Singaraja

The city of Singaraja is certainly worth a visit, it is the former capital of Bali.
From the 10th century the port of Singaraja was a popular trade centre. Traders from all over Asia came here for goods, weapons and opium in exchange for fresh water, food, livestock and slaves. Singaraja belonged to the kingdom of Buleleng in the north of Bali. Singaraja was during the Dutch colonial period the administrative centre of Bali and the little Sunda islands until 1958. Also it was the traditional port of arrival for many visitors to the island. The KPM began in 1924 a weekly service with a steam ship through this port city to the former Batavia, now Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar, making the tourism possible. The city has/had a lot of colonial architecture, unfortunately, the fact is that in Bali they are not attached to monumental buildings, so the buildings in the old port build by the Dutch were taken down a few years ago. Nowadays it is a modern city, with lots of food option, shops, the regional hospitals you will find in Singaraja, there are many universities and a lot of students live in Singaraja while they do their study.

The Puri Singaraja (Royal palace of the former king)

Buleleng used to be a kingdom and a long line of the royal family lived in the Puri Agung and goes back for 400 years, nowadays it is a museum and you can visit the palace, it is a modest complex there is some staff but they don’t speak English but they will give you a flyer with information about the palace which is actually an interesting story. The last king (Raja), Anak Agung Panji Tisna, who reigned from 1944 to 1950 was also an famous novelist on Bali and he was the founder of Lovina tourist hotel and was the last person to hold the title, and indeed this is the same man who founded the area with the name Lovina.

Gedong Kirtya

The Gedong Kirtya library is located around the corner of the palace and is the only library in the world where palm leaf manuscripts (old and sacred texts in Old Balinese on leaves of the lontarpalm; borassus flabellifer are kept).

An interesting place, you will get a tour from the staff and they can speak English, entrance fee is IDR 25.000.

Buleleng Museum

Next to the Gedong Kirtya you can find the Buleleng Museum with many old objects and pictures, it tells more about the tradition and culture but also a bit about the history. Entrance fee is IDR 10.000.

Chinese temple

Besides the many Hindu temples on Bali there are also Chinese temples, like the one in Singaraja called Ling Gwan Kion, located at the entrance to the old harbour. Click here for the exact location.
It is one of the few and most colourful Taoist temples in Bali, built in 1873, making it one of the oldest Chinese shrines in the region.
The temple stands out for its bright red and yellow colours, hand-painted doors, and beautiful courtyard with a lotus pond teeming with koi fish.
You’ll find murals depicting stories from Chinese mythology, and large turtles roam freely in the courtyard.
It is a “Tri Dharma” temple, meaning it is a place for Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
Admission is free, but a donation is appreciated. Shoes must be removed before entering the interior. In recent years an extensive renovation has taken place which is now completely finished.

Market in Singaraja

A visit to the local market is definitely recommended, where fresh fruit, fresh fish, spices and other items are sold every day, it is a colourful event.

The traditional market is still there, but a part of it was moved in 2022 to a new market building in Banyuasri on the west side of Singaraja.

You can also enjoy delicious (local) food at the Banyuasri market, there are many eateries on the east side near the bemo station.

The old harbour

In the old harbour there is a pier, there are a variety of restaurants located which serve fresh fish for local prices.

The statue in the harbour is from I Gusti Jelantik, the war hero of the Jagaraga war of 1848 with the Dutch.