Batubulan
[postlink]http://baliovguide.blogspot.com/2011/08/batubulan.html[/postlink]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IQmKEICb60endofvid [starttext]Batubulan is a village located near Ubud, in the Gianyar Regency. Only a half an hour drive from the main city of Denpasar, the village is famed for the fine stone sculptures used to grace the entrance gates of Bali's homes, temples and palaces.
The road to Batubulan and beyond has become virtual roadside mall of shops -- all selling antiques (of various ages) and odds and ends of all descriptions. These days, most merchants' inventories tend towards a mixed bag of rehabilitated old furniture, reproductions, and handcrafted home and garden objects (some not without a certain charm, mind you). A very few vendors still have collections of authentic antiques and important artifacts, and it takes the eyes of a pro to find them. Still, don't let this deter you, as it is still good fun to browse (just don't drop a small fortune on anything that seems too good to be true).
Batubulan is also famous for the Barong dance, a story telling dance which relates the classic tale of the fight between good and evil (Barong and Rangda). The dances are quite popular and have become a commercial attraction for tourists. Performances are held every morning at 9.30.
Most tour operators will include Batubulan among their lists of destinations. But if you prefer to explore by yourself the best way is to rent a car, or motor cycle. Another alternative is to catch a bus or bemo in Denpasar with the direction to Batubulan terminal.[endtext]
The road to Batubulan and beyond has become virtual roadside mall of shops -- all selling antiques (of various ages) and odds and ends of all descriptions. These days, most merchants' inventories tend towards a mixed bag of rehabilitated old furniture, reproductions, and handcrafted home and garden objects (some not without a certain charm, mind you). A very few vendors still have collections of authentic antiques and important artifacts, and it takes the eyes of a pro to find them. Still, don't let this deter you, as it is still good fun to browse (just don't drop a small fortune on anything that seems too good to be true).
Batubulan is also famous for the Barong dance, a story telling dance which relates the classic tale of the fight between good and evil (Barong and Rangda). The dances are quite popular and have become a commercial attraction for tourists. Performances are held every morning at 9.30.
Most tour operators will include Batubulan among their lists of destinations. But if you prefer to explore by yourself the best way is to rent a car, or motor cycle. Another alternative is to catch a bus or bemo in Denpasar with the direction to Batubulan terminal.[endtext]