Rick's Guide to Magical Days in Bali

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A September 1991 trip to Bali by rickhowe

Quote: Magical Days in Bali at The Tandjung Sari, in the Monkey Forest, and at the Barong Performance.

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Rick's Guide to Magical Days in Bali

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Overview

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A few years back, we had a business/pleasure itinerary to Australia and Bali, with a stopover in Hawaii on the way back.It was a lot of flying just to get there, so we decided to stay awhile. Our business took us to Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney for the first week. Then I managed to create a kidney stone that we thought would ruin the rest of the time, but quick action by the hospital in Sydney salvaged our vacation.After Sydney, we went over to the Whitsunday Islands at the Great Barrier Reef, staying at Hamilton Island (see separate journal). Then we went over to Ayers Rock (Uluru) for a few days (see separate journal) and then up to Darwin for the surprisingly short flight (1 ...Read More

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Tandjung Sari

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Hotel | "The Tandjung Sari"

Performance at the Tandjung Sari Photo - Tandjung Sari, Bali, Indonesia

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We spent 5 magical days at the Tangjung Sari. It's small, about 30 individual units.

Ours (number 8) was right on the Sanur beach. It was a two-story affair, with a large bed downstairs and two smaller units up the spiral staircase, and a thatched roof, teak walls, and furnishings.

There was an exquisite bath and shower inside, as well as a shower outside. The outside shower was still very private, surrounded by lush foliage, but luxurious nonetheless (not ANYTHING like an outside shower that you would see in the U.S.). This was not for washing off the sand before coming indoors. It was for a luxurious experience.

The grounds of the Tandjung Sari are full of frogs! The frog is another mythical Balinese spirit (there are hundreds!), and the frog statues abound. They may be draped in checkered cloth, which I believe protects the figures from the netherworld. (Balinese mythology is a mix of Hindu and Buddhism, with a healthy dose of magic thrown in for good measure).

In front of the hotel is a large bird cage with a resident raven who will whistle the Indonesian national anthem!

The people at the hotel are marvelous, polite (of course), and very tolerant of tourists. It's tough to get around the island of Bali (even though it is small) by yourself, and for a relatively small fee (very negotiable, by the way), the hotel will arrange for a driver to take you to performances, museums, temples, or shopping. Our guide took us to The Monkey Forest (see separate review), a Barong performance (see separate review), and to a Gamelan factory.

Speaking of Gamelan, Tandjung Sari schedules music and dance performances frequently during the week, right in the open area between the restaurant (excellent!) and the pool (lovely). Take advantage of this convenient opportunity to get the flavor of Bali and you'll want more!

Tangjung Sari sits right on the lovely Sanur beachfront, and the only annoyance is the constant stream of peddlers walking along the beach selling batik sarongs (actually quite beautiful), carved wooden models of the traditional Balinese fishing boats, and various trinkets.

The Tangjung Sari was flattened a few years back by a hurricane, but inasmuch as the structures are predominantly wood and thatch, it apparently didn't take much to rebuild—they're back in business! Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2006

Tandjung Sari
Jl. danau tamblingan no.41
Bali, Indonesia 80228
+62 361 288441

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Sacred Monkey Forest

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Attraction | "The Monkey Forest"

In the Monkey Forest Photo - Sacred Monkey Forest, Ubud, Indonesia

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From our hotel (The Tangjung Sari), our guide drove us to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary, about 2 miles south of Ubud.The monkeys are very aware of tourists and will pick your pockets in a heartbeat. They'll also grab any jewelry or watches you wear, so bury those baubles deep in your backpack (or leave them at your hotel).You can purchase nuts and small bananas from the old women at the front or bring them with you. And you'll need appropriate Balinese dress (for the women) to enter the temples on the grounds.The monkeys themselves are a hoot! They're highly entertaining and almost human in their demeanor. And don't even try to touch them—they'll run like mad, or bite you! This a...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2006

Sacred Monkey Forest
Village Of Padangtegal
Ubud, Bali
+62 361 973 285

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Gamelan Dance

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Attraction | "The Gamelan Factory"

In the Gamelan Factory Photo - Gamelan Dance, Bali, Indonesia

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We were fascinated by the sound and look of the Gamelans that are played at the dance performances in Bali. Called "Gongs" by the locals, they are made by a number of craftsmen in the Ubud area. Ask your guide to take you to a factory.There are two basic styles of Gongs. One looks more like the kind of Gong you think of from a Charlie Chan (or Indiana Jones) movie: circular brass-carved plates, in different sizes, played with mallets.But the more fascinating Gong (or Gamelan) is more like a Xylophone (or a Mexican Marimba), with brass bars instead of wood. It creates a scale of sorts (both not a scale for Western music) and may include as many as 10 different notes. It's played wit...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2006

Gamelan Dance
Gamelan Dance Is Found Nightly At Temples
Bali, Indonesia

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Barong Dance Performance

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Attraction | "The Barong Dance"

The Barong Performance Photo - Barong Dance Performance,

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In the Denpasar and Ubud areas, you'll find a number of local groups performing a variation of the Barong Dance. Your guide will find one for you.The Barong is a wicked-looking Balinese figure, a God of sorts. But he needs to be that mean in order to destroy the truly evil gods. It's a mix of history and mythology (as everything appears to be on Bali).The story, according to legend, is that Rangda, the mother of Erlangga (Balinese king in the 10h century), was condemned by her husband (!!!!) because she practiced black magic. After her husband died, she summoned all the evil spirits in the jungle to come after her son (Erlangga). The black magic troops were so strong that Erlan...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on April 7, 2006

Barong Dance Performance
Singaraja
Bali, Indonesia