In Reply to: Gilimanuk and Negara posted by Chris on Thursday, 5. January 2006 at 16:04 Bali Time:
The western section of Bali is the area nearest Java, furthest from the southern tourist areas and the business/government centre of Bali in Denpasar.
Western Bali (in these pages at least) takes in the Kabupaten (District) of Jembrana which covers virtually the same area as the old Kingdom. (The north west coast is covered more in the Singaraja/Lovina section of these notes.)
Jembrana is an area which has been discovered by surfers who have kept secret the other delights of the area. The capital of Jembrana is Negara, a fairly large town, well planned with a broad dual highway with central islands of grass, trees and shrubs. This main road to Java bypasses the centre on the town which has a hospital, a post office, banks, hotels, bus and petrol stations, market and mosque on the town's main street that runs parallel to the highway on the seaward (southern) side.
Jembrana is close to Java and it is not surprising therefore that there is a greater influence of Islam in the area. These Indonesians are descendants from the seafarers of old who came along the coast from Sulawesi, Java and Madura. There is also an old Bugis fishing community just south of Negara who maintain 300 year old traditions including distinctive rectangular box houses and highly decorated and colourful boats. This mixture of races and religions is not something that should concern tourists however.
Jembrana is the most sparsely settled part of Bali even though some recent villages have been created to house Balinese Christians and whole villages that were destroyed by the last Mount Agung eruptions.
If the road to Singaraja and Lovina is ‘the road less travelled' then the roads to the west of Bali could only be described as positively deserted as far as tourists are concerned, although both are very significant highways as far as the island's commercial and local connections to mainstream Indonesia in Java is concerned.
Although there are these north and south coast roads, there is nothing to connect the two across the highest mountains. Only by going through Gilimanuk where the northern and southern roads meet at the furthest western end of the island or by going east to the road which links Seririt on the north coast to the south coast north west of Tanah Lot temple can you get from north to south or vice versa. The Sererit road is steep in places but spectacular in its own way.
The road from Denpasar/Kuta etc passes down through Soka and the glimpses of the ocean to your left are great, as are the forest views towards the hinterland. Negara is a large town but not really tourist oriented except when the bull races are on around August, September and October. The Taman Wana Villas are a nice place to stay by the Palasari Dam which serves recreational purposes as well. Further along past Negara and Kandikusama is the village of Melaya which was developed a bit by the Dutch during their occupation of Bali. There are two churches here but rural pursuits, including the wild cocoa and vanilla groves and palm sugar (‘jaggery') production in large dishes over open fires is interesting. The isolated fishing villages have small huts standing out in the water which can not be seen anywhere else on Bali as far as I know. They are used mainly by pearl divers. If you head inland just after Candikusuma you head up and down through beautiful little village like Nusasari, Ekasari and Pukasari and will eventually come to a surprising Catholic community and the little known Taman Wana Villas a bit further on, near the Palasari River and reservoir, right next to the West Bali National Park. These villas have an advertised rate of $250 per night but in '04 could be bargained down to $112. A lagoon view room is advertised at $363. A few kilometres away is an equally surprising Protestant community. These are Balinese Christians, converts from the Dutch missionaries who worked in Bali during the Dutch occupation, against official Dutch policies at the time. The original settlers were rejected by their families and their villages, as much because they were seen to be siding with the Dutch as for their religious conversions. The re-settlement by the Dutch authorities was as much an admission of guilt following previous years of colonisation as it was the shame of being seen to have allowed cultural change within the communities where the missionaries worked.
A little south of Negara is the bull racing arena at Pangambengam. You can see minor races or training sessions quite frequently but the main money events are in August and October. The big events, particularly, are colourful and spectacular.
Western Bali is the ‘left hand' side of the map and it sees the end of the central mountains that run across the island. It is quite arid in parts but the tropical forest in the National Park is lush in the deepest valleys. In the park you may be lucky enough to see the very rare and therefore very valuable, white, Bali Sparrow. Don't get caught if you're tempted to try to catch one. The penalties are extreme and the ‘Bali Hilton' (jail) in Kerobokan is not at all like the Hilton in Nusa Dua.
The inhabitants along the poorer parts of the north west coast are re-settled Balinese from the separation of East Timor. They seem to have just been dumped in a place that no-one else could live in or wanted. Similar things could be said of the Mount Agung eruption refugees who were re-settled on the south coast.
The main attractions, apart from the ferries to Java which depart from Gilimanuk and the associated docks and bus terminal, are the West Bali National Park, in the highlands mainly, and the snorkelling around Menjangan Island on the north coast (which is also included within the park boundaries). Admission to the island costs about Rp15,000 which covers boat, guide, entry fees, car parking and snorkelling equipment hire. Sharing with a larger group reduces the costs per individual. If you intend to spend some days in the water it might pay you to buy/bring your own mask so that you know you're going to see things. The largest flippers (fins) that you're likely to find will be 46.
There is further information of a more specific nature at the link below. Its at the end of a large file so give it plenty of time to load right to the end.
Have a great holiday.