Covered with mountains in the north, lush paddy fields in the south and coastal sandy beaches, Tabanan lies between the district of Badung in the east, Buleleng in the north and Jembrana in the west. The main attraction in Tabanan is Tanah Lot, a famous seaside temple, though many black sand beaches are also being developed for tourism. Situated near the town of Kediri, Tanah Lot is unquestionably the most famous temple in Bali. Consisting of two seven tiered and three tiered shrines and two pavilions, the temple is set attop an outcrop of rock jutting into the sea, and is accessible only during low tide. According to legend, as the famous priest Nirartha breathed his last; he suggested to the locals that the tiny island would be an excellent place to build a temple. "Tanah" means earth, and "Lot" means sea. The temple therefore symbolized the meeting point of natural and cosmic elements.

As a place for viewing spectacular sunsets in Asia, Tanah Lot has few equals. Every day at dusk tourists flood the area to witness the wonderful silhouette of the temple against the glowing horizon. The best view is from the cliff overlooking the temple.

Home to a substantial ethnic Chinese community, Tabanan town is noted for its fine arts and culture. Apart from having many skilled wood carvers, three are also many poets who recite classical poems during festive occasions.

Tabanan is also the birthplace of I Mario, a dancer choreographer who revolutionized Balinese dance in the 1930's with his kebyar and kebyar trompong dances and was commemorated by the Mario Theater. Another attraction in Tabanan is the Subak museum that displays exhibits relating to agriculture.

Southwest of Tabanan is Kerambitan, noted for its tektekan performances. Not a dance but a ritual, the tektekan is performed by men with bells and huge clappers around their necks. The aim is to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck in the form of better harvests. Still unaffected by modernization, Kerambitan is also noted for its beautiful old buildings and two large palaces.

The Tabanan highlands mostly consist of volcanic areas, with mount Batukau (2275m), Mount Sanghyang (2093m), and Lake Beratan, one of the three lakes that make up the Bedugul Resort area. The area has the last remaining tropical forest on the island. The tranquil botanical gardens of Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bedugul are home to 650 species of trees and a unique collection of terns and orchids.

Lake Beratan offers water skiing and boating, but is better known for the Pura Ulun Danu temple. Built on the shores of the lake at Candikuning, it has eleven tiers of thatched roof meru as well as an adjoining Buddhist stupa.

At the foot of Mount Batukau, to the south west of Bedugul, is another Balinese marvel called the Pura Luhur temple. The temple has a 2m meru to Maha Dewa, Mount Batukau's guardian spirit. Grandly located among the lofty trees of the rain forest, this is a unique encounter between man and nature. The road to the temple branches out at Pacung where a restaurant overlooks the rice field terrace.

Also perched on the slopes of Mount Batukau is the small village of Jatiluwih. Its name means "truly marvelous" and the view truly is as it encompasses a huge region of southern Bali. A hot spring, Yeh Panas, is located on the road northwards from Tabanan.

The small village of Blayu is located midway down the plain on a parallel side road running from Pacung to Bedugul. Here, traditional songket sarongs are woven with intricate gold thread and used in ceremonies during festivals.

Marga, just north of Blayu, has an usual memorial dedicated to Lt. Col. I Gusti Ngurah Rai, who in 1946 led his army in a futile rebellion against the Dutch forces. The memorial consists of a tower containing a replica of his famous letter stating his refusal to surrender.

To the south of Blayu and Marga is the Bukit Sari Monkey forest. The monkeys are tame but hold on to your camera or sunglasses just in case one of them tries to snatch it for you.