BALI barong

Bali and its Culture

2009-01-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. It is not an exaggeration that when a Balinese is asked what heaven is like, he would say, just like Bali, without the worries of mundane life. They want to live in Bali, to be cremated in Bali when they die, and to reincarnate in Bali.It does not mean that the Balinese resist changes. Instead, they adapt them to their own system. This goes back far in history. Prior to the arrival of Hinduism in Bali and in other parts of Indonesia, people practised animism. When Hinduism arrives, the practice of Hinduism is adapted to local practices. The brand of Hinduism practised in Bali is much different from that in India. Other aspects of life flow this way.

Traditional paintings, faithfully depicting religious and mythological symbolisms, met with Western and modern paintings, giving birth to contemporary paintings, free in its creative topics yet strongly and distinctively Balinese. Its dance, its music, and its wayang theaters , while have been continually enriched by contemporary and external artistry, are still laden with religious connotations, performed mostly to appease and to please the gods and the goddesses. Wood and stone carvings, gold and silver crafts parallel the development of paintings, gracefully evolving with external forces to enhance their characters. The batik of Bali owes its origin to Java, and inspired the development of ikat and double ikat.Source of

Sanur Beach

2009-01-21T09:51:00.000-08:00

Sanur is one of Bali's biggest traditional villages but it's also one of the most established tourist areas. Sanur was Bali's first beach resort but still retains its Balinese character and old style village ambiance. On the southeastern side of Bali, Sanur beach is easily reachable from Denpasar, about a 5 to 10 minute drive. Sanur is an excellent site to watch the sun rises, as we jog along the white sandy beach. Being one of the first resorts developed in Bali, Sanur maintains its traditions. Only a stone thrown away from the beach, ancient temples stand as solemn as they have been in centuries past.
Palm-lined beach, facing the Indian Ocean towards the east, Sanur is an excellent place to see the sun rise in the morning. "Bali is the morning of the world", it is the right sentence for Bali if we has visited Sanur. Offshore reefs protect the beach against the waves, and make it popular for windsurfing, boating, and other water sports. It is one of the first areas where one can find good hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourist facilities.It's also the place for some of Bali chic fashion shops, hot hotels and well-known restaurants. It is a good location to explore the rest of Bali. Fine hotels, restaurants and modern entertainment venues complement traditional village activities like drama and dance, so it's a good place to enjoy the delights of a tropical island and gain a real appreciation of Balinese culture and local life. Gradual and early development has meant that Sanur has grown alongside the village, with hotels located right next door to local meeting halls and Brahmanic temples. Many hotels have expansive gardens that face the ocean in a picturesque unbroken seaside promenade.

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Legian Beach

2009-01-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Close to the Kuta action but far enough for some down time, Legian is less hectic than downtown Kuta but still has a funky nightlife zone. Legian is a no-holds barred beach where locals, expatriates and tourists mingle, bargain with the best, play paddle ball and football, indulge in a massage and manicure, catch up on reading, meditate, exercise. Legian and Seminyak were small villages a few years ago a short distance from Kuta. Over the last few years, accommodation has expanded around Legian with many simple family-owned guest houses upgraded; complemented by boutique style hotels and first class hotels. Kuta is literally five-minute taxi ride away. Sunset is peak time at Legian Beach, when the beach bars fill up, the football field is at its busiest and the locals knock off work and wade fully clothed, skirts swirling, into the waves. Now part of the greater Kuta area, both offer quieter alternatives and a more sophisticated nightlife scene focusing on dining-out and socializing rather than full-on partying.Source

Lovina Beach

2009-01-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

Near the northern tip of the island of Bali lies a stretch of villages by the Bali Sea. Lovina Beach is the name. Lovina is really a string of coastal villages to the west of Singaraja. Escape from the hustle and bustle of Kuta to Lovina Beach located in north Bali, about 100 kilometers from southern tourist hotspots. It is well known as an excellent site for sunset watching, snorkeling, and diving. Darkly beautiful, Lovina offers quiet and calm, and is popular Asian tourists and those avoiding the hustle and bustle of the southern beaches. A number of coves offer tranquil, protected waters and Lovina is one of them. Although the sand is grey, it is quiet and peaceful, and popular among those who shun the glitzier beach resorts of the south. It is a popular place for dolphin watching; dolphins play in the water off Lovina. Famous for its early morning dolphin-watching boat trips, Lovina also offers good snorkeling and diving, and trekking in the nearby mountains. Diving off Menjangan Island, part of the Bali Barat National Park, is generally regarded as the best in Bali. Boats are readily available to take divers over to the island, where there are no residents or hotels.Nightlife activities are also abound, as well as chartered boats to go out into the sea. If we like what Kuta offers but do not like the crowd. With a wonderful variety of hotels, restaurants and bars located on or very near the calm beach, Lovina offers something for everyone. It is also a good base to take day trips to the nearby attractions of north and west Bali.

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Nusa Dua

2009-01-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

Bali's most prestigious resort area, Nusa Dua is where the tourists will find international world, class luxury hotels elegantly lining beautiful white sands. Located on the Bukit peninsula, in the southern part of Bali, approximately 10 km from the international airport. It is quiet and exclusive with superb facilities. Crystal clear water and stretches of white sandy beach of Nusa Dua makes Nusa Dua a perfect spot for luxurious resorts to which exhausted the bodies, after a Barong performance at Batubulan and a long climb of the steps of the Mother Temple Besakih, will want to rest. Some of the most sumptuous and luxurious hotels in the world find their home in Nusa Dua Bali. We can tee off into the sunset, while watching the gentle waves come from the blue sea and caress the banks surrounding the luscious greens. Tranquil swimming pools under the coconut trees seem to be one with the distant blue sea. Art galleries and numerous shops surround them.Nusa Dua is really about taking it easy and relaxing in total luxury. As most of the hotels are 5 stars, every comfort is at our disposal as well as a gorgeous white sand beach.

Nusa Dua was designed for the luxury conscious with a heavy concentration of big name hotels lining the beautiful white sand beach. The kind of activities on offer gives a flavor of Nusa Dua. The Bali Golf and Country Club, an immaculately landscaped 18 holes ocean view course. The Bali International Lawn Tennis & Lawn Bowls Club next to the Galleria Nusa Dua a spacious shopping mall with boutiques and up market restaurants. Close by Chandra Koka Amphitheatre provides a venue for traditional entertainment including arts festivals like the Nusa Dua Arts and Culture Festival. Stroll to the northern end of Nusa Dua for parasailing, jet skis, snorkeling/diving trips or better still, head for Tanjung Benoa. Some of the resorts have private beaches but most areas are accessible. The stretch past the Hilton Resort has been a public beach and during the wet season, the outer reef there is a popular surf break. At present we will find some simple warungs selling good food at cheap prices along this beautiful stretch of white sandy beach that offers excellent swimming conditions in a protected lagoon.

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Tanjung Benoa

2009-01-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

Tanjung Benoa, or the Benoa peninsula just north of Nusa Dua has become much busier over the years and has a wide range of accommodation including prestigious resorts like 'The Conrad'. Benoa peninsula is a scenic 5 kilometers of coconut palms and fine sand. The area is the almost exclusive home of luxury hotels, private villas, fine restaurants, open-air cafes and water sports facilities. The resort has become busier over recent years with more hotels Bali Resort and Spa joining impressive resorts like the Aston Bali. The shape of the beach, also makes Tanjung Benoa perfect for water sports with no shortage of shops catering to marine sports enthusiasts.
Right at the tip of the peninsula is the quiet port of Tanjung Benoa, with its village like alleyways and rows of traditional fishing boats and yachts. Offshore "Turtle Island" is the site of a sacred sea temple. Tanjung Benoa has something for everyone -especially if we are a water sport fun. Snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, water skiing, powerboats, banana boats and reef fishing. (The reef is just 200 meters from the shoreline at the northeastern tip)Source of

Nusa Lembongan Island

2009-01-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

Nusa Lembongan, a small island between Bali and Nusa Penida in Badung Strait, is the perfect holiday hideaway with few visitors and pristine un-spoilt beaches. A low, protected island about 11 km southeast of mainland Bali, measuring only four by three km and ringed with mangrove swamps, and palms and white sandy beaches. Inland the terrain is scrubby and very dry, with volcanic stonewalls and processional avenues crisscrossing the small cactus-covered hills. Overlooking Sanghiang Bay with its clear blue waters, the Nusa Lembongan Resort offers a panoramic view of eastern Bali and the majestic silhouette of Mount Agung. Known for its great surf, the excellent crystal-clear waters also make it a perfect place for snorkeling and diving. It's still a basic place, but interesting, and there are some lovely places to stay. The island is small enough to explore on foot, offering pristine beaches and coves, majestic views of Mount Agung, unique Balinese architecture, and the friendliness of a simple country folk. With a lack of arable land and a severe shortage of tourist attractions, the island's economy is limited to its underwater wealth-seaweed. A secondary occupation is catering to visiting surfers. Between Nusa Lembongan and the adjacent of Nusa Ceningan Island, the population is only 60,000.
There are just two villages on Nusa Lembongan, the large, spread out administrative center of Lembongan Village, and Jungut Batu village. Surfers and backpackers hang out in the latter, about 150 per month, for an average stay of three to five days. The only other visitors are European, Japanese, and Australian day-trippers on excursion boats. Jungut Batu offers the island's best accommodations and water sport opportunities. There's motorcycle traffic between the two villages and it's easy to get a lift. Both villages are heavily involved in the cultivation of seaweed. Before government-supported commercial seafood production in 1980, the people of the island lived on maize, cassava, tuber, beans, and peanuts. Today most everyone is involved in one way or another with cultivation of "sea vegetables," and the air is permeated with its smell.
Visit the seaweed gardens at low tide; they look like gigantic underwater botanical gardens. Two kinds are grown, the small red pinusan and the large green kotoni. Almost the entire crop is exported to Hong Kong for use in the cosmetics and food processing industries. After harvesting, gatherers leave a floating offering of rice and flowers that gently drifts away on the outgoing tide.
Life on Nusa Lembongan is very relaxing, with cool breezes, little traffic, no big hotels, no pollution, no stress, no photocopy machines, and hardly any telephones. Best of all, there are almost no pedagang acung (pushy vendors) and few thieves. Jungut Batu's charming "tree house" bungalow-style accommodations with outdoors open-air 'mandi', rickety wooden furniture, sand floor restaurants and offices are reminiscent of Kuta Beach 20 years ago. Crops are meager, and the only fruit available is melon. All other food must be imported from the market in Denpasar or from the neighboring island of Nusa Penida. Source of

Batur Lake

2009-01-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

Batur Lake is the old crater of Mount Batur, a still active volcano next to it. It is located on the northern part of Bali. The largest lake overshadowed by the active volcano is located in Bangli Regency, at the northeast of Bali. Batur Lake is the widest lake in this island. It lies down in the feet of Mount Batur and Mount Abang. The lake is classified as a "neutral-dilute" lake because there is no known underlying hydrothermal activity, and the abundant rainfall more than quenches any such activity. There is a hot spring right by the lake. We can enjoy the spectacular scenery of Batur Lake from Kintamani. Across the lake, only reachable by boat, lies Trunyan village, where the Bali Aga people live. The surrounding of the lake is a favorite place for picks self up. At Batur Lake we can see the scenic view and feel cool atmosphere. Bangli's mountainous region center is around the spectacular volcanic crater (or caldera) of Batur.

Mount Batur adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur Lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. The place is a great day trips, trekking or just to get away from the daily activity.Mount Batur itself is actually just a small volcano, but sets in the heart of a huge crater 14km in diameter. Adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur Lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. As the road rises steadily from Bangli or Tampaksiring, nothing in the surrounding gray landscape of bushes and garden plots suggests the presence of a volcano. But over one more small ridge a dizzying view awaits the ayes, encompassing the crater and beyond. From Panelokan, the main road runs right round the rim towards Kintamani, the panorama shifting as we circle around the crater. One very interesting excursion in Batur is the climb down the inside of the crater from Penelokan to Kedisan. We can then drive around the smaller Mount Batur, through Songan. From Toya Bungkah, boats cross the lake to a Bali Aga village called Trunyan. This place is notorious for its mortuary traditions. Instead of cremating the dead, as Balinese do throughout most of the island, the Trunyan communities leave the bodies to decompose naturally in a special cemetery.
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Bratan Lake

2009-01-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

Bratan Lake is located next to Mount Bratan and Mount Catur. It is the second largest lake in Bali. Filling the crater of the inactive volcano Mount Catur, Bratan Lake sits at over 1,200 meters above sea level. The important temple of Pura Ulun Danu solemnly guards the lake. The resort area of Bedugul offers excellent views of the lake, as well as a number of water activities. Providing a cool retreat from the hot and humid regions of Bali, its shores provide the traveler with hotels and restaurants and its cool waters offer parasailing, water-skiing, banana-boat rides and other water sports. Some Japanese caves across the lake were dug during World War II. While in the area hike to the beautiful shrines that dot the lakeshore and forested hills around the lake or visit the beautiful Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.
Not far from here are Buyan Lake and Tamblingan Lake, two of the four large lakes on Bali, which can also be worth a visit. Bratan has an altitude of about 1.000 meters, the climate is quite comfortable, at nights we may even need some warm cloths. The area round the lake is well equipped to cater for visitors, with facilities for various water sports (motorboats, water-skiing, bathing) and a good restaurant.
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History of Bali ::

2009-01-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

Bali has been inhabited for a long time. Sembiran, a village in northern Bali, was believed to have been home to the people of the Ice Age, proven by the discovery of stone axes and adzes. Further discoveries of more sophisticated stone tools, agricultural techniques and basic pottery at Cekik in Bali's far west, point to the people of the Neolithic era. At Cekik, there is evidence of a settlement together with burial sites of around a hundred people thought to be from the Neolithic through to the Bronze Age. The massive drums of the Bronze Age, together with their stone moulds have been discovered throughout the Indonesian archipelago, including the most famous and largest drum in Southeast Asia, the Moon of Pejeng, nearly two meters wide, now housed in a temple in east Ubud. In East Java and Bali, there has also been a concentration of carved stone sarcophagi, which we can see in the Bali Museum in Denpasar and Purbakala Museum in Pejeng.
Bali was busy with trade from as early as 200 BC. The prasasti, or metal inscriptions, Bali's earliest written records from the ninth century AD, show a significant Buddhist and Hindu influence; especially in the statues, bronzes and rock-cut caves around Mount Kawi and Gajah Cave. Balinese society was pretty sophisticated by about 900 AD. Their marriage portrait of the Balinese King Udayana to East Java's Princess Mahendratta is captured in a stone carving in the Pura Korah Tegipan in the Batur area. Their son, Erlangga, born around 991 AD, later succeeded to the throne of the Javanese kingdom and brought Java and Bali together until his death in 1049.
In 1284, Bali was conquered by Kertanegara, the ruler of the Singasari; until the turn of the century, saw Bali under its own rule under the hands of King Bedaulu of Pejeng, east of Ubud. 1343 AD, is an important date in Bali's history. It was then that the whole island was conquered by East Java under the mighty Hindu Majapahit kingdom. This resulted in massive changes in Balinese society, including the introduction of the caste system.
Balinese who did not embrace the changes fled to the isolated and remote mountainous areas and hill areas. Their descendants are known today as Bali Aga or Bali Mula that means the "original Balinese". They still live separately in villages like Tenganan near Dasa Temple and Trunyan on the shores of Batur Lake, and maintain their ancient laws and traditional ways. When Majapahit in East Java fell in 1515, the many small Islamic kingdoms in the island merged into the Islamic Mataram empire, Majapahit's most dedicated Hindu priests, craftsmen, soldiers, nobles and artists fled east to Bali, and flooded the island with Javanese culture and Hindu practices. Considering the huge influence and power of Islam at the time, it is worth pondering why and how Bali still remained strongly Hindu and Buddhist.
Batu Renggong, also known as Dewa Agung, means great god, became king in 1550, and this title became hereditary through the succeeding generations of the kingdom of Gelgel, and later Klungkung, until the twentieth century. Bali reached the pinnacle of its Golden Era under the reign of the Batu Renggong, the great god ruler. Bali's decline started when Batu Renggong's grandson, Di Made Bekung, lost Blambangan, Lombok and Sumbawa. DI Made Bekung's chief minister, Gusti Agung Maruti, eventually rebelled and reigned from 1650 till 1686, when he in turn was killed by DI Made Bekung's son, Dewa Agung Jambe, who then moved the court to Klungkung, and named his new palace the Semarapura, Abode of the God of Love.Source of

Bali

2009-01-20T22:52:00.000-08:00

Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc.

The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.
Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.
The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in days to day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces. The Balinese are skilled artisans, particularly in woodcarving and in fashioning objects of tortoiseshell and of gold, silver and other metals. The Balinese are noted for their traditional dance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth of gold and silver threads, Songket, as well as for embroidering silk and cotton clothing. Stone and woodcarvings, traditional and modern paintings and intricately designed jewelry in gold and silver are readily available in shops and galleries throughout the island.
As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, horseback riding, diving, surfing - even bungy jumping and white water rafting - await the adventurous here.

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Kuta Beach

2009-01-20T22:41:00.000-08:00

Once a lonely little village on the road from Denpasar to Bukit Peninsula, Kuta is now the tourist Mecca of Bali, popular mainly among the young and adventurous. Kuta beach is one of the first favorite beaches discovered by tourist. Coconut trees line the sand beach as far as the eyes can see towards the north stopped by the runway of Denpasar's airport far in the west. The sunset in Kuta is most breathtaking. On the south, the beach is fenced by the airport's runway, which gives the visitors a breathtaking landing experience. Kuta Beach bustles with tourists' vendors and locals. It's the most popular beach in Bali and the island's number one party zone. The beach stretches as far north as the eyes can see. As short walk away north, the waves will invite to surfing. Rapid development and an influx of visitors haven't kept the surfers away and Kuta still remains one of Bali's best surfing beaches and a great place to enjoy a beach lifestyle.
While the surfers are still part of the Kuta scene, it's the shopping, nightlife and party vibes that attracts thousands of visitors. There's a huge choice of accommodation, restaurants and entertainment. The accommodation in Kuta range from a modest home stay for a few dollars a night to luxurious, five star, international hotels costing several hundred to several thousand dollars a night. Legian Street, situated directly behind the row of hotels that face the beach, is lined with shops of all varieties. We can find any Balinese handicrafts here, from the least expensive to the most exquisite; or unique stores such as the leather store staffed by two young Balinese men that will perfectly sculpt a leather jacket. (They are all extremely talented artists). _At night, Kuta is alive with night life. Western influences create discotheques, dance clubs, and pubs. Gastronomical demands inspire a multitude of restaurants, serving traditional Indonesian and Balinese food to various ethnic meals from Japan, Switzerland, etc. As if these were not enough, various Balinese dance performances are staged in Kuta every night. One of the best Kecak performances is found in Kuta.Source of

Mount Agung

2009-01-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

Mount Agung is Bali's biggest trekking challenge. The most revered and the highest peak in Bali, Mount Agung stands tall at over 3100 meters. Fortunately, Bali's highest and most revered mountain is not difficult to climb. The tip is to start well before dawn, armed with a strong flashlight, water, food, and warm and waterproof clothing. The best time for a climb is during the dry season of April through October. But climbing is not permitted when major religious events are held at Pura Besakih, which is most of April. The shortest and most popular route up Mount Agung is from Selat or Muncan; involving the least walking due thankfully to serviceable roads from both Selat or Muncan town to the Pura Pasar Agung, or Agung Market Temple. From the temple, we can climb to top in as little as 2 short hours.
Still an active volcano Mount Batur sits 1,500 meters above sea level and takes about an hour's drive northeast of Denpasar. Smoking and rumbling takes place periodically at this mountain. Two eruptions occurred in 1917 and 1926 and more recently in 1994. A crater lake was formed about 30,000 years ago after a major eruption. Many vantage points offer spectacular views of the area. Hiking tours start at 3a and end at 6a when one reaches the summit to view a beautiful sunrise.
The Balinese consider Mount Agung to be the center of the world. All temples in Bali point towards Mount Agung. The Mother Temple of Besakih, with its uncountable steps, solemnly wait for the arrival of the gods and the goddesses, for when they step down from heaven, they come to Besakih by way of Mount Agung.
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Sangeh Monkey Forest

2009-01-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

It is located near to Sangeh village; the renowned 6 hectares of Bali Sangeh Monkey Forest are filled with giant nutmeg trees capable of growing as high as 40m. Sangeh Monkey Forest near the village of Sangeh, in southwestern Bali, has six hectares of forestland with giant nutmeg trees. The main attractions here are the hordes of funny yet wise Balinese monkeys inhabiting both the trees and the temple, Pura Bukit Sari, found in the heart of the forest. The monkeys of the forest are believed to be sacred and indeed will approach anyone paying respects at the temple. But visitors should be aware that these monkeys are attracted to shiny objects, so cameras and jeweler should be left behind or kept well hidden under clothes or in a bag when exploring Sangeh Bali.
Near Sangeh village, about 20 km north of Denpasar. This forest of approximately 6 hectares is filled with giant nutmeg trees that can grow up to 40m high. The main attractions are the hordes of Balinese monkeys that inhabit the trees and the temple, Pura Bukit sari, located in the heart of the forest. The temple, Pura Bukit Sari, was originally built around the 17th century as an agricultural temple and has been restored several times, most recently in 1973. In the central courtyard, a large statue of Garuda, an old carving of uncertain date, symbolizes freedom from suffering and the attainment of amerta, the elixir of life. The forest of nutmeg trees in which it lies was presumably planted deliberately a long time ago, for it is unique in Bali. Source of

Besakih Temple (Mother Temple)

2009-01-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

Over a thousand years old, Besakih Temple is known as the "Mother Temple of Bali" Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung, at a lofty 1,000 meters (3,000 feet). Besakih is the biggest and holiest of all the Balinese temples. Bali's mother temple stands against a stupendous mountain backdrop on the southeastern slopes of Mount Agung. Named after the Dragon God believed to inhabit the mountain, it's said to be the only temple where a Hindu of any caste can worship.
Eighteen separate sanctuaries belonging to different regencies and caste groups surround the three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. To the Balinese, visiting the temple sanctuaries is a special pilgrimage. The mountain top setting gives it an almost mystical quality.The largest on the island, this massive complex of 35 small temples attracts staggering numbers each year, being the main point of pilgrimage for Balinese Hindus. Steps ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where the Trinity shrines, dedicated to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, are wrapped in cloth and decorated with flower offerings. There are number of temples but many of their inner courtyards are closed to visitors. Tracing its origins to prehistoric times, the complex was untouched by the great 1963 eruption of Mount Agung, which wiped out surrounding villages. The complex also houses the oldest remaining gamelan instrument in Bali called selonding. The temple ceremony (odalan) falls on the 10th month of the Balinese calendar, in April. If traveling, try to reach Pura Besakih before 9am, when many tourist buses start to arrive, so that we can take in the lovely temple in the quiet Balinese morning.Source of

Denpasar

2009-01-20T10:18:00.001-08:00

Denpasar is Bali's capital city. Although the modern centre of government departments, international banks, and many other offices, it still retains its unique Balinese personality. This is strongly felt and clearly seen in its many temples, universities and pleasant gardens, which still maintain their presence and influence. Denpasar has the Pura Jagatnatha, a temple dedicated to Bali's Supreme God, Sang Hyang Widi. There are interesting statues of a turtle and two mystical dragons in the temple, signifying the foundation of the world. The Pura's awesome architecture resembles that of Balinese palace. It has now been converted into a museum housing a fine collection of prehistoric and modern art. The famous 4th century Pura Maospahit, is right next to Pura Jaganatha.
There is also an interesting place like; the government-supervised art centre, Sanggraha Kriya Hasta, which also home to a tremendous variety of handicraft and works of art. Taman Wedhi Budaya, meanwhile, is an arts centre with occasional exhibits of paintings, crafts and carvings, and holds traditional dances every evening. It is also the host of the annual Bali Arts Festival in June to July, with performances, exhibitions, art contest, and other activities of artistic nature.
The main street of Denpasar start with Gajah Mada Street in the west, Surapati Street in the centre, followed by Hayam Wuruk Street and ends as Raya Sanur Street in the east. There are many things of history and culture to see. The Puputan Square, with its heroic Catur Mukha, fondly commemorates the Balinese's suicidal stand against the Dutch. Until today, it is touchingly, a popular meeting place for locals in the evenings.

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Tanah Lot Temple

2009-01-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

Tanah Lot is located about 12 kilometers from Tabanan City and 20 kilometers from Denpasar. The area comprises a wondrous mixture of natural beauty and sheer human effort. Here lies an idyllic white sand beach with crashing waves, complemented by a small yet majestic temple. This temple, known as Pura Tanah Lot, juts out to sea on a rocky background. Tanah Lot attracts throngs of both locals and tourists daily. Most come here longing to catch a glimpse of the romantic Tanah Lot sunsets, a regular occurrence during the dry season (April to November).
The royal Taman Ayun temple was built by one of the last priests to come to Bali from Java in the 16th century. The temple stands on the top of a huge rock, surrounded by the sea and is one of Bali's most important sea temples. Tanah Lot pays homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. Ancient rituals pay homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. Poisonous sea snakes found in the caves at the base of the rocky island are believed to be guardians of the temple, standing Virgil against evil spirits and intruders. At the base of the rocky island are poisonous sea snakes believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The best time to see Tanah Lot is in the late afternoon when the temple is in silhouette. Source of

Pura Luhur (Uluwatu) Temple

2009-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali's kayangan jagat (directional temples) and guards Bali from evil spirits from the SW, in which dwell major deities, in Uluwatu's case; Bhatara Rudra, God of the elements and of cosmic force majeures. Bali's most spectacular temples located high on a cliff top at the edge of a plateau 250 feet above the waves of the Indian Ocean. Uluwatu lies at the southern tip of Bali in Badung Regency. Dedicated to the spirits of the sea, the famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is an architectural wonder in black coral rock, beautifully designed with spectacular views. This is a popular place to enjoy the sunset. Famous not only for its unique position, Uluwatu also boasts one of the oldest temples in Bali, Pura Uluwatu. Most of Bali's regencies have Pura Luhur (literally high temples or ascension temples) which become the focus for massive pilgrimages during three or five day odalan anniversaries. The photogenic Tanah Lot and the Bat Cave temple, Goa Lawah, is also Pura Luhur. Not all Pura Luhur are on the coast, however but all have inspiring locations, overlooking large bodies of water.
Pura Uluwatu is located on the cliff top close to the famous surf break on the SW of the Bukit peninsula. Empu Kuturan, a Javanese Hindu priest who built the tiered meru, founded the temple in the 10th century and a shrine here as well as at other key locations longs the Balinese coast. In the 15th Century the great pilgrim priest Dhang Hyang Dwijendra, who established the present form of Hindu-Dharma religion, chose Pura Uluwatu as his last earthly abode: history records that Dwijendra achieved moksa (oneness with the godhead, in a flash of blazing light) while meditating at Uluwatu. The temple is regarded, by Brahman's island wide, as his holy 'tomb'. Legend also tells us that Dwijendra was the architect of the beautiful temple, as well as many other major temples on Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. In the 17th century Niratha also from Java came to Bali and built temples, adding to Uluwatu.
Behind the main pagoda of Pura Uluwatu's small inner sanctum, a limestone statue of a Brahman priest surveys the Indian Ocean-it is said the statue represents the founding priest Dwijendra. Another shrine within the complex represents the boat on which Dwijendra traveled from, then, Hindu Java. According to legend he arrived at Pura Peti Tenget, north of Kuta.
Uluwatu Beach is known for its surf and, in nearby hostelries, its full moon rage parties. It rages at the temple too but in an orderly way, thanks to the royal house of Puri Agung Jero Kuta, Denpasar, who are the temple's hereditary pangemong (custodians). Hundreds of nobles from this family, and many 'devotees' (pengayah) and village pemangku priests from nearby hamlets, ensure that every seven months (on Anggar Kasih Medangsya by the Wuku Calendar, to be exact) the festival is run efficiently, and most elegantly. The palace is proud of its ancestral role: it manages the awesome logistics with fitting dignity. Being a popular surfing spot for the very experienced, Uluwatu offers a wonderful vantage point to view a spectacular sunset. Warungs or small restaurants perched on the cliff offer a comfortable spot to survey the vast Indian Ocean beyond and below the 100-meter-high cliffs with panorama on three sides. Monkeys inhabit the temple and cliff face hoping for a banana or some peanuts from the visitors.
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Gajah Cave (Goa Gajah)

2009-01-16T10:02:00.000-08:00

Goa Gajah, literally means 'Elephant Cave". Although named by 'elephant' it doesn't mean there is any real elephant live or ever live here. The name Goa Gajah derived from 'Lawa Gajah', which is mentioned in the manuscripts that found in this site. This temple complex was built for the first time around 11 century based on epigraph found in this site.
A seven-meters deep cave with a shape of T-letter is the major attraction of this Bedulu village's local temple. The cave it self is carved in a solid stone hill of the river valley. The main figure of the carving at the cave entrance is 'boma', a barong face, accompanied with big clapping fingers on its side. Leaf, flower, and some horror figures can be noticed if we give more attention look to the rest of the carving. Some holes that are considered to be used as meditation or sleeping quarters can be found in the wall of the cave. Nowadays, those holes are used to place offerings whenever there is ceremonies taking place. On the left end side of the cave is Ganesha statue, believe it as 'the God of knowledge'. Meanwhile on the right end side can be found three 'linggas', that each of them dedicated to the three common God manifestations in Bali, Brahma, Wisnu, and Siwa. There are other three stone carvings in the centre wall, one of them figuring head and face.
Three other statues of Ganesha, demons and Men Brayut, a legendary lady with her beloved children, are placed on a high building located on the left side of cave entrance. It is considered that these statues are 1000 years old. In the middle of the complex, in front of the cave, there is bathing place that is not any longer used by the local people. The angle figures within the bathing complex are about similar to common figures found in India. On the south part of the complex, there are along flight of step leads down the lower part of the valley. After crossing a bridge above a small creek and follow another flight of steps up to eastern side of the valley, a headless sitting Buddha statue can be seen. This is the evident of a close relationship between the two religions.
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Jimbaran Beach

2009-01-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Jimbaran is directly south of the airport, on the way from Denpasar towards Nusa Dua. Jimbaran village is the narrow neck of Bali Island, and thus it has two remarkably different beaches. On the west, Jimbaran Beach faces the Jimbaran Bay, recently lined by new luxurious resorts. On the east, the beach faces the body of water sheltered by Benoa Harbor. Jimbaran is a sleepy cove where fleets of fishing boats color the scene. Formerly a relatively quiet area, its image has improved dramatically with the opening of the beautiful Four Season's Resort and the Inter-Continental. The last couple of years, it has become even busier still with grilled seafood restaurants going up at a rapid pace along the beach, attracting local families and tourists in droves.
Located on Bali's west coast, Jimbaran offers a small-secluded beach area, where tranquility and perfect peace is the perfect antidote to a stressful world. The land gently slopes away from the beach revealing exclusive celebrity haunts hidden under a canopy of leafy tropical forest. A popular spot for windsurfing and sailing small craft, which are available for rent, Jimbaran's grey sand and calm waters are attracting more people but the beach still has a sleepy feeling. A day at Jimbaran is made even more popular because of the all the wonderful options to eat. Choose from simple local food, the freshest fish or 5-star luxury. It is also a popular spot for sunset.
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Candidasa Beach

2009-01-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Located 85 km north-east of the airport, Candidasa is a relaxing beach area close to cultural treasures like Pura Besakih ("Bali's Mother Temple") While the beach is not one of Bali's best, the tranquility of Candidasa has attracted a number of exclusive hotels like the Amankila and the Chedi. Candidasa is most often compared to Kuta as Kuta was some 20 years ago. The comparison has some merit -Candidasa is a small village with few inhabitants on the beach with a several- mostly inexpensive hotels that cater to the more adventurous tourists looking for a more laid back atmosphere to explore the cultural heritage of Bali. Being some 85 km from the airport ensures some tranquility, however as more people discover that there is quite a bit to see and do in Candidasa the area is developing rapidly with many first class hotels now sprouting up.
It was a calm small fishing village, but since five years ago, it built with a dozen of losmen (house to stay), hotels and restaurants, and many travelers prefer Candidasa, calmer than Kuta, cheaper than Sanur, and the best place to stay and to explore the oriental part of Bali. It is especially popular among the submarines but the main problem is the beach has erosion as quickly as the new hotels were built.
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Tampak Siring

2009-01-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

Pura Tirta Empul is the temple of Tampak Siring, built around a sacred spring. Tampak Siring is an inscription dates the spring all the way back to 926AD; and there are fine carvings and Garudas on the courtyard buildings. The temple and its two bathing spots have been used by the Balinese for over a thousand years for good health and prosperity; as the spring water really does have the power to cure. Regular purification ceremonies also take place here.
A little off the main road in Tampaksiring is Mount Kawi with its group of large stone memorials cut into cliffs on either side of a picturesque river valley. It is believed to date from 11th century; one is of Bali's most impressive sights. Tampak Siring artists produce marvelous bone and ivory carvings. Both sites open daily. By public transport from Ubud, catch a bemo north to Tampaksiring from the junction in Bedulu, which is southeast of Ubud.
An archaeological complex lies on gorge of Pakerisan River. To reach the complex visitors must walk about 600 meters from the parking area to the ticket counter than walked down on 315 stone steps. Before take a cross on the bridge at the bottom of the valley make a turn to the left to see the first stone monument. Another group of stone monument is located on the left side of the main temple across of the river.

The monuments are hewn in relief on a solid rock hill commonly called candi (temple). There are shaped like burial towers found all over Central and East Java. However, there are many theories telling identity of the royal personages honored here. One very credible theory suggests the five temple in the main group were built for King Udayana, his Javanese queen Gunapriya, his concubine, his illustrious eldest son Airlangga who ruled over East Java, and his youngest son Anak Wungsu. Reigning over Bali from AD 1050 to 1077, Anak Wungsu is believed to have given up his kingdom to become a religious hermit.
In the right of the main ensemble of temples is a cloister with five cells carved out of rock. The cloister inmates most likely were caretakers of the temple. There's a second hermitage near the main cloister, consisting of niches around a central courtyard, which might have served as sleeping quarters for visiting pilgrims. To get into this part of the temple visitors must take of their shoes. A walk up north of the temple complex could be a short nice walking along the rice field and river stream. The path leads to a small waterfall after 800 meters away and about 1,5 kilometers to Mengening Temple.

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Other Balinese Side on Their Life

2009-01-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

Individualism, in the context of Balinese can be defined as a value that penetrates rapidly into the fabrics of Balinese life and culture. Though Balinese acknowledge individuality as expressed in Balinese sayings, such as “gumi linggah ajak liu, ada kene ada keto” (world is vast, there are many different people with different ideas) and “makejang anake ngelah pematut” (all people have their own standard); but Balinese individuality is confined within the framework of communality, it is an amalgam of individuals to fulfill a communal goal, clearly not individual enough to be called “individualism” as in the Western countries that put emphasis on individual needs, goal, and ambition; with inadequate attention to the communal interest or goal.
The newly-adopted individualism gives various social and cultural effects to the Balinese life, range from the abstract “deterioration of communal spirit” to the increasing number of absentees in voluntary communal works, from buying offerings (though more expensive, buying offering considered more practical by some Balinese than making them at home with the help of clan and community members) to increasing amount of fine for skipping the regular community meeting.
But individualism can not be solely blamed for the deterioration of communal spirit among the Balinese. Many Balinese work in hotels, restaurants, private companies and other establishment that require certain amount of time during the working days to be devoted solely for the works, minimizing the chance for Balinese to participate in communal works which may be hold during the working hours.
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Bali Airport to Get Upgrade

2009-01-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport Indonesia will soon undergo a major expansion and renovation, according to an announcement from Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla. The project will begin in the Spring of 2009 and is scheduled to take approximately two years to complete.

Kalla was in Bali recently and took part in a meeting at the airport to plan the expansion. Afterwards, he said that “The expansion project will have to be started not later than April 2009 and the next three months should be used to prepare the tender. The project should be completed within two years.”

The project calls for an expansion of the current runway to accommodate larger planes as well as the addition of a new runway. Additionally, a new domestic terminal is planned and the current international terminal will be expanded. The cost of the planned work is said to be Rp. 1.2 trillion, or about US $111.6 million.
Source: http://www.homesgofast.com/

Religious Day Purnama Kaenem

2008-12-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

Today noticed many hindus people in traditional dress and found out it is Purnama, full moon. Full moon ceremonies called purnama, are important for hindus people, who use a lunar calendar. Today is Purnama Kaenem (sixth) according to balinese calendar. At this special day is best day to perform religious ceremony. Towering offerings called sesajen, are also brought to the temple. Hindus people usually offered sesajen to the temple (ngerainin) today and tomorrow also. Because in hindus people there are two days that are purnama and pangelong (one day after purnama).
Hindus balinese believe if you bathe in water containing fragrant frangipani flowers, under the light of the full moon, you will enjoy youthfullness and good health. At Tanah Lot Temple, there are so many balinese people doing praying from morning until nightime. They come from some area in Bali. Usually, if there are special day for Hindus people like, purnama (full moon), tilem, buda wage, anggara kasih, saraswati, siwaratri, and other, there are many hindus people doing pray at.
In the morning, sea water on segara kidul is not high so that, hindus people can praying at jeroan Tanah Lot Temple. But start from 8 AM, sea water already high, so that hindus people just can pray at Penyawang Temple or Pengayatan Temple. Usually on purnama there are many fisherman fishing at Segara Kidul Tanah Lot. Besides fishing, fisherman usually searching sea weed. Source : http://tanahlot.net/

BALI - Culture

2008-12-09T23:56:00.000-08:00

Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese dances portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, and kecak (the monkey dance).
The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. On the preceding day large, colorful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

National education programs, mass media and tourism continue to change Balinese culture. Immigration from other parts of Indonesia, especially Java, is changing the ethnic composition of Bali's population.
The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things with their left hand and would not wave at anyone with their left hand.Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

BALI - Economy

2008-12-09T23:27:00.000-08:00

Three decades ago, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based in terms of both output and employment. Tourism is now the largest single industry; and as a result, Bali is one of Indonesia’s wealthiest regions. The economy, however, has suffered significantly as a result of the terrorist bombings of 2002 and 2005.
Although in terms of output, tourism is the economy’s largest industry, agriculture is still the island’s biggest employer[citation needed], most notably rice cultivation. Crops grown in smaller amounts include fruit, vegetables, Coffea arabica and other cash and subsistence crops.[citation needed] A significant number of Balinese are also fishermen. Bali is also famous for its artisans who produce batik and ikat cloth and clothing, wooden carvings, stone carvings and silverware.
The Arabica coffee production region is the highland region of Kintamani near Mount Batur. Generally, Balinese coffee is processed using the wet method. This results in a sweet, soft coffee with good consistency. Typical flavors include lemon and other citrus notes. Many coffee farmers in Kintamani are members of a traditional farming system called Subak Abian, which is based on the Hindu philosophy of "Tri Hita Karana”. According to this philosophy, the three causes of happiness are good relations with God, other people and the environment. The Subak Abian system is ideally suited to the production of fair trade and organic coffee production. Arabica coffee from Kintamani is the first product in Indonesia to request a Geographical Indication.

Although significant tourism exists in the north, centre and east of the island, the tourist industry is overwhelmingly focused in the south. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs (which were once independent townships) of Legian and Seminyak, Sanur, Jimbaran, Ubud, and the newer development of Nusa Dua. The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus joining the southernmost part of the island to the main part of the island. Another increasingly important source of income for Bali is what is called "Congress Tourism" from the frequent international conferences held on the island, especially after the terrorist bombings of 2002; ostensibly to resurrect Bali's damaged tourism industry as well as its tarnished image.
Bali's tourism brand is Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti. Where Shanti derived from Sanskrit "Shanti" (शान्‍ति) meaning peace.Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

BALI - Geography

2008-12-09T23:18:00.000-08:00

The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and is approximately 112 km (69 mi) north to south; it's land area is 5,632 km². The highest point is Mount Agung at 3,142 m (10,308 feet) high, an active volcano that last erupted in March 1963. Mountains cover centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Mount Batur (1,717 m) is also still active; an eruption 30,000 years ago was one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth.[citation needed]
In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow, north-south flowing rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain. The longest of these rivers, Sungai Ayung, is also the longest on the island (approx. 75 km).
The principal cities are the northern port of Singaraja, the former colonial capital of Bali, and the present provincial capital and largest city, Denpasar, near the southern coast.

The town of Ubud (north of Denpasar), with its art market, museums and galleries, is arguably the cultural centre of Bali.

There are major coastal roads and those that cross the island mainly north-south. Due to the mountainous terrain in the island's center, the roads tend to follow the crests of the ridges across the mountains. There are no railway lines.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both[citation needed]. The Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.
To the east, the Lombok Strait separates Bali from Lombok and marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia. The transition is known as the Wallace Line, named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who first proposed transition zone between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

Bali - Religion

2008-12-09T23:04:00.000-08:00

Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (4.79%), Christianity (1.38%), and Buddhism (0.64%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.
Bali consists of about three million people, nearly all of whom practice the Balinese Hindu religion, a heterogeneous amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist heroes, with the spirits of ancestors and with indigenous deities associated with agriculture and with places considered sacred. Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It is supposed to pervade every aspect of traditional life.

Bali Hinduism, which has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people, which inhabited the island around the first millennium BCE. This influence strengthened the belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual, and is less closely preoccupied with scripture, law, and belief than Islam in Indonesia. Ritualizing states of self-control are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and decorous behavior. Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/

THE MOST POPULAR BALI TOURS

2008-12-09T22:37:00.000-08:00

· Kintamani Volcano Tour: The first stop is often in the village of Batubulan to watch a performance of the Barong and Kris Dance. Afterwards you visit the villages of Celuk (silver jewelry) and Mas (wood carving) to see Balinese artisans at work. Ubud, Bali's cultural center, has grown to a busy town with numerous Balinese art galleries and shops. A scenic drive over small roads overlooking beautiful rice terraces brings you to the mountain village of Kintamani (about 5,000 feet above the sea) which offers spectacular views of Lake Batur and the volcano. You can cross the crater lake below the still active Mount Batur and visit the "Bali Aga" village of Trunyan. Return through traditional villages with stops in Tampaksiring to visit the temple of Tirta Empul, and to visit the Elephant Cave "Goa Gajah", a hermitage from the 11th. century used by both Buddhists and Hindus.

· The "Mother Temple" and East Bali Tour: Drive to Besakih through various villages visiting on the way a weaving factory, see the famous painted ceiling at the old "Palace of Justice" in Klungkung, and visit the school of painting in Kamasan. The "Mother Temple" in Besakih is Bali's most holy and Indonesia's biggest Hindu temple. It was build in the 11th. Century in an altitude of 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) on the slopes of Mount Agung. You pass picturesque rice terraces on the way to the walled "Bali Aga" village of Tenganan, and continue to Candi Dasa on the East coast. On the way back it's recommended to stop at the famous Bat Cave "Goa Lawah" with thousands of bats hanging from the walls.
· Bedugul Tour: After a stop in Sangeh to visit its holy forest inhabited by wild monkeys, drive up into the mountains to Lake Bratan (1,200 meters above sea level) and the picturesque water temple Ulun Danu. Visit the busy flower, fruit and spice market in Candikuning where most of Bali's vegetables come from. Drive back through small country roads, villages and rice fields, with a stop in an artisan village specializing in gold threaded textiles (Ikat) worn during important ceremonies.

· North Bali Tour: Drive the scenic road via Pupuan through the mountains to Bali's North coast. You'll enjoy beautiful views of picturesque rice terraces, and large plantations growing vanilla, chocolate, coffee, cloves, and even wine grapes. Near the village of Banjar is a popular hot spring where you can take a bath in the natural pond. After a lunch on the black beach in Lovina you pass the old capital of Singaraja on the way to Git Git, famous for its multi-tier water fall. Return over back roads to see the unspoiled Bali. (This tour can be combined with the visit to Bedugul.)

· Monkey Forest & Tanah Lot Tour: Visit the royal Taman Ayun temple in Mengwi (built in 1624), the holy monkey forest near Sangeh, and famous Tanah Lot. This picturesque Balinese temple was built in the 16th. Century on a huge rock 100 yards off Bali's West coast and is surrounded by the sea during high tides. Spectacular sight, however, spoiled by thousands of tourists visiting every day during sunset. To avoid these, enjoy the view from the lobby of the nearby Le Meridien Nirvana Resort.

· Handicraft Villages & Ubud Tour: Visit the artisan villages of Batubulan (stone carving), Celuk (silver & gold jewelry), Mas (wood carving), and Pengosekan (painting). Stop at the "Bali Art Market" in Sukawati to bargain for all kinds of handicrafts and textiles. Already in the 1930s Ubud had been made famous around the world as Bali's cultural center by the German intellectual Walter Spies, the Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet and other foreign artists who'd made it their home. Today Ubud is a fast growing town with numerous art galleries and shops offering paintings, wood carvings, textiles, and all kinds of souvenirs. Don't miss the MUSEUM PURI LUKISAN in the center of Ubud, the NEKA MUSEUM in Campuhan, the NEKA GALLERY in Ubud, the AGUNG RAI GALLERY in Peliatan, and the AGUNG RAI MUSEUM in Pengosekan to see the difference between creative art and more commercial products. Problem is that when you see their "Permanent Collections" at many "Galleries" you've seen real art, and when you return to their show rooms you don't like any of the very commercial products any more. The SENIWATI GALLERY - ART BY WOMEN, founded in 1991 by Mary Northmore (the very personable wife of famous painter Abdul Azis) to help Balinese women to be accepted as artists, is a place you should not miss whatever you do. The main purpose of this Bali art gallery is to expose the long understated brilliance of independent women artists resident in Bali, and to motivate, train, and encourage young Balinese girls with obvious creative gifts. Visit also the BLUE MOON STUDIO and GALLERY, founded in 1994 with an emphasis on exhibiting contemporary artists. The LOTUS CAFE is perhaps the most popular meeting point in town and has become kind of an institution, and MURNI'S as well as the BRIDGE CAFE offer tasty snacks and full meals in very pleasant surroundings and at reasonable prices. For other interesting restaurants please visit Restaurants in Ubud. The various Balinese dance and Wayang Kulit performances in Ubud and in nearby villages are worth spending the early evening there.

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History of Bali

2008-11-26T01:57:00.000-08:00

Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BCE who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia. Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania. Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.
Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Balidwipa has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 913 AD and mentioning Walidwipa. It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.
The first European contact with Bali is thought to have been made by Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman who arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585. Dutch colonial control was expanded across the Indonesian archipelago in the nineteenth century. Their political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast by playing various distrustful Balinese realms against each other. In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control. The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who marched to certain death against superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender. Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 4,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders. In 1908, a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise little influence over the island, and local control over religion and culture generally remained intact.
Dutch rule over Bali had come later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku. Imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. In the 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature", and western tourism first developed on the island. Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed Republic of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.
The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting these traditional values. Politically, this was represented by opposing supporters of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), with tensions and ill-feeling further increased by the PKI's land reform programs. An attempted coup in Jakarta was put down by forces led by General Suharto. The army became the dominant power as it instigated a violent anti-communist purge, in which the army blamed the PKI for the coup. Most estimates suggest that at least 500,000 people were killed across Indonesia, with an estimated 80,000 killed in Bali, equivalent to 5 per cent of the island's population. With no Islamic forces involved as in Java and Sumatra, upper-caste PNI landlords led the extermination of PKI members.
As a result of the 1965/66 upheavals, Suharto was able to maneuver Sukarno out of the presidency, and his "New Order" government reestablished relations with western countries. The Bali as a tourist paradise which was instigated during the pre World War II colonial time was revised in a modern form, and the resulting large growth in tourism has led to a dramatic increase in Balinese standards of living and significant foreign exchange earned for the country. A bombing in 2002 by militant Muslims in the tourist area of Kuta killed 202 people, mostly foreigners. This attack, and another in 2005, severely affected tourism, bringing much economic hardship to the island.
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BALI

2008-11-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Bali is an Indonesian island located at 8°25′23″S 115°14′55″E / -8.42306, 115.24861 Coordinates: 8°25′23″S 115°14′55″E / -8.42306, 115.24861, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.
With a population recorded as 3,151,000 in 2005, the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.

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