Tirta Gangga is a small village built on an altitude of about 500 meters, seven km northwest of Amlapura. Tirta Gangga means "water from the Ganges", and the place is known for it's "water palace" and beautiful surroundings. In many people's opinion this is among the most beautiful areas on Bali. Lately Tirta Gangga has become increasingly popular as a base for exploration of East Bali.

When Majapahit conquered Bali in 1343 there were some Balinese who did not accept this change of rule, and therefore built their own villages in remote areas. The descendants of these people are today known as Bali Aga or Bali Mula, meaning "the original Balinese". They still live in villages like Tenganan in East Bali or Trunyan at the shores of the Batur lake. Many of the old traditions are still maintained, and it is still possible to see their unique ceremonies and dance performances.

Padangbai is a popular place to stay for travelers who are on their way to or from Lombok. There are also public boats leaving regularly from here to Nusa Penida. The village is located in a lovely bay, with the large ferry terminal and a long beach surrounded by green hills. A large part of the population are fishermen, indicated by the large number of boats along the beach. The water here is too polluted to swim in, but not far away there are nice and clean beaches, like the white Pantai Kecil only 15 minutes walk southwards.

Gunung Agung is Bali's highest and most sacred mountain. It is 3.142 meter high and can be seen from almost everywhere on Bali and from the neighboring islands, but most of the time it is covered by clouds. The best time of year to see the mountain is August to September and of course early in the morning. The height is disputed because of the last eruption 17th of March 1963, which by some is believed to have blown off the highest top. Gunung Agung is now said to be 3.014 meters, and the top is today a 500 meter wide crater.

Candidasa can be a good alternative if you're looking for a pleasant place to stay a few days while you explore East Bali. This is a tourist area about three km long, located along the main road from Semarapura (Klungkung) to Amlapura. A large part of the business is owned by people from the Bali-Aga village Tenganan not far from here. The name Candidasa is probably derived from "Cilidasa" which means "three children".

At the foot of the great Gunung Agung mountain sits the most sacred of all Balinese temples; Pura Besakih. A more spectacular location for this huge temple complex would be hard to find. If you are lucky to visit on a clear day you can see Gunung Agung (3.142 m), a background that can give anyone a religious feeling. There has been a temple here for more than one thousand years, it is first mentioned in an inscription from 1007 BC.

For most people who visit Bali Yeh Pulu remains a well hidden secret. This may not be a grand attraction, but the site is one of Bali's oldest and contain some of the most mysterious and important sculptures from it's time, Yeh Pulu is therefore of great importance to the Balinese. Like the nearby Goa Gajah this was probably an hermitage, not a temple, probably from the 13th century.

Ubud has become the favorite place for many visitors to Bali. The name Ubud is probably derived from "ubad" which means medicine ("obat" in Indonesian), and to come here may be medicine for people who look for a relaxed way of life and beautiful surroundings. Ubud is built on the slopes of the central mountains, and in addition to the town Ubud also include several smaller villages like Peliatan, Padangtegal, Penestanan, Campuan and Pengosekan.

This important temple one km north of the Tampaksiring village was founded as early as 962 AD. It is not as spectacular as Gunung Kawi a few km's away, but absolutely worth a visit. Even if this is one of the oldest sites on Bali much of the structures are relatively new, it was completely restored in 1969. People from all over Bali come here to take a bath in the holy water for good health and good luck.

This lovely waterfall in the Petanu river is located in Tegenungan close to Kemenuh, 7 km southwest of Gianyar city. The waterfall has a height of about 30 meters. It is not frequently visited in spite of it's close distance to most of the tourist centers on South Bali. The place can be hard to find on your own, if you arrive from the south drive the main road to Gianyar city, turn right at the "baby monument" (see Gianyar), and then right again in Kemenuh. The sign can be hard to see, look for Waterfall/Bungee Jump.