Village Temples

Balinese society is complex and multifarious, being divided by social hierarchies based on caste, occupation and descent. In the not so distant past, the life of the ordinary man, or commoner, was largely restricted to his village and its surrounding rice fields, while at a supra-village level there existed an upper crust of priest, noblemen and princes, organised into a ruling elite. These divisions are still in evidence today-though the plight of the common man is far less onerous –but they are mediated by the village temple system and the cycle of festivals associated with them, which periodically draw these diverse groups together as common participants in a shared ritual undertaking.

The Balinese Village

The Balinese Village is referred to by the term desa, which describes both the settlement and its immediate environs as a physical entity, and at the same time refers to a religious community, mad up of local householders and their families, who are responsible for maintaining the ritual purity and spiritual well-being of the village and its surrounding lands. The latter is achieved by observing the local customary laws (desa adat) and by participation in the cycle of religious ceremonies that take place at the village temples. The actual village itself, as a collection of house compounds, is subdivided into neighbourhoods, or wards (banjar), each of which have their own local temple (pura pamasakan). Every banjar has specific ritual duties to fulfill, not only in relation to its own neighbourhood temple, but also to the main village temples. Banjar members also act together in secular matters such as the maintenance of roads and the policing of the neighbourhood.

Pura Desa

Pura Desa are ideally placed in an auspicious location at the centre of the village-a position which is both towards the mountain (kaja) ad to the east (kangin). A sacred banyan tree is usually planted beside the entrance which often grows to enormous proportions, providing a shady centre at the heart of the community. A pavilion (wantilan) for cockfights is also located nearby the sacrificial shedding of blood (caru) plays a crucial role in Balinese rituals and contest are permitted on the occasion of a temple festival, though gambling is strictly prohibited, in theory at least, by the Indonesian government.

Village assemblies to discuss both ritual and secular matters are held every month, either at the pura desa itself or else at the village assembly hall (bale agung) nearby. One of the principal responsibilities of the village assembly is the organization of the anniversary celebrations (odalan) for each of the village temples. The latter fall every 210 days, according to the sacred wuku calendar, and are intended to ritually cleanse the village territory and purify the members of the temple congregation. Everyone in the villages is involved in the preparation of offerings and the organization of various entertainments such as gamelan recitals and shadow puppet performances which are held for the enjoyment of the gods and mortals alike.

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Kebyar Duduk Dance

Like the Baris, the Kebyar is a soloexhibition dance, but of a more individualistic kind. The Baris portrays the movements of a generalized Balinese warrior. In Kebyar, the accent is upon thedancerhimself,who inter pretseverynuance of the music in powerful facial expressions and movement. Kebyar originated in North Bali around 1 920, but the man most often credited with its creation is the late Mario, a dancer whose superb performances of Kebyar remain unparalleled.

The most popular foftn of Kebyar in South Bali is Kebyar Duduk, the "seated" Kebyar, where the dancer sits cross-legged throughout most of the dance. By de-empasizing the legs and decreasing the space to a small sphere, the relation between dancer and gamelan is intensified. The dance is concentrated in the flexibility of the wrist and elbow, the magnetic power of the face, and the spppleness of the torso.


The music seems infused in the a dancer's body. The fingers bend with singular beauty to catch the light melodies of the metalphones, while the body sways back and forth to the resounding beat of the gong. As the dance progresses, the dancer crosses the floor on the outer edges of his feet and approaches a member of the orchestra, usually the lead drummer. He woos the musician with side glances and smiles, but the drummer is too absorbed in the music to respond. Insulted, the Kebyar dancer leaves him and sets out for a new conquest. The Kebyar is the most strenuous and subtle of Balinese dances. It is said that no one can become a great Kebyar dancer who can not play every instrument of the orchestra; for to attain perfection, all the moods of the music-lyrical, idyllic, dark, ominous- must be reflected in the disposition and skill of the dancer. In Kebyar Trompong, the dancer actually joins the orchestra by playing a long instrument of circular knobbed kettles called the trompong, as he continues to dance and twirl the trompong sticks between his fingers.

Balinese Drinks

Balinese Drinks
Tuak, arak and brem are the main Balinese home brews:

Tuak
Tuak is made by cutting the undeveloped flower of either the coconut or the sugar palm tree. You then collect the sugary liquid that exudes into a bamboo container and ferment it. Fermented palm tree juice is drunk all over tropical Asia, Africa and America. It is the "toddy" of English colonialists and is drunk in the innumerable small warungs all over the island. It has about the same alcoholic content as beer.

Brem
Brem, pronounced "brum", is rice wine. It can be bought commercially, but ours is home made. Like arak, it is used in almost all ceremonies. It is a pleasant drink and can be drunk neat, over ice or mixed with arak. It is sweet and is made from glutinous rice or sticky rice (as it is also called). The rice is cooked for hours. Yeast is added. It is then allowed to ferment for three days, whereupon the brem drains into a pan. There are commercial factories, but the taste is not so good. It is not exported.

Arak
Arak is distilled tuak. It has a much higher alcoholic content and is colourless. It has a very sharp, biting taste. Since there is no fermentation, it can be bottled and sold. As the taste is unpleasant, the Balinese mix it with spices. It can also be added to coffee or mixed with brem. Arak is used as an offering in religious ceremonies. Having no sugar content, arak will keep indefinitely, unlike tuak. It cannot be a coincidence that the Mongols made distilled liquor called airak.

Balinese Wine
In the last few years, local wines have been produced, using Australian grapes. There is red, white and ros�, grown and bottled by two companies, Hatten and Wine of the Gods.

Spices
The Balinese use a wide range of ingredients. Instructions on how to prepare them are contained in the article entitled Balinese Recipes.

Bali Foods

Real Balinese food is not readily available to tourists unless a Balinese family invites the tourist to a meal or he goes to a temple. Restaurants catering for tourists do not serve authentic Balinese dishes, nor do hotels. The reason is that
there is too much preparation, large quantities have to be prepared and it has to be eaten when it is fresh. It is often spicy and very tasty. The Balinese traditionally used banana leaves as plates.

Balinese chickens are much healthier and have the taste of real chicken, but can be tougher than Western battery-fed chickens. Battery-fed chickens only live for 41 days, specially and artificially bred to produce large chunks of breast and short legs. The rush is now on to reduce the period of 41 days.

Etiquette
There are a number of rules concerning food, drink and behavior. Cake is always served with coffee or tea, nuts and krupuk with rice wine, and tea, water or tuak with the meal. The host does not usually eat with guests

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 waive at anyone with their left hand.
Famous Balinese dishes
Famous Balinese dishes are:

Lawar
traditionally cooked by men, who chop up strips of turtle or mango or coconut, add various spices and mix it with uncooked blood, so that it is red.

Babi Guling
roast suckling pig is a great favourite amongst the Balinese, although the pigs are usually too old to be suckling - from three to six months old, they are stuffed with spices, impaled on a wooden pole and turned over a fire of coconut husks and wood for one or two hours.

Bebek Betutu
duck stuffed with spices and vegetables, wrapped in a banana leaf, and cooked for three or four hours, this dish is eaten on special occasions.

Rujak
a refreshing sweet and sour salad containing unripe fruit such as mango or papaya, mixed with sugar, chill and salt.

Sauces
There are some common sauces:

Sambal very spicy chili seasoning.

Kecap asin sour soy sauce.

Kecap manis sweet soy sauce.

Desserts
There are a number of desserts:

Black rice pudding also known as tofu: soy bean curd.

Jaja crunchy shelled soy beans that have been mixed with a special strain of yeast to form a small flat cake, which are then friend - it tastes a bit nutty. Snacks
Very tasty, but not spicy, dishes or snacks are:

Tahu or beancurd also known as tofu: soy bean curd.

Krupuk prawn crackers.

Tempe crunchy shelled soy beans that have been mixed with a special strain of yeast to form a small flat cake, which are then friend - it tastes a bit nutty.

Bali Fruits

The exotic, interesting fruits of Bali, and indeed the rest of Asia, are one of the best reasons for visiting. Bananas, coconuts and pineapples are well known - although you may not be prepared for the numerous varieties of bananas that are available.

The mangoes and papayas or pawpaws, which are now available in the West, are better in Bali. They have their seasons. Others are not available outside the tropics because they do not travel well and may not even be known outside Bali.

Tasty, interesting fruits are:

Durian :
The durian legendary is in the tropics. People either love it or hate it. It has an obnoxious smell and frightening appearance, weighs about 3 or 4 kilograms and is covered in large spikes. It is yellowish-green and has a hard shell. A creamy white pulp covers the seeds, which is what people eat.

Very good durians are for sale on the Kedewatan road from Ubud to Ponggang at the beginning of the rainy season in November.

Mangosteen :
Everyone likes this delicious sweet fruit. Queen Victoria offered to knight the first person who could get it to England in an edible condition. Nobdy succeeded. The shell is deep purple. It is a bit hard and has to be twisted or cut off to reveal four or five segments of brilliant white fruit. The season starts in December.

Lychee :
These are a native of South China. Payangan is the only place in Bali where they are cultivated. They taste acidic-sweet, rather like a grape. The season is late November. The bright red clusters of fruit are very attractive to fruit-eating bats, which usually get there first and finish them in one night.

Papaya :
These are known as pawpaws in the West. They are bigger in the tropics. The flesh is pink and rich in vitamin A. They are eaten at breakfast. There is no season.

Mango :
Mangoes are particularly good in Bali. The season starts in September. They can be big. The best way to cut them is in four lengthwise cuts and then peel. Mango juice is good.

Rambutan :
This red, hairy fruit grows in bunches in tall trees. Its name means "hairy", which describes it well. Take off the skin and eat the white, refreshing acid-sweet flesh that covers the single seed. The season starts in December.

Jackfruit :
These big, heavy, yellow fruits are very unusual and versatile. They be fried or eaten raw. They can also be cooked when they look like chunky pieces of meat. They are therefore ideal for vegetarians. They are the largest of all tropical fruits and weigh as much as 50 kilos.
The skin and protective white covering must be removed. Jackfruit juice tastes good. Jackfruit wood is yellow, easy to carve and is used for making wooden stands for musical instruments in the gamelan orchestra.

Pomelo :
The grapefruit is a descendant of the pomelo. Pomelos are bigger than grapefruits. The flesh is coarse and needs to be cut away to reveal the pomelo segments. They are bigger, sweeter and have a more subtle taste than a grapefruit.

Salak :
This fruit looks like a pear and has a reddish-brown, snake-like, scaly skin, which is easily peeled off to reveal crunchy, slightly astringent, white flesh. It grows in east Bali.

Star fruit: Blimbing
This yellowish-green five starred fruit is crisp and usually sweet.

Sirzak :
This large fruit is green on the outside, white on the inside, with an acidic-sweet taste.

Ubud

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.

The Ubud area is around two- to three hundred meters above sea level and surrounded by rice fields, which makes it noticeably cooler than then other tourist destinations in Bali. Neighbouring villages are well known for unique bamboo crafts and furniture, wood- and stone carving and many other crafts.

Ubud is famous for it's regularly nightly traditional dance performances, which are part of the traditional culture and are arranged for tourists on a regular schedule. Hindu-Balinese ceremonies take place on a nearly daily basis, especially in the European summer, which is the driest and coolest season here.

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 simply base their entire stay in the city and travel to other destinations from Ubud.

Accommodations in Ubud are also somewhat more reasonably priced than in the beach towns of Bali. But atmosphere is perhaps the major attractions. One visitor summed it up this way: Kuta is madness, Sanur is sterile, and Nusa Dua is culturally isolated; Ubud is the place to go.

Monkey Forest Padang Tegal Ubud

The Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal is owned by the village of Padangtegal. Village members serve on the Sacred Monkey Forest's governing council (The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation). The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation has historically strived to develop and implement management objectives that will both maintain the sacred integrity of the monkey forest and promote the monkey forest as a sacred site that is open to visitors from around the world.

In 1986, only 800 people per month (on average) were visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal. Today, it is not uncommon for the monkey forest to host 10,000 visitors per month. Although the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation welcomes the fact that a growing number of tourists are choosing to visit the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal, the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation also recognizes that tourism can have negative impacts on the monkey forest's natural and cultural resources. As a result, some of the primary objectives of the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation include:

* Educating people about the importance of conserving the Sacred Monkey Forest's natural and cultural resources.
* Maintaining a team of highly trained staff members that are responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Sacred Monkey Forest.
* Monitoring and whenever necessary restoring the integrity of the Sacred Monkey Forest's natural and cultural resources.

The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation would like to welcome you as a visitor to the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal. If you have any questions or need assistance, please ask a Wenara Wana staff member (identified in green uniforms). Currently, the entrance fee that visitors pay represents the primary source of funding for Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation natural and cultural resource management projects. The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation requests that you help keep the visitor entrance fee nominal by respecting the sacredness of the Monkey Forest of Padangtegal, obeying all posted rules, and following the instructions of Wenara Wana staff members. In addition, if you enjoy your visit to the Sacred Monkey Forest, the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation hopes that you will consider providing an additional monetary contribution (which will help the Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation to fund projects associated with the conservation of of the Sacred Monkey Forest's natural and cultural resources). Contributions can be made at the monkey forest's main office (located at the monkey forest's main entrance).

Ornamentation and Iconography in Balinese Temples

Balinese temples are enlivened by a variety of stone sculpture and relief which to the Western eye have an almost baroque or rococo quality. The original inspiration for many of the statues and motifs may have come from India, but everywhere they have been subjected to strong local influences which over centuries have given rise to a uniquely Balinese artistic tradition.

The basic material used for stone carving is a soft volcanic sandstone, or tuff, which has a very plastic quality and lends itself well to being shaped by the stone mason`s chisel. Equally, it deteriorates fairly rapidly when exposed to the elements and Balinese temples are in a constant process of renovation and renewal.

A Balinese Iconography

One of the most striking images in Balinese temples is the face of a leering monster, which lolling tongue, bulging eyes and ferociously large canines, which is typically found over the monumental gateway (kori agung) leading to the innermost courtyard. This demonic visage is the face of the bhoma, whose fearful countenance is intended to drive away malevolent influences the temple precincts.

Less important locations are augmented with karang bintulu-a monstrous single eye which stares unblinkingly over a dental arcade of upper teeth with extended canines. This motif is typically surmounted by an image of a mountain-a representation of the legendary Mount Meru which stands at the centre of the Hindu-Buddhist universe and is identified in Indian mythology as the abode of the gods.

Corner motifs include karang curing, which are composed by the upper part of a bird`s beak with a single eye and jagged teeth, or as an alternative, karang asti, the jawless head of an elephant. When the Mexican artist and author Miguel Covarrubias, who lived in Bali during the 1930s, asked why these images lacked a lower mandible, he was told that this was because they did not have t o eat solid food. Covarrubias comments:”This is, in my opinion, a typically Balinese wisecrack and not an indication of any such symbolic meaning”

Other decorative motif include border designs (patra) of which there are several kinds. The type known as patra olanda might have been inspired by Dutch sources, while the pattern known as patra cina, indicates Chinese origins.

Padmasana shrines and meru are typically decorated with geometric or foliate motifs, while the carvings or pavilions may include representations of animals and mythological beasts, or even the gods themselves.

The most important images are reserved for the walls and gateways for they divide the sacred precincts of the temple from the profane, secular world outside. Especially significant in this last respect are the reliefs which adorn the free-standing wall, or aling-aling, which is placed just behind the kori agung gateway as one enters the innermoust courtyard in the temple complex. The latter typically sports a rogues` gallery of demons and ogres who are intended to deter malevolent influences from penetrating the inner sanctum.

A Typology of Temples

A conservative estimate reckons that there are some 20,000 temples in Bali. Most of the time they are deserted, watched over by a lay priest, or pemangku, who keeps the temple precincts clear of leaves and acts as a general caretaker. But every temple has its birthday festivals, or odalan, whose date is fixed either according to a 210-day ritual cycle, or alternatively the ancient Hindu lunar Saka calendar. An odalan may last for several days, and their principal aim is the ritual purification of the temple catchment area and its congregation. On these occasions, the temple becomes the centre of intensive activity drawing in the entire local community to participate in prayer and ritual supplication to the gods and to partake of the associated entertainments-gamelan performances, puppet theatre, dance drama, operetta and the like.

Temples for All Occasions

There are a great variety of temple types in Bali, each servings a different function. Every village, or desa, has three main temples which govern the religious life of the community. They are known as the kahyangan tiga and they are identified with the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siwa. Other kinds of temples include pura panataran, or royal temples, which are usually incorporated as part of a palace complex, and private origin temples dedicated to the ancestors of a particular family- variously pura dadia, pura kawitan and pura padharman, depending in the genealogical depth being traced. There are also hill temples (pura bukit), sea temples (pura segara) and temples dedicated to the tutelary gods of seed (pura melanting) and markets (pura pasar). Each irrigation society-a collective of rice farmer who draw their water from a common source–will also have its own temple (ulun carik).

Sad Kahyangan

Especially prominent temples in the religious life of Bali are the `six great sanctuaries`, or `temples of the world` (sad kahyangan) which are recognized as the most sacred sites on the island. They include Pura Luhur Uluwatu at the westernmost tip of Bukit Penisula, Pura Goa Lawah near Kusamba, Pura Lempuyang Luhur in Karangasem, Pura Batukau in Tabanan and Pura Pusering Jagat in Pejeng. The most sacred temple of all is Pura Besakih, on the southern slopes of Gunung Agung, which is identified as the `mother temple` of all Bali. Other important regional temples include the `temples of the Sacred Ones-pura dang kahyangan-which are associated with the legendary Javanese priests who brought Hinduism to Bali.

King and Cosmos

In traditional Hindu cosmology, the political territory of a kingdom is conceived, in symbolic terms, as being coterminous with the universe as a whole, a microcosm of the macrocosm. In this respect, the seat of the ruler, which was ideally situated at, or near, the geographical centre of the kingdom, was perceived not only as the ultimate source of temporal power but also as a cosmological and ritual centre. The two aspects of power went hand in hand, the ruler, in Classical Indonesia, being regarded as divinely appointed (cakravartin).

The kingdom of Mengwi

The temple of Pura Taman Ayun was once the state temple of the kingdom of Mengwi which flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. The actual sanctuary itself was founded in the mid-18th century and reflects and attempt to literally re–centre the kingdom following a power struggle between rival factions within the royal family. The ascendant house decided to consolidate its advantage by building a new temple complex at Taman Ayun, situated halfway along a line running between Gunung Pengelengan-the local Mount Olympus- and the coastal temple of Pura Ulun Siwi. In cosmological terms this point was identified as the `navel` (puseh) of the world, and axis mundi situated midway between the heavens and the Stygian seas.

The Balinese Village

The Balinese village us described by the world desa. This denotes both the settlement and its immediate physical environs ( tanah desa) and at the same time refers to a religious community made up of local householders and their families who are responsible for maintaining the ritual purity and spiritual well-being of the tanah desa.

The latter is achieved by observing the local customary laws (desa adat) and by participant in the cycle of religious ceremonies that take place at the village temples.

Village Layout

The Balinese village is laid out on a kaja-kelod axis running between the mountains and the sea, often in defiance of local topographical considerations.
The approach is signaled by a candi bentar (split gateway), with the road typically executing a sharp S-bend a little after this. Like the aling-aling `blind` wall immediately inside the entrance to the S-bend strategy outside it is another tactic intended to prevent malevolent spirits from entering the village –the spirits are said to hall (bale agung) and a drum tower (bale kulkul ), for summoning the community to meetings. There may also be a special pavilion for holding cockfights. This is called a wantilan and is often quite an impressive structure with a soaring roof and elegant columns.

Kahyangan Tiga

Balinese villages should ideally have at least three temples, which between them serve the religious needs of the community. In addition to the main village temple, which is situated at the centre of the village, there is also a temple honouring the founding fathers of the community and another dedicated to the dead.
Their respective locations, in relation to the centre of the village, can be understood in the context of Balinese ideas of ritual sancity and pollution: the ancestral temple (pura puseh) is placed at the kaja end of the village as benefits the deified status of the community founders, while the temple for the dead, the pura dalem, is located at the kelod end, reflecting the polluting nature of death. By the same reasoning, the community graveyard and cremation ground too are, typically, situated nearby.
The practice of having three village temples is said to have been begun by Mpu Kuturan, the revered Javanese priest, sage and temple architect who was responsible for a reformation of Balinese Hinduism during the 11th century, at a time when the religion was in decline. The three temples are known collectively as the kahyangan tiga and they are identified with the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siwa.

Balinese Palaces

In traditional Hindu cosmology, the territory of the kingdom was conceived, in symbolic terms, as replicating the universe as a whole, a microcosm of the macrocosm. In this respect, the seat of the ruler, which ideally was situated at or near the geographical centre of the kingdom, was seen not only as the ultimate source of temporal power but also as a cosmological and ritual centre. The two aspects of power went hand in hand, for the ruler in Classical Indonesia was regarded as divinely appointed.

Balinese Kongdoms

Following the conquest of Bali by the East Javanese Majapahit kingdom in the early 14th century, a vassal king was installed at Samprangan, near present-day Gianyar, who owed his allegiance to Java. The island was effectively a dependency of Java until the start of the 15th century, but, as Majapahit fortunes waned, Bali gradually gained its autonomy from Java and, following the collapse of Majapahit in the early years of the 16th century, grew to be an imperial power in its own right under the leadership of king Waturenggong. By the end of the next century Bali had fragmented into several lesser kingdoms. These survive today as eight regencies (kabupaten), Bali`s local government departments.

At the Centre

The palace (puri) of the local dynastic ruler (raja) and his family should be auspiciously sited, ideally within the kaja-kangin quadrant formed by the crossroads at the centre of town. In practice, local circumstances and history may determine otherwise. For example, there may be more than one palace complex. At Karangasem, an older palace was left by the founders of a new dynasty to senior relatives, while for younger relatives; where two earlier palaces occupy the centre of Bangli, the principal one is situated in the town`s kaja-kangin quadrant.

Palace Layout

The palace resembles the basic pattern established for the residential compound of the common man, for it is laid put according to the same rules of the Balinese compass rose. For palaces, however, the grid-like division of the area enclosed by the perimeter walls is given a physical reality, with walls and doorways dividing the palace precincts into a series of the interconnected courtyards.

The Dynastic Temple

The kaja-kangin sector of the grid is occupied, predictably, by the family temple (pemerajan) of the ruler, which in this instance forms a kind of cosmic centre of the public on ceremonial occasion and is approached from the kauh side of the palace complex via two intermediary courtyard (jaba and jaba tengah). The first of these should ideally be situated on the western side of the palace complex and is entered from outside the palace walls via a ceremonial, split gateway (candi bentar). The second courtyard is used for the preparation of offerings and the reception of guests attending palace ceremonies. This courtyard is completely enclosed on all sides and is entered from the outer courtyard by another ceremonial gateway called a kori agung, which has a lintel and doors that can be shut. The kori agung is usually quite an ornate structure, with statuary and carvings intended to deter malevolent influences from entering the inner sanctum of the royal temple. The aling-aling wall inside the gateway is also decorated with reliefs, which often allude the date of construction. The door way the kori agung is opened only on ceremonial occasions, with every day access afforded by a smaller, less elaborate door to one side.
The sanctum sanctorum of the royal family temple (jero-dalem) contains the ancestral shrines of the ruling dynasty, which are much the same as the other family shrines except that they are usually more numerous and more elaborately ornamented.
There will also be meru towers dedicated to the gods. The number of tiered roofs (tumpang) is always uneven; the exact count depends on the nature of the deity to whom the structure is dedicated and the status of the person responsible for its erection. For example, a raja who dedicates a meru to Siwa is entitled to build the maximum number of tumpang-eleven.

Raja`s Residential Quarters

The most important of the three residential courts that occupy the central row of the palace complex is the middle one, which is where the raja and his family live. A wall bisects the court along an east-west axis and symbolizes the division between the public and private lives of the ruler.
The kelod half (pelataran rangki) is the public domain and is reached by members of the public from the kelod end the palace complex. This court has a bale gede where important lifecycle rituals relating to members of the royal family take place and there is also likely to be a pavilion to house important guests.
The kaja half of the central court is called the saren agung and this is occupied by the ruler and immediate family. The main building here is the living quarters (ukiran) of the raja himself. This should ideally be located exactly in the middle of the palace complex where it is divided in two by the wall that separates the central courtyard into its kaja and kelod halves. In this respect, the ukiran is located on the border of the public and private domains. The ukiran`s distinguished status is signaled by its pointed roof; all the other buildings have hipped roofs, except for the family shrines and the meru towers.

The Royal Family Members

To the east of the most central court lies the saren kangin, the residential quarters for the royalty not in the ruler`s immediate family-usually an order branch of the incumbent royal family. The basic layout of the saren kangin resembles the typical residential compound, arranged around a central natar, with family shrines in the kaja kangin corner, an umah meten to the west of this and a bale gede to the east. The western counterpart of the saren kangin is the saren kauh, where junior members of the royal family live-for example, the raja`s younger brother.

Kuta Karnival – 9 Days of Fun on the Beach October 18-26, 2008.

Following the first Kuta Karnival held in 2003, this will represent the sixth year for the festivities which now garners national and international press coverage. The 2008 Karnival will also feature Balinese dance competitions, environmental conservation exhibits, a fun cycle show, seminars and a mass street parade. Based on past years, the Kuta Karnival is expected to draw more than 90,000 people.

Some of the highlights of this year’s Kuta Karnival:

1. Opening Ceremony - Held on the first day of the event, this day will be marked by a traditional Sekar Jagat dance and “Bali Paddle for Peace” in which 1,000 surfers will take to the ocean to spread flower pedals on the waves. 500 turtles will also be released back into the local seas.

2. Food Festival - Tentatively set for day 8 and 9 of the Kuta Karnival more than 60 of Bali’s best restaurants will set up kiosks along Kuta Beach. A children’s play area will be in operation and live entertainment will be on offer from a central stage during these two days when more than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend.

3. Tebs Shocking Games - Tebs will be offering samples of their beverages and a number of adventure activities including rope climbing and rope games offered under the careful supervision of the professionals from Tree Top Bedugul.

4. Beach Volley Ball Competitions - Volley Ball competitions between both local and international teams at the competition arena on each day of the Kuta Karnival.

5. Beach Soccer - Held on “Surf Family Day” informal soccer matches for all those who wish to take part.

6. Sand Creations - School children will have the opportunity to compete for prizes as they display their ability to build sand-based sculptures.

7. Life Guard Demonstrations - See life-saving techniques demonstrated by the Kuta Life Saving Association.

8. Surfing and Body Building - Competitions to be held at “Halfway Point” on Kuta Beach.

9. Skate Ramp - Bali’s landmark skate arena located on the beach will allow everyone a chance to try their skill at skateboarding. Day 3 will be dedicated to a final skate boarding competition.

10. Tug-of-War- See companies, clubs and community groups compete.

11. Traditional Dance and Music - Scheduled for every afternoon of the Karnival - a different traditional Balinese dance each day.

12. Surfer Girl Balinese Dance Competition - Traditional dance competition for children.

13. Traditional Kite Flying - Scheduled for day 2, some 3,200 kites are targeted to participate. at the Bali Garden Hotel.

14. Arts Attractions - Alumni from Bali’s Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) will perform during the Karnival.

15. Bali Islamic Festival - Islamic-themed activities will be on offer at the Discovery Shopping Mall.

16. Beach Stalls - Local merchants and organization offering knowledge and goods from their bazaar stalls stretched along the beach.

17. Suzuki Music Festival - scheduled for each day of the Karnival, see new products and national bands perform.

18. IndieFez XL - Sponsored by XL on the music stage, Day 5.

19. Cardinal Awards - A competition between local bands and models. Winners will compete in Bandung, West Java in a national competition later in the year.

20. Karnival Parade - Set for the last day of the Karnival in the parade will include decorated floats, roller skaters, cyclists, big bikes, antique cars, gamelan orchestras, and horse-drawn carts.

21. Jalan Santai - A fun walks by more than 2,000 people through Kuta Beach.

The Games (Asian Beach Games)

VENUES


Asian Beach Games in Bali




Kuta Beach Cluster (CKB)

Body Building
Dragon Boat Racing
Surfing



Nusa Dua - Benoa Cluster (CNB)

Water Polo
Beach Kabaddi
Beach Basketball
Beach Wrestling
Beach Pencak Silat
Jetski Sport
Paragliding
Woodball



Sanur Beach Cluster (CSB)

Beach Volleyball
Beach Sepaktakraw
Beach Handball
Beach Soccer
Marathon Swimming
Triathlon



Serangan Island Cluster (CSI)

Sailing
Windsurfing

Temple - Pura In Bali

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Pura In International Is Named Temple Is Place Hindu Ceremony In Bali. In Bali Have More Than Thousand Temple. Temple Is Famous In Bali Is Pura Besakih Temple, Pura Batur Temple, Pura Uluwatu Temple, Pura Goa Lawah Temple, Pura Lempuyang Temple, Pura Pulaki Temple, Pura Rambut Siwi Temple, Pura Tanah Lot Temple,Pura Batukaru Temple, And Etc. Pura Besakih Temple Is Location In Karangasem, Near Agung Mountain. Pura Batur Is Location In Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Near Batur Mountain. Pura Uluwatu Temple Is Location In Jimbaran. Pura Lempuyang Temple Is Location In Karangasem Regency Near Abang Mountain. Pura Pulaki Temple Is Location In Buleleng. Pura Rambut Siwi Is Location In Jembrana Regency. Pura Tanah Lot Is Location In Tabanan Regency. Pura Batukaru Is Location In Penebel, Tabanan Regency. The All Pura ( Temple ) Is Very Interesting And You Must Visit There. A Village In Bali Have Minimum 3 (Thee) Pura (Temple). A Distrik Have Several Village. And A Regency Have Several Distrik. Bali Have 9 (Nine) Regency. So You Can Count, How Much Pura (Temple) In Bali!!!

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Other Temple Picture
Picture Batur Temple

Picture Taman Ayun Temple
Picture Taman Ayun Temple
Picture Taman Ayun Temple
Picture Taman Ayun Temple
Picture Taman Ayun Temple
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Dreamland Beach Is Beautiful

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Dramland Beach Located In Pecatu Indah Resort, Jalan Uluwatu Street Jimbaran, Bali. More Than 15 Minutes From International Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai In Our Journey Can See The Beautiful View And In Beautiful Area Pecatu Indah Resort The Viem In Area Dreamland Beach We Can See Green Grass To Play At The Golf. At Arrival Coastal Area Dreamland Beach, We Can See The Reef Boosting High And Smooth White Sand. Dreamland Beach Is One Of The Beautiful Coast With The Wave Which Is Suited For Surfing, Swimming, Water Sport And Etc. Besides Kuta. In Dreamland We Can Also See Sunset The Sun Is Very Beautiful Than In Place Other. Facility Of Exist In There Among Others Restorant, Villa, Bar, Etc. I Will Wait Your Arrival In Bali, For To A Pay Visit In Dreamland Beach.

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Other Picture
Picture1 Dreamland stone
Picture 2 Sunset In Dreamland
Picture 3 Sunset In Dreamland
Picture 4 Dreamland Beach
Picture 5 Dreamland Beach

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Bali Fauna

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Bali is home to 32 species of mammals, including a wildcat, two species each of civet (the ‘musang’ or palm civet, which resembles a mongoose), two species of monkey, ’sambar’, barking deer, mouse deer, wild ox (banteng), and a miniature squirrel.

In the early 1900s, a writer reported that his camp in west Bali was trampled by a herd of feral elephants, but by the 1920s it was difficult to meet anyone who’d ever seen an elephant on the island. By that time the Balinese tiger, the smallest of eight subspecies of tiger, was very rarely sighted, and the last known animal was shot in 1937. Today only five sad stuffed specimens are left behind.

A visit to the 76,000-hectare Bali Barat National Park (BBNP), covering most of the heavily forested interior of western Bali, is obligatory for animal and bird lovers. The park is effectively protected against exploitation and development and is well-patrolled by rangers based at the park headquarters of Cekik and Labuhan Lalang. Here you can see ‘rusa’ deer, wild boar, and fairly tame long-tailed macaques and leaf monkeys sitting high in the trees chewing on leaves. The 165-hectare offshore island of Menjangan has a population of around 50 barking deer.

The Wallace Line
Bali is the physical end of what was once mainland Asia. Observing that a great contrast exists between the animal life of Bali and that of the islands to the east, the great 19th century English naturalist Sir Alfred Russel Wallace suggested that the treacherous, 24-km-wide strait separating Bali from the neighboring island of Lombok is an important divide, a biologically impassable line cleaving Asia from Australia. “In just two hours,” he suggested, “you can pass from one great division of the earth to the other, differing as essentially in their animal life as Europe does from America.”

During the last ice age, Wallace theorized, the sea level around the Greater Sundas fell enough to enable animals to travel overland from the Asian mainland, fanning out through the archipelago until they reached the deep trench of the Lombok Strait and could go no farther. While the Selat Bali (”Bali Strait”) separating Bali from Java has a maximum depth of 60 meters, the ocean depths between Bali and Lombok exceed 1,300 meters.

Wallace’s book, The Malay Archipelago, published in 1869 contemporary and parallel with Charles Darwin’s work, advanced a theory of evolution based on Wallace’s examination of the flora and fauna of the region. His imagined line dividing the Asian and Australian regions on either side of the Lombok Strait has since become known as the Wallace Line.

The differences between Bali and Lombok are obvious. Bali is lush, equatorial, smothered in the luxuriant vegetation of tropical Asia, while Lombok is wind-blown and dry like the Australian plains. Bali, Java, and islands west are characterized by the monkeys, squirrels, rabbits, tigers, elephants, bears, sheep, oxen, horses, orangutans, and pythons found in the dense tropical forests and jungles of Asia. On the islands east of Bali begin the parrots and other peculiar bird species, marsupials like wombats and kangaroos, the platypus, and giant lizards of the Australian region. Some “leakage” occurs, i.e., monkeys are found in Sumba.

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Flower

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Many plants we assiduously and lovingly cultivate as pot plants in the West-poinsettia, dracaena, coleus, begonias-grow in riotous profusion along the roadsides of Bali and have to be hacked back with machetes. Due to difference in altitude, rainfall, temperatures, and humidity, there’s a wide variation in the types of plants in bloom from month to month on Bali.

Along Bali’s roads and crowding its markets are stands selling all manner of fruits of strange colors, shapes, and sizes. All the usual varieties known in tropical Asia are grown on Bali, plus about 20 or so grown nowhere else, such as the enormous grapefruit-like ‘pomelo’ (jeruk Bali). For a description of Bali’s fruits, instructions on how to eat them, their Balinese names, and when they come into season, see “Fruits” under “Food and Entertainment” in the On the Road chapter.

Flower fragrances are especially adored by the Balinese and their gods. Fresh flowers are required offerings in almost all temple rituals and ceremonies, a way of providing a pleasing environment for spirits and ancestors during their frequent visits to Earth. The Balinese also use flowers to decorate themselves; statues of gods and goddesses are adorned with flowers; legong dancers wear crowns of blossoms; each time a Balinese prays s/he holds a flower between the fingers. Before a ‘bemo’ driver sets out for the day his wife or daughter prepares for him a floral offering, or ‘canang’. Indeed, flowers are so much in demand here that it’s rare to see flowering trees in full bloom.

The majority of the delightful flowers you see are not native to Bali but have been introduced from around the world, either imported in recent years or centuries ago by Indian or Arab traders. With the Chinese grafting everything and people bringing plants back and forth from Hawaii, it’s difficult to tell anymore what’s native to Bali and what’s not.

The variety is astounding: the hardy, colorful bougainvillea (bunga kertas), climbing over walls and balconies; the common gardenia (jempiring) and hydrangea (pacah seribu); poinsettias; the rose (maya); the spiked ‘tumbak raja’; the star-shaped, lavender ‘manori’; the jasmine (menuh), a symbol of holiness; the common marigold (mitir). The ‘malu-malu’, a sort of creeping mimosa, is known as the “sensitive plant” because its leaves fold compactly at the slightest touch-thus its Balinese name, meaning “shy.”

The trumpet-shaped red or orange hibiscus (pucuk), which adorns the ears of temple statues, comes in all shapes and sizes. The large-leafed, floating water lily or lotus (Nelubium nelumbo) can be detected from a distance because of its fragrant smell and beautiful colors. The Balinese believe it to be the flower of the goddesses in heaven; this aqueous plant has a high religious value on Bali and is also used as a traditional medicine.

There’s a great variety of flowering trees and shrubs: the acacia; ornamental ‘kenyeri’ (oleanders); the bright orange African tulip trees; the spectacular flame tree ‘merak’; the pure white ‘cempaka’, a large type of magnolia, with a strong long-lasting delicious fragrance; clusters of sweet-smelling white, pink, and red frangipani (bangan jepun) blossoms; the stunning flamboyant (flamboyan); the Singapore rhododendron; the bright orange ‘didap’, used in cremation processions; the ‘datura’ or “Handkerchief Tree” with its drooping white or pink flowers; the firecracker hibiscus; the ‘kecubung’, ‘kedukduk’, ’sabita’ - the list goes on.

The best place to see flowers is in the front yards and living fences of private homes; ask the proprietor or concierge to take you on a botanical tour of your hotel or homestay garden. The Nusa Dua hotels and Hotel Tanjung Sari and the Bali Hyatt in Sanur are famous for their brilliant year-round floral displays. Village markets all have flower stalls that sell flowers for offerings. Also visit the big nurseries of Niti Mandala, near Renon, in East Denpasar.

The Lila Graha Botanical Gardens in Candikuning offers a well-presented collection of orchids and exotics. Behind the Candikuning market are dozens of stalls selling such dazzling flowers as gardenias, roses, canna lilies, heliconia, marigolds, and cock’s combs at very good prices. The grounds of the Bali Handara Country Club, also in the Bedugul area, are definitely worth visiting. By the side of the road from Mengwi up to Candikuning flowers grow everywhere. Also visit the orchid nursery near Blahbatuh in Gianyar Regency; commercial orchid nurseries are also found on the road from Denpasar to Sanur.

If you can find it in a hotel or supermarket bookstore, get a copy of Fred and Margaret Eiseman’s well-researched Flowers of Bali containing 35 color photos of Bali’s native flowers. In 1995, Thames and Hudson published Balinese Gardens, written by William Warren, Adrian Vickers, and Anthony Whitten, with photographs by Luca Invernezzi Tettoni, which beautifully illustrates numerous examples of contemporary and traditional Bali gardens.

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Sanur Beach

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A. Brief Information

Sanur Beach, one of the beautiful beaches in Bali Island, offers a panoramic view since a long time ago. Historically, on an inscription written at the tenure of King Kasari Warmadewa (917 A.D.) in Singhadwala Palace, it is stated that the beauty of Sanur Beach has been discovered at the time. Now you can still find the inscription in the southern direction of Sanur Beach in Blanjong Village.

During the colonial government of Dutch occupied Indonesia, Sanur Beach was functioned as the Dutch‘s harbor where they sent the Dutch fleet admiral to attack Badung Kingdom, which was regarded as mutinous kingdom. A war on November 18^th 1906 A.D. which was commonly called Puputan Badung was a war to defend motherland Indonesia from the Dutch without fear, though the death was a choice. The war was historically led by Badung King who was helped by local people at the time.

Based on tourism view, Sanur Beach started to be known by international world by a Belgium painter named A.J. Le Mayeur, who later on resided and built painting workshop there, in 1932 A.D. He got married with a famous legong dancer namely Ni Nyoman Pollok, who was also known as his painting model. By his paintings, Le Mayeur started to introduce Sanur Beach to international world and also built a museum nearby the beach named the Museum of Le Mayeur.

B. Distinctive Features

While Kuta Beach offers you with magnificent view of sunset, Sanur Beach gives you a panoramic view of sunrise along the tortuous sandy beach of Sanur. At morning, while delighting in wonderful scenery of sunrise along the coast, seems Nusa Penida Island in the southeastern direction of the beach.

Moreover, the scenery of Sanur Beach at evening is just the same as at morning. Since the water is going to ebb, you can brightly see Serangan Island and a group of coral reef in the south. When the wave is not too high, you will be offered with a splendid view of colorful coral reef on the transmarine.

C. Location

Sanur Beach is situated in Sanur Village, Denpasar Sub-district, Denpasar City, Bali, Indonesia.

D. Access

For you who want to access the location, you can take any accessible public transports from Denpasar City to Sanur for about six km away. Indian taxi can also be your alternatives for you to reach Sanur Beach.

E. Ticket Price

In the confirmation process

F. Accommodation and other Facilities

Sanur Beach and surrounding areas are on the first priority of tourism development programs of Bali local government. That is why, you can easily find star hotels and restaurants as well. Souvenirs peddlers offering traditional work arts of Bali Island can be alternatives for you who want to eternalize your beautiful moments during the visit to Sanur Beach.

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The Museum of Le Mayeur

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A. Brief Information
Born in Brussels, Belgium on February 9th 1880 in a high-class family, Adrian-Jean Le Mayeur got his painting talent from his parents. His latest education in architecture was achieved at Libre University. Forbidden by his father when attempted to develop his talent, he decided to leave his family by hanging around the world to seek for a right place for his talent improvement.
Le Mayeur arrived at Bali in 1932 in Singaraja City then continued a journey to Denpasar City before decided to stay in Sanur Beach. In the beginning, he just wanted to set an eight-month visit to Bali, after knowing the charm of Sanur Beach and beautiful girls of surrounding location, splashed in his mind to build a home and painting workshop in the location. A famous legong dancer named Ni Nyoman Pollok drew his heart to marry her when she became his painting model.
Unfortunately, this couple did not have any son until the end of their life. In fact, Ni Pollok was eager to have son but Le Mayeur denied it considering that she was his painting model. Le Mayeur was afraid of Ni Pollok‘s pregnancy would make her body was not beautiful anymore.
Their home and painting workshop were later on dedicated to government to be functioned as museum by his testament written in 1957. Finally, their home and painting workshop are given a name Le Mayeur Museum.
B. Distinctive Features
Le Mayeur is famous as impressionist and naturalist painter. Moreover, he also had tendency to paint the beauty of Balinese girls. Inside the museum, you can watch his works and historical properties such as chair, carved table, bed, wardrobe, ceramic vase, silver alliances, earthenware, and some sculptures.
At least there are 88 work arts of Le Mayeur from 1921 to 1957 showing his impressionist style. Besides using canvas, he also used other mediums for painting such as hardboard, three-ply, paper, and gunnysack. The last one was used by him remembering the difficulty of getting canvas from Belgium, so he decided to use it on the era of Japanese colonialism.
C. Location
Le Mayeur Museum is situated in Sanur Village, Denpasar City, Bali, Indonesia.
D. Access
From the centre of Denpasar City, you can access the location by any public transportation like Indian taxi. Those Indian taxi will take you to the end of Hang Tuah Street then continue to the destination around 70 km away.
The museum is opened for public at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. for Saturday to Thursday. On Friday, open from 8 to 12.30 a.m. On holidays, the museum is closed.
E. Ticket Price
IDR 2.000 for adult and IDR 1.000 for children. For group, more than 10 people, adult visitors only pay IDR 1.000 and IDR 500 for children.
F. Accommodation and other Facilities
Typical foods of Bali Island can be easily found along the coast of Sanur Beach for you who are eager to taste it. Completing your visit, you can buy souvenirs around the location with reasonable price.


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Taman Ayun Hindu Temple

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A. Brief Information

Taman Ayun Hindu Temple in Badung District was built in 1634 A.D. by the king of Mengwi Kingdom, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Made Agung titled Ida Cokorda Sakti Belambangan. The Mengwi Kingdom was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Bali at the time until 1891 A.D. Built as worship place for royal family and their relatives, the building uses Gunung Batukau architecture rather than Gunung Agung architecture that was commonly applied at most of Indonesian Hindu temples.

“Taman Ayun” means beautiful garden. It is on a tableland of four ha wide surrounded by ponds. Viewing from afar, it seems floating above the water. Surrounded by leafy trees and colourful flower garden, the complex of Taman Ayun Hindu Temple offers a magnificent view.

Comprising three buildings, it is usually visited by more and less 300 – 600 tourists, either domestic or foreign tourists, in a year. The first building is an opened space for any kinds of religious event and art performances. Here, you can watch a sumptuous meru (pagoda which has multi-roofed structure, typical of Balinese Hindu Temple). The second building is the main building named Bale Pelik which is fully decorated with artistic carving, relief and a wonderful statue of Deity Nawa Sanga. The innermost buildings in the complex are the sacred buildings of Hindu people that are dedicated to god and goddess of Hindu.

B. Distinctive Features

Taman Ayun Hindu Temple had ever been recommended as a valuable world heritage. On March 12^th 2008, the Director of UNESCO, Kokhiro Masura visited the location to check directly, whether it is proper to achieve the status as above. He argued that this Hindu temple is proper to get such status. Now, this 400 years old Hindu temple is still used as worship place by Hindu people.

The properties of the Mengwi Kingdom can still be found nearby the location, about 300 meters from the location. The Museum of Manusa Yadnya is also located nearby Taman Ayun Hindu Temple. The museum displays some ceremonies relating to human‘s life circle starting from birth to death.

C. Location

Taman Ayun Hindu Temple Mengwi Village, Mengwi Sub-district, in the district of Badung, Bali Province, Indonesia.

D. Access

It is about 18 km away from Denpasar City to Mengwi Village. You can reach the location by public transports passing by route Denpasar - Singaraja or Denpasar - Bedugul for approximately 25 minutes. After being on the crossroad of Mengwi Village, you must continue the trip by walk to the location around 250 meters. It is opened for public at 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

E. Ticket Price

IDR 4.100 for adult and IDR 2.100 for children (per March 2008).

F. Accommodation and other Facilities

In Badung District, you can easily find hotels and restaurants for more comfortable visit to Taman Ayun Hindu Temple.

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BALI AT FIRST GLANCE!

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A friendly and remarkably artistic people, living amid breathtaking panoramas, have created dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies and ceremonies, making Bali an island almost unreal in today’s hectic and changing world. Terrace rice fields dominate the landscape, with rivers and small irrigation streams dissecting a luscious green landscape, filling the air with enchanting sounds of running water.

Bali is divided by a string of impressive and authoritative volcanoes running almost through the center of the island. Mountains and particularly volcanoes are believed to be the home of the gods. Shrouded in mystery and magic, they stretch skyward in majestic splendor. Bali’s main volcano is the still active and sometimes explosive. Gunung Agung, which is considered, sacred among local people as it is believed to be the center of the universe. Not just a few visitors leave with the same believe.

The ancient kingdoms of the “Rajas” and princes of Bali were dismantled by colonial governments in the early part of this century, but many of the royal descendants still own traditional palaces and are very much respected as patrons of the arts. Art and culture are strongly bonded to Bali’s unique form of Hinduism called “Hindu Darma”. Classical dance dramas for example, are based on the old Hindu epics of the Ramayana and the Mahabarata, but contain an element of local folklore, peculiar to the island.

The very soul of Bali is rooted in religion and is expressed in art forms that have been passionately preserved over the centuries. It seems that almost every person is an artist, spending free time applying skills and images which have been passed down from generation to generation and grasped from a very young age. Whether expressed through beautiful and intricate paintings and dances, extraordinary carvings, superb weaving or even in decorations made for myriad shrines which can be found in public area, on roads, in paddy field or in homes, the island is alive with art.

The Balinese have been more exposed to international tourists and generally speak more English than people in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago. They have managed to preserve their culture despite overwhelming foreign influences brought to the region by an ever increasing number of tourists. Bali’s international airport, Ngurah Rai, is in the south of the island and is served by numerous international airlines and charters.

In order to keep up with the growing number of visitors and the need for their comfort, more hotel have been built, ranging from small bungalows types for budget travelers to the luxurious Nusa Dua tourist resort area, near the air port, on the southern tip of the island. Water sports have naturally gained in popularity and Bali offers superb surfing, windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving and white water rafting.

Bali is the land of a thousand gods, temples and arts. Some other views are the island as the last frontier area that waiting to be discovered from its beauty. Ask around and you are almost sure to get reply, “come to Bali for its culture, its beauty”. Inside our heart, Bali is really proud of their Island splendor. Once goes to Bali for an experience, a journey of a lifetime, learning traditional customs and faith, their hopes and their eternal search for peace.

A tourist heaven with splendid beaches, friendly people, a warm climate, cool mountain air, a slow pace. You get old stories, find new meaning of life. You can hike up trails, watch the birds, visit temples, and buy natural & unique souvenir, etc. You can fill your own treasure trove with memories, enlightenment recollections when you stood and faced the mountains and gazed at the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside.

Besides known as tourism area, it’s also agronomy area, nowadays called ‘agro-tourism’. As networking system that Bali is surrounded by river, water as the main needs of life. Whether rice is the staple food, derived from paddy which needed a plenty of water.

Balinese need to devise an ingenious system of aqueducts that can be considered a miracle of engineering. Bali perhaps the last place on this earth that still conjures images of beauty mystique, peace, good will and a way of life that is unique in this modern age. Here you get a deep sense of satisfaction. The environment possibly to be the hospitality that envelops you. Moreover the amazing hues of color, sound and natural beauty.

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