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Balinese Wayang Kulit: The Ancient Shadows Plays 2007-08-19 19:42:00 The shadow puppet plays, known as wayang kulit are popular not only in Bali but throughout Indonesia. Far more than mere entertainment, the wayang kulit is an extremely important vehicle of culture, serving as carrier of myth, morality play, and form of religious experience rolled into one. The puppets are believed to have great spiritual power, and are "brought to life" by special ceremonies ...

Ngaben - Bali Cremation Ceremony 2007-08-18 19:33:00 Ngaben or the Cremation Ceremony is the ritual performed to send the dead through the transition to his next life. The village Kul Kul, hanging in the tower of the village temple, will sound a certain beat to announce the departure of the deceased. The body of the deceased will be placed at Bale Delod, as if he were sleeping, and the family will continue to treat him as if he were still alive yet ...

Menjangan Island - Bali Dive Site 2007-08-18 03:48:00 Menjangan became Bali's first internationally known dive spot in 1978. The island in the Barat National Park is surrounded by coral reefs that drop down as deep as 60 meters in places. This spot is most renowned for is wall diving where huge gorgonians can be found clinging to the coral crevices. Pygmy seahorses and morays are often spotted in the cracks and under overhangs along the walls here. ...

The Le Mayeur Museum 2007-08-17 03:40:00 The Museum Le Mayeur in Sanur is definitely a must-see place in Bali for the simple reason that some of Belgian artist Andrien Jean Le Mayeur’s finest paintings of his lovely wife Ni Pollok, who often modeled for him, are housed here.Located just steps away from Sanur Beach, the museum is flanked by the Grand Bali Beach Hotel to the south and Pura Dalem (Temple of the Dead) and the Diwangkara Hotel on the north.The museum features a good variety of the artist’s paintings in both oil and water colors. Most of his paintings are of his wife Ni Pollok or other young Balinese women in various states of repose or doing traditional crafts such as weaving.Born in 1880, Le Mayeur was the youngest son of a noble Belgian family. As an adult he was passionate about travel and spent time exploring various countries before arriving on Bali’s shores in 1932. Spellbound by the sights and sounds of the island, he journeyed south to Denpasar where he rented a small house and chose to live within ...

Bali Arts Centre 2007-08-15 20:04:00 The Balinese have long had a dream: to have a large-scale central venue, where they could hold their own, Balinese Cultural Events. And this dream after many years of waiting eventually became a reality with the construction of tall building designed Balinese architecture. This building, the Mahudara Mandhara Giri Bhuwaana, was inaugurated on the 14th February 1973, the first of a series of buildings covering five hectares. This Art Center, located at Nusa Indah Street, is also known by the Balinese name Werdhi Budaya.Function of the Art Center BuildingIn the North is located the Gedung Kriya Uccaihsrawa building where the fine arts exhibition are held. Balinese and foreign artists exhibit there.To The West of Gedung Kriya lies the two story Dewi Ratih Building. Which is used during the Bali Art Festival for an architectural exhibition on the first floor and a photography exhibition on the second floor.But the largest structure (7200 m2) by far is the giant crescent shaped Ardha Candra ...

Celuk 2007-08-14 19:54:00 The Balinese are renowned for their artistic and craft skills. One of the most popular areas is silver jewelry and the most famous center of production is Celuk.Getting to Celuk from Kuta, you take the Bypass to Sanur, head in the direction of Ubud and take the turn off in the direction of Sukawati. About a mile further, you come to the begining of a long strip of silversmith’s shops, which include small independent places, and larger more organized ones.The journey from Kuta takes about 40 minutes, and Celuk is easy to find. Along the way, if you stop at a traffic light, a friendly local might pull up next to you, and offer to take you to his cousin’s jewelry shop. They are hoping to get you to make a purchase, so they can get a commission.Celuk, known for its silver and goldsmiths. The skills of the Celuk artisans are well known for their high taste of art and high quality products. A large variety of all types of intricately designed pieces can be found. The silver filigree work ...

Alas Kedaton 2007-08-13 19:58:00 Alas Kedaton or “Holy Forest: is a small forrest measuring 12,00ha where you can see hundreds of monkeys in their natural habitat. It's one of the place in Bali where monkeys exist, free and peaceful. There are hundred of monkeys in this forest and high up on the big trees many bats area hanging and singing with their loud voices.Located in Sangeh Village, the six-hectare forest is populated with giant nutmeg trees of up to 40m in height. Hordes of Balinese monkeys that inhabit both the trees and the temple, Pura Bukit Sari, located in the heart of the forest, will greet you as you enter the forest, some of them even daring to get close to you. The monkeys have become well acquainted with human company, but beware - sometimes in their attempts to get food, they will snatch some object in order to trade for food. Be aware that the monkeys are easily attracted by shiny objects, such as cameras, jewelry, wristwatches or glasses - best to leave these things behind or keep them hidden. ...

Kintamani 2007-08-12 19:45:00 The villages of Kintamani and Penelokan provide a great view of the still active Mount Batur and its fantastic lake. Seven miles in diameter and sixty feet deep, Batur caldera is simply astounding. From Penelokan, take the road Kedisan on the shores of the lake where boats can be rented to cross over to Trunyan. The spectacular mountainous region around Kintamani with its deep Crater Lake and bubbling hot springs, make this region a must to visit. Batur Lake is the largest lake in Bali and the region offers some of the most spectacular views to be found anywhere on the island. Batur Lake also provides water for an underground network of streams and springs across the southern slopes of the mountain. Kintamani is really great for day trips, trekking or simply for getting away from it all for a few days. Kintamani can run through Payangan or from Denpasar through the Sangeh monkey forest, Plaga and Lampu, arriving to the north of Kintamani. Bemos to Kintamani are available from Ubud via ...

Taman Ayun Temple 2007-08-11 20:13:00 The temple of Taman Ayun in Bali's Mengwi district, has long been well known as a tourist attraction and is about either kilometres from Denpasar on the road to Singaraja via Bedugul.Pura Taman Ayun was built in 1634 by the the Raja, I Gusti Agung Anom. The kingdom of Mengwi was powerful enough to control large parts of Badung, Tabanan and Gianyar from the first part of the 17th Century to the latter part of the 19th Century. The name itself means beautiful garden. It is built on a high tableland which is surrounded by ponds. This gives the effect from afar that the temple is floating on water.Approaching the temple on the street we saw the usual set up of food and drink vendors. On this occasion there was and event inside to offer respects to the new government and outside extra police lounged in the shade.The temple complex has three ground areas which rise in levels. In the most external one there is a general purpose hall which is used for religious ceremonies and for staging of ...

Gitgil Waterfall 2007-08-10 20:08:00 The Gitgit Waterfall in Bali is set on the left hand side of the main road that leads to Singaraja from Denpasar. The location of Bali's Gitgit Waterfall becomes conveniently accessible from the time the road takes on to the mountain to Singaraja. Walk past the multifarious sarong and handicraft stalls to get to the Gitgit Waterfall.A visit to the waterfall at Gitgit should be on every tourist's list. Although the winding road is steep and you have to walk the last part, it is accessible by car or motorbike. You can park your vehicle at a parking lot on the Denpasar to Singaraja road from where you can see the waterfall. To get closer, you will need to walk.The path can be considered in two halves. The first part is a stepped concrete path bordered by trees and shrubs on one side and a myriad of colourful shops on the other. Halfway along the scene changes and on both sides you can see coffee and clove trees. It is a refreshing experience to walk in this quiet area where the birds ta ...

Nusa Lembongan 2007-08-09 19:41:00 Nusa Lembongan is a small island, 20 km off the east coast of Bali. Its local population is less than 4000 people whose major industry is that of fishing and seaweed farming. Have you ever wondered where the seaweed of your sushi might come from?Known for its great surf, the excellent crystal-clear waters also make it a perfect place for snorkelling and diving. It’s still a basic place, but interesting, and there are some lovely places to stay.After a 50 min ride on the Bali Hai II, where you can have snorkeling and scuba diving demonstrations, you arrive at the floating pontoon where you are shuttled by smaller boats to the island of Nusa LembonganThere are 5 main breaks in Nusa Lembongan:1. Shipwrecks – a fun, workable right that breaks on the mid to high tide.2. Razors – a rarely makeable, left barrel, that on it’s day is a long full suck turbo tube.3. Lacerations – A high speed, hollow right barrel.4. Playgrounds – a mellow left and right peak that provides a wave when ...

Lovina Beach 2007-08-08 19:52:00 Six km west of Singaraja, three hours drive from Denpasar, the popular beach resort of Lovina is a long stretch of black sand with crystal-clear water.It takes about 3 to 5 hours from the Ngurah Rai airport to Lovina beach. You can go straight up from Kuta to Singaraja, passing Bedugul, or might prefer to take a rather longer road through Kintamani, head west and feel the cold breeze at Mount Batur before you arrive at Lovina beach.Actually, Lovina is a generic term for a whole line of six small villages and palm-fringed beaches. From east to west it includes: Pemaron, Tukadmungga, Anturan, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem, and Temukus. The strip starts at about six km mark west of Singaraja to about five km past of Kaliasem. Kalibukbuk has the highest concentration of restaurants and accommodations while the fishing villages of Anturan and Temukus are less densely packed and thus quieter.AnturanHere in Anturan, there are more than 20 small cottages and bungalows to choose from. It also has the on ...

Trunyan Village 2007-08-07 19:38:00 Trunyan Village is located between Lake Batur and the outer crater rim of Mount Batur, and only accessible by boat. It is a Bali Aga village, inhabited by descendants of the original Balinese, the people who predate the arrival of Hindu Majapahit Kingdom in the 16th century.Trunyan Village is well-known for its Pancering Jagat Temple, but visitors are not allowed to enter. There are also a couple of traditional Bali Aga-style houses, and a large banyan tree which is said to be more than 1.100 years old. In Kuban Village, close to Trunyan Village, there is a mysterious cemetery, separated by the lake and is only accessible by boat.Unlike the Balinese people, the people of Trunyan do not cremate or bury their dead, but just lay them out in bamboo cages to decompose, although strangely there is no stench. A macabre collection of skulls and bones lies on the stone platform and the surrounding areas.The dead bodies don't produce bad smells because of the perfumed scents from a huge Taru Me ...

Ubud Travel 2007-08-05 19:41:00 Ubud is located 35 km northeast of Bali's International Airport. It is attractive to tourists for a variety of reasons. On a relatively small island with a horde of attractions, Ubud is centrally located, and even the closest beach is only 15 minutes away.Ubud is arguably the best place to use as a base if you're visiting Bali; if you're looking for culture, comfort, nature and inspiration. Ubud is surrounded by most of the things that bring people to Bali -- scenic rice fields, small villages, art and craft communities, ancient temples, palaces, rivers, cheap accommodation and unique luxury hotels. And it's central location makes it easy to get from Ubud to the mountains, beaches, and major towns.Ubud is popular in part today because it is the best place in Bali to break out of the tourist mode and get off the beaten path, although far from undiscovered. Hotels are plentiful; home stays and Indonesian guesthouses (losmen) are easily available to the foreign tourist. Many tourists ...

Sanur Village Festival August 15-19, 2007 2007-08-04 19:32:00 It originated from a few minds and the desire to increase the image of Sanur as one of the prominent tourism destinations in Bali. After a brainstorming session, members of the Yayasan Pembangunan Sanur concluded with a yearly event to bring the Sanur tourism community and the local community together through a week-long event dedicated to increase the cultural aspects of the area. Hence the Sanur Village Festival was established for the first time in 2006.This year the event will be held from 15 – 19th August 2007 at the Inna Grand Bali Beach and Segara Beach carrying the theme “Fun and Cultural Event”. Various activities allow opportunities for development and showcase of cultural skills as well as competitions to even exhibitions.Designed to be "bigger and better" than last year's inaugural event, the Sanur Village Festival 2007 is being organized by the Sanur Development Foundation - an organization comprised of Sanur Village residents and businesses dedicated to promoting a ...