Kims

Cultural highlights

Sports

Shopping

Posted in Soliloquy and sundry, Travel Tagged: Asia, Bali, guide, Indonesia, relax, spa, Travel

Bali guide – Volume 6: Shopping

Kims — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:50:15 +0000

Shopping can easily fill your days in Bali, with handicrafts, artifacts and modern designs at bargain prices.

In the Legian-Kuta-Seminyak area the streets are lined with shops and stalls selling everything from surf fashion to local crafts.

As you walk north from Kuta, through Legian, to Seminyak, the prices rise each block.

Local shops do not have fixed prices, so you can negotiate a deal. The big brand surf shops have fixed prices that are similar to the prices we’re used to in the west.

For the best choice in art head to Ubud. Traditionally Bali’s cultural center, Ubud is still renowned for its paintings, woodcarvings and silver.

Its surrounding towns specialize in crafts. For woodcarvings, head to Mas, where they emphasize humanism and naturalism in their craft. If you’re looking for gold and silver jewelry, the village of Celuk is renowned for there skillful, creative designs. Batubulan is where you can find the best stone carvings and statues.

There are also plenty of shops selling the two traditional fabrics: the Balinese-style ikat and the Javanese-style batik. Many clothing shops offer made to order fashions.

And of course there is the slew of handicrafts, from rice spoons to wooden bracelets to pillow cases and souvenir refrigerator magnets.

Next: Relaxing

Cultural highlights

Sports

Posted in Soliloquy and sundry, Travel Tagged: Asia, Bali, guide, Indonesia, shopping, Travel

Bali guide – Volume 5: Sports

Kims — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:34:53 +0000

With all its beaches, it will come as no surprise that water sports are high on the agenda. Bali is a surfer’s paradise, with the best surfing for experts in Uluwatu and Canggu and in Kuta for beginners. Scuba diving is another popular choice, as the water in Bali is warm all year long. The best diving spots are in the east in Amed and Tulamben where you can take PADI certified diving courses. You can also snorkel here, or head to the west to Menjangan (Deer) Island, which supposedly has the best variety of fish and coral.

Other water activities include white water rafting in Sayan, west of Ubud; kayaking on some of the quieter rivers and on Lake Tamblingan; canoeing at Lake Batur; and dolphin watching by sunset in Lovina in the north.

In Nusa Dua, Sanur and other coastal resorts, wind surfing, parasailing, jet skiing, and other water related fun such as banana boat, flying fish, etc. can be found in abundance.

Hiking through the rice paddies is a good way to explore the inland and small villages of Bali. And so is mountain biking. Bike-Baik or Banyantree tours organize downhill cycling tours with visits to farms and plantations. Both activities can take you up the volcanoes, which are definitely worth a visit, and overall not too strenuous.

If you decide to stay in a resort, you can make use of the golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools. You can also go fishing, bungee jumping, or sailing to one of the smaller nearby islands. If you go sailing, you can either rent a luxury yacht for the day, or hire a local perahu for an hour or so.

Not being an athletic person myself, I have undoubtedly missed a few sports, but we did go parasailing in Sanur, which was great fun.

Next: Shopping

Cultural highlights

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Bali guide – Volume 4: Cultural highlights

Kims — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:05:38 +0000

Temples can be found in abundance across the island. Every village, every clan, every family has its own temple. The most famous temples on Bali are:

Pura Besakih: The mother temple, the largest and holiest of all, sits over 900 meters up the slopes of Gunung Agung.
Pura Tanah Lot: Just north of Canggu this temple is famous for its spectacular sunsets.
Pura Uluwatu: On the cliffs in the far south of Bali, monkeys guard this temple.
Pura Meduwe Karang: Small, but gorgeous temple in the north near Singaraja.

When visiting temples, you’re expected to wear a sarong and a slendang (sash). You can either buy or rent these at the entrance of most holy sites or at markets. Women and men tie their sarongs differently. A local guide will be happy to show you how to wear it by the book.

Dance is an integral part of Balinese culture. Young girls practice using their eyes, hips and hands from a very young age, while their male counterparties learn to play Gamelan percussion orchestra instruments. There are many dances and a wide option of performances. The ones in Ubud are the best, but even if you don’t venture that way, don’t miss out on this cultural highlight.

Barong: Opposing forces of good (the Barong, a lion-like creature) and evil (Rangda the witch) fight in this sometimes comical performance that also features Hanoman the monkey king.
Kecak: A ritual dance with a circle of over 100 bare-chested men chanting. Fun and impressive play.
Legong: A finely choreographed dance without legroom for improvisation performed by very young girls. See this only if you really like dance, as it might otherwise be a bit too serious.

Other cultural excursions and events to consider:

The Gunung Kawi temple, the Tirta Empul holy baths, and the Goa Gajah elephant cave – all around Tampaksiring near Ubud
Kerta Gosa or the Floating Pavillion in Klungkung
Taman Sukasada or the water palace in Ujung
The royal baths of Tirtagangga
The Neka Art Museum in Ubud
A Wayang kulit or shadow puppet play performance

Not sure if these count as sports or culture (or perhaps a bit of both), but the cockfights and buffalo races are supposedly well worth your time too.

Next: Sports

Posted in Soliloquy and sundry, Travel Tagged: Asia, Bali, culture, guide, Indonesia, Travel

Bali guide – Volume 3: 10 things not to miss

Kims — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:08:13 +0000

Bali, while only a small island, is home to beaches, volcanoes, cities, ancient temples, rice paddies and rivers. This combination allows for a versatile vacation, without having to travel too far in between.

This is my personal recommendation of what not to miss in Bali:

Sunrise from Gunung Batur
Sunset on an exotic beach
Rice terraces (Iseh, Sidemen, Tegalalang)
Temple or cremation ceremonies
Ubud: fine dining, museums, temples, historic sites, rice paddies and the monkey forest
The Kecak and Barong dances
Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul
A downhill cycling tour from Kintamani to Ubud
A spa indulgence
Jimbaran beach BBQ (at Menega or Nyoman)

There are many more things to see and do of course. My sister assures me the cockfights and buffalo races are well worth your time. Some friends thoroughly enjoyed white water rafting, diving and snorkeling. And then there’s the food and the fresh fruit juices. But all that is for the next posts.