When Touring Bali Island and Ubud, These 9 Places Are Worth Visiting.

Ubud: A major center of literature and art known the world over Ubud is the most significant site of literature and art on Bali Island. In the town center there is a scattering of beautifully colored temples, and on the streets everywhere are art galleries, shops with handmade goods, and coffee houses. The town center is surrounded by rice paddies and coconut groves, providing a true country atmosphere. Paintings, carvings, music, dance, weaving, and photography are prominently displayed in Ubud. In fact, during the 1930s, the name of Ubud was widely disseminated in Western artistic circles; up until now where there are still some artists from different parts of the world who come to Ubud in seek of the spirit of inspiration, and in fact the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” made use of the scenery of Ubud. You are completely free to wander around Ubud, and submerge yourself into the artistic ambiance of Bai Island.

See a traditional dance at the Ubud Palace Ubud Palace is a classical Bali Island royal architecture, which has an exterior that is adorned with carvings of the first rate, which once seen are unforgettable. In the Royal Palace you can see the mask dance, which among other dances welcome visitors to Bali Island, allowing you to experience the traditional artistic culture of the island. The front courtyard of the palace contains a hotel, and those guests who stay here can experience the luxurious lifestyle of the top of Bali Island nobility, though the price is not inexpensive, since each night costs 100 USD or more.

Experience and enjoy Ubud’s traditional market The traditional market of Ubud is located at the center of the city, across from the palace, and this place is ideal for buying Bali Island handmade artistry products, local clothing, and ornamentation; however the first prices given at the market in haggling might be a overstated, so bargain to your heart’s content. There are a huge number of stalls at the market, and the whole area is filled with all kinds of products, for example silverware, wood carvings, batik, clothing, shoes, souvenirs, musical instruments, and et cetera. Often times in the market the crowds ebb and surge like a sea, with the cries and responses of haggling over prices following rhythmically, creating a scene of great and lively activity.

Take the challenge of Ayung River Rafting The Ayung River is the hotspot in Bali island for rafting. The majority of the river is relatively flat and calm, and you can peacefully observe the scenery, but there are also whitewater portions that have a maximum drop of 4 meters, which is extremely exhilarating and is well suited to those travelers who love adventer. The Ayung River is 11 m long, and has 22 whitewater spots, with both banks of the river being primitive forest. Generally there are 4-6 people per boat, and the whole course does not take more than 2 hours. At the beginning the water is very calm, afterwards there will be a slope. When you get to the big drops, you will find the courage to be able to ride the boat down, and if you happen to get scared, you can always get off the boat on the side and go around. If you come across other travelers on the course, you might get into a water battle.

Bathe together with local people at the Tirta Empul Temple The springs at Tirta Empul Temple have flowed for millennia and still run clear. When you come here you do as the locals do, first dunk your hear into the spring water for a blessing. Each water spout has a different use, some can prevent disaster, others heal illness and reduce pain, yet others cleanse the spirit. Tirta Empul Temple is a famous temple of Bali Island, and it is named for the springs on which it is built. In the middle of the temple there are more than 10 water spouts, each of which represents a different god. It is said that those who wash and are thus blessed at the temple can obtain the god’s aid, dispelling sickness. Those who live nearby come every day to bathe, and many foreign visitors also come here to make a pilgrimage.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary’s Macaques The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a cardamom forest that is a nature reserve, where a local species of Bali macaque live. Here the monkeys are wild, however they are fed by humans, and nearby there are places where people can purchase bananas and peanuts to feed the monkeys. The monkeys are very lively and not fearful of strangers, and if they see something to eat they will crowd around and approach. it is said that previously the monkeys would often bother villagers and destroy crops, so the only thing to do was to build a temple to scare them. The temple constructed in the 17th century is usually not open to outsiders, however monkeys can enter freely.

The Elephant Caves: The only cave temple ruins of Bali Island The elephant caves are the only cave temple ruins of Bali Island, they were built during the 11th century, and were discovered by Dutch archaeologists in 1923. The elephant caves ruins includes 3 parts: the elephant caves themselves, the spring pool, and an area of Buddhist building ruins. The elephant cave is in fact a cave, though they are not related to elephants. The cave is very shallow, and on the inside there are 3 statues, each one of which is completely dressed in red, gold, and black. Due to the fact that incense is now often burned, there are striated marks on the walls from the black smoke. From the marks of depressions, you can see that at one time priests sat here in meditation.

Kintamani: A rare cool spot in Indonesia Kintamani is located in the northern mountain area of Bali Island, and is a rare area of cool temperatures in Indonesia. There is a viewpoint to see the scenery, and from here you can see Batur lake between the Batur Mountains and the Yabang mountains. The waters of the late are clear and undisturbed, the scenery is enchanting. There are many restaurants on the mountain adjacent to Kintamani, each of which seems to have an excellent place to admire the volcano. There, you can watch the scenery and also enjoy some of the local delicacies of Kintamani.

Water god temple: The 50 Thousand Indonesian Rupiah View The water god temple is located on Lake Beratan, and features partially Hindu and partially Buddhist architecture.It is dedicated to and offers sacrifice to the goddess of the lake, Dewi Danu. In the midst of the temple there are many magnificent pagodas and pavilions. This, along with the clouds that never clear from the mountains behind the temple, form are the 50 Thousand Indonesian Rupiah View mentioned. The two protector figures of the temple tower on both sides of the entrance, one representing good, and the other evil. The first thing to catch your eye upon entering the main gate on the left side is a Buddhist stupa and an 11 story tall temple. Also, there is a 7 story altar dedicated to Lord Brhama. The two temples in the lake are dedicated to the water goddess, and a boat must be taken to arrive there.

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