This garden is a showplace. Established in 1959 as a branch of the national botanic gardens at Bogor, near Jakarta, it covers more than 154 hectares on the lower slopes of Gunung Pohen. Don’t miss the Panca Yadnya Garden (Garden of Five Offerings), which preserves plants used in ancient Hindu ceremonies. For an extra 12,000Rp you can drive your own car (no motorbikes) about the gardens.
Some plants are labelled with their botanical names, and a booklet of self-guided walks (20,000Rp) is helpful. The gorgeous orchid area is often locked to foil flower filchers; you can ask for it to be unlocked. Look for the ‘roton’ or rattan bush to see the unlikely source of so much furniture.
Within the park, you can cavort like an ape or a squirrel at the Bali Treetop Adventure Park.
