The traveling manatees by Nancy French: Pemuteran, Bali, Indonesia

Departing Ubud, we were headed to the northwest coast for what is touted as the island’s best snorkeling. While Pemuteran was our final destination for the day, we made a few tourist stops along the way.

We first pulled over for a coffee break at a wurang (a small, family-owned restaurant in Indonesia), with hopes of getting some photos of the Agung Volcano which erupted in Nov. 2017. The eruption caused the evacuation of more than 100,000 nearby residents and stranded thousands of visitors as departures were canceled due to ash plumes which would endanger the flights. Heavy cloud cover hid the volcano from our view.

The water temple, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan located on Lake Bratan was built in 1633. It was built in worship of the main Hindu trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva, as well as an offering to the water goddess, Dewi Danu. For centuries the lake has been and continues to be, the main irrigation source for central Bali. Located about 4000 feet above sea level, temperatures were in the 60s and most of the locals were bundled up in heavy jackets. It’s a beautiful spot nestled in the surrounding mountains.

In Munduk, we took a lunch break at the Munduk Eco Cafe (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g608490-

d8702709-Reviews-Munduk_EcoCafe_2-Munduk_Bali.html) which features an Indonesian menu and amazing views, but they also offer civet coffee (Kopi Luwak) from a farmer’s cooperative which they have helped develop. Now fortified, we walked to the nearby Golden Valley Waterfall, passing through wild growth of cocoa trees, nutmeg, clove, durian, and jackfruit.

Arriving in Permuteran, we were immediately struck by how mellow this little village was compared to the chaos of Ubud. Having secured a room at Pondok Sari Resort, we were situated on the bay. The resort offered beautifully landscaped grounds, stained glass and carvings at every turn, a koi pond and pool, fresh flowers in our room each day, a well-designed outdoor shower, and beachside seating. There was also a restaurant on-site, so we didn’t even need to leave the grounds except to explore the tiny village. We were all set for serious hanging out. This area and the nearby Menjangan Island National Park are considered to be some of the best snorkeling on the island and that was part of our plan as well.

Booking a snorkel trip out to Menjangan, we lucked into clear skies and enjoyed the 30-minute trip along the coast out to the island. A number of divers were also on board and the boat was perfectly situated to provide shallower waters for our snorkeling with deep drop-offs for the divers. We saw a nice variety of tropical fish but minimal coral. On my 3rd trip into the water, I immediately tangled with a pod of jellyfish. Luckily, the boat was nearby and I was able to get on board quickly but not before being inflicted with multiple stings. Not fun.

Damage to the reefs in Permuteran Bay and surrounding waters due to dynamite and cyanide fishing coupled with rising water temperatures caused residents to spring into action to protect this asset. Local businesses, including dive shops and hotels, along with conservationists initiated a reef restoration program near the shore of the bay in 2000. Utilizing low-voltage electricity on artificial underwater structures (60 so far) the procedure encourages the growth of a diversity of transplanted corals at 3- 5 times the normal rate.

Our subsequent days in the area were overcast and the final 2 days windy, creating choppy water in the bay. It was pleasant for hanging out beachside but made snorkeling offshore a little less than optimal. But, we still wanted to get in to check out the artificial reef. Structures are set up over a 1000 foot area relatively close to the shoreline, making it easy to explore. It’s a phenomenal project, and based on what we could see, it seems to be successful.

Padangbai, another snorkeling area and a 4-hour drive from Pemuteran was our next destination.