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Pemuteran, a quiet fishing
village on the northwest coast of Bali, remains only gently
touched by tourism. The rugged coastline and steep hills are
not the typical picture postcard of verdant green that you
find elsewhere on the island. Yet such a depature is a thrill
in itself. The snorkeling is superb. As amateur snorkelers,
we weren’t expecting to be amazed but the coral reef
showed us a most populous array of life. Sunsets over Java,
the gentle atmosphere, the sense of remoteness, of charm and
genuine pleasure makes Pemuteran a great family destination.
Pemuteran is a four-hour drive
away from Kuta and there are two routes that can be taken,
but for a family getaway this is my recommendation: Go up
through the cool mountainous area of Bedugul and back through
Bali’s southwest coastline. Hire a car and head for
Bedugul around mid morning and make a lunch stop at the impressive
Lake Bratan. Cool yourselves while munching on fruits purchased
from the Candi Kuning market on the west side of the lake.
Then take the mountain road to the North that passes Munduk,
avoiding the main but snakier road to Singaraja This mountain
road comes out at Seririt and from there you drive along the
coast to Pemuteran.
Large boats cruise by heading
for Java and smaller fishing boats cut their way through the
swell into the sunset and the life that takes place on and
under the sea, and beckons you to come join in the fun.While
snorkeling opportunities abound at the Pemuteran reefs—plus
the man-made reefs which are part of the UN-sponsored effort
to reestablish ifs underwater wonder—serious snorkelers
can opt for the one-hour boat trip to Menjangan Island.
Archipelago Dives is
next door to the hotel and easy arrangements are made between
the two businesses. You will be accompanied by PADI certified
professionals and were fortunate to be in the company of a
professional dive couple from Holland and their three-year-old
daughter. You will learn a lot about the reef and the variety
of underwater life from them. They had been coming to Pemuteran
for four years and were impressed by how much effort had gone
into preserving the marine environment. Overuse use of the
term eco-tourism has dulled its’impact, but there is
clear evidence here that locals and visitors to the reef take
the business of preservation and care of the reef seriously.
A few days in Pemuteran gives you plenty of time to explore
the options offered on boat trips, and then the trip back
along the low lying Gilimanuk road takes you through Negara,
past Medewi, and along the palm fringed coastline back to
Denpasar.
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