Pendawa Beach Bali Island

Pandawa Beach will be one of another tourist destinations in the southern part of Bali, you can combine your travel from Pura Uluwatu then to Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) and end to this beach till sunset.The beach can be accessed by driving down through an enormous human-made quarry-like canyon. With a mesmerizing natural landscape, ancient religious structures and multiple cultural activities, the list of things to do and places to go on the world-famous island of Bali is almost endless.

road to Pandawa Beach

Concealed behind high cliffs and overgrown shrubbery, Pandawa beach had long remained secluded from the crowds of tourists, due to the less-than-easy path that had to be taken to access it. Pandawa Beach has a stunning panorama with serene and quiet atmosphere.  located in Kutuh Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, it is only around 3 km from the famous Nusa Dua area.

 beautiful panorama from high cliff

Entering the beach, you will be amazed by beautiful panorama of high cliff, flanking the road along 1.5 km. The road is purposely built through limestone hills, similar with the hills in Garuda Wisnu Kencana. Along left side road to beach, there are enormous niches excavated out of the limestone cliff face that will hold massive statues of Yudhistira, Bima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadewa. These are the Panca Pandawa, five brothers who are characters in the shadow puppet theater, from which the beach takes its name.

 Panca Pandawa Statues

Pandawa beach is often referred to as the Secret Beach Pandawa Beach boasts white sand, quiet and serene atmosphere which is combined with a background of turquoise sea. The ambience is still quiet, serene, and clean. 

Pandawa Beach

Pic credit to http://galareal.blogspot.com/

The wave and current is not so strong, suitable for swimming or other beach activities like playing sand, sunbathing, canoeing, surfing, sailing with small boat and others. Some vendors rent their canoes or boats there for your adventures. Nonetheless, complete your experiences with the phenomenal sunset panorama from the greatest angles.

Rocky beach at Pandawa

This beach is also well-known as one of the landing locations for paragliding tours. A few kilometers from Pandawa Beach, at Timbis Hill you can adventure with paragliding. you will experience the true beauty of Pandawa Beach from the height. Instructors at training center are available for newbies and a first-timers.

canoes at Pandawa Beach

Tips:

• Bring your own transportation here, no public transportation to bring back you. You can rent a car or a bike at your homestay or hotel.
• we can also observe the activities of the seaweed farmers along the coast directly. Because of its shallow contour and short wave, Pandawa Beach is very suitable for cultivating seaweed. No wonder if lot of the local residents choose to be seaweed farmers.
• While you’re around the shore, try their Barbeque Sweet Corn. Taste is really good. Go for chilies flavor as well, it’s yummy

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Tanah Lot Temple - Bali Island

Pura Tanah Lot is one of the favorite destinations among Bali Temples followed by Pura Bedugal and Pura Uluwatu. the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the Indian ocean tide makes this a special attraction. Tanah lot is one of the closest to Seminyak, Legian or Kuta where most of the tourists would stay. It is just within 1 – 2 hour travel depends on the traffics.

Pura Tanah Lot Bali

Tanah Lot temple is also one of the scenic spots in Bali not-to-be-missed. Your visit to Bali will not be completed without a visit to Tanah Lot temple. The best time to visit the place is sunset when the sun colors the sea and sky beautifully with reds, yellows and oranges. Sunrise can do in a pinch but won't be as spectacular as sunset.  It is also one of the most popular spots for photographs of beautiful silhouette of the temples during sunset over the ocean.

Tanah Lot Bali

This place has to be visited in the afternoon if you want to enjoy the sunset and that makes this attraction part of second leg of your day trip with morning session spent at a location on the northern mountains. You can start your adventure to Pura Taman Ayun at early morning, Candi kuningan, Bedugul temple, and on the way back stopped at Alas Kedaton 'Monkey Forest' and arrived at Tanah Lot at around 4.30 PM, usually sunset is at around 6.00 pm.

the rocky island of Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 15th-century priest Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods.

Tanah Lot

At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. A giant snake purportedly protects the temple, which was created from Nirartha's scarf when he established the island.

Holly sea snakes cave at Tanah Lot

If you are lucky you can witness the Hindus people with traditional dress for the ceremonies or festivities at this temple. Hindus people doing pray at Tanah Lot Temple for special day like: Purnama (full moon), Tilem, Buda wage, Anggara Kasih, Saraswati, Siwaratri, Kajeng Kliwon and others.

Tips:

• Make sure you take plenty of water, a hat, comfortable shoes, camera.
• You can also find people who will take your photo and with your camera too if you want and give you instance photo with frame for a some fee.
• There are plenty of shops at this temple entrance for shopping almost everything including souvenirs, dress, shoes, sculptures, paintings and crafts and many else. Bargaining is expected everywhere unless the price is clearly marked, in which case it is fixed.
• Pick a sunny day with cloud free to experience seeing the sun hit the water at sunset without your view being obstructed and  make your visit to Tanah Lot Temple is a memorable one.

Pura Batu Bolong

• The views at Pura Batu Bolong are also breathtaking. I understand that this location is also famous for the red sunsets.
• The amazing thing is the holy spring water in the middle of sea water. It is free of charge. 
• Stop over at any of the rice field by By-Pass Munggu roadside at any villages while on the way to Pura Tanah Lot. As the view just simply nicer than Tegalalang Rice Terrace Field
• There are so many restaurants lined up along the mountain edge providing dining with excellent sunset view. As usual, for a prime tourist location

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Indonesia: Bali - Kintamani

Kintamani is a highland area in the north of East Bali, at the Mount Batur caldera, and which encompasses Penelokan, Toya Bungkah, Batur and Kintamani villages, is known widely as just Kintamani.

Kintamani, Batur and Penelokan villages sit on the rim of the huge Batur caldera about 1,500m above sea level, and offer dramatic views of the active volcano Mount Batur and serene Lake Batur. Toyo Bungkah village is down at the lake edge. As well as the lake and the volcano, Kintamani is home to Pura Ulun Danu Batur, one of Bali's key nine directional temples.

Mount Batur

Kintamani is usually approached from the south with 2 routes in from Ubud (45 minutes), and one each from Besakih (1 hour) and Bangli (30 minutes). There is also an easy way in from the north via a turning off the coast road east of Singaraja (1 hour). From the popular tourist destinations in South Bali, a trip to Kintamani by car will take 90 minutes plus.


The main attraction for visitors is located around Lake Batur where Penelokan village provides spectacular views of this crater lake and Mount Batur, set in a vast volcanic caldera. Photo opportunities abound, but try to be there as early in the morning as you can manage before the cloud inevitably starts to gather.

Mount Batur and serene Lake Batur.

Further northwest along the rim of the caldera is Pura Ulun Danau Batur, one of the most important temples in Bali. The temple was rebuilt up on the caldera ridge in 1926 after an eruption of Mount Batur destroyed the old one down in the crater. There are a large number of shrines, but most visitors are drawn to the huge eleven roofed meru in the inner courtyard. This is dedicated to the goddess of the lake, Ida Batara Dewi Ulan Danau who is regarded as the controlling deity of the whole water and irrigation system of Bali.

You can visit the Bali Aga village at Trunyan on the eastern shore of the lake by boat from Kedisan. This is recommended in some guides, but first hand reports are frequently negative and speak of some problems. This is an isolated community and one which is not particularly welcoming to tourists, despite relying on income from visitors. If you really must go, catch a boat at the lakefront in Kedisan (or you can charter a boat from Toyo Bungkah) and make sure the price is clearly understood before departing, and that the entrance donation to the Trunyan villagers is included. When you arrive at Trunyan, the key attraction is the cemetery. Ancient customs retained by the Bali Aga here include the open burial of dead bodies in a pit covered by just some light cloth. If you want to visit a Bali Aga village though, then Tenganan near Candidasa is a far better option.

Kintamani is the pushy souvenir hawker capital of Bali. They will surely target you the moment you arrive and try to admire the view. If you are confident handling the haggling with these vendors, Kintamani can turn out to be an interesting shopping experience. If you are not, and allow such things to bother you, the level of hassle here can make for an unpleasant experience.

reference: http://wikitravel.org/en/Kintamani

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Indonesia: Bali - Tegal Alang Paddy Field

Tegalalang located in northern Ubud, which can be taken about 20 minutes by motor vehicle from Ubud, or about 1 hour 30 minutes from the airport. It is located in Kintamani and Ubud tourist track.

paddy fields

This area is famous for its the beautiful terraced rice fields, many tourists who travel to and from Kintamani stopped at this place to see the scenic beauty of the verdant terraced rice fields, but it is also so close to the rempat other attractions, such as Ubud, Gunung Kawi Tampaksiring, Tirta Empul, Gunung Kawi Sebatu and Taro Elephant Park, so thats why it is so frequently visited by tourists.

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Magnificent Sunset at Menega Cafe of Jimbaran beach - Bali

Menega cafe is one of the many restaurants along the shoreline of Jimbaran beach, nearby Four Seasons, Kerobokan – Kuta. The restaurant is quite crowded during peak seasons as it is quite popular among tourists, so if you’re looking for a table on the beach, make sure you make reservations first and be there on time, otherwise you’ll ended up with a table inside the restaurant and miss the whole point of going to Jimbaran in the first place. The best time to eat is during sunset around 6-7 pm. 

Menega cafe

The seafood is fresh and mostly grilled with Balinese spices. There are choices of lobsters, crabs, prawns, squid, clams, and fishes. You buy your choices of seafood and they will cook it for you.


While you’re waiting for the food to arrive, try the boiled or grilled corns that were being sold by many “abang-abang”along the shoreline, or you can just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.

sunset at menega cafe

If you’re looking for a less crowded place to eat at Jimbaran, tell your driver to take to you to the Melasti beach at Kedonganan. The place is less crowded, however, a bit pricey.

menega cafe at night

If you’re using a rented car and its driver and want to go to the Menega area, you better make sure to tell the driver that you want to go the Jimbaran that nearby Four Season or Muaya area, otherwise the driver will simply take you to Melasti as you know, like other well popular tourist spots, some restaurants offers a special tips for driver who brings in customers.

around the menega cafe

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Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park at Bali Island Indonesia

Mandala Garuda Wisnu Kencana, or Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK), is a 240 hectares private cultural park on the Bukit Peninsula at the southern end of the island of Bali in Indonesia, 15 minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport. Bukit is a limestone plateau with Uluwatu to the west and Nusa Dua to the east.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue

About Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue
Designed and built by Nyoman Nuarta, one of Indonesia’s foremost modern sculptor, the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue or GWK and its pedestal building will be standing 150 meters tall with its wings span 64 meters across.

Made from more than 4000 tons of copper and brass, the statue is picturing Lord Wisnu, as the source of wisdom, riding on the back of the mythical bird Garuda as the manifestation of conscience toward Amerta, the perennial goodness.

The statue and its pedestal will be surrounded by more than 240 hectares cultural park which was once an abandoned and unproductive limestone quarry. The cultural park will provide attractions for both local and foreign visitors with supporting facilities such as Lotus Pond, Festival Park, Amphitheater, Street Theater, Exhibition Hall, as well as Jendela Bali The Panoramic Resto and souvenir shop. At present time, the statue of Wisnu, the statue of Garuda, and the hands of Wisnu have been placed temporarily in three different plazas within the park.

The Statue of Wisnu
As the anchor point of GWK, the 20 meter tall copper statue of the Lord Wisnu has been placed temporarily on the highest hill of Ungasan where visitors can enjoy sunset or sunrise over the magnificent view of Kuta, Benoa and Sanur.

uncompleted statue of Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue 

The statue of Wisnu is an illustration of the Almighty God in maintaining and caring all life and its being. The god Wisnu is the owner of Amerta in the form of water as the source of fertility , giving wealth and life to the universe.

The Statue of Garuda
Right behind the Plaza Wisnu is the Plaza Garuda where the 18 meters tall statue of Garuda placed temporarily.

At the present time, Plaza Garuda becomes the focal point of a massive alley of carved limestone pillars which covers more than 4000 sqm open space area namely Lotus Pond. The colossal limestone pillars and monumental Garuda statue make Lotus Pond a very exotic space. With its room capacity that can accommodate up to 7000 people, Lotus Pond has gained good reputation as the perfect place to hold big and international events.

The Statue of Garuda

The Statue of Wisnu’s Hands
The statue of Wisnu’s hands was added to GWK Cultural Park in 2007. It’s one step closer to finishing the complete Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue. This piece was placed temporarily on Tirta Agung area.

Entrance to GWK

The idea was not without controversy, and religious authorities on the island complained that its massive size might disrupt the spiritual balance of the island, and that its commercial nature was inappropriate.

On 20 February 2011, British heavy metal band Iron Maiden played the first rock concert at the venue to a sold out crowd of over 7,000 fans. This is also a venue of Miss World 2013 which will be held on September 2013.

Reference: http://gwk-culturalpark.com/about/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Wisnu_Kencana

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Splendid sunset at Pura Uluwatu

Uluwatu Temple (Pura Uluwatu) is one of Bali's nine key directional temples. Though a small temple was claimed to have existed beforehand, the structure was significantly expanded by a Javanese sage, Empu Kuturan in the 11th Century. Another sage from East Java, Dang Hyang Nirartha is credited for constructing the padmasana shrines and is claimed to have attained Moksha here. 

Pura Uluwatu Bali

Even more remarkable than the temple itself is its location, perched on a steep cliff 70 metres above the roaring Indian ocean waves. There are more steep headlands on either side and sunsets over Uluwatu are a sight to behold.

Pura Uluwatu at cliff 

The entrance fee from Oct 2012 is Rp 20,000 and you need to be properly dressed to enter. Sarongs and sashes are available free at the entrance. Guides, once famously mercenary, hassle visitors less than they used to, although they will offer to "protect" you from the monkeys, for a tip of course. Note that while you are free to walk around the temple grounds, the central courtyards can only be entered during special rituals.

monkey at pura uluwatu

The temple is inhabited by large number of monkeys, who are extremely adept at snatching visitors' belonging, including bags, cameras and eyeglasses. Keep a very close grip on all your belongings and stow away your eyeglasses if at all possible. If you do have something taken, the monkeys can usually be induced to exchange it for some fruit. Needless to say, rewarding the monkeys like this only encourages them to steal more. Locals and even the temple priests will be happy to do the job for you, naturally in exchange for a tip (Rp 10,000-50,000).

The cliff is fascinating but the temple itself is not as impressive as others in Bali. There is also a very scenic cave underneath with rock formations leading onto a beach close to the temple. This is a popular spot for surfers

source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Bukit_Peninsula

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Indonesia: Bali - Kecak dance

Kecak Dance, is a typical Balinese performing arts that was created in the 1930s and played mainly by men. This dance is performed by many (tens or more) male dancers who sat lined circle and with a certain rhythm called "cak" and raised both arms, depicting the story of Ramayana when Rama's line of apes help fight Ravana. However, Kecak from sanghyang ritual, the dancers dance traditions will be in unconscious condition, to communicate with God or the spirits of the ancestors and then convey their expectations to the community



The dancers were sitting in a circle is wearing plaid fabric like a chessboard their waist. Besides the dancers, there were other dancers who portray the characters of Ramayana as Rama, Shinta, Ravana, Hanuman and Sugriva.

 

Kecak dance songs taken from the ritual dances sanghyang. In addition, the instrument is not in use. Only used kincringan imposed on foot of dancers who portray the characters of Ramayana.

Around the 1930's Wayan modulus worked with German painter Walter Spies to create the Kecak Dance Trance and the tradition of the Ramayana story. Wayan modulus popularizing this dance around the world with his Balinese dance troupe.

 

Some place to performe Tari Kecak in Bali:Pura Taman Sari, Batu Bulan, Kesiman, Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Pura Padang Kerta, Padang Tegal Kaja and Pura Batukaru.

 

 

Reference: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kecak, http://wisata.balitoursclub.com/jadwal-pertunjukan-pementasan-tari-bali

 

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