Badung Market, A Traditional Place for Daily Cumsumption Bases Shopping

Badung Traditional market is the biggest traditional market in Denpasar located in Gajah Mada street apposite of Pura Desa (Village Temple) as one of the three biggest temple in Denpasar. Lots of domestic and foreign visitors visit this market, therefore Badung Market is included as an tourist attraction in the City tour programs. The market is is built in a four story building, daily household needs and various types of handicrafts are available in this market.

Local people who come and shop at this market are not only from the environment of Denpasar but also come from outside towns. Especially before big Hindu holidays such as Galungan, Kuningan and Nyepi, this market would be full and crowded by the local societies buying their needs for the ceremony. Badung Market can not be separated by the existence of a traditional market located across the Badung river, it is the Kumbasari Market. There are specialization of goods sold between Badung Market and Kumbasari Market. In Badung Market, daily consumption needs and materials are sold and the prices are cheaper compared to shops in Gajah Mada street. While Kumbasari Market is called Payuk market (pot market) where earthenware pots, ground plates, buckets water jugs, kitchenware and even clothing items are sold in this market. Nowdays, art items for tourists are olso sold here, therefore it is becoming one of the tourist destinations in Denpasar City.

Badung Market is opened from 5:00am until 17:00pm, but in the evening, this market changes and becomes an evening market called Senggol Market from 17:00pm to 5:00am the day after. Meanwhile the Senggol Market in Kumbasari is opened from 14:00pm until 23:30pm. Visitors can find various types of foods and clothes from adult cloths and children clotes. Cheap Balinese, Javanese and Chinese cookery are sold in the evening market. Visitors can enjoy many kind of foods and beverages, it is an interesting place to explore at night.

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	The Bridge that connects Badung Market and kumbasari Market
The evening market
Badung Market	Kumbasari Market

Jagatnatha Temple - The Biggest Hindu Shrine in Denpasar City

Jagatnatha Temple is a temple located in the center of Denpasar City. It is situated in Major Wisnu street in the east side of Puputan Badung field and next to the Bali Museum. Jagatnatha temple is the biggest Hindu temple in the capital city of Bali Province and categorized as Khayangan (Seventh heaven). It is a public shrine to worship Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God), on Balinese holidays including full moon, the temple will be full with the locals to come and pray in the temple. This beautiful temple is appointed as one of the tourist destinations in bali, as the temple can easily be reached from any directions.

The name Jagatnatha is taken from a special name unlike other big temples in Bali which their names are taken from the location where the temple is situated. Besides that, what makes this temple different from other temples is that Jagatnatha temple does not have Pengemong or group of people or team who support and maintain the temple like other temples in Bali. At the beginning, the temple was managed by the temple committee of Jagatnatha. But these days, Jagatnatha Temple has been taken over by the government of Denpasar City.

The elements of Jagatnatha Temple are Padmasana or the main shrine as the seat of Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God), A fish pond surrounding the Padmasana with Titi Ugal-agil (a wooden bridge) the function is to purify every Hindu people who is entering the main temple area, twin canopies that has a function to put the embodiment of God on the ceremony procession, Altar of Sang Hyang Antaboga, a well for taking Tirta or the Holy Water. There are also some Bales around the temples that is used on specific occasions.

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Kuningan Day - Balinese Families Blessing

Kuningan day is the end of Galungan Holiday celebration. It is also celebrated every 210 days according to the Balinese calender exactly 10 days after the Galungan celebration. Balinese people believe that Kuningan day is the day when ancestors return to heaven after visiting their family on earth during Galungan celebration. Kuningan is derived from the word Kuning which means yellow because on this day Balinese people make yellow rice which is placed on a small bowl made out of coconut and this yellow rice is offered to God and the ancestors. After it is offered, the yellow rice will be eaten by the families. 

This yellow rice is a symbol of human's gratitude towards God for all that has been given; life, joy, wealth and prosperity. On Kuningan day it is also believed that Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (God) is blessing and giving prosperity to the whole world. Balinese people say that the celebration should be done before noon because God, Goddess and the holy ancestral return to heaven in the midday.

Tamiang and Endongan decorations are hanged outside the homes and temples of Balinese people on Kuningan day. Tamiang is formed round as a shield to represent protection and defense to remind humans of karma and that they should protect them selves from bad behaviors. Endongan means bags of provisions. It is a symbol of food supply for the journey of the ancestors from earth to heaven. But from the spiritual view it represents the essential provisions that every human should carry (knowledge and homage). In some villages, Barongs are going from house to house followed by kids playing traditional musics, people give Canang with Sesari(money) to the Barong and the arong will dance and bless the villagers house and family.

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Yellow rice offering	Barong and kids playing  traditional musics
Yellow rice offering	Tamiang
Yellow rice offering

Rambut Siwi - Bali West Secret Hindu Temple

Rambut Siwi Temple is one of the biggest Hindu temples in the west part of Bali. It is located inYeh Embang Kangin, Mendoyo sub district and Jembrana regency. It is about 2 hours from Denpasar city and 30 minutes drive from Negara. Rambut Siwi is a Hindu shrine set on a cliff back with wide Indian ocean in front of the temple which offers a beautiful view. From the top of the cliff, visitors can see old temple building on the ground and just in front of the ocean. The atmosphere in this area is very calm and will add impression experience for visitors who visit the temple.

Rambut Siwi Temple is the location of many ceremonies and activities in the Balinese Hindu calendar. The Temple owns a representative building which is set beside of the main road from Denpasar to Gilimanuk, many local Hindu people stop in this temple for worshiping to get the blessing and securing during their journey.

Visiting this temple at sunset is particularly the most beautiful time. Rambut Siwi is less crowded alternative to Tanah Lot temple that is most visited temple in Bali. This temple is one of the places to visit on tour destination to Bali West National Park.

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Hawaii Bali Offers a Great Shopping Alternative

Hawaii Bali is one of the best modern souvenir shop in Bali. This souvenir shop is another alternative for visitors who wish to buy Balinese items and souvenirs besides Sukawati art market and other traditional markets. Here, visitors don't have to bargain because the items and souvenirs come in friendly price, there are various types of souvenirs sold and arranged neatly so it makes it easier for visitors to find the items and souvenirs that they wish to buy.

Hawaii Bali souvenir shop is located in Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai 28x Tuban, Kuta. It is located in a strategic place especially for visitors who are having a tour from North part of Kuta to South part of Kuta or visitors who are on the way to the airport should come by and have a look at this gift shop. It takes about 30 minutes to reach this souvenir shop from Ngurah Rai International airport. Hawaii Bali is a pleasant place to shop, the items are complete as if the traditional markets in the island. Visitors can easily find art products such as paintings, traditional masks, wood carvings, statues, and traditional household needs. Besides art products visitors can also find Balinese clothes, bags, accessories, small souvenirs and Balinese snacks and beverages such as dry fruit chips, candies, chocolate and also traditional Balinese tea and coffee.

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Fantasy of Bali Shell Museum

Bali Shell Museum is a great shell museum located in Sunset Road 819, Kuta. There are various types of amazing shapes and sizes of shells including hundreds or even thousands of year old fossil specimens in this Museum. This museum was opened on September 2009 and it is the first and only shell museum in Indonesia. It is opened daily from 9:00am to 21:00pm. The entrance fee to this museum is Rp 50.000 for adults and Rp 30.000 for children. Inside this three-floored museum, vast collection of seashells from Indonesia and all over the world are displayed. 

On the first floor of the museum, home ware and accessories from shell and pearls are displayed. There are items and merchandises that are available to be purchased by visitors as a souvenir. On the second floor, ancient fossils of all sorts and sizes are displayed. There are extinct Madagascan Cephalopods estimated to be over 300 million years old, giant squid-like fossil called Orthoceras estimated to be 395 million years old and other large extinct marine invertebrate specimens. Besides that, there is a big shell fossil displayed on this floor, claimed as the largest fossil in Asia. It is called the Crinions this fossil has a diameter of 1.4 meter and weighs 170 kilograms. On the third floor, visitors would find colorful and exotic shells. The specimens are comprising sea urchins, starfish, sharks and shiny shell of Cypraea Moneta or money Cowry which was once served as money in ancient times. Some glass displays containing beautiful shells are also found on this floor.

There are about 10.000 shells and 100 ancient fossils displayed in this museum. Some characters from the Ramayana epic are made up from tiny shells as statues are also displayed in this museum. Visitors also have a chance to watch documentary video about the shells life and the story behind the collection in the theater section. Bali shell museum is an unique and interesting museum it will keep visitors amused and amazed for hours.

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