joomla templates Bali Travel News

Paying Devotional Works at Melanting Temple, Tanah Lot

Vivacity to make the Tanah Lot a leading tourist attraction in Bali continues to be performed. Other than managing the area and improving the quality of human resources, the management also cares about the environment and culture. “We have always created comfort for tourists visiting Tanah Lot,” said Operations Manager of the Tanah Lot Management, I Ketut Toya Adnyana, amidst the devotional works carried out at Melanting temple area.  
Ahead of the temple ceremony, hundreds of people consisting of the staff and operational management, development committee of the Melanting Temple and local traders paid devotional works at the temple area. The activities comprised the grass cleanup, preparation of shelter and installation of temple clothing.
“This ceremony is associated with the inauguration of a shrine at the Melanting Temple of Tanah Lot to be held on Wednesday, Buda Wage Merakih (May 15). This Melanting Temple has just been restored, and performed physical improvement,” said Toya Adnyana.

Cariole Still Survives amidst Congestion of Denpasar

Traditional means of transportation such as cariole has become a favorite in the 1960s. In harmony with the passage of time, the presence of cariole is increasingly marginalized by modern means of transportation such as motorcycles and cars. Now, the number of cariole remaining to operate around Denpasar is few and far between. According to a cariole driver met around the Badung Market, Nengah Purna, the number of surviving cariole was only about 10-15 units. Such number spread out in several places in the Badung Market. Like in the east of the temple, the place was only used by three cariole drivers to hang out.

Bali Starling on Verge of Extinction

Bali Island has one of the beautiful and elegant birds, namely Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi). Unfortunately, twitter of the bird is now rarely audible in the wild life because it is continuously hunted to be traded. About five years ago, the price of Bali starling was touted to reach IDR 50 million per pair. Later on, the price of such medium-sized warbler with a length of approximately 25 centimeters started to decline. Although declining, the price is still ranging from IDR 17 million to IDR 20 million per pair. With such high price, the Bali starling continues to be hunted by people.

Bali starling is a beautiful bird. Because of its beauty, the bird has become a sort of mascot for the Island of Bali and has been named the faunal symbol of Bali.

The Head of Buleleng Natural Resources Conservation of Buleleng, Gede Wenten, said that population of Bali starling was mostly located in the West Bali National Park (TNBB). But now, the existence of the very rare bird was extinct and virtually disappeared. Bali starling could only be found in breeding area such as at Tegal Bunder, TNBB. In addition, many people around the TNBB also bred it independently.

Petulu Customary Village Preserve Habitat of Egrets by Customary Sanctions

Petulu Customary Village, Ubud, Gianyar, has a tourism potential that is not less unique than a number of other villages in Bali, especially in Gianyar. Petulu Village inhabited by 350 villagers has become a tourism village offering the uniqueness of egrets. The village has long been a peaceful habitat for thousands of egrets perching and making the trees growing along the village road of Petulu as their convenient and timeless home.

According to the Head of Petulu Customary Village, I Wayan Beneh, the village consisted of two hamlets, namely Petulu Gunung and Petulu Desa. In preserving the habitat of egrets, Petulu Village prohibited its residents and people from outside the village to destroy or shoot those white birds at the village. Prohibition and penalties were set forth in the awig-awig or regulation of Petulu Customary Village. “Up to these days, the regulation remains to be maintained and obeyed by villagers,” he explained.

Bitter Taste of Balinese Palm Sugar

Palm sugar (brown sugar) makers at Besan Village, Dawan, Klungkung, have difficulty to get raw materials or wine seepage of coconut tree. It happens because within the past few days, in Klungkung, particular at Besan, it always rains.

Actually, before Galungan and Kuningan the demand for brown sugar (also called Balinese sugar) increases. The price rises as well. During rainy season, sugar makers only acquire a small amount of wine. “Similarly, we do not dare to climb coconut trees, because it is slippery,” said sugar maker from Dawan, Nengah Koyog, at his home.