Back Road: From Baby’s Placentas Exhibition To Kintamani volcano of BALI

Back Road: From Baby’s Placentas Exhibition To Kintamani volcano of BALI

Bali is famous for its scenery, people, tradition and culture. Many tourists come to Bali to enjoy their holiday. Some are relaxing on the beach, some travelling in the island.  Instead of reaching one of tourist destination in the familiar routes, we think the tourists can pass through different routes. We made surveys. In fact, there are lots of back roads in Bali that most of local Receptive Operators do not know. For instance, to reach Kintamani which is famous with Lake and still active Batur Volcano, clients  will drive to Batubulan village to attend Barong and Keris dance performance. Then visit the art and handicraft villages of Celuk, Batuan, Mas and Ubud, to witness gold and silver work, hand weaving woodcarving and painting. Proceed to Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), a Hindu meditation center dating back to the 11th Century, Then Tampak Siring to see the holy spring water temple Tirta Empul. Next on to view the magnificent Panorama of the still active Mt. Batur volcano and Lake Batur. Return through Bangli town to see the 13th century Kehen Temple. Most of tourists have been led through this route.  

Kintamani become highlight destination for tourist from  Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, Ubud and other area. Since for 1 day tour, Kintamani is one of must-visit destination due to the breathtaking panorama of mount and lake Batur. Reaching Kintamani - a village on the western edge of the larger caldera wall of Gunung Batur -  and enjoy the scenery of an active volcano located at the center of two concentric calderas north west of Mount Agung, clients can pass different road. Kintamani is on the same north-south road as Penelokan and has been used as a stopping place to view the Gunung Batur region. From Kintamani, it is visible to view the substantial lava field from the 1968 eruption of Batur Volcano. Batur Volcano has been erupted several times. The history stated that since 1804 to 2000, Batur has exploded 26 times. The biggest explosion was on August 2^nd until September 21^st, 1926. That eruption cause the lava buried Batur Village and Ulun Danu Temple.

To witness the beauty of Batur volcano, drive to Batubulan where you could see the stone and wood statue along the way. The identity and image as an art village, Batubulan has been famous in Indonesia and all over the world which has been built based on an artistic blessing dance of Barong (Barong and Keris dance). Continue drive to Taro. Taro village which is located 6 Km in the north of Pujung, has magnificent rice terrace. Taro villager main activity is agriculture. It shows from many plantation such as Orange, Aloe Vera, etc. In this village you also will see thousands Sanggah/house shrine along the way. Sanggah is a holy  place to venerate god for a family. Every Hindu in Bali has Sanggah in southeast corner of their house. The word Sanggah is from Sanggar which mean holy place. Continue to Gunung Raung Temple in Taro Kaje Village.

Arrive in Bayung Gede Village where the baby’s placentas are hanging in the tree. The unique of this grave is the baby’s placentas are not buried but it is hanged. The placentas are put inside of the coconut shell then hang in the Bungkak tree. Even though the placentas are only be hanged, you will not smell the placenta or the blood scent. The scent of the coconut shell covers the fishy smell. Every placentas of the villager have to be put and hang in this place. For villager who already went outside Bali, they also have to hang their baby’s placenta there. It symbols for every villager who leave the village, they will always return to the village. The second uniqueness of this village is the similarity of several houses which arranged like in Penglipuran Village. In fact, Penglipuran’s villagers were from Bayung Gede. When the (Guerrilla) war at 1900, the armies from Bayung Gede were sent to Penglipuran. Since the distance from Bayung Gede and Penglipuran is far, they built a village with custom, building style and daily life like in Bayung Gede. There is a small building beside the placenta grave (isolate place). That building is for couple who married their own cousin or for mother who gives birth a male-female twin. The mother will stay in this building if she delivers her daughter first and the son is second. But, if she delivers the male baby first and female in second, she can stay in her own home.

After visit the hanging placenta, drive down to Tampak Siring, stop in agroplantation. This Agroplantation is the right place to see many kind of organic plants such as cocoa, lemongrass, snake fruit, coffee and etc. See the process of making coffee from the beans, dry process, the beans are roasted, until it becomes coffee powder. You can try several drinks such as Ginseng coffee, Lemongrass tea and Ginger tea.