About Menjangan Island, Bali Barat National
Park and the Banyuwedang Hot Springs
Menjangan Island - the name means "deer" - hangs just
off-shore of the mountainous point in far north-western Bali. Because
the island is in a protected position, currents and wind-generated
waves are rarely a bother, and the reefs here offer fine diving
and crystal clear waters. Menjangan Island is another one of Bali's
top dive destinations.
The island is part of Bali Barat National Park,
a protected reserve area that encompasses much of Bali's sparsely
populated western end. Several distinct environments are to be found
within the park. It also is the home to two rare species of wildlife.
The Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi), found only in Bali, is
a small white bird with black wingtips and a brilliant blue streak
around its eyes. Only a few individuals still live in the wild here.
The park's research center can be visited and various trekking tours
can be arranged. Just next to the boundaries of the Bali Barat National
Park, the small village of Banyuwedang with its famous hot springs
is located. This is also the site of the Mimpi Resort Menjangan.
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