Bali
Entertainment

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No one leaves Bali without ever hearing or feeling its music and the euphony surrounding its culture. From the very basic sound of the kulkul, a bamboo percussion instrument used to call for a village meeting, to the elaborate tones of the gamelan, the air reverberates with traditional entertainment.

Balinese Dance

In every Balinese cultural or spiritual ceremony, dancing serves to balance the order of the cosmos and act as a bridge between man and god. Barong, portraying a victorious battle of good against evil, illustrates the opposing forces in the Balinese religious sphere.

Ramayana ballet, one of Bali’s most famous dances, reenacts the kidnap and rescue of the beautiful Sita, with forest animals prancing about in a hilarious display of emotion and frantic energy. Langit Theater at The Ritz-Carlton, Pasar Senggol at the Grand Hyatt and most other hotel restaurants stage similar performances to accompany lavish buffet dinners.

Legong, a quintessential demonstration of Balinese femininity and grace, and baris, its masculine equivalent, have also garnered worldwide interest. In kebyar duduk, the dancer sits cross-legged almost throughout, emphasizing hand, wrist and torso movements and powerful facial expressions. Apart from hotels, independent restaurants such as Canangsari Restaurant in Sanur, Angsa Putih Restaurant in Nusa Dua and Bumbu Bali in Tanjung Benoa also present an opportunity for gastronomic indulgence and artistic appreciation of these dances at one place.

Kecak, originally part of the sacred sanghyang dance, involves some 100 performers dramatizing the fight between Rawana and Hanoman from the Ramayana epic. Tourists enjoy this fascinating show at cultural centers within villages such as Batubulan or, on some evenings, along Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai Sanur.

Dances also grace ritual festivals in temples. Drop by Pura Desa and Pura Puseh Batuan on the first and 15th of every month to catch the ancient gambuh dance-drama or Pura Taman Pule for the rare wayang wong mask dance on every Kuningan holiday.

To see more than the tip of the iceberg, culture vultures can sign up for courses on traditional dance and music at the Language and Culture Center and Cudamani.

Art Museums

Previously serving only ritual functions and as adornment for temples and palaces, Balinese art has today gained a rightful place in the international arena. Agung Rai Museum of Art houses a remarkable private collection of works by Balinese, Javanese and foreign artists, including the highly acclaimed Walter Spies. The well-established Museum of Fine Arts and Neka Museum, Ubud’s cultural landmark, feature unique settings and distinctive collections that truly reflect their individuality.

On a more modest scale, Museum Rudana showcases a laudable selection of paintings, ranging from 19th century pieces to contemporary ones. Seniwati Gallery displays artwork by women from Indonesia and beyond. Time permitting, one can also make a day trip to the villages of Batuan and Mas to observe native painters, woodcarvers and mask-makers at work.

Culture enthusiasts should make a point to drop by the Taman Werdi Budaya. This commodious art center houses several quality galleries and provides an outlet of expression for various art forms. It also hosts the annual Bali Arts Festival.

Wayang Kulit

The celebrated wayang kulit, Indonesia’s oldest performing art, retells the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The dalang (puppeteer) sits cross-legged, maneuvering brightly painted puppets that appear as silhouettes against a screen lit from behind by a lamp. Oka Kartini’s and Wayang Calon Arang hold regular wayang kulit, as does the Pura Jagatnatha twice a month on full and new moons.

Night Life

The pulsating party scene runs every night in south Bali, concentrating in Kuta and Seminyak. The quieter areas of Ubud, Sanur and Nusa Dua convey a more sedate atmosphere for a drink and some small talk.

Night life in the heart of Kuta undoubtedly begins with the ever-popular Hard Rock Cafe Bali. As the night rolls on, the party-goers gravitate toward Jalan Legian, where the longtime favorite Peanuts and Sari Club rock with blaring music. The Irish pub Paddy's also turns into a discotheque at night, while the Apache Reggae Bar (near Miller Time Cafe) belts out live reggae. Espresso Bar and Pizzeria and-last on the strip-the relatively new Bounty One lie among the many other nightclubs strewn across the area.

Seminyak contains a cluster of trendy nightspots frequented by westerners and locals alike. Down Jalan Double Six, toward the beach, the disk jockey at Loco Bar, known for its cool cocktails, spins nightly. At the end of the road facing the ocean, Double Six dance club beckons, flaunting the biggest open-air dance floor in Bali, a swimming pool and even bungee-jumping facilities. On Jalan Seminyak, Jaya Pub blares out live rock music, while a Seminyak classic, plays a great selection of rhythmic music, offering inexpensive drinks and a spot for meeting new faces. Casa Luna, across the street, is another regular haunt with live music and DJs. Several spots continue the frenzy well into the morning, Santa Fe Bar and Grill, for instance, features cover bands four nights a week and opens round the clock.

In Nusa Dua, most hotels accommodate in-house bars, each imparting a different atmosphere. Notable nightclubs here include Club Tabuh in the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel, Lila Cita Fun Pub in the Grand Hyatt, Quinn's Bar in the Sheraton Laguna, Octopus in the Bali Hilton and Bali Boulevard, which features cabaret shows nightly, in Melia Bali.

Ubud presents an interesting night life because the gentle hill town sleeps so early. Jazz Cafe and the Funky Monkey, a hopping cocktail joint with good music and a lively atmosphere, make good places to start a shindig. The Putra Bar, where live bands entertain regularly, ranks arguably as the oldest and most popular hotspot, right in the heart of Monkey Forest Road, within walking distance of central hotels.

Evening entertainment in Sanur is confined to a handful of places. Planet Sanur and Jazz Bar & Grill rank among the more upbeat drinking spots, while Janger, Sanur’s only dance club, pumps techno tunes until the wee hours.