Ubud to Kintamani day trip – Northeast Bali
We followed the road from Ubud by scooter, up to Kintamani in the Northeastern region of Bali and found an eccentric purple elephant themed waterpark.
Riding to Bali’s Northeast
We had based ourselves in Ubud for my second (and Tony’s first) trip to Bali, Indonesia. The plan when we arrived was to explore the area by scooter or motorbike, which Tony was excited about. I wasn’t sure as I’d never been on one and had heard all the tourist accident horror stories.
Unlike most of the young tourists in Bali though, Tony is a highly experienced bike rider, so I felt like I was in safe hands. Our accommodation lent us a decent sized scooter and some helmets for the duration of our stay, which was awesome. Having our own transportation made the holiday so much better, and it was so much fun!
I found some places on Google, in the Northeastern area of Kintamani that looked interesting, so we set off. The scooter didn’t have a phone holder, so our hack was to put it on a selfie stick which then poked out of the top of the backpack that Tony was wearing. He drove and I navigated while still being able to grip on for dear life as we travelled the winding roads. I will admit, I was sh*tting myself at times, going up and down the steeper hills. Be prepared to get wet, as rain showers happen often in rural Bali.
The ride took us through busy rural villages and passing paddy fields, all the way up to the road overlooking Mt Batur. The views of this Volcano are impressive, you can see the black lava fields spread across the South of the mountain. The lava fields can actually be explored by 4wd and you can hike or even drive to the top of the Volcano. I think I will put that on the to do list for our next trip to Bali, as it sounds like it would be an amazing adventure.
Purple Elephant Infested Pools!
Onwards we rode, toward Lake Batur to get to our first destination of the day Toya Devasya. We arrived to the sight of purple elephant murals being painted on the wall fences outside and I knew we were in for a treat. As far as quirky goes, these Lakeside hot pools cut the mustard.
Once you get inside you are met with an over the top, purple-elephant themed water park. There are landscaped grounds with amusing sculptures, there are colourful signs with puzzling messages, there was a rooster in a purple cage, there were even cats with adorable kittens wandering around!
The entry fee was reasonable and included a stripey purple towel that could be collected from the desk in front of an immaculate changing room. The area is a maze of steps and terraces, with tunnels and paths leading to pools of different sizes and temperatures. There are 2 water slides, deck chairs and tables, food kiosks, gift shop and camping and functions facilities.
Toya Devasya was fairly quiet when we visited in June 2022 just after reopening from covid. I’m unsure if it’s a popular facility in regular times, I get the feeling that it might be a hidden gem.
Throughout the day we moved from pool to pool testing them out. My favourite was the infinity pool overlooking the lake, surrounded by purple elephant fountains with Mt Abang in the background. A nearby pool and water slide was busier, with kids splashing around near giant ‘I heart U’ lettering.
Past some food kiosks, there was a shallower pool with warmer water and yet more elephant fountains. The hottest pool was amongst landscaped islands with tropical plants, and you guessed it… purple elephant fountains. It had an unused swim up bar with wooden stools in the water and tunnel through to a lookout over the pools below. I also spied another hot spring park next door, but it was smaller and didn’t have the eccentric décor that made Toya Devasya so cool.
Facilities were very nice and clean. The park looked a bit dated, but I think it was in the process of being updated. But in all honesty, we really enjoyed it. It’s silly and fun, but also a very relaxing place to spend the day.
Food with a view
In the late afternoon we began the journey back to Ubud, but not before a final stop at Sanggraloka Farm in Payangan, for dinner.
Sanggraloka features beautiful, well-maintained gardens with vegetable patches, tropical trees, and orchids, overlooking an absolutely stunning view of a waterfall and gardens in a valley below.
The restaurant on site uses home grown produce and you can even book in for Balinese cooking classes. We were seated outside underneath a bamboo shelter and ate a healthy meal featuring local vegetables, seasoned chicken, rice, chutney and some garnishing that was extremely hot and went on the ‘nope’ pile.
The grounds are so photogenic with many opportunities for great pictures. Sit in a giant bird’s nest or a woven wheel. Recline on a net hammock or sit on a swing, while taking in the tropical scenery of the valley below.
After dinner, we walked down numerous steps lighted by lanterns, through the tropical plants to the bottom of the valley, where there is a waterfall, a small river, a swimming hole, and koi ponds. There are small rustic bridges for crossing. Ferns hang from the surrounding rocks, creating a serene environment.
On the way back up, there are toilets, lookout spots, and seats under pergolas. The climb up the steps can be tiring, but there are plenty of seats and huts with beanbags and cushions to rest on at the top.
Both Sanggraloka Farm and Toya Devasya were magical destinations that we loved and have great memories from. Well worth the journey, which itself is an adventure.
It’s definitely a good idea to look further afield when you travel to Bali. I wasn’t too impressed on my first visit in 2014, centred around Sanur and Kuta. I had memories of being dissapointed by the dirty beaches and being sold tours that felt more like a money-making scheme. There are so many hidden locations to discover the further you explore, and you get to see some amazing scenery, culture and the local life away from tourist areas. We both really enjoyed our holiday and now I can say that I would definitely go back.
