Bali Day Trips

Prambanan Temple Complex

Rivalling the Buddhist monument of Borobudur, this magnificent Hindu temple is the largest in Java and the most beautiful in Indonesia. Prambanan was built in the 9th century, possibly to compete with the splendour of Borobudur, or to celebrate the return to power of the Hindu dynasty in Java at the time. The complex is dominated by three main temples, Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, each dedicated to their god, and the walls are decorated with exceptional relief carvings depicting scenes from the famous Hindu classic tale of Ramayana. The Shiva Temple is the largest of the three, soaring above the others at a height of 154ft (47m), containing the impressive statues of Shiva, his elephant-headed son Ganesh and the goddess Durga. From May to October the Ramayana Ballet, a traditional Indonesian dance based on the Ramayana story, is performed on an open-air stage at the complex during the full moon and is a spectacular sight involving hundreds of dancers, singers and musicians.

Website: www.borobudurpark.com; Transport: Prambanan is a 30-minute bus or taxi journey from Yogyakarta; Opening time: Daily from 6am to 6pm

Ubud

Set in the hills north of Denpasar, Ubud is the cultural centre of Bali and the major attractions of the town and its surrounding villages are the art museums and galleries, notably the Neka Museum, containing a huge collection of traditional and modern Balinese paintings. An enormous variety of Balinese art and crafts line the streets and crowd the market place of Ubud, and frequent performances of traditional dance and music, and restaurants offering some of the best food on the island, compel visitors to stay much longer than intended. Ubud is also close to several sites of interest, including the 'Mother Temple' of Besakih, majestically situated high on the slopes of the Agung Volcano, and hiking in the scenic Batur region with its volcano and lake are popular excursions.