Situated at an elevation of 1,400 feet on the slopes of Mount Agung, the village of Sideman and the surrounding valley is perhaps one of the most picturesque places in Bali.
For those who like the quite life and are in search of somewhere pretty to relax, this could well be the perfect place. With spectacular scenery in every direction, hiking is a popular pastime here, while others are content to simply gaze at the view from their hotel balcony.
The people of Sideman are famed as skillful weavers, and this is a good place to pick up a souvenir or two. Although evening entertainment may be a little thin on the ground, the spectacular sunset more than makes up for it and is worth getting an early night in order to be up in time to watch the sun slowly rise and paint the morning with colors.
Getting There
Visitors arriving in Bali will probably do so via Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is located just outside the city of Denpasar. There are buses from Denpasar to Sideman (5 hours) as well as surrounding towns and cities such as Semarapura (30 minutes) and Besakih.
Need to Know
- Worth it? If you need to slow the pace of travel a little, Sidemen is a good place to revitalize.
- What to do: hiking up Mount Agung, exploring the Baskih temple complex, walking through the valley, visit the surrounding villages.
- Best time to go: during the dry season between May and September.
- How long? Two or three days should be enough time to relax and unwind in Sidemen.
- Trivia: Sidemen was once the place of inspiration for famous artist Walter Spies.