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Map
of Tabanan
Covered with mountains in the north, lush paddy fields in the south
and coastal sandy beaches, Tabanan lies between the district of
Badung in the east, Buleleng in the north and Jembrana in the west.
The main attraction in Tabanan is Tanah Lot, a famous seaside temple,
though many black sand beaches are also being developed for tourism.
Situated near the town of Kediri, Tanah Lot is unquestionably the
most famous temple in Bali. Consisting of two seven tiered and three
tiered shrines and two pavilions, the temple is set attop an outcrop
of rock jutting into the sea, and is accessible only during low
tide. According to legend, as the famous priest Nirartha breathed
his last; he suggested to the locals that the tiny island would
be an excellent place to build a temple. "Tanah" means
earth, and "Lot" means sea. The temple therefore symbolized
the meeting point of natural and cosmic elements.
As a place for viewing spectacular sunsets in Asia, Tanah Lot has
few equals. Every day at dusk tourists flood the area to witness
the wonderful silhouette of the temple against the glowing horizon.
The best view is from the cliff overlooking the temple.
Home to a substantial ethnic Chinese community, Tabanan town is
noted for its fine arts and culture. Apart from having many skilled
wood carvers, three are also many poets who recite classical poems
during festive occasions.
Tabanan is also the birthplace of I Mario, a dancer choreographer
who revolutionized Balinese dance in the 1930's with his kebyar
and kebyar trompong dances and was commemorated by the Mario Theater.
Another attraction in Tabanan is the Subak museum that displays
exhibits relating to agriculture.
Southwest of Taban is Kerambitan, noted for its tektekan performances.
Not a dance but a ritual, the tektekan is performed by men with
bells and huge clappers around their necks. The aim is to drive
away evil spirits and bring good luck in the form of better harvests.
Still unaffected by modernization, Kerambitan is also noted for
its beautiful old buildings and two large palaces.
The Tabanan highlands mostly consist of volcanic areas, with mount
Batukau (2275m), Mount Sanghyang (2093m), and Lake Beratan, one
of the three lakes that make up the Bedugul Resort area. The area
has the last remaining tropical forest on the island. The tranquil
botanical gardens of Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bedugul are home to 650
species of trees and a unique collection of terns and orchids.
Lake Beratan offers water skiing and boating, but is better known
for the Pura Ulun Danu temple. Built on the shores of the lake at
Candikuning, it has eleven tiers of thatched roof meru as well as
an adjoining Buddhist stupa.
At the foot of Mount Batukau, to the south west of Bedugul, is
another Balinese marvel called the Pura Luhur temple. The temple
has a 2m meru to Maha Dewa, Mount Batukau's guardian spirit. Grandly
located among the lofty trees of the rain forest, this is a unique
encounter between man and nature. The road to the temple branches
out at Pacung where a restaurant overlooks the rice field terrace.
Also perched on the slopes of Mount Batukau is the small village
of Jatiluwih. Its name means "truly marvelous" and the
view truly is as it encompasses a huge region of southern Bali.
A hot spring, Yeh Panas, is located on the road northwards from
Tabanan.
The small village of Blayu is located midway down the plain on
a parallel side road running from Pacung to Bedugul. Here, traditional
songket sarongs are woven with intricate gold thread and used in
ceremonies during festivals.
Marga, just north of Blayu, has an usual memorial dedicated to
Lt. Col. I Gusti Ngurah Rai, who in 1946 led his army in a futile
rebellion against the Dutch forces. The memorial consists of a tower
containing a replica of his famous letter stating his refusal to
surrender.
To the south of Blayu and Marga is the Bukit Sari Monkey forest.
The monkeys are tame but hold on to your camera or sunglasses just
in case one of them tries to snatch it for you.
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