Muncan, a promising tourist spot in Bali

Muncan, a promising tourist spot in Bali

Tri Vivi Suryani, Contributor, Karang Asem, East Bali

Muncan might sound strange to many visitors coming to Bali who
are more familiar with resort names like Kuta, Sanur, Bedugul or
Kintamani.

Located some 70 km east of Denpasar, Muncan might become an
alternative location for those wanting a different holiday site.

With hundreds of monkeys happily shrieking and playing in the
trees, entering the village is like coming to a different world
filled with lush foliage.

Muncan is home to 1,400 families, most of whom are farmers
growing salak (snake fruit) and local artisans.

Relatively untouched by the outside world, Muncan is now being
developed as Bali's rural tourist site, good for agro-tourism and
water sports.

Its river, Telaga Waja, is comparable to Ayung river in Ubud,
one of Bali's more affluent tourist attractions in the south.

Currently, a number of domestic and foreign visitors use the
river for rafting.

For Muncan residents, Telaga Waja is a sacred river. The water
of Telaga Waja is considered clean and holy and it has always
been used for various religious ceremonies. Muncan people would
be very careful when swimming or washing in that river. They dare
not speak dirty words in the river area.

"There was a man who was possessed by evil spirits because he
uttered ugly words," explained a villager.

Besides farming, a number of Muncan residents have tried
getting into the arts world, lured by the village's perfect
location, which is between the mother temple of Besakih and Mount
Agung that are always crowded with tourists.

On the way to Besakih temple, visitors may stop first at
Muncan village to buy snake fruit and other souvenirs.

Koman Astuti, owner of an art shop in the village, said that
she and her husband started the business only two years ago.

"The business is quite promising," Komang said.

A number of villagers here, for instance, create reproductions
of Asmat statues. Asmat is one of the indigenous tribes in Papua
which produces extraordinary traditional art forms including
paintings and statues.

"We receive the bulk of orders from antique shops in Denpasar,
Kuta and Ubud," Komang added.

Asmat antiques have brought prosperity to local villagers. "I
can finish a statue every day," said a worker.

But the Sept. 11 attack slowed down demand for the statues.
"Visitors to Bali dropped significantly because of the attack.
They were too afraid to fly to Bali," she explained.

Komang and other villagers, however, do not give up. They are
now expanding their business by copying ethnic art from the
neighboring island of Lombok.