Getting Around Bali

Bali is a land that seems to have a magnet at its very heart. It is a feeling that is difficult to understand unless experienced but once visited you are surely compelled to come back and you may even want to stay forever, such is its pull. Maybe its Bali’s beauty, maybe the friendly people, or maybe even the influence from spirits that certainly abide in this place. Bali goes under many names. Some call it the ‘island of the gods’, others Shangri-La. The ‘last paradise’, the ‘dawning of the world’ and the ‘centre of the universe’ are yet more names for this truly beautiful tropical island inhabited by a remarkably artistic people who have created a dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies. Bali is small, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.  Art Centre Bali's Art Centre is a show place of Balinese temple and palace architecture. The complex includes an open stage, museum, Balinese pavilions, and art galleries and sprawling parklands.

Asak and Bungaya Gamelan music and the rejang dance in traditional costumes and headdresses are the specialty of Asak. Bungaya is note for its stone carvings and woven crafts.

Besakih Situated on the slopes of Mount Agung. Besakih, and its complex of about 30 temples, is a focal point for Balinese Hinduism.

Batubulan Near Bali's capital, Denpasar, on the road to Ubud, Batubulan is the home of skilled stone carvers and famous for its Barong or Kecak dance performance.

Batur On the slopes of the smoldering Mount Batur, Batur village was destroyed in a 1926 eruption. The villagers then moved further up the mountain, where they build an impressive temple.

Bedugul Bedugul's cool western highlands climate is ideal for growing vegetables, fruits and flowers for market.

Celuk Home to hundreds of silversmiths, Celuk is centre of the silver and gold crafts industry. Item can be bought ready made or ordered.

Denpasar Bali's administrative and commercial centre, Denpasar is a fascinating city where spices, salted fish, intricately woven clothe, gold and silver craft wares are traded in traditional markets alongside modern department stores, banks and restaurants.

Goa Gajah Known as the Elephant Cave because of the thousand years old Ganesha (elephant-headed god). There is also an intricately carved bathing area and the remains of a Buddhist monastery.

Goa Lawah On the southern coast road to Candi Dasa beach, a cave in the courtyard of Goa Lawah's temple is home to thousands of bats.

Gunung Kawi Hidden in a beautiful valley two kilometers from Tampaksiring is an ancient complex of rock-hewn temples established in the 11th century.

Jatiluwih The view is spectacular from this small village, about 20 kilometers from Tabanan and 850 meters above sea level. Rice terraces follow the contours of the hillsides as far as the eye can see.

Kintamani Here, at 1500 meters above the sea level, the climate is damp and cool. Kintamani is the centre for growing oranges and passion fruits. The main street on some days becomes a bustling market place.

Kerambitan A vibrant culture centers. The playing of bamboo music instruments is a specialty in this village.

Kuta Famed for its spectacular sunsets, this once sleepy fishing village has becomes a bustling tourist resorts in recent years. The surf is excellent for board and body surfing.

Lembongan Island About 20 kilometers due east of Sanur and two hours by motor boat, this is one of Bali's three sister islands. It has white sandy beach and crystal clear waters. Ideal for diving.

Lovina About 12 kilometers west of Singaraja, Lovina is a peaceful and quiet beachside village with several guesthouses.

Mas Mas is home to some of Bali's most talented wood carvers. Groups of young craftsmen work under the supervision of the masters. Their work is renowned throughout Indonesia.

Mount Batukaru This 2278-metres pinnacle has a strong influence on local beliefs.

Museum Bali, Denpasar Established by the Dutch in 1910 to exhibit Balinese artifacts, it has a rich and varied collection.

Nusa Dua Carefully planned to protect the environment, Nusa Dua has fine resort hotels, excellent shopping and entertainment centers. Some claim it has the best beaches and is the sunniest part of Bali.

Negara Famous for its Makepung, a traditional buffalo race originally held as a part of the harvest festival, has now become a tourist attraction.

Sanur Sanur is an international-standard resort with every modern facility. Nearby, village life continues much as it has for centuries.

Sangeh Site of the "monkey forests", where large families of monkeys live in nutmeg trees.

Tampaksiring The holy spring Tirta Empul, in the temple at Tampaksiring, is said to have magical powers. There are also special bathing pools.

Tanah Lot Carved by the tides, the seaside sentinel rock of Tanah Lot is the side of the temple. It is connected to the shore by a bridge. Large sea snakes are said to guard the rock.

Tenganan This village maintains its pre-Hindu customs and is known for double-ikat woven cloth.

Trunyan An ancient village on the northeastern shore of Lake Batur, Trunyan is a rich research source for anthropologist and historians.

Tirtagangga On the slopes of Mount Agung, Tirtagangga is noted for its water gardens.

Tulamben  At Tulamben, about 100 kilometers by road from Sanur, on the north-east coast, are the remains of an American World War II vessel.

Ubud  Home to painters and celebrities, Ubud attracts art lovers and visitors from all over the world.

Uluwatu  The ancient Luhur Uluwatu temple is on that part of the south coast where the tablelands end at steep cliffs. Uluwatu beach is considered one of Bali's best surfing spots, attracting surfers from around the world Event and Festivals Festival as an important feature of the Balinese life occurs on fixed dates according to the Balinese calendar. Instead of temple festivals take place mostly in every 210 days or every six months. There are annual cycle and every six months celebrations of holidays, life-cycle ceremonies of a Balinese person since the time inside the mother's womb followed in stages up until marriage and the most important of the Balinese ritual is that includes funeral rites and cremation. To maintain and preserve every aspect of the Balinese's cultural life, Annual Festival have been held by the Provincial Government, such as the Annual Bali Art Festival usually take place in every Saturday middle of June to Saturday middle of July with exhibitions and performances of various kinds of artworks and cultural achievements, Kite Festival. Some of the events and festivals are:   Nyepi This holiday is the Balinese's New Year called Icaka New Year, the day of total silence throughout the island. No activity is done, no traffic at all on the roads, no fire may be lit and no amusement held for the day long. Great purification and sacrificial rites were held the day before so as to exorcise evil spirits from every corner of the compound. Galungan This is the most important holiday symbolizing the victory of Virtue ( Dharma) upon Evil (Adharma). The holiday is specialized by the fitting of "Penjor", a tall bamboo pole splendidly decorated with woven young coconut leaves, fruits, cakes and flower, on the right side of every house entrance. People are attired in their finest clothes and jewels this day. Kuningan This holiday takes place ten days after Galungan, bringing the holiday period to a closing time. On this day, special ritual ceremony held for the Ancestral spirits. Odalan A celebration to mark the village temple's anniversary. Pagerwesi The name literally means "iron fence", on which day ceremonies and prayers are held for strong mental and spiritual defense in welcoming the Galungan holiday. Saraswati The day devoted to Sanghyang Aji Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge and Art. On this day, books of knowledge, manuscripts and the Wedas are blessed and special offering are made for them. Ngaben or Pelebon Cremation ceremony, typically Balinese Hinduism phenomena of Bali. Metatah Tooth Filing Ceremony Bali Arts Festival The arts festival followed by all regencies of Bali province centered in Denpasar. The Taman Budaya (Art Centre) is where the main events of the Bali Arts Festival are held each year. Bali Flora and Fauna Encompassing three different vegetation zones; namely, the Asian, Australian and intermediate zones, The Indonesian archipelago, which also includes Bali, is rich with diverse flora and fauna. The archipelago has the most number of species of butterflies, fifth for amphibians in the world, and ranks seventh in the world for flowering plants. Added to its wonders are more than 30,000 plant species that are found here and some of them are endemic. The bird population covers almost a fifth of the world's bird species. The archipelago is also home to a third of the world's known fish species, which number more than 7,000. Wildlife Being part of Asia, Bali was once a natural haven for large carnivorous mammals, but unfortunately, Bali's last tiger was shot in 1937. Roaming in small numbers in Bali's jungle are panthers and leopards, which are getting seriously endangered. Other large herbivores found here are deer and wild buffaloes. Also unique to Bali is the tamed wild ox, called banteng. The untamed version ox can only be spotted in the National Park. Physical Geography Volcanoes have played a major role in shaping Bali's geology. As a result of the continual discharge of  minerals and chemicals, large tracts of the land have been made fertile; others, barren, as in Karangasem. A central chain of volcanic mountains divides the island into two. Lake Batur and another great body of water are found north of the divide. These lakes, together with monsoons from the Indian Ocean, contribute to the high level of humidity in Bali. Some areas are still covered by rainforest, although much has disappeared during the last century. Wild orchids, ferns, mosses and other plants requiring a high degree of humidity are found in the mountain areas. The temperate mountain weather also allows pines to flourish. In Bali's gorges , trees such as teak grow. The numerous gorges found in Bali are a result of the volcanic ash in the soil, and they are favorite places for the Banyan and Pule, two of Bali's sacred trees. The Pule tree is used in making sacred masks. Pangge Baya and Ebony trees are becoming scarcer, being popular materials for woodcarving. Bamboo trees grow along the banks of rivers and streams. Though used mainly used in construction, bamboo is a multipurpose material used for making pipes, rope, baskets and even food. Birds and Plants The river banks have a rich bird life, such as the Kepodang (Oriole birds), Kipasan (Fan-tails) and Kutilang. Many species are excellent singers; sometimes, they join in the noisy chorus of crickets. The agricultural heartland of Bali lies at the foot of the central mountain range. The southern region, sloping gently down to the sea, is the source of most of Bali's rice harvest. The paddy fields are a favorite habitat for birds. Herons arrive at the planting season, while the Java Sparrow, Parrot Finch and Java Munia turn up when the grain appears. Although these birds are threatened by the extensive use of pesticides, they can still be seen flocking around the yellowing rice paddies. Now and then a falcon hovers in the sky, looking for prey. One particularly endangered bird species is the Bali Starling of which less than fifty now survive in their natural habitat. Sadly, the Bali Starling and the Bali Tiger are only two of the hundreds of endangered or extinct animal species in Indonesia. Fruits The northern coastal strip is narrower than in the South, rising rapidly into the mountains of the central range. But the main export crops of Bali - coffee and copra - are grown here. This area also produces the salak fruit, with its scaly skin. A sweet and sour salak dish is popular throughout Indonesia. The drier areas of the Balinese lowlands are planted with all sorts of exotic fruits. Durian, a spiny fruit that smells like rotten cheese, is a favorite Indonesian delicacy. The rambutan - literally meaning "hairy"- is a sweet and juicy fruit. There are also papayas, mangoes, salak, passion fruit, bananas, duku and sirsak. Try the kweni, Bali's brownish mango, and feel it melt in your mouth. Sampling the various Balinese fruits is itself an adventure, as there is no standard taste. Perhaps this is because the fruits grow for the most part naturally and without any special attention. This is especially true of mangoes and durian. Herbal Medicine Plants may be used either as cooking ingredients or in the preparation of herbal medicines. The lontar usada (a sacred manuscript) contains many recipes for the preparation of medicines. The main plants used are ginger, turmeric, white pomegranate, kunyit, kunci, lempuyang, and kumis kucing. Sometimes even rice is used in these concoctions. Shore Life Bali's shores are home to a host of animal and floral species. The mangrove forest contains all sorts of crabs, shrimps and fishes. The coral reefs contain multi-colored fish, which used to be exported. However, these fish, like the coral itself, are disappearing, as are the giant turtles which used to breed in their thousands along Bali's coastline. But as long as dolphins can still be seen swimming in the straits around the island, there is optimism for the future of Bali's rich fauna and flora. Some of Bali's eco-interest spots Taman Burung Bali Bird Park Located in Batubulan, Gianyar is home to more than a thousand of birds from throughout Indonesia and all over the world. Set in a spectacular gardens filled with lush tropical plants and water features. The park is also has a good restaurant for guests to interact with nature by having breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea with birds.  West Bali National Park This conservation area is located in two regencies of Jembrana and Buleleng. For those who looking for unspoiled tropical nature, this place is worth to be visited. This park is the last natural habitat of the endangered Jalak Putih (Bali Sterling) - fewer than fifty birds are believed to be left in the wild. The park is also home of wild ox (banteng) and in Menjangan Island is home of Java Deer. This National Park contains a wide range of natural environments, from mangrove coastal forests to savannah and rainforests. Botanical Gardens The tranquil botanical gardens of Kebun Raya in Bedugul has the last remaining tropical forest on the island and is home to more than 700 species of trees and a unique collection of orchids and ferns. Gitgit Waterfall Is the most impressive waterfall on the island. Located not far to the town of Singaraja, on the north coast of Bali. Within walking distance through the jungle, you will find that this place is worth to be visited.   Monkey Forest Located in the heart of the primary forest in Southern Bali called Sangeh, this forest comprises entirely of towering pala trees. The monkey living here are considered sacred, in an association from the Ramayana epic, where prince Rama allied himself with the monkey hero Hanoman to attack the area of Alengka. When visiting this forest, your valuable things (jewelry, cameras, etc.) should be left behind or stored in your bag as the monkeys here are attracted to the glossy object