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| West Bali National Park |
About West Bali National Park
Set at the western tip of Bali, close to Java, the West Bali National Park (Taman Nasional Bali Barat, or TNBB) covers an area of 19.003 hectare of which 3200 hectares of coastal waters and coral reefs. Unlike most of the other National Parks in Indonesia the vegetation is not tropical rainforest but, due to lack of rain in this area, coastal savannah. The southern side receives more rain and here the vegetation is more tropical, also the coastal lands are made up of mangrove forests. In the sea are several coral islands. The land area is characterized by the remains of four Pleistocene volcanic mountains with Gunung Patas the highest at 1412 meters.
There are about 200 species of plants in the West Bali National Park, 300 species of birds and many other forms of wildlife including several species of monkeys (leaf monkeys, macaques and black monkeys), deers, pigs, iguanas and several species of snakes.
The entrance and Park headquarters are at Cekik where you can arrange guides and permits. There is also a visitors' centre at Labuhan Lalang. If you want to go trekking in the park a certified guide is mandatory and expensive. A guide for a day can cost up to Rp 400,000 depending on the size of the group and the length of the trek.
There are set trails in the Park but you will see the most wildlife and enjoy the nature more fully if you go off the trail. Here you will be surrounded by quietness only interrupted by rustling trees and the sound of the overly abundant birds.