Pelaga Bali

Location

This place of interest is located on the northern tip of Badung regency, about 48 km in distance from Denpasar (Bali Capital). This place can be easily reached by two and fourwheeled vehicles from Denpasar to the north throught Sangeh, the Monkey Forest and Petqang village.
From this village there is a cutthrough road heading to Kintamani Tourist resort through a small village named Belok Sidan.

Facility

There is a big temple on the slope of Mt. Mangu on the northern of the village completed with parking lot, however up to this time there have not any tourist facilities been built yet on this area. Description
This area located on northern tip of Badung Regency, at the border area of Badung, Tabanan, Buleleng ang Bangil regency.
Its natural beauty and cool weather has been known since long time ago and it has been a favourite place for holyday retreat and refreshing, proved with restinghouse bult there by the Ducth government and now managed by the local government of Badung regency. Range of mountain, valleys, terrace of rice paddyfield, waterfall and evergreen coffee-plantation will amuse visitors while visiting this area.

Le Mayeur and Archaelogical Museum

Le Mayeur Museum

Sanur beach is the most beautiful and attractive recreation for tourist. In the history of “Puputan Badung” (Badung War) on 18 November 1906, it was the anchored harbour of the Dutch troops to attack the King of Badung.

Sanur Beach was proclaimed by a foreign painter, A.T. Le Mayeur. He came to Bali in 1937 because of the beauty of Sanur beach, he then decided to live permanently on this beach by building a place to paint. Le Mayeur married his model girl, named Ni Polok. She was also a dancer who had been famous at that time.

Le Mayeur gallery are full of painting and interesting books which are kept in a building with a Balinese architecture. It was too difficult to get a canvas to paint at that time, so he used traditional cloth made of woven jute to paint. Le Mayeur passed away 1959 in Belgium and his gallery was then given to the Indonesian government as Le Mayeur Museum.

Location

Le Mayeur Museum is located 6 km east of Denpasar, 200 meters to the north of Grand Bali Beach Hotel and it can be reachedby motor bike or public transport from Kreneng terminal.

Archaelogical Museum

500 m north of the junction in Bedulu village, along the road to Tampaksiring, sits the Museum Purbakala. This archaeological museum contains a collection of prehindu artifacts, like stone axes, copper plates, megaliths, bone decorations and more. Some kilometers further north is the Pejeng village with some famous temples; Pura Kebo Edan, Pura Pusering Jagat and Pura Penataran Sasih.

Taman Ayun Temple and its Surroundings

History

It is a royal temple built in 1634, surrounded by moat full of water lilies and is about 300 meters of the former palace of the King of Mengwi.

The Temple yar is always green and fresh with well-cared flowers plants and grass, while in the inner yard row of “Meru” (Multi storied shrine), the ancestors shrine of the royal family of Mengwi called “Paibon” and the shrine to worship Ida Sang Hyang Tri Murti (God with His Three manifestation) called “Padmasana”.

Across the temple is the “Museum Manusa Yadnya” (museum of human life cycle rituals) where displayed series of rituals to be undergone by Hindu Balinese starting from the time inside the mother’s womb up to cremation ceremony.

Location

Taman Ayun temple is located at Mengwi village, district of Mengwi, Badung regency. It is about 19 km, north-west of Denpasar on the direction to Singaraja on the north throught Bedugul, the mountain resort.

Indonesian or Balinese Travel Formalities

Travellers to Indonesia or Bali must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months after arrival. No visa is required for nationals of 46 countries. This tourist visa is valid for a period of two months and cannot be renewed.

This 60-day tourist visa can be obtained by applying to Indonesia Embassies or Consulates that Indonesia includes in the free visa list. Extension of this visa is only given at the discretion of local Immigrationauthorities.

An exit permit is required for visitors who stay for six month or longer. The departure tax for International destination is Rp. 100.000,- for domestic destination it is Rp. 30.000,-

Arts and Artisans in Bali

Arts is very popular in Bali and has important meaning for the Balinese people. The focus of Balinese culture is art, the many form of which have been developed and studied intensively the Balinese people well as foreign students and artists.

The famous traditional dancers are classifies by some in three groups; 1) Wali, very sacred religious dances, 2) Bebali, as ritual performance, 3) Balih-Balihan, dance for entertainment.

Wood carvers, who previously concerned upon making statue for temple and decorating instruments, door ways and mask for dramatic show, are now making non-functional objects purely for touris concumption. This has had an effect on the quality in some cases, but it has also meant a renaissance in the art of carving with a whole group of new subjects being explored by the natural talented artists.

Painting has similarly undergone a rapid development as a commercial art in Bali. The traditional Kamasan style Wayang painting with their epic stories portrayedin stylized illustrations and rich brown and yellow colouring can now be found for sale all over the island. Ubud is still undisputed center for painters, with road side galleries exhibiting the brightly coloured “young artisans” style of painting showing daily life in Bali painted in rich intricate detaile. Less frequently found are the simple Wayang paintings with their delicates shaded colours. The concept individualism is still relatively foreign to Balinese artist and it is usual to find a thousand minor variations on the same subject produced by one family of artist.

Weaving is a cottage industry and the finely woven Balinese “Kamben”, called Sarongs by foreigners, can be seen growing on the handlooms in numerous place along the ubud road. Klungkung is the home of the exotic brocades, or Songket that are some times woven in silk with threads of gold and silver forming the design. In Tenganan one of the original Bali Aga (ancient Bali) in a process that takes many months, all treads being carefully dyed before the weaving to produce intricate design and patterns.

Making metal object is also a well-developed art in Bali. For centuries the Keris makers have been some of the most respecteds community members, as the weapon their produce, resplended with gold hilus and inlaid gems, are held to be a symbol of the family they belong to, heirloom, processing magical powers. Many are the skill of the Balinese smiths, from making agriculture implements to the precisiontooled part of musical instrument and the accessories of priest (bells, incensed burner, etc). Exquisite gold and silver jewellery can be seen being made the simplest of tools in the workshop of Celuk.

Everyday life nurtures a love of creative and artistic activities for the people of Bali. Offering making is real art, with the strictest attention being paid to such qualities as composition, colour and from making the hight-piled structures of exotic fruits and brightly cloured cakes, topped with performed flowers and exquisite origami-like palm-leaf structures. Every religious ceremony has its accompanying extravagance of decoration improvised from local materials. No ceremony is more dramatic than that of cremation, with is brilliantly decorated tower and sarcophagus, all designed to go up in smoke.

This transitory value, which is characteristic of much traditional art in Bali, makes it every pure form, selfless creativity dedicated to God and the community with no through of personal gain.

Literatur wa the great cultural of source of other arts. Since along time ago, Balinese valued handwriting and literally skill. Traditional work of Balinese literature were writtenin several related languages; Old Balinese, Hindu Balinese, a mixture of Balinese-Javanese, New Balinese, and Modern Balinese.

The highlight of any holiday in Baliare those incidentals “happening” which inevitably and unexpectedly occur on any trip around the island. Each corner and bend in the roads promises something new and vital to experience. Changes are good of seeing a religious procession complete with mobile gamelan orchestra, or a colourful temple ceremony, or even just the local army of ducks weddling their way in regimental fashion to their day in the paddy fields.

Miusic, Dance and Drama in Bali

In Bali, no temple festival or ceremony is complete without accompanying entertainment for the God, attending guest and local people. Temple anniversaries are occasion for all-night drama and dance performance. This are found nowhere else in the world.

The basic accompaniment to any such performance is provided by the local gamelan orchestra, a group of bronze instruments, met allophones, tunes gongs, cymbal and hand drums. The instruments are generally owned by the village, as they are extremely expensive. They are stored at the village’s meeting hall (Bale Banjar).

In times gone by Balinese music was passed from generation to generation purely by memory recently Balinese music has been written down or recorded on audio or videotape. Each particular dance and dramatic performance has its own special combination of instrument to built the nature of the ceremony. Melodious bamboo flutes (Suling), reedy four stringed, violin like instrument (rebab) and twinging jew’s-harp-like instrument (genggong) are all used to provide their own special effect.

Legong keraton

Perhaps the most exquisite of Balinese dance is the classical Legong, a dance traditionally performed as entertainment for the king. The young femaleare wrapped from head to ankle in hand painted gold brocade, with glitter gold and sparkling mirrors and are topped with trembling frangipani flowers. As they glide and sway they pantomime an ancient story about King Lasem and his unsuccessful girls. The dancers seem to be essence of all that is feminine and beautiful.

Baris

As a dance of war. The Baris is strongly masculine and yet also display at the same time an intense sensitivity of feeling in its myriad moods and expressions. The Baris Gede is a sacred dance that is usually performed at temple ceremonies. Ten or more dancers take part, they wear elegant head dressed and bear spiked shild or sword or lances. They dance in line, posing aggressively as agroup before attacking each in simulated battle.

Kecak

This is relatively new dance has been created from a much older trance dance called sanghyang that features a males chrous that chants rhythmically. Usually the chorus consist of over 100 men who provide the orchestral accompaniment with complex and varied chants their swaying movements. They create a living circular stage for the anactment by dancers an expert from the well knownfrom Hindu epic poem. The Ramayana. Flickering torches provide an eerie lighting.

Topeng

The Topeng or mask dance, is one of the most demanding dramatic form that an artist can practice. In one form a single dance perform a series of several acts, each depicting a different set of movements and mannerism. Another form of Topeng is performed by a group of men. The action is based upon ancient literature and history, combined with tropical events, humour, and generous amounts of slapstick. The character are caricatures of all this and folly.

Sanghyang

Sanghyang trance dances were performed only as religious ceremonies that exorcise spirit that couse problems and to promote peach and health within the village. They only have recently been performed to the public for entertainment. In this dance specially selected boys and girls are broughtin to trance by a group of women who sing a special, respective song variety, called Sanghyang Dedari (angel), involves very young girls who have never dance before. Yet they give skilful performance of a sort of legong dance. In Sanghyang jaran (horse), the man in trance ride a kind of hoby horse over red hot coals, while exhibiting characteristic horse like sounds and movements.

Barong And Rangda

The endless methaphysical battle between good and evil is symbolically re-enacted by two weird characters, barong and rangda, who by their very performed reinforce the magic power of the village and restore the balance between these two contrary force. It is strange creature that dance by two man inside a hightly decorated framework that represents a stylized animal, often a kind Chinese lion. Barong adversary is Queen of the wicthes, un ugly creature with a long tongue, fangs and pendulous breasts. The two opposite forces that barong and rangda portray as they fight is anought to send the followers of the barong into trance as they try to attack Rangda with their keris . But Rangda’s magical power turns their swords away and toward themselves. Barong power saves them from harm and the result is draw.

Arja and Drama Gong

A performance of arja, Balinese folk opera, can hold and entire village engrossed from late evening until nearly sunrise. Love stories drawn from the classics of the of the ancient kingdom of Java are re-enacted with all of the tragicomicand romantics ingredients guaranteed to appeal. The Royal characters move in a slow stylised dance and sing and talk in hight falsetto using hight Balinese which is translated into the commonlanguage and which is much more easily understood by the audience.

Drama Gong is developed of Arja that performed by actors and musical group without dance and has recently becom popular in the community.

Festivals and Special Events in Bali

Festivals are important features of Balinese life. Most of these ceremonies occur on fixed dates within the Balinese calendar that is based upon a cycle 210 day. Some of these festivals are anniversary celebrations of temples. Many are life cycle ceremonies that begin at conception and continue at major stages of an individual’s life, ending only with his cremation and subsequent installation as a defined ancestor in his family temple.

The provincial government of bali tries to maintain and preserve every aspect of Balinese cultural life by sponsoring annual festival that emphasize the importance of the arts. The known of these events is the Bali art Festival that held mid jun to mid july each year. The art festivalfeaturing exhibitions of various kinds, cultural achievement, a kite festival, and many other activities.

Galungan and Kuningan
Galungan is the most impotant holiday. This symbolizes the victory of virtue (dharma) over evil (adharma). On Galungan every family puts a “Penjor” a tall bamboo pole, placed on the right side of the entrance to the house compound. Each penjor is decorated with woven coconut leaves, fruit, cakes, flowers and other the gifts of nature. People attire themselves in their finest traditional clothing and jewels to wear to their temple and over thanks.
Kuningan holyday takes place ten day after Galungan, brighing the holyday period to a close. On this day, special ritual ceremonies are held for the ancestral spirits.

Nyepi

This important day is the Balinese Lunar New Year called “Saka” New Year. It is a day of total silent throught the island. No physical activity is allowed, there can no be traffic at all on the roads, no fire may be lit and no amusement held all day long untilnext morning. Great purification and sacrificial rites are held the day before Nyepi so as to exorcize evil spirits from every corner of the village. Nyepi falls on the first day after the new moon closest to the march equinox, usually in March to early April.

Saraswati
This day is devoted to God’s manifestations as Dewi Saraswati, the beautiful Goddes of knowledge, Manuscripts the Wedas are blessed and special offerings are made for them.Pagerwesi
The name literally means “iron fence”, on this day ceremonies and prayers are held for strong mental and spiritual defence in welcoming the Galungan holiday.

Klungkung Regency “Puputan Klungkung Monument"

Identification and point of attraction.

This monument stand 28 meters in height in the centre of Semarapura, the capital town in form of “Linga - Yoni” (Male and female symbol) built on an area of 123 squaremeters in extent and named as “Puputan Klungkung Monument” (Puputan literally) means : “flight till the last drop of blood” / total war).

It is made of black stone entirely and it is relevan to Hindu philoshofy: “Puputan” or fight till last drop blood” committed by the best warriors of klungkung with their loyal people.

Location.

The monument can easily be reached from major places of interest like Besakih, Candi Dasa or Denpasar (Bali Capital) , the capital city since it is located right by the main road (the center part of Semarapura) with the old traditional court “Kerta Gosa” / Taman Gili nearby, traditional market, shopping center and government offices.

Since it was formally opened by the minister of Home Affairs on 28 April 1992, the monument has been visited by a lot of visitors either domestic or foreign visitors.

Description.

“Great nation are those who show honor to their heroes merit” is the proverb refered by the government of Klungkung Regencyin building the monument as to show respect to their heroes who had lost their lives during the struggling time against the Ducth colonialist taking place on 28 April 1908 right on the site where the monument erected, a heroic moment known as “Puputan Klungkung”, a war till the last drop of blood of Klungkung people and their King at that time against the Ducth troops.

The monument as mentioned above, is in the form of “Linga - Yoni” (male and female sex symbol) erected on an area of 123 square maters in extent, completed with “Bale Bengong” (resting place) on every corner. On the base part of the monument is a wide square hall with four entrances facing four directions. The height from the base up to the top is 28 meters, while between the base hall and the “lingga” (male sex symbol/phallus) is an octogonalspace layered by nineteen lotus petals. This is to symbolize and illustrate the date of 28 April 1908 to be commemorated every year. Inside the hall is the diorama showing the detile of the great war.

Jembrana Regency "Bunut Bolong"

Identification and point of attraction.

“Bunut Bolong” is literally a “Bunut” (ficus) tree was then built. Ths tree is quite specific for having a very big hole (as wide as the asphalted road passing throught it) in the middle of it bottom part, that even a big bus can pass throught it, so the big tree is just like an entrance gate.

On the southern part of the tree is located a temple called: “Pujangga Sakti” temple the tree instead of having a very unique naturalcharacteristic in also believed to have magical power by the local.

On the western part of the big tree is an extensive forest as natural attraction, while on the eastern part is hectare of clove plantationas another point of interest.

Location.

“Buntu Bolong” is located on a hightland belong to Manggis Sari village, district of pekutatan, Jembrana Regency. It is about 86 km in distance from denpasar (Bali Capital) and it is easily be reached by any kind of motor – vehicle.

Facility.

As a place of interest, “Bunut Bolong” is still very simple and natural, so facilities like: parking lot, toilet, accommodation, restaurant or souvenir kiosk have not been available yet. However, the road going there (come out Buleleng regency on the nort) is quite splendid.

Tourist Visit.

The cool wheater and peacefull atmosphere of Bunut Bolong makes every visitor, doestic or from overseas enjoy his/her time there. Visitor will be friendly welcomed by an officer in charge to not down the number of visitor arrival.

Description.

There is no definitive information noted down about the history of Bunut Bolong and Pujangga Sakti Temple near it. According to the legend, long time ago there was a very big stone at the location and when Dang Hyang Sidhi Mantra (one of Hindu hollyman coming from Java) passed the place he then decidedto do meditation there.

The people respecting the hollyman then build a temple for him there later named Pujangga Sakti Temple.

When manggis sari village existed in 1928, some peculiar incidents happened. The people who once lived on the northern part of Bunut Bolong and those who lived on the south of the village cemestery infected by an epidemic disease.

Throught a megical guidance from the temple, the villagers were then intirely moved to the southern part of Bunut Bolong for safety, and it was true. So that is always religious relationship between the village of Manggis Sari and Bunut Bolong, the temple and its surroundings.

Transportation in Bali

Visitor can explore the tiny island by using various means of transportation such us; taxi, bus, minibus, bemo, (local minibus), and motorcycle.

Taxis operated from all major hotels and the airport with rates varying according to destinations. The taxi companies , in Bali are Praja Taxi, Bali Taxi, and Koperasi Taxi Ngurah Rai. Taxis are metered unlike the cars that belong to travel agencies. Public minibuses or big buses are available in everywhere to take and drop off local passenger, so that such atrip will give you the experience of travelling with the locals. For those who prefer to travel more privately, self-drive rented cars or motorbikes may be the choice. The prices, however, do not always include insurance and the vary depending upon the type of vehicle and duration of hiring.

Petrol pumps and service stations are available at every large towns. In emergency there are always roadside kiosks fuel out of drums at a bit dearer price.

While driving yourself, please take outmost care since the traffic rules may be somewhat different from those observes in your own country.

An international driver’s licences is required, but one can apply for temporary permit in Denpasar and go for a test drive at the tourist driving licenses office at Jalan Cok Agung Tresna No. 14 Renon. The phone number is (0361) 243939.

It is compulsory to wear a crash helmet while you are on the road on the motorbike. Helmets are available at motorbike hire outlets. Small horse-drawn carts called “Dokar” serve as convenient transportation during off hours and off the beaten track.

Uluwatu Temple

History.

Legend says that the lump of lime stone found on the location of the tample is the metamorphosis of the lake Goddes or the water Goddes.

Uluwatu Tample and its neighbourhood is supposed to be built around the eleventhcentury, the same time as when Mpu Kuturan (one of Hindu holy highpriests coming to Bali at that time) built some shrines within the mother temple, Besakih. This location was chosen by Highpriest Danghyang Nirartha to achieve "Moska" (to unite with God almighty).

The bush surrounding the templeis occupied by groups of monkey protected by the locals nearby.

Location.

Uluwatu temple is located on the cliff of coral hill, the most southern tip of Bali. The area belongs to Pecatu village, ditrict of Kuta, the regency of Badung.

It is about 30 km to go to uluwatu from Denpasar to the south throught welknown tourist resort of Kuta, Ngurah Rai International Airport and Jimbaran Village. The beach is best for surfing all the year round, however since the soil is so barren that fresh water is scarce to be found.

Facilities.

There an extensive parking lot availabe close to the tample as well as souvenir shops and drinking/food stalls and public toilet.