While parts are desperately dry, east Bali is a an area of incredible natural beauty. Many of the activities available in this region revolve around exploring that beauty.

Diving. Without a doubt the East contains Bali’s best diving. The untamed wildness of Nusa Penida with its currents and cold up-wellings is home not only to magnificent pelagic animals such as mantas, oceanic sunfish and sharks, but a rich tapestry ofcolourful temperature water invertebrate life as well. The sea surrounding Candi Dasa offers exciting diving around Tepekong and is a close second to Nusa Penida. The WWII wreck found in Tulamben is SE Asia’s most dived wreck. This is undoubtedly due to its easy access from shore, as it is only a 50m fin until away.

Nearby Amed also offers gentle diving and lay-back living.

Trekking. When he visited Bali, India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru, described Bali as “the morning of the world”. One can experience the veracity of this claim with a climb to the top of Mt Agung, Bali’s tallest volcano to view an early morning dawn. There are other treks from the old Dutch hill station of Putung down to Candi Dasa, and in the hills around Sideman.

Sailing and fishing. The picturesque port of Padangbai has many jukung (traditional outrigger canoes) available for charter. Favourite sailing destinations are Gili Mimpang off Candi Dasa and Pasir Putih off Beas island. In the port are also more modern craft available for fishing charters. Due to its currents, Nusa Penida is the favourite haunt for serious game fishermen.

Sightseeing. The restored water palaces of Amlapura are time capsules of a bygone era when Balinese princes emulated the haute monde of European royalty. Tengganan, a few kilometers inland from Candi Dasa, is another time capsule and a living museum of Bali’s ancient culture. Explore the backroads from Iseh to Amlapura and visit the salak (snake fruit) capital of Bali. Along the way catch the market in Bedandem which provides a fascinating insight into mountain life. The steep, twisting road around Mt Seraya from Ujung to Amed, is one of the most spectacular in Bali.

For up-to-date information and dates of Balinese ceremonies and events in East Bali, please contact the Agung magazine website, www.agungbali.com