South East Asian Trips

Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Indonesian island of Bali. Bali is a famous Indonesian island often known as Balidwipa. The name Balidwipa, has been derived from inscriptions like the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa. The island was first discovered by the Europeans in 1597. During World War II Japan conquered the island and took control of it till August 1945. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. It became part of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia in 1949. In 1956, Bali gave up the Dutch union and became a province within the Republic of Indonesia. It is now one of the Lesser Sunda Islands as well as one of the country's 33 provinces.

Not too long ago a quaint town, Denpasar is now one of the fastest-growing and most racially mixed cities in Indonesia. It is also home to the largest market on Bali and to several arts centers; however, foreign visitors tend not to linger in Denpasar as the scenery and lack of tourist amenities don't compare to the beaches that are not far away. The tourist office is located at Jalan Surapati 7.

Area and Location

Denpasar is located at 8°39' Latitude South and 115°13' Longitude East. It has a population of 491,500.

Weather

Denpasar weather is hot year-round and wet during the months from October to April.

Tourist Attractions

It has many temples and architectures that attract tourists to it. It is a popular tourist destination.

Transportation

Ngurah Rai Airport is the main gateway to the city. The shipping lines in its major ports help in the passage.

Denpasar is the transportation hub of the island of Bali. There is an international airport just to the south of the city, and there are five bus and bemo terminals within the city. If you are using Denpasar as a stopover before heading to another destination on Bali, you can catch a bus to anywhere on the island for only a few thousand rupiah. The city can also be reached by train.

Getting around within the city is a cinch: buses, bemos, mini bemos, taxis, and horse-drawn carts (dokars) are plentiful. Buses, minivans, bicycles, motorbikes, cars and taxis serve as the public transportation in the city.

Hotels

The city has many luxurious hotels and restaurants that are the favorite lounge of the millions of tourists visiting the city. Nusa Lembongan Resort, Matahari Bungalow, Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Bali Cliff Resort, Bulgari Bali, Nihiwatu Resort, Diwangkara Holiday Villa, Hotel Bolare, Hotel Tohpati, Inna Bali and Taman Suci Hotel are the well-known hotels in the city.

Places of Attraction

Bali Museum, Pasar Badung, Jalan Sulawesi, Jalan Gajah Mada, Taman Puputan, Catur Muka, Pura Jagatnatha, Pasar Burung, Puri Pemecutan, Bali Arts Center and Pura Maospahit are the important sites in the city. Werdhi Budaya Art Center, Sanur beach, Kuta-a beach, Nusa Dua-a tourist resort, Batubulan-sculptures of divinities, Batuan-center of arts, Celuk-a village, Mas- village of woodcarvers, Peliatan-center of traditional music and dance, Tampak Siring-temple, Bangli-second largest temple of Bali, Besakih-Mother Temple of Bali, Sangeh-a forest and Tanah Lot-a sea temple are the other interesting sights that capture the attention of tourists.

Ex-pat Hangouts

Denpasar doesn't have a large ex-pat community, so places that cater to Western tastes are few in comparison to Jakarta or to the beaches on Bali that serve tourists. If you go to Denpasar and find noteworthy ex-pat hangouts, please let us know. At present we can make only a few recommendations: you'll find several good Chinese restaurants along Jalan Gajah Mada that vary in price range and in menu selections, and the Thamrin Wisita Cineplex often features foreign films, which are shown in the original languages and are subtitled in Bahasa Indonesia.