It is known for its art market that become 'a must see' place by tourists especially the local ones from Jakarta or other area in Java. Huge number of small stalls occupied the two stories building offer a lot of cheap souvenirs.
Almost any kind of Bali's souvenirs can be found in here either painting, woodcarving, clothes, temple umbrellas and other temple accessories, leather puppet, wind chime, jewelries and others. It is better for you to prepare a list of souvenirs that you want to bring back home since you may be stuck in a confusion situation of too overwhelmed by the huge quantity of souvenirs and finally bring home nothing.
200 meters toward west from the Sukawati Art Market, on the right side of the road, there is another market called 'Pasar Seni Pagi' of 'The morning Art Market' which only open very early in the morning until around 7 AM. The crowd of souvenirs retailers from other part of Bali will come here to get semi -finished product with a very low price.
Many of Bali's most established puppeteers live in Sukawati. In line with this fact, Sukawati is also the center of Shadow puppets production center. The leather puppet, 'wayang kulit' are made either of cow or buffalo hide
Friday, April 13, 2007
Sukawati Market
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Bedugul
The Bedugul area provides the last remaining tropical forest of the island. The Eka Karya botanical garden has 650 species of trees and unique collection of ferns and orchids. This is favorite place of Balinese in enjoying their holyday. It also offers a wide range of accomodations and restaurants, the local tourists as their best customers. This is another place to retreat from the heat of the coast, to fish, or to wander through the lovely botanical gardens. As Kintamani is to Bangli, so is Bedugul one of Tabanan's main points of interest. This crisp mountain town boasts three crater lakes, which are hemmed by untamed jungle and patchworks of market gardens, and the tepid water of which sends a mist into the icy air above the surface.
Friday, March 23, 2007
FABRICS
- Duta Silk-High quality silks, Linens, cottons, lace, Wool and Velvet. Next to Matahari, Denpasar. Tel 232818
- Busana Indah-Printed rayon and assorted other fabrics. jl legian, tel 751185 close to the Double Six intersection.
- Nogo-Jl Hyatt,Sanur and Jl Legian.
- Wardanis-Exquisite ikats, songkets, endeks and the like. Jl Monkey Forest, Ubud.
SPORTSWEAR
- Athletes Foot-Brand name sports shoes. Matahari, Denpasar and Jl Melasti, Legian.
- Asr/action sports retailer-A huge range of surf and sporting goods, Jl Legian.
- Nike Shop-Stocking Nike for men, women and children. Kuta Square
- Proshop-Bali Golf & Country Club-Fully imported exclusive golf shirts and accessories.
- Raja Sports-Everything from football, badminton, tennis, golf and most mainstream sports. Jl Gaja
Mada, Denpasar.
CLOTHING
- Animale-Range of coordinating printed separates Kuta square and Jalan Raya Ubud.
- Biasa-Excellent range of women's wear, Jl Raya Seminyak
- Bouncy wear-Trendy clothes and accessories for women, Jl Basangkasa Kuta and Jl Legian
- Body and Soul-Aimed at a younger market,up-to-the minute styles Kuta Square.Jl Legian Tel 756297
- By The Sea-Excellent range of beachwear, Jl Legian 186, Kuta. Tel 757775
- Hakuna Matata-Looking for something different, Jl Raya Seminyak.
- Iccha-High quality cotton, linen and sequined garments, Jl Raya Seminyak, and Bemo Corner, Kuta.
- Milo's-tactile range of silks, Kuta Square. tel 754081
- Rascals-swimwear and accessories, Kuta Square (C6) Jl Legian and Ubud (B4).
- Serene-A minimalist dream. Jl Raya Seminyak, 47. Tel 8353585.
- Warisan-Beaded dresses, stunning silk sarongs, embroidered kabayas, Jl krobokan, Tel 731175
- Mama & Leon-Embroidered cottons in white, beige, gray and basic black,
Sheraton Nusa Indah. Tel 775014
- Vida-Full of stylish fashions, Bali Mal Galleria, Jl Bypass Kuta
- Mainstream designers-Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Chanel Kuta Square and Kuta centre.
- The Village Boutique-Eveningwear and accessories The Village restaurant in Sanur. Tel 285025
- Indigo Kids-Four stores in Kuta/Legian/Nusa Dua, kid's wear.
- Kuta Kids-is a must for the younger boys and girls. Jl legian and bemo Corner, Kuta. (C6)
- Kids A go go-A bright, fun collection of brilliant batiks, Hard Rock, Jl Pantai Kuta.
- Kahuna Surf Kids -Great collection of colourful kid's surfwear. Jl. Legian - Kaja No. 476 Kuta
- Rags Junior-Latest styles and colours for both girls and boys. Jl raya Seminyak, Basangkasa (C2)
- Mambo-Jl pantai Kuta and Jl Legian, Tel 752275
- Dreamland Surf-Stocking all the biggies, Kuta Square. Tel 755159
- Jungle Surf-All major brands, Jl Legian
- Ocean Pacific-Jl Legian
- Quiksilver- Kuta Square, Tel 751044
- Surfer Girl-Jl Legian 138, Kuta
- Stussy-Jl Legian
- The Curl-Managed by Rip Curl, Jl legian, Tel 757404
- Volcom-Kuta Square
- Watersport-Kuta Beach road Tel 765673
Department Stores
- Bali Galeria Kuta - large Matahari Department store as well as a range of smaller shops such as Osh Kosh (very reasonable priced!), Kidz Station ( similar to Toys r US... prices also similar ) - very comfortable place to spend a few hours shopping. Has a food hall too!
- Discovery Mall - The newest mall in Bali - There is a centro department store with a number or specialty stores, a supermarket, electronic city, a great food court and a starbucks on the street front.
- Kuta Square - Large Matahari as well many small shops selling as designer clothes such as Armani, Versace DKNY. Great shoes can be found at the BATA and Buccheri stores.
- Kuta Center- range of small shops and restaurants - operates as a night market with stalls in the evening.
- Matahari Department Store Denpasar,
- Ramayana Bali Mal in Denpasar
- RIMO near Ramayana Mal in Denpasar.
- Robinsons opposite Matahari in Denpasar
- Tiara Dewata in Denpasar - good for shoes, and clothes
- Libi Plaza - in Denpasar, good for sporting items, electrical goods and stationary needs.
- Makro - For electrical goods and lots more at excellent prices, pay a small fee for a Makro card and enjoy a huge range of cash and carry items. Located on the By-pass near Sanur. NOTE: Children under 12 are not allowed in the store.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Ubud
Attributed by its natural and cultural atmosphere, Ubud has attracted many foreigners to visit or even live in this artisan's village since 1930's. Many expatriate especially foreign or local artists fall in love and decide to settle in this international village. The achievement of Ubud as a tourist destination cannot be separated from the effort of those artists who display Ubud to the world through their work.
Its location in the central of Bali makes Ubud become a good base for visitors to visit other places all over Bali. Nusa Dua, Kintamani, Lovina, Amed or Jembrana can be reach by just doing a day tour without so much tiring of driving. Many beautiful landscapes, interesting historical sites and not to mentioned art villages can easily reach even by walking.
Ayung river that stretch on the west part of Ubud offer a fascinating view of river gorge are the spot of several most luxurious hotels on the island. Attracted by the beauty of river valley at least five rafting companies run their trip on this part of the Bali's longest river. Other river hill that used as hotel nest are Campuhan river in the middle and Petanu on the eastern part. Most tourist accommodations are located in the center of Ubud. The center would be noted by former Ubud palace that is located across the art and traditional market of Ubud. The accommodations available suit to any budget and most of them will offer you a stay at charming cottages or a stay within a family house.
Instead of visiting it on the daily sightseeing tour, the best way to get the real atmosphere of Ubud is by spending couple of night within the area. Besides regularly dancing performance or permanent art exhibition on many fine art galleries, there are dozen of things can be explored. People preparing ceremonies, temple festivals, colorful celebration, dance and traditional 'gamelan' rehearsals, occasional cremation are rarely unseen. It is not a surprising anymore if you see foreigners in their complete Balinese dress involve in these local activities. There are some courses of Balinese dance and music, cooking classes, wood carving, mask making, batik painting or even learn the skill to be puppet masters are available for those who eager to have some of the local skills.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Uluwatu Temple
Uluwatu, means the head of the stone, is located in the edge of stone cliff in southern part of Bali. It will give an impressive picturesque view especially on the sunset time. The three courtyards are surrounded by hard weathered white coral. The guardian gate in the middle courtyard has similar appearance of East Javanese temple architecture. The sacred resident monkeys are smart enough to steel your belonging even from your pocket, so beware.
Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua, the most exclusive and well-planned tourist resort in Bali, is a place where a row of international chain hotels reside within a well-maintain resort. Before it turned into tourist resort in 1970s, the spot was a quite and dry fishermen village. Unlike at present time, it was not expensive and attractive place to live back then. Beside the luxurious tourist amenities provided, the main attraction is the white sandy beach. Further north outside of the organized Nusa Dua area, Tanjung Benoa provides extensive choice of water sports.
Badung City
When the other rival kingdoms in south Bali were defeated by the Dutch in 1900, Badung Kingdom gained an expansive links trade. But it was last only for six years as Badung was finally invaded in 1906 through a massive battle known as Puputan Badung . The battle is commemorated by a large statue in Denpasar's central Puputan Square.
Denpasar, Bali's capital city, was part of Badung regency. But since the area split into two (a regency and a municipal), Badung and Denpasar remain two different regency. Badung regency then still covers Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta, and Mengwi.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Tanah Lot Temple
The district of Tabanan boasts Bali's most famous temple, which is set on a rocky protrusion that becomes an island at high tide, offering spectacular sunset views in the dry season.
Tanah Lot, tanah means earth and lot means ocean, consists of a couple of shrines built on an outcropping of rock on the ocean. The temple symbolizes the balance between male and female; inner and outer world. One of Bali's cosmic temples"Sad Kahyangan" which was built the great saint of Bali Danghyang Nirartha, in 16th century. Its popular because its sunset view, just like postcard. Next to Tanah Lot temple is located the complex of Bali Nirwana Resort.
Jimbaran Beach
Jimbaran, about 5 minutes driving from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, is a village for fishermen. Here you can find many fresh seafood restaurants. Everybody has their favourite restaurant here but what they offer is relatively similar, it usually come with fried peanuts, five type of 'sambals', a basket of steam rice, Balinese vegetable of 'plecing', and sliced fruit for desert. Diners are given opportunity to choose their fish, shrimp, or crab from the aquarium in front of each restaurant. Once you find a good fresh fish with a good deal then go for it. If not then continue your quest.
Serangan Island
Serangan island, a 73-hectare island located just 250 metres off the southeast coast of Bali, is the resident of Pura Sakenan--one of the most visited temple for religious purpose on the southern part. Serangan island also known as turtle island. According to the legend Pura Sakenan was founded in the 10th century by wanderer-priest Mpu Kuturan. The island can be reached by boat either from Sanur, Suwung, or Tanjung Benoa. Since a road has been built as part of exclusive resort project on the island, now it can be accessed by car, make a right turn in east of Benoa harbor intersection.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Sanur
Sanur area is the oldest tourism village in this area, where the first five star rated hotel was built. Its know for its luxurious and quiet area for tourists. It beautiful beaches and sun rise view make Sanur becomes one of the popular tourist destination in this world. Even you can see the memorable Le Mayur museum in its beach side.
Puputan Square
A great place for families to hang out in the evenings is the huge, well-kept park in the middle of town, named for the bloody 1906 extermination of the island's ruling class by the Dutch. An heroic-style monument facing Jl. Surapati commemorates this tragic event. Note the woman with the kris in one hand and jewels in the other. Eyewitnesses of the time reported that female members of the court tauntingly flung their jewelry at the Dutch troops before being mowed down by rifle fire.
On every side of Taman Puputan are the traditional symbols of the power elite. North of the square is the Governor's Residence, built in Javanese pendopo style. Facing the Bali Museum is the stolid, modern military headquarters complex. Just south of the square in the middle of the city's busiest intersection is a five-meter-high, four-faced, eight-armed statue?ukha, representing Batara Guru, "God of the Four Directions," who is even-handedly blessing all the cardinal points simultaneously.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
The Art Center
Also called Taman Werdi Budaya, the Art Center is on Jl. Nusa Indah in Abiankapas, a suburb of Denpasar in the direction of Sanur, only a 15-minute walk east of Kereneng station. Set in a restful garden with lotus ponds amid richly carved baroque Balinese buildings, the Taman Werdi Budaya houses exhibits of modern painting, masks, and woodcarving. Both Balinese and Indonesian artists are featured. You'll find a car park, museum, and small, fixed-price handicraft shops.
Visitors can view dance and music rehearsals in two open-air amphitheaters with modern lighting. Dances are also regularly staged for the public, including works incorporating modern Balinese choreography. In the kecak performance, staged each night 1830-1930 (Rp5000), traditional flickering oil lamps are still used. Eerie and powerful.
The Art Center also hosts a summer art festival each year from mid-June to mid-July, with competitions for costumes, dance, drama, sendratari performances, music, woodcarving, metalworking, and food. Every year is different, with each of Bali's regencies sending its best teams. Also see art events, crafts exhibits, and an extravagant production of the Ramayana Ballet. If it's the high season, be sure to book your hotel in advance. These entertaining and exciting cultural shows draw tens of thousands of visitors from around the world.
The Balinese Art Development Center Program, Jl. Bayusuta (in the Art Center), is open 0800-1700 daily except Monday. This tertiary-level institute offers work on the undergraduate through master's degree levels. Besides staging dances, plays, and pop concerts, it houses permanent exhibits offering handicrafts, paintings, carvings, and silver. Student discounts available.
Jagatnatha Temple
Just east of the big alun-alun on Jl. Mayor Wishnu, next to the museum, is a Hindu temple, Jagatnatha Temple, built in 1953. In the afternoon, people from the surrounding kampung come here to pray; the temple's especially busy during the full moon. On a towered throne of white coral sits a bright, gold statue of Ida Batara Sanghyang Widhi in his typical pose. This is the supreme god of Balinese Hinduism. The padmasana rests on the back of the sacred turtle, clasped by two naga on plinths carved with scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The central courtyard is surrounded by a moat containing gigantic carp.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Kelungkung City
Geographically, the Province of Bali is located 80-30'-40" to 80-50'-48" south of the Equator and 1140-25'-53" to 1150-42'-40" east longitude.
The relief and topography of Bali have their main features of a mountain range that transverse the island from West to East. Among those mountains are two of significant sizes: the volcanoes of Gunung Agung ( 3.140 m ) and Gunung Batur (1.717 m).
As well as these features, Bali also has four lakes: Lake Beratan (375,6 Ha), Lake Buyan (336 Ha), Lake Tamblingan (11 Ha) and Lake Batur (1.607,5). Rivers, which have their sources on these lakes as well as forests, flow to the southern side of the island. Such rivers are; Unda, Petanu, Ayung, Pulukan, Loloan and many others.
Because of its location, Bali has a tropical climate, which is influenced by seasonal wind pattern and alternate every six months. There are two seasons: the dry season from April to October and the rainy season from October to April. With such climate, Bali is in inhibited by variety of tropical flora and fauna.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Tabanan City
The land of rice or even mention as abowl rice of Bali, Tabanan is a rich regency. Its fertile areas and vary in its land scape makes many kind of tourists' attraction can be developed in this area.
The history of Tabanan can be started in the 14th century when Javanese invaders came in the area. As they expanded their territory, they came into conflict with the Mengwi house, founded during the mid-1600s with the fall of Gelgel and allied with Buleleng. In the eighteenth century Mengwi was the second most powerful royal house after Klungkung, whose support it enjoyed. Internal conflict in the late 1700s weakened Mengwi and led to territorial losses to Tabanan which were retaken in the mid-1800s. By the late 1800s further conflict erupted and Klungkung withdrew its support, opening the way for its destruction by Klungkung, Badung, Bangli and the Dutch. Tabanan got most of Mengwi, but rising Dutch interests in Bali and the refusal of Tabanan to give in led to its end in 1906 with the imprisonment and suicide of the ruler and his son.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Bali Museum
The largest collection of Baliana in the world is located on the east side of Taman Puputan on Jl. Mayor Wishnu just south of the tourist office. The Bali Museum was established in 1910 by the conquering Dutch, who sought to collect and preserve artifacts they felt were disappearing overseas or succumbing to the elements. In 1917, an eruption of Gunung Batur and subsequent earthquakes destroyed hundreds of Denpasar's buildings, including the museum. Rebuilt in 1925, it was used as a storehouse for artifacts and temporary exhibits until 1932, when it was established as an ethnographic museum. The German painter Walter Spies helped assemble many of its original treasures from private collections and donations.
The grand, well-kept complex consists of a series of attractive, grassy courtyards containing all the archetypes of Balinese architecture?ale agung, candi bentar, kulkul. The main structure, with its many pillars, is built in the manner of Puri Kanginan in the eastern regency of Karangasem. Standing next to it is a reproduction of Singaraja Palace on the north coast. With rich ornamentation both inside and out, the museum's architecture combines the two principal edifices of Bali, the temple (pura) and the palace (puri).
The museum's four buildings contain a splendid collection of Balinese art?eolithic stone implements, a hoard of Buddhist clay seals excavated near Pejeng, Balinese folk crafts, carved and painted woodwork, cricket-fighting cages, dance costumes, textiles, masks, weaving looms and fabrics, agricultural tools, musical instruments, furniture, scale models of ceremonial events, ethnographic exhibits. The first pavilion is a two-story building containing high-quality, early traditional, Kamasan-style paintings; classical Balinese calendars; modern Batuan and Ubud-style paintings; and work of the Academic and Young Artists (or Naive) schools. Another pavilion displays carved media?ood, stone, clay, and bone?ncluding sculpted windows, doors, pillars, ceiling beams, friezes, old guardian figures, demons, and specimens of Bali's extraordinarily earthy and vigorous folk art. The building, dedicated to prehistoric artifacts, displays Bronze Age implements, including the famous Gilimanuk bronze spearhead, the largest ever discovered in Southeast Asia. Also see ritual objects, priestly accoutrements, and a veranda lined with old stone statues. One building is devoted entirely to masks, weapons, and costumes of the performing arts, including rare barong pig masks and primitive dance masks from remote villages. There's also an incredible display of topeng.
A good part of the displays are annotated with English explanations, and clear maps in the central building show all the important prehistoric and historical sites of Bali. The museum also has a library and a shop selling postcards and books in English. However, there's no ground plan of the museum nor is a guide available to show visitors around. Open Tues.-Thurs. 0800-1700, Friday 0800-1530, closed Monday. Admission Rp500. Wear long pants.
