Bedugul offers orchids and convenience<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali<\/p>\n
With its cool air, beautiful scenery and quiet atmosphere,
\nBedugul in Tabanan regency is a comfortable haven for those who
\nhave grown bored with Kuta's cramped environs and frustrated with
\nDenpasar's traffic jams.<\/p>\n
Lying some two hours by car from Denpasar and about two-and-a-
\nhalf hours from Nusa Dua, Bedugul sits next to the misty Lake
\nBeratan.<\/p>\n
This tranquil 370,000-square-meter lake provides visitors with
\nample opportunities for boating, fishing, water skiing,
\nparasailing or simply enjoying the peaceful ambience of the
\nancient Ulun Danu temple next to the lake.<\/p>\n
During ancient times, the area around the lake was populated
\nmostly by royal blacksmiths and their families, who were
\nresponsible for filling the kingdom's armory with powerful tools
\nof war. These families were wiped out by the troops of East
\nJava's Majapahit Kingdom during their advance into the Balinese
\nkingdom's capital of Bedulu in Gianyar.<\/p>\n
About one kilometer west of the lake lies the Eka Karya
\nBotanical Park, one of the most interesting spots in Bedugul.
\nFounded in July 1959, the park boasts 1,753 species of plants on
\n157,490 square meters of hilly ground.<\/p>\n
The park, particularly early in the morning when layers of
\nmist hover on high branches and dewy leaves embrace the warm sun,
\nis mesmerizing.<\/p>\n
"The park is divided into a general collection and thematic
\nones, each occupying different plots of land," the head of the
\npark, Mustaid Siregar, said.<\/p>\n
One thematic collection that Siregar is particularly proud of
\nis the ritual plants of Balinese Hinduism. Over the years, the
\npark's staff has painstakingly collected, cataloged and
\ncultivated various plants commonly used in local religious
\nrituals.<\/p>\n
"So far we have in our collection 88 species of ritual plants,
\nsome of which are now so rare and hard to find that the Balinese
\nhave stopped using them," he said.<\/p>\n
The park also has 2,180 specimens of orchids from 149
\ndifferent species. Siregar repeatedly stresses that these are
\nwild orchids and not hybrid ones.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is known to be very fond of
\nthe park's orchid collection.<\/p>\n
"Ibu (Megawati) has visited the park on three separate
\noccasions. Ibu loves plants and orchids and has a deep knowledge
\nof this subject," Siregar said.<\/p>\n
The park has a luxurious Balinese-style bungalow and an eight-
\nroom dormitory reserved for guest scientists and researchers.<\/p>\n
"But when the facilities are not being used by researchers, we
\nare very happy to rent it out to visitors," he said.<\/p>\n
In 2002, about 268,000 people visited the park. Siregar said
\nforeign visitors were generally very enthusiastic to learn about
\nthe park's plants, whereas Indonesians usually visited just for
\npicnics.<\/p>\n
Another interesting spot in Bedugul is the Bali Handara
\nKosaido Country Club, which boasts an 18-hole golf course with
\narguably the greenest grass on the island.<\/p>\n
"Our visitors always say that our golf course is superbly
\ngreen and well-tended, and they also extol the cool weather here
\nin Bedugul. It is so cool that they can play all day long without
\nsuffering from exhaustion," club supervisor Gde Sutarya said.<\/p>\n
The club has a 77-room hotel on its 110,000 square meters of
\nland. The hotel has its own tennis courts, restaurant and karaoke
\nlounge.<\/p>\n
A visit to Bedugul is best completed by a stop at the
\nCandikuning Market, where visitors can buy fresh vegetables and
\nfruit, and colorful decorative plants.<\/p>\n
And sampling a cup of local coffee -- they mix coffee with
\ncrushed dry-shelled corn -- in a nearby drink stall is the
\nperfect way to unwind far from the crowds and chaos of other
\nparts of the island.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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