Temples God in Bali Island

There is a equally large group that cannot get enough of new activities, latest tour programs and all sorts of organized adventure.

Today I would like to give an overview of popular island tours and tropic activities such as rafting, trekking, cycling, elephant safaris, horse riding, skydiving, paragliding, sailing and other beach and marine sports.

If you are staying at a 4 or 5 stars Bali hotel, you will already have the advantage to be introduced to daily domestic activities available to hotel guests. Such can be gymnastic and jogging exercises, local bicycle tours, cooking classes and all sorts of beach games.

The next step on the activity level are Volley ball - Outrigger sailing - Table tennis - Tennis at Tennis courts - Badminton - Snorkeling - Windsurfing - Fishing - Parasailing that are in most cases all directly available or bookable from the tour desk at your hotel in Bali.

If this is not available at your hotel, or you would rather "go and explore" the island, it is time to consider the tour options offered by virtually 100's of tour providers. Here you can join large groups using large busses, or small individual groups, down to the size of hiring a personal tour guide for only the 2 of you.

Rafting and Kayaking trips enjoy a strong following and are increasingly popular. The beauty of the Ayung river valley and Melangit river are popular destinations. It looks to be more a sport for adventures types on photos, but it is completely safe and also recommended for younger children.

Sightseeing tours is another Bali favorite, see and explore all temples and monuments of Balinese history on trips to Besakih, Tanah Lot, Tampak Siring, Uluwatu, Kintamani and others.

Increasingly in demand is another "sweat exercise", cycling tours to villages and mountain trails. This is not recommended for younger children because they will have a hard time to catch up with the group. For families it is better to just rent the bicycles and maybe a private tour guide, if needed.

Elephant safaris is one of the family trips in Bali, provided by many tour operators venturing yet in another field of activity. To completely feel like Indiana Jones the next step would be to go on a off-road Land Rover land cruise, to discover some hidden tracks of the green jungle.

Since Bali is an island what comes naturally to mind is a day cruise or sunset cruise to Lembongan island. Two of the providers are Bali Hai and Island Explorer Cruises both offering a wide range of cruises and water activities.

Surfers are attracted by south Bali's waves, and not only Balinese enjoy that activity also lots of Australians are coming to Bali only for one purpose: The Waves, also hot among surfers from Hawaii, statements like "Definitely one of The spots to go surfing" from global surfers. If these waves scare you and you just want to practice a bit you can rent a board in Kuta directly on the beach for a few hours.

Divers are attracted by several locations in Bali, all easily reachable with dive instructors that will pick you up at your hotel and take you for a dive at a destination of your choice. If you need more above sea level action there is also Bungy jumping, ski diving and paragliding.

Bali is a mountainious volcanic island that will catch the attention of mountaineers interested in mountain climbing. Mt. Agung the highest peak at 3142 metres and Mount Batur can be climbed in a few hours. Use a local guide for safety reasons and to find the best routes.

Another interesting encounter with nature is possible at the Bali Barat National Park in the north of the island. It is a protected reserve on an area of over 750 square km. The park is home to wild buffalo, monkeys, wild deer and civet.

Most suitable for families with kids are theme or adventure parks and attractions. Popular with kids are the Waterbom park in Tuban with their huge water slides, Bali Bird Park in Batubulan has a 100's of exotic birds, and the Bali Reptile Park next door invites with Lizard Komodo Dragons.

Again most tours and adventures are easily bookable from your hotel, or you can call Bali1.com anytime while in Bali to arrange a tour for you. From airport pick ups to bringing you safely back to personal meetings at your hotel to book anything from a short Ubud roundtrip to a multiple days Flores tour or visiting Komodo island and their live dragons.

I travelled to Indonesia about 9 months ago and travelled in Java, Sumatera and Bali for 6 months. I stayed 4 months in Bali, met a lot of local batak surfer beach boys at the beautiful and hot Pantai Kuta.

I remembered the beautiful lulling times, staring at the sea feeling enchanted by this wonderful little island where I would always be greeted by numerous smiles and locals that spoke honestly from their heart without the slightest sense of inhibition or pretention. I remember sitting on the beach, staring into the sunset, smoking one sampoerna after the other, chugging back the sweet n' light bintang ale, and singing songs in a wonerful broken manner with the famous batak boys, who always insisted I sing english songs just as I insisted they sing me their songs.

How I miss these wonderful times, Indonesia has truly created within a feeling of love, hope and longing for the beauty of that little precious island. Right now I am back in my home town, Montreal, Quebec and it's a cold winter but sometimes I look at our beautiful winter sky alit with little stars and feel the awe that Indonesians look at the same sky I do and with this I feel home.

The Name of Drama Gong passed to this artistry because in its staging each and every player motion and also the dramatik switchover of the atmosphere accompanied by gamelan Gong ( Gong Kebyar). Drama Gong is created about year 1966 by Anak Agung Gede Raka Payadnya from countryside Abianbase ( Gianyar).

Confessed by the creator that Drama Gong was created by combining the traditional drama dance elements of Bali like Sendratari, Arja, Prembon And Sandiwara intended as a modern prembon ( artistic mixture).

Modern legitimate stage elements combined in Gong Drama for example : - Decoration arrangement. - Sound effect. - Acting - Fashion Arrangement.

Because the domination and the influence of Bali traditional or classic artistry still be strong so, hence from the beginning Drama Gong also called as " classic drama".

I Gusti Bagus Nyoman Panji give the new name (Drama Gong) to this artistry pursuant because of two permanent element ( drama and gamelan gong) from this artistry. Make proper noted that before appearance of Drama Gong, in drama Bali there has been Janger, a drama artistry becoming the part of the Janger dance show. In a lot of matter, drama Janger look similar to Sandiwara or Stambul that exist about year 1950.

Drama Gong is a drama which is generally presenting acts which coming from the romantic story like Panji story ( Malat), other story like Sampik Ingtai and the other inclusive kind coming from outside of Balinese culture environment. In bringing this act, all player of Drama Gong did not dance but must act realistically with the dialogues verbal which in Balinese languages.

All player imposing the traditional clothes of Bali, as according to social status level from role that brought and every player motion, and so on with the dramatic atmosphere change in act accompanied with the change of the gamelan Gong Kebyar rhythm.

Bali Society perform Drama Gong for the bearing with the ceremony and religion and also social activity importance. Even though, Drama Gong is inclusive of secular artistry which can perform whereabouts and any time as according to the needs.

The Drama Gong Artistry is starting show tradition use " ticket" in Bali because previously artistry show for local society have never in the commercial form. Drama Gong start to expand in Bali about year 1967 and culminate its feather in one's cap in year 1970.

During the period traditional Bali artistry like Arja, Topeng and others left by its audience which start to like Drama Gong. Big Podium which usually used by Arja is suddenly taken over by Drama Gong. But since in the middle of the 1980 this artistry start downhill from its popularity, till date there is about 6 Drama Gong group which still be active.

The hallowed spring of Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring dates from legendary times. In popular folklore, it was made by lndra when he pierced the earth to create a spring of amerta, the elixir of immortality, with which he revived his forces who were poisoned by Mayadanawa.

The waters are believed to have magic curative powers. Every year people journey from all over Bali to purify themselves in the clear pools. After leaving a small offering to the deity of the spring, men and women go either side to bathe. On the full moon of the fourth month each year, the villagers from nearby Manukaya take a sacred stone to be cleansed at Tirta Empul.

When the weathered inscription found qp the stone was deciphered, it gave the bate of Tirta Empul's foundation as A.D. 962 and described the cleansing ceremony. For a. thousand years these villagers had been abiding,. by this tradition without having been aware of the meaning incised on the stone! In 1969 the temple at Tampaksiring was completely renovated. Many of the shrines were built anew and painted in bright colors. Outside the temple are rows of sales stands where you may buy souvenirs-the bargain being carved bone jewelry.

On the hill above the sacred spring is the Government Palace built in 1 954. Once a resting place for Dutch officials, the site was chosen by former President Soekarno as his residence during his frequent trips to the island. South of Tirta Empul, on a line joining with Gunung Kawi, is Pura Mengening. There is a definite connection between these three places. At the latter temple there is a freestanding candi similar to those candle the facades of which are hewn from the rock at Gunung Kawi. Like Tirta Empul, the temple has a spring of pure water, which is also a source of the River Pakrisan. Pura Mengening might be the commemorative temple of King Udayana.