code : GPS-GO5 BARONG, DANCE & BESAKIH TOUR (8 Hours)

Visit the BARONG & KRIS DANCE performance at Batubulan, and then drive eastwards to SEMARAPURA. Here turn off the main road to KAMASAN village, where traditional Wayang clothe Paintings are made, and silver and bronze smiths ply their trade. Return to SEMARAPURA to visit the old KERTHAGOSA Courthouse, with its fascinating ceiling murals. Proceed to BESAKIH Temple, Bali's major Hindu Temple, and located and lower slopes of Mount Agung.

Details

About Batubulan :
Ten km northeast of Denpasar, Batubulan is a village known throughout Bali for its ornate door-guardian statues, carved of soft paras volcanic tuff. Until these became popular for secular use earlier in this century, the carvings were only used in temples or palaces, but this art form has spread extensively in recent years and is today found in homes and public buildings. Made Leceg and Made Sura, two of the most famous carvers of the area, continue the legacy of their mentor, the late Made Loji. Both have shops on the main road where carvings can be purchased and packed and shipped home.Batubulan is also home to three famous Barong Dance troupes who perform seven times a week at 9.30am on their own stages before bus-loads of enthralled tourists. The development of these groups parallels that of tourism in Bali, but even so the Batubulan barong troupes are relatively young. The first the Danjalan Barong Group, was established in 1970, while the Tegaltamu and Puri Agung groups were formed later. The three troupes also perform on a large stage that was constructed especially for this purpose in the outer courtyard of Pura Puseh Bendul in 1986.

About Semarapura :
The town of Klungkung centers around the Puri Smarapura or "Palace of the God of Love" former home of Bali's most illustrious line of kings. Unfortunately, all that remains now are the great gate and garden, and two pavilions with magnificently painted ceilings. These are the Kerta Gosa Hall of justice overlooking the town's main intersection, and the larger Bale Kambang or Floating Pavilion just behind it. The rest of this splendid complex was razed to the ground in 1908, during the royal mass suicide or puputan ("ending") against the Dutch invaders. This event removed the last obstacle to Dutch domination of the island. A monument commemorating the puputan now stands across the road.

About Kamasan Village :
The adjoining village of Kamsan is a major artistic center, home of traditional Balinese painting. The many forms of painting found today in Bali all derive from the so-called Kamasan or Wayang style characteristic of this village, in which the vigures depicted resemble two-deminsional shadow pupets. the style itself traces back to ancient Java, where the similar figures are found on the temple reliefs. the amazing thing is that this survives as a living art up untill the present day on bali.

About Besakih :
Driving up to Besakih from Menanga, the silver-grey cone of Mt Agung looms above, its summit still bare from the ravages of the 1963 eruption. At 3142 meters, this is the highest peak on Bali, and a major locus of divine power in the Balinese cosmos. The huge temple located here, Pura Besakih, is the greatest of all Balinese sanctuaries - the most sacred and powerful of the island's innumerable temples. For this reason, it has always been associated also with state power. It lies at an altitude of 900 meters on the southwestern slope of the mountain, offering spectacular views over the whole of southern Bali. Pura Besakih is not a single temple but a sprawling complex consisting of many separate shrines and compounds, united through ritual and history into a single sanctuary. 'Mere are 22 temples in all, spread along parallel ridges over a distance of more than a kilometer. The highest of these, Pura Pengubengan, lies amidst beautiful groves in a state pine forest. Most of the temples, however, cluster around the main enclosure, Pura Penataran Agung.

 

 

 

code : GPS-GO6 ART VOLCANO & BESAKIH TOUR (8 Hours)

Combination of GPS-GO4 and GPS-GO5. Tailor made for those who have limited time.

Details

About Batubulan :
Ten km northeast of Denpasar, Batubulan is a village known throughout Bali for its ornate door-guardian statues, carved of soft paras volcanic tuff. Until these became popular for secular use earlier in this century, the carvings were only used in temples or palaces, but this art form has spread extensively in recent years and is today found in homes and public buildings. Made Leceg and Made Sura, two of the most famous carvers of the area, continue the legacy of their mentor, the late Made Loji. Both have shops on the main road where carvings can be purchased and packed and shipped home.Batubulan is also home to three famous Barong Dance troupes who perform seven times a week at 9.30am on their own stages before bus-loads of enthralled tourists. The development of these groups parallels that of tourism in Bali, but even so the Batubulan barong troupes are relatively young. The first the Danjalan Barong Group, was established in 1970, while the Tegaltamu and Puri Agung groups were formed later. The three troupes also perform on a large stage that was constructed especially for this purpose in the outer courtyard of Pura Puseh Bendul in 1986.

About Kintamani :
The mountainous region around Kintamani, centering around 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 make Kintamani one of the most memorable stops on the Bali tourist itinerary.Nearing Kintamani, the land rises steadily toward an almost featureless horizon - with only the mountains Mt Agung and Mt Abang in view to the east and northeast, respectively. Suddenly, you crest a ridge to find yourself perched on the rim of a vast crater, measuring some 14 km (9 mi) across. Down in the crater sits the blackened cone of Mt Batur, surrounded to one side by the long, blue waters of Lake Batur, and on the other by lava fields and cultivated onion patches.

About Kehen Temple :
One of Bali's most beautiful temples, Pura Kehen, stands at the northeastern boundary of the town, seemingly erected in the midst of the forest long before the town itself. Three copper steles testify to its antiquity and importance. The earliest one, Sanskrit, seems to date to the 9th century and mentions the deity Hyang Api (the, "God of Fire"). The second is in old Balinese, and the third is in old Javanese, the latter already mentioning Hyang Kehen and indicating eight villages around Bangli that worship the deity. The name Kehen is actually a variant of kuren, which means "household" or "hearth". The reference to Hyang Api as a symbol of Brahma may mean that there once was a cult to that god here worshipping him with a rite called homa, in which offerings are burned on a small hearth. At some point, it seem that Hyang Api became Hyang Kehen the "God of the Hearth."

About Besakih :
Driving up to Besakih from Menanga, the silver-grey cone of Mt Agung looms above, its summit still bare from the ravages of the 1963 eruption. At 3142 meters, this is the highest peak on Bali, and a major locus of divine power in the Balinese cosmos. The huge temple located here, Pura Besakih, is the greatest of all Balinese sanctuaries - the most sacred and powerful of the island's innumerable temples. For this reason, it has always been associated also with state power. It lies at an altitude of 900 meters on the southwestern slope of the mountain, offering spectacular views over the whole of southern Bali. Pura Besakih is not a single temple but a sprawling complex consisting of many separate shrines and compounds, united through ritual and history into a single sanctuary. 'Mere are 22 temples in all, spread along parallel ridges over a distance of more than a kilometer. The highest of these, Pura Pengubengan, lies amidst beautiful groves in a state pine forest. Most of the temples, however, cluster around the main enclosure, Pura Penataran Agung.

 

 

 

 

code : GPS-GO7 ALAS KEDATON AND MENGWI TOUR (4 Hours)

Travel westward to ALAS KEDATON, a protected forest inhabited by tribes of monkey and bats. Proceed to MENGWI'S Royal Family Temple of TAMAN AYUN.

Details

About Alas Kedaton :
Built in 17th century, this impressive and spacious temple is surrounded by a wide moat, creating the sensation of standing in the middle of a lake. The temple itself has three ascending courtyards, each representing an increasing level of perfection in the Bali Hindu cosmos. Later, a visit to Alas Kedaton Holy Monkey Forest, where hundreds of "tame" and very mischievous monkeys live in the forest surrounding the temple. The final stop of the day will be at the dramatic Tanah Lot sea temple. This is one of the splendid temples in Bali. Perching atop an enormous rock, it is completely surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean during high tide. Don’t miss this opportunity to watch the sunset over this temple, pictured above.

About Taman Ayun :
The forecourt of the temple is large and spacious. A big tree grows at the center. The temple complex is surrounded by a wall of red brick constructed in the traditional way, without mortar. By rubbing one stone against the other, a fine powder crumbles from surface layers. When water is added to it the stones can be simply stuck together. A split gateway on the west side leads to the central courtyard. A second, closed gate way with a three-tiered roof on the west give way to the inner court, in which 16 shrines are to be seen. Right in front of the gateway is the prasada and behind it a square pedestal with 54 little stone seats. These are shrine for the satya, the servants, and facing them one shrine together in the south are the three mekel satya, their leaders.

 

 

 

 

code : GPS-GO8 TANAH LOT TEMPLE TOUR (4 Hours)

Drive to MENGWI and then to the spectacular TANAH LOT temple on its rocky outcrop in the sea. This tour is adjusted to coined with the sunset (weather conditioned).

Details

About Tanah Lot Temple :
About 20 km west of Denpasar on the main highway, one arrives at the town of Kediri, where a large sign at the main intersection announces a turn-off to the southwest toward Pura Tanah Lot - the famous seaside temple to the south. Tanah means earth and lot means south or sea (usually written lod) thus something like 'Temple of the Earth the Sea" is intended. It is actually constructed atop a large, jagged outcropping of rock just off the coast. It is accessible only during low tide. The temple itself is quite modest, consisting of two shrines with tiered roofs (7 and 3), a few small buildings and two pavilions. Poisonous, black sea snakes live between the rocks and in caves along the coast. They guard the temple, but give the site a reputation of being "dangerous." Nevertheless many Balinese love to sit on the beach or on a bluff overlooking the temple in the la afternoon, watching the tides change and enjoying the silhouettes of the temple meru against the brilliant setting sun.