CRAFTS OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Some of the TOP Hotels in Bali

Bali's most famous and crowded resort is Kuta beach, a six-kilometre sweep of golden sand, with plenty of accommodation, shops and nightlife. Nearby Sanur is much quieter, but most backpackers prefer the beaches of peaceful east-coast Candi Dasa and traveller-oriented Lovina on the north coast. The island's other major destination is the cultural centre of Ubud , a still charming but undeniably commercialized overgrown village, where traditional dances are staged every night of the week and the streets are full of arts-and-crafts galleries.

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa : The Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa is a luxury property strategically located only 15 kilometers away from the... Nusa Dua
Aston Bali Resort & Spa : The Aston Bali Resort and Spa is a luxury hotel located on the waterfront facing golden sandy beaches... Tanjung Benoa
Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel : Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel is situated in the coastal village of Sanur, an ideal location from which to explore... Sanur
Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites : The Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites is located in Sanur Village just two kilometers from the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel....Grand Bali Beach Hotel also is a nice hotel in Sanur.
Swiss Belhotel Bali Aga : The Swiss Belhotel Bali Aga is a deluxe property strategically located only 20 kilometers northeast from the Ngurah Rai... Nusa Dua
Grand Hyatt Bali Hotels located in Nusa Dua and The Oberoi Bali located in Seminyak, Maya Ubud located in Ubud, The Alilia Ubud, Chedi, Hard Rock Hotel Bali located in Kuta beach, Melia Bali located in Nusa Dua and Padma Bali located in Kuta

Woodcarving and other crafts are much less affected by commercialism than in the P.N.G. half of the island. In o ken: The womens' string bag of the Irian Jaya uplands is made out of rolled bark fibres; often dyed in red and purple stripes. In it the women carry sweet potatoes, babies, piglets and tools all at once. When empty it's worn over the shoulders and down the back to keep them warm in the cold mornings and evenings. koteka (peka pipes): A yellow penis gourd from 75 cm up to % m long made from the outer rinds of an elongated pumpkin-like fruit; common all the way from Telefomin on the Sepik River in P.N.G. to Teluk Bintuni, south of the Bird's Head. Men wear no clothing except this penis sheath which emphasizes their nakedness all the more. Each man has a wardrobe of several sizes and shapes, what he feels like wearing that day. Each koteka is carefully fashioned to fit the contour of a man's stomach. A very short koteka is used when a man goes into battle, a very large one for festive times. Sometimes decorated on top with a tassel of fur or a spiky cacoon. In some mountain tribes it's also used as a betelnut container. kowar: A decorated box sculpted by some tribes in which a human skull is kept; serves a typical ancestor worship function. fighting, hunting and domestic implements: The following implements will be offered 'for sale' to you by the natives from the moment you step out of the plane in the highlands. Game arrows are smooth but war arrows have rows of small barbs which are difficult to remove. Some tribes use latex to attach bone barbs so that when the arrow is removed an infection will set in. Arrows have a very long shaft made of light cane to steady it in flight. Often the head and foreshaft of a spear or an arrow is carved in one piece from a hardwood. Negritos use the smallest bows, about 1.50 m long, while Papuans use bows over 1.85 m. Armguards protect the skin against the rattan bowstring. Spears are occasionally found 4 to 4.50 m long and as thick as a man's wrist; a hunter hurls himself to the ground in order to throw it with maximum thrust. Uplanders make stone axes by cracking a cliff-face with fire high on a scaffold or by hammering on cold rock; methods at least 30,000 years old. Women use digging sticks with which they find tubers and grubs, and are expected to use them for defence if surprised in their fields by enemy warriors.