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Sad Kahyangan Temples

Sad Kahyangan or Sad Kahyangan Jagad are six main temples which are believed as the pillars of Bali. The word “Sad” was derived from Sanskrit word means “six” and “Kahyangan” means “place of Gods.” Hence, “Sad Kahyangan” could be translated into “six places of Gods.” Here are those six temples:

1. Besakih

Besakih Temple is a complex of temples located in Besakih Village, District of Rendang, Karangasem Regency, Bali, Indonesia. The complex of Besakih Temple consists of 18 temples and 1 main temple. Besakih Temple is the main temple of all temples in Bali. Among the temples in the complex of Besakih Temple, Penataran Agung Temple is the biggest, the highest in the number of “pelinggih” (small temple for specific God), the highest in the kind of offerings, and the center of all temples in the complex of Besakih Temple. In Penataran Agung Temple there are 3 main pelinggih of Tri Murti, they are Brahma who is the creator of universe, Wisnu as the caretaker, and Siwa as the destroyer.

2. Lempuyang

In various sources and manuscript or ancient inscription there are three big temples that are usually mentioned, they are Besakih, Ulun Danu Batur and Lempuyang. Lempuyang is located on top of the Bisbis Hill or Lempuyang Mountain, Karangasem. This temple is estimated as the oldest temple in Bali. Moreover, it is expected already in the era when Hinduism and Buddhism had not entered Bali yet. Lempuyang temple is the place of Hyang Gni Jaya or Iswara.

3. Goa Lawah

Goa Lawah means Bat Cave. In Bali, Goa Lawah Temple is a temple for worshipping Sea God. This temple could be found in Pesinggahan Village, Dawan District, Klungkung. Goa Lawah is the main temple of Pura Segara (Sea temple) in Bali. The story in Prekempa Gunung Agung manuscript tells that Lord Siwa send Sang Hyang Tri Murti (Brahma, Wisnu, and Iswara) to save the earth. Brahma went down to the earth manifested as Ananta Bhoga Dragon. On the other hands, Wisnu manifested as Basuki Dragon and Iswara transformed into Taksaka Dragon. Basuki Dragon, the manifestation of Wisnu had his head down to the ocean stirring the water so that the steam became cloud. His tail became the mountains and the scales became trees forming dense forests. It is said that the head of Basuki Dragon is symbolized by Goa Lawah Temple and its mounted tail is symbolized by Gunung Agung. The center of his tail is in Goa Raja Temple, one of the temple complex in Besakih. Some people believe that Goa Raja is connected with Goa Lawah.

4. Uluwatu

Uluwatu Temple or so called Luhur Uluwatu Temple is one of Balinese temple with spectacular scenery which for the tourists have been becoming the most favorite temple to visit in Bali. Located in the southwestern end of Bali Island, this temple perches on the top of the high and rocky escarpment with amazing sea panorama below.
Based on the history, this place was built in the eleventh century by Empu Kuturan; a Hindu priest came from Java. To enter this temple, the visitors must use shawl and sarong which could be rented there. The best time for visiting this place is in the sunset to see and feel the spectacular scenery at the edge of Bali Island.

5. Batukaru

Batukaru or Luhur Batukaru Temple is located in Wongaya Village in the district of Penebel, Tabanan. This temple is in the western side of Bali in the south slope of Batukaru Mountain. This name was named after the mountain itself. There is a unique ritual before entering this temple that it requires the visitors to pray at Jero Taksu Temple first, which is a bit far from this temple. Luhur Batukaru Temple is the place for worshipping the God of plants, thus in Luhur Uluwatu Temple, God was worshipped in the name of Ratu Hyang Tumuwuh. Tumuwuh means “growing”, so the God here manifests as the one who maintain the plants and water properly to make it grows well.

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6. Pusering Jagat

Pusering Jagat Temple is located in Pejeng Village, District of Tampaksiring, Gianyar. This temple is the member of Sad Kahyangan with its position in the middle of Bali Island. In Hindu cosmology, middle or center is the place of Lord Siwa. Local people also believe that this temple is the center of the earth.

In this temple there are a lot of statues, like statues of Ganesha (son of Siwa), Durga (wife of Siwa) and also some Bhairawa. There are also ancient statues for the symbol of men’s genital or “purusa” and female’s genital or “pradana.” In Hinduism, Purusa and Pradana are the God’s first creation which became the seeds of life. Purusa is the seed of spirituality and Pradana is the seed of materials. The rendezvous of these Purusa and Pradana were the beginning of a life. There are also some inheritances in form of ancient vases which are called “Sangku Sudamala” symbolized the holy water for life. Inside Sangku Sudamala, an image that shown 1251 Saka year could be found.

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Goa Gajah, The Ancient Inheritances of Hindu and Buddha

Goa Gajah or literally means “Elephant Cave” is a historical and spiritual tourism object located in Bedulu Village, Disctrict of Blahbatu, in Gianyar Regency, about 27 km from Denpasar. The words “Goa Gajah” was derived from word “Lwa Gajah”, a word that appeared in Negarakertagama manuscript which was written by Mpu Prapanca in 1365 B.C.

Goa gajah was built in the eleventh century B.C., when King Sri Astasura Ratna Bumi Banten came to power. This cave was used as meditation place, which could be seen by the existence of some niches inside it. Besides that, there are also some holy pools with seven statues of angels holding holy waters around the cave. Unfortunately, now one of these statues is moved to the safer location because of damage taken after an earthquake a few years ago. These statues are actually the symbol of seven holy rivers in India, the place of birth for Hinduism and Buddhism.

This place has some priceless archaeological heritages, thus this holy cave has been being favorite place to visit by the foreign tourists and local tourists as well. This holy site is divided into three parts. There are a complex of ancient Hindu sacred buildings which were built around the tenth century B.C. There are also Hindu sacred buildings in the form of small temples or “pelinggih” which were built after the previous century. Whereas, the third part is the Buddhist heritage buildings. The archaeologists estimate the construction of these Buddhist’s buildings was done around the eight century B.C., about the same time with the construction of Borobudur Temple in Central Java.

In the eastern niche of the cave there are three big Lingga lined up on top of one base, meanwhile in the western side there is an Ganesha statue in the cave shaped like T. In short, at the central end or “keluwan” of the cave there are three Lingga as the symbol of Siva, or Sang Hyang Tri Purusa. Whereas, in the front or “teben” of the cave there is a Ganesha statue who is the son of Siwa in Hindu myth. Ganesha is a God with elephant head and human body; the son of Siwa and Parwati. In accordance to the existence of this Ganesha statue, Miguel Covarrubias argued that this cave was given name “Goa Gajah” or “Elephant Cave.” Ganesha in Hinduism belief is a “Wighna-ghna” and “Winayaka” God. “Wighna” means obstacle or defiance. By worshipping God in the form of Ganesha, people hope that they are given the spiritual guidance to have self endurance in facing every obstacle and defiance of the life. Besides that, Ganesha is worshipped as “Winayaka” for getting God’s guidance in growing discreet life. These abilities to face obstacle and to develop discreetness are the beginning of achieving a peaceful and prosperous life in this world.

In front of the cave, there is an ancient shower statue in a holy pool which until 1954 had been covered by dirt. At 1954 this place was excavated and six “Widyadhari” or female angels statues were found; three on the northern part and three on the southern part. These angels statues are placed on the “Padma” or lotus base. Lotus in Hinduism is a symbol of the universe. In the middle of this pool, there is one statue of “Widyadhara” or male angel. The other six Wiyadhari statues shed water into the pool as the symbol of fertility.

Beside the Goa Gajah temple , there are Hindu sacred buildings inherited from the era of Hindu Siwa Pasupata, and then after that era, or in the era of Hindu Siwa Siddhanta, “Pura” or Hindu temples were functioned as the sacred building. Hence, in the southeast part of the Goa Gajah, there are some temples, like: Limas Catu and Limas Mujung Temple for Agung and Batur Mountain God. There are also Gedong Temple for the ancestors of the Bedahulu Kings and Ratu Taman Temple for worshipping Visnu as the God of water.

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In addition, there are also some ancient Buddhist inheritances, which even more ancient than those previous Hindu inheritances in Goa Gajah. Outside of the cave, in the western side, there is a Buddhist statue “Hariti Goddess” or in Bali known as “Men Brayut” statue. This goddess statue holds a lot of babies. In the mythology of Buddha, Hariti was a cannibal especially for babies meat. However, after she learnt Buddhism, she finally became a religious and child loving person. In the south of Goa Gajah, through the trench, a Buddha statue was found in Dhyani Buddha Amitaba position. In the pantheon of Buddha Mahayana, this position means that Buddha as the guardian of the western side of the universe. That is all the explanation of Goa Gajah features which are very interesting and worth to be visited.

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Endangered Indonesian Animals

Elang Jawa / Javan Hawk-eagle

Javan Hawk eagleElang Jawa / Javan Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi) is an Indonesian national bird because its similarity with “Garuda Indonesia” the symbol of the country. It is also the symbol of the endangered animals in Indonesia. Javan Hawk-eagle can only be found in Java Island where they dwell the forests of Java. As the main predator, Javan Hawk-eagle plays importand role in maintaining the balance and function of forest biomes. Javan Hawk-eagle is in the category of the most endangered predator bird in the world and according to the newest endangered species criteria from IUCN, Javan Hawk-eagle is in the category of “Endangered.”

Jalak Bali / Bali Starling

jalak baliThe population of Jalak Bali / Bali Starling ( Leucopsar rothschildi ) is seriously endangered. Besides Javan Hawk-eagle, Bali Starling is one of the most endangered birds in the world. This bird is also new for scientific subject and it was first explained by Walter Rothschild in 1912. The adults Bali Starling has white wings and tail with black stripes, yellow bill, and blue bare skin around the eyes. This Balinese endemic bird was found along the west coast of island in the monsoon forests.

Anoa Pegunungan / Mountain Anoa ( Bubalus quarlesi )

anoaMountain Anoa is another Indonesian endangered animal. This animal is a subfamily of the wild bull. However, its tiny size makes this animal looks more like a deer. This Indonesian endemic animal could only be found in Sulawesi and island of Buton.

Not many information are available for this species’ habitat preference because its mousy habit. This animal lives in the area of 500 and 2000 m above sea level, but some reports have different explanation for the other habitats. Some say that mountain anoa live in the dense forest with vegetational diverse, meanwhile it was also reported that they like a relatively open forest with water sources.

Kuskus / Cuscus

kuskusCuscus Bear or Kuse (Ailurops ursinus) is one of the two kind of cuscus endemic species in Sulawesi. This animal belongs to marsupilia or animal with pouch in their body. The female cuscuses carry their baby in this pouch in front of their stomach. The length of their body and head is 56 cm, their tail is 54 cm and their weight can reach 8 kg. Kuse has prehensile tail which can hold things and it is usually used for helping their grip on the tree or branches. In North Sulawesi, Kuse face serious danger of extinction because of its small population. Between 1980 and 1995 in Tangkoko, the population of Kuse had been undergone significant decrements until 50%. A survey held in 1999 showed that this animal could only be spotted seven times in the length of 491 km transect path. That fact shows that the population density of this animal was very low.

Maleo ( Macrocephalon maleo )

Macrocephalon maleoMaleo is in the category of endangered animal. Its habitat is in Sulawesi and Buton Island. They live in the lowland and coast. This “flashy” bird has some characteristics like thin body, dark crest, yellowish head, black thight, and white stomach with pink area on dorsal. This rare bird usually stays silent, but if they are found around their nest they could be very noisy.

Bangau Hitam / Woolly-necked Stork

Woolly necked StorkThis bird is belong to ciconiidae family. Bangau hitam or bangau tongtong were originated from Asia, especially India, Indochina, and Indonesia except Papua and Maluku. They spread widely to Africa, Myanmar, Hong Kong, and Philippine. This firm footed bird like to live around swamp, river, mangrove, ricefield, and open forest, sometimes even in dry or muddy land. This stork can be easily identified by its black body except in the neck and lower abdomen. Its length could reach 91 centimeter. In the night, bangau tongtong are perched on the branch. This species is the only one among the stork that does not widen their feet and wings while flying. This animal is not really have much variation of life. Bangau tongtong can live alone, in pair, or in group depending on the situation. Nowadays, this bird which in Java is known with name “sandanglawe” is getting hard to meet. They are categorized as preserved animal and protected by laws because of its endangered status.

Badak Jawa / Java Rhinoceros

Java RhinocerosThe status of this animal is endangered; WWF decided to protect this animal from extinction. Badak Jawa / Java Rhinoceros is one of the rarest giant mammals in the world. The name “rhinoceros” is derived from the Greek for “nose horn,” which indicates the horn that rhinoceroses have on their snout. This horn is made from keratin fiber. The length of their body could reach 2-4 m, with height about 170 cm. The weight of this big animal is amazing, reaching 900 – 2,300 kg or about 2 ton. Rhinoceros is characterized by grey and “armored like” body. Java rhinoceros can be found in Ujung Kulon National Park, Banten.

Hiu karpet berbintik / Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark ( Hemiscyllium freycineti )

Indonesian Speckled CarpetsharkBeautiful skin pattern! This shark’s skin has a lot of similarity with the skin of a leopard; hexagonal brown spots with pale center spread along the upper body. Small dark spots cover their snout, meanwhile the bigger spots exactly behind the fins. The habitat of this animal is the coral reef, sand, and seaweed field across Papua.

Babirusa Sulawesi ( Babyrousa celebensis )

babirusa sulawesiBabirusa Sulawesi is in the list of extremely endangered animal. This animal is known living in the north peninsula and northeast area of Sulawesi, and a few of them could also be found in the center, east, and southeast of Sulawesi. This animal characteristic is the large tusk that is originated from its canine. The weight of this animal could reach 600 kg. This animal is usually seen in tropical rainforest area.

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Alap Alap Capung / Black-thighed Falconet

alap alap capungThis bird is a carnivore or meat eater. Black-thighed falconet is one of the well known species of this bird. They are known because of their tiny body. Black-thighed falconet has small beak, warm blooded, and just like bird in common, they breed by laying egg.

Well known as the smallest carnivore bird in the world, Black-thighed falconet could be found in Southeast Asia region with approximate size for about 15 cm with 35 gram weight.

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Batur Mountain Bali, the First Geopark in Indonesia

Batur Mountain which is one of favorite tourism destinations in Bali has gotten a new predicate as the first Global Geopark in Indonesia. That honorable predicate was announced by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) through its official website at September 22th 2012. However, the final decision of choosing Batur Mountain as a part of Global Geopark Network (GNN) was actually made one day earlier by Global Geoparks Organization. That decision was a result of the 11th European Geoparks Conference during 19th of September until 21st of September 2012, which was held in Arouca, Portugal. Besides Batur Mountain, other new Geopark sites were also acknowledged such as: The Bakony-Balaton, Hungary, Geological and Mining Park at Catalonia, Spain, and the barrier of high mountains in Jiangxi Province, China. With those settlements, Global Geopark Network have owned 91 sites in 27 nations all around the world.

Bangli Regent, I Made Gianyar stated that the next challenge for the government and the people is to organize this area which includes 15 villages organization in the area of Batur Mountain Caldera. Those 15 villages will be developed as excursion destinations. It was explained by Gianyar that the master plan is already created, but it will need to be enhanced. Moreover, for that project the government have allocated Rp. 20 billion which also includes the funds for Geosite development. He then added that the establishment of Batur Mountain as a Geopark is an award from UNESCO for the earth park organizer who could maintain geological conservation and at the same time could utilize it as a tourist attraction.Geopark is a geological heritages area which posses ecological and cultural heritages values and could be functioned as an area of conservation, education, and sustainable development. Geopark is established in a Global Geopark Network Confrence, which is held twice in a year.

Batur Mountain is an active volcano which is located in the district of Kintamani of Bangli Regency, Bali, Indonesia. This volcano stands tall in 1.717 m above sea level and posses a wide and beautiful caldera. The caldera of Batur Mountain was formed by two great ancient eruptions in about 29.000 and 20.000 years ago. In the middle of the caldera, there is a beautiful crescent shaped lake known as Batur Lake. Batur Lake is about 7.5 km in length and maximum 2.5 km in width, with approximately 22 km circumference and 16 km2 area.

Batur Mountain is a part of Pasific Ring of Fire and one of the most active volcano in Indonesia. According to its volcanic record, since 1804, this newly inaugurated Global Geopark has erupted for about 26 times. The establishment of Batur Mountain as a Global Geopark site is highly related to its unique geological landscape and amazing vista. This mountain’s uniqueness and geological beauty, especially the crater, caldera, and Batur Lake have been a mainstay for the tourism object in Bali for years. Toya Bungkah for example, is a tourism object which is located in exactly below Batur Mountain. This place is famous for its natural hot springs which are accommodated in some mini pools in the edge of Batur Lake. The water from the hot spring is believed as curing water for some kind of skin disease. Toya Bungkah now has been developed as a favorite tourist destination along with the construction of some facilities, like resort, spa, café, and camping area. Besides that, in the way of reaching Toya Bungkah (about 2 hour from Denpasar), the visitor or tourist will be provided with some amazing panoramas of Batur Mountain and its surrounding areas.

In addition, the cultural side shown by the people around this caldera is also very attractive for the tourists. The people of Batur have a unique Balinese custom which is highly related with Hinduism in Bali. One of this widely known funeral tradition in Terunyan Village, Kintamani. In the funeral in this village, the corpse of the local resident is not buried under the ground, but only placed on a big stone in three different locations. The unique part of this unusual funeral ceremony is that the corpse is amazingly odorless even though the corpse was not embalmed and still underwent natural decomposition process. It was believed that the Menyan tree grown around the cemetery could absorb the odor. Some people also believe that it is the lake which absorb the odor radiated by the decomposed bodies.

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The Global Geopark Network Conference 2012 has been an important milestone for our country, because now Batur Mountain is the first Geopark in Indonesia. Actually, aside from Batur Mountain, Indonesia also proposed Danau Toba (North Sumatra), Merangin (Jambi), Rinjani Mountain (NTB), Raja Ampat (Papua), and Kars Sewu (Central Java) as candidates for Geopark Site. However, for this year, only Batur Mountain is chosen from those candidates from Indonesia. Hopefully, in the next GGN conference, Indonesia could be able to gain more UNESCO’s acknowledgments for those earth parks, so it could add more values to the tourism objects of Indonesia.

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Indonesian Diving Spots With Spectacular Coral Reefs

Visiting Indonesia for a vacation is exciting without any doubt since this has a lot of allures to enjoy. Of many things you can enjoy in Indonesia, you should consider visiting some beaches for diving. Indonesia is an archipelago consisting hundreds of small and big islands. Related to this thing, it makes sense that tourists can find a wide range of diving spots that are popular not only for local tourists but also people from across the world. In past decades, Indonesian diving has been organized in the right manner so that if you visit some diving spots with amazing coral reefs and a wide range of seawater inhabitants, then you can get a range of comfortable facilities ranging from convenient accommodation to professional diving guide. When it comes to popular diving spots available in Indonesia, the first diving spot to visit is Raja Ampat, which is located in West Papua – an eastern part of Indonesia. As a matter of fact, Raja Ampat is still positioned in rural area where modern life is still far from reach. In spite of its geographical location, Raja Ampat still allows you to get excitement since it becomes one of the best diving spots not only in Indonesia but also in the world. As a proof, more and more international divers come to Raja Ampat to enjoy beautiful coral reefs. Diving in Raja Ampat is certainly exciting as diving spot of this area has up to 75 % of coral reefs available in this planet. Diving spot of Raja Ampat contains more than 600 species of coral reefs. Condition of beaches of Raja Ampat is perfectly intact where you can enjoy tranquility and breeze. This way you can enhance your excitement so that this place is a proper choice to relax and unwind.

Some Diving Spots of Raja Ampat

Not only does Raja Ampat’s diving spot offer more than 600 species of coral reefs, but also more than 1300 species of seawater creatures. This condition will make diving spot of Raja Ampat becomes a good fit to your vacation. Due to fast development of this area over the past few years, Raja Ampat is currently accessible with no hassle. You can start your journey from Jakarta and then flight to Irian Jaya, capital city of Papua, by plane. Right from Irian Jaya, you can go to Domine Eduard Osok airport of Sorong by local plane. After you arrive at the airport of Sorong, you can get diving spot of Raja Ampat by speed boat. It is also a good idea to reach Raja Ampat by Bus from Irian Jaya although this way takes you longer to get there. Since diving area of Raja Ampat is large, there are some diving spots to initiate your journey. Diving spot of Pulau Kri and Sardine Reef are the most popular for local and international divers since both of them offers spectacular under-seawater view. Not to mention, both of the diving sports have been managed professionally. For example, you can ask for a professional diving guide to be your companion. Of many seawater fishes, it will be a great experience to see Parrot Fish with its bright colors. Other diving spot of Raja Ampat is Kepulauan Kaboei Bay Rock where you will come across gulf on which you can see tunnel constructed naturally by coral reefs. Of course, Raja Ampat is not only for people who want to enjoy diving since here you can also find some tourism resorts with well-managed facilities so that it will be a great decision to spend a couple of weeks at Raja Ampat. With white sand, it will be an unforgettable movement for tourists to have sunbathing at Raja Ampat and read more about raja ampat here.

Popular Diving Area Available In Bunaken Island

Diving spot in Indonesia is not only about Raja Ampat since you can also come to other popular diving areas. Without a doubt, Bunaken is a diving spot you need to visit when you come to Indonesia for a vacation. Bunaken is geographically located at Manado Bay, North Sulawesi. Width of Bunaken island is about 8.08 km square, and this diving spot can be reached by speed boat from Manado harbor.

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To reach this diving area, you just need to take 30 minutes by local speed boat. Aside from good-looking coral reefs, Bunaken diving spot also enables you to see tons of seawater species. It is predicted that more than 91 species of fish are living in sea of Bunaken. Some of the fishes are Seriola Rivoliana, Hippocampus Kuda and cassis cornuta. Based on reliable data, Bunaken has attracted divers from local and international areas due to the spectacular of this island. Not only do divers can enjoy beautiful view of coral but also amazing natural beauties and a wide variety of seawater inhabitants. Some tourism resorts are also available in Bunaken where you can enjoy your vacation.

best indonesia diving bunaken

bunaken diving

bunaken national park

bunaken snorkeling

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Embassy of Foreign Country for Your Visa

visa to indonesiaIf you want to go abroad, the first thing you need is to get passport. A passport is something that you can use to enter a foreign country. Function of passport is like ticket of a movie theater without which you can watch your favorite movies. Aside from passport, you certainly need to deal with visa that comes in some types. Visa is used as legal permit of staying in a foreign country. If you have a student visa, then you need to use it during your study. You can also have a work visa by which you can find a job in a foreign country. What should you do if your visa has been expired? Yes, you need to extend your visa in order to be valid. If you want to get a visa, what you need is to visit embassy of foreign country that is available in your country. Thing to bear in mind is that not all countries have diplomatic relationship with your country so that you need to get relevant information about availability of embassy of foreign country. Just in case you have no information about availability of embassy of a country, you need to check it at foreign and commonwealth office of your country. Of course, you can get the information by sending an email or make a call, which one is most suited for you. When it comes to making a visa, there are some requirements that you need to comply with. And for your information, one to another embassy needs you to comply with different requirements. Here are some addresses of embassy of foreign country available in Indonesia

Embassy of Japan :

Jalan Puputan Niti Mandala Raya 170-Bali
(62-361) 227-628

Jl. MH Thamrin No. 24, Jakarta Pusat 10350, http://www.id.emb-japan.go.jp, Telp: 62-21-31924308 and Fax: (62-21) 319-25460

Embassy of Malaysia :

Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav X-6 no 1-3 Kuningan- Jakarta Selatan, Tel (62-21) 522-4947 and Fax (62-21) 522-4974.

Embassy of Australia :

Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. C15-16, Kuningan, Jakarta 12940, http://www.austembjak.or.id/.

Embassy of China :

Jl. Mega Kuningan No. 2 Jakarta Selatan 12950, http://www.chinaembassy-indonesia.or.id.

USA embassy :

Jl. Hayam Wuruk 310, Denpasar 80235, Bali, Indonesia, Phone: (62-361) 233-605, Fax: (62-361) 222-426 and After Hours Emergencies: (081) 133-4183

South Korea embassy :

Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto 57, Jakarta Timur, Telp : (021) (021) 520-1915 and Fax : (021) 525-4159.

Hongkong Embassy :

Jl. Mega Kuningan no.2 Jakarta Selatan, telp: +62-21-5761025 and fax: +62-21-5761024.

If you are Indonesian people and want to make a visa for certain purposes, then you need to come to embassy of a country. As usual, you will be asked to fill out application form and then there will be an interview with respect to your purpose of visiting a country. Your purpose must be clear and as usual, representatives of an embassy will ask you to provide some documents. For example, you want to make a visa for continuing your study. Embassy of foreign country will ask you about any certain document that can proves you becomes a student of foreign college. Embassy of a country can also serves as a place to extend visa. In this case, a foreigner lives in Indonesia for study and he/she wants to extend visa. Thanks to the internet, applying for a visa is easy. One just need to turns on computer and then come to legitimate website of an embassy. As usual, it takes about a couple of minutes to complete application of visa application. Since visa needs you to have interview, online access just enables you to submit application only. After you your application was received, you are then will be invited to have an interview.

visa on arrival

visa on arrival to bali

In order to make a visa, you must have clear purpose since this matter relates to guarantee of your destination. It means that a country will make sure that you come to have a visit for something positive. Certainly, it does not a guarantee that you can get approval when applying for visa since all will depend on many factors. In this case, you need to get tips of some people who have succeeded in dealing with Visa. You can come to an online forum to get to know more what you need to make visa effectively.

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Another thing you need to keep in mind when you want to make a visa is to make a call first. It will be better than directly coming to legal office of embassy of foreign country. In this case, you will be able to save your money and time since making a call enables you to get detailed information before you apply for a visa. As usual, customer service of an embassy is polite so that you will be able to get what it takes to deal with visa at its best.

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Bali Tourism Get an Impact Innocence of Muslims Movie ?

Nakoula BasseleyWhen a movie titled Innocence of Muslim is released and people can see find piece of the movie through Youtube, some might think there would be a big impact caused by the movie. Yes, there is a wave of protest in around the world, but when we talk about the impact given for Indonesia tourism, surely none of the impact affecting such thing as tourism in Indonesia. Tourism in Bali, for example, is running normally and businesses were still alive. And yes, maybe we can regard Bali as an island, a holiday destination that was given the gift of calm and safe political context. So although the world has been facing all the protest around Innocence of Muslim, Bali was to far away from that hot issue. As you can see, Bali refers to an island which became a part of Indonesia. Some might say the island is a real haven of calm and peace, which at the same time gifted with mild climate for all season. So at a glance, Bali is an exotic island, a living paradise where people can stay on it for a while, particularly when the holiday seasons are comes. Bali Tourism is, then, a subject that connected to Bali as a haven. There are more about Bali than meets the eyes. Surely we can also regard the island as one which have various landscape of mountains and hills, barren volcanic hillsides, and sandy beach all giving a picturesque background to its unique culture and colorful nature. That is why Bali tourism is a subject that could be considered by anyone who likes to spend the entire holiday time in a paradise island. But surely the thing is, what are about to be offered by Bali? We already known Bali as paradise on earth, but what are the things available in there?

indonesia tourismThe first thing ever known when we talk about Bali is its white sand beach, which is likely to be favored by most tourists. Bali carried with it, a tropical characteristic which geographically filled with flat area, lake, valley, mountain, and blue seawater. Maybe the God created the island with the intention of giving pleasure for more people. Further, such characteristic of the island also became a landscape where there is richness in term of culture. People would enjoy various cultures such as Balinese Dancing, traditional music like Gamelan, or a festival like Galungan; all of which will be given by Balinese in moment when tourist land in there. Speaking of culture in Bali, surely what I’ve mentioned above are just some examples of culture of people that can be enjoyed in there. In this sense, culture in Bali has been connected firmly with religion. So it is a kind of spiritual life and religious atmosphere that you are going to meet in Bali. The most visible signs of religion marked with the existence of sesajen which can be found in every souvenir stall, work place, house, and even airport (especially its check-in-desk). Balinese Hinduism, then, is a source for Balinese spiritual life. It has been manifested through the blood line of Balinese over 500 years. So we are finding the main sign of Bali tourism, which at first it should be admitted through Balinese spiritual life and form. Another sign of tourism in Bali can surely be seen from several forms of culture and performance. Within the idea of traditional music, tourists will find such two things as wayang kulit (shadow puppet) and gamelan, both of which are dominant in Bali, and they are often performed to give the sense of entertainment for people who visit Bali. Within the idea of dances, there are various dance performances which offers extremely dramatic and visual. These were including: Calonarang, Barong, Legong Keraton, and Kecak.

Spiritual life and form, traditional music, and dances are giving nice atmosphere in around an exotic island which already filled with beautiful sandy beach and nice spot of mountain. Generally, these are placed in a tapestry of texture and colors of which used as metaphors in Bali tourism. Further, Bali is also one of the holiday destinations that going to give much more pleasure for your body. Tourists could find it through sybaritic spa (which is going to give hedonistic interlude) and beach (where you can get massage directly on such place).

bali hotel

World class restaurants are available in Bali. It will indulge you with a variety of drinks and foods, from food that come around the world and prepared by professional chefs to freshest local cuisine. In particular way, there is complete formation of spots, cultures, spiritual life, and restaurants which are connected to Bali tourism. So in the end, you must see by yourself the rich form of goodness that are about to offer by Bali. Bali holiday package, then, would be the one which I myself recommend it.

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Balinese Hindu Religious Holy Day

melasti hindu religious dayBali is the most well known tourist destination in Indonesia. People visit Bali since there are many interesting things that can be seen in Bali. The interesting things that can be seen in Bali are not only its natural beauty but also its culture and custom since Balinese is well known as people who still holding tight their traditional cultures along with the modern one. Moreover, since the majority of Balinese are Hindu, thus, their religious holy day is much related to Hindu religious holy day. There are many religious holy days that related to Hindu that are commemorated in Bali. The holy days are such as Nyepi, Galungan, Saraswati, Kuningan, etc. Nyepi is the most well known Hindu religious holy day not only in Bali but also all over the world. It is become famous since this holy day may be considered as a unique holy day. Nyepi is a holy day that is commemorated every Saka new year in Balinese calendar, meanwhile, in national calendar it is happens around March but the date always changing due to the different counting system to Balinese calendar. Nyepi means “Day of Silence”, thus, during Nyepi day; Balinese Hindu will do four prohibitions in 24 hours. They are “amati geni”, “amati karya”, “amati lelunganan”, and “amati lelanguan”. Amati geni means that Balinese is not allowed to light any fire, electricity is included. Amati karya means that Balinese is not allowed to work. Amati lelunganan means that Balinese is not allowed to go outside. Furthermore, amati lelanguan means that Balinese should do fasting and cannot entertain themselves. In order to make sure that the prohibitions are followed, there are traditional security men which called “Pecalang” whose job to patrol the street. During Nyepi all of the public activities must be stop, thus, all of the people in Bali must follow the rules though they do not celebrate Nyepi. Thus, the only airport in Bali will also be closed. The day after Nyepi is called “Ngembak Geni” in which in this day friends and families are gather to ask forgiveness from one and another. In this day, the activities are going back to normal again.

galungan religion day

gebogan galungan

penjor galungan

traditional food lawar galungan

The other Hindu religious holy day that is celebrated in Bali is galungan. Galungan is a Hindu religious holy day in which Balinese Hindu celebrating the victory of “dharma” over “adharma”. In this day, the Balinese Hindu will do prayer to the infinite “Ida Sang Hyang Widi Wasa” supremacy as the creator of the world. Balinese Hindu thanks Him for his blessings. Galungan is often commemorated twice per solar year. However, the date is calculated according to 210-day Balinese calendar. Before Galungan, Balinese already busy in preparing the day. They will make “penjor” or a bamboo poles that is weighed down by the offerings that is suspended at the end. The “penjor” will be put in the entrance of the house.

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Usually, during the Balinese will be focused on the celebration of the special days, thus, school and business activities will be stopped. Balinese believe that in Galungan their ancestors coming to their former homes, thus, they must be entertained and some offerings must be given, and for Balinese whose ancestors are not cremated yet, they should go to the graveyard and also give some offerings to their ancestors. Galungan is closed by Kuningan that is commemorated 10 days after Galungan. In Kuningan, the spirit of the ancestors is going back to heaven. Thus, when Kuningan is end, all of the Galungan decoration will be removed.

dewi saraswatiThere is one other Hindu religious holy day that is celebrated in Bali. This day is called Sarawati day. Saraswati is the second biggest Hindu religious holy day after The Galungan day. Saraswati day is commemorated every “Saniscara”, “Umanis”, “Wuku Watugunung” which is based on the Balinese calendar (Pakuwon) and seven day cycle (Saniscara). Saraswati means knowledge day, the name is taken from Balinese goddess of knowledge. The aim of celebrating Saraswati is that the Balinese feel grateful to the goddess for giving them the ability to understand human nature, to write and to read. During Saraswati day, in the afternoon, Balinese is not allowed to read or write the book since all of the books are offered. Later, in the evening, people read religious books in their own home or in the temple. This night is called “malam sastra”.

There are some sequences in celebrating Saraswati. They are pangredanan, saraswati, banyu pinaruh, soma ribek, etc. Pangredanan is the day before Saraswati day in which Balinese make preparations such as cleaned and dusted the books. Saraswati is the day of celebration. Banyu pinaruh is the day after Saraswati, banyu pinaruh means that people must have a wisdom that is useful for human kinds and always flows like water. Soma ribek is two days after Saraswati, in this day, the Balinese thank to the goddess of prosperity for blessing them with food and beverage in their lives.

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The Beautiful of Popular Beach in Bali

Kuta BeachFinding the perfect place for holiday is little bit difficult. I am sure you want to have a great holiday, right? This is the main reason why you need to find the right place that must be visited during holiday. Have you found that? Do you know the place that you should visit? Have you visited Bali yet? Who doesn’t know about Bali? Yeah, Bali is one of the popular tourism objects around the world. Every year, there are so many people from around the world who come to Bali and have unforgettable moment there. Bali becomes very popular today. Are you curios what make Bali becomes very popular as the tourism object? Well, for those who have come to Bali before, they will able to answer this question. Bali is one of the beautiful cities in Indonesia. Bali has something that can attract many people to visit this place. It’s not only about the Balinese people, but it is also some interesting places that can be visited. Do you want to know more about Bali? Well, if you are going to visit Bali for your next trip, I suggest you to know about some places that must be visited like popular beach in Bali. Bali is called as a paradise island. It’s not only offers the nature beauty, but also the hospitality from the people. Here, in Bali, there are so many beautiful place that you can visit. Let me ask you something. What is the most popular about Bali? Of course, the answer is beach! Bali is a city which has some pretty beaches. That’s why there are many foreigners who are interested to visit Bali because there are many beaches that can be found there. Can you mention some popular beach in Bali? Yup, there are Kuta Beach, Sanur Beach, Jimbaran Beach, Legian Beach, Seminyak Beach, and many others. But, it’s Kuta Beach that becomes the magnet for some tourists.

Sanur SunsetThe most common reason why many people like to visit Bali is because they want to know more about popular beach in Bali like Kuta Beach. Some of them try to find the information about this beach and they are really curious to visit Kuta beach. What is the interesting thing about Kuta? I can say that Kuta is a combination between elegant and beautiful place. People say that it is the perfect place for seeing sunset. That is why Kuta Beach is also called Sunset Beach; even some professional photographers have the same opinion about Kuta beach. For surfer, Kuta beach is such a heaven for them because the waves are perfect for surfing. If you can see in the Kuta’s side, there are many local people who open surfboard for rent. How about the price? Well, it’s recommended for you to bargain the price first before renting the surfboard. One more important thing, Kuta is not only popular because of its beach, but Kuta is a great place for shopping. Every Thursday night, there’ll be free ladies night. So for ladies, they can enter the Kuta without entrance fee. What do you think about that, ladies? There are many star hotels, pubs, and stores which sell some products from local or international.

Jimbaran Seafood centerOnce again, visiting Kuta is really a great idea for your holiday. For those who want to make pre-wedding photo, Kuta beach can be your perfect choice. There are so many couples who decide to have photos for their pre-wedding here, at Kuta. What are you going to do right now? If you want to eat some delicious sea food menus, you can visit Jimbaran beach. Jimbaran beach is not really different with Kuta beach. Here, at Jimbaran, you will able to find some restaurants that have various menus for seafood. You can enjoy the romantic night while eating your favorite sea food menu. Once again, popular beach in Bali offers the great and unforgettable moment for your holiday. If you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery, awesome sunset, delicious food, and have a fun day with the local people who are really friendly, Bali is your favorite place that must be visited. If you are lucky, you can see some cultures that are held in Bali. What are you waiting for right now?

kuta hotel

If you are going to have perfect trip with your family, I suggest you to visit popular beach in Bali right now. It will be perfect tourism object for you and also family. Bali is the great one that offers the big paradise for every tourist. Whether you come from other cities in Indonesia or other countries around the world, Bali will welcome for your visiting. So, do you want to visit Bali right now? Don’t worry about the security and safety because Bali is really safe for you. You just need to come and enjoy some beautiful places here. Check your schedule and visit Bali and its popular beach in Bali now.