South Bali - Bali and Lombok - page 67

public boat to fill up with passengers. Boats to
and from Kusamba are not recommended.

have come from Java and all over Indonesia,
attracted by opportunities in schools, factories
and businesses in the growing Balinese capital.
Much of the business infrastructure that sup-
ports Balinese tourism is based here.
Although non-Balinese tend to live in
detached houses or small apartments, Bal-
inese communities still maintain their tradi-
tions and family compounds, even as their
villages are engulfed by growth. In fact, Den-
pasar's southern reaches have collided with
northern expansion from Kerobokan.
ORIENTATION
The main road, Jl Gunung Agung, starts at
the western side of town. It changes first to
Jl Gajah Mada, then Jl Surapati and finally Jl
Hayam Wuruk. This name changing is com-
mon in Denpasar, and can be confusing.
In contrast to the rest of Denpasar, the
Renon area, southeast of the town centre, is
laid out on a grand scale, with wide streets,
large car parks and huge landscaped blocks of
land. You'll find the government offices here,
many of which are impressive structures, built
with huge budgets in modern Balinese style.
INFORMATION
Emergency
Police Office (Map pp166-7 ;

(Continued from page 156)

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL
You've already gotten away from most of
it by coming to Nusa Penida, but you can
go further still. South of Toyapakeh, a 10km
road through the village of Sakti leads to
gorgeous and almost untouched Crystal
Bay Beach , which fronts the popular dive
spot. The sand here is the whitest around
Bali and you'll likely have it to yourself.
Should you somehow have the gear, this
would be a fine place to camp.

DENPASAR
Sprawling, hectic and ever-growing, Bali's
capital has been the focus of a lot of the is-
land's growth and wealth over the last five
decades. There are still tree-lined streets and
some pleasant gardens, but the traffic, noise
and pollution challenge the casual visitor.
Denpasar might not be a tropical paradise,
but it's as much a part of 'the real Bali' as the rice
paddies and cliff-top temples. This is the hub of
the island for locals and here you will find the
shopping malls, restaurants and parks enjoyed
by the people who actually live on Bali. Unless
you're content to skip over the surface of the is-
land, you'll want to sample Denpasar's markets,
its one excellent museum and its purely modern
Balinese vibe. Most visitors stay in the tourist
towns of the south and visit Denpasar as a day
trip. Others may pass through while changing
bemo or catching a bus to Java.

PADANGBAI
On the beach just east of the car park in Pa-
dangbai, you'll find the twin-engine fibreglass
boats that run across the strait to Buyuk, 1km
west of Sampalan on Nusa Penida (25,000Rp,
45 minutes, four daily). The boats run be-
tween 7am and noon. Boats back to Padangbai
cost 18,000Rp.

NUSA LEMBONGAN
Boats take locals between Toyapakeh and
Jungutbatu (one hour) between 5.30am and
6am for 10,000Rp. Enjoy the mangrove views
on the way. Otherwise, charter a boat for
150,000Rp one way.

A scenic ridge-top road goes northwest from
Tanglad. At Batukandik, a rough road leads to a
spectacular air terjun (waterfall). There's a tem-
ple here and it's a short walk from the road.
Limestone cliffs drop hundreds of feet into
the sea, surrounded by crashing surf. At their
base, underground streams discharge fresh
water into the sea - a pipeline was made to
bring the water up to the top. You can follow
the pipeline down the cliff face on an alarmingly
exposed metal stairway. From it, you can see
the remains of the rickety old wooden scaffold-
ing women used to clamber down, returning
with large pots of water on their heads.
Back on the main road, continue to Batu-
madeg, past Bukit Mundi (the highest point on
the island at 529m; on a clear day you can see
Lombok), through Klumpu to Sakti, which
has traditional stone buildings. Return to the
north coast at Toyapakeh, about one hour
after Bukit Mundi.
The important temple of Pura Dalem Pene-
taran Ped is near the beach at Ped, a few kilo-
metres east of Toyapakeh. It houses a shrine
for the demon Jero Gede Macaling (see Pe-
nida's Demon, p153). The temple structure
is sprawling and you will see many people
making offerings for safe sea voyages from
Nusa Penida; you may wish to join them.
Across from the temple, the spotless and
simple Depot Anda (meals 3000-10,000Rp;

Getting Around
Bemo regularly travel along the sealed road
between Toyapakeh and Sampalan, and some-
times on to Suana and up to Klumpu, but
beyond these areas the roads are rough and
transport is limited. You should be able to
charter your own bemo or private vehicle with
driver for about 10,000Rp per hour.
You may also be able to negotiate an ojek
(motorcycle with passengers) for about
30,000Rp per hour.
NUSA CENINGAN
There is a narrow suspension bridge crossing
the lagoon between Nusa Lembongan and
Nusa Ceningan, which makes it quite easy to
explore the network of tracks on foot or by
bicycle. The lagoon is filled with frames for
seaweed farming and there's also a fishing
village and several small agricultural plots. Al-
though the island is quite hilly, if you're up for
it, you'll get glimpses of great scenery as you
wander or cycle around the rough tracks.
To really savour Nusa Ceningan, take a tour
of the island with JED ( Village Ecotourism Network;
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HISTORY
Denpasar, which means 'next to the market',
was an important trading centre and the seat of
local rajahs (lord or prince) before the colonial
period. The Dutch gained control of northern
Bali in the mid-19th century, but their takeover
of the south didn't start until 1906. After the
three Balinese princes destroyed their own
palaces in Denpasar and made a suicidal last
stand - a ritual puputan - the Dutch made
Denpasar an important colonial centre. And as
Bali's tourism industry expanded in the 1930s,
most visitors stayed at one or two government
hotels in the city of Denpasar.
The northern town of Singaraja remained
the Dutch administrative capital, but a new
airport was built in the south. This made Den-
pasar a strategic asset in WWII, and when the
Japanese invaded, they used it as a springboard
to attack Java. After the war the Dutch moved
their headquarters to Denpasar, and in 1958,
some years after Indonesian independence, the
city became the official capital of the province
of Bali. Denpasar is a self-governing municipal-
ity that includes Sanur and Benoa Harbour.
Many of Denpasar's residents descended
from immigrant groups such as Bugis mercen-

424346; Jl Pattimura)
The place for any general problems.
Tourist Police (Map pp166-7;

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224111)

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Medical Ser vices
Rumah Sakit Umum Propinsi Sanglah (RSUP
Sanglah; Map pp166-7; 24hr)

The city's general hospital has English-speaking staff and a
casualty room. It's the best hospital on the island.

227911; Sanglah;

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Money
All major Indonesian banks have offices in
Denpasar, and most have ATMs. Several are
on Jl Gajah Mada, near the corner of Jl Ar-
juna, and there are also plenty of ATMs in
the shopping malls.

6am-9pm)
is the eating choice on the island with tasty
local standards.
The road between Sampalan and Toyapa-
keh follows the craggy and lush coast.

0361-735320; www.jed.or.id) , the cultural organi-
sation that gives people an in-depth look at
village and cultural life. For US$60 to US$120
(depending on number of people), you spend
the night in a village, eat local meals, get a fasci-
nating tour and receive transport from Bali.
There's also a surf break at Ceningan reef,

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Post
Main post office (Map pp166-7 ; 223565; Jl

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Panjaitan; 8am-8pm) Has poste restante service, but is

inconveniently located in Renon.

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Getting There & Away