Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bali

Coming to Bali doesn’t have to be about trekking through the mountains, or surfing the waves.  Bali is a paradise for every one. In a small village called Candikuning, is a paradise all unto itself. This paradise is Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bali otherwise known as Bali Botanical Gardens. This place is 389 acres of flowers, trees, and birds, most of which is native to Indonesia and its islands. The Bali Botanical Gardens are located on the slopes of Gunung Pahon, or Tree Mountain, giving it an unbelievable atmosphere that leaves visitors feeling like they are in a fairy tale garden. This place is a botanist’s utopia.

The botanical gardens were built in 1959 and have over 800 different trees from around the world, which makes this place an Arborists dream come true. There are also over 400 species of orchid in the botanical garden grounds.  Many of these orchids are in full bloom during different times of the year.  It would take days to full explore this vast garden. If you are an amateur botanist or even a professional botanist, you can image the beauty that can be seen. Some hotels gardens and Bali villas for rent may have one or two species of orchids, if even that in their gardens, but a orchid garden with over 400 species of orchid known to the islands is a truly surreal sight to be seen.

Bali Botanical Garden is also a place where not only to showcase such natural beauty brought about my Mother Nature, or the gods of the islands, but it is also a place where research and conservation is key as well as educating the many tourists or visiting botanists to learn about the different plant life that abounds on the Indonesian islands. It also creates a place of relaxation and peace to those who just want to wander through the different gardens in the Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bali.  Visitors also learn about the use of plants in the daily lives of the Balinese people.  How they use different plants for dyes, medicine and cultural practices. You can even learn about the diverse collection of tropical rainforest plants, flowers and birds.

As part of their conservation effort as well as cataloging each species of flora seen on the islands, there are over 2000 species of plant life preserved in the Bali Botanical Garden. There are new plants brought in from various nurseries, other botanical gardens, and plant breeding programs, as well as collecting expeditions to neighboring islands. There are currently around 4000 species of orchid to be found on the Indonesian islands with more being discovered, collected, cataloged and steps are taken to conserve the species of orchid. For many flower lovers, especially those who love orchids, the Bali Botanical Gardens offer seeds for people to buy and take home to plant, which is probably why some Bali villa gardens have a diverse collection of flowers including orchids.

Some of the plants you may see at the Bali Botanical Garden are integral to some ceremonies performed in the Hindu religion.  Their use is interwoven into their belief system.  You may see some of these plants and flowers around shrines around town and in the area of many Bali villas for rent. Shrines are used to placate the gods by giving them offerings of food, flowers and incense. Some of the plants you may see are even used in the building of tools, holy building and musical instruments. Who knows, the hotel or Bali villa you may stay at when visiting may have one or more of the plants and flowers important to the Hindu belief built into it.