Bali is a fantastic destination to visit at Christmastime. While there certainly isn’t ever any snow, the island embraces the holiday spirit and makes sure that there are always plenty of events and special performances for those who celebrate the festive season.
At Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in the Bedugul Highlands, there will be a series of special cultural parades held for tourists over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The event series, called Culture of Ulun Danu Beratan, is a stunning Balinese parade scheduled to take place from 24th December 2024 to 5th January 2025.
Speaking to reporters, the Head of Public Relations for Ulun Danu Beratan, I Made Sukarata, revealed that the parade would feature a wide range of arts and cultural activities from 18 traditional villages that are members of gebog satakan, a local collective.
Sukarata said, “In the parade later, we will present the Kecak dance with a story about the legend of Ulun Danu Beratan, as well as traditional arts performances in the form of dances.”
He noted that as the opening event, the parade will be held at The Bloom Garden, a tourist attraction developed by the management of DTW Ulun Danu Beratan.
After that, activities will take place alternately between The Bloom Garden and the Ulun Danu Beratan tourist area every day.
Sukarata explained, “Every day, 18 traditional villages will appear in turn. The goal is for visitors to have an interesting experience during the Nataru holidays at Ulun Danu Beratan or The Bloom Garden.” Nataru is the Indonesian word for the Christmas and New Year holiday.
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple and The Bloom Garden are just a short 10-minute drive from one another. Sukarata shared his hopes that through the cultural parade, more tourists would visit the Bedugul area.
He said, “We hope that this Nataru holiday moment can increase tourist visits and have a positive impact on the regional economy.”
For the festive season, tourists are being granted a buy-one-get-one-free offer on tickets, allowing entry to Ulun Danu Beratan and The Blooms Garden on one ticket, which costs IDR 115,000 for international visitors.
Sukarata added, “People who want to go on vacation now have many transportation options to Bali, which will make it easier for them to visit tourist attractions in Bali, including Ulun Danu Beratan.”
He also wants to spread some festive cheer with hardworking tourist drivers and tour guides for bringing their guests to the area. Sukarata said,” We prepare food, drinks, and snacks as a form of appreciation for their cooperation so far.”
Ulun Danu Beratan is one of Bali’s picture postcard temples and is as beautiful in real life as it appears in pictures. In fact, it is one of the most famous landmarks in Indonesia, as the temple is printed on the IDR 50,000 note!
Situated as if floating on the calm waters of Lake Beratan, the temple sits 1,500m above sea level. Visiting the temple in the early morning is completely magical, as the misty fog of the highlands rolls over the water and escapes up the foothills to the mountains of Tabanan in the distance.
The temple was built to honor the Goddess Danu, the Balinese goddess of the waters, the lakes, and the rivers. There are four buildings that make up the Pura Ulun Danu Beratan complex, the most recognizable of which is the Pura Puncak Mangu, which stands at 11 levels in height and was built to honor God Vishnu.
The next most recognizable shrine is the Lingga Pura, which stands over three levels and was built to honor God Shiva.
Records show the temple was first built in 1556, with further developments added to the coulees in 1633 as ordered by the King of Mengwi, I Gustu Agung Putu, who incorporated both Balinese Hindu and Buddhist styles into the temple complex.
A day trip to the Beratan Highlands must feature a visit to Pura Ulun Danu Beratan and a visit to The Blooms Garden, which is not to be missed either. For those particularly interested in horticulture, be sure to visit the Bali Botanical Garden, which can be easily visited in one day.
For something a little different, schedule a round of golf at Handara Golf & Resort Bali, or visit Handara Gate to capture your own version of the famous Bali photograph. Driving a little further north to Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan, known as the Twin Lakes, is also a relaxing, nature-filled way to spend an afternoon.
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