Tabanan is the name of a district in
west Bali and also the largest town in the district. The town is located next to the main east-west road leading to
Java. A bypass means you do not have to crawl through town and can maintain a decent speed, the traffic lights being the only hinderance.
Tabanan is not really a tourist town and most likely you will not want to stop there for long. Still there are some interesting aspects to the town. Back in
1906 the
Balinese and Dutch were fighting over control of the island. The kingdom of Tabanan (a former regency of Bali) refused to abide by Dutch regulations outlawing the Hindu practice of
suttee, whereby a man’s widow is cremated with him. The Dutch forces marched towards Tabanan from the south, refusing to negotiate with the
raja. In other regencies of Bali the
raja and his court committed the ritual
puputan (group suicide). The
raja of
Tabanan wanted to avoid this, but rather than be exiled in
Lombok, he committed suicide in
Denpasar prison. The history of coloncial rule around the world is written in blood, Bali being no exception.
One of the more positive historical points of interest is the
Subak museum, located close to the main bypass road. While the museum itself is nothing special, it documents one of the most important social / economic / cultural institutions in Bali, the Subak. Dating back to
600AD, Bali has been using a system of unmechanized rice cultivation and water management. Bali’s ability to produce an endless supply of rice year round is central to its history. Management of the water courses, stretching all the way to the highland lakes, is controlled by the Subak. A farmer cannot simply flood all his fields at the same time, or divert a main stream to access more water. The system is intricate and the Subak museum is the place where its officially documented.
Downtown
Tabanan looks like many other large Balinese towns, with a busy market close to the central streets. For tourists driving through you will be able to use an
ATM machine, change money, locate an
internet cafe and find a
post office, all on
Jl. Gajah Mada / Jl. Pahlawan.
Tabanan has
2 important bemo terminals for the adventurous. Bemos are the small minibuses and while most tourists do not use them, they act as a safety net for getting around if other ways fail. The
Denpasar (Ubung terminus) to
Gilimanuk (ferry point to Java) bemos all stop at
Pesiapan terminal, 1.5km west of downtown Tabanan. The
Kediri bemo terminal is located on the main road in the east of the town.
If you are passing through Tabanan on your way to Java and need a
handy place for the night, check out
Kuskus Indah Hotel (Jl. Palau Batam 32) - (0361)815373. Affordable
AC or fan rooms, with public swimming pool close by.
For those looking for a
beach environment, you can find accommodation at
Yeh Gangga, Lalang Linggah to the SW and
Balian to the west.
Highlights of the area close to Tabanan include
Taman Kupu Kupu (Butterfly Park) in
Wanasari,
Pura Taman Ayun (temple) in
Mengwi and
Yeh Panas hot springs.
Pura Tanah Lot is a 15 minute drive SW from Tabanan and
Seminyak can be reached in 45 minutes.
Gedong Kirtya Museum and Library: This is the only library in the world with a large collection of lontar manuscripts both ancient and sacred texts on leaves of the lontar palm. The building also houses books from the Dutch colonial era and some very interesting inscribed copper plates called prasasti. The library actually contains over a thousand texts on the sciences from philosophy to astrology and medicine. Not far from the Library is the museum which houses the collection of the last Raja of Buleleng.
Ling Gwan Kiong Chinese Temple: Just off Jalan Erlangga and a stones throw from the ocean sits the beautiful Chinese temple Ling Gwan Kiong. A colourful and beautifully constructed klenteng, access to the temple is via a water bridge over a pond filled with pink and white lotus flowers. An unusual array of Koi fish can be seen in the depths of the water of this quaint pass-over to the inner temple. Gold Bhudda statues and ornately decorated textiles are to be found everywhere. Particularly impressive are the murals of Deities hand-painted on the entrance doors and surrounding walls.
The Waterfront Harbour: This is a nice place to relax and quite stunning with its panorama of the open ocean. It is a quite place and there are some deserted and old Dutch warehouses to be found here but they are rundown but one can imagine the hive of activity that once occurred there. Take a stroll along the beach and have a look at some of the scattered traditional villages along this stretch. There is also a monument called Yudha Mandala Tama that was erected in 1987 and commemorates the independence struggle against the Dutch in the 1940’s.
Singaraja Central Market: Located right in the centre of the city on the main street, this poky and dusty market is fabulous to meander through albeit a tad claustrophobiatic at times. The market is seldom visited by westerners so be aware of pilfering but it is a place where you an also get some great shopping and cheaper than in 
