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INTRODUCTION Bali has been described as the sanctuary of the gods. The island of a thousand temples. The morning of the the world and a tropical paradise. A speck on the world map, it has become the favoured destination for many travelers. Bali is surrounded by palm trees, crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral gardens. White sand beaches and pounding surf or black crystal beaches and gentle, lapping waves. Bali offers a multitude of water sports. Not far from the coast, hills are meticulously terraced, resembling green stairways to the heavens and majestic volcanoes. The cultivated land, like that created by a landscape gardener, reflects the order and elegance of its people. Bali's culture is unique and paradoxical. In one sence, the traditional Hindu culture has been preserved intact, despite Western invasions and the predominance of Islam in the archipelago. In another sence, the culture is dynamic and the people forever curious, welcome new ideas. Bali is'nt a fossilised relic, it is alive and well and for this the gods should be thanked. For essentially, it is the people's pleasure in satisfying the gods that fosters the hindu culture and adds to the visitors fascination with the island. THE PEOPLE In the 1995 census, Bali was recorded as having a population of 2.9 million. The population is almost entirely Indonesian, 95per cent of whom are Balinese Hindu. Indonesians are mainly derived from the Malay-type peoples that migrated from southern China to South-east Asia, New Guinea and Australia around 3000BC CLIMATE Bali enjoys a long dry season,generally from April to October and a shorter wet season from approximately November to March. During the rainy season.tropical showers alternate with clear skies and sunshine. It is a lot cooler at night in the mountain areas. The Balinese climate can be very humid with an average of 90 percent humidity. CURRENCY The unit of currency is the rupiah. A$1= RP8000 Approximately. THE LANGUAGE The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia and English is widely spoken. USEFUL PHRASES Good morning - Selamat Pagi Good afternoon - Selamat Siang (11am-3pm) Good afternoon - selamat Sore (after 3pm) Goodnight-Selamat Malam Goodbye (when staying) Selamat Jalan Goodbye (when leaving) Selamat Tinggal Thankyou - Terima Kasih Your Welcome - Sama Sama Sorry - Ma-af Bali Dance - The Performing Arts Some claim that all Balinese are artist - which is probably a slight exaggeration. Nevertheless, the arts are an intergral part of Balinese life and are inextricably linked to Hinduism. There are few professionals as most artist perform as an offering to the gods and for the sheer enjoyment. Poems, plays and dances are vehicles for religious and moral instruction, as well as being just plain good fun. Far from being traditions resurrected for the titillation of tourists, the Balinese continually experiment with different genres, creating new music and dance forms. Indeed, the Indonesian Academy of Music and Dance, in Denpasar, was established to ensure the continued vitality and creativity of the performing arts. Balinese dancing is a sophisticated and highly stylist form of entertainment. Every movement is symbolic, and is formed in harmony with every other movement, the emphasis being on the eyes, head and arms, rather than the legs. The Balinese learn to dance at a very young age, some girls begin at the age of four, and unlike westerners, they will continue to dance until they can no longer make the moves. The Barong And Kris Dance The Barong Play represents an enternal fight between good and evil spirit. Barong (a mythological animal) represents and evil one. The Dance Starts With Music Overtone Followed by his friend the monkey, the tiger comes up. Three masked dancers appear, representing men making palmwine in the forest whose child is killed by the tiger. The three men get angry and attack the tiger, which is helped by the monkey. During the fight the nose of one of the three men is bitten off. First Act Two girl dancers appear, representing the servants of Rangda, looking for the servants of Dewi Kunti who are on the way to meet their Patih (Prime Minister). Second Act The servants of Dewi Kunti come. One of the servants of the Rangda changes into a witch and enters both servants to make them angry. They meet their Patih and go together to Dewi Kunti. Third Act Dewi Kunti and her son, Sahadewa come up. Dewi Kunti has promised the Rangda to sacrifice Sahadewa. A witch appears and enters Dewi Kunti. She becomes angry and orders the Patih to bring Sahadewa into the forest. The Patih is also entered by the witch so he does not have pitty on Sahadewa. Sahadewa is then taken into the forest and tied up on a tree. Fourth Act Unknown by the Rangda. God Siwa appears and gives Sahadewa immortality. The Rangda appears, ready to kill Sahadewa and to eat him up, but Sahadewa is still alive. She then surrenders and asks him to redeem herself, Sahadewa angrees and kills the Rangda. The Rangda goes to heaven. Fifth Act One of the servants of the Rangda called Kalika comes up before Sahadewa and asks him to redeem herself too, Sahadewa refuses. Kalika gets angry, and changes herself into a boar and fights Sahadewa. The boar can be defeated. She then changes herself into a bird but defeated again. At last she changes herself into Rangda. Sahadewa can not kill her. In such circumstances. Sahadewa meditates and then he changes himself into a Barong. Still the Rangda seems to be too powerful and the fights is unended. Followers of the Barong appear and help to fight the Rangda. Here's a list of a few other dances The Baris Joged Bung Bung Kabyar Deduk Kecak Legong Pendent Topeng Music The Balinese are as musical, as they are dramatic. Music is everywhere - the tones of the gamelan ringing from the local banjar, a boy playing on a Tingklik (bamboo xylophone), Balinese woman singing in the streets or doves tinkling overhead as the bells round their necks ring. Sometimes it's difficult to distinguish the noises of nature from those contrived by artist. In fact some historians suggest that music began centuries ago with the chanting and stomping of woman harvesting rice. Some Bali Day Trips Bali Hai Sunset Dinner Cruise What a better way to spend a balmy tropical evening than on Bali Hai's sunset dinner cruise! As the sun goes down they set off on a relaxing trip around the harbour. Take in the cool night air on top deck, be entertained by the famous strolling Batakos Singers, savour a delicious international buffet dinner, then dance the night away at the disco. It departs at 6pm - returns at 8.45pm. Your ticket includes: Air-conditioned hotel transfers, welcome cocktail and floral lei, international buffet dinner disco and karaoke. A night not to be missed. Bali Hai Reef Cruise Your 36 metre luxury catamaran moors in Lembongan Bay off the floating recreation deck which features a 34 metre water slide and many other facilities. The diving and snorkelling are wonderful and other activities include glass bottom boat rides, banana boat rides, shore trips or just relaxing onboard. Scuba diving and parsailing are also optional. Includes transfers and international buffet lunch. Bali Hai Beach Club Cruise The Lembongan Island Beach Club Cruise takes you to the beach front club overlooking a private bay. The Club has a spectacular freshwater pool,shaded bar, restaurants and recreational areas. There are also beach games, glass bottom boat rides and a guided village tour. A delicious tropical BBQ lunch and transfers are included. Sightseeing Tour companies, as well as hotels, offer a variety of tours around the island. Prices differ as to sights, numbers of people traveling,and the state of the transport. The guides usually speak fluent English. Kintamani A day tour which travels north to Gunung Batur, an active volcano,and the third highest mountain in Bali. Supposed highlight of the trip is the buffet lunch at Kintamani to view the Gunung Batur and its lake. Tanah Lot This is usually an afternoon tour to witness the celebrated sun setting behind the temple. On a good day, the sunset throws the temple into sharp relief and the effects can be enchanting! Having said this, a visit to Tanah Lot on an overcast dreary day is not recommended. Ulu Watu The temple at Ula Watu is well worth visiting particulary for photo opportunities at sunset. But given that the building is perched on a cliff and covered with foliage, the best view is gained by birds. Monkey Forest Temple At the bottom of Monkey Forest Road is the Monkey Forest, and yes, it's the residence of a very bold band of monkeys. Pay your admission fee and a sari and a scarf must be worn around the waist to enter the temple further afield. Everything you,ve been told about these monkeys is probably true. They will steal your sunglasses, jewellery or wallet, and they can be quite aggressive, especially face to face. Make sure all your valuables are out of sight and reach, and be wary. Waterbom Park This unique attraction offers hours of fun with 11 different waterslides for all ages. The park features grassy picnic areas, adults and children pools, water volleyball, restaurants, splash bar, gift shop, and snack bars. Certified lifegaurds are on duty at all times. Enjoy a range of treatments at one of four private spa villas. Admission price includes unlimited entry on the day, and all facilities inside the park (except spa treatments and towels & lockers which incur a small charge). Bali Night Spots - Kuta And Legian The Pub Jl. Buni Sari (Nouth of Bemo Corner) Kuta For those who are into a quiet pub scene, you,ve come to the right place. It has the coldest beer in Bali. A great place to watch all your favourite sports on the big screen. Foo Kin Pub The Pub Crawl has become a local ritual for tourists, starting at Foo-Kin Pub at 6.30pm, and finishing at The Bounty. Dont miss the bus. Loads of fun. (Ask for Rick) The Bounty Jl. Legian,Kuta Very popular bar and night club drawing a young and trendy crowd. DJs spin current dance hits for nightly parties. The drinks are reasonably priced, there's no cover charge and closes at 3am. Tubes Poppies 2, Kuta. Kuta's surf bar is fully furnished with surfing notice boards, paraphernalia and pool tables. Open and spacious, it is inviting to surfers and non-surfers alike.  |
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