Bali Heaven Official Blog

“Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park is an art and culture window of Bali.
It represents the beautiful view of Bali south coast.”

Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) is the right place to enjoy the sanctity of Bali in the middle of modernity. It has been built with mini city and one stop shopping entertainment concepts. GWK is a cultural park which has complete facilities, from entertainment, shopping, to recreation. GWK is located in the limestone plateau of Ungasan Hill, Jimbaran, south of Bali. If we visit this place, we will see enchanting views of Jimbaran and Kuta beach in the far distance; also in view are Ngurah Rai Airport and Benoa Harbor.

Huge blend of Balinese and modern architecture has changed the limestone plateau into a gorgeous area without sacrificing its natural element. Limestone plateau has been cut into shapes of big limestone pillars. In a glance they remind us of the ancient buildings in Egypt.

GWK or Garuda Wisnu Kencana is a name for Vishnu (Hindu God) who rides his mystical half man and half bird companion known as Garuda. GWK statue is a great creation of a renowned Balinese artist, I Nyoman Nuarta. This statue has not finished yet, but it is planned to reach height 172 m, so it will be the highest statue in the world to conquer Liberty statue in USA. This statue has been built in the top of the hill, so that from this place we will be able to see the complete view of beautiful scenery all around the Island of Bali. Besides that, GWK will be seen from radius 20 km from Kuta, Sanur, and Nusa Dua.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) is also meant to be modern renderings for the ancient way of life and religious pilgrimage. GWK symbolizes a harmonious relation between human beings and the natural environment in Bali.
This place includes a variety of art and culture, performance places and also food and beverages services. Resembling the Balinese Palace in ancient times, GWK’s visitors will see glorious monuments and sacred devout which all have been filled with modern touch.

With little rainfall and open to fresh tropical breezes, GWK facilities are ideal for numerous events. There are five areas in GWK, namely Park Amphitheatre, Lotus Pond, Street Theatre, Plaza Kura-Kura, and Exhibition Gallery.

Park Amphitheatre has 800 sits capacity and first class acoustic arrangement. It is the best place for art and culture performance. Lotus Pond can hold up to 7500 people. There are big limestone pillars around here. This area is very dramatic for various great events. In the same way as village’s ritual arena in Bali, Street Theatre is a suitable place for various processions, fashion shows and various movement performances. Ideal place for hospitality is Plaza Kura-kura, which has capacity of up to 200 people. In addition, there is Exhibition Gallery which opens for public everyday.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) is developed into leading tourism destination for a variety of art performances, exhibitions, conferences or relax and religious interest. Last year, GWK held the bustling national event of Soundrenaline, the biggest music festival in Indonesia.

“Monkey Forest is a holy area for Balinese people and an ecological preserve area. Monkey Forest is located in Padangtegal Village, Ubud. More than three hundred monkeys are lived in this forest.”

Hundreds of tourists and researchers from all over the world are visiting Monkey Forest everyday. Interactions between human beings and the monkeys are subject to research studies. This place provides beautiful and magical view. Balinese life becomes a harmony here. When we visit this place, we learn about how to respect nature. That’s why; Julia Robert also has visited this place when she was shooting in Ubud last year for her new film “Eat, Pray, and Love”.

The monkeys that lived here called Balinese Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis), which also well known as long-tail Macaques. The Macaques are the biggest population species of Primates in the world. These Macaques live in three groups of females and males; and they always move to different areas of the Monkey Forest every day at the different times. Because of that situation, sometimes we will see the monkeys from different group are quarrelling and fighting to defend their area. The male monkeys are bigger than the females, adult males weight up to 8-10 kilos, and adult females just 4-8 kilos.

When we visit this place, we must treat all the monkeys respectfully, because we are guests in their home. Please do not disturb them, because they may become aggressive if you disturbing their private area. Balinese Macaques are often seen eating coconuts, but they like apples and papayas too.

The monkeys are very essential for Balinese life because the monkeys are part of their way of life. We can find the reflection of monkey’s life in Balinese dances, art and folktale, such as Kecak Dance, statues, carvings, and the Story of Ramayana.

If we are lucky, we can enjoy a Balinese festival which held regularly here. Balinese festival is the same as Balinese religion ceremony. Most Balinese are Hindu, but Balinese Hinduism is not the same with Indian Hindu, because Balinese Hinduism is a unique blend of Ancestor Worship, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Animism. Temples and forests are the important part to connect with spiritual world. So, nature element in this forest, like monkeys and trees are given offering by Pemangku and local villagers.

Two ceremonies that are related to the monkey forest are Tumpek Kandang and Tumpek Ngunduh. Tumpek Kandang is ceremony where people make special offerings to the whole forest and animals in general. And Tumpek Ngunduh is ceremony where plants are equally celebrated.

There are three holy temples in the monkey forest, that are the Pura Dalem Agung Temple, Holy Bathing Temple, and the Pura Prajapati. Based on analysis of the Pura Purana, the Holy Monkey Forest was built in 14th century during the Pejeng Dynasty or early Gelgel Dynasty.