Sunday 28 December 2008

BALI-KECAK DANCE



The Kecak dance is one of the most famous of Balinese dances. It is unusual because it has no musical accompaniment like many other Indonesian dances do, the rhythm of the dance is produced by the chanting 'monkey' chorus. Instead, a troupe of over 150 bare-chested men serve as the chorus, making a wondrous cacophony of synchronized "chak-achak-achak" clicking sounds while swaying their bodies and waving their hands .From that chanting noise of "Cak-cak-cak", then it gave the dance its name Kecak.

What makes the Kecak such a fascinating dance to watch are the fifty or so men in the checkered pants. They are both the choir and the props, providing the music for the story in a series of constant vocal chants that change with the mood of the actors. They don't sit still, either, they wave their arms to simulate fire, and reposition themselves around the stage to represent wind and fire, prison cells, and unseen hand of protection from the gods.

The dance is played in five acts and lasts roughly 45 minutes. It taken from the Hindu epic Ramayana, which tells the story of Prince Rama and his rescue of Princess Sita, who has been kidnapped by the evil King of Lanka, Rahwana and somehow with the help of the white monkey army, Rama rescues his wife and defeats the evil Rahwana.

Attending a Kecak recital is a must for any visitor to Bali. It is a wondrous experience, and a window into the musical and artistic culture that make the Balinese a special people.

GETTING THERE:
1.By Air:
Numerous international carriers service Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport either directly or via Jakarta. Domestic airlines operate schedule flights from various cities within Indonesia.
2.By Land:
Bali is connected to Java by a regular ferry service running between Gilimanuk and Banyuwangi. If you are taking the train or a night bus from Jakarta, Bandung or Yogyakarta, travels first to Surabaya for the connection to Banyuwangi. Buses can be boarded at Banyuwangi or Gilimanuk for the final leg to Denpasar.
3.By Sea:
The state-run passengers line PELNI operates weekly sailing's between Bali and Jakarta, Ujung Pandang and Balikpapan. Regular ferries sail between Lombok and Bali.

WHERE TO STAY:
No need to worry where youll stay in Bali. There are many hotels range provided here, from the luxurious, middle range and budget hotels are spread around the island.

DINING GUIDE:
There are a variety of restaurants in Bali offering a good choice of food to suit a variety of tastes at reasonable prices. Kuta and Jimbaran is a great place to eat especially Seafood and Western dishes are your best bets while in Ubud lots of sophisticated restaurants and many of the shopping centers in the area have places to eat and there are several fast food places for those fast food addicts.

MOVING AROUND:
Its so easy to move around in Bali, especially in the tourist area. You can rent a bike or motorcycle to move around the city. Theres also car rental. Public buses ply routes throughout Bali from Denpasar's Ubung Terminal.

OTHER THINGS:
There are a lot of things to do or see while youre in Bali. Beside its cultural and art, there are also numerous temples, ancient sites and of course, great restaurants around Ubud while in the roads around Kuta, Legian and Sanur are lined with shops and hawkers that sell about everything, offering a huge choice of places to eat and a lively nightlife.

SOUVENIR TIPS:
Handwoven fabrics are a great buy; a simple sarong is an inexpensive, portable and practical travel accessory,
Ubud is the best place for you to buy paintings and other artworks,
Browsing at the Sukawati Art Market and Galeria Nusa Dua offers a tempting range of Balinese goods in one place.

TRAVEL TIPS:
1.Various hotels in Bali hold Kecak Dance performances and often deal providing dinner and tickets to the performance are offered at the main hotels in Bali. Ask your hotel for further information.

2.Weekly (in some places daily) performances of the Kecak abound around the island, but the most well-known Kecak Theater is in the town of Batubulan just north of the Balinese capital of Denpasar. The dance company provides transportation for a nominal fee to and from the resort.

3.Upon arrival, if your hotel has not arranged transportation from the airport, hire a taxi from the transport counter outside the arrival gate. Fares are listed by destination and must be paid in advance. Metered taxis are also available in Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Denpasar.

BALI-GRAJAGAN (G-LAND)



Exotic surf travel almost never has the kind of grace and logic that it does in magazines and movies. Beautiful, uncharted waves are out there, but its a long, tedious, sometimes dangerous job finding them. Only a few surfers ever sail out into the great unknown. This is why many people today think of Grajagan (G-Land), in southeast Java, not just as a perfect wave, but as a perfect adventure.

More than a name or a place, G-land is a haven. So close but yet so far from Bali, G-land is a magnet for swell and is definitely not overrated. The set up in G-land is simple, the relaxed atmosphere and pumping waves make for an experience like no other surf trip. Starting with the fact that its located at
Photo " G-Land Surf Camp"
the edge of a jungle filled with birds, reptiles, insects and other creatures not found on the beaches of Sydney or Los Angeles.

G-Land is a long fast wave typical of most Indonesian waves, suggested surf board length at 68 " 72 Gun " unless you surf like a top 44 contender, so bring a couple of Guns and your hot-dogger for the small days or down at 20/20s. You should bring at least 2 boards, Indonesian waves are powerful and its possible to break boards, so be prepared and bring at least two boards.


SPOT INFORMATION FOR SURFING AT G-LAND:
1.Type of break : reef break
2.Type of wave : fast wave
3.Direction : left hand
4.Bottom : coral
5.Average lenght of ride : long
6.Suitable for : expert level

DETAILED INFORMATION:
1.Crowd level : a normal crowd
2.Best tide : mid
3.Ideal board size : 6'8-7'4 Mini gun
4.Ideal wind direction : north,west,south,east
5.Wavesize & wetsuit : Spring (10' - 15') Boardshorts
Summer (6' - 10') Boardshorts
Autumn (6' - 10') Boardshorts
Winter (10' - 15') Boardshort

From your local domestic airport, you can fly to Bali. Arrive in Bali use a travel to go to G-Land, but its recommended to use surf guide to go to G-Land because it will more easier and safe.

On G- Land there are several beach front losmen, front beach room and bungalow.
Example of accommodation in G-Land: "G-Land Jungle Surf Camp" With a bungalow style accommodation which is strongly constructed to facilitate the unique lifestyle of most adventurers who love being in the jungle and nature and to provide as much natural element as possible inside the room. Accommodation is in free standing thatched bungalows sleeping for 2 adults and equipped with double or 2 single beds with mosquito nets, bed side light, small table inside the room, cool fan, private balcony, comfortable terrace seat, table, water dispenser and board racks.

There is National Park called "Alas Purwo" and is open March to November and located just off the beach line.

There are several traditional restaurants and cafs who serve western and Indonesian dishes.

Sea-related products, and wooden carving
1.Visit the Alas Purwo National Park
2.Marvel at the diversity of the plants and animals (birds, reptiles, insects and mammalians)
3.Swim on the pristine beaches.
4.Snorkel to glimpse the diversity of the marine life.
5.Visit a traditional village in order to observe their way of life.
6.Photography

Condition of surrounding areas since the camp is exclusively situated near the jungle where there are big trees as well as many bushes spread out everywhere plus a humid air resulted by such natural circumstances. Accordingly , these could probably a proper habitat for mosquitoes that may unexpectedly lead to malaria disease. However, during this season actually there are seemingly very few mosquitoes found, as weather is quite dry. Yet, it's still very much advisable for all guests to follow these helpful tips as:
1.Take an anti malarial Prophlactic medication (Chloroquiet Progvanil, Larium or Doxylycline).
2.Take measure against being bitten, e.g. by wearing a long shirt and trousers and mosquito nets anytime when sleeping.

In addition, at Jungle Surf Camp, the medical facilities are also equipped with emergency medical supplies like: detection first-aid kits for malaria along with proper treatment as well in case any guest get contacted with this disease.

More impor-tantly, the sun is very strong and hot, hence, bring enough sun block, protect your skin from sun-ray's direct exposure which might be seve-rally causing any serious sun burn case. Besides, it is pretty useful to use hat, helmet with the visor, sun glasses especially in the late after-noon.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS WHAT YOU SHOULD TAKE TO G-LAND:
1.A good hat and water-proof sun-screen.
2.Basic first-aid kit, antiseptic dressing, etc.
3.Sand-shoes and thongs.
4.Board-shorts, t-shirts, 1 pair light-weight, long-pants and long-sleeve wind cheater.
5.Two towels and sun-glasses.
6.Personal toiletries, after-sun cream, insect repellent.
7.Walkman, camera, handy-cam and books.
8.Booties, 2 surf-boards.
9.Light-weight wet-suits, rash-vest, gate helmet and spare leg-ropes.

SOURCES:
G-Land Jungle Surf Camp - www.g-land.com
Surfing Indonesia, periplus action guide.
Surf History- www.surfhistory.com
Global Surfer- www.globalsurfers.com

BALI-ULUWATU


Uluwatu is the most famous wave of Bali. There is always some swell here so it's also always crowded. The spot offers several waves which are working with different swells and tides:

The Peak: best at mid and high tide. Closes out at low tide. In front of the cave. it's the most consistant. Short and powerful waves, tubes. The take off is moving. It works from 1ft to 8ft. The most crowded. One of the sections closes more than the others.

Racetracks: 100 meters further. fast wave, a lot of sections with easy tubes. Best at low tide and at 6ft. Can hold bigger swell. On the right tide and the right swell, "The Peak" connects with "Racetraks" (you need to be a good tuberider). Over 10ft, Racetracks breaks until "The Corner".

Inside Corner: best at mid and low tide with a 6ft swell. At first, it's a fun wave and the final bowl is a tube. Don't do a cutback just before the bowl! Take plenty of speed, stay high in the face and trim. You will pass the tube.

Outside Corner: the REAL Uluwatu. Works only with big swells (>8ft) and at low tide. The lower is the tide, the better is the wave. Take at least a 7' board. It is a succession of long walls good for carving and, sometimes, a beautiful final tube. The length is around 300 meters.


Temple: less surfed. 2 waves in fact ("Outside temple" and "The Bombies"). Only for experts because the water is very shallow. For thoses,it is a incredible tube when it works.

SPOT INFORMATION FOR SURFING AT ULUWATU(globalsurfer.com):
1.Type of break: reef break
2.Type of wave: hollow barreling wave
3.Direction: left hand
4.Bottom: coral
5.Photo:www.baliwaves.com
6.Average lenght of ride: long
7.Suitable for : expert level

DETAILED INFORMATION:
1.Crowd level: a big crowd
2.Best tide: mid
3.Ideal board size: 6'8-7'4 Mini gun
4.Ideal wind direction: south-east

WAVESIZE AND WETSUIT:
Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter
Overhead: 6'- 8' - Ok : 2'- 4' - Overhead: 6'- 8' - Overhead: 6'- 8'
Boardshorts - Boardshorts - Boardshorts - Boardshorts

GETTING THERE:
To reach Uluwatu from The Ngurah Ray International Airport by using Taxi, rent car/motorcycle or using travel agent. Its about 1 hour drive.

WHERE TO STAY:
There are many accommodations from Warung (warung in a traditional caf), motels, hotels until Villa. The range price in $5 until $ 2000 for 1 day. If you stay in warung you just pay for the meals.

MOVING AROUND:
There are many surfing spot near Uluwatu such as: Padang-padang beach, Dreamland beach, Bingin beach, Impossible beach.

DINNING GUIDE:
Various restaurants and cafes throughout Uluwatu, from cheeps price to a luxury restaurant.

SOUVENIR TIPS:
Sea-related products, such as items made of seashells, corals and t-shirt, etc.

OTHER THINGS:
There is Temple near the beach, its one of the best temple in Bali called Uluwatu Temple. In the Temple you can see a lot of attractions such as:Watching traditional Bali dace performance, Watching Sunset (very good view from Uluwatu Tample).

TRAVEL TIPS:
1.A good hat and water-proof sun-screen.
2.Basic first-aid kit, antiseptic dressing, etc.
3.Sand-shoes and thongs.
4.Board-shorts, t-shirts, 1 pair light-weight, long-pants and long-sleeve wind cheater.
5.Two towels and sun-glasses.
6.Personal toiletries, after-sun cream, insect repellent.
7.Walkman, camera, handy-cam and books.
8.Booties, 2 surf-boards.
9.Light-weight wet-suits, rash-vest, gate helmet and spare leg-ropes.

SOURCES:
Baliwaves- www.baliwaves.com
Surfing Indonesia, periplus action guide.
Global Surfer- www.globalsurfers.com

BALI-LOVINA BEACH


Lining up of busy losmen and hotels with the depleted shady sea makes Lovina one of the most stirring beaches in Bali. Tranquility, incredible under water world and popular attraction is the dolphin watching. A small traditional boat called, jukung, may be hired form the villagers in the morning to bring us off shore to meet these smart and cute creatures. According to the news, theres about 500 - 1000 dolphins here in Lovina Beach

GETTING THERE:
You can go there by private or public vehicle. From Kuta or Denpasar, it will take a time around 2-3 hours of driving.

WHERE TO STAY:
There's a lot of losmens and hotels that you can choose as your places to stay with varied price and facilities.

MOVING AROUND:
You can cheaply rent a motorbike and visit the neighbourhood.

DINING GUIDE:
There are various foreign and local restaurants that offering international and local food with varied price.

SOUVENIR TIPS:
Sea - related products, such as items made of seashells, corals, etc
At Singsing Waterfalls, there's a string of 400 meters of souvenir shops.You can buy some souvenirs here

OTHER THINGS:
1.Singsing waterfall, this is quite a nice waterfall on the way to Bedugul.
2.Bedugul temple, this is an absolutely marvelous temple and not to miss while in, It's quite a long way to go there from Lovina by motorbike but also quite fun if you like mountainous roads.
3.Hot springs, quite nice springs, take your swimming suit. You can have lunch with a view of the springs.

TRAVEL TIPS:
1.Dont forget to equipped yourself with sun protection.
2.Bring a bathing suit and extra clothing's.
3.Bali it's very photogenically set at the border of the lake.

BALI-MOUNT AND LAKE BATUR (KINTAMANI)


The mountainous region around Kintamani, centering on the spectacular volcanic caldera of Mt Batur with its deep crater lake and bubbling hot springs, is rugged with a high and wild beauty.

Wonderful mountain air and dizzying views in all directions, as well as several important temples, are what makes Kintamani one of the most memorable stops on the Bali tourist itinerary.

Mount Batur is actually just a small volcano, but its setting is in the heart of a huge crater 14km in diameter. Adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur Lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. The sheer size of the crater conjures up images of the massive eruption of the original Mount Batur that occurred tens of thousands years ago.

The volcano is still active today as Balinese all over the island who still remember the great eruption of 1917 will testify. It claimed thousands of lives and destroyed hundreds of temples. Old people might tell you this was "the year when the world shook" Other eruptions have taken place since, forcing the local population to be relocated, along with several of their temples including one of the main Bali temples, Pura Ulun Danu. Initially inside the huge crater, this temple has been relocated to the top of the ridge overlooking it. Here it now offers an impressive view of Mount Batur.

GETTING THERE:
You can go there by taxi or just rent a car. You can also join a tour to visit Mount Batur and Lake Batur. Tourist shuttle buses between southern Bali and Lovina stop off at Kintamani.

WHERE TO STAY:
There are several accommodations ranges from star hotels to Home stays in Kintamani. You may choose one of them to stay.

MOVING AROUND:
To move around Batur area, you just need to take a walk or you can rent a bike also.

DINING GUIDE:
At Penelokan (translated as 'viewing spot') there are several restaurants from where to repose and get a well-deserved bite.

SOUVENIR TIPS:
Up the road going north is a market, busy every three days on Hari Paseh in the Balinese calendar. This is interesting to visit to see the variety of produce from surrounding mountain farms - oranges, corn, vegetable, fruit and the usual vast array of flowers, dried fish, tools, livestock, pots and baskets, plus a big clothing market. You may also see men cuddling big furry Kintamani puppies highly prized all over Bali.

OTHER THINGS:

1.Pura Ulun Danu Batur - near Batur village. This is the most important temple after Besakih, housing more than 90 shrines. Worth visiting at any time of year, especially during the Odalan festival, usually in March depending on the full moon, which is dedicated to the goddess of the crater lake, who is said to control the irrigation systems for the entire island.
2.Trunyan Village - mortuary traditions. From Toya Bungkah, lot of boats will cross the lake to a Bali Aga village called Trunyan. This place is notorious for its mortuary traditions. Instead of cremating the dead, as Balinese do throughout most of the island, the Trunyan communities leave the bodies to decompose naturally in a special cemetery.
3.Trekking Around Gunung Batur. The most popular trek is from Toya Bungkah to the top of Gunung Batur for sunrise. You may ask for this to a group of local guides or some of tourist service there.

TRAVEL TIPS:
1.Theres a brilliant view from Penelokan, if its clear. But prepared for wet, cold and cloudy conditions and aggressive souvenir selling.
2.Remember to bring along a camera, as the breathtaking view is one to be cherished and shared back home.
3.There are many street hawkers selling some souvenirs. If you don't want to buy from them, don't make any contact to them otherwise you will be followed until you give up and buy from them.
4.Its better to visit mount and lake Batur in a dry season. It would make lakeside activities available and enjoyable. The rainy season was just too foggy and wet to enjoy to its fullest

BALI-AHMED BEACH


Amed Beach East Bali is everything you dreamed it would be a rare and special paradise of outstanding exotic beauty, vibrant culture and friendly people. Here you can finally find peace and quiet, enjoy great food and take advantage of comfortable and inexpensive accommodation. From the beach, Amed offers an excellent site for training dives. It has a flat bottom lagoon for instruction and a coral reef only 5 minutes swim away.

This location is highly recommended for introductory dives. By boat, Amed has a nice wall dive just a few minutes away. It is a fun, easy dive for everyone. Snorkeling and diving off the black-sand beaches here is exceptional, the variety and numbers of fish on display are among the best on Bali and the water temperature is a constant 28 degrees. Schools of cardinal fish, triggerfish, black snappers, pyramid butterflies, banner fish, and damselfish can be seen on the sand slopes, while table corals, big fan gorgonians, and magnificent stag horn Acropora and Dendronephthya trees, dense growths of sponges, crinoids, and sea fans are commonly found within 20 meters of shore.

Cemuluk, on a protected bay, is an ideal place to begin snorkeling. Four kilometres further south along the coast is Banyuning, where there's a small wreck and some of the most beautiful coral gardens to be seen anywhere in the Lesser Sundas. The water is a little deeper here and sometimes there is a slight swell, so this area suits people with experience.

GETTNG THERE
Just 30min NE from Amlapura.
By public transport: From Denpasar, Batubulan Terminal, take a bus(medium size) to Amlapura, for 2 hours. Then change to a bemo to Amed, for 30min. The bemo will stops at the village, but the driver may take you to Jemeluk Beach.

WHERE TO STAY
Amed is actually the name of just one village and not the place to base yourself; the villages to the south are more attractive. There are dozens of places to stay along this coast, from non-star hotel to star hotel.

MOVING AROUND
You're free to explore Amed beach on foot.

DINING GUIDE
You can find food stalls (warung) whose sell snacks and nasi campur. The best restaurant in the area is the Baliku, approximately one kilometer south of the Blue Moon. And in the Lipah area serves good Indonesian food.

SOUVENIR TIPS
Sea-related products, such as items made of seashells, corals, etc.

OTHER THINGS
You can visit the fish market early in the morning when the tuna come in, And you can also enjoy the views surroundings Amed village.

TRAVEL TIPS
1.Most hotel staff can also arrange sailing or fishing trips so you can catch your own dinner. Your hotel will most probably have snorkeling gear for hire.
2.If you're on the Amed coast and want to dive, steer clear of the dive operators and check the prices at the other operators. Just make sure you take a look at the dive operator's equipment to make sure it's up to snuff before you decide to dive with them.

BALI-KUTA BEACH


Once a lonely village on the road from Denpasar toward the Bukit Peninsula, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort, popular mainly among the young. It owes its claim to fame owes to two factors: its beach (originally Bali's best) and the sunset. The beach front is now host to many hotels, except for Legian and Seminyak, where much of the social scene is now centered. The main shops are located along Legian street.

Kuta has become one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia. It is a place to encounter new ideas and lifestyles and a place to experience all manner of pleasures. It is a popular beach for surfing although, currents make it less suitable for swimming. Life guards are on constant duty during the day. Kuta faces the West, offering beautiful sunsets.

The popular Kuta Beach, overlooking the Straits of Bali, attracts foreign and local water sport enthusiasts and sun worshippers. Throngs flock to this 1.5-kilometer stretch on weekends. The period April to September/October promises favorable reef and beach breaks, enabling surfers to take to the waves. Amateurs should stick to the milder beach breaks for safety reasons. You can also swim here--make sure you do so only within the designated area--or just join the carefree sunbathers. Wandering hawkers and guides offer their wares and services, while others provide a relaxing massage for a reasonable fee.

GETTING THERE
Its very easy to reach Kuta beach and only 15 minutes from Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar-Bali.

WHERE TO STAY:
There are many accommodations ranges from star hotels to Home stays along Kuta-Legian road. You may choose one of them to stay.

MOVING AROUND:
Moving around Kuta its very fun and simple. You can go around on foot or you can rent a bike or motorcycle.

OTHER THING:
Beside watching sunsets and surf, the other things that you may see or do here are shopping, watching performances of Balinese music and dance in Kuta, staged specially for tourists and anywhere else in Bali and some of them are staged nightly. If you're looking by night, various foreign and locally restaurant, clubs, pubs and bars start to fire up.

DINING GUIDE:
There are various foreign and local restaurants that offering international and local foods. These restaurants are available along Kuta.

SOUVENIR TIPS:
There are many souvenir shops along Kuta that offering you many kind of Balinese souvenir, starting from clothes, paintings, handicrafts, wooden crafts, etc.

TRAVEL TIPS:
1.Dont forget to equipped yourself with sun protection
2.Bring a bathing suit and extra clothings
3.If you're including backpackers tourist, and looking for cheap accommodation in Kuta, just go to Poppies Lane Alley 1 & 2 where you can find cheap accommodation and restaurants.
4.Warungs offering cheap food are within a 2 minute walk on Poppies Lane 1, so no need to get sucked into a beachside restaurant and high prices.
5.Almost every evening there is a performance of Balinese -dance somewhere in Kuta. To know what is on just ask around.