West Bali National Park protects the wild northwestern corner of the island, around 19,000 hectares of land and sea. It is Bali's only national park, a place of dry monsoon forest, savanna, mangroves, rainforest on the volcanic slopes and coral reefs offshore. For most visitors it is the gateway to Menjangan Island, but the park itself rewards anyone willing to walk with a ranger.
The area was first protected in 1941, in large part to save the Bali starling, the island's only endemic vertebrate. It was also the last stronghold of the Bali tiger, a subspecies now extinct, with the last confirmed animal shot here in 1937. Today the park is home to rusa and barking deer, long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards and a rich birdlife.
Only a small part of the park is open to visitors, and guided walks start from the ranger offices at Cekik and Labuan Lalang. Morning treks pass through mangroves at Teluk Terima or along the Prapat Agung peninsula, with chances to see deer, hornbills and kingfishers. Out on the water, the reefs around Menjangan offer some of the calmest, clearest diving and snorkeling on Bali.
Highlights
- Guided treks through monsoon forest
- Mangroves at Teluk Terima
- Gateway to Menjangan Island
- Deer, hornbills and the Bali starling
Good to know
- Obtain a permit and a ranger guide at the Cekik or Labuan Lalang offices before hiking.
- Go early in the morning, when birds and deer are most active and the heat is milder.
- Stay in Pemuteran to combine park walks with diving at Menjangan.
On the map
Bali 2027 Travel Guide
The complete island guide: where to go, how to get around, what to avoid, health and safety, and the phrases that open doors.