Bali’s Capital City To Become Focus For Inspiring Cultural Tourism

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Bali’s capital city, Denpasar, is an area of the island seldom visited by most holidaymakers. With the allures to the shorelines of Canggu, Seminyak, and Uluwatu and the tropical vistas that surround Ubud, it’s easy to see why tourists would opt to overlook an urban environment when a natural paradise lays just outside.

Yet, when tourists visit Denpasar city in search of cultural gems, and they find themselves suitably blown away. 

The Denpasar Tourism Office will be encouraging more tour and travel operators, as well as independent travelers, to explore the cultural heritage of the city.

Heritage tourism is a fantastic way for tourists to learn more about a region’s culture, stories, history, and present-day artistic scene.

The Head of the Denpasar Tourism Office, Ni Luh Putu Riyastiti, has spoken to reporters about the need to promote the valuable cultural and heritage wonders the city has to offer.

This, in addition to architecture, temples, and artistic customs such as music and dance, are all of interest to tourists from around the country and around the world. 

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Riyastiti explained, “In efforts to develop tourism, we believe that maintaining a balance between modernity and cultural preservation is the key to the success of sustainable tourism.”

She added, “Cultural heritage tourism provides an opportunity for us to introduce the richness of Denpasar’s culture to tourists, both domestic and international, while ensuring that our ancestral heritage is maintained and preserved.”

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The Denpasar City Tourism Office is calling on the tourism industry to support efforts to promote the cultural assets the city has to offer, as well as calling on tourists to think beyond jungles and beaches when it comes to visiting Bali. 

Riyastiti concluded, “I am proud that Denpasar City continues to show its appeal as a tourist destination that not only offers natural beauty but also deep cultural values, but we must work together to maintain and protect this cultural heritage and promote it in a wise and sustainable way.”

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As the Denpasar City Tourism Office works to find new ways to promote cultural experiences to tourists and encourage more domestic and international visits, there are already tourism agencies that are bringing to life the vibrant history and cultural heritage of Denpasar.

Walking tours, like those offered by Kultara Tours, are a fantastic way for tourists to immerse themselves in all that Denpasar has to offer, if only for a few hours. 

One thing is for sure: taking a half-day or full-day tour of Denpasar serves only as an enticing experience for a vacation in Bali.

Tourists and holidaymakers need not worry that spending a few hours in the city will take away from time spent in the sun lounger or in the pool.

A guided tour of Denpasar always leaves visitors with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the island of Bali, its deep history, and its totally unique culture. 

Last week, the co-founder of Kultara, Aris Maulana, shared his insights on what impresses tourists most during their time on a walking tour of Denpasar; it turns out there is mass appeal.

Maulana explained, “We thought only tourists were interested. But it turned out that many local people were also interested in joining the walking tour. Even many domestic Balinese.”

Maulana explained that there are still many people who do not realize that Denpasar has an Old City District, something that even domestic tourists are not often aware of.

He shared that “On the ‘Gajah Mada Old City’ route, we highlight the economic development in Denpasar. Its origins are in accordance with Badung Market.”

For those who want to see a broader spectrum of what Denpasar has to offer from city to the sea, the ‘The Trail of Art in Sanur’ is a must-do. The tour describes the origins of modern art in Bali, starting at Le Mayeur Museum, and guests visit the home of Ni Pollok too.

It incorporates cycling in Sanur and visiting a dance studio at Hotel Tandjung Sari, and the endpoint is at Griya Santrian. A range of Denpasar-based tours operate every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.