GIANYAR TOWN AND VICINITY
The small, bustling administrative center of Gianyar Regency, 23 km from
Denpasar's Terminal Kereneng (Rp700 by bemo), Gianyar is important
from a tourist point of view both as a bemo stop for those heading
north to Kintamani or east to Klungkung and as a center for native Balinese
ikat weaving (called endek in Balinese). It also has several
jeweler's shops selling traditional gold jewelry and a large cockfighting
arena (wantilan). Its babi guling stands and joged
group are famous all over the island.
THE PURI
The old palace, visible through a gate, is in the middle of town facing
the alun-alun. Still a private residence, prior permission is required
to visit. First built in 1771 on the site of a priest's house, it barely
survived a number of 19th-century wars, but was destroyed by the 1917 earthquake.
Rebuilt in the 1920s, it's one of the few traditional and best preserved
Balinese palaces still existing, and one of few still lived in by a royal
family. Its spacious courtyards are decorated with stonework and carved
wood pillars. Visit the western courtyard, with its two impressive gates
and gilded bale. In the alun-alun stands a waringin
tree, an all-important symbol of Balinese and Javanese royal courts.
During the wars of the 1880s, pressed by belligerent
neighbors, Gianyar's raja, Dewa Manggis, agreed to pay liege homage to
the Dewa Agung of Klungkung. Ultimately, the raja and his whole family
were imprisoned. In 1889, two sons escaped from Klungkung and re-established
their kingdom in the puri. Placing themselves under the protection
of the Dutch, the kingdom was spared when the Dutch conquered the other
southern Bali principalities. In the 20th century, the Gianyar royal line
became administrators in the colonial government and after the war in 1950s
and '60s, prominent republican leaders.
SHOPPING
The shops along the main street are not cheap, apparently the victims of
tour buses, but still pretty good. There's a thriving "art market" everyday
where you can bargain for just about any arts and crafts product made on
the island, and a few that aren't.
A woodcarving training center is in Abianbase
a few blocks from Gianyar's police station. Visit before 1200. Called Sasana
Hasta Karya, it was set up in 1983 by the Denpasar Catholic church
as an assistance program to unemployed youth. The carving follows Balinese
traditional style with some thematic inspiration from the Borobudur and
Prambanan temples in Central Java.
Shop for your handwoven and hand-dyed textiles
and sarung here. Just before entering town from Denpasar you'll
find several textile shops and factories with showrooms selling sarung,
colorfully decorated T-shirts, shirts (Rp30,000 and up), and stunning ikat
(Rp10,000-15,000 per meter). Prices are high for the quality, but the designs
and colors are utterly unique. Best to buy in the off-season because tourists
drive prices up. If you're not careful, you could pay more than in Denpasar
or Kuta; a sarung costing Rp7500 in Legian costs a fixed Rp15,000
here.
Kain ikat is cheaper in the Gianyar
market, but the lighting is so dim it's difficult to make out the colors
and quality. The clerks there can only come down 15% at most; for more
than that they have to ask the boss. Always ask for a wholesale discount
if you buy more than three of anything. The materials used are synthetic
(plastic twine and chemical dyes).
There are at least 50 hand-weaving factories
in Gianyar. They pay scores of girls and boys Rp60,000-70,000 per month.
The kids work everyday but holidays 0800-1600; it takes about six hours
to complete one sarung. The workers are too poor themselves to wear
the sarung they make, but conditions have improved. Now they're
given one free meal a day, plus free drinks.
Cap Togog, Jl. Astina Utara 11, tel.
(0361) 93046 or 93443, fax 93442, is the largest (seven sweatshops) and
oldest (1953) weaving factory in Gianyar. Open 0800-1630 every day. No
women's clothes, but endek fabric is Rp17,000 per meter; lots of
men's shirts starting at Rp30,000; silk sarung, Rp80,000. All fabrics
made here. Colors won't run, as there is good quality control. The working
looms are in the back where 300 people work. For discounts, see the manager
Pande Nyoman Gede Maruta.
One of Gianyar's best known mills, Cap
Cili, Ciung Wanara 7, Gianyar 80511, tel. (0361) 93409, fax 93724,
is also one of Gianyar's largest and oldest (1960). They sell not only
lengths of endek cloth (Rp10,000-12,500 per meter), but hand-painted
batik, integrated garments, short-sleeve shirts (Rp17,500), long-sleeve
shirts (Rp25,000), dresses (Rp20,000). Also purses (Rp5000), sarung
(Rp10,000), swim trunks (Rp6000). Big display room, helpful clerks, owned
by Pande Wayan Sira. Open 0800-1800 every day. Fixed prices. Also check
out the Bakti and Cap Putri Bali weaving centers.
PRACTICALITIES
Accommodations and Food
Most travelers don't stay here overnight. Ubud, only 10 km away, has
an infinitely larger selection of accommodations; Gianyar has two places
to stay. The small Sari Gadung Homestay, Jl. Dalem Rai, tel. (0361)
93104, on the alun-alun, has seven rooms with a sitting room. No
breakfast. Plain, drab, tolerably clean, cool, central. Free tea and coffee.
Rp7000 s or d. Pondok Wisata, Jl. Anom Sandat 10 X, tel. (0361)
942164, down a little street off the alun-alun, has nine rooms without
air conditioning or fans. Rp20,000 s, Rp35,000 d, simple breakfast included.
Without breakfast, rooms are Rp5000 cheaper.
Pasar Senggol, the big culinary attraction of Gianyar, takes place
on the main street near the market every night 1700-2100. All the best
traditional dishes are found here: grilled chicken (ayam kampung),
rice mixed with sweet potatoes (tepeng), and Balinese kampung
sweets. Even the people from Denpasar drive all the way here because the
night market has such a concentration of authentic Balinese village food
without a touristy atmosphere.
Two Warung Melati serve the Balinese
delicacy babi guling, roast piglet, on either side of the stanplatz.
About Rp10,000 for two people. Get there early because by 1100 they're
usually sold out. A nasi padang restaurant called the Bundo Kandung
is on Jl. Kesatrian beside the cinema.
Information and Services
The poorly staffed tourist office for Gianyar District (Dinas
Pariwisata Gianyar) is at Jl. Ngurah Rai 21 (Mon.-Fri. 0700-1700, tel.
0361-93401). It's easier to get info in Ubud. In rudimentary English they
can only advise about the location of the various weaving factories. A
Wartel, open 24 hours, is just to the west of the tourist office.
Change money at Bank Rakyat Indonesia, 200 meters down the road
in the town center by the palace; turn at the sign to Lebih.
Getting There and Away
Bemo heading east from Denpasar, from the south, and from the
north are forced to pass through Gianyar; listen for the abbreviated nyar!
Destinations, distances, and prices: Denpasar, 23 km, Rp700; Kutri, 10
km, Rp400; Bedulu, five km, Rp300; Sidan, three km, Rp300; Pejeng, 10 km,
Rp400.
VICINITY OF GIANYAR
In Bitra, two km northwest of Gianyar, a famous death temple (pura
dalem) sits under a big banyan tree beside a river. A state pura
dedicated to the descendents of the throne of Dewa Manggis is found at
Beng, three km northeast of Gianyar. Kramas, four km to the
south, is a center for music and dance, particularly for its arja
theatrical performers, as it was once the seat of 17th-century prince Gusti
Agung Maruti.
Samprangan, two km to the east past
the Sangsang River, was the site of a former royal palace of Javanese aristocrat
Kapakisan, who was sent by general Gajah Mada to represent Majapahit
interests in the area. The very old pura dalem that houses the sacral
drinking bowl of Kapakisan's horse is behind the village wantilan.
It's the only remnant of this puri. North of Gianyar is Bukit
Jati ("Hill of Teak"). The teak trees disappeared decades ago, but
there's a fine panorama from the temple of cascading rice fields.
Sidan
There are many beautiful temples in the Gianyar area, like the exquisitely
carved temple near Sidan, a village three kilometers east of Gianyar town
on the road to Bangli. A fine example of a pura dalem. At the kulkul
tower, stone relief shows evildoers being tormented by devil giants, gates
are flanked by deities of death, the temple's main motif, and the semi-divine
Boma and Durga appear as the terrifying widow-witch Rangda. The pura
is dedicated to Merajapati, the caretaker of the dead. It's believed the
ashes of the great King Airlangga are interred here.
To get to Sidan, take a bemo for Rp300 from Gianyar in the direction
of Bangli and get off at Peteluan. From Klungkung and Bangli it's also
Rp300 by bemo. The pura dalem is only two kilometers north
of Peteluan, the crossroads village leading up to Bangli. From this same
crossroads, where you can change bemo, it's nine kilometers to Klungkung
and 47 kilometers to Amlapura.
Lebih
In the coastal village of Lebih, three kilometers south of Gianyar,
fishermen gather nener (tadpoles) to be sold to Javanese fishpond
cultivators. On this road sits one of Bali's only Chinese temples. A large
Chinese community once served as merchant middlemen between the Gianyar
raja and his subjects. Many Chinese tradesmen took part in the construction
of the puri, evidenced by the Chinese ornamentation on the roofs
of the various bale.
A pura segara (sea temple) affords
a good vantage point over Nusa Penida. Balinese all over the district bring
the ashes of their dead here for the soul's final liberation in a ceremony
known as melasti. Because of the undertow, swimming here is dangerous.
The best beach in the area is at Siyut, 10 kilometers south (via
Tulikup and Bekul) of the main Gianyar-Klungkung road.
Bona and Vicinity
Many of the inhabitants of Bona, only three kilometers northeast of
Blahbatuh on an asphalt road between Gianyar and Blahbatuh, are engaged
in making good quality baskets, hats, sandals, wallets, handbags, fans,
dolls, birds, flowers, and up to three-meter-tall Christmas trees made
of dried lontar palm leaves. Plain and spotted bamboo chairs, beds,
and tables, or plain or ornate wooden furniture can be ordered here.
Bona is also the venue of an extraordinary
version of the modern kecak, the "fire dance," first performed here
in the 1930s. It's a travesty of the sanghyang dedari trance dance
performed with a male chorus accompaniment, at least six days a week from
1800 to 2000. Entrance is Rp5000, including transport from Ubud at 1700.
Or buy tickets at the door. Bemo from Gianyar cost Rp300.
Visit the readymade batik and ikat
outlet Anoman Handicrafts Shop up the road from Bona toward Gianyar.
To see the ikat process, visit their weaving factory in Beng.
There are also at least 50 weaving factories and dozens of showrooms in
and around the town of Gianyar.
Saba and Masceti Beaches
Seven kilometers south of Gianyar, west of Lebih, and near the mouth
of the Pakrisan River are the restful black- and gray-sand beaches of Saba
and Masceti. If heading west from Gianyar, turn at the sign advertising
the luxurious, never-opened Saba Bay Resort Hotel. A motorcyclist will
take you down to Saba Beach for around Rp2000 (hitch another motorcycle
or scooter back). For surfers there's a good right break over a sand and
rock bottom. Once yearly, the people of Gianyar stage a huge rite here
to placate the forces of disease and calamity.
At Masceti, 10 kilometers south of
Bona via Medahan, is a much venerated sea temple, one of the nine that
protect the south coast of Bali from the forces of the sea. From Medahan,
follow the signs to the sea through rice terraces and you'll come to the
impressive rough coral candi bentar that marks the entrance to the
temple. An attractive lily pond lies to the east but the black-sand shore
is marred by a hideously ornamented swimming pool and stage.