Badung Regent offers praise
Badung Regent offers praise
By Brant Connors
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): As Bali celebrates its 42nd anniversary
as a province, Badung Regent A.A. Ngurah Oka Ratmadi SH praised
efforts to develop and promote Bali and Badung.
Badung Regency stretches through more than 400 square
kilometers of central Bali, from the secluded Nyang Nyang beach
on the Indian Ocean to the Nungung waterfall high in Central
Bali's green hills.
Though not the largest regency, it is economically important
-- it includes the Nusa Dua resort, the busy Kuta area and the
international airport.
Instrumental in developing Badung's popular destinations,
Ratmadi also has plans for its lesser known attractions.
Known mainly to surfers, Suluban, Labuan Sait and Kedonganan,
offer quiet stretches of white sand and clear blue water, and
have been targeted as growth sites.
Wildlife observers can see turtles thriving in the calm waters
and on the beaches of Deluang Sari island, while the mangroves
and lush vegetation are home to song birds and water foul.
The Sangeh Monkey Forest, 14 hectares of holy Pala trees that
grow naturally in this part of Badung, but cannot be found
elsewhere in Bali, is home to hundreds of monkeys.
In the mountains to the north, adventurers can find unspoiled
forests and native villages. Villages such as Pelaga, 45 km north
of Denpasar, have developing agro-businesses such as coffee,
vanilla and corn. Other villages such as Petang offer unmatched
highland views of terraced padi and fruit trees. The surrounding
areas contain some of Bali's most impressive and challenging
trekking opportunities, and the adventurous can splash down the
Ayung River, Bali's longest, with one of the white water rafting
outfits.
Ratmadi hopes as Bali enters a new year, everyone can work
together to continue to develop the wonders of Badung as well as
other sections of Bali. "On behalf of the governor of Bali, and
the people of Badung regency, I would like to congratulate Bali
on its 42nd anniversary. We hope that in its 43rd year, we will
all step hand-in-hand to increase our discipline, cooperation and
togetherness as a nation."