Friday 22 August 2008

history of majapahit

History of Majapahit
The kingdom of Majapahit, with its capital in East Java, flourished at the end of what is known as Indonesia's 'classical age'. This was a period in which the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism were predominant cultural influences

Bali History

pict51.jpg (14514 bytes)The Golden Age
Out of the rubble of the Majapahit Empire which fell in 1515, rose the new Javanese Empire of Mataram built out of small kingdoms newly reinspired and reinvigorated by the advent of powerful Islamic influences. ....

dutch31.jpg (18656 bytes)The Dutch Campaigns
At the beginning of the 19th Century, Bali remained relatively unaffected by the Western influences which were already transforming much of the Indonesian archipelago. Bali's 16th Century Hindu civilization was still inviolate to any serious .....

Bali Quick Guide

Before going to Bali, we keep asking ourselves, “Why are there so many travelers calling this island “The Island of Gods”. In Balinese mythology, it is said that the gods created the place to be special. Its purpose is to be a shrine, housing all the deities and the land was sacred. Once visiting the place, we are consistently reminded of this story with the locals’ constant celebration of it. This is an island where god and goddesses statues are found every few hundred meters i.e everywhere from the road junction of a road to shops, paddy fields, hotels and motels, you name it! You also cannot help noticing the locals offering their prayers almost every other hour as well.

Bali is definitely a paradise island. A classic tropical island that has something for everyone of any age. If you are looking for beaches, Southern Bali is the place to go (though it may be too commercialized and filled with beach vendors). If you are into arts, you must visit Ubud. This is Bali’s Cultural and Artistic Centre with interesting galleries and crafts shops. If you are into trekking, the northern part of Bali will keep you busy. From climbing Mount Abang or Mount Batur you can also opt for buggy driving here. We must warn you though that to climb Mount Abang is about 4 gruelling hours and you need to set off at 2am in the morning to get a view of the magnificient sunrise. And after enjoying the view, there is still the way to make down and that is another 4 hrs. Rookie trekkers do take note of this to mentally prepare yourself for the activity. If you are looking for fantastic seaviews, Uluwatu is the place. Perched on a limestone cliff 70meters above the Indian Ocean, this is apparently Bali’s holiest site where an 11th century temple sits.

Filled with charm, culture, mysticism and some of the most magnificent scenery on earth, Bali has enchanted visitors for centuries and is also home to people rich in spirituality and who embody qualities of gentle friendliness. This place is also full of tourists from Australia, UK and Japan. Apparently, the most Japan provides the most number of travelers to Bali these days.

Bali offers picture postcard, white sand beaches fringed with palm trees and a lush interior of sloping rice fields. Volcanic mountains such as Mt. Gunung Agung and Mt. Batur rise from delicately terraced rice fields, palm groves and white sandy beaches. Dance, music, sculpture, wood carvings, painting and puppets depict the daily life of the Balinese and celebrate the eternal struggle of "Good and Evil" - the very essence of this Hindu island, the "Island of the Gods". In short, Bali truly has captured the imaginations of generations of travelers looking for the ultimate tropical escape.

Sunday 17 August 2008

Bali Popular Places

As Bali is a small island, there is nowhere that cannot be reached in a single day. You do not really need a fixed itinerary but only a general plan of places to visit and stay. Almost the entire island is ready and waiting for visitors from around the world, so it is better to be mobile, travel light, have a comfortable pair of shoes, and carry a positive attitude!

Bali is gentle and kind to the inexperienced traveler. Most of the local people have at least a limited knowledge of English, low cost accommodation is plentiful, transport is usually reliable, a wide choice of food awaits you, and there is safe drinking water

Denpasar

The capital city of Bali, Denpasar has countless community temples called Pura and one of them is Pura Jaganatha, which is dedicated to the Supreme God Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. The statue of a turtle and two dragons is prevalent in all temples as it signifies the foundation of the world. Pura Jaganatha offers a fine array of prehistoric and modern art, while its architectural design resembles that of a palace. The government-supervised Sanggraha Kriya Hasta has a wide display of handicraft and works of art. Between June and July is the Werdi Budaya, an annual art festival with performances, exhibitions, and art contests.

Sanur

Sanur beach has long been a popular recreation site. The palm-lined beach curves from the Bali Beach Hotel toward the south and faces the Indian Ocean to the east. On this beach, you will discover many wonderful hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourist facilities. Sanur is only a short distance from public transportation accesses in Denpasar, and trips to and from the city are available well into the night. Offshore reefs protect the beach from waves and it is thus a great site for windsurfing, boating, and various types of water-sports. Sanur is also famous for its black and white sorcery practices.

Kuta

Once a lonely village and the entry point to southern Bali since the 18th Century, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort especially for the young and young at heart. A favorite beach for surfers, it is less suitable for swimming due to strong currents; however, there are coast guards constantly on duty during the day. Kuta is one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia and accommodation ranges from international hotels to home stays. The village abounds with restaurants, shops, discotheques and tourist facilities. It is easier to find regular Balinese musical and dance performances here than anywhere else in Bali. This would be the ideal place to mingle with other people, locals as well as visitors abroad.

Nusa Dua

One of the most recent tourist centers, Nusa Dua has some of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels. This resort is known for its clean, white beaches and pristine waters. Nusa Dua differs from Bukit Peninsula despite being a part of it. It is sheltered by coral reefs, which makes it an ideal family beach.

Batubulan

Northeast of Denpasar, stone figures along the road mark the village of Batubulan. Divinities and demons are carved from soapstone to decorate homes and temples. However, soapstone has a porous nature and the harsh weather of the tropics wears it down, thus renewal is necessary every other century. One is able to watch the carvers perform their skills at roadside 'factories'. Apart from stone carving, Batubulan is also known for its daily performances of the barong dance on a purpose-built stage near Pura Puseh.

Batuan

The old and famous center of the arts, it is noted for its dances, wood panel carving, and half-wayang, half-naturalistic paintings.

Celuk

A name synonymous with silver and goldsmiths, Celuk's art shops beckon visitors to sterling silver and gold butterfly brooches, garnet-studded bracelets, earrings and ear-clips of all designs. The bigger showrooms are on the main road and have marked prices that are quite high although negotiations are possible. Craftsmen use a tree stump with a protruding metal spike for an anvil, a bamboo stem to catch the filings, and a manually operated pump for heat.

Mas

Although Mas literally means 'gold', this village does not specialize in gold jewelry but in woodcarving. The Tilem Art Gallery is a fine place to view the highest quality woodcarvings, all sold at the most exorbitant prices. Carving was a traditional art for the priestly Brahman caste and the skills are believed to have been a gift from the gods. The inhabitants of Mas are also primarily Brahmans and trace their roots back to Danghyang Nirartha, the great Brahman sage.

Ubud

Renowned as the center for the arts, Ubud has been attracting and cultivating artistic talent since it became the seat of the aristocratic family in the late 19th century. Western artists and intellectuals who visited the area in the 1930s provided an enormous stimulus to local art, introduced new ideas and techniques, and began a process a of displaying and promoting Balinese culture worldwide. Ubud is charming not because of its beaches or bars, but for its art, music, architecture, and dance. Even having gone through tremendous development, Ubud is still pretty and relaxed, especially if you're staying in a secluded family compound or eating at one of the pleasant open-air restaurants. It is one of those destinations where people plan to stay a couple of days but extend it to a couple of weeks.

Goa Gajah

The 'elephant cave' harbors no elephants but a great number of stalls, selling and flogging cheap items to tourists. This cave was excavated in the 11th century, and its entrance is a monstrous head with gaping mouth and hands that appear to be pushing the entrance apart. It was believed to have been built as a temple but the sleeping niches and Buddhist ruins just outside the cave suggest otherwise. Within the cave at the end of the T-shaped passage is a four-armed statue of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. At the opposite end sits a set of three lingga, or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. To the side of the cave's entrance is a 1,000-year-old statue of Hariti, a Buddhist demoness cum goddess. She used to devour children but reformed to become a devout Buddhist and protector of children. Excavations have uncovered a bathing place with six statues of nymphs holding waterspouts.

Tampak Siring

The sacred spring of Tirta Empul is situated here and revered by all Balinese. It is said that the god Indra created the spring when he pierced the earth to build the amerta, the elixir of immortality. The water is used by the Balinese for its curative powers for good health and prosperity. Regular ceremonies are held for purification, especially pregnant women and those who have survived a long illness.

Bali Popular Places

As Bali is a small island, there is nowhere that cannot be reached in a single day. You do not really need a fixed itinerary but only a general plan of places to visit and stay. Almost the entire island is ready and waiting for visitors from around the world, so it is better to be mobile, travel light, have a comfortable pair of shoes, and carry a positive attitude!

Bali is gentle and kind to the inexperienced traveler. Most of the local people have at least a limited knowledge of English, low cost accommodation is plentiful, transport is usually reliable, a wide choice of food awaits you, and there is safe drinking water

Denpasar

The capital city of Bali, Denpasar has countless community temples called Pura and one of them is Pura Jaganatha, which is dedicated to the Supreme God Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. The statue of a turtle and two dragons is prevalent in all temples as it signifies the foundation of the world. Pura Jaganatha offers a fine array of prehistoric and modern art, while its architectural design resembles that of a palace. The government-supervised Sanggraha Kriya Hasta has a wide display of handicraft and works of art. Between June and July is the Werdi Budaya, an annual art festival with performances, exhibitions, and art contests.

Sanur

Sanur beach has long been a popular recreation site. The palm-lined beach curves from the Bali Beach Hotel toward the south and faces the Indian Ocean to the east. On this beach, you will discover many wonderful hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourist facilities. Sanur is only a short distance from public transportation accesses in Denpasar, and trips to and from the city are available well into the night. Offshore reefs protect the beach from waves and it is thus a great site for windsurfing, boating, and various types of water-sports. Sanur is also famous for its black and white sorcery practices.

Kuta

Once a lonely village and the entry point to southern Bali since the 18th Century, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort especially for the young and young at heart. A favorite beach for surfers, it is less suitable for swimming due to strong currents; however, there are coast guards constantly on duty during the day. Kuta is one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia and accommodation ranges from international hotels to home stays. The village abounds with restaurants, shops, discotheques and tourist facilities. It is easier to find regular Balinese musical and dance performances here than anywhere else in Bali. This would be the ideal place to mingle with other people, locals as well as visitors abroad.

Nusa Dua

One of the most recent tourist centers, Nusa Dua has some of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels. This resort is known for its clean, white beaches and pristine waters. Nusa Dua differs from Bukit Peninsula despite being a part of it. It is sheltered by coral reefs, which makes it an ideal family beach.

Batubulan

Northeast of Denpasar, stone figures along the road mark the village of Batubulan. Divinities and demons are carved from soapstone to decorate homes and temples. However, soapstone has a porous nature and the harsh weather of the tropics wears it down, thus renewal is necessary every other century. One is able to watch the carvers perform their skills at roadside 'factories'. Apart from stone carving, Batubulan is also known for its daily performances of the barong dance on a purpose-built stage near Pura Puseh.

Batuan

The old and famous center of the arts, it is noted for its dances, wood panel carving, and half-wayang, half-naturalistic paintings.

Celuk

A name synonymous with silver and goldsmiths, Celuk's art shops beckon visitors to sterling silver and gold butterfly brooches, garnet-studded bracelets, earrings and ear-clips of all designs. The bigger showrooms are on the main road and have marked prices that are quite high although negotiations are possible. Craftsmen use a tree stump with a protruding metal spike for an anvil, a bamboo stem to catch the filings, and a manually operated pump for heat.

Mas

Although Mas literally means 'gold', this village does not specialize in gold jewelry but in woodcarving. The Tilem Art Gallery is a fine place to view the highest quality woodcarvings, all sold at the most exorbitant prices. Carving was a traditional art for the priestly Brahman caste and the skills are believed to have been a gift from the gods. The inhabitants of Mas are also primarily Brahmans and trace their roots back to Danghyang Nirartha, the great Brahman sage.

Ubud

Renowned as the center for the arts, Ubud has been attracting and cultivating artistic talent since it became the seat of the aristocratic family in the late 19th century. Western artists and intellectuals who visited the area in the 1930s provided an enormous stimulus to local art, introduced new ideas and techniques, and began a process a of displaying and promoting Balinese culture worldwide. Ubud is charming not because of its beaches or bars, but for its art, music, architecture, and dance. Even having gone through tremendous development, Ubud is still pretty and relaxed, especially if you're staying in a secluded family compound or eating at one of the pleasant open-air restaurants. It is one of those destinations where people plan to stay a couple of days but extend it to a couple of weeks.

Goa Gajah

The 'elephant cave' harbors no elephants but a great number of stalls, selling and flogging cheap items to tourists. This cave was excavated in the 11th century, and its entrance is a monstrous head with gaping mouth and hands that appear to be pushing the entrance apart. It was believed to have been built as a temple but the sleeping niches and Buddhist ruins just outside the cave suggest otherwise. Within the cave at the end of the T-shaped passage is a four-armed statue of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. At the opposite end sits a set of three lingga, or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. To the side of the cave's entrance is a 1,000-year-old statue of Hariti, a Buddhist demoness cum goddess. She used to devour children but reformed to become a devout Buddhist and protector of children. Excavations have uncovered a bathing place with six statues of nymphs holding waterspouts.

Tampak Siring

The sacred spring of Tirta Empul is situated here and revered by all Balinese. It is said that the god Indra created the spring when he pierced the earth to build the amerta, the elixir of immortality. The water is used by the Balinese for its curative powers for good health and prosperity. Regular ceremonies are held for purification, especially pregnant women and those who have survived a long illness.

Bali Popular Places

As Bali is a small island, there is nowhere that cannot be reached in a single day. You do not really need a fixed itinerary but only a general plan of places to visit and stay. Almost the entire island is ready and waiting for visitors from around the world, so it is better to be mobile, travel light, have a comfortable pair of shoes, and carry a positive attitude!

Bali is gentle and kind to the inexperienced traveler. Most of the local people have at least a limited knowledge of English, low cost accommodation is plentiful, transport is usually reliable, a wide choice of food awaits you, and there is safe drinking water

Denpasar

The capital city of Bali, Denpasar has countless community temples called Pura and one of them is Pura Jaganatha, which is dedicated to the Supreme God Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. The statue of a turtle and two dragons is prevalent in all temples as it signifies the foundation of the world. Pura Jaganatha offers a fine array of prehistoric and modern art, while its architectural design resembles that of a palace. The government-supervised Sanggraha Kriya Hasta has a wide display of handicraft and works of art. Between June and July is the Werdi Budaya, an annual art festival with performances, exhibitions, and art contests.

Sanur

Sanur beach has long been a popular recreation site. The palm-lined beach curves from the Bali Beach Hotel toward the south and faces the Indian Ocean to the east. On this beach, you will discover many wonderful hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourist facilities. Sanur is only a short distance from public transportation accesses in Denpasar, and trips to and from the city are available well into the night. Offshore reefs protect the beach from waves and it is thus a great site for windsurfing, boating, and various types of water-sports. Sanur is also famous for its black and white sorcery practices.

Kuta

Once a lonely village and the entry point to southern Bali since the 18th Century, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort especially for the young and young at heart. A favorite beach for surfers, it is less suitable for swimming due to strong currents; however, there are coast guards constantly on duty during the day. Kuta is one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia and accommodation ranges from international hotels to home stays. The village abounds with restaurants, shops, discotheques and tourist facilities. It is easier to find regular Balinese musical and dance performances here than anywhere else in Bali. This would be the ideal place to mingle with other people, locals as well as visitors abroad.

Nusa Dua

One of the most recent tourist centers, Nusa Dua has some of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels. This resort is known for its clean, white beaches and pristine waters. Nusa Dua differs from Bukit Peninsula despite being a part of it. It is sheltered by coral reefs, which makes it an ideal family beach.

Batubulan

Northeast of Denpasar, stone figures along the road mark the village of Batubulan. Divinities and demons are carved from soapstone to decorate homes and temples. However, soapstone has a porous nature and the harsh weather of the tropics wears it down, thus renewal is necessary every other century. One is able to watch the carvers perform their skills at roadside 'factories'. Apart from stone carving, Batubulan is also known for its daily performances of the barong dance on a purpose-built stage near Pura Puseh.

Batuan

The old and famous center of the arts, it is noted for its dances, wood panel carving, and half-wayang, half-naturalistic paintings.

Celuk

A name synonymous with silver and goldsmiths, Celuk's art shops beckon visitors to sterling silver and gold butterfly brooches, garnet-studded bracelets, earrings and ear-clips of all designs. The bigger showrooms are on the main road and have marked prices that are quite high although negotiations are possible. Craftsmen use a tree stump with a protruding metal spike for an anvil, a bamboo stem to catch the filings, and a manually operated pump for heat.

Mas

Although Mas literally means 'gold', this village does not specialize in gold jewelry but in woodcarving. The Tilem Art Gallery is a fine place to view the highest quality woodcarvings, all sold at the most exorbitant prices. Carving was a traditional art for the priestly Brahman caste and the skills are believed to have been a gift from the gods. The inhabitants of Mas are also primarily Brahmans and trace their roots back to Danghyang Nirartha, the great Brahman sage.

Ubud

Renowned as the center for the arts, Ubud has been attracting and cultivating artistic talent since it became the seat of the aristocratic family in the late 19th century. Western artists and intellectuals who visited the area in the 1930s provided an enormous stimulus to local art, introduced new ideas and techniques, and began a process a of displaying and promoting Balinese culture worldwide. Ubud is charming not because of its beaches or bars, but for its art, music, architecture, and dance. Even having gone through tremendous development, Ubud is still pretty and relaxed, especially if you're staying in a secluded family compound or eating at one of the pleasant open-air restaurants. It is one of those destinations where people plan to stay a couple of days but extend it to a couple of weeks.

Goa Gajah

The 'elephant cave' harbors no elephants but a great number of stalls, selling and flogging cheap items to tourists. This cave was excavated in the 11th century, and its entrance is a monstrous head with gaping mouth and hands that appear to be pushing the entrance apart. It was believed to have been built as a temple but the sleeping niches and Buddhist ruins just outside the cave suggest otherwise. Within the cave at the end of the T-shaped passage is a four-armed statue of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity. At the opposite end sits a set of three lingga, or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. To the side of the cave's entrance is a 1,000-year-old statue of Hariti, a Buddhist demoness cum goddess. She used to devour children but reformed to become a devout Buddhist and protector of children. Excavations have uncovered a bathing place with six statues of nymphs holding waterspouts.

Tampak Siring

The sacred spring of Tirta Empul is situated here and revered by all Balinese. It is said that the god Indra created the spring when he pierced the earth to build the amerta, the elixir of immortality. The water is used by the Balinese for its curative powers for good health and prosperity. Regular ceremonies are held for purification, especially pregnant women and those who have survived a long illness.

Friday 15 August 2008

Bali Culture

Bali Culture

Bali island has been both a tropical paradise island in the Indonesian archipelago, is so picturesque and immaculate. It has a rich culture, beautiful landscapes, rice paddies tripping down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soaring up through the clouds, dense tropical jungle, long sandy beaches, warm blue water, crashing surf and friendly people who don't just have a culture but actually live it. Bali, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. Balinese dancing, music, visual arts and architecture are unique and accessible to visitors.

The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in day-to-day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces. Some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beach and gentle seas.
Bali Religion

The Balinese religion have strong spiritual roots , their culture is still very much alive. The main religion is Hindu Dharma, which arrived in Bali with the spread of Hinduism through Sumatra and Java during the 11th century. Although originally from India, the Balinese religion is a unique blend of Hindu, Buddhist, Javanese and ancient indigenous beliefs, with customs that are very different from the traditional form of Hinduism practiced in India today. With the arrival of Islam in neighboring Java during the 15th century, a large member of courtiers, artists, musicians and craftsmen fled to Bali, creating an artistic renaissance.

Naturally creative, the Balinese have traditionally used their talents for religious purposes and most beautiful work to be seen here has been inspired by stories from Ramayana and other Hindu epics. The incredibly colorful cremation pyres and the everyday offerings to the Gods, placed inside every shop and business, are made with precision and an eye of beauty. In Bali spirits come out to play in the moonlight, every night is a festival and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a good time.
Bali People

ife in Bali is very communal with the organization of villages, farming and even the creative arts being decided by the community. The population of Bali is estimated 3,500,000 people who live mostly at southern part of the island. Every village (desa) has its temple of origin (puseh) , its temple of dead (pura dalem) its temple for irrigation system (subak).

The basis of this community structure is the Subak and the Banjar. Everyone who owns a rice paddy must join the Subak in their village. The Subak controls who will plant rice and when (plantings are staggered so that pestilence is minimized).

As well and more importantly the Subak ensures that all farmers receive their fair share of irrigation water since traditionally the head the Subak was the farmer whose field was at the bottom of the hill and water first had to pass through everybody else's field before it was allowed to irrigate his own.

The other community organization is the Banjar which, organizes all other aspects of Balinese life (i.e. marriages, cremations, community service, festivals and the like) as well as a form of community service known as Gotong Royong. When a man marries he is expected to join the village Banjar and must participate in community affairs.

Most villages have at least one banjar and a membership of between 50 to 100 families, and each banjar has its own meeting place called the Bale Banjar The Balinese do have a caste system but there are no untouchables. The caste system is most evident in the language which has three levels: a low level for commoners, a mid level to address strangers and a high level only used when addressing aristocracy

Balinese are always pious and they constantly remember where they come from. For that reason, this creates strata of groups in the society nowadays it is commonly called wangsa or soroh. The society order is based on this soroh so strong that it encompasses all kinds of balinese people's' activities. They persistently maintain and preserve their own genealogy. They cherish and keep their family line age inscriptions carefully and meticulously.

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Kebyar Dance

The Kebyar Dance is a male solo dance like the Baris. There are various forms of Kebyar including the Kebyar Duduk and Kebyar Trompong.

In Kebyar, the accent is upon the dancer himself, who interprets every nuance of the music in powerful facial expressions and movement. The most popular form of Kebyar in South Bali is Kebyar Duduk, the "seated" Kebyar, where the dancer sits cross-legged throughout most of the dance. By de-empasizing the legs and decreasing the space to a small sphere, the relation between dancer and gamelan is intensified. The dance is concentrated in the flexibility of the wrist and elbow, the magnetic power of the face, and the suppleness of the torso. The music seems infused in the dancer's body.

The fingers bend with singular beauty to catch the light melodies, while the body sways back and forth to the resounding beat of the gong. As the dance progresses, the dancer crosses the floor on the outer edges of his feet and approaches a member of the orchestra, usually the lead drummer. He woos the musician with side glances and smiles, but the drummer is too absorbed in the music to respond. Insulted, the Kebyar dancer leaves him and sets out for a new conquest.

The Kebyar is the most strenuous and subtle of Balinese dances. It is said that no one can become a great Kebyar dancer unless he can play every instrument of the orchestra. In Kebyar Trompong, in fact, the dancer actually joins the orchestra by playing a long instrument called the trompong while he continues to dance.

Tuesday 12 August 2008

Bali History

Natural History:
During the last Ice age the islands of Sumatra, Java and Bali were connected. Bali and Lombok however remained separated by the 1,300m deep Lombok Strait. Biologist Alfred Russel Wallace was the first to document this fact, the division becoming known as the Wallace Line. The distance between Bali and Lombok is small, a matter of only about 35 kilometers. The distributions of many bird species observe the line, as many birds refuse to cross even the smallest stretches of open water. Many volant (flying) mammals (i.e., bats) have distributions that cross the Wallace Line, but non-volant species are usually limited to one side or the other, with a few exceptions (e.g., rodents). Various taxa in other groups of plants and animals show differing patterns, but the overall pattern is striking and reasonably predictable.

An understanding of the biogeography of the region centers on ancient sea levels, and the continental shelves; Wallace’s Line is visible when one examines the sea contours, and can be seen as a deep-water channel which marks the southeastern edge of the Sunda Shelf linking Borneo, Bali, Java and Sumatra to the mainland of southeastern Asia. Australia, on the other hand, is united broadly with New Guinea, in the Sahul Shelf. At times when sea levels were lower, what are now islands were exposed and joined as continuous land masses, but the deep water between these two large shelf areas was — for a period in excess of 50 million years — a barrier that kept the flora and fauna of Australia largely separate from that of Asia.

Ancient history:
The earliest humans in Bali arrived approximately 40,000 years ago. The bones of homo erectus dating back 500,000 years have been found in Bali and Java. The earliest humans in Bali were hunter-gatherers who lived in caves.

Around 3,000 years BC, during the neolithic era, stone tools appeared of a superior quality, along with pottery and newer farming methods. Bronze tools came into being during the 7th & 8th Centuries BC. One of finest examples of Balinese bronze casting is the Moon of Pejeng, a 2 meter diameter drum, the largest in SE Asia located at Pura Penataran Sasih.

• Balinese Hinduism:
Bali is truly unique, in that it is the only Hindu island in Indonesia, a country dominated by Islam. Hinduism is a religion that developed out of the way of life of the people living on the banks of the Indus river in India and Hinduism came to Indonesia many centuries ago. The earliest written records in Bali, metal inscriptions called prasasti (Prasasti Blanjong is an example), speak of Buddhist and Hindu influences and date back to the 9th century AD. The caves, statues and bronzes of Goa Gajah and Gunung Kawi indicate this too.

As far as Bali is concerned the 3 big events that pushed Hinduism to the fore were the marriage of the Balinese king Udayana to Princess Mahendra from East Java, at the end of the 10th century thus bringing the 2 areas together. This was followed in 1343 by the conquest of Bali by the Majapahit empire of Gajah Mada, prime minister of that kingdom in East Java. Finally in 1515 the Majapahit empire in Java fell to the increasingly powerful Muslim Mataram empire. This created an exodus of priests, crafts people and noblemen and helped to make Bali the unique center of art that it is.

As many people will tell you the version of Hinduism (Agama Hindu ) that is practiced in Bali differs from that practiced in India. One of the most obvious differences is the quantity of offerings given in Bali, which is usually to either ward off evil spirits or to satisfy the Gods, a relic of the Balinese animist beliefs to which Hinduism has been melded.

• Colonial history:
Bali first appeared on European radar in the 1588, when the Portuguese, who were in the process of controlling Indian Ocean trade, sent a ship from the port of Malacca in what is now Malaysia. Upon reaching Bali the ship hit a reef, many of the survivors drowning, but some surviving. The dewa agung treated the newcomers well but did not allow them to leave the island. That was pretty much the end of the Portuguese exploration of Bali.

The Dutch were the next to attempt to explore the archipelago and on April 2nd 1595, 4 ships left Holland commanded by Commodore Cornelius Houtman. The group reached Bali on February 9th 1597 and anchored at Kuta. Houtman sent 3 men ashore to report on the island. One of these men was Aernoudt Lintgens, credited with the first western account of Bali. The other 2 men decided at first not to return to the ship, with 1 eventually returning, the other choosing to stay in Bali.

This brief visit was followed by another in 1601, under the leadership of Cornelius Heemskerk, who brought with him a formal request for trade relations, from the prince of Holland. In return for the letter, the dewa agung wrote his reply on a lontar palm leaf, accepting mutual trade between Bali and Holland.

• Indonesian Independence:
Indonesia attained independence from Holland in a long struggle during the 1940’s. When the Japanese invaded Indonesia in February 1942 the Dutch were forced to flee, or be captured. After the war was over Indonesia made it Declaration of Independence on August 17th 1945, with Sukarno as the first President.

The Dutch had other idea though and returned in March 1946. They fought in many famous skirmishes with the Balinese, including the massacre of Balinese hero Gusti Ngurah Rai, and managed to take back control of Bali. Nations around the world were not sympathetic to the Dutch position and in 1949 they withdrew to allow the formation of The Republic of Indonesia in 1950.

• The Suharto Era:
Suharto was President of Indonesia for over 30 years. While his focus was not Bali, there is no doubt he had a huge impact on Bali and the rest of Indonesia. While much of the western world was struggling with the Cold War, Indonesia has its own internal struggle against Communism. Some estimates say 100,000 Balinese were killed in the first couple of years during Suharto’s presidency.

Suharto seized power from his predecessor, the first president of Indonesia Sukarno, through a mixture of force and political maneuvering against the backdrop of foreign and domestic unrest. Over the three decades of his “New Order” regime, Suharto constructed a strong central government along militarist lines. An ability to maintain stability and an avowedly anti-Communist stance won him the economic and diplomatic support of several Western governments in the era of the Cold War. For most of his three-decade rule, Indonesia experienced significant economic growth and industrialization. His rule, however, led to political purges and the deaths of millions of Indonesian communists and Chinese-Indonesians, and enaction of legislation outlawing communist parties and ethnic Chinese in government.

By the 1990s, however, his New Order administration’s authoritarian and increasingly corrupt practices became a source of much discontent. Suharto’s almost unquestioned authority over Indonesian affairs slipped dramatically when the Asian financial crisis lowered Indonesians’ standard of living and fractured his support among the nation’s military, political and civil society institutions. After internal unrest, diplomatic isolation began to drain his support in the mid-to-late 1990s, Suharto was forced to resign from the presidency in May 1998 following mass demonstrations.

• History of Bali tourism:
Tourism in Bali started as a trickle in the 1930’s. Getting to Bali from Europe or N.America meant trans-oceanic voyages on steam ships, finally arriving at Buleleng, modern day Singaraja, which was already a trading port complete with Javanese, Arabs, Chinese and Europeans. Westerners were captivated by the ‘paradise lost’ image created by popular novels and reports by early visitors. Among the first expats in Bali was the German artist Walter Spies, who images of semi-clad Balinese tending rice fields helped create a mystique.

Mass tourism in the real sense started with surfers and hippies in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Undiscovered surfing breaks such as Uluwatu and white sand beaches on Padangbai and Candi Dasa, put Bali firmly on the hippie-trail and the surfing map. Kuta Beach was the epicenter of this new found awareness, with bamboo guest houses (losman) and warungs catering, on a basic level to the customers. Tourism numbers reached their peak in 1998 and the industry as a whole has changed from budget tourists to accommodate a more luxury market.

Bali Tourist Development Corporation: Organized tourism in Bali:
Tourism in Bali has progressed along a somewhat unguided path but one of the times where planning was at a premium was the creation of the Bali Tourist Development Corporation (BTDC). The BTDC was formed in 1972 by the Indonesian government at the recommendation of overseas consultants. The plan was to develop the area on the eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula at Nusa Dua.

The Bukit is sparsely populated and makes for poor farmland. It does however have a great location for resorts, being flat, expansive and on the beach. Nusa Dua was supposed to draw high-end tourists and the builders, hotel chains and BTDC were to benefit.

Nusa Dua has flourished with new resorts such as the Conrad leading the way. The BTDC really gave the impetus to developing the 300 hectare resort area at Nusa Dua, which has 4,500 hotel rooms. Nusa Dua gets its water from 60 meter wells that are sunk in the limestone. The area is not really a reflection of what Bali offers but does provide a place away from reality for those looking for relaxation.

• The 2002 Bali Bombing:
At 23:05 (15:05 UTC) on 12 October 2002, a suicide bomber inside the nightclub Paddy’s Pub detonated a bomb in his backpack, causing many patrons, with or without injuries, to immediately flee into the street. Fifteen seconds later, a second and much more powerful car bomb hidden inside a white Mitsubishi van, was detonated by another suicide bomber outside the Sari Club, located opposite Paddy’s Pub. The van was also rigged for detonation by remote control in case the second bomber had a sudden change of heart. Damage to the densely populated residential and commercial district was immense, destroying neighbouring buildings and shattering windows several blocks away. The car bomb explosion left a one meter deep crater.

The local Sanglah hospital was ill-equipped to deal with the scale of the disaster and was overwhelmed with the number of injured, particularly burn victims. There were so many people injured by the explosion that some of the injured had to be placed in hotel pools near the explosion site to ease the pain of their burns. Many of the injured were flown to the relatively close proximity of Darwin and Perth for specialist burns treatment. In all 202 people were killed in the Kuta bombings. The effect on the tourist industry was massive, with many Australians declaring they would never set foot in Bali again. The local economy suffered greatly and many local businesses went bankrupt, locals sometimes returning to their village to farm rice. The economy was slowly recovering when a second bombing occurred in 2005.

• The 2005 Bali Bombing:
The 2005 Bali bombings were a series of terrorist suicide bomb attacks that occurred on October 1, 2005, in Bali, Indonesia. Bombs exploded at two sites in Jimbaran and Kuta, both in south Bali. Twenty people were killed, and 129 people were injured by three bombers who killed themselves in the attacks.

The Indonesian national news agency, ANTARA, reported that the first two explosions occurred at 6:50 p.m. local time, near a Jimbaran food court and the third at 7:00 pm. in Kuta Town Square. Other reports claim that the blasts occurred at around 7:15 p.m. At least 3 blasts have been reported.

One of the blasts was at Raja’s in Kuta Square. Another two bombs exploded at warungs along the Jimbaran beach, one of which was near the Four Seasons Hotel. Police later said they had found three unexploded bombs in Jimbaran. They had apparently failed to go off after the security forces hastily shut down the island’s mobile telephone network following the first blasts.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said that the bombs used appear to have differed from previous blasts in that most deaths and injuries had been inflicted by shrapnel, rather than chemical explosion. A medical officer’s x-rays showed foreign objects described as “pellets” in many victims’ bodies and a victim reported ball bearings lodged in her back.

The bombings occurred the same day that Indonesia cut its fuel subsidies resulting in gas prices rising by 125% and just two days before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and 11 days before the third anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombing. The attack came during the school holiday period in some states of Australia, when an estimated 7,500 Australians are believed to have been visiting Bali. The 2005 Bali bombing also greatly affected the island’s economy, which took over a year to get back on track.

Sunday 10 August 2008

Bali Culture and Customs

Temple procession in BaliEach stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life the average Balinese leads.

Birth

The first ceremony of Balinese life takes place even before birth. Another ceremony takes place soon after the birth, during which the afterbirth is buried with appropriate offerings. The first major ceremony takes place halfway through the baby's first Balinese year of 210 days.

Names

Basically the Balinese only have four first names. The first child is Wayan or Putu, the second child is Made or Kadek, the third is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is Ketut. The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth will be another Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut and Wayan again.

Childhood

The Balinese certainly love children and they have plenty of them to prove it. Coping with a large family is made much easier by the policy of putting younger children in the care of older ones. After the ceremonies of babyhood come ceremonies marking the stages of childhood and puberty, including the important tooth-filing ceremony.

Marriage

Every Balinese expects to marry and raise a family, and marriage takes places at a comparatively young age. Marriages are not, in general, arranged as they are in many other Asian communities although strict rules apply to marriages between the castes. There are two basic forms of marriage in Bali - mapadik and ngorod. The respectable form, in which the family of the man visit the family of the woman and politely propose that the marriage take place, is mapadik. The Balinese, however, like their fun and often prefer marriage by elopement (ngorod) as the most exciting option. Of course, the Balinese are also a practical people so nobody is too surprised when the young man spirits away his bride-to-be, even if she loudly protests about being kidnapped. The couple go into hiding and somehow the girl's parents, no matter how assiduously they search, never manage to find her. Eventually the couple re-emerge, announce that it is too late to stop them now, the marriage is officially recognized and everybody has had a lot of fun and games. Marriage by elopement has another advantage apart from being exciting and mildly heroic it's cheaper.

The Household

There are many modern Balinese houses, but there are still a great number of traditional Balinese homes. The streets of Ubud; nearly every house will follow the same traditional walled design.

Men & Women

There are certain tasks clearly to be handled by women, and others reserved for men. Social life in Bali is relatively free and easy. In Balinese leisure activities the roles are also sex differentiated. Both men and women dance but only men play the gamelan. Today you do see some women painters, sculptors, and woodcarvers.

Community Life

Balinese have an amazingly active and organized village life. You simply cannot be a faceless nonentity in Bali. You can't help but get to know your neighbors as your life is so entwined and interrelated with theirs.

Saturday 9 August 2008

BALI travel FORUM

News & Views from the "Ultimate Island"
Brought to you by
BALI HOTEL BARGAIN FINDER and BALIVILLAS.COM


Benefit from up-to-date and straightforward information and experiences reported by residents and visitors to Bali – as many others did since 1997. Share your views and give recommendations and/or warnings to others. Don't be shy to ask anything you wish to know, and speak up if you have anything to say.

Friday 8 August 2008

History of bali

There are few traces of Stone Age people on Bali, although it's almost certain that the island was inhabited very early in prehistoric times. There is also little known about Bali during the period when Indian traders brought Hinduism to the Indonesian archipelago. The earliest written records are inscriptions on a stone pillar near Sanur dating from around the 9th century AD. Hindu Java began to spread its influence into Bali in the first half of the 11th century, when the rock-cut memorials at Gunung Kawi were sculpted.

The Javanese Singasari dynasty conquered Bali in 1284, but when it collapsed shortly afterwards Bali regained its autonomy and the Pejeng dynasty, centred near modern-day Ubud, rose to great power. The Pejeng king was defeated by the great Majapahit dynasty in 1343 and Bali was brought back under Javanese influence. As Islam took hold in Java in the 15th century, the Majapahit kingdom collapsed and many of its intelligentsia moved to Bali. They included key priests who were credited with introducing many of the complexities of Balinese religion. Javanese artists, dancers and musicians also sought sanctuary in Bali, and the island experienced an explosion of cultural activity.

The first Europeans to set foot on Bali were Dutch seamen in 1597. Setting a tradition that has prevailed to the present day, they fell in love with the island and, when the ship's captain prepared to set sail, several of his crew refused to come with him. By the early 1600s the Dutch had established trade treaties with Javanese princes and had wrestled control of the spice trade from the Portuguese. They were, however, more interested in profit than culture and hardly gave Bali a second glance.

In the early 18th century, as local rule in Bali began to fracture, the Dutch began muscling in using the tried and tested divide-and-rule policy. They used Balinese salvage claims over shipwrecks as a pretext to land military forces in northern Bali in 1846. Teaming up with the Sasaks of Lombok to defeat the rajahs of Bali proved a bad tactic when the Sasaks changed their minds and slaughtered the Dutch. This incensed the Dutch so much that they invaded Bali with a heavy military force and severed its control of its smaller neighbour. With the north under Dutch control and ties with Lombok severed, the south of Bali was not going to remain autonomous for long. Another salvage dispute resulted in Dutch warships appearing off Sanur in 1906.
Modern History

It took Dutch troops five days to reach the outskirts of Denpasar. Surrounded by superior forces, Balinese royalty and religious leaders decided to take the honourable path of a suicidal puputan - a fight to the death - rather than surrender. First the palaces were burnt, then - dressed in their finest jewellery and waving golden daggers - the rajah led the royalty and priests out to face the Dutch and their modern weapons. The Dutch begged the Balinese to surrender, but their pleas went unheard and wave after wave of Balinese nobility marched forward to their death. In all, nearly 4000 Balinese died.

As other local kingdoms capitulated or were defeated, the entire island came under Dutch control and became a part of the Dutch East Indies. There was little development of exploitative plantation economy on Bali, and common people noticed very little difference between rule by the Dutch and rule by the rajahs. Despite the long prelude to colonisation, Dutch rule over Bali was short-lived; Indonesia soon fell to the Japanese in WWII.

At the end of WWII, the Indonesian leader Soekarno proclaimed independence, but it took 4 more years to persuade the Dutch that they were not going to get their colony back. In a virtual repeat of the puputan nearly half a century earlier, a Balinese resistance group was wiped out in the Battle of Marga in 1946. In 1949, the Dutch finally recognised Indonesia's independence. In 1965, an attempted coup blamed on communists led to Soekarno's downfall. General Soeharto suppressed the coup and emerged as a major political figure.

The Communist Party was outlawed and a wave of anti-communist reprisals followed. On Bali, local communists were perceived as a threat to traditional values and the caste system because of their calls for land reform and an end to social repression. Religious traditionalists took advantage of the post-coup hysteria and led a witch hunt against communist sympathisers. Mobs rounded up suspected communists and clubbed them to death. The Chinese community was particularly victimised before the army stepped in and restored order, but no-one on Bali was untouched by the killings. An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 people were killed, at a time when the island's population only totalled two million.

Soeharto established himself as president, and under his government Indonesia looked to the West for alliances and investments. On Bali, economic growth and dramatic improvements in infrastructure were achieved by hugely expanding the tourist industry. This also resulted in the displacement of local populations and disruption of many traditional communities.
Recent History

The end of the reign of Soeharto in 1998 threw the entire country into a maelstrom of change and turmoil. For some time it seemed that Bali was to be spared much of the anguish experienced on other islands in the archipelago. But the bomb attacks targeting Westerners that killed about 200 people near Kuta Beach on 12 October 2002 ravaged the tourism industry and destroyed any such complacency. It took about a year, during which the Balinese were in a kind of shock, but tourism recovered and 2004 was one of the best years on record for visits. More bombs in October 2005 killed about 20, and this time visitors did not return in previous numbers. With tourism at the centre of the local economy, the Balinese are at a crossroads in deciding their future direction.

Wednesday 6 August 2008

Loving Bali

Bali is very identical with its culture. This relation makes Bali as a magnet for visitors coming to Bali. Among them are certainly difficult to distinguish religion, culture and art. As all of them are integrated into a unity. However, Hindu Religion in Bali seems to be a stream for the development of culture and art in Bali.

The wave of foreign culture is sunk by the current of local culture. If it exists to be a new culture, it will be born as a new concept of culture that is more delightful. Let us see, Patra of Egypt (Egyptian Pattern), Patra of China (Chinese Pattern) or barong ket, barong landung or young artists in Ubud.



Patra of Egypt



Patra of China



barong ket

When this transformation of value entered into (bertiwikrama) the system of Balinese culture, and it became a topic of conversation, it is very difficult to differ whether their conversation involves religious, cultural or art issues, Balinese never care about them. Most of Balinese surrender their understanding on conducts and duties to Hyang Widhi. They call it doing yadnya

Balinese culture is very close with the traditional arranging system of value in the society, starting from water division, pattern of cultivation, yield division, sub village system, place of shrines, color of clothes and so forth. The culture exists, borne, and develops in accordance with the dynamic life of Balinese society. Culture is signaled with three important dimensions: idea, behavior and physic.

Therefore, sor-singgih (level of language), pawiwahan (wedding ceremony), subak (traditional irrigation system), dadia (family group) and so forth are parts of Balinese Culture.


place of shrines


sor-singgih


pawiwahan

Island Paradise

Dreamland Villa is an isolated villa located in Ungasan, south of Bali . Not only is it isolated, it is also very private with only 39 villas to spare. This peaceful refuge screams privacy, and those who are seeking for a more entertaining holiday might want to skip this option as its remote location doesn't make for a very exciting experience. It is though, an ideal location for honeymooners and couples looking to spend some quiet time away from the chaos of the outside world.

Opening its doors in July 2005, Dreamland Villa is one of the newer villas in the area and it shows as the interior and exterior are still pristine. The lobby area is relatively small compared to many but the welcome service is enough to make up for it. A refreshing tropical welcome drink and a cold towel is exactly what is needed after the long, winding and somewhat bumpy drive to its premises.

The villas comprise of one, two and three bedroom accommodations, all of which are fully equipped with the conveniences needed. The interior of each room is traditionally fashioned without compromising luxury and comfort. All the comforts of modern technology such as a flat screen 29” TV with in house movie and cable channels, home theatre system with DVD player, coffee and tea making facilities, shower jet massage, electronic bidet/toilet and many more to come with each villa. Its most interesting feature would be the private pool, the landscaped gardens and the Balinese gazebo that comes with it. With features like that, there's not much need to leave the comforts of the villa during your stay.

But what is Bali without the beach and it is exactly that which handicaps Dreamland Villa for it is not a beach front property. Walking by the beach or sunbathing would require one to travel 5-10 minutes by shuttle to Bali 's infamous Dreamland beach, known to many as surfers paradise. Might seem like a hassle, but the scenic drive will probably keep you occupied throughout the journey. Dreamland beach is relatively secluded and rather untouched and has managed to retain most of its natural beauty because of its remote location.

SD's verdict on Dreamland Villa
If you're looking for an isolated, private and peaceful place that has the perfect setting for a romantic honeymoon, Dreamland Villa would definitely be on the top of the list. Being far flung from the happenings of the island wouldn't be an issue once you're engrossed in all the luxuries of the villas. The villas are relatively large and spacious enough to accommodate the Von Trapp family and it has all the basic necessities minus the grand piano.

Friday 1 August 2008

Nugraha Lovina Bay Resort Hotel

Photo courtesy of Nugraha Lovina Bay Resort Hotel - Swimming Pool

Nugraha Lovina Bay Resort ” The Escape to Undiscovered Nature ” is set in a beach-side coconut grove at the long side of Lovina Bay, road leading to Nugraha Lovina Bay Resort is most beautiful scenery, over the central mountains, past placid Lake Beratan and Lake Tamblingan at Bedugul, or through the terraced rice fields near Pupuan. The resort offers 22 well-appointed ocean view rooms, feature an art of Balinese design with private air-conditioner, television, in room telephone, refrigerator, hot shower and the verandah.

This small but sweet romantic resort, is a part of Bali’s marvelous kaleidoscope of artistic expression, the section of the Balinese culture and hospitable people. Just 7,5 Kms from Singaraja, a historic city where you can visit places of interest such as the Holy Hot Spring (± 15 minutes), the famous Git Git Waterfall (± 20 minutes), the Holy Ulun Danu Temple on Lake Beratan (± 45 minutes), Kintamani and Penelokan Area ( 90 minutes ), etc.