Bratan Lake

The Danau Bratan-lake is located inside the old caldera of the now extinct volcano Gunung Catur. The area around the south and west side of the lake is known as Bedugul, see own page about this beautiful area. Not far from here is also the lakes Danau Buyan and Danau Tamblingan, two of the four large lakes on Bali, which can also be worth a visit. Bratan has an altitude of about 1.000 meters, and the climate is quite comfortable, at nights you may even need some warm cloths.
The area on and around the lake is very popular among the local population and good for water sports, boat trips or just relaxation. It is still possible to walk around here without being pestered by hawkers and self-declared guides. For example on the west bank by the village Candikuning or Bedugul it is possible to rent a boat with or without a driver. It can be quite relaxing to just sail around the lake, the prices are usually reasonable.

On the west bank there is a famous temple complex called Pura Ulun Danu. This temple is half Hindu, half Buddhist and dedicated to Dewi Danu, the water goddess. It was built by the king of Mengwi in 1633, and is absolutely worth a visit. The lake Bratan is very important for irrigation all over the southern parts of Bali, and the temple is therefore a center point for ceremonies all over the island in order to secure continuous water supply from the lake. Inside the main gate there is a large stupa with carvings, then the main temple Pura Teratai Bang. A smaller temple, Pura Dalem Purwa, is dedicated the goddess for food and drinks. At the shores of the lake lays the temple Pura Ulun Danu Bratan with a tall meru with 11 levels dedicated to Vishnu, a seven level meru dedicated to Brahma and in the water a meru with three levels dedicated to Shiva.

It is maybe best to rent a boat and arrive at the temple from the lake, but there is also a road leading up to the main gate. The surroundings are lovely with a beautiful garden, if you're lucky you can even see the top of Gunung Catur (2096 m) north of Bratan. This mountain is possible to climb.

Just north of the lake is a golf course which in fact is reckoned as one of the best in the world, the Bali Handara Kasaido Country Club, if you have a lot of money to spend you can stay the night here. Cheaper accommodation can be found in Bedugul, Candikuning or Pancasari which is further north.