Mount Abang

Mt. Abang (2,153 m), or Mt. Red, offers a sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, heavily forested in one side and lightly barren on the other, with many beautiful flowers of various colors along the way. People may find this more enjoyable climbing during the light hours to get shade from the searing sunlight. Nearby the top of this peak lie old temples such as Pura Munggu, Pura Manu Kaya, Pura Puncak Tuluk Biu.

Location: Mt. Abang is located in the sub-district of Kintamani, Bangli. To get to the trailhead at Gunung Abang you should look for Penelokan on the way to Kintamani. About 4 km south of Penelokan is a right turn heading for Suter. Take this road and do not turn right off of this road. Follow the road until it becomes a dirt track that follows the crater rim; ask locals as often as you need.
Facility: Visitors must prepare their own requirements here. No facility is available.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/Lake_and_volcanoes.html

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Kain Prada

Decorating with silver or gold thread, Kain Prada is a lustrous fabric woven of cotton or silk. This cloth is usually applied for table cloth or curtain, or traditional banner in a ceremony or a social gathering. Kain Prada has various colors and motifs. One with lotus blossoms and swastikas as border decorations is the most common.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/bali_textile.html

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Traditional Music Instrument of Bali

The arts of playing traditional music instruments in Bali are called Gamelan. Gamelan is also the term applied to a set of traditional music instruments played in most Balinese songs and dances as accompaniment. A Gamelan consists of percussion, metallophones, and traditional drums. It is mostly made from bronze, copper, and bamboo. The variations are due to the number of instruments used. Instruments in a common Gamelan ensemble are as follows:

* Ceng-ceng is a coupled instrument for producing high intonations. Ceng-ceng is made from thin copper plates. On the center of each Ceng-ceng, is a handle made from rope or yarn. Ceng-ceng is played by hitting and rubbing the two. There are usually six couples of Ceng-ceng in a common Gamelan. There can be more depending on how high intonations are needed.

* Gambang is a metallophone made from bars of copper in different thicknesses and lengths. These copper bars are rowed above a wooden beam which has been carved in several motifs. Gambang players hit the bars one by one depending on the intended intonation. The difference of thickness and lengths produce various intonations. In a common Gamelan there must be at least two Gambang.

* Gangse looks like a wheel without a hole in its center. It is made from bronze. Like Gambang, a Group of Gangse is rowed above a carved wooden beam and played by hitting it with a couple of wooden sticks. Every Gangse in a row has different sizes, producing different intonations. Gangse is used for producing low tones. This instrument is dominant for slow songs or dances which reflect tragedy.

* Kempur/ Gong is affected by Chinese culture. Kempur looks like a big Gangse which is hanged between two wooden poles. It is made from bronze and also played by using a wooden stick. Kempur is the biggest instrument in the Gamelan. It’s size is about a truck wheel. Kempur is used for producing low tones but longer than the Gangse. In Bali, to symbolize an opening of a national or international event, hitting the Kempur three times is typical.

* Kendang is a traditional Balinese drum. It is made from wood and buffalo skin in cylinder form. It is played by using a wooden stick or using the palm of the hand. Kendang is usually played as the opening intonation in many dances.

* Suling is a Balinese flute. It is made from bamboo. Suling is usually shorter than a modern flute. This wind instrument dominates as the accompanier in scenes of tragedy and slow songs which describe sadness.

In some places in Bali, bamboo trees are so easy to be found such as in Jembrana, Bangli or Karangasem. That makes way to the Balinese artists’ initiative to produce a new music instrument as accompanier for some entertaining dances; even though they still use Gamelan as the main ensemble. This unique instrument is called Rindik or known as Jegog in the district of Jembrana. Rindik or Jegog is a percussion instrument made from sticks of bamboo. The different sizes of bamboo are rowed from the biggest to the smallest. It is bundled by root ropes on the center of a big bamboo frame. Rindik/ Jegog are played by using a couple of special bamboo sticks. Jegog is played in many small social events because it is more practical to be brought anywhere than the Gamelan which is mostly made from metal. Besides, the cost production of Rindik/ Jegog is cheaper than Gamelan. At this time Jegog/ Rindik is played in many hotels and restaurant in Bali as entertainment.
The other unique music instruments which can only be found in the district of Tabanan are Tektekan and Okokan. These wooden music instruments were first found by farmers in Tabanan. Okokan is actually a wooden bell hung around the neck of the cows and Tektekan is a handheld instrument to make noises for scaring away birds from the ripening rice paddy fields. The rhythms of those instruments later became musical instruments for performances during many temple festivals or social events in Tabanan. At this time these have become strong characteristics of the traditional music art in Tabanan. Okokan and Tektekan festivals have become a member of the Bali Tourism Festivals regularly held each year.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/bali_music.html

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Oleg Tambulilingan Dance

Oleg Tambulilingan is an entertainment dance created by Balinese artist Mario in 1952. This dance is one of the couple dances which have very beautiful movements. Oleg Tambulilingan was inspired by a couple of bumblebees flirting in a flower garden. Tambulilingan means bumblebee in English.

The show is started with a female dancer in beautiful costume entering the stage. After several minutes, the male dancer enters. This dance has a long duration and is accompanied by melodious sounds of the Gamelan. Oleg Tambulilingan is often performed in formal events in Bali.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/bali_dance.html

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Janger Dance

Janger dance is an entertainment dance performed by the Balinese youth. It tightens relationship among them. Janger is performed by couples in social events, such as: wedding parties, celebrations of harvest, etc. Dancers not only dance but also sing. It is accompanied by melodious music instruments called Batel / Tetamburan which makes for a very merry scene. Every place in Bali has their own style of the dance which makes it different among them.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/bali_dance.html

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Mask Dance

Originally Tari Topeng / Mask Dances in Bali are sacred, even at this time the creativity of Balinese dancers has developed Mask Dance to entertain as well. The sacred Mask Dances are usually performed by a single dancer or a group of male dancers in large ceremonies. They have a purpose for telling viewers about the historical background of why a ceremony must be held or to deliver Hinduism wisdom through simple conversation among dancers. It is also believed that it can protect a ceremony from evil interferences. The famous sacred Mask Dance is Topeng Pajegan.
Topeng Pajegan was based on a legend about an old priest named Sidhakarya. Sidhakarya actually is the brother of the king of the Gelgel kingdom who hailed from Java. He was chased away by the king of Gelgel (kingdom located in district of Klungkung) without clear reason. Before he left Klungkung, he cursed the king that every ritual ceremony proposed by the king will not run well. It became true. Finally the king realized his mistake and tried to apologize. For respecting the priest and neutralizing the curse, a mask dance must be performed before a ceremony is started, the Topeng Pajegan. So that is why Topeng Pajegan is always performed prior a big ceremony.

Topeng Pajegan is only performed by male dancers who use some masks. The main mask is called Sidhakarya. This dance tells us about Sidhakarya’s journey to Bali until he met the king and was chased away. Balinese people believe that the mask is the same as the Sidhakarya priest’s face. This dance is also believed to cure illnesses.

Quoted from :http://www.balitourismboard.org/bali_dance.html

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Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Lembongan, a small island between Bali and Nusa Penida in Badung Strait, is the perfect holiday hideaway with few visitors and pristine un-spoilt beaches. A low, protected island about 11 km southeast of mainland Bali, measuring only four by three km and ringed with mangrove swamps, and palms and white sandy beaches. Inland the terrain is scrubby and very dry, with volcanic stonewalls and processional avenues crisscrossing the small cactus-covered hills. Overlooking Sanghiang Bay with its clear blue waters, the Nusa Lembongan Resort offers a panoramic view of eastern Bali and the majestic silhouette of Mount Agung. Known for its great surf, the excellent crystal-clear waters also make it a perfect place for snorkeling and diving. It's still a basic place, but interesting, and there are some lovely places to stay.

The island is small enough to explore on foot, offering pristine beaches and coves, majestic views of Mount Agung, unique Balinese architecture, and the friendliness of a simple country folk. With a lack of arable land and a severe shortage of tourist attractions, the island's economy is limited to its underwater wealth-seaweed. A secondary occupation is catering to visiting surfers. Between Nusa Lembongan and the adjacent of Nusa Ceningan Island, the population is only 60,000.

There are just two villages on Nusa Lembongan, the large, spread out administrative center of Lembongan Village, and Jungut Batu village. Surfers and backpackers hang out in the latter, about 150 per month, for an average stay of three to five days. The only other visitors are European, Japanese, and Australian day-trippers on excursion boats. Jungut Batu offers the island's best accommodations and water sport opportunities. There's motorcycle traffic between the two villages and it's easy to get a lift. Both villages are heavily involved in the cultivation of seaweed. Before government-supported commercial seafood production in 1980, the people of the island lived on maize, cassava, tuber, beans, and peanuts. Today most everyone is involved in one way or another with cultivation of "sea vegetables," and the air is permeated with its smell.

Visit the seaweed gardens at low tide; they look like gigantic underwater botanical gardens. Two kinds are grown, the small red pinusan and the large green kotoni. Almost the entire crop is exported to Hong Kong for use in the cosmetics and food processing industries. After harvesting, gatherers leave a floating offering of rice and flowers that gently drifts away on the outgoing tide.

Life on Nusa Lembongan is very relaxing, with cool breezes, little traffic, no big hotels, no pollution, no stress, no photocopy machines, and hardly any telephones. Best of all, there are almost no pedagang acung (pushy vendors) and few thieves. Jungut Batu's charming "tree house" bungalow-style accommodations with outdoors open-air 'mandi', rickety wooden furniture, sand floor restaurants and offices are reminiscent of Kuta Beach 20 years ago. Crops are meager, and the only fruit available is melon. All other food must be imported from the market in Denpasar or from the neighboring island of Nusa Penida.

Quoted from :http://indonesia-tourism.com/bali/nusa-lembongan.html

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