Slippery yet beautiful trails, high rivers and washed-out bridges offer a spectacular ambience of lush countryside. Captivating sounds of gamelan, the traditional Balinese musical instrument, provide a terrific "bonus" at the end of your day in the colorful mountainsides of Bali. So take your next holiday beyond the ordinary, beyond the beaches and sprawling night clubs, beyond shopping and themed resorts, beyond the trappings of modern life… and step into the mythical landscapes, rich with enthralling beauty and charming rituals.

Delightful Ubud Art Scene

High on the slopes, just around one hour drive from Denpasar, the capital of Bali, Ubud is not only a delightful mountain getaway but also the center of art and culture in Bali. Dozens of art galleries, workshops, boutiques and cute novelty shops, big or small, locally-owned or internationally-owned, adorn every bit of the main streets in Ubud. Just easily stroll down this trendy neighborhood and you're going to want to stop at every shop and every stall you pass!

What's more, artists from all over the world regularly exhibit their work here in Ubud. One of the most popular galleries that regularly show masterpieces from well-known artists is Puri Lempad. This is actually the family residence of Mr. I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, a celebrated painter and sculptor best known for his famous ink drawings of Balinese Hindu scenes. In this house, Mr. Lempad dedicates the spacious front foyer of his house as a gallery initially to display his family collections and also as a creative space for him to paint or sculpt. Lately, the gallery is often rented to conduct various public exhibitions and art events. What's more remarkable, Puri Lempad is always open because the family still lives there. So as long as you visit at reasonable times, you are always welcome here at the Lempad's house. With so many fancy galleries that cater to modern tastes, the Lempad's house continues to carry on a simple yet captivating art tradition as if nothing has changed!

Puri Lempad Bali

Jl. Raya Ubud, Ubud, Bali

Phone: +62 (0) 361 - 975618

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Open daily from 8 AM to 5.30 PM, the Monkey Forest or Mandala Wisata Wenara Wana is a vast 8-hectare forest in the heart of Ubud, occupied by lots of adorable monkeys. An undemanding trail festooned with towering trees presents an easy 30-minute walk around this forest while listening to the calming sounds of nature and watching the monkeys playing blissfully among the green and flourishing branches along the trail. Bananas or rambutan can be bought at the entrance to feed the monkeys. A small reminder however, even though these monkeys are quite friendly, you should be careful when you are carrying a bag of bananas or other treats for them as they can be very insistent to get them from you. Also make sure that you don't wear any accessories, such as earrings, necklaces and bracelets. The monkeys love to get their hands on these!

Monkey Forest

Jl. Monkey Forest

Padangtegal, Ubud, Bali

Phone: + 62 (0) 361 - 971304

Email: info@balimonkey.com

www.balimonkey.com

Exotic Bird Park

Take the opportunity to use your arm or shoulder as a place for birds to land and rest their tired wings. At Bali Bird Park, this is the perfect place to do so. Enjoy around 1,000 vibrant multi-colored birds singing wildly and flying freely from branch to branch, and sometimes briefly land on your arm or shoulder. Located not very far from Ubud, an early morning visit to Bali Bird Park offers a chance to have breakfast in its open-air restaurant while being enlightened by songs of paradise performed personally by the birds. For families with young children, this is definitely the place you don't want to leave out of your itinerary. Open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Bali Bird Park

Jl. Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir

Singapadu, Batubulan, Gianyar
Phone: +62 (0) 361 - 299352

The Spiritual Bedugul

Cold winds blow gently over the fertile land around still dark green waters of Lake Bratan. A Balinese temple, Pura Ulun Danu, soars arrogantly at its side, an architecture representing constant struggles to eternal enlightenment. Its "sister" lakes, the twin Lake Tamblingan and Lake Buyan, sit quietly in a nearby grassy landscape. In a striking combination of beautiful scenery and rich heritage, whether you choose an effortless walk around Lake Tamblingan or a 25-minute canoe trip across Lake Tamblingan to Lake Buyan or a more rigorous hike in the vicinity of Lake Bratan or a visit to the temple to silently chant a solemn prayer, an afternoon trip to the lavish countryside of Bedugul can turn into centuries-old spiritual voyage into the deepest soul you didn't know you had.

Harmonious Village Life of Penglipuran

Set in the midst of Bangli District, 45 Km from Denpasar, Penglipuran Village has become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Bali. The ancient village provides a time-capsule vision into the harmonious Bali before it became Bali as we know now. Bali Aga, as they call themselves, literally means Original Bali. This village consists of communities that still practice their old traditions and rituals, as practiced by their ancestors since long before teachings of Hinduism came to the island. Therefore, Penglipuran Village is the only village in Bali that does not recognize the caste system, the pattern of social classes in Hinduism.

All of the houses in the village are neatly structured on a leafy hillside and very clean, each with bright red brick fences around it. Every house also features a traditional kitchen surrounded by bamboo walls, which is separated from the main house, while most of the main houses now have adopted semi-modern styles. Your visit to the village will be warmly welcomed and you can even drop in to each of their houses. Explore the narrow ancient pathways and the down-to-earth characteristics of the people will charm you to death and you can't help falling in love with them. This is the true Bali!

Recommended Museums & Art Galleries

Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA)

Pengosekan, Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-976659

Email: info@armamuseum.com

www.armamuseum.com

Gaya Fusion Of Sense

Jl. Raya Sayan, Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-979253, 979252

Email: gaya@gayafusion.com

www.gayafusion.com

Museum Puri Lukisan

Jl. Raya Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-975136, 9711159

Email: museumpl@indo.net.id

www.museumpurilukisan.com

Neka Art Museum

Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-975074

Email: info@museumneka.com

www.museumneka.com

Puri Lempad Bali

Jl. Raya Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-975618

The Blanco Renaissance Museum

Campuan, Ubud

Phone: +62 (0) 361-975502

Email: a-blanco@indo.net.id

www.blancobali.com

Submerged, pristine marine empires await passionate divers. Countless fish and invertebrates that shelter among and encrust the rugged surface provided by the clumps, shelves and branches of corals are overwhelming in shapes and colors. All reminds us of a time when all life on earth existed in shallow, tropical seas. Amidst political issues, stability and safety of the nation, as well as the slowly recovering struggles from the last monetary crisis, I'm still able to find lots of love and hope in this beautiful country, especially when I'm underwater!

Consisting more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia IS the largest archipelago in the world, with at least 80,000 kilometers of coastline. As an Indonesian, I think it would be a total shame not to explore the rich waters of Indonesia. And it would be even more shameful to leave the explorations and discoveries to foreign divers who have enjoyed underwater adventures for decades in this country. So here I go. I'd like to think that I'm one of those avid divers who will jump in the clear blue waters of Indonesia at a drop of a hat. And you should too.

Just imagine, about 4,000 different fish species are found in Indonesian waters (over 25% of the planet's fish species), in comparison to the 1,000 found in the Red Sea or the 400 from the Caribbean. Apart from this, invertebrates proliferate throughout the hundreds of patch reefs, sheer walls and barriers reefs. Colorful nudibranch, pipe fishes and pigmy seahorses roam amongst the chrynoids, gorgonias and soft corals, a whole rainbow hue covering the entire extension of the reef walls. Big fish pop up every now and then, offering superb sights of big tunas, shoal or barracudas, manta rays and sharks galore. It is also possible to sight a rarity such as dugong, the impressive marine herbivorous relative of the manatees and the unique survivor of the syrenid order. And of course, let's not leave out the exciting possibilities to spot several species of cetaceans, from tiny porpoises to the huge Sperm whale.

Dive Bali

Bali, the Island of Gods, is located in the Lesser Sunda region, midway along Indonesia's southernmost chain of islands between Java and Lombok. The south coast of Bali just touches the easternmost edge of the Indian Ocean, while the north coast looks onto the Java Sea. To the southeast lies the islands of Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Ceningan, all of which offer excellent diving. The eastern coast offers Amen and Tulamben, while in Bali's northwestern waters lie the gorgeous Menjangan Island, a part of Bali Barat National Park, a protected conservation area.

Amed & Tulamben

Amed and Tulamben provide a picturesque combination of 30-meter-long coral walls, drop offs and slopes that are easy to access from the shore. These areas are actually Bali's greatest underwater charm, with their wide range and variety of sites. Experienced divers can tempt numerous sites, including Jemeluk Beach, Shipwreck, Gili Selang, Amed Wall, Tulamben Wall, Monkey Reef and Balu Kelebit. As you probably can guess, a dive on the 110-meter steel U.S. Liberty shipwreck from World War II, is the most favorit dive site of all times!

Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Ceningan

Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan is within easy access from Tanjung Benoa using dive operator boat or live-aboard vessel, or from Sanur by a traditional boat or jukung. Off vertical drop-offs. Over sand slopes. Off limestone shores. In roaming currents. In quiet bays. Along deep, coral-covered ridges. In short, all tastes are accommodated here. Furthermore, between June to November, if you're lucky, you can possibly encounter the rare, endangered and magnificent mola-mola (oceanic sunfish). Several recommended sites include Blue Corner, Crystal Bay and Manta Point.

Menjangan Island

It is easier to access the Island of Menjangan from the small town of Banyuwangi in East Java, rather than from Bali. But despite the long detour, its waters promise superb slope and wall diving all the way to 40-meter deep! Schools of big fish can be found easily here, hiding in numerous coral alleys decorated with sea-fans, hard corals and soft corals, quietly waiting to ambush their preys.

Padangbay & Candi Dasa

These two sites are only recommended for experienced divers due to the wild currents in both locations. But for those of you with Advance Open Water Diver qualifications, Padangbay and Candi Dasa, which are set between Mimpang Island and Tepekong Island, both display unique marine biodiversities, including plenty of “Nemo” or anemone fish, sweetlips and also sharks. Definitely worth fighting the currents!

Dive Banda

Dark blue waters of Banda Sea, blue as far as you can see. The depth and the vastness of this particular ocean is nevertheless quite intimidating. But out of the blue, six tiny islands come into view, out of nowhere, in the middle of nowhere, with a towering volcano in the middle of them all, like a confident guardian, humbling you infinitely. The historic Banda is where this nation started. The spice race around four centuries ago had led European traders to this unknown part of the world, looking for cloves and nutmegs, eventually causing the entire Indonesian archipelago to fall under Dutch colony for 350 years. Now, these islands are still regularly visited by people from all over the world. No longer by traders, but by divers! Why? Because this is simply… heaven.

Tanjung Burang

From afar, Banda Besar Island or also known as Lonthoir Island looks like a big wall hiding and protecting the smaller Neira Island and Mount Api from gusting wind and riotous waves. This biggest island in Banda extends its invitations to divers to its underwater treasure in Tanjung Burang. Ride a speedboat to reach this northernmost tip of Banda Besar Island to dive with thousands of marine organisms, such as gorgonias, sponges, crinoids dan ferns in the depth of around 30 meters.

Batu Kapal

If you enter Banda Islands from the north, this location is set in the "mouth" of Banda Neira, sandwiched perfectly between Neira Island and Mount Api. Above its waterline, Batu Kapal is only a small uninhabited rocky boulder in the middle of Banda Sea. But underwater, it offers a dramatic topography, displaying breathtaking underwater kingdoms, consisting of two drop offs that strategically divide this site into two zones, outer zone and inner zone. Dominated by intriguing black corals, marine lives such as mantas, gorgonias and sponges burst richly in vivid existence between these two zones. Pure volcanic diving sensation!

Run Island

The underwater delight surrounding Run Island provides plenty sites for everyone, from the amateur snorkelers to the most daring advanced divers. The "floor" of Run Island is carpeted with fertile underwater garden, offering an unmatched sense of wealth and beauty unknown to other parts of the world. To reach Run Island, just hire a speedboat from Banda Neira or hop on a regular fishermen boat from Ay Island.

Dive Komodo

Diving in Komodo National Park is definitely world-class diving! Situated 200 nautical miles east of Bali, between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa, the islands of the dragons, Rinca and Komodo Islands, are only two of the 175 islands in the Park (about 90% uninhabited). Both above and below the sea, Komodo represents a unique range of geological and biological diversity. On shore it is an amazing museum diorama of the Mesozoic-era dry tundra and reptilian supremacy, with the Komodo dragon, the world's largest living lizard, as its symbol that has claimed international fame, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage status.

In the sea, it's vibrant color and exotic life will enchant divers and snorkelers alike as endless schools of fish ride the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents. Below them the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of florescent corals and marine invertebrates, providing an underwater photographers paradise. The waters that surround the island are turbulent and teeming with unparallel marine life. The corals in Komodo National Park are pristine, with mantas, sharks, turtles, dolphins, dugong, many pelagic fish to the tiny pygmy seahorses, nudibranch, frog fish, scorpion fish and many more. You name it, Komodo's got it.

The sites vary from gentle easy coral slopes to heart-pounding adrenalin current rides, from the warm waters of the Flores Sea in the north to the chillier waters down south in the Indian Ocean. The underwater terrain is so varied with sheer cliff walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim-throughs, channels, all with varying colors, sizes and types of corals, both hard and soft.

Bidadari Island

Angel steps, huge towers of stone, encrusted with hard and soft corals, fully covered in nudibranch, small caves and overhangs make this a very interesting and beautiful site, Dusky sharks, bumped-head parrot fish are among the bigger creatures you can see here. Cathedral Coral, a gentle slope covered with table corals of every color and schooling fish, a towering spire of coral with a small cave at it's base, all creates a home to some huge lobsters.

Sabolo Kecil & Sabolo Besar

Sabolo Kecil is a slope on the east side of this tiny island, with two underwater mounds at the southern end with fields of garden eels and sea pens. Schools of round bat fish are often seen coming quite close for some nice photography. While Sabolo Besar offers steep slopes off the southern and western sides of the bigger island, with fabulous coral coverage and a good chance of spotting Scorpion leaf fish.

Sebayur Kecil, Tatawa Besar & Tatawa Kecil

Sebayur Kecil features walls and slopes of every kind of coral you can imagine, teaming with wide variety of marine life. Mantas often seen here. Tatawa Besar's slope is packed with soft corals slowly changing to hard corals along the further end of the slope. Swim with lots of shoaling fish, rainbow runners, fusiliers, as well as turtles and black tip sharks. For advanced divers, never ever miss diving at Tatawa Kecil, which is also called the Current City. As the name implies, the site is washed by very strong currents, which is why it is among the many world class sites in the Komodo National Park. Schools of pelagic fish patrol the waters, which is best dived at slack tide.

Batu Bolong

A little further west from the Current City, a small rock outcrop with a hole through it is the surface mark of another world class site, only to be dived at slack tide or with a current not long from stopping or starting to run. These giant slabs of rock which disappear into the depths are an amazing sight to see, covered with every form of marine life and patrolled by giant trevallies, Napoleon Wrasse, sharks and turtles, with schools of barracuda sweeping in and out to check out the divers.

You will also often see the iconic Manta Rays at many of the sites. Whale sharks also have their season here, while whales and dolphins are often spotted from the boat. Furthermore, diving the Komodo National Park provides some fantastic conditions:

• Water temperature: 20 - 28 degrees Celsius (68 - 85 °F) , cooler water is experienced on the southern sites. Full 3 mm wetsuit is recommended. More active people will prefer a sports suit / skin suit in northern sites.

• Visibility: 10 - 50 meter all year round. Traditionally clearer water on northern sites.

• Current: Komodo experiences a strong tidal flow. However, not all sites are affected by current. Drift diving is excellent. But during spring tides, some sites are impossible to dive. Particular attention is placed on diving the correct sites at the most suitable time to ensure optimum conditions, in accordance with the preferences of the group.

• Night diving: The night diving in Komodo is breathtaking. The sheer beauty, color and diversity of life makes it a must see for all divers.

• Walls: There are numerous walls to choose from. Both drift and static wall dives are offered.

• Canyons: Huge chasms drop thousands of meters, fringed by extraordinary coral gardens.

• Critters: Found in all locations, offering encounters with unusual marine species.

• Others: Seamounts, fringing reefs, gutters, muck, and sandy locations are also found in the archipelago.

• Snorkeling: Komodo has one of the world's most famous snorkel sites (Pink Beach). Also a number of other first class locations.

 

Siangde Temple is a scenic spot that is surrounded by green mountains resembles 9 lotuses and thus it is named as Nine Lotus or Jiuhuashan in Taiwan. It is situated on a plateau across the Liwu River where vehicles cannot reach and hence this temple remains as a tranquility place. This temple has become part of the wonderful scenery spots in Taroko National Park of Taiwan, which is near to the Taroko village of Tiansheng overlooking Pudu Bridge. Here an amazing sight of a 12-meter tall giant statue of the Earth Store Bodhisattva rises above the surrounding greenery.




The nuns at the temple are friendly and most welcoming. This temple not only allows you to worship Buddha but also lets you look down over the Tiansiang terraces and lovely gorge scenery. Each year, many believers besides foreign visitors come from all over the places to worship Buddha or practice moral teachings here.

Haeinsa Temple - Korea

Haeinsa Temple is the most beautiful sacred spot in Gayasan National Park which was established by two monks, Sunung and Ijong during the early 9th century to devote the studies of the sutra.

Literally, "Haein" means a reflection on a calm sea which is a phrase derived from the Avatamsaka sutra.

The main highlight in this temple is its Tripitaka Koreana which is 81,258 wooden printing blocks carved during the Goryo Dynasty (AD 918 - 1392). These carvings have been well kept as the best Buddhist scriptures in the world. Besides that this temple has many images of Buddha like Manjusri and Samantabhadra. It accommodates many other artifacts found at Cheongyansa Temple and the Stone Pagoda at Wolgwang Temple in Korea.

Angkor Wat - Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a huge pyramid temple built by the Khmer civilization between 1130 and 1150 A.D. at Angkor, Cambodia. It was built during the early year of the 12th century for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-1150 A.D.) in his state to honor the Hindu god Vishnu which is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology.

This temple is regarded as the supreme masterpiece of Khmer architecture as it is surrounded by a 655 feet wide moat and it is about 4 miles long. At the center of the temple, one can see a quincunx of towers.

Its five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats symbolizing range of mountains and the cosmic ocean. Its extensive bas-relief carvings and numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls represent the mankind's high quality and most amazing architecture achievement. Angkor Wat is particularly well-known for its stunning sculpted murals on its interior walls of the palace and mortuary. Therefore, it is not surprising to hear that it is ranked among the foremost architectural wonders of the world as well as the largest religious monument in the world.

Shaolin Temple - China

Shaolin Temple (Shàolínsì) is a famous Chinese martial arts (or Wushu Chan) temple in China which is situated in Songshan Mountains, eight miles from Dengfeng and 50 miles away from the southwest of Zengzhou, the capital of Henan Province.

It was established during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 - 534) in 495 A.D. Emperor Xiaowen, who was a believer of Buddhism decided to build this temple on Mt. Song to house Batuo (or Buddhabhadra), an Indian monk who came to Luoyang, the ancient capital in 464 A.D for spreading Buddhist teachings.

Another Indian monk, Damo (Bodhidharma, Bhadra or Fotuo) who was the creator of Chinese Zen came to Shaolin in 517 A.D. He was allegedly meditating in a cave for 9 years and was said to have written the famous "Yijinjing," the fundamental of Shaolin martial arts or Gongfu.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), this temple attained its glory moment by housing over 1,000 soldier monks who were used by the government to combat against the rebellions and Japanese bandits. Nevertheless, during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) the martial arts was strictly prohibited. Between 1644 and 1928, the Shaolin temple was severely burnt several times, with the largest fire set in 1928 by the army of Shi Yousan in order to demolish the buildings of Shaolin Temple. The fire also destroyed almost all the temple's classical literature and records.

One can see over 300 ancient stone inscriptions with some of them created by the famous calligraphers, Ming-dynasty mural of 500 arhats adorning The Thousand Buddha Hall, about 200m up the hill from the temple are 232 pagodas (or the forest of pagodas) which are tombs of Shaolin monks from the 9th to 19th centuries with each inscribed with the names of the monk and his disciples, Qing murals adorning the White Robe Hall depicting the Rescue of Emperor Tai Zong by 13 Monks which show typical kung-fu moves, and many noted relics at Shaolin Temple. Other structures that greet visitors to this temple include a Bell Tower, a Drum Tower, Mahavira Hall, Hall of the Heavenly Kings, Fangzhang Hall (resting place for the temple's abbots) and over 5000 Buddhist sutras are well-kept in the library of the Sutra-Keeping Pavilion.

The most interesting relics are the murals adorning the Eastern Hall which depict groups of boxing monks. With such unique features, Shaolin Temple is well known in China and in abroad.

Wat Rong Khun - Thailand

Wat Rong Khun is the famous and impressed Buddhist temple located in a northern province in Thailand of Pa O Don Chai Sub-District, Mueang District, Chaingrai. This temple is about 5km away from Chiangrai, 10km from the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai-Phayao Junction, 10km away from the Mae Suay Junction, 13km south of Chiang Rai City, or about 100m from the main superhighway to Chiangrai, Thailand. It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, the famous national artist who has vowed to immerse himself deeply to serve the religion by constructing Wat Rong Khun since 1997 when he was 42 to the last day of his life to the temple.

His unique and majestic architecture and craftsman creations have been attracting large groups of foreign visitors visiting this temple. According to Thailand's tourist information, this temple had attracted over 1.8 million visitors, of which 140,000 were foreigners.

"Only death can stop my dream, but cannot stop my project," said Chalermchai Kositpipat, the creator of Wat Rong Khun in his book entitled "Sang Buddhasilp Puer Pandin" (Creating Buddhist arts for the Motherland) that his intention is to create the replica of magnificent and elegant temple as a heaven realm, an earthly paradise that humankind can experience.

Wat Rong Khun is a unique temple which is different from any other temples in Thailand as the Ubosot (consecrated assembly hall or chapel) has pure white color and white glittering mosaic glasses to enable it sparkles and shines throughout the day and night.

According to Chalermchai Kositpipat, the white color symbolises the Lord Buddha's purity while the white glass represents the Lord Buddha's wisdom that shines brightly all over the earth and the universe. This temple is a fine mixture of traditional Buddhist masterpiece and it is designed with small pieces of mirrored glass to add in a spacious and magical look particularly when it is viewed in the moonlight hours. The entrance to the main prayer hall has a disconcerting sea of hands, reaching out from the hell to beg for help. Inside this white temple are murals and paintings of the Buddha image and painted enamel ceramic floor.

While walking into the main chapel, you will be amazed by the statue of Lord Buddha, and this statue seems as though it is floating in the timelessness of space. There are 4 kinds of animals on its roof with the elephant represents earth, the dragon represents water, the swan's wings represent wind and the lion's chest represents fire. The bridge symbolises the crossing over from the cycle of rebirth to the Abode of Buddha while the small semicircle before the bridge symbolises the human world. The mouth of Rama or Rahu is represented by the big circle with fangs, meaning impurities in the mind and a symbolisation of hell or suffering as well.

Borobudur - Indonesia

Borobudur is regarded as one of the seven wonders and the largest and unusual Buddhist monument in the world.



It is located at Borobudur District, South of Magelang, and Central Jaya of Indonesia. It was constructed on a bedrock hill, 265meters (869 feet) above sea level out of an estimated 1,600,000 blocks of volcanic stones dredging from the river in the 8th and 9th centuries by the kingdom of Sailendra who ruled in Central Java at that time. The inscription dated 842 A.D. suggested that Borobudur was one time a sacred place for praying. Evidence explains that Borobudur was abandoned following the decline of Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms in Jaya and the Javanese conversion to Islam in the 14th century. It was then rediscovered by the British Governor of Java, Sir Thomas Raffles in 1814.

In 1968, the Indonesian government with the assistance of UNESCO launched a campaign of "Save Borobudur" to undertake restoration project to rebuilt Borobudur, and the major renovation of Borobudur was funded by UNESCO, who designated Borobudur as a World Heritage Site. Thereafter, in every May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak Day at Borobudur in order to commemorate the birth, death, and the time when Siddhārtha Gautama attained the highest wisdom to become the Buddha Shakyamuni. Now, Borobudur is Indonesia's major tourist attraction spot with approximately 2.5 million visitors annually.

Borobudur has an overall height of 42 meters, but its height is 34.5 meters after the restoration. It has a dimension of 123 x 123 meters or 15,129 square meters. Its nine-terraced temple symbolises the transition towards nirvana and is well-known for its 1,500 intricately carved reliefs.

This monument is facing eastward with 1460 panels (each with 2 meters in width) and is decorated with 2,670 bas reliefs (1,460 narrative and 1,212 decorative panels) and 504 Buddha statues (including the intact and damaged statues). The first floor up to the 6th floor is in square platforms, while the 7th to the 10th floor is in concentric circular platforms.

Borobudur has many Buddha statues. One can see 6 different postures of Buddha's statue from the bottom to the top representing "contact with earth," "giving and helping," "meditation," "no fear," "teach and learn" and "turn of wills." A main dome which is located at the center of the top platform is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The first circular platform has 32 stupas, the second 24 and the third 16, that sum up to 72 stupas. The cross-legged Buddha statues are seated in lotus position which is distributed on the Rupadhatu level (on the five square platforms) arranging in rows on the outer sides of the balustrades, and the Arupadhatu level (on the top platform).

The Temple of Heaven - China

The magnificent and colorful Temple of Heaven literally means the Altar of Heaven (Tiāntán) is a complex of Taoist temple that was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to offer sacrifice to heaven and pray for good harvests. It was constructed between 1406 and 1420 A.D. during the reign of Ming Dynasty, Yongle Emperor (1406 - 1420), who was also responsible for the establishment of the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Originally, the temple was established as the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but it was expanded and renamed as Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor (1522 - 1567) in the 16th century, who built three prominent temples include Temple of Sun (ri tan), Temple of Earth (di tan) and Temple of Moon (yue tan) which can be found respectively in the east, north and west of Beijing. In the 18th century, during the reign of Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Emperor (1736 -1795) ordered to renovate this temple. In 1914, it was recorded that the President of the Republic of China, Yuan Shih-kai performed a Ming prayer ceremony at this temple as part of his effort to declare himself as Emperor of China. In 1961, it was listed by the State Council as "one of the key monuments under the state protection" as it is regarded as one of the most strictly protected and preserved cultural heritages of China. By 1998, this temple was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since the founding of New China, the government has allocated large amounts of money to protect the cultural monuments in the Temple of Heaven. Each year, about 12 million visitors visit this temple.

The Temple of Heaven is much bigger than the Forbidden City but smaller than the Summer Palace, occupying an area of about 2,700,000 square meters (667 acres) which is about 4 times bigger than the area of the Forbidden City. As the feudal Chinese emperors regarded themselves as "The Son of Heaven" with their roles as head of a feudal system with a mandate from the heaven and thus they dared not build their own dwelling in Forbidden City bigger than a dwelling in Heaven.

The Temple of Heaven is a worthwhile visiting place in Beijing as it was a grand masterpiece and magnificent architecture of the Chinese People in the ancient times, coupling with its long history, deep cultural properties and magnificent architectural style reflects the ancient culture of the Orient. The layout of the Temple of Heaven is in accordance with the numerology and principles dating back to pre-Confucian times; with its semicircular northern part wall symbolizes the heaven while the southern part is square symbolizes the earth. This layout of walls reflects the ancient Chinese concept of the cosmogony: The sky is round and the earth is square. The design of the northern part being higher than the southern part is due to the ancient Chinese religious belief that the heaven is higher than the earth. Similarly, the roofs of the important structures in this temple are all tiled in blue symbolizing the color of the heaven and sky. The symbolism was essential as it is served as the place where the emperor as the "Son of Heaven" dwelt in was directly beseeched Heaven to provide a bountiful harvest throughout the land. This was particularly of much importance as during the imperial period the base of China's wealth was agriculture.

The primary buildings in this temple are three-layer-terrace Circular Mount Altar (a place where the sacrificial rite was held on the winter solstice) with white marble in its south and the 38-meter-high Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests (a place where emperors prayed for favorable weather and ample harvests) with round roof and three layers of eaves in its north which are lined in the central axis of the whole temple and are connected by a 36-meter-long bridge.


Inside the hall are 28 huge posts with the four posts along the inner circle represent 4 seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter; the 12 posts along the middle circle represent the 12 months; and 12 posts along the outer circle represent 12 Shichen (one Shichen in the past equaled to 2 hours and a whole day was divided into 12 Shichen). Subsidiary buildings include Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Hall of Abstinence, the Long Corridor, Seven Meteoric Stones, a Beamless Hall, the Bell Tower, and relatively small halls.

Another unique feature for you to see is a Nine-Dragon Cypress which is branches resembles nine dragons wind with each other. It was told that the cypress was planted over 500 years ago.

Outside the gate of the Imperial Vault of Heaven is Three Echo Stones. Here, if you speak facing the Vault while standing on the first stone, you will hear one echo; standing on the second and the third stone, you will hear two and three echoes respectively. Other interesting place for you to visit is a round Echo Wall which encloses the Imperial Vault of Heaven with 193 meter (633 feet) in its perimeter.

If you and your friend stand at the east and the west roots of the wall and you whisper a word, then your friend will hear what you said clearly even he is standing at the wall with a distance of 100 to 200 meters (328 -656 feet). The main hall in the temple was built to be a round pavilion with dark blue roof symbolizing heaven.

The East Assistant Hall worships the gods of stars including the sun, the Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, dipper and Saturn. The gods of natural phenomenon including wind, lightning, rain and thunder are placed in the West Assistance Hall of the Temple of Heaven.

Shwedagon Pagoda - Myanmar

The Shwedagon ("shwe" means gold and "Dagon" is the former name of Yangon) Pagoda is a 98-meter (322 feet) coned shaped giant, golden and glistering stupa which is situated in Yangon, Myanmar. Shwedagon, the "Mother of all pagodas in Myanmar" is the most well-known sacred Buddhist pagoda in Yangon which is also one of the main tourist destinations in Myanmar. This notable pagoda is located at No. 1, Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Dagon Township in Yangon, Myanmar. Archaeologists believed that it was built between the 6th and 10th centuries or 2, 500 years ago by the Burmese King Binnya U of the Mon Dynasty. However, according to the records by Buddhist monks, it was built before the Lord Buddha died in 486 BC.

According to the legend of the pagoda, two trader brothers from Myanmar namely Tapussa and Bhallika led a caravan of bullock-carts to India and there they came across the Buddha who had recently attained His Enlightenment or Buddha hood. They received eight of the Buddha's hairs to be enshrined in the Shwedagon Pagoda. Relics of the four former Buddhas are enshrined within the pagoda. They are staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Konagamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa and eight hairs of Gautama, the historical Buddha. The myth has it said that when the golden container was opened to where the eight hairs of Buddha were kept, the rays emanated from the hairs rising up to the heaven and down to the hell, enabling the blind to see, the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.

The base of the Pagoda has a perimeter of 1,420 feet and its height is 326 feet above the platform. It has been estimated that about 8688 solid gold bars were used to plate its surrounding domes and the main stupa took 13513 solid gold bars. This pagoda has 4 entrances (mouk) that lead to the platform (yin byin) made on the top of the Singuthara Hill. A pair of mystical lions (chinthe) is located on its gates. The second Buddha statue, Konagamana stands on the top of the steps. The base of the stupa is made of bricks and covered with golden leaves. No one knows what is inside the base of the pagoda. According to the legendary tales, there are non-stop flying and turning swords to protect the pagoda from the intruders. Some local people say that there are underground tunnels lead to Bagan and Thailand.

The heavy gilded Shwedagon Pagoda has an octagonal base with eight smaller stupas on each eight sides, summing up a total of 64. At each corner of the platform, Manokthihas (sphinxes) are surrounded by a number of "chintes." The eight planetary posts at each cardinal point of the compass around the Shwedagon Pagoda are the symbolizations of the eight days of the week, each with its own animal and planet symbol. A gilded Buddha image made of alabaster is placed beside each planetary post.

The Golden Temple - India

The Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib or Sri Darbar Sahib) is the most significant shrine of the Sikhs and it is also one of the oldest Sikh gurudwara. It is located on a small island in the center of a pool called Amritsar (pool of ambrosial nectar), India. Its golden color is due to the overlay of gold foil, and hence it gets its name as a Golden Temple. The idea of establishing this temple was initiated by the 4th guru of the Sikhs, Guru Ram Das (1574 -1581) or more commonly known as "guru di nagri" which carries the meaning of city of the Sikh Guru. This temple was first established in 1601 and was rebuilt by the Sikh ruler, Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1803. The 5th Nanak, Guru Arjan Sahib (1581 -1606) had conceived the idea of designing the architectural framework of the Golden Temple.

The Golden Temple is built on a 67 feet square platform in the center of the Sarovar (tank). There is a door in the East, West, North and South respectively, and the door flame of its arch is measured 10 feet in height and 8 feet 6 inches in breath. The architecture of the Golden Temple reflects a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindus and thus it is regarded as the best architectural specimens in the world. This architectural style has been used to create an independent Sikh school in the history of India. Unlike a traditional Hindu Temple where the devotees have to climb up to offer their salutations as the structure is built on higher level, Guru Arjan Sahib had it created on lower level than its surrounding ground so that it is accessible to every person to offer homage to this holy shrine irrespective of his or her caste (Kshatriya, Brahmin, Sudra or Vaisya), creed, gender, race, color and religion.

White Buildings of the Golden Temple

Sarowar is another interesting site to visit. It had been lined with bricks and steps had been built along its sides so that the devout could bathe in the immortal pool. It is interesting to learn that this three-storey-high temple is surrounded by the lake. The body of water is encompassed by a backdrop of bright-white buildings on all its four sides. The Golden Temple is crowned with a dome shaped like an inverted lotus. The two upper stories have gilded while its lower story is in white marble. The walls within its entrances are decorated with carved wooden panels and elaborate inlay work in gold and silver. The interior of the temple is decorated with semi precious stones, frescoes and glass works. The best time to visit this temple is in the early morning on weekdays before it gets crowded and visitors are asked to take off their shoes before entering the temple premises.

Another significance feature of the structure of the Golden temple is that it has four entrances to open to worshipers of all castes and creeds and this feature is quite different from most of the Hindu Temples that only have one gate. Other remarkable feature is the scripture of the Sikhs which highlights the importance of the unity of God and brotherhood of man. The scripture compiled by the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji consisting of 1,948 pages and more than 7,000 hymns.

Chion-in Temple - Japan

Chion-in (or Chionin) Temple is a large and well-known temple in Japan which is situated in the north of Maruyama Park and Yasaka-jinja Shrine in Kyoto's Higashiyama District, Japan. It is 8-minute-walk from Higashiyama Subway Station (Tozai Line) or 5-minute-walk from the front bus stop of Chion-in. Being the headquarter of the Jodo Shu (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism, Chion-in is one of the most important and popular sacred sites in Japan.

The Jodo sect was founded by Hōnen in the year of 1175, who proclaimed that sentient beings are reborn in Amida Buddha's Western Paradise (Pure Land) by reciting the nembutsu, Amida Buddha's name in devotion and faith. His simple teachings have attracted large numbers of followers among the commoners and have helped Jodo Buddhism become the most popular sect in Japan, ahead of the Jodo-shin and Shingon sects.

The temple was built in 1234 in the memory of his master and was named Chion-in. Several buildings in the complex were burnt in 1633 and the current buildings are reconstructions dated back from the 17th century under the reign of the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun Lemitsu (1604 - 1651). In October 2002, Chion-in Temple was used in the filming of Tom Cruise's movie entitled "The Last Samurai."

The entrance to Chion-in is through a 24-meter-tall two-storey Sanmon Gate (main gate) and later up a steep flight of stairs. It was the oldest structure built in 1619 and has been designated as a Japanese National Treasure.

Its ground is always crowded with people praying before a large brazier that holds small sticks of incense in front of the images of the main hall. The main Hall is big enough to accommodate 3,000 people and the corridor behind this gate leads to the Assembly Hall is called Uguisu-bari (nightingale floor or literally means "bush warbler floor boards").

This type of floor is constructed to "sing" at every footstep to alert the monks of the presence of intruders.

Chion-in Temple's copper bell is the largest and the heaviest in Japan with its weight of 74 tons. It needs 17 people to ring this bell. This bell is so special that particularly during the New Year's Eve ceremony in which the bell is struck 108 times by 17 monks, representing the 108 desires in the mind to be scared off before the New Year begins in Japan every year.

Another interesting feature to note is the roof beams are craved with the family crest of the Tokugawa family: Three hollyhock leaves. Chion-in Temple has a large and small guest houses built in 1641 in the Irimoya roof style called Ohojo and Kohojo which are designated as Important Cultural Heritages in Japan. Other Important Cultural Properties at the temple are buildings such as the Kyo-zo (storehouse for sculptures), Miei-do (hall enshrining the founder of the Jodo sect, Hōnen), Dai-shoro (room for the priest), Dai-shoro (large bell tower), Sho-hojo, Chokushi-mon (gate for Imperial messengers) and Kuri (kitchen and living quarters for the priests).

Kek Lok Si Temple - Malaysia

Over years, the historical heritage site of Kek Lok Si (Cantonese) Buddhist Temple, the Temple of Supreme Bliss (Penang Hokkien) or "Ji Le Si" (Mandarin) which means the temple of nirvana is one of the main attractions on the island of Penang, Malaysia.

This island was once the administrative center for the British East India Company during the colonial days. Kek Loh Si is not only the oldest, well-known and largest temples in Malaysia, but also one of the finest Buddhist temples in the Southeast Asia region.

It is situated at the hills of Ayer Hitam, or Crane Hill, which is a place recommended as a retreat for Taoist practitioners striving for immortality. At the hills of Ayer Hitam, visitors can view the panoramic scenery of Penang town.

The Kek Lok Si project was mooted by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street. This project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsi with the collaboration of the consular representative of China in Penang. The Emperor Kuang His had then bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras. The construction of Kek Lok Si Temple was first established in 1893, but it was only in 1930, the Thai King, King Rama VI laid the foundation stone for this site and thus it is sometimes referred as Pagoda of Rama VI or the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. This 30-meter-high and 7-storey pagoda is a mixture of Chinese octagonal base, Thai design at its middle tier, and a Burmese crown, reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. This work of ancient Burmese, Chinese and Thai craftsmen took more than 20 years to build. A 30.2-meter-high Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin or Avalokitesvara) statue was completed in 2002. This all bronze Goddess of Mercy statue is flanked by a few tall structures of Luohan (Guards) statues. Another Guanyin head and shoulder section was built atop an annexed temple roof.

Visitors are recommended to walk all the way up of 193 steps lining with many stalls selling all types of handicrafts, souvenirs and bric-a-brac on both sides of the steps to Kek Lok Si Temple. While catching breath with the blowing wind, you will see a tortoise liberation pond where you can buy some vegetables to feed. Another alternative is to drive up and park near the vegetarian restaurant to avoid walking up flight of stairs. However, you will miss many souvenir stalls lined up both sides of the stairs.

After you get passing all the souvenir stalls, you will reach Ban Po Thar, a seven tier tower with a merge structure of Burmese at the top, Thai in the middle and Chinese at the bottom. In another three-storey shrine, there is a large Thai Buddha image donated by the king of Thailand. Besides that there are also several halls with old and new Buddhas and engravings, bell towers and other typical temple structures to visit at Kek Lok Si Temple.

The temple is set against scenic surroundings of beauty and tranquility with some features of gardens, sculptures and shrines. A short tram is available to see the both new and old giant statues of the Goddess of Mercy. Each year, during the Chinese New Year, the entire Kek Lok Si temple will be decorated with many colorful lanterns and lights. At night, when all the lights lit up, it is a beautiful sight to be experienced.

Prambanan Temple - Indonesia

The Prambanan Temple is the biggest and most beautiful typical Hindu temple which is located at Bokoharjo Village, Prambanan, East of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is 20-minute away from Yogyakarta city or about 18km east of Yogyakarta. Locally, this temple is also known as the Loro Jongrang Temple, or the temple of the "Slender Virgin." It is believed to have been established in the middle of the 9th century by King Balitung Maha Sambu or Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty, during the Sanjaya Dynasty.

This beautiful temple, in fact, it is a group of Hindu temples (candi), with the largest temple stretching 47m into the sky. The massive collection of Hindu temples was believed to build in the 10th century by the rulers of central Java and defeaters of the Sailendra Dynasty, Mataram Kingdom. Many temples were damaged due to the earthquake in Java in 2006, but it was opened for visitors in 2007. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it is one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia region which has a characteristic of having pointed and typical Hindu temple architecture.

Many reliefs adorned the temple's walls depicting the famous epic of Ramayana. It possesses 8 shrines, of which 3 of them are dedicated to manifestations of Hindu Gods of Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. Siva is the biggest temple, the other smaller temples; on its right is Brahma and Vishnu is on its left. The main temple of Siva has a height of 130 feet and it contains 4 rooms with 4 statues inside, accommodating the magnificent statue of Shiva's consort, Durga.

In front of the Siva Temple is the temple of Nandi, the bull or a Siva's transport. The temple of Vishnu or the Protector has 4 arms and its front temple is the temple of the garuda (the mythical-like eagle). The temple of Brahma or the Creator has 4 heads and in front of Brahma's pad is the temple of the swan which is a Brahma's vehicle.

The Prambanan Temple has three concentric squares. They are outer square (222 x 390 meters), middle square (110 x 110 meters) and center square (34 x 34 meters) and these squares are surrounded by a one meter boundary wall with gates to connect to the other squares. No temples are found in the outer square, but there are 224 Perwara temples inside the middle square which are lined in 4 rows of temples. The first row contains 68 temples, followed by 60 temples in the second row, 52 temples in the third row and 44 temples in the fourth row. The temples are arranged in a manner that the lower lined outside and gradually getting higher and higher while approaching to its center. There are altogether 16 small and big temples inside the center square. There are also 50 stones of inscriptions written in white, black and red color at Prambanan Temple.

Mahabodhi Temple - India

Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is the holiest place associated with the life of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhist religion. Bodh Gaya is located in the central part of the Bihar state in the north-eastern India near the river Niranjana or the Falgu, which is also a part of the greatest Ganges plains and is 13km away from the Gaya town, 450km west of Calcutta, and 90km south of Patna.

It was in the 3rd century B.C.; Emperor Asoka built a monastery and temple here. This temple is used to be called the Bodhimanda-vihāra (Pali) but now it is named as the Mahabodhi Temple (literally means "Great Awakening Temple") that is the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is then become an important Buddhist pilgrimage, a significant archaeological site and a vital study center which attracts many believers and tourists from all over the world every year coming to study Buddhism and the art of meditation, or to absorb the aura of solemn grandeur that surrounds Bodh Gaya. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mahabodhi Temple marks the spot where Buddha attained enlightenment and his life of preaching which is located adjacent to a descendent of the original Bodhi Tree.

It is marked by stone lotuses and has a 50m (170 feet) tower. The basement of the temple is 15m in length and in breadth with its height of 52m rising in the form of a slender pyramid until it reaches its neck which is cylindrical in shape. On top of the temple are Chatras which symbolize sovereignty of religion.

Four towers on its four corners rise gracefully giving a feel of holy structure. Inside the temple in the main sanctum, on an altar, there is a colossal image of Buddha in a sitting posture touching the ground by his right hand (bhumisparsha mudra), facing eastward at the place where Buddha immersed in meditation gazing east under the Bodhi Tree. This image is said to have a history of 1,700 years old. There are carvings on the stupas which aged 2,500 years ago depicting tales from Buddha's lives. Ratnagar is a place where the Buddha spend one week sitting there and according to the inscription it is believed that five colors came out from his body.

Chankaramana is another sacred spot of the Buddha and it is believed that wherever the Buddha put his feet the lotus flowers springing from his footsteps.

The 80-feet high Bodhi Tree (Pipal Tree Ficus Religiosa) and a pond is situated inside the temple complex where according to legends, Buddha had meditated here. The present 115-year old Bodhi Tree growing here is the 5th succession of the original tree which Buddha attained enlightenment or Nirvana by sitting under this tree.

It was recorded that the original Bodhi Tree's shoot was taken by a daughter of Ashoka, Bhikkhuni Sangamitta to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century, and the tree was then planted by the Lankan king, Devanampiyatissa at the Mahavihara monastery in Anuradhapura and this tree is said to flourish till today. This Bodhi Tree is also documented as the oldest and most venerated tree in the world. The red sandstone is said to be the Vajrasana, diamond throne or the seat of enlightenment, on which Buddha sat on while meditating under the Bodhi Tree. The platform beneath the tree has a stone carving of Buddha's footsteps where the devout make flower offerings.

There are quadrangular stone railing with a height of 0.2m around the Bodhi Tree and the Mahabodhi Temple. Lotus motifs are used among these ancient railings. The older set of railings were made of sandstone dated back to about 150 B.C. while the other set of railings were believed to make from course granite dated back to Gupta period (300 - 600 A.D.). The older set portrays a design of Lakshimi being bathed by elephants, Surya riding a chariot drawn by four horses, but figures of stupas, Garudas are found on the other set. A visit to the Bodh Gaya Archaeological Museum is a must for religious art enthusiasts as they can see gold, bronze and stone images of Buddha. Apart from that a large collection of Buddhist sculptures from 1st century B.C. to 11th century A.D. are well kept at one place here.

Another interesting spot to visit is a Jewel Walk or Chankramanar which was built as a low platform adorned with 19 lotuses lining parallel to the Mahabodhi Temple on its north side. It is believed that the Buddha was strolling here while he was in a deep thought during the second week after his supreme attainment. In this place a stupa called Animeschalochana was built which is situated to the north of the Chankramanar.

Since 1953, Bodh Gaya had an architectural amalgamation of many cultures as it had been developed as an international place of pilgrimage. Most Buddhists came over from different countries to construct their representative architectural monasteries in Bodh Gaya. Thus, one will see a Thai temple which looks very much like a typical colorful Wat of Thailand, Tibetan temple and monastery houses the massive Dharma Chakra or the large prayer wheel, Burmese monastery, Japanese temple (Indosan Niponji) that has a very beautiful image of Buddha brought from Japan, and Tai Bodhi Khan monastery built by Buddhist tribes from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. There are also Vietnamese, Nepalese, Taiwanese, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, Korean and Bangladeshi monasteries. Many shrines were constructed with enshrined images for use as places of worship. There were also a large number of images of Buddha and the carved inscriptions showing that pilgrims from Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar had visited this place between 7th and 10th century A.D.

The City of 10,000 Buddhas - United States of America

The City of 10,000 Buddhas which is situated in Talmage, Mendocino Country, California is one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in the United States. It was established in 1976 and Master Hsuan-Hua is the founder of this city.

The city is noted particularly for its Dharma Realm Buddhist University, Tathagata Monastery, Joyous Giving House (convent), Instilling Virtue Elementary School and Developing Goodness Secondary School, International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts and the Center for East-West Medicine. Another noted feature is the Jeweled Hall of 10,000 Buddhas which was constructed in 1982.

This hall accommodates a 6-meter statue of a thousand-handed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Guan Yin). Its walls are adorned with 10,000 images of Buddha. There are also murals adorned the outside wall of Jeweled Hall of 10,000 Buddhas.

Other interesting features to note have been described in details in my article here.

Kampung chickens are chickens reared in people's backyards and in and out of their homes. They live as they jolly well please from the time they emerge from eggs, to when they are slaughtered for food. They are one reason why there is no starvation in Java where about twenty percent live on about one dollar a day. In Java, it would seem that there's a chicken in every pot. It is an accepted practice that if you are chicken-less and hungry, you walk along till you encounter a chicken poking around, entice it, and make off into the shrubbery before its squawking protests brings the owner out. Owners deprived of a chicken, or two in this manner are at worst momentarily irritated and after a cursory look this way and that, go back in to finish their chicken soup.

As food, kampong chickens are considered very nutritious because they fend for themselves, feed prolifically on whatever is lying around, and are considered organic. In modern supermarkets, these scrawny, barely fleshed birds fetch higher prices than plumb range fed chickens. Plucked and asleep in supermarket freezers they seem just as pugnacious and defiant, as they were when alive.

Unlovable, But Who Cares?

Kampung Chickens have never been endowed with “good looks.” Even day-old chicks it are difficult to fuss and coo over. They grow rapidly to teenage. At this time they are equipped with scaly, lanky legs, a bomb of a body, a long neck on which is loosely affixed an atrociously ugly head. Their mothers abandon them pretty quickly. By early middle age they are scarred, defeathered in parts and sport a limp. Thankfully they are dispatched by late middle age. This is the time when they are judged to have absorbed enough nutrition to be “good for you.”

Who Owns Who?

Kampung chickens are never actually reared. They are nearly always inherited from one's father, grandfather and so on. The current generations of chickens are likely to be descendants of a long line of illustrious chickens. Like a Patek Philippe they are never owned but held in trust for the next generation.

Sometimes it is unclear who owns who? The chickens officially have the rights to forage in the backyard and the neighborhood. However they are tolerantly allowed to use the house, very much as it were their own. They strut around with their chicks freely. Eggs are laid on the family sofa. Hatching is often done in the clothes cupboard. They have a strong preference to roost in the back of the television cabinet. Consequently it is not unusual to hear the five-o-clock crowing with the early news.

Land of Plenty of Chickens

Java is all volcanic and extremely fertile. Everything grows in this island.Kampung chickens therefore have an extensive menu. They eat without a break, except when roosting or during sex. When bored with what Nature has laid out for them they peck at and gobble up what man has discarded. Newspapers, plastics, buttons, shoe laces, cigarette butts and nails are fought over and polished off with great relish. Yet these birds never seem to fatten up. They are immune from all blights and diseases. They remain scrawny but tough. The female of the species is stronger than the male. The cock is all show with little substance. The female is a smart bundle foraging and pecking around, it seems, with set business-like objectives. The humans amongst kampong chickens seem to have somehow acquired their characteristics.

When The Time Comes

When the time comes for them to be dispatched for the pot, all the children in the neighbored are recruited along with the canniest adults to catch the doomed

chicken or chickens. The chase with much shrieks and squawks could last for an hour or so and cover several square kilometers. But once caught the birds stop squawking and stoically accept their fate-“If a chicken has got to go, it's got to go.”

Millions of chickens go every day to be part of nourishing meals all over Java. Kampong chicken transportation is big business employing thousands and involving hundreds of vehicles. Not unusual considering the millions of chickens dispatched daily. Trains, buses, trucks, taxis, rickshaws, bicycles and bunches of these poor birds hitched up like saddle-bags on motorcycles are the preferred means of transportation. In emergencies it has been known for chickens to fly concealed on board commercial airlines. Their silent acceptance of their fate is particularly helpful during surreptitiously devised conveyances.

Chicken Cuisine

At their destinations Kampung chickens are reserved for the healthier recipes at establishments known for their nutritious cuisine. They are never part of Hainan Chicken Rice and are shunned by Kentucky Fried. They are destined for much nobler purposes; the nucleus of a cuisine of a healthy and virile Java.

There is an extensive range of healthy kampung chicken recipes. Fortunately you can sample them without much searching and presumably get to be really healthy in no time.

Everywhere in Java, in every street you will find rows of carts, tarpaulin covered cafes,

warungs,rumah makans and regular restaurants. The main courses are the respective unique” house” recipes of kampung chicken soups, bowls of noodles, porridge and soto(noodles, bits of chicken in a light curry).

Hungry and weary tourists should lookout for these signs on food carts or food stalls,” SOP AYAM” (Chicken Soup). They are prolific and exist on every street. Or you may hail a motorcycle “SOP AYAM” or “BUBUR AYAM” (Chicken rice porridge) mobile kitchen hitched up on the back seat. There is much choice in establishments and well as “brands” and you may want to take your time to select what seems to appeal most. A generous bowl will cost you no more than 50cents with side dishes and a clutch of sauces. Hot tea is extra. A tip of ten percent will be received gratefully.

You will emerge strengthened and refreshed and mentally alleviated. There is no good taking a recipe home to mother, even if you can coax it out of the chef, unless you can take the main ingredient along and that of course is impossible. Kampong chickens travel poorly.

Chicken Economy

Thanks to kumpung chickens it is estimated that nearly 30 million people are full-time or part-time employed in the chicken soup or chicken porridge industry. These include the cook, his or her assistant, the cleaning-up guy, shared bucket carrier, waste disposal guy, the slaughterers, the pluckers, the marketers, the middle-men (there must always be middle men in Java) and the premen(the brawny protectors of roadside businesses). Allied beneficiaries are the spice, condiments, chilies, secret herbs, crackers, soy sauce, tofu, spring onions, cloves, and garlic and onion traders.

Chicken feet procurers buy in batches of five kilogram bundles which they sell at a good profit to Dim Sum restaurants in the cities. The Kumpung chicken industry and its various spin-offs was one of domestic engines which generated wheels of redeeming economic activity during the Asian Crisis of 1998 and kept the country's head above rough waters.

Tourists anxious to meet and make the acquaintance of kampong chicken will have no difficult in encountering them. They are everywhere. It mustn't be forgotten that Java is probably the most densely chicken populated island on earth. Simply look around and you will meet at one of them with minutes of your arrival in Java.

By this time Bali got named “The Island of the Gods” and became one of world's foremost holiday and bumming locations. Packed with expensive hotels and villas, fairly good art but mainly kitsch and cries of “Hey Mister”, this heaven among other irritations is very expensive to be on.

The Cheaper Paradise

Java which is entirely volcanic, on the other hand is packed with spectacular views, a long backbone of volcanoes, tropical jungles, beaches, a haunting presence of most of the major civilizations and a population engrossed in their own daily affairs, is exquisitely sensuous. It is one of the more generous spots on earth. Java is paradise but not a tourist one.

Yes there are five star comforts to be sure in the cities. The infrastructure is simple or practical in the lovely interiors. No five star accommodation. Two stars at best, if any at all. In these parts “sights” are left to fend for themselves without even the support of a soft-drink kiosk. The people are busy at day-to-day living. They may spare you a hesitant smile but wouldn't know how to call out “Hey Mister.” The Gods charge visitors very little on this paradise. But promise a most gratifying experience.

One Great Buffet

It may sound a bit of a rugged experience. In truth it is not. For example, take a traveler's basic need, food. There are no starred restaurants but the food is fabulous. Breakfast is usually chicken porridge, “bubur ayam”, in Central Java.

Available at carts or little rudimentary” cafés”. Delicious with boiled rice, pepped up with backyard spices, fortified with herbs and sprinkled with bits of chicken (organic of course). Washed down with superb tea (leaves plucked and cured down the road), this meal will cost you sixty cents. Java is really one large buffet.

Every street offers carts, shacks, shelters, café's canteens and restaurants with mind boggling variety of foods. Java is one of Indonesia's 17,000 islands. Yet it, not only offers food from almost every one of the islands but also from every town and city in Java. There is Bandung Satay, Padang Satay, Ox Tail stewed, fried or curried from all over, Madura Noodles, fantastically spicy Menado dishes, local versions of beef jerky,Acheh Fried Noodles, Fried Rices from almost everywhere with almost anything for ingredients; the list is endless.

Like a buffet at the Four Seasons, you just walk along and make your choices. If you are a big eater it may cost to a princely sum of six dollars.

While poverty exists in Java, thirty percent exist on $2 a day; a traveler will not come across anyone starving. For two reasons, Java is bountifully fertile. Two dollars does help, if a little, to buy food. There is also another reason; Javanese, whatever the world perceives their faults maybe, are extraordinarily philanthropic. They give recklessly.

Strictly Not For Tourists

Java, though rich with “sights,” is not a “sight-seeing” destination. Java is not for tourists who come to relax. Java is for travelers who are eager to know. Earliest arrivals in Java were the Hominids. The cranial fossil of the Java Man, about five million years old, was unearthed in 1891. More recent visitors were Ptolemy and Marco Polo. The former a geographer and the latter a professional traveler probably hit upon Java by accident. History, maybe folk tales record, that they were impressed and surprised.

Whatever they, or subsequent celebrity visitors may say of this island, the best thing about Java is its lack of pretense. A striking contrast to its aggressive brand dedicated (not always accurate) neighbors. Java is Java. Home of almost every spice, clove and herb known. Every natural cure heard and unheard of.

Home of the most imaginative food and beverage recipes in the world.

Home of intriguing batik haute couture. Home of exciting cocoa. The world's biggest manufacturers of quality shirts. Home of numerous spirits, benevolent and malevolent. Island of the most volcanoes, active and dormant, in the world. Place where some really awful films are made. Regrettably because Java is probably home of the very first cinemas, the “shadow plays” theatres of centuries past. In Central Java, now showing, at various locations, is the longest running play in the world, “Ramayana”; first performance sometime in the sixth century?

Java is also repository of a massive collection of a million years of vocal history. Daily news to spread speedily from mouth-to-mouth and is deliciously entertaining. It is worth getting someone to translate for you.

The Best Bus System in The World

Java is a race-track to eighty million motorcycles. And the world's best bus transportation system.

The Bus Transportation is divided into four categories. Plush air-conditioned cruisers, Executive Buses, Economy Buses and ankots(Covered mini-vans). They connect the whole island and ply in all villages; towns and cities.Ankots and Economy buses are staffed by a driver and conductor. They provide the ultimate in customer-service. They will die for their customer. Sadly, sometimes they do. Service on board Singapore Airlines pales in comparison.

Ankots and Economy buses stop anywhere for their customers. Even in the middle of a busy road or in the centre of an intersection. If they can't for some reason, stop, run alongside, and the conductor who hangs out of the back door, will sweep you up gracefully into the vehicle. Many Economy buses and ankots provide a mini live band for customer entertainment (I swear this is true). Customers pay a humble two cents for this. Iced drinks, snacks, newspapers and cigarettes are sold on board. You can even sometimes buy something as extraordinary as a Javanese speaking parrot.

There seems to be millions of buses. Especially Economy buses and Ankots. There is one born every minute. As a result transportation for a traveler is excellent. A wait for a bus in a town or city rarely exceeds five minutes. A great way to meet Javanese.

More personalized transportation is available.” Ojeks,” or motorcycle taxis are available to take you anywhere and especially where buses can't go. The fare averages around 50cents with including free use of the helmet. Traffic rules don't apply to “ojeks” therefore they take the shortest distance between two points, even if it means going against the traffic or leaping over road dividers.

Tourist Services

The Javanese are entrepreneurial. Travelers may avail themselves of numerous services in all towns and villages. The most advertised on lamp-posts, walls and with banners are hair salons (you could have a choice of up to ten every two kilometers), “cuci-sofa” (Sofa cleaning),”baduts”(party clowns) and “ketow-magic”(car repair by magic). Weary travelers may look out for “pijat” (massage) signs, also easy to come by as are “baby-sitters”. Doctors, dentists, traditional cures, modern pharmacies, local medical shops and magical cures are always within easy reach. “wartels”, little places where you can make telephone calls while enjoying a bowl of noodles and “warnets”, little places with internet facilities are plentiful, Costs for any of these services are cheap.

To blonde your hair in a village will cost no more than two dollars. A massage that puts you right in an hour, just one dollar. Baby-sitters, negotiable. Tipping is expected and ten percent will suffice. Transactions are always in cash.

Shopping

Things unique and possibly appreciated back home are available all around often direct from the craftsmen themselves. Superb colonial Dutch and Javanese antiques abound. Very intricate shadow play figures, Javanese doll-puppets with moveable arms, drum casings made of mahogany(eventually exported to Europe and United States), full-sized rocking horses, excellent teas and coffees, local tonics for almost every ailment, local Viagra in capsules or tonics, silverware and jewelry, pearls from the Java oysters and dried and okay-to-keep indefinitely or ready-to-eat dried and spiced fish. You can take home a crate of treasure for what you would pay, for a night in a four star accommodation in Bali.

You won't see much, if any advertising of Java. Most traveler or tourist information on Indonesia tends to focus much on Bali and attractions mostly manufacturer by the Ministry of Tourism (I guess it's their job) and travel agents. Java remains, most often, as an accidental encounter. Major airlines fly to Jakarta. From where you can bus, fly or take a train to the best of Java.

This stories about people, the many different peoples who live on the islands of the Indonesian archipelago. It offers a composite stories of the many different environments and cultural backgrounds that co-exist here, as well as the underlying traditions that bind these differing cultures together.

These common traditions are based on simplicity, belief in the Good, tolerance, and respect for others. Most important is an all-pervading spiritual sensitivity, and a strong belief in God. Many different religions exist side by side in Indonesia, and most people participate in at least one.

The stories aims at giving the reader an understanding of the country and people as they are today, with their long traditions in tenuous balance with the demands and intrusions of the modern world.

Although their ethnological characteristic will not change in foreseeable future, attitudes, behavior and way of life are likely to be greatly influenced by the tide of western-style modernization sweeping the country.

No-one can predict what effect this modernization will have on peoples with a traditional culture strongly rooted in rural, agricultural society, but certain changers in living patterns are already visible.

Thirty years from now this stories may tell only the Indonesia of the “Good Old Days”.

This is a leftover product of quaternary glacier which has a record of 3 million years. It is found in Chongqing, China.

This is a rare and extraordinary view of a rainbow after rain.

This is Qiaogeli Peak, situated in the northern part of Pakistan. It is regarded as the world's second highest peak. The Western climbers refer it as K2 Peak while Chinese authorities officially refer it as Qogir or Qiaogeli Feng.

This is a rare scene of a water tornado occuring in the city of Kunshan in a province of Jiangsu, China.

This is a rare sandstorm that swept through the sky of a city in Jiayuguan in Gansu Province, China.

This "strange hoop of barley field" was discovered in the southern region of Russia. It is regarded as a new discovery by the local people there.|

The photo shows a volcanic eruption that took place in the Eastern part of Java Province in Indonesia. This Buluomo Volcano spews high temperature ashes, dust, and smoke as high as 3,000m.

This is Kilauea Volcano, the world's most active volcano, situated in the island of Hawaii, which lies against the southeast flank of much larger Mauna Lao Volcano in the United States. Its eruption is always accompanied with extremely hot steam plume and lava. The hot lava flows in the lava tube and may flow to cover a local road.

This is a splendid look at a meteor and its aurora. The meteor is a meteoroid that falls to the Earth in a fiery tail which is a bright glow observed over the night sky.

This is a combination scene of comets and aurora over the sky of Alaska. The comet is a mixture of dust and frozen gases that is usually dark and in a solid body that sweeps across the space. The comets appear star-like and they look like tiny balls to our naked eyes in this picture.

This is a faint, but sporadic, atmospheric phenomenon seen in the night sky from locations at high latitudes. This aurora may develop into steady greenish arcs, swirling curtains of yellow green light.

This is an incredible lenticular cloud formation on the top of this mountain. It has the shape of a mushroom.

This is a near-death star which is surrounded by a nebulae resembling a ladder.

This is the world's tallest waterfall called Angel Falls. It is also known as Qiulumeilu Falls. It is located in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivia State, Venezuela in the Canaima National Park. Its total height is at 979m (3,212 ft) with a height of the longest drop of 807m (2,648 ft).

This is Iguazu Falls which is one of the top attractions to visit in South America. It is located on the border of Argentina and in Brazil that is 23km upstream of the converging point of Iguazu River and Parana River respectively. Iguazu Falls has the shape of a horseshoe and is 82m in height, and 4m in width. Its width is four times wider than the Niagara Falls in North America, and is slightly wider than Africa's Victoria Falls.

This is the Aconcagua volcano which is situated in Argentina. It is an extinct and inactive volcano and also the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere with its elevation of 6.959m.

This is a rare look at double rainbows that appeared over the sky of Lhasa, a traditional capital of Tibet, China.

These are a series of spectacular lightning occurrences!

This is an amazing scene that shows a thousand birds flying over the sky of the National Parks of Costa Rica during the evening hours. The sun gradually sinks beneath the earth.

This photo shows how a black hole devouring a star in the universe.

This is an icy scene near the mouth of Huang He River, China.

We stayed at the Aston Bali Hotel in Benoa, It has marble tiles and walls throughout the public areas and all rooms look over the ocean or the gardens. What luxury, buffet breakfast every morning from 6.30 to 10.30. I would often be there at 6am and the coffee was ready. I would sit a while writing before I got stuck in. There was always fresh fruit, two kinds of juice, my favourite was banana. (Who would have thought that bananas would make a drink? ) plus the usual western selection of cereals. I thought it funny to see a bowl of coco pops along with cornflakes and other western breakfast cereals. Every day we had the choice of bacon, boiled eggs, omelets, hash browns, several rice dishes, noodles, vegetables,. toasts etc. etc. We always sat outside and enjoyed the warmth of the morning, knowing it would get a lot hotter.

All our other meals were eaten in local restaurants, where I discovered many things I liked. Satay, small pieces of meat on a skewer brought to the table on a ceramic dish with the hot charcoal in the bottom and with peanut sauce, gadi gadi, local veg. with rice and sauce, egg rolls, 3 for 4,000 rupia, (7,000 in a dollar Canadian) Prices varied from restaurant to restaurant. I tried lots of fruit that I had never heard of before. I would buy it in local markets. Durient comes to mind. As the strangest one. It is shaped like an egg, about 10' long and 6 - 8 ' across when you cut it open. Way bigger than any fruit that shows up in our fruit bowl. I will send a photo by email. You spoon it out and it has a light taste, not sweet at all and the consistency of brie cheese.

The Balinese people are very open and friendly. Big smiles and waves any time of day. Many of them get around on scooters and small motor bikes. It is quite hair raising to see a dad driving, one of his children in front of him, hands on the handle bars, mum behind with a young one between her and dad There is a lot of traffic but I did not see an accident and we went many miles on tours and with a local man. The roads are narrow and it was amazing to see large coaches overtaking bikes, pedestrians and scooters as if it was one way traffic. Very skilled drivers.

Many people speak English and that was a great help, as neither of us speak Balinese or Indonesian. We were the first customers of a waiter and ended up going out with him and his friend for the day. His name is Kadek and we went to his village, nearly a 3 hour drive and met his parents and small son. The family lived in a traditional house, they had power but no running water. His mother works in the rice fields, but his dad has not worked for a while due to a knee injury. They do not have medical, or insurance as we do. He was married by accident, a phrase used all the time, meaning shotgun wedding and his wife left him, so his parents bring up the child. He left his village to get a job to contribute to the family income. He visits at least once a month and is very grateful to his parents. They speak no English, but made us feel welcome..

We went up into the mountains and saw monkeys that are so tame they come down from the trees when vehicles pull in. Fruit grows al through the forest, bananas, jack fruits, durien, snakes skin and others. Farmers grow rice and coffee on a grand scale, also spices, vanilla and cloves, to name the ones I remember. We visited temples, farms, stone and wood carvers, a waterfall, dances, the beach, parks and markets. Not all in the same day. Kadek wants to be a guide and it was his first time with tourists. We do have his email address and will keep in touch.

The monsoon season starts in November, but we only saw rain on our last two days. It runs down the streets and families wash in the streams and drainage channels. It is an ancient system of irrigation used by all the villagers. In the towns the rubbish gets swept out of the ditches and the streets cleaned.

There is no Christmas in Bali as 95% of the population is Hindu.