Asli villages on the island.

A few kilometres after Singaraja, it is easy to miss the small road towards the coast to the Pura Beji temple in Sangsit, dedicated to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess. Dating back to the 15th century, this unusual pink sandstone temple is rococo in style, with intricate carvings on both sides of the numerous high walls and gates. Rest in one of the courtyards full of venerable frangipani trees and soak up the atmosphere of this magical place before wandering through the rice fields to the Pura Dalem. This temple is dedicated to Siwa and the souls of the dead with interesting erotic carvings reflecting the artist's vision of a Balinese heaven and hell.

Back on the main road, look for the turning south towards Jagaraga, the site of the last tragic battle fought by 16,000 Balinese soldiers led by Gusti Jelantik against 3,000 well-armed Dutch troops in 1849. The carvings covering the walls of the famous Pura Dalem temple outside the village show how peaceful village life was abruptly changed for ever by Dutch colonialists in cars, planes and riding bicycles. Stop for a glass of local coffee in one of the warungs in the main square with ancient trees in Sudaji village, where the best rice in Bali is grown.

Back on the main coast road; try not to miss one of the oldest palace gates in Bali, dating back to 1868, on the right hand side, just before the Pura Maduwe Karang temple in Kubutambahan. This is one of the largest temples in north Bali and is dedicated to the protection of crops that grow on land without irrigation. The reliefs show scenes from the Ramayana epic and Balinese life, together with the most photographed temple carving in Bali - a foreigner on a bicycle wearing shorts!

Carry on through Air Sanih and stop at one more temple, Pura Pondok Batu, recently renovated in north Bali style. Built entirely out of the dark, austere lava stone so readily available in the north on a promontory overlooking the Bali Sea, this is one of the important temples founded by Danghyang Niratha, a seer who came from Java in the 16th century and who is said to have performed miracles on the site.

After Pondok Batu, the main road leads through the 'fruit basket of Bali' with seemingly endless plantations of mango, rambutan and durian trees covering the slopes of the mountains to the south. Follow the sign to Sembiran, climbing the steep road, with breathtaking views of the coast, up to one of the oldest villages in Bali. These ancient villages, Sembiran and Julah have their own special style of building, their own dialect and very different customs from the rest of the island.

Carry on east through Bondalem, then visit the unusual pillared horse baths in the centre of Tejakula; famous throughout Bali for hundreds of years for its silversmiths, dance performances and wayang wong mask dances. Stay at one of the following small resorts in the area and take the time to explore the many tiny back roads, villages and unspoiled beaches in the area.