Palaces in Bali
For many centuries Bali was ruled by royal families. In the 19th century Bali was split in 9 kingdoms, Klungkung, Buleleng, Karangasem, Mengwi, Badung, Tabanan, Gianyar, Bangli and Jembrana. With the Dutch occupation of Bali in the early 20th century this tradition came to an end. All that remains are the palaces of old. Here is a selection of the most beautiful palaces in Bali:
Tirta Gangga water palace consists of many pools and fountains in a beautiful garden with stone carved statues. It is only a 30 minutes drive from Amed.
This royal palace, which is still used by the extended royal family, combines balinese, chinese and colonial architecture. It can be reached in 30 minutes from Amed.
Not as famous as its counterpart in Tirta Gangga, Ujung is by far the more beautiful of the two. It takes a 50 minutes drive from Amed to go there.
Kerta Gosa is part of the royal palace complex in Semarapura. Some parts of the palace were destroyed after the last colonial war. Kerta Gosa, fortunately, remained intact. It is located near Klungkung, a 2 hours drive from Amed.
This important royal palace was partially destroyed after the last colonial war. What remained is the hall of justice, Kerta Gosa with its beautifully painted ceiling and a floating pavillon. It is located near Klungkung, a 2 hours drive from Amed to the south.
This impressive palace is part of the famous Ubud palace, official residence of the the former king of Ubud. It is located in the heart of Ubud some 2 1/2 hours from Amed.
Every evening, a Legong dance performance takes place in this enchanting palace. It is situated in the heart of Ubud, a 2 1/2 hours drive from Amed.
Also called Puri Gede Buleleng, the royal palace Singaraja is one of the major sights at Bali's north coast. It takes a 2 1/2 hours drive from Amed to get there.