Getting around the island – Top 5 types of transportation on Bali
Article by Matt Verbaan
Ok, you’ve arrived at the airport. Where to go now? Here are the 5 transportation options from the airport and beyond…
#1 Airport TaxiIf airport transportation is not included in your hotel reservation or you haven’t got a phone number of a private Bali driver, then there is only one option: the Airport Taxi. After travelling to many places in Indonesia I can say that the taxi’s at Bali airport are the most organized.
All you have to do is find the Taxi counter, tell them where you want to go, pay the gentelmen behind the counter who then points you to the driver. That’s it! No negotiating, not sudden extra costs once you are at your destination. It’s ofcourse one of the most expensive fare you will pay but then again…compared to home it’s not much.
#2 Regular TaxiThere are many taxis driving around town looking for passengers. So you just have to look over your shoulder and there is already one who has spotted you. When you get in make sure you ask the driver to turn on the meter, unless you know the prices and want to negotiate a cheaper fare.
#3 Private driverAll over Bali you can arrange a private driver who will take you where ever you want to go. You can hire one to get to a destination, for a couple of hours or for a whole day. Prices vary but expect to pay max Rp. 500.000 per day for a private driver that you met along the street or through a agent desk. If you arrange one at the hotel desk it can get more expensive.
#4 Rent a car or motorbikeDriving in Bali can be tricky especially if you are not used to driving at places where rules are not taken to consideration. But renting a car does take you to places whenever you want. So there is more freedom when driving yourself.
My favorite transportation is the motorbike. It’s easier to drive around in the villages (you can drive into alleys and avoid traffic) plus you can experience the smell and hear the surrounding more. But then again, when you are standing at a traffic light under the burning sun you tend to look envious to the passenger sitting in the aircon car which is waiting next to you.
#5 BikeThis is for the die hards because Bali is pretty hilly. So from my experience is best not to take the bike on a day tour (unless you join the many Bike tours but then you only go downhill). Instead hire a bike if you want to get around the village easily.
In Kuta it would be easier to get to restaurants located a bit further away, like in Seminyak or Legian. This is also the case for Sanur, because the main road in this village seems to go on and on if you are on foot. So a bike makes everything less far away…
About the Author
Matt Verbaan has travelled to Bali many times and after seeing all the amazing sights, staying at great hotels, eating a wonderful restaurants and enjoying the Balinese culture he has created his own Bali travel website. To read more about the best way to see all the things in Bali go to http://www.bali-travel-life.com/bali-island.html
Are there many types of gamelan in Bali? Which ones are the most common?
Article by Vaughan Hatch
Unbeknownst to many, there are in fact more than forty different types of gamelan in Bali. This is saying something for such a small island.
The most common type is called gong kebyar (exploding gong) which is overwhelmingly dominant at festivals and competitions. Originating in Buleleng in the early 20th century, it emerged as a secular gamelan for flamboyant, fast-paced music and dance performances held usually in the market place outside in temple. In the space of only ten or twenty years, this ensemble and its capricious music swept the island by storm. Smaller than the stately ceremonial gamelan, gong gede, it was quickly adopted into religious ceremonies and soon replaced it in all regencies outside of Bangli. Now in Bali there are more than 10,000 sets of the versatile gong kebyar. Almost every banjar and every temple own at least one set and large numbers of wealthy Balinese have commissioned sets for themselves as well. Kebyar music is characterized by its loud sound and lightening pace, and its emotional music tends to both attract and deter curious tourists.
The next most popular gamelan is angklung which has four keys in South Bali and anything up to seven keys in Buleleng. It provides cremation music all over the island and in Central and East Bali it is also used in temple anniversaries and private ceremonies. Angklung is high-pitched and highly rhythmic with note intervals resembling that of the Western major scale, and to the occidental ear sounds lively and jolly. To the Balinese, with its close association to cremations, it evokes melancholy and sadness.
Another common ensemble is the pair of bamboo xylophones called rindik in South Bali and grantang in the north. Heard playing restaurants and hotel lobbies across the island, these instruments and their cheerful and airy music were created by farmers in their breaks between tending to their crops and livestock.
©2009 Vaughan Hatch
For further articles about Balinese gamelan and dance, see http://www.balimusic.org
About the Author
Vaughan Hatch is a writer, musician and ethnomusicologist who lives in Bali. He has written extensively on rare and endangered Balinese gamelan music, and his work has been published in numerous newspapers, magazines, and books in Indonesia. To read more of his articles, visit http://www.balimusic.org
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