Most tourists visiting Bali get to know the island by the names of its resorts, like Canggu, Seminyak, or Sanur. Here at The Bali Sun, we like to help guide our readers to look beneath the surface and learn a little more about the island’s history and heritage while on holiday.
One way to do that is to learn about Bali by its regencies, by looking at the island through its ancient kingdoms. Visitors gain a whole new, deeper understanding of this incredible Indonesian province.
Bali is divided into nine regencies. Badung Regency is home to the most vacation hotspots, including Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, Kuta, Jimbaran, and Uluwatu. Gianyar Regency is home to Ubud, and Klungkung Regency is home to the Nusa Islands.
Have you ever heard of Bangli Regency? Located in the heart of Bali Province, Bangli Regency is home to some of the province’s most important cultural landmarks and natural wonders.
Bangli Regency is Bali’s only landlocked regency, but what it lacks in coastline it more than makes up for with active volcanoes, lakes, forests, and cultural gems. Bangli Regency is also known locally as the Land of Jamu. Due to its high altitude and often cooler temperatures, a little more Jamu is drunk around these parts than in other areas of the island. Jamu is the traditional herbal tonic made using anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric and ginger, and is drunk to help fight cold and flu.
Officially home to 260,000 people, Bangli Regency feels quieter, more spacious, and markedly less built-up than neighboring Badung and Gianyar Regencies. Known for its fertile soils, farming communities, and stunning waterfalls, Bangli Regency is a destination worth allowing two or even three vacation itinerary days to enjoy.
Regular readers of The Bali Sun and frequent visitors to Bali may already be familiar with a couple of Bangli’s most well-known spots. Kintamani sits at the very heart of Bangli Regency and is receiving an increasing amount of attention from tourists. Once seen as the gateway to Mount Batur, over the last five years, Kintamani town has really developed into a destination in its own right.
Now home to an incredible collection of coffee shops and roasters, as well as some of the best glamping hubs in all of Indonesia, more and more people are booking overnight stays in Kintamani, rather than quickly drifting off to sleep after a sunrise summit of Mount Batur as they once would have.
One of Bangli Regency’s most beloved attractions is Penglipuran Village. This community has become something of a living museum and, after being named among the UN World Tourism Organization’s Best Tourism Villages in the World, has received a constant stream of culture-curious visitors.
Yet somehow it seems that holidaymakers planning trips to coastal resorts have never heard of Penglipuran Village.
For tourists planning a relaxed beach vacation in Bali in 2026, a visit to Penglipuran Village can be the cultural day trip that helps tourists experience Balinese culture in a more meaningful way.
Over the coming months and years, both holidaymakers and travelers heading to Bali will see more promotions of Bangli Regency’s top attractions and emerging destinations.
Bangli-based politician, Made Sudiasa, told reporters this week that as little as 10% of Bangli Regency’s tourism potential has been harnessed. He shared, “This means that 90% of the potential remains untapped.”
Sudiasa told reporters that he wants to see local leaders in Bangli Regency work together to promote the region and use tax funds to develop more attractions and tourism infrastructure.
While regencies like Badung receive substantial investment, many feel that areas like Bangli Regency are overlooked. That’s the cue to watch this space; investment opportunities are emerging in Bangli folks!
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