Soak in Serenity Volcanic HotSprings & the Majesty of Mount Batur

Wood carving, like stone carving, has traditionally featured largely in temple and pa ace architecture with little free standing ‘sculpture’ work produced commercially. Immaculately carved demons and mythical beings decorate pillars, door panels, linters and window shutters with the aim of protecting t buildings from evil intruders. Scenes of legendary figures placed within floral d?cor set a more pleasant and educational tone. When producing tools and objects for everyday use, sculptors had a much freer hand in choosing subject matter. With the arrival of European influences, wood carving started to develop along more innovative and commercial lines.

At the farade of the cave is a relief of various menacing creatures and demons carved right into the rock at the cave entrance. The primary figure was once thought to be an elephant, hence the nickname Elephant Cave. The site is mentioned in the Javanese poem Desawarnana written in 1365. An extensive bathing place on the site was not excavated until the 1950s. These appear to have been built to ward off evil spirits.

Pura Tirta Empul is the temple of Tampak Siring , built around a sacred spring. Tampak Siring is an inscription dates the spring all the way back to 926AD; and there are fine carvings and Garudas on the courtyard buildings. The temple and its two bathing spots have been used by the Balinese for over a thousand years for good health and prosperity; as the spring water really does have the power to cure. Regular purification ceremonies also take place here. A little off the main road in Tampaksiring is Mount Kawi with its group of large stone memorials cut into cliffs on either side of a picturesque river valley.

Kintamani Volcano and Batur Lake Kintamani Volcano, Batur Lake, Batur MountMount Batur is located at Kintamani and it has erupted about 24 times since year 1800 and still active up to now. Since the mount erupting, it has impacted to the local society life around this mount, like removing altar (Temple), improve or repairing the village and re-arrange the tradition. Lake Batur is the biggest lake in Bali and functioning as irrigation source to all farmers around it and it is also for all Bali society generally.

Lying on the western shore of Lake Batur, along the roller-coaster road from Kedisan to Songan, the resort village of Toya Bungkah, Bali features an invigorating hot springs, massive cinemascopic views, and a black-sand beach. Many travelers choose to stay in Toya Bungkah rather than Kedisan, Bali, because the latter has too many Bali Aga while the former is more a mixture of Balinese and Javanese. Watch your gear in both places-lotsa thieves. This sulfurous hot springs is known to soothe muscle aches and pains, as well as cure rheumatism and skin diseases. The volcanically heated water bubbles up from under the lake in several places among the lava rocks. The water is not really that hot, though it becomes warmer as the day progresses.