For centuries, Bali has been one of the most important trading posts on the Indonesian archipelago, from spices to furniture, textiles to fresh produce, Bali was the destination of choice for merchants and traders from all around the world.
Nowadays, this part of Bali’s heritage is often overlooked by tourists visiting the island, but for those who scratch the surface, there is plenty to be discovered, especially in the island’s ancient cities.
The capital of Bali Province, Denpasar, is perhaps the most famous of the island’s cities, but there are other major trading and economic hubs that are still thriving to this day.
With most tourists traveling to Bali set on visiting beaches and temples, these ancient cities get overlooked.
Here at The Bali Sun, we are all about traveling off-path, and visiting some of Bali’s ancient cities during a trip to the island is one sure way to get off-path and be highly rewarded for doing so.
Singaraja is the biggest city in the north of Bali. Its nickname in Bahasa Indonesia is Kota pendidikan, which means City of Education. The literal translation of Singaraja means Lion King, and the area is home to 154,000 people. During the Dutch rule of Indonesia, Singaraja was the colonial capital of Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands, between 1849 and 1960.
One of the draws of a trip to Singaraja is that it sits tight on the North Bali coast. Skip Beach is one of the most popular places to watch the sunrise and sunset with the local community, though most tourists tend to stay at Lovina Beach just down the road.
In terms of cultural gems, Singaraja has a lot to explore. Right in the heart of the old city, tourists will find Gedong Kirtya, which is Bali’s only library of lontar manuscripts. These are the traditional Balinese and Javanese scripts written on palm leaves. It is also possible to see a sizeable collection of these rare manuscripts at the Pustaka Lontar Museum in Penaban, north of Amlapura…we’ll talk about Amlapura in a minute.
Singaraja is home to a large Buddhist community, and it is in this part of Bali that tourists are likely to stumble across a Buddhist Temple. Much like the Balinese Hindu temples across Bali, most Buddhist Temples are open to the public, provided visitors respect temple etiquette.
STI Vihara Buddhavamsa Singaraja is a popular temple for culturally curious tourists to visit in Singaraja, and perhaps the most famous temple of all in the area is Klenteng Ling Gwan Kiong.
Singaraja is currently seeing the construction of the Singaraja Zero Point Area that is set for completion on the 12th July. For tourists traveling to North Bali in the coming weeks, you’ll be amongst the first to see this brand new landmark!
Klenteng Ling Gwan Kiong is a Taoist temple and is built in the Chinese-style of Buddhist Temples, providing a contrast to the Balinese Hindu temples and shrines that are the most common in the region.
In August 2025, Klenteng Ling Gwan Kiong unveiled a series of renovations to the temple, including a new roof.
Top places to stay in Singaraja include the Singaraja Beach Hotel, which is just steps from Klenteng Ling Gwan Kiong and Hotel Madari. Though most tourists tend to stay in resorts and hotels in Lovina or Munduk and travel to Singaraja for a day trip.
Now we said we would talk about Amlapura, and we will. This is one of the royal capitals of Bali and is the seat of Karangasem Regency.
This cultural gem is home to historical landmarks and traditional markets, as well as offering tourists easy access to some of East Bali’s. Best beaches and views of sacred Mount Agung.
The first stop on a trip to Amlapura is to Puri Agung Karangasem. A day trip to Amlapura is not complete without a visit to the iconic Tirta Gangga Palace and Taman Ujung.
Located just a quick 20-minute drive from one another, these two palaces are amongst the best preserved water palaces in Bali and hold much of the judicial and royal history of this part of the island.
While Amlapura has plenty of hotels to choose from, most tourists visiting the area opt to stay in nearby Candidasa to soak in the stunning views of the Bali coast. Candi Beach Resort and Spa Bali is a top pick for stays.
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