Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Medewi side road, Mai Malu is a popular
hang-out, serving crowd-pleasing pizza,
burgers and Indonesian meals in its modern,
breezy upstairs eating area. Dishes range from
10,000Rp to 35,000Rp. The three rooms have
cold water and fans. Other cheapies huddle
nearby.
Medewi Beach Cottages
off near a cluster of warung on the main road.
Any of the regular bemo and buses between
Denpasar (Ubung terminal) and Gilimanuk
will stop at the turn-off.
NEGARA
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0365
Set amid the broad and fertile flatlands be-
tween the mountains and ocean, Negara is
a prosperous little town, and useful for a pit
stop. Although it's a district capital, there's
not much to see. The town springs to life when
the famous bull races (below) are held nearby.
There's a hospital, police station, post office
and a wartel. Most banks change money and
have international ATMs.
NEGARA
0
1 km
0
0.5 miles
A
B
C
D
INFORMATION
SLEEPING
Bank BCA ATM..........................
1
C2
Hotel Wira Pada.........................
7
C2
Bank Danamon ATM.................
2
C2
1
Hospital.....................................
3
A2
EATING
Police Station..............................
4
B2
Depot Natalia...........................(see 7)
Post Office.................................
5
D2
Hardy's Supermarket..................
8
C2
(
40029; r US$10-60;
%
Wartel.......................................
6
A2
)
There's a lively two-storey building
on the western side of the road with seven
second-rate cold-water rooms aimed at surf-
ers and a posher wing on the other side that
might be the choice of their parents (no mat-
ter how old the surfer). The spiffy side features
satellite TV and lush grounds, but security
measures have obstructed what should be a
good view.
Puri Dajuma Cottages
(
TRANSPORT
as
Bus/Bemo Terminal....................
9
B2
3
To Gilimanuk
(3
3km
)
6
Jl Sudirman
2
To Pura Rambut
Siwi (15km);
9
4
Denpasar (95km)
1
2
7
8
Market
Sleeping & Eating
The main road bypasses the town to the north -
you'll need to turn in to the main drag, Jl
Ngurah Rai. There are assorted warung in
the market area.
Hotel Wira Pada
(
Jl Ngurah Rai
43955; www.dajuma.com;
%
5
)
Coming from the east,
you won't be able to miss this seaside resort,
thanks to its prolific signage. Happily, the 18
large rooms actually live up to the billing.
Bathrooms are both inside and out, and its
location on a pounding bodysurfing break is
dramatic. Pantai Medewi is a 2km walk west.
Ask for a deal on the listed rates.
r US$70-90;
ais
Depot Natalia
travelling independently, give the park a ring
before you go there. In Perancak, ignore the
sad little zoo and go for a walk along the
picturesque fishing harbour.
Once capital of the region,
Jembrana
is the
centre of the
gamelan jegog,
a gamelan using
huge bamboo instruments that produce a very
low-pitched, resonant sound. Performances
often feature a number of gamelan groups
engaging in musical contest. To see and hear
them in action, time your arrival with a local
festival, or ask in Negara where you might find
a group practising.
BELIMBINGSARI & PALASARI
Two fascinating religious towns north of the
main road are reason enough for a detour.
Christian evangelism on Bali was discour-
aged by the Dutch, but sporadic missionary
activity resulted in a number of converts,
many of whom were rejected by their own
communities. In 1939 they were encouraged
to resettle in Christian communities in the
wilds of West Bali.
Palasari
is home to a Catholic community
which boasts a huge church largely made from
white stone. From the right angle it blots out
the sun and is set on a large town square. It
is really rather peaceful and with the gently
waving palms, it feels like old missionary
Hawaii rather than Hindu Bali. The church
42669; Jl Ngurah Rai 107; dishes
5000-20,000Rp)
In front of Hotel Wira Pada, the
Depot is bright and clean, and has a large,
tasty Indonesian menu.
Hardy's Supermarket
(
%
41161; Jl Ngurah Rai 107; r with
fan/air-con 85,000/125,000Rp;
%
)
There are 10 basic
rooms around a nice little plant-filled court-
yard. The best rooms have little terraces.
a
(
40709; Jl Ngurah Rai;
%
)
Hardy's has a popular indoor food court
with several stands wok-ing up all manner of
fresh, cheap chow. Dishes are generally under
4000Rp. This large supermarket has the best
selection of goods in western Bali.
a
Pura Rambut Siwi
Picturesquely situated on a clifftop overlook-
ing a long, wide stretch of black-sand beach,
this superb temple shaded by flowering frangi-
pani trees is one of the important sea temples
of West Bali. Like Pura Tanah Lot and Pura
Ulu Watu, it was established in the 16th cen-
tury by the priest
Nirartha
, who had a good eye
for ocean scenery. Legend has it that when
Nirartha first came here, he donated some
of his hair to the local villagers. The hair is
now kept in a box buried in this temple, the
name of which means 'Worship of the Hair'.
Unlike Tanah Lot, it remains a peaceful and
little-visited place (which means you should
put a change to that).
The caretaker rents sarongs for 2000Rp (see
the boxed text, p42) and is happy to show you
around the temple and down to the beach. He
then opens the guest book and requests a do-
nation - about 10,000Rp is a suitable amount
(regardless of the much higher amounts at-
tributed to previous visitors).
BULL RACES
This part of Bali is famous for the bull races,
known as
mekepung,
which culminate in the
Bupati Cup in Negara in early August. The
racing animals are actually the normally
docile water buffalo, which charge down
a 2km-long stretch of road or beach pull-
ing tiny chariots. Gaily-clad riders stand or
kneel on top of the chariots forcing the
bullocks on, sometimes by twisting their
tails to make them follow the curve of the
makeshift racetrack. The winner, however,
is not necessarily first past the post. Style
also plays a part and points are awarded
for the most elegant runner. Gambling is
not legal in Bali, but…
Important races are held during the dry
season, from July to October. Occasional
races are set up for tourist groups at a park
in Perancak on the coast, and minor races
and practices are held at several Perancak
and other sites on Sunday mornings, in-
cluding Delod Berawan and Yeh Embang.
Getting There & Away
Most bemo and minibuses from Denpasar
(Ubung terminal) to Gilimanuk drop you in
Negara (20,000Rp).
AROUND NEGARA
At the southern fringe of Negara, Loloan
Timur is the largely Bugis community
(originally from Sulawesi) that retains 300-
year-old traditions. Look for the distinctive
houses on stilts, some decorated with wooden
fretwork.
To reach
Delod Berawan
, turn off the main
Gilimanuk-Denpasar road at Mendoyo and
go south to the coast, which has a black-sand
beach and irregular surf. You can see bull-
race practices Sunday mornings at the nearby
football field.
Perancak
is the site of Nirartha's arrival on
Bali in 1546, commemorated by a dignified
