Asmat Arts and Crafts

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

There's a quite unique museum of woodcarvings, weaponry, etc. run by the Catholics in Agats. This whole estuary region is an area of art lovers. Famous woodcarvings made from ironwood (kayu besi) produced around this coastal village include hafts for stone axes, 1-2 m shields, copulating figurines, solid wood human heads, arabesque panels. Prahus are painted in bright colors and ornamented with superb carvings. Much of the Asmats' very original art is symbolic of warfare, headhunting and warrior-ancestor veneration. Tribal warfare now is outlawed and nearly extinct and the disappearance of warrior life has threatened to curtail the artistic production of the people. For example, their huge bis (ancestor poles) were carved solely to commemorate forebears mighty in battle. Fortunately in 1969 under a project financed by the United Nations to revive the local handicrafts, old master carvers were located in each major village and encouraged to train young carvers of promise. A purchasing depot was set up at Agats where good quality carvings were brought in from outlying villages and sorted, selected for display, and purchased from the carvers for cash or barter goods. Some spectacular pieces of Irian art are housed in the Museum of Primitive Art on West 54th St. in New York City. OTHERS : Kaimana: A very small place and everything is very expensive. Stay at the mission station, Rpl 500 a day with food, or at the pasangrahan. The mission has maps of the area for some interesting walks in the surrounding jungle, though there are very few native villages left. Walk all thg way to Teluk Bintuni in about 1 week. Every 2nd week there's a Merpati flight to Sorong via Fak Fak, Rp20,875 plus Rpl000 to go by truck to the airport on a very bad road. Sometimes the mission airlines AMA has a Cessna to Nabire from where you can get planes to Enaratoli and Biak. In the dry season there's a small boat to Kokonau on the south coast where there's a mission station. From Kokonau you can go to Enaratoli by plane or to Agats by small boat. Fak Fak: An uninteresting place. The airport here has an insane runway which is about 100 m too short for the plane to take off properly and the plane actually falls some 50 m after take off before it gains altitude again. Heart failure.sea transport: The Pelni ship MS Beligo makes the Merauke-Sorong run once a month. This ship stops at really out-of-the-way places like Agats, Pirimopon, Mimika, Kaimana, Fak Fak, and Teluk Bintuni, taking more than 2 weeks to Sorong from Merauke. The Beligo also calls at Tual, Kai Islands; Tual-Kaimana is Rp3000, 18 hours. As the ship is overcrowded with people traveling to Sorong to work there, conditions can be pretty filthy. You'll be hard pressed to find a place to sleep and the food and the toilets are in the usual Pelni fashion.