The Holy Mountain in Bali - Mount Agung

For the people of Bali, Mount Agung is a holy mountain that is a sign of the Almighty. Mount Agung is the highest mountain on the island of Bali. This volcano has a height of about 3100 meters above sea level. In 1963 Mount Agung eruption killed about 1,000 people and destroyed more than 100,000 homes. It’s a miracle, that disaster did not make significant damage to the Great Temple of Pura Besakih, which is situated approximately only 1 km from the Mount Agung.

Mount Agung is one of tourism objects in Indonesia. As an active volcano Mount Agung presents a panorama of crater smoke, spray of sand, and gravel from its 500 meters in width crater. Many vantage points offer spectacular views of the area. If the weather is sunny, from the top of this mountain tourist can enjoy the scenery of the cities in the surrounding areas. This is the natural beauty that attracts tourists to climb the peak of Mount Agung.

In order to be safe for climbing, there are some things should be obeyed by mountain climber. It is not permitted to climb when major religious events are held at Temple of Pura Besakih and Temple of Pura Pasar Agung, which is most of April. The local community believes if it’s violated, disaster will come to such climber. The best time for a climb is during the dry season of May through October.

The Balinese consider Mount Agung to be the center of the world. All temples in Bali point towards Mount Agung. The Great Temple of Pura Besakih, with its uncountable steps, solemnly wait for the arrival of the gods and the goddesses, for when they step down from heaven, they come to Pura Besakih Temple by way of Mount Agung.

Gunung Agung lies in the Karangasem Regency, about 25 km north Denpasar, the capital of Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia.

Beautiful Gili Islands near Bali

"Gili" is the local name, actually means “Small Island”. There are lots of other gili's around Lombok Island. Gili Islands featuring three coral fringed islands, namely Gili Air, Gili Meno, & Gili Trawangan. Each island is with superb, white sandy beaches, clear water, coral reefs, brilliantly colored fish, and the best snorkeling and diving on Lombok. Fishing is one of the highlight activities on the islands. Deep fishing remains the best on northwest of Gili Trawangan. Domestic visitors and foreigners are attracted to the simple pleasures of sun, snorkeling, beautiful beaches, and socializing.

On the islands visitors can rent snorkeling equipment, join a diving course, rent a kayak, go fishing, or take a glass bottom boat to see the magnificent coral reefs and fishes. There are lots of quality scuba diving operations on all the islands. The coral around the islands is good for snorkeling, which can be reached from the shore. While divers are able to regularly swim with black tip, those who prefer to just drifts in the currents with a snorkel, fins and mask are never left disappointed by the more than 6,000 species of marine life living just off-shore. On all the islands also available Dive Schools with many dive programs to choose, from beginners to advanced technical dives.

The absence of cars, motorcycles, and hawkers adds greatly to the leasure of staying on the Gilis.

Gili Islands located in the northwest of Lombok Island, Province of West Nusa Tenggara, Republic of Indonesia. Gili Islands is one of many popular tourist destinations in Indonesia.

Bali's Ancient Royal Temple - Pura Taman Ayun

Taman Ayun in Bali means' beautiful garden '. This complex of religious buildings, are in wide 4 hectares of land, surrounded by a pond or a trench. From a distance, the trench resembles 'ring of water,' and give the impression that the temple is located on the surface of the water. Around the temple, there are trees and flowers that add a wonderful atmosphere.

Pura Taman Ayun Temple complex consists of three parts. The first is the main building called 'Bale Pelik'. Building 'Bale Pelik' decorated by the sculptures, reliefs, and statue of God ‘Nawa Sanga,' which is very interesting. The second part is the open space used for various religious activities and stage arts. In this part visitors can enjoy the beautiful order of ‘Meru’, building with the level-multilevel roof as a typical of holy building in Bali. While the third part is a building that is for the god and goddess in Bali Hinduism.

Temple of Pura Taman Ayun built in 1634 in reign of first king of the Mengwi Kingdom, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Made Agung, whose title Ida Cokorda Sakti Belambangan. In this period Mengwi Kingdom is one of the strongest kingdom in Bali, which survived until the year 1891. This temple was built as a place of worship for royal family and the king followers.
Unlike with other Bali temples that oriented to the Mount Agung, Taman Ayun Temple oriented to the Mount Batukau.

Temple of Pura Taman Ayun lies in Badung Regency, about 18 km Northwest Denpasar, the capital of Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia.

The Baduy Tribe – The Closed Society

The Baduy is a tribe of among about 2,000 Sundanese speaking people living in 27 villages in the mountains south of Rangkasbitung, Banten Province, Republic of Indonesia. These people is still have their own culture, an utterly unique, and a closed society. They fight against attempts of the government to make them part of the modern world. The culture is very impressive although it is not easy to learn something about this area and their people.

Cibeo, Cikartawana, and Cikeusik are the 3 villages of the 27 villages in the center of the area, which cannot be visited. Here live about 40 families of the purest Badui stock. The culture here, is almost unharmed yet. The people of these 3 villages are known as ‘Baduy Dalam’. The other 24 villages in the outer circle are each connected to one of the inner three from which they are ruled. Leuwidamar, Lebak, and Kadukatug are the three of these outer villages can be visited. People of these 24 villages are known as ‘Baduy Luar’. Visitors or travellers should only visit this area if they are fit and used to adjust to local life forms. To enter the area visitors must first obtain a permit at the tourist office of Rangkasbitung.

During months of April and May, the Baduy community is closed to outsiders, as during this time it commemorates certain ceremonies, called ‘Seba’, the offering of part of their agricultural products to the Head of the District, Sub-Regent, and the Chief Resident. During this ceremony the "Puun of Baduy" sends out a group of representatives of ‘Baduy Dalam’ people as well as ‘Baduy Luar’ to act as the community's spokesmen. When conducting this Seba ceremony the ‘Baduy Dalam’ members refuse to ride any vehicle, instead, the distance of 150 km is traveled on foot as proof of their perseverance.

The Baduy tribes live in Banten Province, Republic of Indonesia. These community’s villages can be reached via a 10 km village road from either Cibolegar or Cibungur village in Leuwidamar district. From Rangkasbitung visitors have to find transport to the entry point of the Badui area at Cibolger.

Megalithic Site of Batak Tribe

One of Batak tribes in North Sumatra live on Samosir Island. Samosir Island is the island lies in the center of Lake Toba. All over the island are superb examples of traditional Batak houses, with elaborate carvings and decorations. Performance of life-size is Gale-gale wooden puppet are held frequently, and at any moment, the musical Batak might break into an impromptu song, the seeming effortless, multi-part harmonies belying the casual setting.
On this Samosir Island can be found three megalithic site of the Batak tribe.

The three megalithic sites on Samosir bear witness to the glory and horror of Batak history. The three consist of 300-year-old stone seats and benches arrayed in a circle. The first set of ruins was used as a conference area for Batak kings. At the second site, the kings would sit in judgment of a criminal or enemy prisoner. If the accused were found guilty, the assembly would move to the third set, which features the ghastly addition of a central stone execution block.

Batak megalithic site lies on Samosir Island (Center of Lake Toba), North Sumatra Province, Republic of Indonesia

Cangkuang Temple, Ancient Hinduism Temple

Cangkuang temple is a temple lies on a small island in the middle of a lake. Cangkuang is the only Hindu temple that ever found in West Java is the important discovery in the past. It has been built in the period of the first Sundanese Kingdom, Galuh Kingdom.

Near the temple, there are heritage graves from the Moslem follower Arif Muhammad, who is one of the Mataram Kingdom soldier from Central Java when attacking the Dutch Colonialist in Batavia (now Jakarta, capital of Republic of Indonesia), at the 17th Century. After the attacking, he refused to return and stayed in Cangkuang for teaching and disseminating Islam to the surrounding community, precisely in Kampung Pulo, where his hereditary stays until now. In Kampung Pulo, can be found the traditional village, which contains six houses in a row and face-to-face, three on the left and three on the right, plus one mosque, which stays only six families.

To go to Cangkuang area, traveler or visitor particularly foreigners took delman (a traditional land transportation with horse in the front). To reach Cangkuang temple, people in the edge of the lake, must use traditional transportation made from bamboo, but safe and comfortable, that is called ‘Rakit’ (raft).

Cangkuang Temple is 10 kilometers from Tarogong to the North in the direction to Bandung. Bandung is capital of West Java Province, Republic of Indonesia.

Goa Gajah – Bali's Hinduism Carved Cave

Goa Gajah is a cave with temple complex that was built for the first time around 11 century based on epigraph found in this site. The cave is carved in a solid stone hill of the river valley. Some holes that are considered to be used as meditation or sleeping quarters can be found in the wall of the cave. Those holes are also used to place offerings whenever there is ceremonies taking place.

The main figure of the carving at the cave entrance is 'boma', a barong face, accompanied with big clapping fingers on its side. Leaf, flower, and some horror figures can be noticed if we give more attention look to the rest of the carving. On the left end side of the cave is Ganesha statue, believe it as 'the God of knowledge'. Meanwhile on the right end side can be found three 'linggas', that each of them dedicated to the three common God manifestations in Bali, Brahma, Wisnu, and Siwa. There are other three stone carvings in the centre wall, one of them figuring head and face.

Three other statues of Ganesha, demons, and Men Brayut, a legendary lady with her beloved children, are placed on a high building located on the left side of cave entrance. It is considered that these statues are 1000 years old. In the middle of the complex, in front of the cave, there is bathing place that is not any longer used by the local people. The angle figures within the bathing complex are about similar to common figures found in India.

On the south part of the complex, there are along flight of step leads down the lower part of the valley. After crossing a bridge above a small creek and follow another flight of steps up to eastern side of the valley, a headless sitting Buddha statue can be seen. This is the evident of a close relationship between the two religions.

The name Goa Gajah derived from 'Lawa Gajah', which is mentioned in the manuscripts that found in this site. Literally, ‘Goa Gajah’ means 'Elephant Cave”, although it doesn't mean there is any real elephant live or ever live here. Goa Gajah, a seven-meters deep cave with a shape of T-letter is the major attraction of this Bedulu village's local temple.

Goa Gajah lies on Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia

Sacred Monkey Forest in Bali

The Monkey Forest Sanctuary is an attractive, lush, small, forested area that welcomes visitors all over the World. This verdant tropical vegetation is the house of three troops of long-tailed Balinese Macaques. The total numbers of monkeys are almost certainly increasing every year.

The Monkey Forest Sanctuary is locally known as the Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Situated within easy walking distance from the center of Ubud, Bali, visitors can see the moss-covered stone carvings and 140 to 200 monkeys, which is a completely new experience. Visitors possibly purchase bananas and peanuts at the doorway of Monkey Forest Sanctuary to feed the monkeys but it is safe to avoid feeding them, because they can become quite aggressive if they know the visitors have food. 'Monkey-handlers' can bring bunches of bananas to entice the monkeys.

Besides the monkeys, the forest is a house of three temples of the 14th century. While visiting at this sanctuary, visitors must see temples and the various interesting statues and fountains The largest temple is the Pura Dalem Agung, situated on the highest point of the forest. The second one is the Pura Prajapati, which is a cremation temple situated at the side of one of the two graveyards in the monkey forest. And the third one is the Holy Bathing Temple

The sacred monkey forest lies on Bali Island, Republic of Indonesia.