Bali Botanical Garden is located at Bedugul village, Baturiti district, Tabanan regency, 1240 meters above the sea level. It is about 62 km from Denpasar and can be reached by motorcycle as the roads are fairly good Bali Botanical Garden is unique in Bali as a place for botanical research, survey, conservation, recreation and education. It provides a place where you can relax in beautiful and peaceful surrounding while learning about the function of plants in the daily lives of Balinese as well as some interesting rainforest plantation and birdlife.
Within Bali Botanical Garden you can see many places of interests such as: Orchid Park, Traditional Balinese House, Fern Park, Ceremonial Plants Collection, Medical Plants Collection, Tree Collection, Rose Park, Cactus and Hindu Temples.
About Bali Botanical Garden
Bali Botanical Garden is the officially known as Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bali. Eka Karya refers to this being the first Indonesia Botanic Garden which has been established following Indonesian independence and thus the first to have been established entirely by Indonesians.
History of Bali Botanical Garden
In 1958 senior Balinese official requested the department now called the centre for Biological Research and Development within the Indonesian institute of sciences, to consider establishing a botanic garden with the dual roles of research institute and Recreation Park. Then the director, Prof. Dr. Kusnoto Setiodiwiryo, selected a location covering 50 ha of reforested land held by the Bali governments in the Balinese central highlights. On 15 July 1959 Bali Botanical Garden was officially established on the slopes of Tapak Hill, Candikuning village at an altitude of 1250 - 1400 meters above the sea level. Bali Botanical Garden was originally established as collection species of conifers (non-flowering seed plants, or Gymnosperms). From though the world, and as a place for recreation. It was also equipped for scientific, cultural and technical activities. Development stopped around 1965 because of the insecurity of the period. It was not until 1970 that the garden began to be gradually rehabilitated. On 30 April 1976 the restoration was completed and as part of this area was increased to 129.2 Ha and the function broadened from primarily a collection of conifer to include ex-situ conversation of plants from high altitude seasonally wet-dry areas in eastern Indonesia.
In 1988, the Botanical Garden covered an area of 154,5 Ha, and contained about 16.000 plant collection, consisting of over 1.500 species from over 320 genera and 155 families. Some of the specialistcollection includes; orchids, ceremonial plants, medicinal plants, cactus, fernsm bamboos and trees. The four main functions of Bali Botanic Garden are; exploration, inventory and research; conversation; recreation; and education. The institutions offer a number of scientific services and facilities in support of plant research and conversation, including herbarium, library, glasshouses, nursery and plant registration database.
Recreations at Bali Botanical Garden
Recreation is perhaps the most popular function of Bali Botanical Garden, each year about 200.000 people visit the garden, of which 5-10% are from overseas. Recreation facilities includes: Bali Treetop Adventure Park, landscaped picnic areas, seats and paved walkways. Visitors can enjoy beautiful landscaping, spectacular natural views of forested mountains and Lake Beratan, clean air and spacious peaceful surroundings.
