Understand
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 were previously not well known by visitors due to a lack of infrastructure, but these have been lightly developed in recent years, and there are now some high profile accommodation options there. Tabanan is though more usually associated by visitors with rolling green landscapes, hills and especially the imposing Mount Batukaru, Bali's second highest peak at 2,276 metres.
The town of Mengwi has a long and rich history associated with its royal family, and the best modern day manifestation of this is the splendid temple complex at Taman Ayun.
