History
Legend has it that a wandering Hindu priest named Rsi Markendya founded the temple of Pura Gunung Lebah in the 8th century at the confluence of Campuan's two rivers. Near this spot in 1906, Nieuwenkamp discovered a nine-by-one-by-two-meter hewn-rock cave supported by two columns. Characters were written on the roof, which had caved in during the 1917 earthquake. Ever since the German artist Walter Spies took up residence in the 1930s on the grounds of the present-day Hotel Tjampuan, the lush, tranquil beauty of the village has attracted famous painters, scholars, and celebrities from all over the globe. While here, Spies and Rudolph Bonnet made important contributions to modern Balinese art by coaching Balinese artists and providing them paints and canvases. These Europeans inspired the Balinese to forsake the rigid conventions of the traditional style and adopt some European painting techniques (see "Painting" in the Introduction).

Pura Gunung Lebah
This beautiful, tranquil, and impeccably maintained temple lies beside the river just north of the Campuan bridge, easily accessible from the Tjetjak Inn. The celebrated batik painter Nyoman Suradnya considers it the most important temple in the Ubud area. It was the site of the Penyegjeg Bhumi, the "Great Ceremony to Straighten the World" of October 1991, a ceremony held only once a century. An exciting discovery, the temple doesn't seem to be in anyone's maps or guides, so it has no sash-hawkers or other sellers lying in wait outside the front gate. Sit in the temple and listen to the river. You'll probably be the only person in the place.

Neka Museum
This nicely laid-out museum, one km north of Campuan, sits in a traditionally designed compound of four galleries containing the works of the greats of Balinese art. The museum portion, where works are not for sale, makes up only one small corner of the complex; the rest of the art is for sale. In the first gallery are exhibited the works of such well-known traditional Balinese painters as I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, a Balinese master who died at an amazing 121 years of age, Ida Bagus Made, Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, and Kebot. In the second gallery are the works of Nyoman Gunarsa, Abdul Aziz, Widayat, Abbas Dullah, and Affandi, modern, formally trained Indonesian artists who've worked on Bali. In the third gallery are the works of Walter Spies, Rudolph Bonnet, and Arie Smit, European artists who greatly influenced Balinese art. The works of other foreign painters who lived for extensive periods on Bali is displayed in the fourth gallery.
     Besides these permanent exhibits, you can view paintings from an adjoining, continuously changing exhibit. In the small bookshop you can buy postcards of some of the gallery's best-known works and copies of the book Perceptions of Paradise (1993). Although a good variety of modern and traditional paintings are for sale, unfortunately there are no labels, no price list, and no information about the paintings. The Neka Museum was founded by Suteja Neka, who's collected works for this exhibit since 1966. Admission: Rp500.

Galleries
It's easy to strike up a rather rambling, enjoyable conversation with Antonio Blanco, an eccentric Catalonian artist who welcomes visitors to his home/gallery. He's an intriguing character on a big ego trip, which is great for business. Blanco calls his style renaissance; many of his paintings are bawdy and erotic, yet possess grace and rhythm, attractive colors, and lots of hidden meanings. Blanco paints in a pit below floor level so he can view his subjects at eye level. The steep driveway to Blanco's home is on the left immediately after the bridge on the way into Campuan from Ubud. Definitely worth a visit.

Accommodations
Family-operated Ananda Cottages, Box 205, Denpasar 80001, tel. (0361) 975376, fax 975375, has three classes of rooms: standard downstairs Rp69,000 s, Rp81,000 d; superior upstairs Rp81,000 s, Rp104,000 d, and family units Rp173,000. Add 15.5% tax and service. All rooms are big and comfortable with huge windows, hot and cold running water, Western baths, 24-hour room service, and veranda or terrace. Intercoms connect the rooms to front desk. An open-air restaurant serves European or Indonesian food. Nice surroundings and hospitable and friendly staff. Relax at the bar and take a swim or sunbathe in the natural cool and clean spring-fed pool. Recreational activities include badminton and jogging track nearby. The cottages are between the Campuan bridge and the Neka Museum, about 1.5 km from Ubud on the left, and face beautiful rice fields. Family-owned Campuan Indah Homestay, Jl. Raya Campuan, tel. (0361) 975087, charges Rp10,000 s, Rp20,000 d for rooms with bath, breakfast. They serve real Balinese food but you must order 24 hours in advance. Kijang for rent (Rp69,000 per day including insurance, Rp115,000 with driver). Ask the owner, I Gusti Nyoman Daria, who speaks good English, to take you to Keliki or down to the royal Gunung Lebah temple on the fork of the two tributaries of the River Oos—the oldest, biggest and most famous temple in the Ubud area.
     Tjetjak Inn (or Cecak Inn), on the right as you're approaching Campuan, charges Rp35,000 s, Rp46,000 d (includes tax) for small, sparsely furnished bungalows overlooking the river. Breakfast is included, served either on your veranda or in the open-air restaurant. No phones in rooms. Close to the main Ubud-Campuan road, with a sweeping view, good vibrations, a nearby natural springs, and superb walking tracks in the vicinity. Call (0361) 975238 or fax 975052 for reservations, especially in July and August. Made's and Uli Pering's Cottages, a 20-minute walk uphill from the Tjetjak Inn, rent for Rp35,000 and look out over a magnificent ravine. For people who like to walk or meditate. Quiet, except for the sound of the rivers below. Negotiable seasonal rates.
     Long a favorite of Jakarta-based expats, Murni's Houses, tel. (0361) 975165, lies below the restaurant by the same name; Rp104,000 d per day for an apartment and Rp173,000 per day for a private house (capacity eight people). Pool, maid service, and helpful staff. Each accommodation is whimsically decorated with Balinese paintings and hanging winged gods. From your veranda contemplate some of the area's most impressive examples of agricultural engineering. Puri Sekar Ayu Bungalows, Jl. Raya Campuan, tel. (0361) 975671, on the right on the road down to Campuan offers five bungalows on a hill. Rates are Rp51,000-69,000, with delicious breakfast included. Nice patio restaurant, peaceful surroundings.
     On the slope of a green hill overlooking a deep gorge, the 26-room Hotel Tjampuhan, Jl. Raya Campuan, Box 198, Ubud 80571, tel. (0361) 975368 or 975369, fax 975137, is on the right, about 200 meters up after the bridge. The embodiment of the rustic charm architectural movement of the 1950s, with a decided air of neglect, the property is much bigger than it looks (some rooms are a 10-minute walk from the front desk). The rates are Rp109,000 s, Rp125,000 d, for standard, Agung rooms; Rp150,000 s, Rp184,000 d, for deluxe Raja rooms; all are subject to 15.5% tax and service. Sometimes booked out by package tour operators. Each large bungalow has its own bathroom with hot and cold water, jacuzzi-style bath, leaky toilet, shower, ceiling fan, and veranda, but no in-room telephone. Don't get a room close to the noisy road. Spies and Bonnet lived here during the 1930s; in fact, you may sleep in Spies' old house. Facilities include a 1930s-style pool, immaculate tennis court (reportedly built for Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton), badminton courts, bar, restaurant, and lots of exquisite privacy. Take a stroll through the scenic, rambling, and well-kept grounds.
    Though Hotel Tjampuhan's restaurant is not so good, the breakfasts are okay, though late (0730). (Better American breakfasts can be had down the road at the Beggar's Bush or at the Bridge Cafe.) Nonguests may use the pool (Rp3000). Taxis always available and car, bicycle, and motorcycles for rent.
    Also owned by Cokorda Putra Sukawati is Campuan's premier hotel, the high-priced Pita Maha, just short of the Campuan-Kedewetan line. Billed as a more Balinese version of Hotel Tjampuan, the 20 luxurious units (Rp207,000 and up) plus four family units all have courtyards and extravagant stonework. Spread over different levels of hills, the hotel looks out over a deep river valley, rice fields, and mountains—a unique and romantic location.
     Ulun Ubud Cottages, Box 3, Ubud, tel. (0361) 975024 or 975762, fax 975524, is actually in the outskirts of Campuan beyond the Neka Museum in Sanggingan, 2.5 km north. This top-class hotel boasts some truly distinct features: dramatic location with stunning views, fine performance and study spaces, good restaurant, bar, pool, and a variety of spacious traditional-style rooms with hot water, bath, shower, and antiques. Priced at Rp104,000 s, Rp127,000 d for standard rooms; Rp115,000 s, Rp150,000 d for studio bungalows; Rp253,000 twin, Rp207,000 triple for family units; Rp150,000 s, Rp207,000 d for suite rooms. All rates include breakfast, tax, and service. Clean, quiet, beautifully designed and decorated.

Accommodations
A wonderful place to stay is Made Arta's, three comfortable houses amid rice paddies, each costing Rp30,000 per day (up to four people). Made prepares a delicious breakfast every morning, speaks English well, and is a valuable source of local information, customs, and conversation. Climb the Penestanan steps and follow the path to the right. About 230 meters past Kori Agung, turn left on the path. Made Arta's is down 100 meters on the right. For reservations, write Arta Bungalows, Campuan, Ubud 80571, Bali, Indonesia.
     Rent a whole house at isolated I Nyoman Gelis Bungalows, Box 143, Ubud. People often stay for months. As many as four people may share a bungalow. The price of Rp15,000-30,000, depending on the size of the bungalow, includes breakfast. Hot water. A bathing place is down the path below the homestay. To get there, walk up the Penestanan steps, go 400 meters past Ibu Putu's Warung, turn right at rock sign, then it's another 400 meters along a small stream to the next rock sign pointing to steps up to the homestay. The family offers beadwork instruction and private tours on request, and Nyoman gives great healing massages (Rp20,000 per hour).
     Nearby Melati Cottages, Box 15, Ubud, tel. (0361) 975088, offers sumptuous, though a bit kitsch, quarters in a beautiful setting. Take a sharp left after Blanco's; at the top of the hill take the little path near Hotel Penestanan through the rice paddies. You'll see the sign. Its 12 bungalows (Rp23,0000-58,000 d) have traditional decor, hot water, ceiling fans, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, 360-degree views over sawah, wide wooden plank floors, life-size woodcarvings, a pool in the middle of rice paddies, and a library. Great breakfast. Numbers 1, 5, and 7 are the best (extra beds). Very quiet, good service, and well protected in an enclosed area. Nyoman Rata, the proprietor, will give you a ride to Ubud or pick you up at the airport. Visa/MasterCard accepted.
     For Made Bawa Bungalows, take the stairs diagonally across from Hotel Tjampuhan, then take a right (you'll see the sign). Three beautiful thatched bungalows with refrigerator, stove, and coffee in the morning. The small ones are Rp15,000 while the two-story ones are Rp20,000. However, you may find the noise from the road bothersome.
     Pugur's Bungalow, Box 10, Ubud, on the edge of the rice fields, lacks peace and quiet yet is close to restaurants and other conveniences. After Warung Ibu Put, take a left; it'll be on the right. Of the three bungalows, the front one has its own private garden. All have a well-equipped private kitchen; you can cook yourself or hire a Balinese cook for Rp100,000 per month. Very private. Beautiful views of Gunung Agung out one window and Gunung Batukau out the other. The owner, Pugur, studied with Arie Smit in 1963. He will probably invite you to his house for kuningan.
     On the south side of Pugur's Bungalows is Londa's, which has three very nice bungalows at the same price as Pugur's. Nearby in the rice paddies is Siddharta's, an open-sided restaurant with accommodations. Friendly service, clean and attractive premises. Within easy walking distance, Rasman's rents lovely bungalows at a reasonable price that includes a delicious breakfast. Upon request, and for a fair price, they'll prepare a wonderful roast duck dinner with side dishes.
     Sadri Homestay, near the "intersection" at the top of the stairs, has Balinese-style bungalows with big pavilions for Rp20,000 (no breakfast) or Rp22,000 (with breakfast). High up in the rice fields among flowering shrubs, the panorama is magnificent.

Food
Murni's Warung, tel. (0361) 975233, just before the bridge on the left if walking from Ubud, used to be highly recommended but lately it's considered generally overpriced for the food and service. It serves both Western and Indonesian food—chili con carne, sweet and sour pork, grilled fish, spring rolls, French fries—and is getting very gucci for the Euro-yuppies with drinks like sangria (Rp4500), gazpacho (Rp3000), and the Upper Elk Valley Authentic American Hamburger. Good reports, however, on their salads, Chinese meals, and desserts, as well as the fantastic coffee and ice-cold beer. It's clean and sits over the rushing river. Open 1030-2100 every day.
     On the Campuan side of the bridge, Beggar's Bush Bar and Restaurant, tel. (0361) 975009, continues to enjoy a solid reputation for their excellent Western/Indonesian food and nice atmosphere. They have the best steak, spareribs, and baked potato in town, plus real Balinese food like ayam takir ("steamed running chicken") and pecel paku (ferns). An excellent introduction into Balinese cooking. Attractive prices.
     On the other side of the road, the Bridge Cafe, tel. (0361) 975058, fax 975137, serves tasty food with no MSG. Above Rasman's, in the rice fields, is an excellent restaurant called Kori Agung. There are approximately eight tables with a beautiful view. Everything on the menu is fresh and well-prepared at moderate prices (a dinner for two, which includes appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and coffee, is about Rp46,000). The black rice pudding is some of the island's best.
    Bali Restaurant, on the southerly road to Penestanan, is off and on. The old Bali Restaurant went bankrupt during a post-August thaw and the new one is under new management. The nightly specials could be good. Some people like the classier and slightly more expensive Cafe Dewata down the road. Although it's equally as uneven in food quality, the setting is airier and the menu more extensive. The service is good.

Entertainment
Laser disc videos are screened at Coconut's, but movies are not thoughtfully chosen—usually violent. Not only is this the clearest screen around but there's also a crystal-clear stereo system and pleasant dining area. Another place that shows big-screen movies is the Bridge Cafe near Campuan's suspension bridge. The person who picks the films has good taste. The food is good but expensive.
     Beggar's Bush, on the right just after the bridge, captures the feeling of an English pub. Victor Mason's bar is named after a notorious 19th century tavern outside London. Truly cold draft beer is served at sensible prices (half pint Rp3000, full pint Rp5500); also try Beggar's Grog, a spiced arak from Karangasem brewed from a guarded family recipe. The Bush possesses a killer 1940s jazz and blues record collection. Balinese cowboys, regular irregulars, locals, police, and Brits love this sacred temple of low debauchery. The kitchen doesn't close until midnight to serve hungry late night revelers, many of whom are thankful for the free transport back to their hotels.

Shopping
Kunang-Kunang I in Campuan, tel. (0361) 975714, fax 975282, is an importer of stylish, collector-quality art objects, silver jewelry, textiles, pottery, musical instruments, furniture, and antiques from Lombok, Sumatra, Timor, and all the outlying islands—you name it, they've got it. Not a souvenir shop, this place displays expensive stuff in locked glass cases: contemporary jewelry, silver, precious stones, and some ikat pieces. The staff speaks good English. A branch, Kunang-Kunang II, tel. (0361) 975716, is on Jl. Raya in Ubud.
     Daigo Yasugi sells Balinese art on T-shirts for Rp10,000-50,000. All are original works by Balinese painters living in Ubud—so original the other T-shirt makers copy his designs within a few days after they come out. His shirts are colorfast and fixed priced. Daigo can also make T-shirts to order. See his creations at the Bali Art Co-op on Jl. Raya, tel./fax (0361) 975087.

Services
Campuhan Tourist Service, Box 10, Ubud, tel./fax (0361) 975298, is the only travel agent in Campuan, handling faxes (Rp10,000 to the U.S.), airline ticketing and confirmations, hotel reservations, car rentals, moneychanging, and various tours.
     Closer to Ubud's center, Ary's Tourist Service Center, Jl. Raya Ubud, tel. (0361) 96130, fax 975162, conducts tours at very good prices: the Bedugul Tour Rp22,500, Singaraja-Lovina Tour Rp27,500, Kintamani-Besakih Tour Rp22,500, East Part of Bali Tour Rp27,500, Uluwatu Tour Rp22,500. All tours leave at 0830 or 0900, require a minimum of three people, and the price does not include entrance fees. Special or private tours on request.
     Telephone services are available at Kori Agung Bungalows and Cafe, which obviates visiting any of Ubud's telecommunications offices.

Walks from Campuan
The surrounding area is quite beautiful, and setting out for a walk is a good way to kill half a day. Generally speaking, the north is cleaner and less polluted than the south. To the west is the painter's village of Penestanan, an easy walk from Campuan. From here turn north and walk to Sayan where the rice terraces and views from the hills are magnificent. Get a reasonably early start for the best views and photo opportunities, as the mist and light provide tremendous ambience.

Sanginggan
There are many places to stay north of town, like in Wisata Cottages in the small village of Sanginggan a little past Campuan. The Wisata has Rp40,000 bungalows, which include a nice breakfast. Rooms are right on the edge of a dropoff to a ravine with the river below. The problem with this locale is that it's too dangerous to walk along the narrow road down to Campuan and back. There are deep ditches on both sides, into which you'll surely be forced to escape the roaring trucks. This road desperately needs a sidewalk.

The School of Young Artists
The Dutch painter Arie Smit lived in this artists' village in the late 1960s and started the perennial School of Young Artists by teaching young Balinese artists European techniques. One of the best-selling painting styles on Bali, this school of "naive" painters has spawned hundreds of clones all over Bali. The Young Artists' paintings of dancers, market scenes, and rice harvests are characterized by bold colors, pronounced outlines, and an attractive harmony of form and color.
     But, having been mass-produced to meet the demands of tourists, the new paintings this school is producing do not display the same strength of the earlier paintings. The technique has taken on a certain rigidity and the subject matter has become stultified (see "Painting" in the Introduction). This does not mean, though, that Penestanan's artists are not worthy of attention. The home of at least 40 artists sell their paintings at more down-to-earth prices compared to Ubud and many of its surrounding "art" hamlets.

Accommodations and Food
Reasonably priced Penestanan Bungalows, tel. (0361) 975803, is situated in magnificent rice fields. Negotiate a price of Rp35,000 per day for nice-sized rooms high up on the second floor with privacy, fantastic views, and hot water. Life here is altogether pleasant and extremely quiet. The place is half-full even in the high season, and even when the much more expensive Bali Ubud and Melati Bungalows nearby are nearly full. This is because you can't drive here.
     In Penestanan Kelod, Gerebig Bungalows, Box 133, Ubud, has two single rooms (Rp16,000), two double rooms (Rp20,000), two standard bungalows with two double beds (Rp26,000), and one family-size bungalow (Rp40,000). The two-story bungalows are the nicest. All rooms and bungalows have private baths and showers, look out on rice fields, and face the sunset. Prices include breakfast, plus bananas and tea in the afternoon. The people who run it are the best part; the room service is a real advantage to staying here. Rooms are cleaned and supplied with fresh towels each day. To get to Gerebig, walk up the road by Blanco's house, past Cafe Dewata, across a small river, and take the path on the right (see sign) opposite a water temple. In all, it's about a 25-minute walk from Ubud's center, 10-minute walk from Penestanan village, and only five-minute walk to restaurants serving decent food.

Bongkasa
The largest blooming banyan tree in the Malay Archipelago—100 meters across—is in Bongkasa, near Sayan. To get there from the Bale Banjar Kutuh in Sayan, walk 80 meters south and take a right on the footpath to Bongkasa. The trail leads past a temple, across bridges over an irrigation canal, then to the Ayung River. Continue north to the Pura Puseh of Bongkasa, an ornate temple built of brick surrounded by a spacious lawn. Walk on to stone steps that lead to the Tanggayuda banjar and on to Pura Desa Tenggayuda, where you'll see the tree. It's so large that from a distance it looks like a whole forest. The central bole has been entirely engulfed by a huge tangle of aerial roots and a mass of epiphytes. The tree is the habitat of a sizable population of birds, squirrels, and lizards. Proceed north to the sand-collecting gorge where laborers scoop sand from the bottom of the river using hand-operated pulleys, then haul the sand in buckets on their heads up the slope to the main road. From there it's collected by middlemen and sold for Rp4500 per cubic meter.

Begawan Giri
This small hamlet on the Sayan ridge is famous for its hot springs, Toya Mampeh, believed to have magical healing powers, within the confines of one of Bali's horticultural masterpieces, Begawan Giri. Established first as a private holiday home, Begawan Giri has grown into a complex of 11 luxurious, self-contained villas, each with its own garden. The designers have planted 1,500 trees, including teak, mahogany, tamarind, avocado, coconut, mango, durian, mangosteen, nangka, rambutan, as well as African tulip, flamboyant, champak, and other exotic ornamentals. The estate's spring-fed pools are stocked with fish; there's also a health spa, an amphitheater for dance performances, and sports facilities. Take the flight of stone steps down to the Ayung River, passing under moon orchids and drooping maidenhair ferns along the way. The sacred springs are about three-quarters of the way down.

Getting Away
The ambitious may continue on to Sangeh, a beautiful walk through rice fields, shadowy lanes, and palm plantations, crossing little canyons over split-bamboo bridges. If you take it easy, it requires about four hours. Just keep asking for Sangeh; everybody knows the way. From Sangeh, take a bemo down to Denpasar (Rp800), then another bemo back up to Ubud again (Rp800)—a satisfying day trip.

Accommodations
Because of the unique and coveted location lining a precipice over a deep and fertile river valley, Kedewatan's accommodations tend to be very intimate, very exclusive, and very expensive. If you have to think about money, you probably can't afford it. These fine resorts typically offer delicious seclusion, spa bathrooms, gym facilities, flexible check-in/check-out, airport transfers, valet and tour services, courtesy shuttle buses into Ubud, even golf driving ranges. At least stop in these cool hillside hotels for a cup of tea or a glass of wine and enjoy the view with the rushing Ayung River 75-100 meters below.
     Another of Bali's most exquisite hotel properties is the Amandari, tel. (0361) 975333, fax 975335, part of the Hong Kong-based Aman Resort group. This ultradeluxe two-million dollar hotel achieved world prominence in November 1990 when Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall married on the premises. Designed by Peter Muller, who also designed the Oberoi, the Amandari simulates a Balinese village with 27 walled garden suites—virtual house complexes. The cheapest bungalow rents for Rp690,000 per night, the most expensive at Rp1.6 million (plus 15.5% tax and service). Each fully tiled bungalow, with teak beams, rattan furniture, sliding floor-to-ceiling window walls, and sunken marble outdoor tubs, is connected by walkways leading to the resort facilities. On the grounds are lily ponds, a 29-by-nine-meter hillside pool in the shape of a rice terrace, and a tennis court. Both simplicity and elegance are the rule—no signs, no noise, no unnatural materials, no radios, no music, no telephones ringing. Free transport to and from the airport. Bikes and guides are available free of charge. Extraordinary security; sentinels in white tunics guard the grounds.
     One of the area's premier accommodations is the Kupu Kupu Barong, Box 7, Ubud, Bali, tel. (0361) 975478, fax 975079, in Kedewatan, perched on the edge of a cliff above the impossibly green Ayung River. Out nearly every window of its 19 luxurious a/c bungalows are breathtaking views, in some ways superior to the Amandari's because you're closer to the river. Structures are built in traditional lumbung style, with thatch roofs, bath and shower, fridge, ceiling fans, separate entrances, and private balcony and terrace. Each unit is set at a different level amidst organic, leafy, extravagant gardens and pathways overgrown with bougainvillea and sprays of orchids. The property boasts three pools, a resort shop, and Balinese massage and whirlpool. Part of the complex is an excellent and spectacularly situated restaurant. Rajapala and Mahabarata dances are put on each evening. Rates (subject to 15.5% tax and service) begin at Rp710,000 and go up to Rp1.5 million for the Barong Suite with private pool. Tranquil Balinese exoticism.
     Scenic Cahaya Dewata Bungalows, Box 59, Ubud 80571, tel./fax (0361) 975495, atop the same deep ravine, is a cheaper version of the Kupu Kupu Barong, costing "only" Rp138,000 s or d for standard rooms, Rp184,000 for suite with valley view, and Rp368,000 for the Agung Room with valley view. To all prices, add 17.5% tax and service. Bungalows, built on different levels of the hillside, are nicely appointed with veranda, solar-heated showers, kitchen, fridge. Pool. Local calls cost Rp3000 apiece. The Kupu Kupu Restaurant is expensive but worth it if you consider the surroundings. Excellent breakfast with whole-wheat toast and tofu/tempe scrambled eggs. Airport transfers are Rp45,000.
     Completely self-contained Puri Kamandalu consists of 20 rooms combining classical Chinese and Indonesian motifs. Located right by a rafting river, you can take paths and walkways all the way down to the river. Great meditation place. Lowest priced bungalows with two-meter-long baths cost Rp368,000, 75-square-meter suites are Rp473,000.
     Putra Ubara Homestay has four big, comfortable, cool, well-furnished rooms for Rp35,000 apiece, including breakfast and houseboy attendance. Off the road at the southern end of the Sayan chasm, the view over terraced sawah is less spectacular but also 30 times cheaper than the Amandari.

Vicinity of Kedewatan
Seven km beyond Kedewatan and about 13 km north of Ubud is Payangan, from where the road continues to climb toward the eastern mountains. You can also get to Payangan from Keliki. In Keliki, stay at the tranquil Klub Kokos (tel. 081-139-6218) run by Sudharsana and his Australian wife Cathy. Walk west via Keliki Kawan, noting its gargantuan banyan tree. After Klusa, cross over a river and end up in Payangan's marketplace. This is a nice, cool village with a busy fruit and vegetable pasar every three days, less commercialized than Ubud's market. The only place on Bali where litchi (longan) are cultivated; also in this region are vanilla, durian, pineapple, and coconut plantations.

Accommodations and Food
Stay in isolated, peaceful River Garden Homestay, with five rooms and two bungalows. Managed by an American, it's being developed as a healing spa. Peaceful Alam Indala, tel./fax (0361) 974629, consists of nine luxury bungalows, Rp92,000-207,000 per day, plus 15% tax and service. Located just before the village of Nyuhkuning, take the road to the right after the Monkey Forest. The architect has created here a stunning design, taking full advantage of the extraordinary views. Set back along the Campuan River Valley, the land all around is locked up from development. Some units are perfect for families and couples (10% discount for stays of 10 days or longer). There's a medium-size swimming pool with kids' pool. You hear no noise from the road, there's no TV, only a video player. Each room has fresh flowers, ceiling fans, a private bath, hot water, beautiful garden veranda, and looks out on lush gardens. Lunch and dinner menus prepared by Cafe Wayan. Laundry, dry cleaning service. Genuinely warm and attentive staff. You may use the hotel shuttle anytime (two or three vans available), and they'll also pick you up in Ubud. Airport transfers are Rp40,000. Mailing address: Box 165, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
     You'll see a big fat yogi in front of Nyuhkuning's The Blue Yogi 2 restaurant, next to the temple. It sells such Western dishes as tandoori chicken (Rp6500), muesli, and wholesome baked goods at fairly inexpensive prices. The Blue Yogi 1, tel./fax (0361) 91768, in Tegallalang has a similar menu. Located 9.5 km north of the Peliatan-Ubud crossroads at the beginning of Ubud, this restaurant makes for a very nice rest stop on the road north to Gunung Batur.

Environmental Bamboo Foundation
Nyuhkuning's most famous resident is the Queen of Bamboo, Irish-born Linda Garland, the passionate and visionary head of the Environmental Bamboo Foundation, Box 196, Ubud 80571, tel. (0361) 974027, fax 974029, a nonprofit organization that counts among its supporters rock stars, government ministers, U.S. senators, filmmakers, and famous writers. The purpose of the foundation is basically to accumulate and disperse knowledge to those in a position to replace degraded forests with bamboo—a symbol of both strength and flexibility.
     Linda Garland's home, on a seven hectare tract of land south of the Campuan River, has become a power point and center of activity for the world-wide ecological movement. An interior designer by training, Linda arrived in Bali in 1974, founded the Bali International School, and opened a business manufacturing furniture made from big bamboo—to this day her trademark. In the late 1980s she worked on David Bowie's house in the Caribbean.
    In 1994 the unique collection of structures Garland built was the feature of an article in Architectural Digest. This established her as a major international arbiter of taste in interior design. Her property consists of a series of open plains molded at different levels, merging naturally into adjacent rice fields and extending down to a river below. Buildings are constructed of bamboo with split bamboo floors and alang-alang thatched roof.
     In 1995, the foundation sponsored the Fourth World Bamboo Conference. One thousand delegates from all over the world poured into tiny Nyuhkuning to participate in and conduct lectures, workshops, and discussions, and form networking groups in science, industry, the arts, and environmental issues. All this to celebrate this remarkable plant and the products it generates—perhaps the only hope of reforesting the earth quickly enough to save the forests and guard the topsoil.

Singakerta
From Nyuhkuning, it's an hour's walk (crossing en route a dizzying girder bridge over the Oos River) to Singakerta's purah puseh, with elaborate gargoyles on the gate and kulkul tower. From this temple walk about 50 meters west to Pura Gado, a strange temple which combines both stupa-like Buddhist and primitive Polynesian features. In Singakerta, some of Bali's best woodcarvers make their living. South of the village on a well-trod path is the extravagant Pura Penataran Agung next to a big wantilan tree. Refresh yourself in the picturesque bath behind the temple. Beyond, in the rice fields, is Goa Raksasa, a perfect meditation spot in a cove of hibiscus and poinciana bushes framing a Javanese-style candi.

Accommodations
Agung Raka Bungalows, tel. (0361) 975757, fax 975546, is a collection of charming, elegant, and spacious bungalows on a quiet lane amid rice fields costing US$38 s, US$85 d. All rates include service and tax. One villa suite (US$120), with private entrance and kitchen, is surrounded by water-lily gardens. All have verandas, great outdoor kamar mandi, and plentiful hot water. The hotel has a pool, jacuzzi, parking, free transport to Ubud center, and the 16-seat open-air restaurant serves good Indonesian and continental food and a great breakfast. Friendly staff.
     Bali Breeze Bungalows, Box 67, Ubud, 80671, tel. (0361) 975410, fax to Ary's (0361) 975546 or 976162, lies on the edge of the village with nice views of rice terraces: five two-story bungalows for Rp21,000-31,500 (one or two people), three family units for Rp52,500 (four people), breakfast included. Facilities include beautiful gardens, open lawns, table tennis, and badminton court. This very secure place features bars on the windows and night guards roaming the grounds. An informal, unpretentious, and comfortable place with lots of personalized service.
     One of the hottest places right now is Guci Guesthouse, only 300 meters from the Community of Artists and 100 meters in from the road, in central Pengosekan. Super clean individual bungalows in a leafy garden feature ceiling fans, mosquito nets, and garden toilets. In the home of a painter, this is a marvelous and moderately priced place to stay.
     Puri Padi is a weird place. There's CNN but no phones in the rooms, therefore no room service. You have to go up to the front desk to order something for your room. Also no menus in the restaurant. Heavenly quiet because it's far from the road. Taxi into town from here is Rp2000 unless you can snag something along the road (easy to do; Rp1000-2000).
     Pondok Impian Bungalows on Jl. Raya Pengoskean, tel. (0361) 975253, is called a "village resort" by its owners. Rates: Rp58,000 s, Rp69,000 d for cool and tranquil bungalows, each with private bath, hot and cold water, and standing fan. In front is the restaurant furnished with antiques. The Primitive Bar serves International and Indonesian food 0630-2200.
     Puri Indah Exclusive Villas, also on Jl. Pengosekan, tel. (0361) 975742, fax 975332, is a small hotel set amidst beautifully landscaped gardens overlooking a small river, palm forest, and rice terraces. Each individually decorated pondok features overhead fans, minibar, large modern bathroom with hot and cold water, and private terrace. Room rates: superior Rp126,000 s, Rp147,000 d; deluxe Rp252,000 s, Rp273,000 d; VIP deluxe Rp483,000 s or d. Family houses cost Rp252,000-420,000. All rates subject to 17.5% tax and service. Facilities include safe deposit boxes, beautiful pool, poolside bar open till midnight, restaurant, and complimentary transport to and from Ubud's main restaurants. Credit cards accepted.
     Jati Homestay, Jl. Hanoman, offers beautiful rooms right on the rice paddies; Rp8000 s, Rp12,000 d, also one upstairs for Rp15,000 s or d. Can't beat the location. Run by the painter Mahardika, who is also a masterful kebyar player. Dinner fare includes delicious fish steamed in banana leaves with spices, great fried crispy noodles, and well-made rice wine. Gracious, serene accommodations are also provided by Kebun Indah, Jl. Padangtegal (tel. 0361-974629); features the wonderful food of Cafe Wayan.

Food and Entertainment
The elegant, open-sided Kokokan Club on Jl. Pengosekan, tel. (0361) 975742 or 96495, is rapidly becoming the place to be seen in Ubud. Located in front of Agung Rai's small hotel, Puri Indah, and adjacent to his large new museum, this is the first authentic Thai restaurant in the Ubud area, featuring dishes fragrantly spiced with lemongrass, lime, and mint. Order succulent seafood, innovative vegetarian dishes, mouthwatering cocktails, mixed drinks, fruit juices, wines and coffee, espresso, and cappuccino, all at reasonable prices (by Ubud standards). Open 1100-1400 for lunch, 1800-2000 for dinner. Every Saturday at 1930 is a special traditional Balinese buffet with smoked duck, prawns, seafood, chicken curry, vegetable, and salads—12 courses for Rp35,000 adult, Rp15,000 child under 15 years. Book a day ahead. Dinner is accompanied by live dance and drama; on alternate Saturdays hear live acoustic music and vocals. Free transportation in the Ubud area. Across from the Kokokan on Jl. Pengosekan is Exiles for pastas, soups, Indonesian food. Nice garden setting; lots of expats.

Painting
Even during the 1930s, when Rudolph Bonnet was exerting a profound influence over Ubud area painters, the wayang style persisted in Pengosekan, most notably in the magnificent works of I Gusti Ketut Kobot. He painted classical puppet-like figures, but in a softer, more humanized, and naturalized style. Kobot was an active member of the Pita Maha Painter's Cooperative created by the cosmopolitan Ubud Prince Cokorda Gede Sukawati, Rudolf Bonnet, and Walter Spies in 1935. The group dissolved by the end of WW II. A post-Pita Maha painters' cooperative was established here in 1969 by brothers Dewa Nyoman Batuan and Dewa Mokoh. Known as the Community of Artists, these brothers and their colleagues rediscovered the hidden beauty of nature with delicate and graceful depictions of leaves, insects, birds, and legendary creatures. This phase became known eventually as the Pengosekan Style. They laboriously painted large canvases symbolic of Bali's myths. Each canvas looked like a detail of a larger painting or a colored photograph shot with a macro lens. The colors used were refined and muted, yet pleasingly matched, conveying a sweet and cheerful feeling.
     Inspired by the Bali International Style of Irish designer Linda Garland, the commune's production in the 1980s concentrated on the more lucrative decorative arts, turning out partitions, screens, big parasols, tissue boxes, wooden fruit, toilet seats, children's furniture, floral mirror frames, small watercolor paintings, and other useful products—rendered with the same carving and fine drawing found in their less commercialized art. Strife and jealousy put an end to the cooperative by the mid-'80s. Now the thirty-some artists of the village produce work independently.
     The brothers Barat and Kobot on the road to Padangtegal are the elders of the Pengosekan Style, still painting religious subjects. Just south is Sena, another advocate of the style. Under the banyan tree is Sana, known for his temple scenes and depictions of Hindu deities. Mangku Liyer, whose studio is behind Oka's Homestay, paints dark and mysterious phantasmagoria. In Batuan's studio, located just east of the bridge near Peliatan, you can see a large selection of carved furniture and flowers, paintings, and decorative parasols. Older brother Mokoh's paintings reflect his naughty sense of humor. Putralaya paints meticulous submarine landscapes. Gatra, at the southern end of the village, paints unearthly, moody scenes of nymphs and demons.

Plaiting and Carving
This village is also known for its basketry, a thriving cottage industry. The beautifully pleated lontar-palm basketry of Pengosekan and neighboring Nyuhkuning combines harmonious colors with utility: baskets that fit inside one another or ones shaped like a mangosteen or an egg. Opposite Pondok Impian Bungalows is a shop specializing in baskets of all shapes, sizes, and patterns. Wayan Ludra, whose workshop is in Pengosekan, produces attractive picture frames, boxes, trunks, chairs, and medicine cabinets. This family of woodcarvers owns an art studio on Monkey Forest Road, tel. (0361) 975271.

Teges
Just south of Peliatan, Teges is divided into two communities. Teges Kanginan, east of the main road, is renowned for its musicians, dancers, wayang kulit puppeteers, and teachers of the kecak, kebyar, and legong, as well as an accomplished children's gong orchestra and a beautiful, sweet gamelan of the semar pegulingan type. The people of Teges Kawan, west of the main road, are mainly sculptors who specialize in unusual giant woodcarvings like a whole eggplant tree with leaves, fruits, flowers, and branches. Stop in at the workshop of I Wayan Pasti, just north of the bale banjar of Teges Kawan. An architect by trade, Wayan also sculpts amazing cremation sarcophagi (patulangan) in the shape of creatures like bulls and winged lions as well as life-size deer and horses.
     Good masked-dance performances, as well as boring legong and baris shows, are put on every Tuesday night at the main intersection in Banjar Teges. For special Balinese native foods, especially pork dishes, head for the Warung Teges run by Desak Putu. Sit down on a hard wood bench and eat with the petani. The crackling babi guling as well as chicken, tempe, vegetable, and lawar dishes are still the best in the area.
     Nyoman Sumertha Fine Arts Gallery, Banjar Teges, tel. (0361) 975267, fax 975655, displays every style of Balinese painting: stylized puppets, pastoral scenes, young artists. A special section showcases the distinctive individualism of modern Indonesian painters. Talented artists demonstrate their skills on the spacious grounds.

Accommodations
With about 15 pleasant, low-budget homestays and hotels in and around Peliatan, this village serves as an alternative to Ubud, especially when places in Ubud are too expensive or full in the peak season. Several accommodations are located just off the very busy and noisy main street, Jl. Cok Gede Rai, which runs right through town, but most lie down paths and lanes running into the surrounding countryside. Many rooms and bungalows are occupied semipermanently by Westerners studying dance and gamelan.
     The Andong Inn is on the road from Peliatan to Petulu. In all, 11 rooms face a beautiful garden. The five Rp15,000 rooms without hot showers are the best deal; others with hot showers and bathtubs go for Rp35,000 s, Rp40,000 d including breakfast. Genuine Balinese food is served in the cafe. Very relaxing except for the humming of a nearby telephone tower. Run by level-headed Nyoman Adnyani Siada, who practices hairdressing and traditional cosmetics in the beauty salon in front. Her husband, Dr. Siada, holds consultations in his office opposite the Ubud market from 1700 to 2000 including Sunday.
     Manuaba Inn, Br. Tebasaya 8 (on the border of Ubud), has rooms for Rp12,000 d. More expensive is Dok Putu Putera Homestay, Br. Tebesaya 30, a very nice, small, quiet place with only four rooms for Rp25,000 (each can hold three people). Price includes an enormous breakfast of fruit salad, tea or coffee, and a daily special of pancakes, waffles, or black rice pudding.
     The Gunung Merta Bungalow is in Andong in north Peliatan by the police station, tel. (0361) 975463, fax 975120, a collection of eight comfortable rooms (Rp34,000-60,000 s or d) fashioned in traditional Balinese red and gray stone and set in a lovely tropical garden. Each room features a writing table, bamboo chairs, paintings, separate bathroom with tub, hot/cold shower, sink, flush toilet, and private patio. Rates include Indonesian, continental, or American breakfast. Amenities include a pool, IDD, fax, postal, transport and tour services, packing and shipping, and bicycle rental. Mr. Lilem, the owner, epitomizes Balinese hospitality, and possesses a broad knowledge of Bali and its people. The hotel's small size allows personalized attention.
    Ibu Arsa Homestay, tel. (0361) 295817, in a walled-in compound under the banyan tree on the main road, offers three classes of rooms: a bungalow facing the family temple for Rp25,000, two small bungalows for Rp10,000 each, and two standard rooms for Rp5000 each. Price includes breakfast of your choice. All rooms are spotless with attractive bamboo furniture and Balinese-style squat toilets and mandi. There's no private sitting area, but guests can linger in the courtyard on bamboo couches and chairs or in the restaurant out front. The well-educated matriarch Ibu Arsa speaks excellent English. She and her family pamper guests and share all the local attractions and events with them. Madra Homestay, Banjar Kalah, tel. (0361) 975749, is a quiet place in the rice fields in a beautiful garden, only 150 meters from the main road. Graded by size, location, and type of bathroom, three classes of bamboo and thatch-roofed pondok are available: Rp10,000 and Rp15,000 for older rooms (popular with long-term residents), and Rp20,000 s, Rp25,000 d for rooms with shower, good breakfast included. All prices subject to 10% tax. An ideal location for study, relaxation, peace, and quiet, Madra's is strongly recommended for both the budget traveler and the student of Balinese culture. The staff works hard to keep the place tidy and the atmosphere friendly. There's no restaurant, but you can arrange to have meals prepared. Excellent security, storage service, parking. Make reservations at least one month in advance for June, July, and August by sending a fax care of Ary's Wisata Travel Service in Ubud, fax (0361) 975162.
     Central Mandala Bungalows, tel. (0361) 975028, in the middle of town, is actually the site of the Puri Kaleran palace of the former raja of Peliatan. Clean rooms with fan, cupboards, big inside bathrooms, showers, and hot water for Rp25,000 s, Rp30,000 d. The grounds of the puri are large—a very private, enclosed environment. Mandala's has been taking in guests since 1962, when Helen and Frank Schreider wrote of their stay here in The Drums of Tonkin. Students are always living in the compound. Ask to see the photo album. The Mandera Cafe (reasonable prices) is only open in the high season.
     Puri Tirta Accommocations (Rp35,000 s, Rp45,000 d for a/c bungalows) sits in the rice fields two km north of Peliatan and only 500 meters from Petulu's heronry. Nyoman Astana's Bungalows, Dusun Kalah, is a quiet, inexpensive place with nice garden, Balinese-style architecture, rooms with showers, and free transport for dinner in Ubud area. Negara Accommodation, a short walk down a gang off Jl. Cok Gede Rai, is one of the cheapest places to stay: Rp8000 s, Rp10,000 d with Indo-style mandi (untidy) for six basic rooms in family home. Price includes Balinese cakes, coffee, and tea in the morning. Good value, friendly, but not the tops on the comfort scale.
     Away from the bustle of Ubud is relaxing Pande Homestay, on the main street, which charges Rp8000 s, Rp10,000 d, Rp15,000 s or d. The best rooms are the gedong-style house (for ceremonies, sleeping, weddings, cooking) in front, and the two rooms with bamboo walls in the back (also Rp12,000 s or d). The bathrooms are nice (you don't miss hot water). Outstanding breakfast includes fresh fruit salad, buttered toast with fried egg, black rice pudding with coconut milk, and tea or coffee. Pande, a former art student who started his homestay in 1985, is a kind and very informative man. Peliatan's all-woman gamelan (gong wanita) performs on the Tirtasari Dance Stage only 100 meters away.
     The newly remodeled Puri Agung Homestay offers Balinese-style bungalows in five different classes, ranging from Rp6000-8000 s to Rp12,000-15,000 d. The more expensive feature living rooms, wardrobes, and small libraries. Bright, clean, spacious, peaceful. Cockatoos and parrots cackle in the attractive courtyard with its variety of trees and flowering plants. Since this has been the home of the old ruling clan of Peliatan for 12 generations, 16 different families live in 16 individual kampung within this large complex. Anom, the hostess, will regale you with tales of her dance troupe's tour of the world in the 1950s.
     Travelers have written glowingly of Siti Homestay, Banjar Kalah, tel. (0361) 975599, which has six comfortable double rooms with attached mandi for only Rp8000 s, Rp10,000 d (larger rooms), and one deluxe room for Rp15,000. Price includes a big, delicious breakfast. The proprietors, Wayan and Siti, are both schoolteachers, and Wayan is articulate, well-informed, and speaks excellent English. Absolutely the top of the list for family homestays. Authentic Balinese atmosphere, quiet, pretty garden. The grounds are beautiful. Small bistro and cafe serving praiseworthy food. It's easy to get bemo on Jl. Peliatan one minute away, and Wayan can advise you about entertainment, best places to eat, celebrations, local transport, and good walks.

Food
Ageless Ibu Arsa Restaurant, tel. (0361) 975817, under the banyan tree on the main road, was Peliatan's first restaurant, offering excellent and inexpensive Balinese food since 1968. Noteworthy are sayur bayam (stewed spinach) for Rp1000, gado-gado for Rp1000, and mie kuah for Rp1500, plus European food including oatmeal, omelettes, and ham steak with pineapple. Desserts include lemon pancake (Rp800) and black rice pudding with fruit (Rp1500). Ibu Arsa also serves special orders if you ask a day in advance: stewed chicken in sauce, smoked duck or fried chicken for Rp20,000. Bubur and lawar stalls located nearby.
     Near Ibu Arsa's is Eka Wati, which specializes in Chinese food. An excellent gado-gado is served at Warung Jero Wati south of Ibu Arsa's. Warung Sate Madura is just up the street from Siti Homestay in Banjar Kalah. Other fine restaurants are found along Jl. Padangtegal, the road north to Ubud.
     Pande Homestay on Jl. Cok Gede Rai presents a smoked duck dinner for two served with rice and vegetables for only Rp18,000; order a day in advance. Next door is a very cheap warung serving nasi goreng, sayur, ijo, ikan goreng, cap cai, and funghung hai. You'll also find a bunch of excellent warung (try the Balinese-style nasi campur) near the T-junction east of Ubud where the road north leads to Petulu and the road south heads for Peliatan.
     Mudita Inn, popular with travelers, cooks up huge gado-gado, freshly made from scratch for only Rp1500. Cheese omelettes with tomato are Rp1400, large cold Bintangs cost Rp3000, soft drinks Rp700. Mudita also offers soups, Balinese food, or lunch and dinner with two hours' notice. Open 0900-2200. Mudita is a guide and speaks good English. The kitchen staff of Sita Homestay in Banjar Kalah, tel. (0361) 975599, makes superb homemade yogurt that took two years to perfect. Their smoked duck dinner, prepared by the grandfather (who is nearing 100), is the absolute nectar of the gods.

Performances
The big draw is the only all-woman gamelan on Bali, the famous gamelan pegulingan Mekar Sari, which performs at the Tirtasari Dance Stage under Mrs. Anak Agung Raka Mas. Members range from little girls and teens to regal-looking white-haired matrons. The music accompanies a children's legong group performing fairy tales. Very professional, very good lighting, brilliant costuming. In addition, there's a stylized staff fighting dance (baris tombok) performed by four boys. This unique, spirited presentation takes place on Sunday night 1930-2100.
     Legong and kecak tickets for performances in the Peliatan/Ubud area can be conveniently purchased at the centrally located Mudita Inn on the main street (Jl. Cok Gede Rai), tel. (0361) 975179. A sample of area performances: the tiny legong dancers, as well as the Mahabharata, every Tuesday 1930-2100 at Teges Kanginan; the legong with barong every Wednesday (same time) one km south of Pande Homestay at Banjar Teruna; and the kecak at Puri Kaleran in Mandala Bungalows at 1930-2030 every Thursday (over 200 performers, but it lasts but an hour). The Kokokan Club on Jl. Pengosekan, tel. (0361) 975742, in the nearby hamlet of Pengosekan presents a traditional Balinese buffet with live entertainment like joged gudegan, barong buntut, the frog dance, or even Western-style experimental theater, such as the black comedy Shamlet (a takeoff on Hamlet) by the Frequent Flyers. Dinner and show Rp35,000, show only Rp10,000; every Thursday at 2000.

Dance Instruction
Peliatan is one of the few places on Bali where dancers are still trained in the traditional manner. The instructor glides through the dance movements, mimicked by a brace of little girls, all synchronized perfectly to the beat of the kenong. Some instructors invite European pupils to join in. Watch young Balinese students practice gamelan and dancing each day at around 1400 in the village puri, Puri Kaleran, otherwise known as Mandala Bungalows, tel. (0361) 975028, on Jl. Cok Gede Rai, the palace of the former raja. Anak Agung Raka, a daughter of Anak Agung Mandera, runs a dance school next to Puri Agung Homestay. She has many Japanese students and starts a new class every six months or so. The dance master Sang Ayu Ketut Muklin teaches dance to young trainees at Teges Kanginan.

Shopping
With art galleries lining its main street and the din of workshops in its back alleys, Peliatan is a major center for carving and painting. Some Peliatan specialties are the carved wooden fruit, flowers, ducks, fish, frogs, tiny birds in frames, and mobiles produced by young carvers. Carved horses, deer, and tigers are produced in Teges, a village to the south of Peliatan. Gifted carvers worth visiting are Nyoman Togog and I Wayan Pasti. The neighboring villages of Mas and Nyuhkuning have been centers for woodcarving since the 1930s.
     Djujul, whose studio is down the street from the Dok Putu Putera Homestay, is a well-known painter who works only when he's inspired. Djujul usually has a work in progress so you're able to see a real master paint. It's cheaper to buy directly from him than from a gallery—expect about 25% off the gallery price of Rp2.1 million for a small painting. Dewa Windia Handicraft showroom and workshop in Peliatan (west of the banyan tree) sells napkin holders, mirror frames, miniature ducks, giant Garuda statues, and tropical fruit sculptures. A selection of attractive sarung sell for Rp10,000-12,000 at the bistro in Siti Homestay in Banjar Kalah, tel. (0361) 975599; also look for dresses and drawstring pants hand-tailored by Siti. Well-stocked groceries, dry goods, and appliance stores lie on the Teges end of town.

Banjar Kalah
This small hamlet is noted for its woodworking shops producing giant flowers, banana trees, small creatures, and fruits—an ideal place for those interested in wood handicrafts. Several warung and small restaurants here are popular with budget travelers. Drop in on toymaker I Made Greriya, tel. (0361) 975241, who turns out educational toys, wooden animals, clever mobiles, puzzles, trees, flowers, and ducks. On the road west toward Pengosekan, which turns at the bend in the road to the east, is the workshop of Dewa Nyoman Batuan, who produces decorative boxes, handcarved mirror frames, and small cabinets.
     Ketut Madra, in Madra Homestay, Banjar Kalah, tel. (0361) 975749, is a fine traditional-style painter of mythological themes. His style reflects classic Kamasan wayang models, but he has a unique sense of line and color that adds a very personal stamp to his work. Because of his popularity, his paintings must be ordered months in advance. Pak Madra is an active and competent topeng dancer, while his brother Pak Madri from nearby Pengosekan is a skilled gamelan musician. They have personally introduced many Westerners to the musical and dramatic arts, or guided them toward other appropriate teachers. Madra's homestay has long held a well-earned reputation for hosting groups of students of dance, music, painting, sculpture, wayang, and other traditional Balinese art forms.

Art Galleries
The painter, poet, writer, director, actor, musician, dancer, and choreographer Madi Kertonegoro, born in Ambarawa on Java, is a child of the Indonesian New Art Movement (Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru) and is reputed to be Indonesia's only antinuclear artist. His Future Peace Art Gallery is at Jl. Andong 1, tel. (0361) 975467, only 450 meters north of the T-junction at the northern end of Peliatan. You can't miss it; there's a big sign. Works on permanent display include landscapes, still lifes, portraiture, and experimental art. Examine some of the books Madi has written in the Pustaka Bayu bookshop next to his studio; also check out the 1991 video about him and the cassette tape of his band Wild Roots.
     The Agung Rai Gallery lies beyond Peliatan but before Negara, one km south of Pande Homestay. One of the finest galleries on Bali, a mammoth art complex of thatch-roofed, traditional-style bale, each building houses a different school of Balinese art. Schoolboys, some only six years of age, are regularly invited to the gallery to practice line drawing and to make copies of paintings under the guidance of a senior artist. Works from this well-known gallery have been exhibited in Singapore, Holland, Germany, and Guam. Agung Rai established the gallery in 1978; he got his start in the art business by peddling his paintings to tourists on the hot sands of Kuta Beach in the early 1970s. At least as much an educational experience as Ubud's Puri Lukisan, these co-op showrooms give you a clear view of the scope and development of modern Balinese painting. See the marble-floored room filled with works costing up to Rp31.5 million. In the private collection in back are the haunting works of noted prewar Dutch, German, and Austrian artists who lived and worked on Bali, exerting a major influence on local painting styles. Agung's has the only Walter Spies painting on Bali, depicting Calonarang, plus an extraordinary Covarrubias showing Balinese dancers putting on makeup.
     The Agung Rai Museum of Art, in back of Agung Rai's Kokokan Club in Pengosekan (see below), is one of the most dynamic cultural centers in southern Bali. Encompassing a hotel, performing stage, galleries, a fine restaurant/cafe/nightclub, conference center, and a well-stocked bookshop, it is now in the process of setting up a reference library and reading room. Address: ARMA, Ubud 80571, tel. (0361) 975742 or 976659, fax 974229, e-mail armaubud@denpasar.wasantara.net.id.

Services
Change money at Bakti Art Shop, Diana Express, Mudita Inn, Bank Duta, Bank Utama, and Bank BRI. Wayan Sidhakarya (Puri Saren Kangin 31, Peliatan) is a professional Bahasa Indonesia language instructor who works for the Experiment in International Living. He can be contacted through the Mudita Inn, tel. (0361) 975179. I Wayan Paksa of Siti Homestay, tel. (0361) 975599, in Banjar Kalah, is also an effective teacher of Indonesian, insisting upon good grammar and correct usage.
     Rent bicycles from Mudita Inn on Jl. Cok Gede Rai, for an average daily rate of Rp2000 for one-gear bikes and Rp3000 for mountain bikes; 10% discount if you rent by the week. Bikes are also available (Rp3500 per day) from the Andong Inn.

Getting Away
A bemo to Ubud center, Petulu, or Mas costs Rp300, to Denpasar Rp700 (baggage extra). If traveling farther afield, catch a bemo (Rp300) down to the Sakah intersection on the main road between Denpasar and Amlapura. From Sakah, you can travel to most of the attractions to the north, west, and east. For Gunung Batur, go straight up via Pujung if you have your own vehicle. You can make it in a bemo, but since they're so rare it's faster to first get a bemo to the Sakah turnoff, then another bemo to Tampaksiring, then head on to Batur. Get an early start; head back from Peneloken no later than 1700. For Besakih, take a bemo to Sakah, then another one to Klungkung. Leave by 0800 so you can see Klungkung's Kerta Gosa en route.
     North of Peliatan, an asphalt road with nice scenery leads into the mountains to the quiet, rural woodcarving villages of Jati, Pujung, and Sebatu. The famous woodcarver I Nyoman Tjokot came from the village of Jati, 15 km north of Ubud. His sons, Ketut Nongos Cokot and Made Dini, have carried on the family tradition, carving huge statues of Garuda and other mythological figures. Nongos's shop is in Teges at the crossroads of the roads east to Bedulu and west to Peliatan; Dini's shop is just west of the bridge before Goa Gajah, if coming from Teges.

Tegenungan
Relax and enjoy Balinese village surroundings twenty minutes south of Ubud by taxi. If traveling in your own vehicle, it's about six km south of Peliatan or 2.5 km south of the gas station, then turn right. Walk 300 meters from the main road through rice paddies and invigorate yourself at the Waterfall Restaurant, which affords outrageous 360-degree views or lush tropical paradise. Stand under the waterfall and receive the ultimate cold, clean water massage.

The Heronry
Start this pleasant afternoon excursion so you arrive no later than 1700 to see the great flocks of thousands of large white herons (known collectively as kokokan) wheeling, drifting, sailing, landing in a number of tall palms and bunut trees to roost for the night. The next morning they fly north to the cool climes of Gunung Batur, where they feed for the day. It's an impressive sight, seeing flocks of herons shift trees. Considered sacred, plumed egrets, cattle egrets, and Javan pond herons may not be disturbed while they roost. Only if they fall to earth or become caught in a tree may they be captured and turned into a delectable sort of pâté wrapped in plantain leaf.
     The birds began roosting here for the first time in 1966, just one month after an elaborate sacrificial ceremony petitioning for protection and blessings after the political butchering of thousands of "communists." Many Balinese believe the herons embody the souls of the dead come to reunify the people of Petulu. Twice a year on Saniscara Kliwon Landep the people of Petulu hold a special ceremony for these birds.

Accommodations and Food
The Mudita Inn has four rooms with showers and flush toilets for Rp25,000 d (a bargain during the slow season). The Puri Asri, Box 37, Ubud 80571, fax (0361) 975120, a peaceful village house, lies just at the start of the smaller road up to Petulu from the main Peliatan-Tampaksiring road. Room rate is Rp40,000 d for any of five bungalows, hot water and breakfast included. Free jeep transport into Ubud for dinner. Quiet in spite of the location between two highways. Other places to stay along the Peliatan-Tampaksiring road are Merpati Inn, Petulu Village Inn, Puri Thirta Accommodations, and the Loka Sari Guesthouse and Restaurant.
     Looking for the perfect environment for relaxation and rejuvenation? Five-star Banyan Tree Kamandalu (tel. 0361-975825, fax 975851) rents only 14 spacious traditional-style bungalows, Rp403,000 s or d, with private walled gardens, rich marble floors, two-meter-long baths, outdoor showers, fully stocked minibar, stereo, IDD phones, indigenous local textiles, ethnic artifacts, and a combination of classical Chinese and Indonesian motifs. There are also two luxuriously appointed suite villas, 75 square meters, Rp518,000. Brilliant location on a curving ridge overlooking deep Petanu River Valley to the east, terraced rice fields to the west, and the sea at Saba Bay. Villas have the best views. Completely self-contained; the hotel has its own water filtering system and generator. Very elegant, surface-tension, amoeba-shaped pool with swim-up bar (open 1000-2300). Service is dreamy, slow-paced. Treat yourself to an in-room massage, herbal facial, or a drink in the Cempaka Lounge. Food in the Angsoka Restaurant, open daily 0600-2300 is five-star quality and expensive, Rp35,000 breakfast, Rp58,000 dinner. Another highlight is their ground-level modern art gallery, which features paintings and sculptures of prominent Balinese and Indonesian artists—light years away from the mass art you encounter in Ubud. Laced with nature paths and viewing promontories, you can take paths all the way down to the river. Take free daily shuttles four km into Ubud center.

The Moon of Pejeng
If heading north, Pura Panataran Sasih (sasih means "drum") is on the right side of the road after Gedong Arca, recognizable by its stone sculptures of wild boars and naga. The chief shrine of the 10th century Pejeng kingdom, this pura is linked to the Bali Aga mountain sanctuary of Penulisan north of Kintamani. Heading north from Bedulu, the temple is on the main road on your right just as you enter Pejeng.
     Hanging in a high pavilion to the left, surrounded by a wooden fence, is a superb example of Bronze Age art, the sacred monumental bronze gong known as the Moon of Pejeng. Considered a masterpiece of bronze-casting, this 186.5-cm-tall hourglass-shaped gong is thought to be the largest in the world cast in a single piece and the oldest surviving archaeological artifact on Bali.
     Legend has it in the beginning of time, one of the Earth's 13 moons fell from heaven and landed in a tree. It was so bright it stopped the shameful work of a thief, who became so angry he climbed the tree and urinated on the heavenly object. With a loud boom the moon exploded, killing the thief and falling to earth as a gong. The fall caused it to crack and the urine colored it green. To this day no one dares touch the gong and daily offerings are made to it.
     Other legends hold the gong is the wheel of the chariot of the moon or the earplug of the mythical giant Kebo Iwo or moon-goddess Ratih. A highly revered object, the richly ornamented gong is believed by most Balinese to possess magic power. Its sounding surface measures 160 cm in diameter. The piece is thought to date from around 300 B.C., the beginning of the Indonesian Bronze Age. No one knows whether the gong originated in Bali or northern Vietnam. The gong could have been carried to insular Southeast Asia by royal personages fleeing the Chinese. Some scholars speculate it precedes the Mings, and may have been a gift from Kublai Khan to a raja of Bali. To support the theory that it originated in Bali, scholars point to the fact that ancient stone molds used in casting bronze have been found on the island.
     The Pejeng gong has been on continuous display in the Pura Panataran Sasih ever since the Old Balinese period. It's believed to be about 1,000 years older than the Pejeng dynasty. When the great naturalist Rumphius visited Bali over 300 years ago, the kettle gong was already ancient. The treasure is so high up in a tower-like shrine you can't make out the detail—bring binoculars. Donation requested.
     Museum Purbakala, 500 meters south of Pura Penataran Sasih (open Mon.-Thurs. 0700-1400, Friday 0700-1100, and Saturday 0700-1230; donation), is disappointing. Kept here are ancient commemorative statues of former kings and a well-weathered statue of Ganesha recovered from the Pakrisan River valley. Open pavilions in the complex contain an odd assortment of 10th- to 12th-century sculptures: commemorative statues of old rulers and a group of standing gods joined in prayer. The most interesting objects are the 10 or so massive sarcophagi in the back, dating from as far back as 300 B.C.

Getting Away
There are many archaeological odds and ends in this "Valley of the Kings" in the middle of Bali's rice belt; follow the directory on Pejeng's main street. A strange 120-cm-high linga, surrounded by eight upper-body statues of Shiva, is found in the open bale of Pura Ratu Pegening east of Pura Panataran Sasih. It's a nice walk to the 14th-century cut-rock candi at Kalebutan near Tatiapi, one km west of Pejeng Timor. To reach this group, which looks like a scaled down version of Gunung Kawi, start on the path from the second crossroads after the puri leading to Pejeng's graveyard. A landslide uncovered this candi in 1928; vegetation covered it again after the war and yet again in the 1950s. The 3.5-meter-high temple has been carved in relief from a two-meter-wide niche cut into solid rock. In 1951 a cloister with cut-rock niches and a courtyard were discovered on the other side of the ravine.

Pura Puser Ing Jagat
A large, very old temple dating from 1329 with unique reliefs, thought to be the center of the old Pejeng kingdom. A major pilgrimage site, during the full moon this pura draws couples desiring children and people hoping to increase their healing powers. The temple is part of a legend about Bali's last indigenous king, Bedaulu, and his escape from the Majapahit army in 1343 through an underground tunnel to the bandit isle of Nusa Penida. In the pura is a stone that no one may ever move—it's believed to be the secret entrance to the tunnel.
     See the four dancing mustachioed demons in Gedong Puser Tasik on the temple's east side—sneering expressions, bulging eyes, swinging penises, clubs in their right hands, conch shells in their left. This type of statuary, with figures on all four sides, is called catuhkaya.
     Housed in a shrine behind the temple is the Pejeng Vessel, or Mandala Giri, a cylindrical stone vase entwined with serpents and portraying the churning of the sea of milk. The carvings on the bowl relate the story of nine gods, each corresponding to a different quarter of the compass. A chronogram dates the vessel from 1329.
     South of Pura Puser Ing Jagat, Pura Arjuna Metapa ("Temple Where Arjuna Meditated"), comprises a small group of portrait statues of Arjuna and his ever-present, jocular companions/servants, Merdah and Twalen, heavenly nymphs who were sent by the gods to tempt him, as well as a large kala-head. The statues must have adorned temples and bathing places in the area.

Pura Pengukar Ukaran and Goa Garba
This walk to the Pakrisan River Valley, near the village of Sawangunung, is a total immersion into rural Bali in an area untrafficked by tourists. Start your walk by turning east at the intersection by the pasar just north of Pura Panataran Sasih. The small road bears to the right, then to the left. Walk for one km to the T-junction, turn left, then walk past the school to Pura Pengukur Ukuran. Below is Goa Garba.
     Pura Pungukur Ukuran means "The Temple Where All Things Are Measured." Built by King Jayaprangus on the edge of a ravine at the end of the 12th century, the temple's inner courtyard contains numerous bale, pre-Hindu megaliths, carved stones, and an ornate shrine with linga. Out a side gateway take the flight of huge stone steps descending to Goa Garba ("The Womb") on the western bank of the Pakrisan River. A gouge on a boulder step is said to be the footprint of the giant Kebo Iwa himself.
     In this small valley is a carved stone gateway, ancient disused bathing places (the king's on the left, the queen's on the right), and three meditation niches hewn out of the rock face, with slanting roofs and carvings decorating the wall above. Inscriptions in Kediri script above the hermitage cells are still legible; inside are a few pieces of ancient sculpture and pedestals.

Pura Samuan Tiga
Down a stony path about 100 meters east of the Bedulu crossroads is Pura Samuan Tiga ("Temple of the Meeting of Three Parties"), probably built by the great sage Mpu Kuturan. During the reign of King Udayana and Queen Dharmapatni (988-1011), religious sects were rife on Bali, each with its own tenets and peculiar practices. Because this situation brought about instability and confusion, six holy men met at this temple to promote the Principle of the Hindu Trinity, unite all the sects, and establish basic island-wide customary law (desa adat).

Museum Purbakala
A government archaeological museum two km north of Bedulu on the road to Gunung Kawi (ask for Musium Arkeologi). One of only five museums on Bali, it contains an embarrassingly scant and unlabeled collection of pre-Hindu artifacts: megaliths, bone ornaments, pottery, earthenware, stone axe heads, adzes, weapons, copper plate inscriptions from A.D. 885 and 903, untensils, bronze jewelry, Chinese ceramics, and Hindu statues and relics. Note the impressively decorated egg-shaped sarcophagus, hewn from a single block of stone, with a turtle and human features carved in high relief on its cover. These coffins, which contained bodies in the fetal position were used long before cremation was practiced on Bali. Small library. Open Mon.-Thurs. 0700-1400, Friday until 1300, Saturday until 1230, closed Sunday. Donation requested.

Accommodations and Food
There's a whole little scene here, a cluster of drink and snack warung at the top of the pathway, an art gallery, and Made's Cafe looking out over rice fields. Accommodations Ketut Lantur asks Rp10,000 per person for an old set of rooms with Indonesian-style mandi, or Rp15,000 per person for a newer set of rooms facing the street. A quiet, laid-back place to stay, and the Lantur's prepare meals. (A nasi bubur stand, just up from Lantur's, opens up in the afternoon.) Buy delightful earthenware pottery made by traditional methods in his terra-cotta workshop.

Getting Away
Walk up to the main road to catch bemo to Ubud. Ketut, who lives 50 meters behind the warung, or any boy from the nearby kampung, will give you a fascinating tour of the surrounding countryside, including a rice temple (pura sawah) he claims is the only one of its kind on Bali. There's good swimming in a big river, a waterfall, beautiful rice terraces, and a nice place to view the sunset. Have him take you to the small bathing place 200 meters north of Yeh Pulu, with stylistic reliefs cut into the rock behind the two basins. These sites are not easy to find without a guide. Depending on the length of the tour, his age, and his performance, pay your guide Rp5000-10,000.

History
Goa Gajah is a curious name. Elephants have never inhabited Bali, and the many elephant motifs seen in Balinese art likely have artistic origins in India or Java. The old Javanese lontar-leaf chronicle, the Nagarakertagama (written in A.D. 1365), mentions that a high Buddhist official kept a hermitage at Lwa Gajah ("Elephant River"). This most likely refers to the Petanu River, which runs near the cave through a deep gorge. Perhaps the popular name "Elephant Cave" originated with early visitors who named the cave after the river. Other theories say the cave got its name from the statue inside of the elephant-god Ganesha, or the monster's head above the cave was mistakenly identified as an elephant's head. Legend has it the great hollowed-out boulder was the supernatural work of Kebo Iwo, the builder of Gunung Kawi and Yeh Pulu. Some have even suggested the monster head is in Kebo Iwo's image.
     The decorations and interior plan of the cave are very similar to the hermit cells of East Java. Other hermitages with rock reliefs are found near Ubud (Goa Raksasa), on the River Oos (Jakut Paku), and in caves near Kapal. Archaeologists estimate Goa Gajah was built around A.D. 1022. Whether Goa Gajah was a hermitage for Buddhist or Hindu monks is uncertain. Both Buddhist and Hindu sculptures are inside and nearby. It's quite possible, given the intermingling between the two religions, that recluses of both sects sought peace and solitude at the site; a Shiva-Buddha belief system is found to this day among a small group of Brahman priests in eastern Bali. In any event, the 1954 excavation of a large bathing place in front of the cave proved the whole complex held an important place in the religious life of ancient Bali.
     In modern times, Goa Gajah was first mentioned in 1923 in an Archaeological Service report filed in Singaraja by L. Heyting, a young Dutch civil servant who visited the site after hearing villagers speak of "a monster's head with elephant ears." The indefatigable Dutch artist Nieuwenkamp (1874-1950), during his fourth visit to Bali in 1925, also heard rumors of "a cave overshadowed by an enormous elephant's mouth" and reached the cave by automobile—the first tourist to do so. His subsequent visits proved once and for all that the head above the cave was that of a demon and not an elephant. But the name stuck.

The Facade
The cave was cut into a protruding rock wall, flat on top, with a flight of steps carved into the right side. It's been postulated the flat top was used by ascetics for meditation. The wall to either side of the entrance, curving slightly outward, is riotously decorated with stylized mountain scenery, forests, entangled leaves, rocks, ocean waves, animals, monsters, and phantom human shapes running in panic from the gaping mouth that forms the cave's entrance.
     Directly over the entrance is the head of an enormous bulging-eyed demon that has mystified scholars and visitors alike. With its arched hairy eyebrows, long menacing fingernails, floppy ears, and long tusk-like fangs, it appears to be splitting and pushing the rock apart with its pudgy bare hands. Seeming to swallow everyone entering, this whole baroque facade appears to be set apart from the earthly civilized world of humans. The function of this carved goblin is to safeguard the heavenly character of the sanctuary. Balinese are quite comfortable with menacing, ugly faces on temples; they make the people feel safe from dangerous forces. Eerie monsters guarding hermit's caves, in the form of kala-heads, are also found in East Java. The figure may also represent Rangda, the widow-witch (its large earplugs are that of a woman's).
     Another interpretation maintains the impressive head may represent Shiva Pasupati, who divided the cosmic mountain Mahameru into two parts, creating the rival mountains Agung and Batur as well as the split-gate (candi bentar). Yet another theory holds the head may represent Bima, son of Vishnu and Pertiwi, goddess of the soil. If this were the case, this would be the earliest representation extant of Bima, today a common sight guarding many of Bali's temples.

The Interior
The entrance of this hewn-rock cave, which opens to the south, is two meters high and one meter wide. The dark, musty interior is T-shaped. If you haven't brought a flashlight, a boy holding a candle, cigarette lighter, or oil lamp will take you inside. The grotto contains 15 niches cut out of its walls; these may have served as either meditation chambers or sleeping berths for ascetics. The niches prove the cave was not a temple.
     In the cave's westernmost wing is a one-meter-high, four-armed statue of the elephant-god Ganesha holding an axe and broken tusk, symbols of his warlike nature, and a drinking vessel and beads, symbols of his wisdom. On the easternmost wing of the crossway are three 46.6-cm-high stone linga rising from a common base—distinctive features of a Shivaite sanctuary. Bits of statues, bases, and fragmented raksasa heads fill other niches. Notice the ancient graffiti on the wall to the right written in Old Javanese and probably dating from the second half of the 11th century.

The Bathing Place
In 1954, figurative torsos with waterspouts on their stomachs were found on either side of the entrance to the cave; it was surmised a bathing place had to be nearby. In that same year a sunken, rock-bottomed courtyard of dressed stone was struck in front of the cave, and farther down the hill to the south a threefold flight of steps leading to the remnants of a former bathing place were unearthed. These were the most significant archaeological discoveries in post-WW II Bali.
     Found were two distinct bathing partitions, one for men and one for women. Only the bases of six standing nymphs (widadari), three in each compartment, remained, but the upper portions of the statues previously found in front of the cave entrance fit perfectly. Today, the bathing place is fed by a pond, with water spouting from large, round urns held by the six Greek-looking statues. The elaborate carving and style of these divine female figures display Buddhist as well as Hindu religious symbols. The connection with Java is unmistakable: almost identical water nymphs grace the bathing places of Belahan on Gunung Penanggungan in East Java.
     Goa Gajah's discoverer, Krijgsman, wanting the site accepted as a regular bathing place, took his daily bath there. The Balinese cheerfully joined in until leaders decided the ancient bathing pool was too holy a spot for such an earthly use.

Surrounding Antiquities
Other antiquities at the site cover a large time span. On a pavilion to the left of the cave are three ancient stone statues. One is an image of the Buddhist goddess Hariti, which may date from the Old Balinese Period (circa A.D. 1000). Originally a child-eating ogress worshipped in India, she converted to Buddhism and metamorphosed into a fertility goddess and child-protector. Hariti is always seen with a large number of lively children. On Bali, she, or any poor woman with many children, is known as Men Brayut; with her husband Pan Brayut, she lives on in the folk art of the island.
     Other Buddhist figures are found by taking the stairway south of the bathing place down into a gorge that falls away to the Petanu River. Most tourists miss this well-kept, parklike hillside environment which, because of its serenity and beauty, is reminiscent of a Babylonian garden.
     Across the rivulet and up a hill, sheltered in the remains of a small candi are two 9th-century Buddha statues sitting in the attitude of meditation (dhyana-mudra). Nearby are fragments of a once-enormous bas-relief of stupas, flowers, umbrellas, and kalamakara patterns once carved on the cliff face high above. Discovered in 1931, these broken sections had fallen and slid into the ravine. The relief is stylistically much different from the cave's carvings and is thought to be much older.
     There are also two curious, five-meter-wide stones in the shape of a stupa with lotus flower motifs that once supported Buddha images. The arrangement of the stupa represents the superimposed heavens of the Buddhist religion. The Buddhist stupa, as well as the bas-relief fragments, date most likely from the reign of Kesari, a Buddhist king who ruled Bali during the Central Javanese Period (10th century). Buddhist antiquities indicate that Buddhism and Hinduism operated peacefully side by side at this site.