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Bali Attractions
- Bali Holiday Planner
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Ubud
The centre of Balinese painting, Ubud's Museum "Purl
Lukisan" has a permanent collection of modern works
of Balinese art dating from the turn of the century.
There are also several art galleries and homes of famous
artists here, including that of Dutchborn Hans Snel
and American Antonio Blanco. The "Young artist"
style now popular in Balinese painting was introduced
by the Dutch painter Arie Smith. In the past, other
foreign painters inspired Balinese artists to adopt
western techniques but traditional Balinese paintings
are still made and sold another museum called "Neka
Museum" has a wide collection of paintings both
by Indonesian as well as foreign artists who used to
live in Bali. Ubud has several small hotels. Located
on a higher altitude with a pleasant climate.
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Kuta
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 is a popular
beach for surfing although currents make it less suitable
for swimming. Coast guards, however, are on constant
duty during the day. Kuta faces toward the west offering
beautiful sunsets.
Accommodation ranges from international hotels to home
stays. The village abounds with restaurants, shops,
discotheques and other tourist facilities. It is easier
to find regular performances of Balinese music and dance
in Kuta, staged specially for tourists, than anywhere
else in Bali. Some performances are staged nightly.
The village is ideal for meeting and mixing with other
people, locals as well as visitors from abroad.
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Nusa Dua
The Nusa Dua tourist resort is part of the Bukit Peninsula
in southern Bali. Some of the most beautiful and luxurious
hotels are found here. The resort is known for its clean
white beaches and clear waters. The surf is gentle along
the northern side of the peninsula, bigger along the
south. The most convenient form of transportation to
and from Nusa Dua is by taxi.
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Tanah Lot
One of Bali's most important sea temples, the temple
sanctuary at Tanah Lot is built atop a huge rock which
is surrounded by the sea.
Built by one of the last priests to come to Bali from
Java in the 16th century, its rituals include the paying
of homage to the guardian spirits of the sea. Poisonous
sea snakes found at the base of the rocky island are
believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruder.
The best time to see Tanah Lot is in the late afternoon
when the temple is in silhouette.
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Batubulan
Driving northeast from Denpasar, stone figures on the
roadside mark the village of Batubulan. Divinities and
demons are carved from sandstone for ornaments of houses
and temples. Workshop can be visited to watch artists
at work.
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Gianyar
Once the capital of one of Bali's more powerful kingdoms,
the town of Gianyar is today a centre of the textile
industry. The specialty here is the ikat weaving the
Balinese use in traditional wear. A number of factories
hold informal tours.
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Besakih Temple
Known as the "mother Temple of Bali, the sanctuary
of Besakih on the slopes of Mt. Agung is the biggest
and holiest of all Balinese temples. Over a thousand
years old, steps ascend through split gates to the main
courtyard where the Trinity shrines are wrapped in cloth
and decorated with flower offerings.
Around the three main temples dedicated to the Trinity:
Shiva, Brahma and Wisnu, are 18 separate sanctuaries
belonging to different regencies and caste groups.
To the Balinese, a visit to the temples sanctuaries
is a special pilgrimage. Each has its own anniversary
celebration or "Odalan". The sight of the
temple against the background of the mountain is impressive
and during festivals, coloured banners add a touch of
gaiety.
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Terraced rice paddies
Whether it is bright and sunny or rainy and gloomy,
the trip through the landscape of terraced rice paddies
between Candidasa and Amlapura is one of remarkable
scenic beauty. Allow plenty of time for photo stops.
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Pura Kehen
Pura Kehen is the religious heart of Bangli's many temples.
One of the largest religious complexes in Bali, its
origins can be traced back to the beginning of the eleventh
century. A huge banyan tree shades the first courtyard.
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Gunung Batur
he still-active Gunung Batur volcano, at an altitude
of 1,717 meters (5,635 ft), is revered by the Balinese
as the sec-ond-holiest mountain on the island (after
Gunung Agung) and symbolises the female element next
to Agung's male.
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