A Glimpse of Karangasem

The regency of Karangasem is one of the nine regencies in Bali, situated in the eastern part of Bali, covering an area of 83,954 sq. kilometers. Karangasem itself consists of eight Districts namely: Karangasem, Manggis, Rendang, Selat, Sidemen, Bebandem, Abang, and Kubu District.

Karangasem has an extraordinary variety of scenic landscapes. Low and high mountain ranges intermingle with upland plain, tropical forests, terraced rice fields, beautiful beaches, culture and historic archeological remains, traditional ‘Bali Aga’ village with their way of life make Karangasem worth visiting.

It is very easy to reach all of the interesting places in Karangasem which are supported by fairly good road conditions, facilities such at hotels, restaurants, moneychangers, souvenir shops and others which one would expect in a tourist environment.

Places of Interest
Karangasem has many places of interest such as: Taman Ujung, Candidasa, Tulamben, Besakih, Bukit Jambul, Talaga Waja, Iseh, Jemeluk, Tirtagangga, Puri Agung Karangasem, Sibetan, Putung, Tenganan Pegeringsingan, Yeh Malet, Padangbai, etc.

Taman Soekasada Ujung
Ujung Water Palace, which is called Taman Soekasada Ujung by the local people, was built in 1919. However, the launching of this water palace complex was performed in 1912. The late King of Karangasem, I Gusti Bagus Jelantik who reigned in Karangasem between 1909 and 1945, constructed the water palace.

Ujung Water Palace was majestically built to welcome and to serve important guests and Kings from neighboring countries, and for the pleasure of the King and his royal family.

Taman Soekasada Ujung lies at Tumbu village, Karangasem district. It is approximately 85 km from Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar and 5 km from Amlapura.

Taman Soekasada Ujung has been announced as a cultural tourist object for it is noted as one of several cultural heritages existing in Karangasem regency. The complex of this water palace is the combination of Balinese and European architectures. There are 3 large ponds inside the area. In the middle of the main pond, there is a building that is connected to the edge of the pond by 2 bridges.

On the highest level of this complex, there is a great statue of ‘warak’ (rhinoceros). Beneath the warak there is a Bull statue. From this high place a marvelous view of sea, hills with lush and green forest, the beauty of Mount Agung combined with the green terraced rice fields can be seen. The grand Ujung Water Palace was damaged by the explosion of Mount Agung in 1963 and suffered further destruction during the great earthquake in 1979. However, a reconstruction and revitalization project was performed for the recovery in an effort to bring back the glory of this water palace complex. Although it is not as great as it was, the amazing views of its past can still be seen here.

Candidasa
Previously Candidasa was known as Teluk Kehen (Kehen Bay) but when this area was finally opened as tourism development area, the name ‘Candidasa’ became popular. There is no certain report about the historical background of the name. However, it is assumed that the choice of this name is connected with the story of ‘lingga’ inside the temple which lies on the top of Candidasa hills.

An old manuscript found here mentions that Candidasa Temple was built during the 12th Century. A remain called ‘lingga’, inside the temple, is believed to be the symbol of the God Siva. In this holy place hermits often received their highest solitude or ‘heaven’ by uttering 10 letters called ‘Dasa Aksara’ (10 = Dasa). Another story says that the name Candidasa was inspired by a statue near the lingga. It is a statue of the Goddess Hariti surrounded by 10 children. It is believed that Goddess Hariti could give blessings of welfare and prosperity to the people who pray here.

Candidasa is located at Samuh - Bugbug village, Karangasem district. It is about 65 km from Denpasar and 12 km from Amlapura. Candidasa is well known for its shiny white sand. Tourism industry flourishes significantly in this area with the backdrop of the Indonesian Ocean. From here, Lombok Island and Nusa Penida in the distance can be seen and the sparkling lights of ‘Jukung’ (traditional boat) at night will always draw visitors to return again to this place.

Puri Agung Karangasem
Anak Agung Gede Jelantik, the first king of Karangasem Kingdom, built puri Agung Karangasem or Karangasem Palace in 19th Century. This tourist destination is visited for its unique architecture, which is the combination of Balinese, Chinese and European architectures.

The location of Karangasem Palace is in the center of Amlapura, approximately 78 km from Denpasar. As mentioned before, the architecture of Puri Agung Karangasem is the combination of three different styles. Balinese architecture can be found on the carving of Hindu statues and the relief on the walls of the building. The European influence is seen in the style of the main building with its large veranda, while the Chinese architecture is implied in the style of the windows, the door and its other ornaments.

Puri Agung Karangasem consists of three parts, namely Bencingah, Jaba Tengah and Maskerdam. Bencingah is the front part of the Palace, where traditional art performances take place. Jaba Tengah is set as the Palace Garden with a big pond. In the middle of the pond, there is a building called ‘Balai Gili’ or floating building. There are 2 old lychee trees here. The third part is Maskerdam. This name was derived from the name Amsterdam, a city in Netherlands. This building was constructed when the King of Karangasem began his relationship with the Dutch government.