Welcome to DENPASAR REGENCY
During the days of sailing ships during the last century, the importance of a port depended on its access to the sea-faring routes and its control of the trade in opium, weapons and manufactured products. Denpasar enjoyed these advantages tremendously. Located in the center of the southern rice fields, it was linked to the ports of Kuta in the west and Sanur and Benoa in the east. Slowly, the power of Denpasar princes reached its Golden Age at the end of the last century when they defeated the kingdom of Mengwi with the help of Tabanan
The arrival of the Dutch in the early 20th century, however, put an end to Balinese self-rule. However rebellion broke out in 1906 with thousands of courageous Balinese warriors putting up a bloody "Puputan" fight against the Dutch colonialists. As it was a battle of rifles against the kris (short daggers), the Dutch ruthlessly massacred the Balinese nobles who died.
After the war, Denpasar continued to grow under Dutch rule, thanks to its strategic location.
Road were constructed and Benoa harbour and an airport were built. These facilities made Denpasar the nucleus of the island's communications system and it grew to become the most populated part of the island.
From a population of just 15.000 sixty years ago, it has expanded dramatically to 400.000, plus another 100.000 who are residents of Kuta and Nusa Dua. Following the expansion of Ngurah Rai Airport Denpasar became the Balinese capital in 1958.
The most interesting feature of Denpasar is its combination of tradition with modernity. The old provincial kingdoms and villages of the densely populated rice plain also perforate the urban landscape. While functioning very much in the traditional way, these " village in the city" still have their exclusive banjar neighborhood, dance group, and temple festivals. These days, residents often from other regions of Bali and Indonesia.
This blending of styles has sometimes resulted in a stunning cohabitation of architectural genres. Hidden behind the harsh rows of Chinese shops along Jalan Gajah Mada in the old city center are traditional compounds with much of their original architecture preserved, kori gate and temples. These features give this city a historical look rarely found in other Indonesian cities. But with no heritage conservation policy at present, there is a strong possibility that much of the ancient architecture may soon find itself replaced by contemporary concrete structures.
A consequence of the city's rapid growth has been its sprawling nature. Since the road networks are not concentrated at the original urban center , urbanization tends to follow the main roads out of the city to housing projects 20 km away, leaving large expanses of rice-growing areas untouched in the middle of the city!
Scarcity of land has also created some architectural anomalies. City residents, no longer with enough room to build the complete set of buildings compound , have to make do with less. Some build smaller shrines from which they address the ancestors of their home village , while other build shrines on the second or third floors. The intention is to retain, at least outwardly, the Balinese architecture. For want of real Balinese house, many will make do with Balinese decorative roofs or cared panels illustrating the epic myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The result is unusual, but has a charm of its own.
Bali merges with Indonesia in Denpasar. The capital hosts all government administration offices as well as most universities and higher leaning institutions, home to about 25.000 students. The local economy is geared to the needs of the nearby resort of Sanur, Kuta and Nusa Dua where many residents commute to daily. The dynamism of the local economy has brought not only Balinese from other parts of the island, but newcomers from all over the country to Denpasar as investors, managers, even laborers. In Denpasar, ethnic homogeneity is a thing of the past.
Non Balinese now make up around 30% of the city population. There are several Javanese Kampung, Chinese and Arab/Punjabi areas. On the whole, except in the "old village of the city" which are solely Balinese, the population is very mixed. The Muslim call to prayer, the rumble of the beleganjur orchestra and the parson's sermon represent just some of the sounds in the Denpasar day. This variety has important cultural consequences. The Indonesian languange is increasingly taking over from Balinese in daily communication.
Denpasar is where the Balinese scholars translate Indian holy books, new prayers are taught, and Hinduism reinterpreted. It is also home to a new cosmopolitan call of Western-oriented Balinese yuppies. The contradictions are immense there.
Denpasar is not an easy place to visit. To see the old city, take a drive around the old villages of Kedaton, Sumerta, Tonja and especially Kesiman, whose brick-style shrines and gates are the simplest yet most beautiful in Bali. The Maospahit temple on the road to Tabanan dates back to the 14th century, another marvel of brick architecture.
Other beautiful monuments include the temple and palace of Kesiman, Panambangan temple ( near Pemecutan palace ), and Satria temple, with its nearby bird market. Pemecutan, Kesiman and Badung ( now the name of the nearby regency ) were the tree "united kingdoms" on the territory of Denpasar.
Representing the modern tradition is Pura Jagatnatha, located in the heart of the city. It was built in the 70's to be the "territorial temple" of Denpasar , an open monument to modern Balinese Hinduism. Its main padmasana shrine, or seat of the " Supreme Siwa", embodies the new importance given to the concept of the One God in Balinese religion.
A visit to the Bali Museum, located right next to Jagatnatha temple, is a must. It has the finest collections of Balinese antiquities. Of particular interest is the stylistic simplicity of the items in its 30"s collection.
The overly decorative Baroque style of Balinese art is clearly a resent historical import.
Denpasar is also where Bali displays its modern image. The Taman Budaya , the arts Centre to the east of the city, is a complex dedicated to the preservation of Balinese culture. It contains the gigantic Ksirarnawa amphitheater and a museum with an important collection of paintings and sculptures from the period of Balinese renewal, but not contemporary art.
As a modern metropolis, Denpasar offers a range of shopping centers ,restaurant and food centers. For those interested in textiles and handicraft, go to Pasar Badung and Pasar Kumbasari markets, located on either side of the Badung river in the old city center. The new center has moved sough to the Sudirman and Diponogoro roads. Matahari, new Dewata Ayu, Tiara, M'A and Libi department stores, as well as Sudirman Mall, center to the all needs of tourists and local customers, all at fixed prices. And for food, the south of Denpasar, Jalan Teuku Umar offers a complete range of restaurants.


Sanur
Administratively , Sanur is included in the city of Denpasar. But with white sand, coconut trees, and some of the best international hotels on the whole island just a few metres away, Sanur was Bali's first beach resort. Only a few hundred meters inland, it is a village traditionally run by the Brahmins- the priestly caste of Bali.
The Sanur area, the beach front of Denpasar now extending from Sanur westwards to the Suwung marshes and Serangan island, is steeped in history.
The Blanjong, written in Sanskrit in 913, is the oldest inscription of kind in Bali. It tells of the founding of a Buddhist monastery. Other traces of contact with the outside world persist to this day. The villages of Renon, on the road to Denpasar, and Semawang, near Sanur beach hotel, still host a Baris Cina dance, with warriors wearing Portuguese - like 16 th century helmets, perhaps the sign of early European contact.
Sanur was for centuries an important trading place. Nearly Serangan island has a Moslem community of Bugis fishermen, who arfe descendants from the famous seafaring traders of old. But it is best known for the inland Brahmin communities of Taman and Anggarkasih inside elaborately gated compounds, who are believed to use magic. There people were also staunchly independent, and when the Dutch landed in 1906 on their way to Denpasar ,they allowed the troops to pass by peacefully, having a grudge their own ruler, thus avoiding the" Puputan " tragedy.
Tourist in Sanur began in the 1930 's Expatriates, writers and other luminaries had beach bungalows there. After independence, the Dutch painter Le Mayeur lived there and gained fame for his affair with and marriage to Ni Polok, one of the best dances of his day. Le Mayeur 's impressionistic work, while heavily damaged, can be seen at Le Mayeur Museum near Grand Bali Beach Hotel .
Donald Fried, one of Australia's great artists, also lived in Sanur until the 60's. Sanur was where the Indonesian government made its first attempt at mass tourist: the construction of he Bali Beach bunker, built using Javanese war reparations. The hotel burned down in 1993, but has now been restored even grander than before with the addition of a Bali- stile roof. The Hyatt, built in the 70's, is famous for its garden and lobby, built like a huge traditional Balinese wantilan.
The charm of Sanur lies in the relative tranquility of its social scene. It is a resort for families or visitors wanting the right mix of beach and Balinese life. It also has the immense advantage of being much nearer inland tourist spots- just half an hour from Ubud. Another advantage of Sanur compared with Kuta is its quieter beaches, making it a favorite walking place.
The main road passes inland, not along the beach front itself. The beach varies from black sand in Padang Galak to white sand in the stretch from Grand Bali Beach to Semawang. Further west, the coast turns to swamp prior to Suwung Village, the location of a small pier for travel to Serangan island. This island is currently developing into a popular resort area.
It has several attractions for tourists, most famous being the Pura Sakenan temple, built in the coral- stone architecture of the coast. The temple comes to life on Kuningan day, when thousands of worshippers cross the narrow straits to pay their respects to Empu Kuturan, 10 th century reformer of Balinese Hinduism.
There is also a turtle hatchery on the island. Turtle meat used to be a favorite Balinese delicacy. But in the 60's and 70's turtle -shell became a favorite material for making jewelry and boxes, and the tortoises all but disappeared, hence the hatchery. But the local Bugis fishermen have lost their main livelihood, now having to travel as far as Eastern Indonesia and the Timor Sea to catch firs and sea shells.

The Treasures of Denpasar
The capital of Bali is often considered a sprawling and noisy city that has attracted thousands of inhabitants from the rest of the island. It is also the first stop-over point for any visitor to Bali.
Arriving at Ngurah Rai Airport, one is struck immediately by the warmth of the hosts. The city is indeed filled with treasures from its rich and colorful past. The airport itself is named after a freedom fighter, Ngurah Rai, who led a small band of soldiers towards the end of 1946, in the struggle against the colonial rulers of that time, the Dutch. All 94 soldiers led by Ngurah Rai were slaughtered, now remembered by monument near the airport. The side where the flight took place is now called Marga Rana. The 20 th November is designated " Marga Heroes' Day " and celebrated with parades and other public ceremonies.
The center of live in the city revolves around Puputan Square. In the centerv of the Square is a bronze memorial for those who lost their lives in the one-sided struggle with the Dutch. At one corner of a Square stands a 5-metre stone statue dedicated to the 'Great Teacher '-shiva. What makes this unusual is that the face to the east is Indra (Iswara), to the south it is Brahma, to the north Vishnu, and to the west Mahadewa. Also within the Square is the contemporary -looking Pura Jagatnata, the "Temple of the Lord of the world ". Within it is an ornate statue of the Supreme God, Sanghyang Widhi Wasa.
The nearby Bali Museum was established in 1932. Archaeological finds, dance masks, handicraft, paintings, as well as architectural illustrations of the various Balinese temples, provide an unrivaled exhibition of the culture.
Go to the three-story Central Market in the early morning, when it is a hive of activity. The whole of the first floor is devoted to meat and fish, dairy products, as well as flowers. If looking for spices, head for the second floor. Handicrafts are on the third.
There are several other markets well worth visiting in the capital city, ncluding the Kumbasari, just across from the Central Market. For souvenir hunters, two streets, Jalan Gajah Mada and Jalan Thamrin, have all you will need to remember your trip to Bali. Speciality and Art shops abound here and all over in Denpasar. Visit the Bird Market ( Pasar Burung ) for a closer look at several fine feathered creatures, as well as cats, dogs, snakes and fish.
The night market ( pasar malam ) usually starts in the late afternoon and is a favorite for eating in a relaxed atmosphere as you watch the wold go by. Make your way towards Sanur and you will find the Niti Mandala Civic Centre, home to several government offices, including the Bali Government Tourist Office. Interesting to note o\is the architectural style used in constructing the buildings, adapting age-old Balinese designs to the modern era.
Finally, some other interesting places to visit in Sanur are the Art Market ( Pasar Seni ) and the Beach Market. Halfway between Denpasar and Sanur is the handicraft center, Sanggraha Kriya Asti.