Batubulan village in Bali – history, photo, description, how to get there, map
The village of Batubulan has found its location in the central part of Bali, in Indonesia. Among travel enthusiasts, the settlement bears the title of one of the unique attractions of the island, where generations of stone-cutting artisans still live. Indeed, in the village, the doors of many souvenir shops are open, on the shelves of which there are figurines of mythical heroes and characters of local legends. Here you can also see unique costumed performances with national dances, chants and a fire show. It will not be difficult to get to the amazing settlement – Batubulan is located almost within the city and a lot of fixed-route taxis follow to the destination.
Story
There is practically no information about the origin of the first settlement on the site of the village of Batubulan, although the locals consider themselves to be ancient peoples who have lived here for more than one century in a row. It is known that for the most part, generations of artisans lived on these lands and to this day live, passing on their knowledge to every new child in this world. The only more or less reliable information is the period of the appearance of the first building on the site of the village. It is believed that the beginning of land development is associated with the construction of the Pura-Pusekh temple, erected here in the 11th century.
sights
Perhaps the main attraction of the village is its main building – the temple of Pura-Puseh, located almost in the center of Batubulan and surrounded on all sides by the houses of local residents. The first part of the name “pura” in Balinese means “temple”.
Pura Puseh is rightfully considered a unique temple building. Its walls are made of volcanic rock called “gray tuff”, the structure of which is particularly soft and pliable. Probably, precisely because of the unusual material from which the structure was built, the atmosphere around it is filled with mystery and mysticism.
The temple is in the highest respect among the local population. Residents see it as a shrine and regularly make all kinds of donations and offerings to the walls of the building. Another feature of Batubulan is performances with ritual notes, which are held here constantly, if not daily. These colorful and vibrant festivities, filled with dances and music of the indigenous people of these places, are localized near the walls of Pura Puseh and are part of an ancient tradition.
The most famous performance is the theatrical performance of the local group “Denjalan” on weekends. The members of the group perform the Barong dance, named after the deity and telling the story of the eternal struggle between evil and good. The artists are exotically made up and dressed in colorful national costumes, and the whole process is accompanied by unusual folk chants.
The harmony and amazing plasticity of the bodies of the speakers will undoubtedly amaze and delight every observer. In the southern part of Batubulan, there is another interesting building – the Bale Banjar pavilion, where you can also see Indonesian dances and performances with the participation of the villagers. Dance performances are held in the morning, and in the evening, the kachak dance is especially interesting, which includes a fire show and walking barefoot on hot coals.
In addition to the sights located in the village itself, the Bird Park is nearby. Its area is occupied by part of the rice fields, and its inhabitants are represented by a huge number of species of vociferous birds. Also near the bird park, a reptile park awaits its visitors, where you can see the brightest representatives of the Indonesian reptile world – monitor lizards, crocodiles, pythons and poisonous snakes.
Stone cutting art
The craft of stone carving can definitely be called the key feature of Batubulan. Knowledge about the basics of stone-cutting art and its specifics has been passed down here from father to son for centuries. Starting from the entrance to the village, here and there you can see many statues of birds, plants, heroes and divine creatures from local legends. At the same time, the parameters of the statues vary from a few centimeters to huge sizes.
Souvenir shops and workshops for making stone creations are open everywhere here. At the same time, artisans work right on the street, in full view of all visitors to the village, and the process of creating another statue can be captured on video or photo.
In addition, at the request of tourists, kind residents are ready to share their knowledge of their craftsmanship, accumulated over many centuries, or create a custom-made sculpture. The finished work can be purchased for less than 5 euros. Passionate about their craft, the villagers are convinced that, despite the ferocious appearance of some of the figures, each statue protects Batubulan from evil spirits and maintains an atmosphere of peace in this land.
Visiting Rules
Visiting the stone cutters' village implies certain rules. And although they do not require the strictest observance, visitors and tourists should listen to the wishes of the locals. First of all, visiting Batubulan does not involve pre-payment and the entrance to the territory of the settlement is absolutely free. At the same time, locals recommend leaving donations to the Pura Puseh temple, for which they express endless gratitude to tourists.
A walk around the village is possible both as part of a group of tourists and individually. Anyone has the opportunity to come to Batubulan, and local residents will be happy to tell the history of the village and show interesting places. Another tip would be to choose clothes for the excursion – the best option is a robe that covers the shoulders and legs, including the ankles.
As for the hours allowed for the visit, sightseeing of the village and its sights is available from 8 am to 6 pm daily. But the best time of the year to visit these places is the period from late spring to September. The rest of the time, Bali is characterized by the tropical rainy season.
How to get there
Batubulan stretches for 2.5 km in the central part of Bali, not far from settlements, so it will not be difficult to get to an unusual village. From Denapasar to the destination can be reached in 15 minutes, while paying about 2000 rupees. You can also drive from Ubud, but in this case the journey will take a little longer – approximately 25-30 minutes, and the cost of the trip will be 4000 rupees. A route from Amlapur is also available for 7,000 rupees and a duration of just over 1 hour. From Padangbai, the journey takes 45 minutes and costs 5,000 rupees.
The uniqueness of the village of Batubulan, located in Bali, lies in the preservation of the ancient traditions of stone-cutting art. Here, ancestors and descendants are united by one common and beloved thing – the creation of stone sculptures. And the hospitality of the local population cannot but rejoice – masters of their craft will gladly tell inquisitive travelers about the secrets of this difficult art. The time spent in Batubulan can be colored with bright colors of musical performances, whose color is thoroughly permeated with the traditions and rituals of Indonesia.