Tirta Gangga is a royal water palace/water garden of Karangasem Kingdom that is still preserved until now, besides Taman Ujung water palace. This tourism object is located in Ababi Village, Abang District, about 83 km from Denpasar or 6 km from Amlapura (the capital city of Karangasem). Tirta Gangga is surrounded by rice fields and lush green hills. Moreover, the sound of water and beautiful view of its garden are a perfect combination for spending a peaceful excursion.

Tirta Gangga was first built in 1948 by Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, the king of Karangasem at that time. Just like Taman Ujung which combine Balinese, Dutch, and Chinese design, the architecture of this water palace is a also a mixture of different cultures. However, in Tirta Gangga it only use two architecture, Balinese and Chinese.

Before it was used as a water palace, the natural spring in this area called Rejasa had been used by the local residents for daily need. actually, this spring flows a very large amount of water which now is used by the government to provide clean water for the residents of Amlapura City. Besides that, the water is also flowed into some swimming pools located in the lower area through underwater pipe, and Subak or Balinese traditional rice field irrigation system.

The words “Tirta Gangga” are derived from “tirta” which means water, and “gangga” which is the name of a holy river in India (Ganges), the place where Hinduism was born. From that meaning, it could be easily concluded that Tirta Gangga is regarded as the place for holy water spring for the Balinese Hindu. The water from this natural spring is usually needed as a part of traditional ceremony which is held in some temples around Tirta Gangga.

This water palace stand on a 1.2 hectare area with three different level/part outstretched from east to west. These levels symbolize the concept of “Tri Loka” or “three worlds” of Hindu. The first part is an attracting pond on the right side when first entering this water palace, which is decorated by some stones and sculptures. Some of these stones are arranged on the pond and used for step stone to walk over the pond. This part is called “Swah”, the place for Gods. Many visitors would like to walk over these stones to feel the sensation of walking on the water. Here, you can also see some statues of Gods and Goddess over the pool, some fish swimming elegantly under water, and a swimming pool. In the middle of the area, there is an elegant eleven-tiered Nawa Sanga fountain. This fountain and two ponds in this area forms the “Bwah,” symbolizing the world of human being. Meanwhile, the “Bhur” level which symbolizes the world of evils is located on the left side from the entrance. It is occupied by the big pond with a long Demon Island in the middle.

Tirta Gangga is always crowded by many visitors especially in the weekend. This place is a perfect place for family or self relaxing excursion because of its surrounding panorama and peaceful atmosphere. Besides visiting this beautiful Tirta Gangga water palace, you can also go to some of these tourism objects located in Karangasem Regency.

Taman Ujung Palace

This palace was built in 1912 by the late King of Karangasem, I Gusti Bagus Jelantik, which reigned in Karangasem between 1909 and 1945. This palace is very grandiose with combination of Balinese, Dutch, and Chinese architecture.

Puri Agung Karangasem

Puri Agung Karangasem or Karangasem Palace is the residential area of Karangasem King which also combine three different architectures. Balinese architecture could be seen on the carvings, statues, and reliefs on the buildings. Meanwhile European (Dutch) architecture is reflected on the style of the main building with its large veranda, and Chinese architecture is implied on the style of the window, the door, and other decorations.

Candidasa Beach

A beautiful beach with a dazzling panorama of Indian Ocean. This beach has sparkling white sand along its coastline. From this beach, Lombok Island and Nusa Penida are also observable.

Teganan Pegringsingan

Tenganan Pegringsingan is a surviving Balinese ancient village with its unique buildings, culture, and tradition. Many temple festivals could be seen in this village like “Mekare-kare” or “Perang Pandan”. This village is also famous for its kamen or Balinese sarong called Kamen Gringsing which is very artistic and valuable.

Bali is the main tourism destination in Indonesia. Well, most of people are aware of that. However there are so many hidden tourism spot you can find in Bali. And most of them have their own unique and hidden beauty. One of the good examples is the Waterfall of Les village. If you are eager to spend holiday exploring the beauty of northern part of Bali, Les Waterfall is a great choice to visit. It is located in Les village on the eastern part of Buleleng Regency, 38 kilometer to the east from Singaraja, and about 50 kilometers from Lovina.

This tourism spot has not been maximally touched by any investor. Therefore, this tourism spot is still treasuring its nature panorama with its green hills and undeniable charm of amazing waterfall. The height of this waterfall is about 30 meters. Since the water is hitting the rock before directly pouring to the bottom, visitors can stand under the waterfall and enjoy the relaxation of natural massage. Not only tourist, local people also usually come and enjoy natural massage.

How to reach the waterfall? There are several options to reach this waterfall from the city or other tourism object nearby. The Best option is by car to reach the village, and then walk for about 1 kilometer or hire local motorcycle. It is because car is only able to take you to the village. It won’t be able to take you directly into the waterfall since it is impossible to drive straight to the waterfall. However, you still have the choice to deny the motorcycle and walk while enjoying the nature, trees, and green panorama of the hill. You also can hire local guide to lead you during the trip. Don’t worry about the path to the waterfall since it is well built and safe for pedestrian as well as motorcycle.

As well as several options to reach, there are also several routes to take to reach Les Village. You can come from Denpasar to Singaraja which passing several tourism spot such as Kebun Raya Eka Karya (Bedugul Botanical Garden), Git-Git Waterfall, Air Sanih Swimming Pool, and many other. The second route is from Denpasar to Les Village via Gianyar and Kintamani. This route passes some tourism object such as Batur Volcano Mountain and Batur Lake, Volcano Museum in Penelokan, Some temple such as Penulisan and Batur Temple, and of course some more tourist destination along the way. Well, you can reach the waterfall from Karangasem regency via Tejakula.

Time of visit is also should be included into consideration. If you want to have a visit into a crowd, Galungan day would be a nice choice to visit. Local residences really love to celebrate Galungan Day (a holy celebration day for Hinduism) in the waterfall. So you can interact with local people and ask more about the culture and tourist spot. Meanwhile, domestic and international tourist usually reaches maximum visit count on August holiday season or days before and after New Year.

Is that all? No. if you are an extreme sport lover, you may ask the local people or the administrator of the tourist spot to consider you for an extreme journey to the top of the waterfall. Actually, there is one more waterfall on the top of the tourism spot. However, reaching that spot is difficult and is highly recommended to use safety utility.

Maybe if you browse through tourism spot in Bali, this waterfall is not yet famous compared to other tourism spot in Bali. This tourism spot is not yet developed to its final potential. Trekking is one of the examples of possible development for this tourism object. Local residence were also not highly depends on the waterfall as their main income. However, the youth generation of this local residence is highly passionate to develop this tourism spot to its maximum extent.

Well, is that all about waterfall? The answer is still “No”. You won’t regret visiting this waterfall as well as there are other tourism options to visit when arriving to this village. Les village is also blessed with enchanting underwater panorama on its coastline. This village has an amazingly unique slope in which the water flows like a stream before pouring down to the bottom. An amazing waterfall and beautiful underwater scenery, maybe an “amazing weekend escape” is fair enough to explain the natural beauty of Les village.

Bali has been reputed as one of the best holiday destinations in the world. The beauty of its natural panorama is not only the main factor that people flock to Bali. The uniqueness of its culture, the climate, and friendliness of Balinese have been contributed to the booming visits to the island of Gods.

From the data taken by Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Bali (Statistic Department of Bali), at least there are ten countries which have become the loyal customers / regulars of Balinese tourism. According to the chief of this department, I Gede Suarsa, Australia stays on the top position in supplying foreign tourists into Bali, followed by other big countries like Chinese and Japan.

During 2011, the amount of Australians who spent their holiday in Bali was reaching 788,664 people. Meanwhile, the newest data analyzed from the period of January – August 2012, it was noted that Australia supplied 627,793 tourists or 33.03 percent from the total of foreign tourists who visited Bali at that time. According to I Gede Suarsa, “That amount shows that there is increasing number of the Australian tourists visiting Bali if it is compared to the same period (January – August) in 2011. Significantly, the amount of the increase is 25.23 percent from the last period which recorded 501,326 tourists.” It was concluded that the increase is not only caused by the better condition of Australian economy, but also by the conducive condition of Bali, the proximity between Bali and Australia, and also the easiness of getting on air transportation.

Australia ranks first from the list of top 10 countries supplying the most tourists to Bali. Most of them came through Ngurah Rai Airport using flight service directly from their country. It was also found that 12,446 tourists came through cruise ships.

I Gede Suarsa added that Australians keep coming to Bali because they treat Bali as their second home. It means that Australians feel comfortable staying in Bali, whether it is because the factor from the island itself or the factor that these Australians who want an escape from the routines in their country. This condition makes this commonwealth country contributes more than a third of the total foreign tourists visit to Bali.

Meanwhile, China stays on the second position as the most tourists contributor, after Australia. They recorded an increase reaching 39.12 percent, followed by Japan 9.24 percent, Malaysia 20.76 percent, South Korea 26.56 percent, and Singapore 23.21 percent. The number of French tourists also increases to 12.23 percent, while British increases to 42.07 percent and American 31.10. The country that has decreasing visit is Taiwan 1.02 percent from 89,528 tourists to 88,612 tourists.

The Main Reasons of High Visit Number from Australian Tourists

There are some reasons that makes Bali still become the best holiday island for the Australians. In general, this fact is influenced by geographical position of Bali and Australia, also the uniqueness that Bali offers not only for Australians but also other countries. This two general factors play important role in keeping Australians coming to Bali. Below, it is explained some reasons / factors that may contribute to this fact.

Geographical Position

The proximity between Bali and Australia could be said as the main reason for the Australian tourists preferring to visit Bali rather than other holiday destinations. It will only need around 3-7 hour flying depending on the departure location. With that short trip, a lot of time will be saved especially for them who does not have a long holiday.

Climate

The warm climate of the dry season in Bali is the favorite of every tourist including Australians. Even though there is rainy season during December until March, the temperature of Bali is still warm ranging from 20 until 33 Celsius degree. It will be still fine for the tourists as they come to Bali to enjoy this kind of temperature that they did not feel in their country. Moreover, the rain usually comes at the night, so in the morning till afternoon, tourists could go anywhere they like.

Historical Values

Bali with its unique and ancient civilization is an attractive destination for every tourists. Here, a lot of historical and religious buildings or temple could be easily found since it has been integrating in the Balinese life. The old temples which were built thousand year ago are still maintained well. From here, tourists could spend their holiday and learn history at the same time.

Culture and Custom

World has acknowledged the politeness and friendliness of Balinese towards everyone, which have been inherited from their ancestors over generations. The care that the Balinese shows even for the strangers also becomes a thing that the Australians found very comforting. It is very different from the culture of the westerns or Australians where people hardly care each other. Besides that, the traditional culture that Bali possessed gives a unique experience of holiday for them.

Price

As one of the world’s favorite holiday destinations, the cost to spend holiday in Bali is still in the category of affordable. It is supported by Long Haul’s survey report which shows that Bali is in the third position for the cheapest holiday destinations in the world, after Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Moreover, Australia stays in the second position of the most expensive holiday destinations, below South Korea. Thus, this factor must be also becomes a consideration for the Australians to spend holiday in Bali rather than in their own country.

It could be concluded that as a world class holiday destination, Bali offers a great advantage for the Australians tourists. Unique and classy holiday, affordable price, and short trip to reach the island; the Australians may not need to think twice if they are asked for their favorite holiday destination. Most of them will choose Bali, because Bali is the Australians’ second home.

Have you ever imagine a beach with pink sand? Maybe you will say that such a thing could only be seen in a fairytale world. However, pink sand beach really do exist. This unique beach could be found in these two locations in Indonesia.

Pink Beach, Komodo Island

Komodo Island is well-known for the “nest” of komodo dragon and its reputation as one of the world’s seven wonders. However, now the visitors of this island could also visit a unique beach called pink beach. As the name suggests, Pink Beach has pink sand along its coastline. The pink color is caused by the mixture of white calcium carbonate and the bright red skeletons of dead organ pipe corals which grow under its waters.

Pink Beach also has various kind of amazing sea biota and coral reef. There are thousand kinds of fish and 70 kinds if sponges live in this area. Visitors could go diving and snorkeling, to enjoy the beautiful panorama of underwater life.

This beach is not really popular amongst the tourists who visit Komodo Island. Thus, the condition of this beach is very natural, peaceful, clean, and well maintained. When you decide to visit this beach, you will be accompanied by an officer of Komodo National Park to ensure your safety, because some komodo also live around the beach. But, do not worry because these komodo rarely attack human and reputedly komodo never attack local residents, so you are totally safety when you are accompanied by these officers.

From the distance sand in this beach looks normal, white and clean. However, as you get closer and closer, the pink hue of the sand will be more visible. When the bluish wave flows on top of this sand, the contrast will even be more clear. Indeed, the beauty of this pink beach will be perfect when it is shone by the direct sunlight.

Tangsi Beach, Lombok

Although some beaches in Lombok like Senggigi and Gili Trawangan area have been famous for the tourists, actually they still do not know that there is a beautiful virgin beach with its pink sand called Tangsi beach. This beach is located in East Lombok Regency, Jerowaru sub district. Tangsi Beach is on the rise, because in the past not many people know about this hidden gem. Even, the local people does not really aware that this beach could become a good tourism object. Recently, a mass media exposed its potential so that people flock to visit this beach.

Geographically, this beach is located in the southern top of Lombok Island. To reach this beach, hard trip must be faced since the road heading to this beach is broken. The asphalt road got quite big holes in some areas. From Mataram city, it will need two hour driving until you get this place. Surprisingly, there is no retribution or entrance ticket in this beach, because the area of this beach is a new attraction and not yet maintained by the local government.

On the both side of this beach you will see two tall hills surrounding the area. Tangsi Beach is in the form of a basin flanked by hills. The natural and peaceful situation of the beach is actually the best attraction for some foreign tourists.

Like Pink Beach in Komodo Island, Tangsi Beach main feature is the pink sand that it has. This color is formed by the small pieces of red corals which grow under its water. This beach is really a new tourism object that not many people visit this beach, even in the weekend. However, as the time goes by, the visitors of this beach keep increasing. Maybe, the number will increase significantly if the government try to optimized this beach potential by providing a good access and tourism facilities. Besides that, near the beach there is also a cave which was used for military basis by the Japanese army in colonial era. Many people said that if we explore this cave it will guide us to cross the hill and arrive in the new beach behind this hill.

The cleanliness and nature of this beach is still good. There are no inorganic litters found around the beach. This natural state of the beach surely must be maintained, to make the tourists feel comfortable. Moreover, the tourism potential in the form of peaceful atmosphere and uniqueness that this beach offers could be utilized to benefit the government and of course the local residents itself.

Geger Beach is one of the charms that attracts so many tourists to visit this beautiful island of Bali. Not like the other beaches in Bali which are commonly crowded with so many people, this beach is still natural and quiet. Its sparkling white sand lies to several hundred meters combined with turquoise water, splash of the waves, and peaceful atmosphere creates such a panorama of dream tropical beach. The natural and peaceful situation of Geger Beach is caused by the small amount of shops, restaurants, or café, and the absence of noisy discotheques around the area totally different from other popular beaches like Kuta, Legian, or Seminyak.

Another cause is the location of this beach which is a bit hidden, far away from the main road which is the main contributor of the sound pollution in Bali. The true tranquility and beauty of winding reefs in its coastal area make a very romantic atmosphere, plus the rolling calm wave with bluish water complete that atmosphere especially for the couples. It is no wonder that Geger Beach has become one of the favorite places in Bali where new couples want to spend their honeymoon phase. Usually, these couples spend their time together by lying down on the sand, sunbathing in the warmth of Bali’s tropical sunlight whilst enjoying beach panorama.

Besides sunbathing, other activities that could be done in this beach are swimming and fishing, especially when the waters is receding. The reefs which are pointed out from the water looks like a bridge for the visitors to explore the sea deeper and enjoy the captivating underwater scenery under the shallow waters. Geger Beach is also a favorite spot for the surfers. This beach has a calm but challenging waves which are good for the beginner until professional surfers who wants to feel the fun of riding the wave. In the middle part of the ocean, the waves is quite big which is very suitable for rushing the surfers’ adrenaline. Whether in the morning or in the afternoon, the water of Geger Beach always feels warm which makes the tourists reluctant to leave the beach.

In this beach the tourists could also see a seaweed farming area managed and cultivated by the local residents around the beach. Many activities could be done here, like watching the harvesting process, drying the seaweed, or observing the farm itself.

Besides all of those uniqueness, Geger Beach still has a uniqueness to offer, that is camel safari along the coast. You do not need to go to Egypt to feel the sensation of riding camel, because here the camels are ready to take you walking around. The only difference is these camels will not take you crossing a burning sandy desert, but a beautiful sandy beach. In exploring this beach, some routes are already provided by the administrators of the beach, so you do not need to worry that you may get lost. This camel safari usually take 1 hour to enjoy, which will be one of the most unique experiences in your life. Actually, now Geger Beach is also completed with some facilities like masseur, venders, souvenirs shops, and some restaurants. Tourists could try various selection of seafood in these restaurants.

Location

Geger Beach is located in the southern part of Bali Island, exactly in Peminga village, Sawangan, Nusa Dua. Even a bit hidden, this beach is not too hard to find. From Kuta, you could follow the main road heading into Nusa Dua. In the last traffic light before the gate heading into Nusa Dua Tourism Area, an exclusive complex owned by Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC), just turn right. If you find a sign written “Pantai Geger”, do not follow it.

Actually, that access could take you to the beach but the condition of the road is not good. Big holes and pieces of reefs spread along the road make your trip hard and uncomfortable. So, just follow the main road until you find Nikko Hotel. Around 500 meters from this hotel there will be a small bridge. Just turn left right before this bridge and around 200 meters from there you will be welcomed by the beautiful panorama of this beach. So if you are looking for a peaceful and beautiful beach to visit in Bali, do not miss Geger Beach. Moreover, you could find a unique camel safari here. An attraction that you will rarely find anywhere in Bali.

Sempu Island is a tropical small island located in the southern part of Java Island. This island is registered in the area of Malang Regency, East Java. Now, Sempu Island is declared as a wildlife sanctuary/conservation area by the government of Indonesia. Surprisingly, there is no brackish spring found in this area, even though the island is small and surrounded by ocean. Sempu Island has an area of approximately 877 hectare which is adjacent with Sempu Strait (Sendang Biru) and surrounded by Indian Ocean in the south, east, and west side. Sempu Island could be reached from Malang through Sendang Biru Beach. You could contact the local fishermen to rent their raft or boat and to get a permission/license to cross the strait into this beautiful island.

The splash of the wave, soft sand, and thousands of blinking stars will complete your vacation in Sempu Island with an unparalleled romantic atmosphere. So many people have been attracted to the charm and beauty of this uninhabited small island. From the city of Malang, it will need 4 hour drive to reach Sendang Biru, the crossing point of Sempu Island. You can use your own personal vehicle or public transportation because the road heading to that area, is relatively in good condition. The trip for 4 hours will not be boring because the amazing landscapes of towns, rice fields, and teak forests are very enjoyable to see.

After that 4 hour trip, you will arrive in Sendang Biru dock. Here, you will be required to register you and your trip mate to the office of Local Forestry Service which is located on the end of the dock. This process must be done because Sempu Island is a conservation area which is very important to keep from any possible threats, including irresponsible visitors. Indeed, the aim of this registration is to note or record you as the visitor of the island and then it could be used as evidence if in any case there is something wrong in the island related to the visitors. Sempu Island is a conservation area thus no buildings or residents could be found there. However, the travelers or tourists could still visit this island as long as they keep the preservation and cleanliness of this island.

This 877 hectare island has many interesting destinations like Kembar Beach (“kembar” means twin) and Segara Anakan which is the most famous part from Sempu Island. Segara Anakan is a beautiful lagoon which was created naturally by the ferocity of South Ocean’s wave. Natural and full of beautiful panorama, this place is a piece of paradise on earth. This beautiful lagoon has pretty white sand and clean turquoise water. Segara Anakan is a lagoon which is located behind Indian Ocean, separated only by towering reef walls. To get into this Segara Anakan, you must go on foot (trekking) for about 2 hours or more, depending on the field mastery or soil’s moisture. In the dry season, the trip would be easier because of the solidness of the soil stepped on and also the clarity of the pathway. In the rainy season, it will take longer time than usual, because you will face muddy soil and unclear pathway which also cause by the mud. However, all of your hard effort and tiredness will be paid off when you arrive in Segara Anakan. The beauty of the lagoon could be enjoyed all time; morning, afternoon, and night. In the morning until afternoon, the best activity would be playing water and swimming around the lagoon. The weather may get hotter, but the water temperature in this lagoon will still be cool. It is caused by the lush forest and caves which surround the lagoon, keeping the water temperature cool. Meanwhile, at night you could lit fire and enjoy the sensation of the nature’s peaceful atmosphere.

Because uninhabited, the island is not provided with electricity. Light could be created from bonfire or lighter. Lying on the soft sand whilst watching the thousands of blinking stars will be a perfect way to close the day. Also, enjoy the total peace of the island without any disturbance of machine sounds. However, in the weekend you will rarely found the total quiet situation because you will get companies from the other visitors; not bad at all though.
To visit this amazing island, besides using personal vehicle from Gadang to Turen you could go on bus with only Rp 5000. After that, from Turen to Sendang Biru it will cost Rp 15000. For the boat rent, you will get various prices around Rp 100,000 until Rp 200,000. That price has already included pickup service in the next day. The trip crossing into the island will only take 5 minutes. Actually, those amounts are nothing compared to the amazing experiences that you will gain in this island.

Barong dance is a Balinese traditional dance which is inherited from pre-Hindu culture that existed in the past. This dance tells the story about eternal fight between the virtue (dharma) against the evil (adharma). The virtue is symbolized by Barong, a mythological creature which has four legs, and looks like a lion with golden armor. Meanwhile, the evil is symbolized by Rangda, an evil witch whose face is scary with long pointed out canines and fiery tongue. Some people say that, the word “Barong” is derived from word “bahruang” which means “beruang” (bear), a mythological animal which is believed possessing magical power as the virtue guardian.

Actually, there are various kind of Barong dance usually performed in Bali, whether in a show or in a traditional ceremony. The example of them are Barong Ket (the most common barong), Barong Bangkal (boar), Barong Gajah (elephant), Barong Asu (dog), Barong Brutuk (made from dried banana leaves) , and Barong-barongan. However, amongst those kind of Barong, Barong Ket or Barong Keket is the one which is often performed in front of the tourists since this Barong has the most complete costume and story. Usually, the Barong that you could see in a show is not the one that is sacred by the Balinese, but the Barong that is specially made solely for the behalf of a show.

Barong Ket costume usually describes the mixture of lion, tiger, or ox. Its body is decorated by many ornaments made from leather, small pieces of mirrors, and furs made from the fiber of pandan leaves. Barong is played by two dancers or usually called “bapang” which one of them take the front position playing role as the head as well as front legs, and one of them in the back position playing role as the back legs and tail.

In a glance, Barong Ket is a bit similar with Barongsai which is usually performed by the Chinese. However, the story performed is completely different. Moreover, in Barong story, there are some other characters like monkeys (friends of Barong), Kunti, Sadewa (the son of Kunti), Rangda, and the subordinates of Rangda.

The uniqueness of Barong dance is in the comical elements combined with mythological elements which are mixed into an art performance. The elements of comedy are usually inserted in the middle of the performance to evoke laugh from the audience. In the opening part for example, the monkey which accompanies the Barong on the stage, makes funny gestures and actions.

Meanwhile, the mythological elements come from the source of the story which is taken from pre-Hindu tradition when Barong was believed as the guardian of virtue. Mythological could also be seen from the costume of Barong which is made from woods taken in mystical places like cemetery. Besides that, Barong dance performance is usually interspersed with Keris Dance. Keris dance also contains mystical aspects in it, because in this dance a group of people try to stab themselves with keris (Balinese dagger), but surprisingly those sharp daggers could not penetrate their body.

Barong dance could be watched in some locations in Gianyar Regency, like in Dalem Ubud Temple starting at 7.30 pm and some stages in Batubulan Village starting from 9.30 am.
To be able to watch this performance, you must go to Batubulan or Ubud. From Denpasar, Batubulan is approximately 10 km and could be reached by 20 minute driving whether using personal vehicle or public transportation. Meanwhile Ubud is about 25 km and could be reached by 50 minute driving. Besides that, for your convenience you could also use travel agency service to watch Barong dance show. Usually, every travel agencies in Bali has fix schedule of Barong dance show in Batubulan and Ubud, and they could easily provide you with the pre-ordered ticket.

The entrance ticket for this show usually costs you Rp 50.000 – Rp 80.000 per person. With that price, you will also get a story guidance in the form of books or pamphlet available in various language like Bahasa Indonesia, English, French, Italian, Japanese, and Mandarin.

After watching the show, you do not need to rush back to go to other places because there are so many attractive places located in both Batubulan and Ubud. You could buy some souvenirs or arts sold in the shops along the road of the two villages. Some tourists attractions like zoo, temples, art markets, and monkey forests are located near the location.

Borobudur is widely known as one of the world’s seven wonders. This Buddhist temple has 1460 relief and 504 stupa in its complex. Many people dream of visiting this great ancient building because of the captivating architectural design and function as worshipping place.

Borobudur actually is a name of a district in Magelang Regency, Central Java. It has gotten world reputation because of the existence of Borobudur Temple which is the biggest Buddhist temple as well as the grandest stupa complex in the world. Located 42 km southwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur could be reach by either public transportation or personal vehicle. Besides the temple, Borobudur area also has other tourism potentials which spread in many places.

Borobudur was built by King Samaratungga, one of the famous king of Mataram Kuno Kingdom; the descendant of Syailendra Dynasty. According to Kayumwungan inscription, an Indonesian named Hudaya Kandahjaya stated that Borobudur was a worshipping place which was finished in 26th of May 824, almost a hundred year after the beginning of its construction. The name Borobudur itself, based on arguments of some people means “a terraced mountain” or called budhara, meanwhile other people said that Borobudur means “monastery on a high place.”

Borobudur is a building in the form of terraced pyramid, consists of 10 levels. Its height is 42 meter before renovation, thence became 34.5 meter after renovation because the lowest level of this temple sunk underground and then used as the foundation. The lowest six levels are rectangular and three levels above them are circular, and the highest one level is in the form of Buddha Stupa facing west. Every level symbolized the stages of human life. According to the schools of Budha Mahayana, every human who wants to achieve the level of Buddha must go through those stages of life.

The lowest part of Borobudur is called Kamadhatu, symbolizing humans who are still bounded by lust. Four levels above it, there are Rupadhatu which symbolize the humans who could free themselves from the lust but still attracted by appearance and form. In these levels, Budha statues are put without covers. Meanwhile, three levels above where Buddha are put inside / covered by perforated stupa are called Arupadhatu, symbolizing the humans who are free from lust, appearance, and form. The highest level which is called Arupa symbolizes the Nirvana, the place where Buddha resides.

Every level has some beautiful reliefs proving that Borobudur is truly a masterpiece. This relief will be readable if you see it in clockwise direction (left side from the entry of the temple). In its reliefs, Borobudur told a story about a legendary epic, Ramayana. Besides that, there are also some reliefs which show the condition of the society at that time. For instance, relief about farming activities which shows us about the advancement of farming system and relief of sailing ship which is the representation of the shipping advancement centered in Bergotta (Semarang) at that time.

The whole reliefs which exists in Borobudur reflecting Buddha’s teachings, so this temple is a suitable place for people who want to learn Buddhism. Atisha, a Buddhist from India in the 10th century, had come to this temple which was built 3 centuries before Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and 4 centuries before the Great Cathedral in Europe.

By visiting Borobudur and Buddhist texts he got from Serlingpa (one of the king of Sriwijaya Kingdom), Atisha could develop Buddhism. He was chosen to be the leader of Vikramasila Monastery and taught the Tibetan to practice Dharma or the truth. Six scripts made by him also were summarized into core of a teaching called “The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment” or usually known as Bodhipathapradipa.

Questions that still unanswered about Borobudur until now is how the condition around the temple when it was built and how this temple could be found buried underground. Some theories stated that Borobudur was built around a swamp and then sunk caused by the eruption of Merapi Mountain. It could be concluded according to Kalkutta inscription written ‘Amawa’ means milky ocean. This word then was interpreted as Merapi’s lava.

With its grandeur and mystery, so many people from around the world really want to visit Borobudur. Even some world celebrities like Richard Gere and David Beckham with his family taking their time to see Borobudur a few years ago. Besides visiting the temple, you could also take a tour to the villages around Borobudur, like Karanganyar and Wanurejo to see the process of creating handicrafts done by the local craftsmen. You could also go to the top of Watu Kendil to observe the panorama of Borobudur from high place.

Tenganan Pegringsingan Village is locaed in Karangasem, about 3 hour drive from the capital of Bali, Denpasar. On the way heading there, you will go through beachside road with beautiful panorama around it. Tenganan Pegringsingan is very famous for its “kamen” (Balinese sarong), unique culture, and tradition.

Kamen Gringsing

Kamen Gringsing is a kind of kamen which is highly rated in Bali because of its beauty, materials, and complicated making process. In this village you can find kamen gringsing easily but also with a high price. That price is actually quite reasonable since the coloring process of this traditional cloth could takes years until finish. There are three dominant colors in every kamen; red, yellow or white, and black. The color of red is made from the root bark of a noni tree; yellow is from hazelnut and black is from a kind of grass. Gringsing is derived from word “gring” means “ill” and “sing” which means “not,” so it could be said that the meaning of gringsing is “not ill.” This meaning is also related to balance of universe elements symbolized in the kamen. Yellow is for symbolizing air, meanwhile red is for fire, and black is for water. If one of these elements in human body is disturbed, illness will occur. It means that human should also keep the elements of nature to balance the “health” of the universe.

Reject the Levy

Back then, when Tenganan Pegringsingan began to attract a lot of tourists, Karangasem Government suddenly imposed tourism levies from this village. Extortions from various parties at that time were firmly rejected because it was imposed without villagers’ agreement as the owner of the village.

When it was the time for depositing levy, the government sent a message for the headman of village, but it was replied by again a firm rejection stated that the villagers did not accept that kind of unilateral policy. It did not stop there, the unsatisfied government called the headman into their office to ask further about the matter.

However, the headman which was the representative of the village did not budge. When the government stated that the levies were an obligation and were based on local regulations, he simply asked back to the government asking what contribution had the government given to the village; nothing. Until now, the villagers of Tenganan Pegringsingan still free of extortions and levies because they firmly fight for the right of the land they own.

Heedless of Caste

The uniqueness of this village is their heedless of caste. Even though now caste is not really important anymore, Balinese society actually still use this social system, inherited from the ancient kingdom era. However, in Tenganan Pegringsingan they do not use this social system or it could be said that all of the villagers have equal social status.

Moreover, the residents of this village have a bit different tradition from the other Balinese. When Bali celebrates Nyepi and the entire island is in total silent, the residents of this village do their activity normally. For them, the meaning of Nyepi is peace, a day for self reflection. They will do their routine like cooking, weaving Gringsing, vending, or farming normally but without noise. However, the difference that they practice is actually respected by the other Balinese. Indeed, this is the real practice of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) which becomes the motto of Indonesia.

Every inch of the land, from the house, forest, farm, or rice field is owned by the village not personal. This is the main rule of this village. For a new couple, a house is already provided for them. They will be given 3 months to be independent, away from their parents. After that, they would be asked to choose a place or land around the village to stay and live their new life.

With this pattern of land owning, Tenganan Pegringsingan Village is free from outsiders’ intervention. Privatization from outsiders is totally forbidden which makes the originality of the village is well maintained. In this village, forest or land is not for sale for anyone because it is the property of their village and they must conserve it.

If you visit Tenganan Pegringsingan, you will find the form of true Balinese village; the houses are arranged neatly, the paths of the village are clean, and the people are polite. You will also see the buildings of this village are still made from dirt and the surroundings are very natural. Children’s rides like seesaw or ferris wheel is made from wood. Visiting Tenganan Pegringsingan is like coming back to ancient Bali; a unique experience that you will not get in the other places.

Taro Village is a beautiful and peaceful village located in Ubud, Gianyar. It is about 35 km from Denpasar, so it could be reach in approximately 1 hour driving. More than a decade ago, this village is a common Balinese quite village with rich culture and traditions. Now, this village is very famous as a vacation place for many tourists to explore the beauty this village’s nature on the back of an elephant. Very exciting experience, isn’t it? Actually, in this village there is a forest which is dwelled by a herd of white oxen (not the elephants). This animal is very respected and sacred for the either local residents or Balinese because this animal is the ride of Lord Siwa, the symbol of mother of the earth, and the complimentary animal in Ngasti procession which has its function as the witness of the ceremony.

This white ox is usually brought into the area of ceremony and then guided to round the area starting from the east clockwise in 3 laps and then finished in the east again. This ceremony is called Mepada (Maideran/Purwa Daksina). After the ceremony is over, the ox is given many offerings and foods, then this holy animal is taken back to the forest of Taro.

However, with the natural beauty of Taro village, now near the forest of the oxen, a new kind of tourists attraction and the only one in Bali is developed, Elephant Safari. Taro Elephant Safari Park was build in 1989, when a couple Nigel Mason dan Yanie came up with an idea of making a safari park in this village. Together, they developed this elephant safari park up until now, when it is famous and crowded by both local and foreign tourists.

In Taro Elephant Safari Park, you can play, relax, or take a closer look at the habits and characters of these Sumatra elephants, which are preserved, taken care, and bred here. Besides that, this safari park also offers various kind of activities involving elephants, like riding elephant around the park, bathing them in a pool, feeding them, watching them playing football, seeing them painting on a canvas, and taking photo with them.

To make these elephants safe and healthy, a concept of a big beautiful garden was made in a 3.5 hectares area, completed with medical center for these giants.

Not only offering beautiful and tranquil atmosphere, Taro Elephant Safari Park also completed with many facilities, like restaurants, souvenir shops, museum, information center, hotel, bungalow, boutique, spa, gazebo, swimming pool, parking lot, and even a helipad. These facilities are provided to guarantee maximum comfort of the visitors of this park.

Besides that, you could also visit Gunung Raung Temple which is located near the elephant safari park. This temple is full of historical value, related to the history of Hinduism development in Bali and also the history of this village’s name origin. Moreover, the construction of this temple is highly related to the holy journey of Rsi Markandya, a holy priest of Hindu, from East Java to Bali.

In his holy journey, one day Rsi Markandya arrived in a lust forest of Agung Mountain. With his disciples, he tried to built a residential area and also farming area. However, his dispicles and followers were infected by plague. Some of them passed away and only about 400 people survived. To solve this problem, Rsi Markandya meditated and prayed to the God. Apparently, he was required to ask for permission first to Besakih Temple with a Panca Datu planting ceremony.

His ceremony and prayer were granted. After that, Rsi Markadya successfully built residential and farming area around the mountain, even far away until a fertile area called Sarwa Ada Village. Here, he built a “pasraman” (Hindu school) called Pasraman Gunung Raung. However, in his effort to finish the pasraman, he faced so many obstacles and difficulties.

Thence, he had gone to East Java to find an answer from a holy meditation. However, the only clue he got was to go back to Bali and do a meditation there. He really went back to Bali and meditate in his pasraman, and then he saw a bright light shining from a particular place. When he approached the source of the light, he realized that the light came from a tree. In the area of this tree grown, then Rsi Markandya built a temple called Gunung Raung. This temple with the shining tree then became the center of the village. Because of that, this village is called Taro. Taro is derived from word “taru” which means “tree.”