Bali Batik Adventure - Textiles, Batik, Weaving, Local Artists, Scenery, quilters, artists, arts & c

Enchanting Bali Batik Adventure

Explore the Textile Arts & Culture of Bali & Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Meet Batik & Weaving Artists ~Enjoy Workshops
 Explore Beautiful Bali 
October 22 - November 3, 2017

Beautiful, exotic, mysterious, enchanting Bali awaits your discovery. Rich in its diversity, Bali will overwhelm your senses with its gorgeous landscapes, intriguing flowers, its smiling people, its magnificent shrines and temples, and its devotion to the creative arts. We have been exploring beautiful Bali since 2005.

Your days will be filled with discovery...... scenic beauty, lovely beaches, mountains rising in the distance, spectacular scenery, gorgeous lakes, fascinating villages, friendly people, daily trips to magnificent cultural sites, and exploring the arts, crafts and textiles of Bali. Both of your Bali hotels offer a true sense of Bali's warm hospitality, one on the beach, with beautiful pools, gardens, and paths. The other sits in a tree filled ravine, offering utter tranquility but very close to the town's center. Your Yogyakarta hotel offers peaceful elegance .

Immerse yourself in the arts and cultures that are part of Bali's daily life. Nearly everyone is an artist of some type, spending their free time painting, carving, weaving, batiking or with music and dance, for many it is their livelihood. You will explore villages that feature batik, the ancient craft of waxing and dyeing cloth, plus villages featuring Ikat weaving, and the weaving of Geringsing cloth, a double Ikat that can take years to complete. See these traditional practices first hand. Visit a street filled with open air shops selling hundreds of varieties of local batiks, sarongs, and crafts. Other villages offer handmade crafts, wood carvings, silversmithing, baskets, and stone carving (beautiful but too big to carry home). Enjoy performances of traditional dancing, a Gamelan orchestra, and singing. And what can I say, the food is fantastic too! 

Balinese embrace life and nature for its gifts, and hold deep religious beliefs. Their magnificent shrines and temples are rich with Hindu and Buddhist influences. Religion is a part of their everyday life from daily rituals to spectacular temple festivals. Every village has its temples, and buildings of importance, with splendid stone and wood carvings. These temples and shrines offer great inspiration to the artist within us all, whether through sketching, designing, quilting, painting, photography, or just relishing in their ancient beauty and artistry, it will certainly influence your future artistic endeavors.

During your journey you will be welcomed into a women's co-op that specializes in maintaining the ancient art of hand-waxed batik, and view many of their beautiful batiks. You'll also visit several wonderful museums featuring ancient batiks, and see the intricate designs that were exclusive to the royal family. You will have the opportunity to try your hand at the art of batik at a fun class in Bali with a local artist. There will be time to explore some of the batik shops and studios, including some that produce the popular batik panels. Make a special batik scarf while visiting a traditional batik factory in Yogyakarta.

In Yogyakarta, known as the cultural heart of Indonesia, an exciting treat awaits you; a visit to internationally known Batik Artists and Designers Nia Fliam and husband, Agus Ismoyo's, private studio and gallery. Visit the Royal Palace; then be awed by the grandeur of two ancient religious sites. Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist monument that was hidden in the jungle for over a thousand years, and Prambanan, an enormous ancient Hindu temple complex; being restored after it suffered damage in several earthquakes.  

Your small group tour is filled with fascinating culture. You will come away with an understanding of the Balinese people, their love of the arts, the importance of their textiles, their warmth, their religious beliefs, and their ancient history and customs. Bali is known as "The Island of the Gods" and you will be filled with its spirit and charm and want to return again and again.

Don’t hesitate……join us on this extraordinary tour where you will have many opportunities to meet the local artists, explore the ancient cultural centers, be immersed in the daily life of the Balinese, and personally explore their arts through workshops with local artists. Our groups are small, intimate, and friendly, with great care given to every detail and personal service. This is a tour for those who love, and wish to explore, the arts and cultures of the world. 

                                          Itinerary for Bali & Yogyakarta Batik Adventure

Depart the USA:
International airfare is not included in the tour price, as many travelers wish to use air miles and favorite airlines. You may book your individual air transportation to Bali or if you wish, we will be happy to assist with your air bookings.

Oct 22 -  Welcome to Bali!
Your exciting tour begins as you are welcomed by our representative at the Bali International Airport in Denpasar, and transported to your hotel in Sanur. Sanur radiates a mixture of unmatched beauty and warmth. Shops are nestled along tree-shaded lanes & your beautiful hotel is surrounded by tropical gardens and pool. As Bali's oldest resort village it has retained its many charms.
Accommodation:  Puri Santrian Hotel, Sanur  (4 Nights)

Oct 23 - Tanah Lot Temple, Rice Fields, Lake Bratan & Floating Temple
Journey north this morning through pristine country to visit famous Tanah Lot Temple, a part of Balinese mythology for centuries.  It is one of seven sea temples that form a chain along the coast where poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temples from evil spirits and intruders. Time to wander through an inviting shopping street on the way back to the van. Next visit the Pura Luhur Besi Kalung Temple that sits in the middle of a woods and is bordered by beautiful rice fields.  Then enjoy the ride through the most beautiful rice terraces in Bali near Jotiluwih until you reach the highland of Bedugul and Lake  Bratan, a jewel in Bali's mountainous interior.  Visit the famous 17th century "Floating Temple" of Ulun Danu, the 'post card' image of the Island of the Gods. Bali relies on its rice harvest and the Goddess of Water & Fertility, Dewi Danu, is the deity who is honored here.  B L

Oct 24 -  Denpasar City Tour & Bali Museum
This morning is a unique tour visiting Denpasar town.  Explore the Bali Museum - Negeri Propinsi, built in 1931 near former royal palace of Denpasar, which was burned down in the Dutch intervention, 1906, and used as a model for the outside walls of the museum.  Then visit  Monument Perjuangan Rakyat with its unique architectural design which focus on symbols of Bali's culture.  Next you are in for a textile treat as you visit famous Jalan Sulawesi (Sulawesi Street).  Be prepared to be overwhelmed by its massive variety of textiles in shop after shop. A good place to use your bargaining skills. Time permitting visit the Bali market .   B

Oct 25 -  Magnificent Dance Performance
Enjoy a visit to Bali's foremost producer and retailer of handmade batik products from beautiful batik sarongs to men's shirts, children's attire, batik paintings and many other fascinating items. Next visit an inspiring girl's school and orphanage for teenage girls. We will first do a little grocery shopping of needed foods to donate. This afternoon enjoy a marvelous cultural Kecak Dance Performance; a spectacular and dramatic dance where dancers interpret part of the Ramayana epic story where the monkey like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Rahwana.  The evening ends with a dinner at a restaurant in Sanur.  B D. 
 

Oct 26 -  Fly to Yogyakarta
Today you will fly to Yogyakarta.  Upon arrival in Yogyakarta visit the studio and gallery of a famed local Batik artist, Kabul, with fascinating batik paintings.  Then transfer to your lovely hotel.  You may wish to take a dip in one of the beautiful pools.
Dinner this evening in a local restaurant followed by a traditional Shadow Puppet Show.  These puppets are hand made of cured water buffalo hide and filled with hundreds of tiny holes so the light will show through, then painted in bright colors.  The puppeteer chants the story and is often accompanied by a gamelan orchestra.  Return to the hotel.    B D  
Accommodation:  Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta -  3 Nights

Oct 27 -  The Royal Palace, Batik Factory, RC Studio, Batik Scarf Class and Prambanan Temple Complex
Visit the Kraton or the Royal Palace where the Sultan and his family live. Built in 1756-1790 by Yogya’s founder Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. This is a splendid example of a traditional Javanese court.  After lunch in a lovely setting, enjoy a fun visit to a traditional Indonesian Batik Factory.  See the actual process of waxing and dyeing the cloth by hand. Take part in a hands-on workshop to make a batik scarf.  This is a great introduction to the art of batik and the artists are very helpful.  Plus they have a large showroom filled with colorful batik items to tempt you.  Down the street we will visit RC Studio. Rudi Corens, owner, is Belgian and has lived here for over 20 years. He has a group of artists who carry out his designs & do beautiful work of their own in jewelry, wall hangings, puppets, statues, clothing, furniture and more.  This is a most popular stop!  Rudi is also the founder of a toy museum. This late afternoon visit the largest Hindu Shrine in Indonesia, Prambanan, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva).
Have dinner this evening overlooking the lighted temples.  B L

Oct 28 -  Borobudur, Women's Batik Co-op, Nia Fliam Batik Artist
Visit the massive Borobudur Buddhist sanctuary believed to have been built in the 8th or 9th century by King Samarotungga, and was hidden by the jungle for over a thousand years. Thousands of the finest bas-reliefs in stone ever found in Java are carved on its balustrades, telling the life of Buddha. At one time over 500 hundred Buddha statues filled the niches on this multi-level monument. Only 3 km away we will visit Mendut Temple a small
Buddhist temple.   Next enjoy a unique visit with a Women’s Batik Cooperative in Giriloyo village, founded in 1982 and funded originally by UNESCO. It taught the women how to process the traditional batik cloth they had intricately waxed to produce products they could sell. It is managed by 8 women and supports about 30-35 batik artists. We have been invited to join the ladies for lunch. Our next visit is to ISNIA the collaborative husband and wife team of Agus Ismoyo & Nia Fliam who work together to produce contemporary textiles in their fine, art batik studio - Brahma Tirrta Sari.  The team is renowned for their intricate, nuanced and time intensive fine art textiles.  Their batiks are gorgeous, made of silk, using both Hand waxing and cap designs, with discharge, added dye baths and beautiful colors.  This is an inspiring visit!  I personally have one of their lovely pieces hanging in my home.  B L 


Oct 29 - Bixa Batiks, Ulen Sentalu Museum & Return Flight to Bali
This morning check out after breakfast. Visit the Ulen Sentalu Museum filled with unusual fine art and located in Kaliurang highlands of Yogyakarta. The museum displays relics and artifact from royal houses and Kratons of Java, such as Yogyakarta, Pakualam, Surakarta, and Mangkunegaran.  Next visit BIXA Batik, known for their use of natural dyes.  Bixin or achiote tree is a plant used for dyeing natural colors.  Bixa Orellena grows throughout Java.  Lunch and return flight to Bali.  Transfer to your beautiful hotel in Ubud the art and cultural center of Bali.   B L
Accommodation:  Komaneka Rasa Sayang Ubud - 4 Nights

 

Oct 30 -  Barong & Keris Dance, & Workshop  
This morning learn the story of the eternal fight of good versus evil through a cultural performance of the Barong & Keris Dance in the village of Batubulan. This is a joyful presentation and it is accompanied by Gamelan orchestra music. Next visit The Threads of Life, an organization that sponsors and helps weaving communities, especially in remote islands of Indonesia, revive ancient techniques of weaving and natural dyeing which are in danger of disappearing. Next, one of my favorites, a Batik Painting Class in a pavilion that sits in the country side.    B L

Oct 31  East Bali Explorer, Klungkung, Tenganan Village
This morning visit the eastern part of the island, beginning with a visit to the “Bali Aga” (pre-Hindu) village of Tenganan, one of the most interesting villages in Bali. This village is an ancient fortress village and perhaps one of the most secluded and conservative villages in Bali, protected by a strict code of isolationism, and has retained its unique culture and customs over centuries. The Bali Aga were the original inhabitants of Bali, before the arrival of Hindu Javanese. The world famous and unique Double-Ikat Geringsing woven cloth is made in a secret process which may take up to eight+ years to complete one piece. These are woven on back-strap looms. There is a strong belief in its magical powers and it is used in important ceremonies. This special weaving technique is practiced in only two places in the world, Tenganan and Gujarat, India. 
Next drive into the hills to the old weaving village of Sideman, located in the middle of beautiful rice terraces. Visit a family who has a weaving factory producing Ikat cloth using the centuries-old techniques of the pattern being dyed into the threads before weaving.  Sideman is also the home of weavers of Songket cloth. This cloth is usually woven in lovely jewel tones and has gold or silver threads inter-woven into the cloth which is woven on a back-strap loom. The pattern is the same but the color is reversed on the back side. It is a very long and intricate process and usually done by older skilled women. On the return, visit the Royal City of Klungkung and its famous ancient Royal Court Hall Kerta Gosa, beautifully carved and decorated. The underside of the roof is covered with frescoes depicting the punishments awaiting the wrongdoers in hell. The court hall is built on a high stone platform so the trials were visible to all. There is also a great warehouse store here where locals buy items to use when making the beautiful offerings and  palm holiday decorations, plus lots of sarongs and woven ribbons, baskets and more.  B L                                             Read Article:  Ikat Weavers of Tenganan

Nov 1 - A Special Religious Holiday - Galungan Day Celebration
Today is a special cultural day.  Today is the most important religious day for the Hindu Balinese.  Galungan is a celebration to honor the creator of the universe (Ida Sang Hyang Widi) and the spirits of the honored ancestors.  This festival invites the Balinese to show their gratitude and love to Ida Sang Hyang Widi and also to their ancestors for their part in the winning of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma).  Galungan signifies the time when they believe the spirits of their ancestors come to visit earth.  Villages and individual homes present offerings with food and flowers to these ancestral spirits to welcome and entertain them. The offerings in their homes and at the temples express gratitude and their hope for future protection. The temples are laden with offerings and decorations which they have been preparing for three days.  On Galungan day you may see the women of the family walking to the temple with baskets of food offerings or the really tall offerings on their heads. Villages will have penjors (tall bamboo poles decorated with flowers and palm leaf decorations) along the streets some with little baskets of offerings.  This is a very special day for all of Bali (Bali is comprised of mostly Balinese-Hindu) and a special treat that we can be there to share this joyous time.   B

Nov 2 - A Leisure Day - Relax And Enjoy -  (Optional) Traditional Bali Cooking Class
This morning is an optional traditional cooking class.  You will visit the morning market to choose local foods, then return to the village and a private home to take the class which is finished with a lunch of your cooking talents. The balance of the day is free for you to explore Ubud and its surroundings, visit the market for last minute treasures, have a massage or just relax by the pool. Enjoy your day! 
This evening we will meet for a farewell dinner (not included).  B 


Nov 3 - Good Bye to Bali
It’s time to bid farewell to Bali and pack all your treasures into your Bali Bag. Relax at your hotel or do a little last minute shopping before check out. You will be picked up and escorted to the airport for your international flight home. It has been a fantastic Bali Batik Adventure, and don’t forget to pack all those wonderful memories you have shared with new and old friends during your visit.      B

 

 

 Trip Extensions: With so much to see and explore time passes quickly.  Therefore, if you wish to extend your stay to have a nice beach retreat, take some yoga classes, explore more of Bali, or just relax and be pampered we will be happy to help you plan a personal trip extension.  This is a wonderful opportunity since you have traveled a long way to Bali you can take advantage of some extra time to enjoy its many wonders.

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More Information on Bali - Articles on Bali:
Temples of Bali                                                             Bali - Gods, Demons & Offerings
Temple Preparation for Holidays                                  Puppetry of Bali
Ikat Weavers of Bali

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                                                                                        Tel: 480-264-5775     Email: Judy@judyscreativeadventures.com