Nusa Dua Bali

Crystal clear water and stretches of white sandy beach of Nusa Dua makes Nusa Dua a perfect spot for luxurious resorts to which your exhausted bodies, after a Barong performance at Batubulan and a long climb of the steps of the Mother Temple Besakih, will want to rest. Some of the most sumptuous and luxurious hotels in the world find their home in Nusa Dua Bali. You can relax in the Thalasso spa of the Grand Mirage Resort after a day of surfing or diving. Or you can tee off into the sunset, while watching the gentle waves come from the blue sea and caress the banks surrounding the luscious greens. Tranquil swimming pools under the coconut trees seem to be one with the distant blue sea. Art galleries and numerous shops surround them.

Tanah Lot Temple

Tanah Lot means "Land in the Middle of the sea" in Balinese language. Located in Tabanan, about 20 km from Denpasar, the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. The area comprises a wondrous mixture of natural beauty and sheer human effort. Here lies an idyllic white sand beach with crashing waves, complemented by a small yet majestic temple. This temple, known as Pura Tanah Lot, juts out to sea on a rocky background. Tanah Lot attracts throngs of both locals and tourists daily. Most come here longing to catch a glimpse of the romantic Tanah Lot sunsets, a regular occurrence during the dry season (April to November).

Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 15th century priest Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods.

The Tanah Lot temple was built and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples were established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast.

At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. As well as one giant snake which also protects the temple, which was created from Nirartha's ’s scarf when he established the island.

Sanur Beach

Sanur is one of Bali's biggest traditional villages but it's also one of the most established tourist areas. Sanur was Bali's first beach resort but still retains its Balinese character and old style village ambiance. On the southeastern side of Bali, Sanur beach is easily reachable from Denpasar, about a 5 to 10 minute drive. Sanur is an excellent site to watch the sun rises, as we jog along the white sandy beach. Being one of the first resorts developed in Bali, Sanur maintains its traditions. Only a stone thrown away from the beach, ancient temples stand as solemn as they have been in centuries past. Palm-lined beach, facing the Indian Ocean towards the east, Sanur is an excellent place to see the sun rise in the morning. "Bali is the morning of the world", it is the right sentence for Bali if we has visited Sanur. Offshore reefs protect the beach against the waves, and make it popular for windsurfing, boating, and other water sports. It is one of the first areas where one can find good hotels, restaurants, shops, and other touris.

Kuta Beach

Kuta in addition to being the sunset Site Number One, with its daily spectacular sunsets, it is also the centre of night life activities in Southern Bali and a shopping mecca, with its lines of shops, boutiques, and galleries. Restaurants line up the streets as well as the Bachfront, hotels, ranging from a small, inexpensive homestay to a luxurious resort, will ready accomodate you.
Once a lonely little village on the road from Denpasar to Bukit Peninsula, Kuta is now the tourist Mecca of Bali, popular mainly among the young and adventurous. Kuta beach is one of the first favorite beaches discovered by tourist. Coconut trees line the sand beach as far as the eyes can see towards the north stopped by the runway of Denpasar's airport far in the west. The sunset in Kuta is most breathtaking. On the south, the beach is fenced by the airport's runway, which gives the visitors a breathtaking landing experience. Kuta Beach bustles with tourists' vendors and locals. It's the most popular beach in Bali and the island's number one party zone. The beach stretches as far north as the eyes can see. As short walk away north, the waves will invite to surfing. Rapid development and an influx of visitors haven't kept the surfers away and Kuta still remains one of Bali's best surfing beaches and a great place to enjoy a beach lifestyle.

The beach of Kuta is one of the first favorite beaches discovered by tourist. On the south, the beach is fenced by the airport’s runway, which gives you a breathtaking landing experience. The beach stretches as far north as the eyes can see. As short walk away north, waves will invite you to test your surfing.

Kuta is very short drive away from the airport, and transportation is readily available to take you from and to Kuta to and from anywhere else in Bali.

Prambanan Temple

The Prambanan temple is the biggest and a most beautiful Hindu temple about 20 minutes from Yogyakarta city. This magnificent Shivaite temple derives its name from the village where it is located. Locally known as the Loro Jongrang temple, or the temple of the "Slender Virgin" it is reputed to be the biggest and most beautiful Hindu Temple in Indonesia.

17 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, the temple is believed to have been built by King Balitung Maha Sambu in the middle of the ninth century. Its parapets are adorned with a bas-reliefs depicting the famous Ramayana story. It has eight shrines, of which the three main ones are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma (all are manifestations of God in Hindu). The main temple of Shiva rises to a high of 130 feet and houses the magnificent statue of Shiva's consort, Durga.Prambanan Temple is beautiful temple, in fact, it is a group of temples. The biggest temple dedicated to Shiva (one of manifestation of God) with two other smaller ones, on its right and on its left, dedicated to Brahma and Wisnhu (manifestation of God) respectively. Reliefs decorating the walls of the temple depict the story of Ramayana.

Other temples around Prambanan

• Candi Lumbung. Buddhist-style, consisting of one main temple surrounded by 16 smaller ones.

• Candi Bubrah. Buddhist temple still in ruins.

• Candi Sewu. Buddhist temple complex, older than Roro Jonggrang. A main sanctuary surrounded by many smaller temples. Well preserved guardian statues, replicas of which stand in the central courtyard at the Jogja Kraton.

• Candi Plaosan. Buddhist, probably 9th century. Thought to have been built by a Hindu king for his Buddhist queen. Two main temples with reliefs of a man and a woman. Slender stupa.

South of the Lara Jongrang complex

• Ratu Boko. Complex of fortified gates, bathing pools, and elevated walled stone enclosure, all located on top of the hill.

• Candi Sajiwan. Buddhist temple decorated with reliefs concerning education. The base and staircase are decorated with animal fables.

• Candi Banyunibo. A Buddhist temple with unique design of roof.

• Candi Barong. A Hindu temple complex with large stepped stone courtyard. Located on the slope of the hill.

• Candi Ijo. A cluster of Hindu temple located near the top of Ijo hill. The main temple houses a large lingam and yoni.

• Arca Bugisan. Seven Buddha and bodhisattva statues, some collapsed, representing different poses and expressions.

West of the Lara Jongrang complex

• Candi Kalasan. 8th century Buddhist temple built in commemoration of the marriage of a king and his princess bride, ornamented with finely carved reliefs.

• Candi Sari. Once a sanctuary for Buddhist priests. 8th century. Nine stupas at the top with two rooms beneath, each believed to be places for priests to meditate.

• Candi Sambisari. 9th century Hindu temple discovered in 1966, once buried 6,5 metres under volcanic ash. The main temple houses a linga and yoni, and the wall surround it displayed the images of Agastya, Durga, and Ganesha.

• Candi Gebang. A small Hindu temple discovered in 1937 located near the Yogyakarta northern ring-road. The temple display the statue of Ganesha and interesting carving of faces on the roof section.

• Candi Gana. Rich in statues, bas-reliefs and sculpted stones. Frequent representations of children or dwarfs with raised hands. Located in the middle of housing complex. Under restoration since 1997.

• Candi Kedulan. Discovered in 1994 by sand diggers, 4m deep. Square base of main temple visible. Secondary temples not yet fully excavated.

Taman Sari

Tamansari is located about 2 km south of Yogyakarta Palace. Built by Portuguese architect in European aquatic construction adorned with Javanese Symbolize ornaments. Tamansari was built in the Sultan Hamengku Buwono I period in the end of XVII Century. Tamansari not only just a recreation, but it's also a compound of bathing pool, canals, rooms and extremerly large swimming pool (if the canals opened). Traditional products and household earthenwares are also sold here. In this area Batik Painters do not only sell their products, but some also give instruction in this art. Art shops and galleries of medium quality can be found allong the alleys. Bargaining is interesting!

There are two ways to visit this place. The one is thru Pasar Ngasem Bird Market, just go inside and find an alley called KP III, turn left, walk about 200 m, there is the Pulo Kenongo rest house complex. The other is thru jalan Taman Sari, from Pasar Ngasem, go by becak to South Square, around 0,5 Km turn right, there is the East-main Entrance, leads the way to the Royal Swimming pools.

Tamansari is an interesting place to visit. Besides the location is very closed to the Sultan palace, Tamansari has it owned speciality in attraction reflecting in some unimpaired ancient building and its atmosphere as the main tourist object of Yogyakarta.

There is Masjid Sokotunggal, a unique mosque with a single pillar that is different from Javanese traditional architecture. Although built in the early of XX century, the mosque gives another attraction of this area. Kampung Taman that lies in the Tamansari complex nearby known for the batik craft. Visitor can buy or watch handmade process for both batik painting and batik clothes. Therefore people from all over Indonesia and abroad have visited this village. Not for from Tamansari is Ngasem traditional market, the biggest bird market in Yogyakarta. All of those attractions have made Tamansari become one of main tourist object in Yogyakarta besides Yogyakarta palace.

Ullen Sentalu Museum

The Ullen Sentalu Museum is a museum located in Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesia. Ullen Sentalu Museum is planned as a museum which present the cultures heritage which is intangible or hidden behind the kraton’s wall because of the prevailing laws. Even some culture heritage has came fade and threatened with extinct. Those are came by the “fine art” works. It means, an arts that realize free and display the culture heritage that is tangible to be communicated. The museum choose fine arts to realize and reconstruct the culture heritage by the reason that this arts can realize the documented works which didn’t be documented yet, except literature, especially in Mataram Islam era. The excess of fine arts that are began from Renaissance era in Europe is able to present the reality in accordance with the appreciation of arts right now. Thus it’s easy to communicate the subject matter of Museum’s object .

By those concept and supported by the elder of culture’s doers, the Museum is more free to realize fine art. These aren’t only represent Javanese culture in Yogyakarta but include the entire of Mataram culture heritage. Though through its Museum’s fine arts has realized culture and history of Mataram from 4 kraton (Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta-Kasunanan Surakarta- Puro Pakualaman-Istana Mangkunegaran), beside that, the museum has “window” concept that express civilization process. By those opuses which are displayed, has opened a space to enter civilization process, than can explore time and space from Mataram Islam era. Even can flashed back through Classic era.

So that the Javanese art and culture of Ullen Sentalu Museum has point of view as the window of art heritage wealth, culture and history from the civilization. It is represented by Mataram dynasty and to legacy the beauty of that culture heritage to the next generation.

The mission of its museum is to realize and communicate the art heritage and Javanese culture that threatened extinct thus rise the pride of people about its culture’s identity.

Based on the property, Ullen Sentalu Museum is a private museum which the Haryono as the initiator. The museum is under an Ulating Blencong foundation, as the advisors are The King of Kasunanan Surakarta Hadiningrat: I.S.K.S Paku Buwana XII, the king of Pakualaman:KGPAA. Paku Alam VIII, the brother of Sultan HB IX : GPBH Poeger, the daughter of queen Mangkunegara VII: GRAy. Siti Nurul Kmaaril Ngasarati Kusumawardhani, the former President’s wife : Mrs. Hartini Sukarno, and KP. DR. Samuel Wedyadiningrat, DSB.Konk.