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When tourism started to develop in Bali around 1965 one tour package called ” Barong dance and Kintamani tour ” was the most popular day sightseeing. The highlight of the tour which is until now still exist are Bali artist’s colonies, Tirta Empul Temple, and Batur Caldera.

According to some senior tour guides who have been working in the industry for more than 2 decades some tourists from Europe and U.S.A regularly come to Bali, for more than 5 times since 1960s and every times they come they always repeat to see this tour package. It might be the real spirit of Balinese nature and culture are mixed here which can give various inspirations, probably from business of small handicrafts until 5 stars hotels or restaurants for those who saw this as an opportunity. This has been proved by the tremendous development of tourism facilities in Bali from 1980s to 1995. The writer believe very much that what is the value of this trip has been inseminating other area of Bali to be known in tourism industry. Below is described shortly how these 3 areas had been attracted people from immemorial times.

Kintamani and Batur Caldera. Kintamani are with it’s magnificent view of Batur caldera have been recorded on king’s charter’s as follows:

* Inscription dated 911 AD, mention about the king envoys to pray at Trunyan village, the local people were asked to serve the envoys to prepare the meals and facilities during this duty. The people requested to his majesty to be exempted from certain taxes
* Inscription dated 911 AD, the regulation of village member between Abang village and Trunyan village
* Three inscriptions found at Kintamani dated 967 AD mentions a lodging ( pesangrahan ) at Air Mih, licensed by the king Tabanendra Dhramadewa. Here is mentioned also the influx or might be traffic of priests ( bhiksu ) that came to that area and wanted to settle. It was regulated that the new comers must not exceeding 10 families
* Just around 1 km north to Kintamani have found various stone sculptures carved in 1011th century by master sculptor ” Mpu Bga”, dedicated to the king and ancestor’s spirits

It is a prove that Kintamani area is the oldest area to be recorded in history. It was probably due to it’s very inspiring natural scenery and magical view. One of famous Indonesian novelists Sultan Takdir Alisyahbana also built his lodging on the foot of Mt. Batur, where he produced many litteraire creations in the form of romance or novels.

Ubud and Surrounding
Ubud surrounding are consist of various villages in the past become the area of Ubud and Gianyar kingdoms.

Within this area, there are villages such as Mas, Celuk, Sumampan and Ubud itself hat have developing various art works. At the beginning it was a great possibility that the spirit of aesthetic born at Pejeng area, where various ancient arts were found. To mention a few are Goa Gajah, Yeh Pulu, and various stone carvings preserved at least in 5 temples within the village of Pejeng.
Due to the richness of Pejeng area with archaeological facts, the government of Indonesia under Cultural and Educational Affairs declared Pejeng as protected area and built a museum in the village to manage the heritages. The museum is called Archaeological Museum of Pejeng and is open for visitors to see their preservation plan and system.
In Pejeng area the extend of period between first historical fact dated 8th century until 11th century almost well recorded. A complete scene of Bali in the past between 11th century up to 1343 AD have the historical facts in the area. That is why most historians put an hypothesis that the capital city of ancient Bali must had been at around Pejeng village.
The beginning of Balinese wooden carving showing a continuation of style and characters of those Balinese ancient arts found in Pejeng. It was as great probable that this spirit of art have facilitated the receptance of people on Ubud area to other new elements of arts and adopted into their pattern. So it is not strange that the flows of new arts such as paintings, decors, and accessories become also their skill. Even later after the establishment of tourism that causing the relation between artists in Ubud areas with outside world benefiting the new designs internationally brought by their overseas partners to be produced in Bali. With the tourism business there arts it was such as it is fertilized and nurtured in many aspects which instigate the creative thinking of the artists. So that it is said Bali as a shopping paradise.

Tirta Empul
It is a myth described on a manuscript called Usana Bali says that a Balinese arrogant king named Maya Denawa did not believe in god, and objected the people to worship god. Later the punishment for the king came. The warior of Bhatara Indra arrived to attack Maya Denawa and put him away from the throne. But Maya Denawa used chemical weapons causing all the warriors of Bhatara Indra were poisoned to dead. Seeing this Bhatara Indra than planted his pole to the earth, and sprang water. This water was used to spray the dead warriors, and they alive back. So this water source until now is believed to be the source of life and prosperity. It is especially correct if we associate this water spring with the irrigation system around the area, as it gives hundreds of hectares of rice field from Tampaksiring until Pejeng areas.
Historically Tampak Siring with Tirta Empul temple is a continuation of Pejeng areas of archaeological sites, where along Petanu river that split the area of Gianyar and Bangli preserved a great number of ancient remains although it is a small stroke of chisel on the steep drop of the river up to the intricate rock carving such as Gunung Kawi temple, and Mangening stone shrine which are only less than 2 kms each others.
The inscription mentions the construction of Tirta Empul temple in 960 AD, when the king Chandrabhaya Singha Warmadewa ordered this which is already 1042 years ago. It seems that this place was not interesting for ancient king but the first Indonesian president Soekarno had built his presidential villas just at the west side of the temple. This villa has brought also the name of Tampaksiring become known world widely.

The present temple as a common temple of Bali, the layout is divided into 3 courtyards. At the middle courtyard is constructed and first courtyards were constructed:

Pool with 13 fountains, used as holy water for cremation or dead ceremony,

Pool with 8 fountains, used as water for symbolic cleaning ( spiritual purification ), when a person is sick it is believed he is infected by immaterial dirt.
Pool with 5 fountains for holy water used people from outside come to pray.

At the first courtyard is also a pool for public bathing place.
Total number of shrines are 30 nits currently, after later addition by local people who have the responsibility for the temple. The ceremony is performed every 210 days, and fixed date can be read in Balinese calendar.

There is an old stone sculpture being preserved at the last courtyard of the temple in the form of buffalo. The condition of the carving is badly damage, so it can not be observed in detail to fix the type. Buffalo in the pantheon of Hindu is considered as the mount of god Shiwa and this animal is called ” Nandi “

Pura Taman Ayun has never forgotten by any sightseeing itinerary with the destination of west and north Bali. The temple is also used as a special place of events such as incentive program with Bali cultural night. With the temple architecture as background it is a real Balinese royal feast.

The establishment of Pura Taman Ayun is related to the development of Mengwi kingdom in 17th century. A manuscript describing the birth of Mengwi kingdom called ” Babad Mengwi ” gives a description that the founder of the kingdom I Gusti Ngurah Putu after succeeded in extending his emporium he built Ulun Danu temple on the bank of lake Beratan, than moved his palace from Balahayu to Mengwi and built Taman Ayun temple. The date of construction is expressed on a carved door with chronogram reads ” Sad Bhuta Yaksa Dewa ” means 1634 AD.

Temple Structure
As the common layout of temple in Bali, the area of 250 x 100 square meters is divided into 4 courtyards. On west side is the natural pool by constructing dam across the small river on the southern end of the temple area. The temple has been renovated in 1949 on the gates, split gates, walls and meeting hall, and pavilion called ” Bale Bengong” In 1972 all black fiber roofs were renewed, the last in 1976 was built the pavilion tower called ” Bale Kulkul ” and the roof of meeting hall was changed.

On the east side of the main complex there is a meru dedicated to the god of fertility, which is closely related with rice and irrigation, called : shrine of Ulun Suwi ” At one side of the east part is a shrine of the spirit warrior Pasek Buduk from Buduk village, a place around 10 kms from this temple site. The reason of the king building a worship to a spirit of Pasek Buduk, due to unending war between Mengwi and Buduk village area. Pasek was the resistant and strong defender and head of the village. Inspired by the bigger necessity to consolidate the kingdom Pasek wanted to subdue to the king by disclosing his physical weakness, and asked the king to build for his spirit a shrine in the temple, and appoint from 4 casts as the adoption of king children. The king agreed and adopted 40 children who then called the clan of ” Pasek Batu Bata”. It is mentioned that from the clan of Pasek Buduk and those adopted children had grown a strong garrison to support the glory of Mengwi kingdom. Mengwi is the second kingdom of Bali to control Blambangan regency ( now Banyuwangi in East Java ).

Total number of shrines and pavilions in the complex are 50 units. This shrines are not all dedicated to god or holy spirits but some are as ritual facilities, public hall, and decorations.

For Taman Ayun temple, the responsible principal is Mengwi palace assisted by the society in the area of current Mengwi Kecamatan administrative government. During the main ceremony people from outside Kecamatan Mengwi are usually coming for praying, especially those areas before under Mengwi kingdom.

Mengwi kingdom also built Puncak Mangu temple, a big temple behind the mount Mangu across the ridge of south lake Beratan, and Batukaru and Tanah Lot temple were supposed to have been built by Mengwi kingdom.