Pure Excitement in West Bali Have you been yet? - By Ima Deville
If you need a rush of adrenaline and want to revive your primary instincts, go to Negara in the West of Bali. No, this is not a particularly touristy region, the land is dry, mainly flat and a good amount of dust covers the ground. Restaurants worthy of the name are hard to find and hotels remain very basic. However you need to be there nice and early on Sunday morning, ready for action the buffalo races.
Mekepung is the name given to these incredible buffalo races. They take place every Sunday morning and are popular gatherings for the locals. Races start around 7 o’clock and continue until mid-day. It is crowded, noisy and everyone from the province of Jembrana gets totally absorbed by the races, often betting money.
You might hear about the Perancak buffalo races near the aquatic park Taman Wisata Pernacak but these are totally organized for tourists and not the best place to fully experience the local craze that real buffalo racing triggers. Instead, go to the public races, held about 5 km North West of Negara town. This is where every Sunday of the dry season, men and their beasts fight to beat the other team. Green or red, depending on which side of the Ijo Gading they come from. This river splits the province into two rival camps. Jockeys, red or green scarves tied around their heads, defiantly, wear tee-shirts bearing the emblem of their team. Tense and fully concentrated, they have come to earn respect. Every year these ruthless encounters culminate with the Bupati Cup in August and the Governor Cup in October. Jockeys and their cattle are the spirit and pride of the region. These buffalo races are the escape from the hard reality for these modest farmers. Entertainment guaranteed! Hundreds of villagers regularly attend and your attention will shift from the trembling tracks to the crowd of anxious spectators. Money is at stake.
Buffalo racing was introduced to Bali in around 1930 and is also a tradition in Madura Island, off the East Java coast. However, you might as well be back in Greek or Roman times, when blood used to flow to prove one man’s superiority over animal and adversary. Spectators stand by the side of the narrow dusty tracks, 2 km long. The best places are near the starting or finishing lines and where the track bends. Suddenly the earth starts shaking and the beasts and their chariots loom in the distance. Buffaloes exert an incredible strength and speed when they have gained their rhythm. How will they ever stop? Jockeys stand in their chariots vociferously shouting barbarous encouragements whilst whipping their mounts with such force that blood oozes from the animal’s back. Chariots can be pulled by two or four buffaloes and two or four teams compete in each race. Loud-speakers blast breathless commentaries and when the final winner has been declared and the buffaloes controlled, tension drops on all the faces and you can hear the relief in the exerted commentator’s voice: “Sudah, sudah…”
Buffaloes are not horses and so stopping these forces of nature is far from easy. They can go off track and accidents happen to spectators who get too close to the action, avid to take the close up photo of their life. Be aware too of the extreme heat, dehydration and sunstroke. Moving through the crowds on the rough ground is a challenge. Children or sensitive people might feel upset at the sight of the bleeding animals. However, all taken into consideration, the mekepung races are one of the most authentic experiences of archetypal Balinese competition and entertainment. I defy you to remain cold or indifferent. This is a spectacle not to be missed.
Don’t leave Negara yet because about 10 kilometers south, there’s an estuary where you can admire astounding Perancak buggies in the afternoon. Colorful fishing boats, they go out to sea every morning in search of tuna and other big fish. They bear unique and extremely intricate decorations with Hindu or Muslim symbols. At first sight, these imposing boats seem to have come home from a decadent carnival but you soon realize that these fishermen have placed their fate in the hands of the multiple Hindu deities or asked the protection of Allah. Strength and security is what they need to face the ocean and come back with a living. In exchange, their figures of worship are beautified and share their living and working space on board of their buggies.
Another West Bali oddity are the two Christian villages of Belimbingsari and Palasari that, despite the very poor signposts, can be found a few kilometers inland, half way between Perancak and Gilimanuk. Christian evangelism was discouraged by the Dutch and converts were eventually relocated in 1939 to these two picturesque villages, far away from Denpasar. Belimbingsari is a Protestant community with the largest church of this faith on the island. Palasari is Catholic and has an impressive cathedral with syncretistic Balinese touches. The inhabitants were outcasts who converted from Hinduism but their villages later became prosperous model communities. Nowadays, tourist tours are organized to celebrate Christmas morning mass in these devout Balinese Christian villages.
Let’s continue the trip towards Gilimanuk in the very North of the island. The most western tip is the large Taman Nasional Bali Barat or West Bali National Park. This 77,000-hectare park was established in 1941 and protects Balinese fauna. You can see Menjangan deer, Bali starlings, bulls, monkeys, anteaters and lots of other animals. The park feels more like a forest than a jungle and it is possible to organize walks with excellent panoramas through various types of landscapes: forest, savannah, mangrove, coast, beach and conserved habitats. Their park rangers are fully dedicated to the environment and an encounter with them is truly instructive. They give you a sense and understanding of the threats and also the richness of the Balinese ecosystem. Don’t leave before having a drink in the architecturally astounding wooden watch tower, the Bali Tower, a one of a kind building. Made from 5 incredible logs, 33 meters long and 80 cm in diameter, the tower reaches above the tree line and offers excellent views across the bay and forest. Part of the same owners’ group, the Menjangan resort has a lodge and gazebos if you want to stay overnight in the park. The waterfront gazebos are on the edge of the mangroves and look out on the sea. This environment is beautifully calm and has a camping feel to it. If you love being surrounded by water and nature, staying there in the open air will fill you with tranquility and peace. Although such a rare feeling, there you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in nature. The time factor has to be left at the entrance of the park and it’s the sun, animals, birds, insects and the light that shape your day and night.
Leaving the park behind, you are heading towards the bay of Labuhan Lalang where you can hire a boat from one of the many boatmen to Menjangan, or Deer Island. This inhabited island boasts the best diving and snorkeling in Bali. Coral, sea fans and reef fish abound and fill your eyes with vibrant colors. 150m of reef host a wide variety of sea life living in coral gardens and down underwater walls. The coral found on the North of the island where reefs are deeper is exceptional. The visibility is usually excellent and the waters are pristine. A couple of resorts in the bay offer great accommodation by the mangrove with stunning views of the towering East Java volcanoes. Sundown drinks at Mimpi Menjangan resort are unforgettable.
Further east along the coasts is Pemuteran, a peaceful fishing village set in the middle of a black sand bay. With its typical fishing boats and the mountainous back drop it is atmospheric and striking at whatever time of day. Strolling along the bay and swimming in these flat and protected waters allows you to absorb the calm of the north coast. It is possible to snorkel in various spots and to take part in activities at the coral rehabilitation and sea turtle conservation centre. They will take you on snorkeling trips or you can join in the morning a group of volunteers who remove a particular shell that kills the coral or dive to check and maintain the ingenious rehabilitation platform. About 5 km outside the village heading east is the Atlas South Sea Pearl farm that is well worth a visit to discover the birth of precious pearls and all the stages of their growth until harvest.
Why the West of Bali is often ignored by visitors and residents is a mystery and doesn’t make any sense when the area provides so many magical experiences to be found nowhere else on the island.
