Is there a truly wild place in Bali? A place where buildings cannot be built, where wild animals roam without care, and only a selection of monks are allowed to stay overnight?

That place exists, and it has a bewildering name too — Menjangan Island. ‘Menjangan’ literally means ‘deer’ in the archaic Indonesian language, and the island got its name when locals observed that wild herds of Menjangan island deer periodically swim across the sea towards the island from what is known today as West Bali National Park, covering a distance of 1.2 miles.

Unlike many origin stories of places, this one is no myth. Come and visit Menjangan Island to see for yourself

A natural sanctuary for 16 monks and millions of creatures

Menjangan Island is a part of West Bali National Park (also referred to as Bali Barat National Park), a natural sanctuary that preserves the untouched and truly wild side of Bali. It is under the jurisdiction of East Java province, and under the supervision of the Bali local government — it’s safe to say that this space will remain undisturbed for a long time.

Apart from the friendly and peaceful deer, other inhabitants on the island include wild rabbits that burrow in the sandy turf, monitor lizards that track rabbits and other small mammals, rare Myna birds, and wild chickens.

The only artificial structures built on the island are 3 Hindu temples and a mooring harbor for small boats. Although visitors are allowed in the area when granted special permissions, government officials strictly forbid anyone other than the 16 Hindu monks from staying on the island for more than 24 hours.

Getting there

If you come from outside of Bali, there are two ways to get to Menjangan Island. Most people fly into Bali via Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, and then take a 4-hour ride by car to Pejarakan village. Another way is to arrive at Banyuwangi International Airport in East Java, taking a ferry across a narrow strait and arriving at Gilimanuk, and then taking an hour car ride to Pejarakan.

Since you can’t directly go to Menjangan Island without special permissions, you need a place to stay in Pejarakan village. Our recommendation is The Menjangan Resort, where we combine the authentic wild side of West Bali with luxury to create a balanced and sustainable service for visitors.

Our tour guides have years of experience guiding visitors to Menjangan Island, and we guarantee that after spending a full day on the island, you will gain much valuable insight from your experience on Menjangan Island.