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A Word of Dances

Goa Gajah and Yeh Pulu are a short bemo ride from Ubud on the way to Gianyar. The area can also be explored on bicycle. Start early in the morning to avoid the crowd o f tourist buses and the hassling vendors at the entrance of Goo Gajah. The visit to Yeh Puluh is quieter, and can be prolonged by a walk in the surrounding rice fields: start at Yeh Pulu, then find Puri Yeh Pulu Cottages, and from there follow the path to Goo Gajah, enjoying great views above the Petanu River . It is only a I km walk, but the path is not clear and you may need assistance to find your way.

The Ubud Water Palace on the main road stages a legong dance on Saturdays at 7:30pm and a children's dance, accompanied by a women's gamelan group, on Tuesdays at 7:30pm (Rp 50,000).

Check the dance shows at Po ndok Pekak – they also present a Frog Dance on Wednesday and Saturdays at 8pm in the Pura Padang Kerta on Jl. Hanoman (Rp50,000, funds go to the library). For performance of classical gambuh , inquire in Batuan at Pura Desa Batuan .

Old Mysteries along the Petanu River

The ridges and valley between the Pakrisan and the Petanu rivers, flowing north-south from Mt Batur, were home to some of the earliest settlements and kingdoms of Bali . No less than 40 ancient temples are found in this .narrow strip of land, which harbours the richest collection of antiquities on the island – from the earliest known kettledrum and clay stupa to more recent Shivaite sculptures, rock-cut sanctuaries, and sacred baths. Some of the architecture and inscriptions, written in Old Javanese, display the deep influence of East Java on the culture of Bali .

Goa Gajah : the Mystery of the Elephant Cave

One of the oldest sanctuaries in Bali , this mysterious complex was possibly a Buddhist meditation place in the 11 th century. Its name itself, the “ Elephant Cave is a mystery – there were no elephants in Bali until tourist theme parks imported them from Sumatra . The elephant motifs found in Balinese art originate from India . The cave may derive its name from Old Javanese Chronicles, which mention a Buddhist hermitage at Lwa Gajah, the “ Elephant River ,” which may refer to the Petanu. Other theories say that the site got its name from a statue of the elephant – headed god Ganesha found inside, or from the first Dutch colonial who found the place in 1923, and mistook the demon carved above the entrance for an elephant head.

dramatic jegog bamboo

earliest known kettledrum

female deity surrounded

called rain drums

Javanese Singasari kingdom

relaxation yoga classes

local organic farming