Day 8 - Eastern Bali - Excursion

We were picked up by our private driver / guide at 8 am. Today's trip went to the eastern part of Bali. We started by driving to Gianyar, which is just east of Ubud. Here we visited the Nadisurai Batik Collection, where they weave different types of fabric and decorate with patterns either by hand-painted batik or by printing with paint. We saw the batik process demonstrated. Bought a very beautiful silk scarf for 1,380,000 Rp, equivalent to about USD 100. After a very short drive we came to the Sahadewa theater, where we saw the performance 'Barong and Kris Dance' - a ritual dance as it is performed in the temples in Bali at this year's holidays. It was a classic tale 'Colon Arang' from the 12th century about good versus evil. The baron (a tiger) is a benevolent spirit to protect Bali from the widow and witch queen Rangda. In the dance, two male dancers participate in a heavily adorned tiger costume, as well as dancers depicting monkeys, priests, Rangda, servants and villagers. A both tragic and at the same time very humorous tale with dancers in very beautiful and colourful costumes accompanied by an "orchestra" playing on percussion instruments and flutes. The show lasted 1 hour - we sat in a large open but covered theatre - and fortunately for it - in the middle of the show a huge rainstorm broke out with huge amounts of water.

The servants arrived

Barong (tiger)

Prieasts

We continued along the east coast north to Tirta Gangga, which is a royal water garden and temple. Tirta Gangga was severely damaged by the hot ash from Mount Agung volcano - Bali's highest mountain - when it erupted in 1963 and hit the village of Ababi, located on the southeastern slope of Mount Agung, but Tirta Gangga has subsequently been restored. The lavish water gardens - 12,000 m2 - owned by the Royal Karangasem family include water pools, ponds and fountains surrounded by finely mown lawns, paths, and tropical gardens adorned with statues and figurines. Many of the characters are the same ones we visualized in 'Barong and Kris Dance'.   Send feedback History Saved Community

Tirta Gangga

Barong (tiger)

Colon Arang priests

Lotus flower

the garden

water pond

On the way back to Nusa Dua and we stopped along the way at the fishing camp Kusamba, where salt is still produced according to old methods. Seawater is poured over black lava sand. When the sand is dry again, it is placed in vessels and the salt washed out with water, after which the water evaporates in the sun and only the crystalline white salt remains. Everything is very primitive. The traffic was running very, very slowly - we were back in Nusa Dua at 16. It turned into a couple of jugs of tea on the balcony before we went to dinner - swordfish with potato / pea puree and caper butter sauce - no spices today.  

Getting salt water from the sea

Salt cottage

evaporating the water