Bedugul The Nice View in Bali

Bedugul is a mountain lake resort area in Bali, Indonesia, located in the centre-north region of the island near Lake Bratan on the road between Denpasar and Singaraja. Bedugul is located at 48 kilometres (30 mi) north of the city of Denpasar. Other nearby lakes are Lake Buyan, and Lake Tamblingan. Bedugul enjoys a mild mountain weather due to its location at an altitude of about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above the sea level. Major sites in Bedugul are the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan water temple and the Bedugul Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Garden, opened in 1959 under the name Eka Karya. With a total area of 157.5 hectares (389 acres) is the largest in Indonesia. The Bedugul Botanical Garden was established under the auspices of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, on July 15, 1959. It is located on 157.5 hectars land ranging 1,250 meters to 1,450 meters above sea level with 2,000 species of plants and 20,000 plant specimens ranging from orchids, roses and medicinal plants to palms and Cyatheas. It also has a stunning view of Buyan Lake. The Eka Karya Botanical Garden has won the Cipta Pesona Award 2011 from the Culture and Tourism Ministry in recognition of natural tourist attractions, cultural tourist attractions and artificial tourist attractions. Exploration of the Bedugul Geothermal Field started in 1974, as part of a New Zealand bilateral aid project. Exploration was continued by Pertamina from 1978 until 1987. In 1994 Bali Energy, a joint venture between California Energy and a local company, signed a joint operation contract with Pertamina to develop a 4x55 MW geothermal power plant. In 2008, the estimated power production capacity of 175 MW corresponded to about half of the whole island's electricity needs. However the project was put on hold, after being opposed by local residents, who feared that it could damage a sacred area and affect water supplies from the nearby lakes.