Nusa Penida : The Golden Egg of Bali

Not many people know that Bali has a part (district) at south-east side consisting three islands. The biggest one is named Nusa Penida. The smaller island is called Nusa Lembongan and the smallest one is known as Nusa Ceningan, this island is situated between Nusa penida and Nusa Lembongan. Each of them has own tourist destination and unique art. However, Nusa Penida offers awesome beaches that are still pure and conservation for birds, plants, and turtle, and a very special dance, because of that people often call it as Golden Egg but it has not hatched yet. Why?

Nusa Penida is a district belonging to Klungkung regency. In order to get to Nusa Penida you have to take a trip to Padang Bay first. Then, you have to cross Badung Strait (between Bali Island and Nusa Penida) using “Roro-Nusa Jaya Abadi” the only ferryboat that can help you cross to Nusa Penida. After spending about one hour voyage then you will reach Toya Pakeh Harbor. At there you can travel the island by “omprengan” or modified pick-up car.

Nusa Penida has many tourism destinations that can be enjoyed. Beaches are very easy to be found in this island, Puncak Temu where you can find beautiful scene, several choices of art performance can be watched.

A beach which is closest to the harbor is situated in Toya Pakeh village. In this beach, there is a floating restaurant. The most important thing is you are allowed to dive in this beach and see very beautiful reef. Indeed, in this beach, reef is an important component that is still preserved from any damage.

Besides Toya Pakeh Beach, Nusa Penida has a very cozy beach. It is around 4 km from Toya Pakeh. This beach is situated in Sakti Village at Banjar Penida. I guarantee you that this beach is different from the famous Kuta or Sanur. The beach which people call it Crystal Bay, is very quiet, far from crowd. The water is sparkling blue. The sand is black but it is covered by white sand. The beach is very clean because people at Banjar Penida keep it clean. And the beach is gated by escarpment.

Far from the beach, situated on the top of elevated ground is Puncak Temu, from this place you can get bird-eye view of beautiful scenes of Nusa Penida. There are also some white shrines can be found in this place. Around the srines, there are many trees seems keep it from outside world. Different from other places at Nusa Penida which tend to be dry and lack of water, Puncak Temu is dominated with lush green vegetables signing that water is available there.

On very south of Nusa Penida there are villages named Sekartaji and Suana. In these villages, Nusa Penida Endemic Bird: little sulfur-crested cockatoo can be found. In all regions in Nusa Penida there is only four little sulfur-crested cockatoo left. One female and others are male. You are lucky if you can take a photograph of this bird since this bird is very energetic.
Nusa Penida does not only offer the amazing tourism destination but also unique dances. Sanghyang Dewa dance is one of them. This dance must be danced by little girl who has not got menstruation yet. People of Nusa Penida categorize it into sacred dance because it is danced on special day at the temple. That little girl is unconscious while she dances it.

The explanation above is only a few from various arts and tourism destinations in Nusa Penida. However, not many tourists have information about this island and only few tourists visit this island. Nusa Penida is a potential tourist destination but it has not managed yet. No wonder this Golden Egg has not hatched yet.

source:blog.baliwww.com

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Manusia Purba Museum

Manusia Purba Museum is a small prehistoric museum with significant collections of prehistoric artifacts and prehistoric human’s bones. This unique museum is located in the west tip of Bali, in Gilimanuk, Jembrana regency. This museum houses collection of prehistoric bones and artifacts which were found by R.P. Soejoeno of Bali Archaeological Service during great excavation in 1962, in the village of Cekik, where the museum finally located.

Cekik site is one of the biggest necropolises found in Indonesia. In this site, the archeologists found various artifacts such as jewelries, bronze equipments, glass beads, pottery and sarcophagus, 100 complete prehistoric human skeletons adult were also found in an ancient graveyard in this excavation area.

The artifacts and the bones which were found in Cekik excavation site are exhibited in this museum in a modest display. The prima ballerina of this museum is two sarcophaguses which form a set of doublejar burial, it is a unique burial system in which the second jar contains a skeleton in a position of a man which his hand were tied in the back, which suggest that this unfortunate person was buried alive against his will to accompany the deceased person in the first sarcophagus.

Manusia Purba Museum of Gilimanuk houses a complete collection of early civilization in this island which provides useful information on the life and culture of ancient inhabitants of the last paradise; magnificent and important collections for a small and modest museum which is frequently unnoticed by the Balinese and the visitors. It worth a visit but one hardly knows it exists.

source:blog.baliwww.com

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Subak Museum

Subak Museum is definetely one of the most interesting museums in Bali. It is located in Sanggulan village two km east of Tabanan. The Subak Museum houses exhibits on the history and development of Bali’s unique Subak irrigation organization. This is the only museum in Bali to focus on agriculture, provides all information on agricultural life of Bali and all its related aspects.

As its name suggest the main display in Subak Museum is the miniature of Subak which provides series of pictures of development of a Subak from finding a wellspring, creating tunnels and dams,channeling water through tunnels and dams to managing the water in the rice fields. Displays of farming implements for cutting, cleaning and pounding rice; tools for leveling land, ploughing, weeding, and digging water tunnels; various fish traps; tweezers for catching eels, wooden net used to catch dragonflies, and all implements in relation with Subak activities can be found here.

  

  

  

The Subak Museum provides a film which describes the process of handling the agricultural land. This process consists of various activities, from the meeting of Subak members to arrange the Subak rules to cultivating the land up to expressing gratitude to God for a good harvest. The museum also shows the variety of ceremonies commonly conducted at various stages of the cultivation cycle. There are also a miniature of kitchen with utensils used for cooking rice, a scale model of traditional house compounds which is built based on ancient architectural science of Asta Kosali Kosali.

  

  

  

For the visitors who want to get further information on Subak, a library with complete collection of books, palm leaves manuscripts and carved copper plates concerning with the Subak is at your service. The collections mainly deals with variety of rituals held at every stage of cultivation cycle, method of farming and auspicious days to start activities including their abstinences. The library not just houses collections in relation with Subak (irrigated field) but also provides complete collection of literature on Subak Abian(non-irigated ricefield).

  

  

  

Subak Museum not just gives complete information on Subak but also provides an image on how deeply rice farming intertwines inextricably with daily life of Balinese as well as with Balinese culture and religion.

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source:blog.baliwww.com

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Bali’s Botanical Gardens

Kebun Raya Eka Karya is the official title for Bali’s botanical gardens that stretch majestically across a plateau between two minor mountain ranges in an area known as Bedugul. The gardens provide a recreational destination for family gatherings, staff outings and international visitors interested in local species of flora.

Elevated high above sea level in the cool forest plains of the Tabanan regency, the botanical gardens cover approximately 154 hectares of fertile landscape and were established during the 1950’s as a branch of Indonesia’s national gardens in Bogor, outside the capital of Jakarta.

The gardens are within the vicinity of the landlocked Lake Beratan where the crisp air is a welcome escape from the humidity of Bali’s tropical south. There is also a traditional market close by where stalls are laden with locally grown fruit, vegetables, spices, vibrant potted orchids and other plant varieties suited to temperate conditions.

The gardens are crossed by a series of winding asphalt roads that can accommodate a family car ormini-bus for those who prefer to sightsee in comfort without overly exerting themselves. Alternatively, visitors can wander around and explore on foot to experience the clean country air and marvel at the diversity of native flora. Coloured tracks mark different routes that lead through pathways sheltered by towering trees to expose designated areas filled with roses, orchids, ferns and other plants that are cultivated for their medicinal properties.

A recent addition to the gardens is an innovative activity called Tree Top Adventures where a mini assault course, featuring suspended ropes, ladders and pulleys, is directed around a network of trees that soar into the sky. Participants must wear a safety harness and clip themselves onto the security cables as they make their way around the course. Designed to harmonize with the landscape and respect all existing flora, this activity introduces visitors to the natural beauty of the gardens and at the same time safeguards its existence for future generation to appreciate.

Trips to the botanical gardens can be arranged through any reputable travel agency and the journey, which is nearly 2-hours from Kuta, takes in some of Bali’s most stunning rural scenery of farmland, terraced rice fields and tropical forests. The gardens are extremely popular on weekends and public holidays when the Balinese like to come in extended family groups to a enjoy picnic luncheon and then pray at the nearby lakeside temple that is dedicated to the Goddess of water.

photo taken from planetmole.org

By mid afternoon a thick mountain mist begins to shroud the entire landscape of the gardens. The air becomes quite chilly and visibility is poor. Most visitors decide that this is the best time to pack up and make a few purchases at the market before venturing home. For those who decide to stay overnight there are plenty of simple guest bungalows in the Bedugul area that ideally suit travellers’ seeking a relaxed pace away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta and other major tourist destinations.

source:blog.baliwww.com

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Bali Dances and Performances

There are several other dances that could excite you. Dance and drama have historically played an important role in Balinese society. Balinese dances are famous all over the world and the Balinese themselves take them very seriously.

Birthdays, weddings, and temples festivals are all occasions for dramatic performances and dance is inextricably linked with the Balinese religion. Through this medium, people learnt about the tales of the Ramayana, Mahabrata and other epic stories from Balinese history.


Barong and Rangda dance
This is basically a story about the struggle between good and evil. Good is personified by the Barong Keket, a strange, fun-loving creature in the shape of a shaggy semi-lion. Evil is represented by Rangda, a witch. Ultimately, the two characters engage in battle, at which point the Barong's keris-bearingRata Kiri Kanan follower rush in to attack Rangda. The witch, however, uses her magical powers to turn the keris knives in upon their owners, who fall into a trance and start trying to stab themselves. The Barong uses magic to protect his followers from the knives. In the end, the Barong triumphs and Rangda retreats to recuperate her strength for the next encounter. All that remains is for a priest to help the keris dancers out of their trance, with the help of a little holy water. The Barong and Rangda dance is a very powerful performance and is not taken lightly by those involved.


Kecak Dance
The Kecak is an unusual Balinese dance for a couple of reasons. First, there is no musical accompaniment. The gamelan is not there. Rhythm is provided by a chanting 'monkey' chorus. The polyrhythmic sound of the chanting provides the name, 'Kecak'. The story line for the Kecak is taken from the Ramayana. Prince Rama goes hunting for a golden deer and his beautiful wife is kidnapped by the evil Rawana. Story is secondary in this performance, though. If you want to see the story of the Ramayana, you should see a Ramayana performance. The Kecak is a triumph of style and mood, rather than story. Watch the faces of audience members. More than any other Balinese dance, the Kecak turns every viewer into a child, wide-eyed and transfixed.


Legong Dance
The story derives from the history of East Java in the 1 2th and 1 3th centuries: when on a journey the King of Lasem finds the maiden Rangkesari lost in the forest. Rangkesari's brother. Prince Daha, gathers an army together to rescue his sister. Princess Rangkesari then tries to persuade Laksmi to let her go to avoid a war, but he denies her her freedom. On his way to battle, Daha is attacked by a raven, a bad omen, and is later killed in battle. The dance only takes the story up to the point where the king departs for battle, and it is performed by three people, two Legongs and their attendant, the "Condong". The Legong is a very classical and graceful dance, and is always performed by pre-pubescent girls, often as young as eight or nine years old.


Baris Dance
A warrior dance for a group of a dozen or middle age men, its purpose is to protect the visiting gods at temple festival from evil spirits. The dancers wear headdresses with a triangle of white clothe at the back. This dance requires great skill, with the artist having to display the whole range of inner emotions, mainly through facial expression.


Shanghyang Trance Dance
The Sanghyang is a divine force that enters the bodies of the entranced dancers. There are a number of dances, but the most common are the Sanghyang Dedari and the Snghyang Jaran. The Sanghyang Dedari is performed by two girls, and is very similar in style to the Legong; the main difference is that the Sanghyang Dedari girls are supposedly untrained and can keep in perfect time with each other, even though their eyes are firmly shut. The accompanying music is provided by a female choir and a male Kecak choir.
In the Sanghyang Jaran, a boy dances around and through a fire, riding a coconut palm hobbyhorse. This is a frequently called the "Fire Dance", for the sake of tourists. In both dances, a priest is always on hand to help bring the dancers out of their trance-state at the end of the performance.


Calon Arang
An exorcism drama aimed at the local village witches (leyak, celuluk) and performed when a new temple is dedicated.The part of rangda is taken by an experienced older aktor becouse the performance involves the witch going into an entrance rage, possessed so Balinese believe by the spirit of the actual Rangda. The end of this even id unpredictable and a Rangda can occasion run amok. The purpose of the performance is to placate the rangda by demonstrating her power, and thus gain her co-operation against the lesser witches in the village.


Mask Dance
In Bali, masks are considered sacred objects, and are revered as such. The best ones are traditionally carved on auspicious days, and the dancers who wear them are believed to be possessed by the spirits of the masks. Characters can be identified from the shape of the features; noble characters always wear full, refined masks; while evil is represented by bulging eyes and garish colours. The characters are silent, but communicate using complex gestures of the hand, head and body. The story lines usually follow popular myths, or episodes from history.


source:bali-travels.blogspot.com

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Bali Scuba Diving Site: Secret Bay

Secret Bay is the more poetic name given by Bali's diving community to Gilimanuk Bay, adjacent to where the ferries to and from Java dock. It is about 20mins by road from Labuan Lalang/ Menjangan and located in West Bali National Park. The bay is about 2km wide, very shallow (3-12M), contains two small islands, and has some areas of mangrove. Being the only bay off the narrow Bali Strait, where currents can reach 7knots, means that Gilimanuk acts as a catch tank (a big underwater nursery!) for many larval fish. A reef lying just outside the mouth of the bay creates a channel through which these waters are swept; this is what makes Gilimanuk an extremely interesting dive site. These strong tidal currents mean that the fish and invertebrates are extremely healthy, colourful and well-fed (also that the water is colder than generally found in Bali, around 25C).


Entering the bay, as these macro critters do, from the channel, the bottom is fine black and grey volcanic sand. The channel contains no coral although the sides are scattered with bommies full of angelfish, butterflyfish, schools of razorfish and tiny reef fish that include cardinalfish and multitudes of damselfish.

Secret Bay is muck-diving (ie: diving with a mud bottom) in shallow water with no water movement. Therefore, too much fin movement and/or less than perfect buoyancy control will stir up the bottom, leaving you with low visibility in that area.

The best time to dive is on the incoming tide or around high tide, it doesn't matter if it's early or late in the day, as the bay will have filled with clear water from the Bali Strait. At this time, visibility can be 30M+ although there's a fair amount of rubbish floating around.

Mandarinfish, Secret Bay, Bali Gilimanuk Bay contains many rare macro-photography subjects that include nudibranches, gobies, crustaceans, dragonets, abundant seahorse/pipefish, juvenile Batavia batfish, large areas of long-spined sea urchins with clingfish, and many, many other organisms. At other sites it's difficult to see juveniles as they hide to avoid predators. However, as the bay is shallow there are very few large fish, therefore juveniles have very little to fear, to hide from.

Night-diving at Secret Bay is a unique experience! Cephalopods of all shapes and sizes, crustaceans wandering in search of dinner, other weird and wonderful creatures.

While Bali offers great diversity of dive sites, Gilimanuk Bay is unique within Bali. It is the very definition of muck-diving. No rich coral reefs, no depth to speak of, it is in basically a site for macro-photographers, not wide-angle, and maybe for the occasional recreational diver looking for something different from the norm.


source:bali-travels.blogspot.com

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About Batukaru Temple

Pura Luhur Batukaru, a unique sacred mountain sanctuary and royal temple of Tabanan dynasty, situated on the foot of mount Batukaru, 23 km north of Tabanan, built to venerate deities of mountains and lake.

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Based on the scripture, the temple was founded in 11^th century by Empu Kuturan, a great Hindu sage who established six main temple of Bali. At that time, this temple was a sanctuary for hermits. In 1604, the temple was attacked and partially destroyed by the king of Buleleng, Anglurah Panji Sakti, but his troops were beaten back by millions of bees unleashed by the protective spirit of the temple. Pura Luhur Batukaru was not rebuilt until 1959, even though pilgrims had continued to worship in rubble.

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The Pura Luhur Batukaru lies in solitary clearing 1,300 m above the sea level, set amidst a garden of flowering frangipani and hibiscus, with a gigantic, inhabited, humid tropical forest all around it. The site is often cool and has highest rainfall on Bali. the temple complex consists of a main enclosure to the north and two smaller complexes tucked away in the forest.

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Within the complex are a number of symbolically distinct shrines, each representing a different Tabanan dynasty. Due to the cool climate and high rainfall, the shrines in this temple are covered by moss. The Pura Luhur is also known as Pura Taman that means it has a bathing place and maintained by a king. The most magnificent shrine in this temple is seven-tiered meru, dedicated to the God Mahadewa who presides over mount Batukaru.

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A few meters east of the temple are steps leading down to a square artificial pool with a miniature of island in the middle. On the isle, there are two shrines, one dedicated to Mount Batukaru and other for the deities of the lake. Nearby are a small temple and a sacred spring, bubbling up from a riverbank.

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The temple anniversary falls on Manis Galungan, a day after Galungan holyday. On that day thousand of pilgrims from all over the island will flock to the temple to pay homage to the deities in this sacred temple.

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Source:blog.baliwww.com

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