If you've noticed, updates have been quite scarce. That's because I'm currently in Europe and I'm using all the time I have to explore. Plus Internet access is not easy to come by. Anyway, I represent the Philippines in the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC). And every year, the committee meets, usually in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The ICOMOS ICTC 2010 Annual Meeting was in Lamego in the Douro Valley, Portugal. It also coincided with the International Conference on World Heritage Status: Opportunities for Economic Gain for Tourism Destinations – The Case of the Douro Valley which we also got to attend last June 17.
I'll tell you more about the trip in the coming days. The good news is, the 2012 Annual Meeting of the ICOMOS ICTC will be in the Philippines! I'm very happy our colleagues voted to accept our invitation.
The Kuta and Legian areas are the tourist centers of Bali. The area is very popular for both its nightlife and surfing. As soon as I arrived in Kuta from Ubud, I set out to find some budget accommodation near Poppies Gang 1 and 2 which are two popular alleyways where many of the budget accommodation are located. I found a reasonable hotel right beside the Bali Bombings Memorial.
Being a very popular tourist attraction in Indonesia, Bali was most definitely prone to terrorist attacks. And the unfortunate incident happened in 2002 killing 202 people, 152 of them foreigners. Bali has moved forward from then and is very much alive and kicking. A monument now stands in what was Paddy's Pub on Legian Street. At the memorial, the names of all the fatalities are carved on a large black marble plaque in the memorial.
I spent the rest of the night walking around the area with its vibrant nightlife.
The next morning, I explored Legian Beach (some refer to it as Kuta Beach) where most of the surfing activity happens. It's quite obvious that surfing is a major thing in Bali since there are dozens of shops that sell surf boards, surfing equipment or offer lessons. Plus the beach is lined with piles of surfboards and trainers offering lessons to those around the beach. And one look at the water, you'll see hundreds of surfers waiting for the next wave.
To bad I couldn't really do much that morning since my flight back to Kuala Lumpur was later that day. But Bali is most definitely one island you must visit in your lifetime!
Pura Besakih or the Mother Temple of Besakih is the most important Hindu temple in Bali. Located on the south slopes of Mount Agung, Pura Besakih probably dates back to the 14th century.
This was the last stop of my road trip around Bali, northeastern Bali to be exact. Being the most sacred of temples, a sarong is definitely required. To blend in with the locals, I also got myself a traditional Balinese head scarf.
The driver dropped me off at the parking lot and warned me not to entertain the offers of ojek drivers to the top since they will overcharge me being a tourist. It was quite tempting actually since it's quite a walk from the vehicle parking up to the main entrance of the temple. The hike will definitely let you break a sweat.
Pura Besakih is actually a complex of twenty-two temples that sit on parallel ridges. It's on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
You'll definitely see a lot of locals there, a perfect place to observe daily life in Bali as hundreds make their way to the temple daily to worship, pray and make offerings. It's enchanting as well as serene, especially as a thin blanket of fog makes its way down to the temple late in the afternoon.
Again, be prepared for a lot of walking because the walk from the entrance all the way to the top of the temple is no joke. There are some restricted areas though. And unless you know how to speak Bahasa Indonesia or are a Hindu visiting the temple to worship, the guards won't let you in the other parts which is reserved for worship.
Pura Besakih was the last stop on my Bali road trip. It took about two hours to get back to Ubud, just in time for me to catch my bus back to Kuta.
So when you visit Bali, make sure you allot a day or two for road travel around the island. There was still a lot to see like Tanah Lot, Uluwatu and Taman Ayun Temples in the southwestern part of Bali very close to Kuta. Unfortunately, I had no more time. I hope to come back again for another visit!
One of the best views of Bali is that of Mount Batur and Lake Batur (Gunung Batur and Danau Batur) from Penelokan and Kintamani. You can reach these areas when you do a road trip around Bali. The best way to get around is by hiring a vehicle which is both the most convenient and most affordable option.
In Penelokan, the winding mountain road provides grand views of Mount Batur, an active 1,717 meter-high (5,633ft) volcano. We stopped over every now and then for me to take photos of the picturesque view of the volcano and the lake.
At 3,142 meters (10,308 feet), Gunung Agung or Mount Agung is the highest point on Bali. On the slopes of Mount Agung is the holiest of Bali temples, the Pura Besakih or Mother Temple.
Before proceeding to the Mother Temple in Besakih, I had a buffet lunch at the Mahagiri Panoramic Resort and Restaurant in Rendang Village, Karangasem, again by the suggestion of my driver. It offers a fantastic view of the rice terraces at the foot of Mount Agung, and Mount Agung itself. My driver stressed that these were the best terraces in the world. He hasn't been to Ifugao obviously. But he could be right about it being one of the most-visited since they are readily accessible to tourists.
The Indonesian buffet selection is quite good. I feasted on sate as always. The buffet was about Rp80,000. From there, we proceeded to Besakih to visit the Mother Temple.
For my second day in Ubud, I decided to hire a vehicle for a road trip around Bali to get to the different temples and views. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation that will get you straight to the temples. But the good thing is that hiring a vehicle is not that expensive and is actually the best option if you want to see everything in a day.
I spent about Rp350,000 (roughly Php1,750) for an air-conditioned SUV with driver that took me to the various sites around the island. Make sure as well that you get a sarong which you will need to enter the temples. It's quite strict because the sites are holy to the Balinese and very much in use for daily worship. So don't expect to get to enter without one.
Our first stop for the day was Goa Gajah or Elephant Cave which dates back to the 9th century. The mouth of the cave is carved with menacing creatures and demons. The primary figure was mistakenly thought to be an elephant, which is why it is referred to as Elephant Cave. Although there is a statue of Ganesh inside the cave. Beside the cave is a bathing temple which was excavated only in the 1950s. Goa Gajah is in the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Entrance to the temple is Rp15,000.
After Goa Gajah, we proceeded to Tampak Siring, also known as Tirta Empul or the Holy Spring Temple. One of the main features of this temple is a spring which the Balinese believe can heal various of diseases. Thus, it's visited regularly by the locals for rituals and to sanctify themselves. Entrance to the temple is Rp15,000.
Further inside Tampak Siring are more structures which also serve as a place for offerings and ceremonies. Before you enter, you will be asked to wear a yellow piece of cloth around your waist. I was lucky that as I was about to exit Tampak Siring, a Galungan Ceremony or Balinese temple offering was about to take place.
Before proceeding to Penelokan for a wonderful view of Gunung Batur and Danau Batur (Mt. Batur and Lake Batur), my driver brought me to a coffee plantation in Temen which is visited by tourists because of the luwak coffee (alamid or civet cat coffee).
The public area has a garden which shows the various crops in the plantation such as cacao, vanilla, and of course the coffee, both arabica and robusta. They also demonstrate the processing of coffee beans. And you could also try out the luwak coffee which is not cheap! From there, we were off to Penelokan.
