Island Hopping Indonesia - Audley Travel

Island Hopping Indonesia : Group TourBali introductionPeople say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. They are proud ofhaving preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, thedominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in day to day life andcan be seen in the numerous ceremonies, festivals and magnificent temples andpalaces. The Balinese are skilled artisans and are also noted for their traditionaldance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth. Therise of tourism on Bali since artists began flocking here in the 60's has not changedlocal customs and still today it is the law in Bali that no building can be higher thana palm tree.Ubud introductionMany western artists and intellectuals began visiting Ubud in the 1930's and aided inthe expansion of the local Balinese arts and crafts. From this time Ubud becameknown in Bali, not for its beaches, but for art, music, architecture and dance. It islocated in the centre of the island, within 90 minutes of the popular south coastand a couple of hours from the quieter beaches of the north, east and west coasts.The central region of Bali is arguably the most scenic and Ubud is an ideally locatedtown from which to base yourself to explore all that Bali has to offer away fromthe coast.The slightly cooler temperatures in Ubud mean exploring the gallery lined streetsand markets is a little more comfortable than on the coast, however being locatedat a higher altitude you will see more rain here, particularly in the afternoons whentropical showers occur year round.Cremation ceremony near Ubud, BaliThursday18 October, 2012Tjampuhan Hotel, UbudA cultural tour of Ubud and the surrounding villagesgroup excursion with lunch in a local restaurantYour first stop on this full day trip is in Ubud itself where you will have theopportunity to browse through the galleries of prominent Balinese and Europeanartists at one of the town's excellent museums. There are several good ones tochoose from, our current favourite is the Neka museum. You can watch gold andsilver craftsmen at work in the village of Celuk, visit the woodcarving galleries inMas and test your bartering skills in the local market. You will also visit UbudPalace which is still home to the local royal family. You can walk around most ofthe large compound with it's traditional buildings. On leaving Ubud you will thentravel along the back roads passing stunning rice terraces in Tegallalang, visitingTampak Siring with its holy springs and finally stopping at Batuan to see sometraditional Balinese houses. During the day you will be taking for lunch in a localrestaurant.26 Itinerary in detail