Nature & Environment

Bali owes its existence to volcanism: The island is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and two active volcanoes dominate the landscape and spirituality of the island.

Gunung Agung (3,142 m)

The holiest mountain of Bali — seat of the gods, center of the Balinese universe. Every temple in Bali is oriented towards Agung, and every house has its shrines on the side facing the mountain. Agung is a stratovolcano with steep flanks and a crater that regularly emits smoke.

The eruption of 1963 was one of the most devastating of the 20th century: pyroclastic flows and lahars (mudflows) killed over 1,700 people and devastated the entire east of Bali. In 2017/2018, Agung became active again — tens of thousands were evacuated, and the airport was closed multiple times.

The ascent takes 6-8 hours (starting around 1-2 AM for sunrise at the summit). A guide is mandatory. Two routes: From Pura Besakih (more difficult, to the true summit) and from Pura Pasar Agung (easier, to the crater rim). Cost: from 700,000 IDR per person with a guide.

Gunung Batur (1,717 m)

The more popular trekking volcano — easier to climb (2-3 hours), with a spectacular sunrise over the caldera (a massive collapse crater 13 km in diameter) and the crater lake Danau Batur. At the summit, guides cook eggs in volcanic steam vents — breakfast with a view.

The ascent is well-developed for tourism and manageable for averagely fit hikers. Guide is mandatory (from 400,000 IDR per person). Start around 3:30 AM from Toya Bungkah or Kintamani.

The rice terraces are Bali's most iconic landscape — and far more than just a pretty backdrop. They are the result of an over 1,000-year-old irrigation system called Subak, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2012.

The Subak is a cooperative water distribution: All rice farmers in a catchment area organize into a Subak community and distribute the water from rivers and springs fairly among themselves — controlled by a complex system of channels, sluices, tunnels, and dams that spans elevation differences of up to 1,000 meters.

The special feature: Water distribution is not regulated by the state but by the water temples. The highest water temple, Pura Ulun Danu Batur, coordinates distribution for all of Bali. Each Subak has its own small water temple. The priests set the planting and harvest cycles — in coordination with the water, the moon, and the gods. This system has worked for over 1,000 years better than any state bureaucracy.

Famous rice terraces:

• Jatiluwih (UNESCO) — The most extensive terraces, 600 ha, spectacular view of Batukaru. Less crowded than Tegallalang.
• Tegallalang (near Ubud) — The Instagram-famous terraces. Beautiful, but crowded and commercialized (swing swings, cafés).
• Sidemen (East Bali) — The most beautiful terraces away from the crowds, with Agung panorama.

Bali is located in the Coral Triangle — the marine equivalent of the Amazon rainforest. The waters around the island host a breathtaking diversity of species: over 500 coral species and thousands of fish species, along with manta rays, Mola Mola (sunfish), turtles, reef sharks, and occasionally whale sharks.

The best reefs are located off Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, Amed, Tulamben, and Menjangan Island (West Bali). The reefs in the south (Kuta, Seminyak) are severely damaged by pollution and development.

The marine protected areas around Nusa Penida (since 2010) have achieved remarkable successes: The manta population has stabilized, and coral bleaching has been limited by local conservation measures. Nevertheless, the threat from climate change (rising water temperatures), overfishing, and plastic pollution remains massive.

Bali's mangrove forests — especially in the south (Benoa Bay, 1,373 ha) and around Nusa Lembongan — are vital ecosystems: They protect the coast from erosion and storm surges, are nurseries for fish and shrimp, store CO₂, and provide habitat for birds and reptiles.

The Bali Mangrove Forest Park at Benoa Bay (south of Denpasar) is a protected area accessible via a boardwalk — a worthwhile detour for nature lovers. Admission: 30,000 IDR.

On land, the Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park, 190 km²) hosts the last remnants of tropical dry forest, savannas, and monsoon forests on the island — and the last refuge of the Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi), one of the rarest birds in the world (fewer than 50 individuals in the wild). The national park is also the gateway to Menjangan Island, one of Bali's best diving spots.

Bali's greatest environmental disaster is plastic waste. The island produces an estimated 3,800 tons of waste daily — and lacks sufficient landfills or functioning recycling systems. The result: plastic bottles in rice fields, piles of garbage on riverbanks, and beaches full of bags, straws, and styrofoam — especially during the rainy season (November-March), when swollen rivers wash the inland waste to the sea.

The situation has become so dire that the government declared a plastic emergency in 2018. Since then, there has been a ban on single-use plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam — though implementation is patchy.

Hope comes from grassroots initiatives:

• Bye Bye Plastic Bags — founded in 2013 by then 10- and 12-year-old sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen from Bali. Their campaign led to the plastic bag ban.
• Sungai Watch — installs barriers in rivers to catch plastic before it reaches the sea. Over 200 barriers across Bali.
• ROLE Foundation — trains Balinese in waste management and composting
• Bali Recycling Association — operates recycling stations and composting facilities

Bali's tourism boom comes at a high price: water scarcity (hotels consume multiple times the local per capita need), traffic chaos, rising living costs for locals, cultural loss, and environmental destruction. At the same time, tourism is the economic lifeline — over 80% of Bali's economy depends directly or indirectly on it.

What you can do as a traveler:

• Stay in local accommodations instead of international chains — homestays and boutique hotels in Balinese ownership keep the money on the island
• Eat in Warungs instead of just tourist cafés — direct support of the local economy
• Use water sparingly — take short showers, reuse towels
• Avoid plastic — bring your own bottle, your own bag, no straws
• Respect temples and ceremonies — no bikini photos at temples, no entering sacred places without invitation
• Pay fair prices — extreme bargaining in Warungs and with craftsmen harms the poorest
• Avoid animal attractions — no elephant rides, no Luwak coffee from caged animals, no dolphin shows