Zoobak Trekking (Bali Zoo) report
Bali Zoo Information
- ■ Address
- Jl. Raya Singapadu, Sukawati, Gianyar Bali - Indonesia
- ■ Open Hours
- Wednesday, Saturday
09：00 - 21：00
Others 09：00 - 18：00 - ■ TEL
- 0361-298 6608
- ■ Shuttle Service
- 【For Package】
Include shuttle service from Bali Zoo. Service areas are Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta, Seminyak, Sanur, and Ubud.
【For other than Package】
Please apply HIRO-chan’s Private Rental Car! With English Speaking Driver, 8 hours/ $40〜 - ■ Access
- Airport: 50 min.
Nusa Dua: 75 min.
Jimbaran: 60 min.
Kuta area: 50 min.
Sanur: 40 min.
Ubud: 30 min. - ■ Payment
- US$・JPN\・RP
- ■ English Speaking Staff
- Staffs can speak good English.
Focus!
- ■ Feel Daily Life of Bali!
- The route doesn’t include the great view place or famous spots, however, it is the trekking to see the countryside view and feel daily life of Balinese people.
【Places visited this time】
・Hindu Temple
・The sacred spring water and Wosh River
・Grave of Balinese people
・Santi Mandala Villa
・Pura Subak Gede
・Dam & Monument
・Balinese house
・Rice Terrace ・Cockpit
・Accessory Factory
・Gold and Silver Craftwork Factory & Shop - ■ Walking in the Zoo!
- After trekking, you can enter Bali Zoo, feed for animals, watch Animal Show, and take pictures as many as you want♪
- ■ Delicious Lunch!
- Recommend 7 kinds of lunch choice, including grilled dishes, Nasi Campur, Nasi Goreng, Bebek (Duck) Goreng, etc.! I tried Grilled Chicken and it was really tasty.
On April 29, 2010, we tried Bali Zoo’s new package, “Bali Zoo + Trekking + Tree Walk”! This package includes the morning Trekking in nature around Bali Zoo, back to the zoo and have a lunch, then, enjoy walking in the zoo and Tree Walk. This report focus on “Trekking”! Aiko and T-Manager, “Team Lack of Exercise” visited there! 【Bali Zoo & Tree Walk report】 is here
Active Trekking around Bali Zoo!
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| Pick-up by this showy Shuttle Car!! It can be found easily from far and never miss the design. I’m excited from morning! It had traffic jam on by-pass, so it took 1 hour to get Bali Zoo. | |
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| Check-in at this counter. For payment, you can use $, \, RP, and they also accept Master Card and Visa Card. | Beside the counter, there are many plates with carrot and fruit. These are feed for grass-eating animals! All packages include this feeding plate. Also, you can buy one plate for Rp.15,000. |
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Colorful tropical birds welcome us! We can take pictures with birds on hands. With three birds, they were heavy and I was little bit scared their beaks, but they were nice to me. I didn’t realize when the staff came, but he is Trekking Guide, Wayan, who loves nature and birds! Nice to meet you. |
Report Top｜Bali Zoo ｜Activity List
Visiting Temple, and Going to Sacred Spring River…
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Trekking starts from the parking in Bali Zoo! Wayan is studying Japanese also, but usually, Trekking guide is in Indonesian or English. |
| “Today’s trekking, we walk for 2 to 2.5 hours. We visit Hindu temple, sacred spring, and dam on the way.” From this instruction, we, “Team Lack of Exercise” thought that it’s just light walking because it’s included in the package offered by the zoo… but, we feel a little anxious. It will be hard trekking than we expected… We show our sprits again, “Let’s go now!!” |  |
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| From the beginning, we step into the bush! It’s thicket rather than bush. Step on grasses, bitten by mosquitoes, and go forward in unexplored thicket. Well, it’s real trekking… | |
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| Now, Wayan gives us lecture. It looks just tall grass, but this is the main food for cows and elephants! Elephants eat the grass a several kg for one day. | We could pass the thicket and feel relief; we come out to the village behind the zoo. I make sure and remember that we need an insect spray, and walk on concrete road that only one car can pass through. |
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| We arrive at the place like a park, and visit Hindu Temple. According to Wayan, there are 4 kinds of temple; public temple, village temple, temple in house (Family Temple), and temple at rice fields and markets. This is a village temple called Pura Dalem, which is the temple in each village of Bali. | |
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| In Pura Dalam, 3 Gods of Hinduism, “Shiva” which manages destruction and resuscitation is enshrined. Heathens cannot enter the precincts but can see inside from the entrance. | |
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Beside the temple, there is the grave for people in this village. Wayan Says that it’s expensive to hold cremation funeral in Bali, so usually, the common people are interred in this grave at once and kept until the village cremation funeral once in a few years. |
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| Leave the temple, and walk in the bush while looking down Gain River. I ask, “Where is the next place?” and Wayan answers, “Go to the river of the sacred spring. Sounds interesting!! | |
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| It’s surrounded by jungle and full of fresh air! Direct sunshine light on the jungle. If you don’t want brown sunburned skin, you must need sun lotion and hat! | |
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It’s in jangle, but the road doesn’t have up and down, so it’s easy to walk. Comparing the last Jangle Trekking (AYUNG RIVER), it’s just really easy! ↓Maybe, it’s close to the river… around there, we find such a signboard. Do you know what it’s saying?? |
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| In front of this signboard, Wayan asked to me, “Excuse me, but are you having period now?” Of course, it’s not sexual harassment! In Bali, women who are having period are prohibited to enter temples and sacred places. The signboard said that “Do not enter women who are having period.” |
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Walking down on stairs and go down to the valley where we can hear the water. It’s like one scene of “Indi○a Jones,” exciting!! |
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| Arrive at Wosh River flowing in dark jungle. There are fern plants and waterfall flowing from the rock; here is unexplored place! Beside the river, there are the sacred spring and the spring water for daily use, women come to draw water. Dark and quiet Wosh River has mysterious atmosphere, and I’m excited that I visit the special place. | |
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“It’s safe to drink. Taste good.” I try Wayan’s recommend spring water. It’s sweet and maybe can be drink… (I don’t recommend drinking a lot.) |
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| Going back to the road, and Wayan gives us mineral water bottles one by one. Ah, I’m sweat because of strong direct sunshine! I need a towel for swipe sweat. Next, we are ahead to the dam to walk on the path in forest again. |
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| Throughout the forest, now it’s bright village road. A woman who has a bag on her head is walking slowly. Today is really nice weather, and T-Manager is sweating a lot again. On the way, Wayan talks about customs and religion of Bali. |
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| Go back to the forest again. | We saw a cow of Bali. |
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| Walk on the mountain road to upper stream while looking Wosh River on right side. It’s really nice time to walk in the nature while stop to see waterfall and look at small flowers on the road side! | |
Legend of River in the Village
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| Walking to upper stream for a while, we could see the neat villa!! We arrive at Santi Mandala Villa which has nice pool that is built closer to the river. I was little bit surprised, but we walk throughout the villa and go up again. It’s nice villa that is built close by the river! I wonder that here would be the goal and I could stay there. | |
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| We pass Pura Subak Gede. Subak is the traditional irrigation supply association of Bali. Here is the temple of Subak in this community, and festivals for the rice plant goddess, Dewi Sri, and the water God, Vishnu are held. | |
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| It’s just upper place from the hotel, “Dam”!! It’s different scale compared to the Japanese one, but this dam divides and controls amount of the water to each villages and rive fields. | |
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| Upper stream of the dam is full amount of water and flowing slowly. | |
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Wayan starts talking, “Wosh River has the interesting legend…” People have built dam in this place again and again, however, it was broken many times by flooding, and many people died. Then, one time, one high priest was confined to near temple, and prayed, “Please don’t break the dam, no more suffering for people.” for over one week. Thereupon, one Keris (short sword) is appeared in front of him. The high priest brought back Keris and stuck into the bottom of the river where the dam is built now. After that, the dam has never been flooded and people could live safely. By the way, I thought it is the story of hundreds years ago, but this legend is not old story, “Just 30 years ago”! I saw the monument beside the dam, and there is “1979” inscribed. Such a mysterious event was happened just 30 years ago in Bali… It’s interesting story that I can understand Bali is called “Gods Island.” |
Highlight! Walking in the Rice Field
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| Passing the monument and go forward, then, suddenly, we come out to the wide place, it’s all rice field view!!! I’m surprised the sudden change of view and the extent of rice field. Spacious blue sky and green, this view is awesome! | |
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| Other trekking is often walking on the paved road while seeing the rice field, but in Zoobak Trekking, we go forward into the rice field without hesitation! 3 of us line and walk on the narrow path that is just 30cm width which only one person can walk. On the way, I missed jump over the small stream and my shoes were wet, slipped and fell into the rice field 3 times; while having such a fun happenings, I could feel and remember full of beautiful nature! If you want to try the trekking that not only “seeing rice field” but also “walking in rice field,” Zoobak Trekking is the best!! |
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| After 30 min. walking in the rice field, we go back to the road and arrive at the big tree, “Pohon Kepu (Sterculia foetida).” It’s not stable walking on the field path, moreover, I dropped 3 times so my knees have damage, but I still have energy to walk… |
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| Talk with Wayan while drinking water, “The masks of Barong and Landa for Barong Dance are made from Kepu tree and the bark is material of Boleh.” Barong mask is believed to have magical power and Boleh (scrub made from spice and herb) is used in the traditional spa. How interesting and useful tree it is! |
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| 【Notice!】 Zoobak Trekking includes a carriage and usually transfer from around here to the goal suppose to ride on a carriage, however, now the carriage is not prepared, yet, so this time, we walk throughout all route!! |
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For 10 min. walk on paved flat road, next is the jewelry factory. The villages around Bali Zoo have each traditional craftworks and making silver and natural stone accessory is one of craftworks. It looks normal Balinese house, but when I go into… |
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| Craftsmen are working to make accessories one by one! Everybody concentrate on working as I feel like I have to talk on small voice. | |
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| He is making a bangle which is use black wood inlaid natural stone. They sell jewels to the select shops in London and Paris. I cannot imagine this bangle flies to London!! | |
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| It’s almost noon, and the sun rises higher and higher. While put on sun lotion, we keep walking under the clear sky… | |
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On the way, we find the huge kite. Children in Bali love playing with kite! Is this big kite for the kite festival in the village?? I feel I want to ride on a carriage now. |
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| There is another jewelry factory nearby, so we ask to stop by there! It’s the gold and silver accessory factory & shop, “Mutiara Graha.” The store has width to the end and they have varieties of accessory. You can also purchase and it’s possible to just look around. | |
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I have pain on my knees. It already passed 2 hours and 20 min. since we left to the trekking. We walked on concrete road for 10 min. then, finally, arrive at Bali Zoo!!! |
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| I’m too tired that I cannot make good pose for happy finishing. My hair is wet by my sweat; I thought it too easy about Trekking because it’s included in a package, but it was great 2.5 hours course as well as other trekking programs offered by other companies! After Trekking, the package continues to lunch, Anial Show, Photo Taking with animals, and Tree Walk♪ Please check details in here, 【Bali Zoo & Tree Walk report】 |
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Postscript…
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 This Zoobak Trekking is walking around Singapadu village where Bali Zoo located. It’s not going into the deep forest or climbing up the high mountain, but it’s the local area trekking that you can touch the real life and culture of Bali, such as organized rice field, temple that village people enshrined, waterway, drawing water place, elementary school, etc. The road is almost flat and easy route to walk, so I recommend this trekking for family tourists. Particularly, well farmed rice field is full of nature so it’s good to show children who usually don’t play in the rice field and farm field. After the trekking, delicious lunch is waiting for you. Lunch has 3 kinds of grilled menus and Nasi Campur and Duck dish, but I tried gilled dishes. I wrote short comment for lunch, but they were really delicious lunch. Meat is soft and sauce is tasty, too. The portion is enough, thumbs up. Then, taking photo with animals. Of course, it’s free to take picture as many as you want. It’s reasonable and fun. That is the attraction offered by the zoo, you know. Walking a lot, eat tasty food, and play with animals; it’s valuable trekking package. At the end, some notices. Anyways, you get sunburn. Do not forget to bring hat and sun lotion. Plus, you need to put insect spray. In addition, towel for swiping sweat and clothes for change. If you bring a backpack to put your belongings, it’s better! T-Manager’s Scale Field View：★★★★★ Interesting：★★★★☆ Tiredness：★★★★☆ |
| ※This report was written based on the information when the time of visiting. Course menu and schedule might be changed without notice. In addition, the report contains individual opinion and impression, however, these are not applied for all people. Please read it just for your reference. Thank you. |
I was thinking “We wouldn’t walk so long. Maybe, light walking…” because of the cheap package price and the trekking including in the package.
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