BATIK SOLO

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

Batik: Solo batik is noticeably different and more traditional than Yogya's with its Central Javanese designs and its sombre classical colors of indigo, brown and cream. (Also some of the finest tritik work is produced here.) Look for solo malam, a particular local style of batik with bright colors against a black background. At Pasar Kliwon buy batik sarung for Rpl000-10,000. Visit the batik factory Danar Hadi, centrally located right next to Singosaren Market to see the batik process; some of their pieces are cheaper than Pasar Kliwon. Pasar Klewar (The Hanging Market) on JI. Secoyudan near the Susuhanan's palace, for bright Pekalongan batik, some with gold and velvet borders and embroideries, modern designs and colors as well. Court dress of sash, kain, and butterfly-shaped headdresses, Rp500-1000. In terms of value, the 2nd floor of Pasar Klewarhas the best batik. Buy 2nd hand batik sarung right at the side of Klewar. Don't worry, they'll find you. Don't pay more than Rp250-300 for used cap batik (look it over carefully for holes), or Rp800-1000 for second hand batik tulis. Most textile factories are on JI. Adisucipto. Batari (the Batik Cooperative owns it), Garuda Tex, Arjuna Textiles, etc. Batik Semar, JI. Pasarnongko 132, is worth a visit. Trisni Batik and Art Shop, JI. Bayankara 2, has some very elegant, high quality and expensive batik pieces. Batik Keris, JI. Yos Sudarso 37, has fixed prices: cotton and nylon batik T-shirts only Rp720-1200; long-sleeved batik shirts, Rp3000-5700; kains that range from Rp1200 up to Rp42,000. If you ask, they'll explain all the differences between them. Pasar Gede (or Pasar Besar), JI. Urip Sumoharjo, is another wellstocked market for materials; a very wide range of batik with 360 degrees of stalls. Suraji, JI. Kemlayan Tengah 39, also sells fine batik at reasonable prices. You can take batik courses in Solo; they are usually offered in someone's house privately. Yogya is cheaper for courses.

Nusa Lembongan is situated 12 miles south east of Bali. It is one hour traveling time by boat from Benoa Harbour. This pear shaped island is around 4km long and 2km wide. It is surrounded by a beautiful fringing reef, which hosts a myriad of marine life, The waters are renowned for their abundance of life and great surf breaks. The reef has been declared a marine park by the Indonesian authorities. Not only does the reef support its own Eco-system, but it supports most of the villagers on the island as well. The local people farm seaweed. This seaweed is cultivated, harvested then exported all over the world for use in cosmetics, food stabilizers and medicines. Other sources of income include traditional wooden boat building, farming peanuts, sweet potato, and fishing.Village life is very slow and enchanting. Very few cars and motorbikes are seen on the roads. The people are steeped in tradition, and one could imagine Bali being like this island, thirty years ago.Although the island is small there are many things to do. Fishing, diving, surfing, mangrove exploring, discovering natural fresh water springs, underground cave house exploring, cycling around the island. A visit to the bat caves on a nearby island, or a picnic at dream beach. Try catching mud cabs in the mangrove area at the back of the island. There is something for every one at Nusa Lembongan.