Our owners are determined to offer only in-house tours, and to offer something really unique. That is, tours run by our own staff to places of genuine interest, where our staff do not earn commissions if you buy anything. In fact, the reverse. Where they help you get the very best price for the very best items, and away from the tourist crush (the tourist crush being packed in a small bus and driven to a site at a time of day when there are thousands of other tourists, plus hundreds of aggressive hawkers / salespeople). We believe we have achieved this and more.

We charge per car (so you can split the cost amongst up to 4 people). Half day tours cost US$40 per car / US$55 per people carrier, full day tours US$60 per car / US$80 per people carrier; our vehicles are newer, well maintained, fully licensed and insured. Packed lunches are available.

Half Day Tours

1) Sembiran + Ponjok Batu Temples
Simbiran is up in the hills about 30 minutes from Agung Bali Nirwana. It is listed as a traditional "Bali Aga" village, yet you will find nowhere near the tourist crowds associated with Lake Batur, near Kintamani. In fact, you will probably not see another tourist. The views from here over the palm trees to the Bali Sea are breathtaking. After the chance to walk around, we then go to the temple at Ponjok Batu on the coast, a further 20 minutes away.

Ponjok Batu is the area's largest and most important temple. The views over the coastline and the sea are truly inspiring. Again, you will see no or very few fellow tourists here. Guests then have the option to lunch at the nearby seafood grill of Puri Bagus Ponjok Batu, or to drive immediately back to Agung Bali Nirwana. The tables at Puri Bagus (same owners as the luxury Balinese hotel group) are built on the slope overlooking the sea and the temple. As the name suggests, fresh grilled fish is the specialty here.

2) Singaraja Market, Air / Yeh Sani
First we will take you to the huge local market at Singaraja (approximately 45 minutes drive), the regional capital (and capital of Bali during Dutch rule). Here you will be able to buy an outstanding range of fresh fruits, etc. at exceptionally low prices. Perhaps you could combine this with having our staff show you how to make Indonesian food once you get back. Also in Singaraja, you will find a number of banks with cash / ATM machines and Western Union facilities.

After you are finished in Singaraja, you may find yourselves a little sweaty / sticky. We again recommend you wear swimming costumes under your clothes, because the next stop is Air Sanih, 15 minutes back towards the villas. Here is a natural spring fed series of public swimming pools, where you can cool down / swim. If you go on a weekday, the pools are quieter (the local people love bringing their children to these pools at weekends). After drying off, our staff will take you to either the Archipelago Restaurant across the road. Or to Puri Bagus Ponjok Batu about 15 minutes away, whichever you prefer, for lunch.

3) Kintamani
A one hour drive through Madenan (reportedly also Bali Aga), up the winding, quiet and very scenic road takes you to Kintamani. One of the most important spiritual areas of Bali. Once there, you have a choice. Our staff can either take you to the temple in Kintamani itself, followed by a visit to Tirta Sanjiwanai hot springs spa and cool swimming pool. Or, they can take you by boat trip to the famous Bali Aga temple and cemetery area around Trunyan & Kuban. After either option, a trip to a Kintamani view restaurant for lunch.

4) Trip to Brahma Vihara Arama & Air Panas Banjar
Approximately 75 minutes drive from Agung Bali Nirwana, is the impressive Buddhist monastery of Brahma Vihara Arama. With lovely views down the valley to the sea. Next door to this, is the even more impressive hot springs, where pleasantly hot water comes from volcanic springs, through serpents' heads to feed 3 bathing pools. The grounds here are particularly nice. Afterwards, a 15 minute drive to Kubu Lalang restaurant next to beach in Lovina is a recommended detour on the way back to the villas.

5) Snorkeling / Swimming Trip To Amed
Approximately 70 minutes drive from Agung Bali Nirwana, passing through old lava flows from Mt. Agung. The quiet public access beach at Jemeluk (one of the villages that makes up Amed), also has some of the best snorkeling in that area. Headlands also make this quite sheltered and ideal for swimming too (many a dolphin siting happens in these parts). After showering off (courtesy of our portable shower), our staff can take you for lunch at one of the best seafood restaurants on the island, Wah Wah Wey Wey (the fresh barracuda is particularly good).

6) Tirtagangga Water Palace
Approximately 90 minutes drive from the villas, the road to Tirtagangga will take you past the same lava flows as the trip to Amed. But then the route takes you up through some of the most stunning (and photogenic) rice terraces on Bali. Once at the water palace, you will be able to walk amongst the ponds, and even take a dip in one of the pools. In the grounds, a small restaurant is available for lunch with views across the ponds.

Full Day Tours

1) Best of Bali
This is the tour for people who want to buy only the best Balinese art pieces and at the lowest prices. And without having to go through the timely process of finding them! Our villas at Agung Bali Nirwana are full of examples of the finest fabrics, carvings, silverware, decorative masks, pottery and paintings, from only the top producers. Our owners not only bought the best, but bought direct from the artists etc. at negotiated prices. So that a full sized (85cm x 65cm) painting by a famous artist, such as I Ketut Soka (the leading "Young Artist" of Penestanan, Ubud) cost us three million rupiah each. In the fashionable Ubud art galleries, this would easily cost you 4 times as much.

So, you can decide what you want to buy (where to go) and have our staff go over what we paid (so you have a very low target price) before you set off. Our staff will then take you to the producers themselves, where you can negotiate for pieces that interest you, and from a position of knowledge / strength. These artists / producers are located all around Bali. So you can carefully plan a full day out, seeing only what you want, without fear of buying inferior goods, and without having to worry if the producer (or your guide) are making too much money from you.

This tour may be of particular interest to people who wish to buy goods for export, for business. And not only for art, fabrics and pottery. We are more than happy to take you to our furniture makers. For example, we bought our King Sized, solid teak, four poster beds for only 1.1 million rupiah each. This included the company making beds to our own design. Buying wisely is important however, as many wooden items warp or crack once they come out of the tropics. But our furniture has been kiln dried for at least 3 weeks. Anyway, from some intricate silverware and / or some of the finest fabrics for home display, to becoming exporter of the year. We would be delighted to help you.

2) Early Morning Pura Besakih, Fabrics & Tirtagangga
Setting off around dawn (6am) and taking approximately 2 hours to get there, a trip to Pura ("Temple") Besakih on the southern slopes of Mt. Agung is a must. We set off early, so you can avoid the coach loads of tourists from the south, and the persistent hawkers / sellers that greet them from around 9:30 am onwards. With so few people around, you will find Besakih a stunning, evocative place. And as you leave, the hoards will arrive and you will understand the joke "Besakih Zoo opens at 9:30 sharp".

From there, our staff will take you through some superb scenery to a little place we know in Sideman. Where you can stop for coffee, stunning river valley views, and talk with a top producer of Songket (a fabric hand woven with golden strands). After that, we will take you to a restaurant in Padang Bai for lunch. Then on to the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, where they painstakingly make the most famous Balinese fabric of all, Double Ikat ("Gringsing"). After looking around and perhaps buying a piece of fabric or two with our help, our staff will then take you to Tirtagangga and then "home".

We can also provide you with an individual tour of your own design / creation. And you will find other, major snorkeling tours on our beach snorkeling page, or if golf is your thing, please check out our golf page. Please note, it may be ill advisable to go on certain tours on certain days / times of the year. For example, during the rainy season, the footpath to Les Waterfall can be particularly dangerous. Also, when there are festivals at Kintamani, we will not drive through that area due to the huge traffic delays. Of course, all of our tours include transport (normally in one of our own vehicles) and guide. But they do not include any restaurant visits, purchases or admission fees, which you would have to pay for at the true local price.