In Reply to: 3 hours approx posted by Richard rambutan on Tuesday, 18. September 2007 at 19:37 Bali Time:
- now I think there is a fourth viable route to the north.
Although the east coast route is one that will take the best past of a full day, the near completion of the south east coast 'freeway' means that the drive through Kusamba and Padang Bai to Candi Dasa is much quicker than in the past. From Candi Dasa the route goes through Amlapura, Tirtagganga, some of the most amazing expanses of rice terraces, Culik, the last still very bare lava flows from Mt Agung, Tulumben and 'the temple on the rocky corner', Puri Ponjok Batu, before Singaraja and Lovina.
Its not a quick way but it goes through some of the less-visited and therefore perhaps more interesting parts of the island and I'll be surprised if you don't discover a few places where you'll want to return and spend quiet days.
For more information about the area try the link below.