Bali · Indonesia
Tabanan travel guide
Tabanan is a city in Bali, Indonesia, home to about 458,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- DPS23 km · Denpasar I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport
- Currency
- IDRrupiah
- Time zone
- Asia/Makassar
- Language
- Indonesian
About
About Tabanan
Tabanan Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Tabanan, Balinese: ᬓᬪᬹᬧᬢᬾᬦ᭄ ᬢᬩᬦᬦ᭄, Kabupatén Tabanan) is a regency (kabupaten) of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 839.33 km2 and had a population of 478,390 in 2024 census.
Tabanan is the capital town of the regency of Bali with the same name. Parts of Tabanan regency lie in Central Bali and other parts would be more often regarded as part of West Bali. For the purposes of this guide the Tabanan area will be classified in Central Bali, as that is where the key areas of interest to visitors are located. The coastal areas in the south used to be not well known by visitors due to a lack of infrastructure, but they have become lightly developed, and there are some high profile accommodation options there.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Tabanan
See
There are numerous smallroads and unmade tracks that lead from the coast road south of Tabanan to the waterfront. The beaches here are all black sand. The most well known of them, and one with some good accommodation options, is Yeh Gangga. This is well signposted from the main coast about 2.5 km past Tabanan, heading west. Much of the west coast shoreline is unsafe for swimming.
- Bali Butterfly Park
- Pura Luhur Batukaru
- Pura Taman Ayun
- Sangeh Monkey Forest
- Subak Museum
Do
A drive of the scenic mountain road from Antosari to Pupuan is highly recommended. Take the main coast road west from Tabanan for about 12 km until you reach Antosari. From there turn north (right) off the coast road. The next 30 kilometres is very scenic indeed as you pass through several small villages to reach Sanda and then onwards to Pupuan. Throughout this drive Mount Batukaru rises majestically to the east and areas to the west are largely unpopulated all the way across to West Bali National Park. Lots of excellent photo opportunities along this route.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Tabanan
Tabanan has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 322 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Tabanan: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Denpasar I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Lombok International Airport (LOP, 129 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
The main coastal road from Denpasar to West Bali passes right by Tabanan, and access from the main tourist centres in South Bali is straightforward. Most visitors to the Tabanan area arrive with their own transport. The town is served by bemos departing from Ubung bemo terminal in Denpasar. These arrive on the northern outskirts of town at Pesiapan terminal.
Getting around
There are a lot of bemos available in the town of Tabanan, and some of these will be useful in getting you to interesting sights in the region. Taxis and private vehicles for hire are thin on the ground here though. Most visitors arrive with a car and driver, in their own hired vehicle or by motorbike, and get around the region in that way.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DPS · Denpasar I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport
LOP · Lombok International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Tabanan
Eat
All hotels and resorts have their own restaurants attached. In Tabanan town there are numerous decent local restaurants and a night market.
Drink
Those visitors who especially enjoy mountain views should stop for an afternoon break and perhaps a cup of coffee on the scenic drive from Antosari to Pupuan. The beach resorts at Yeh Gangga are a great spot to enjoy a sunset cocktail.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Tabanan: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tabanan?
Tabanan has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; January is the wettest, with about 322 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Tabanan?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Denpasar I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Lombok International Airport (LOP, 129 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Tabanan?
rupiah (IDR).
Nearby
Destinations near Tabanan
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.