Tabanan, Rainbow over Ricefields

To Draw Guests, Le Meridien Offers Balinese Traditional Activities

Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort Bali has remarkable way to draw the attention of tourist’s interest. Apart from being surrounded by gorgeous nature with its cobalt blue Indian Ocean and spectacular sunset that come about every afternoon, this hotel provides numerous Balinese cultural traditional activities.
Hotel that situated in the area of Tanah Lot tourist object, 13 km south of Tabanan or 31 km from Denpasar, brings about the activities of the Balinese everyday. Those activities are like Palm Leaf Arrangement, Balinese Dancing, Balinese Music Practice, Carving Exhibition and Village Track Cycling. For guests who stay at the hotel, they do not need to spend extra money or they’re free of charge to join the activity.
According to Joan Mamanit, Director of Rooms, the activity is in fact capable of delivering convenience to visitors who stay at Le Meridien. “They can learn Balinese culture, dance, music or arrange palm leaf through instructor available at hotel,” Joan said.
Wayan Suwedaputra, Recreation Supervisor, added that the guests were generally enthusiastic to join the program. Though the lesson is rendered relaxedly and at ease they pay a serious attention. “This activity meant to introduce the Balinese customs and culture. As the proverb says ‘if one is not familiar with, he will not love it,’ they are expected to recall Bali at every turn as tourist destination that will be visited in years to come,” he explained.
Balinese Music Practice is an activity to learn about the method to play Balinese gamelan instrument. This practice takes place every Tuesday at 15:00 Local Time. Materials given are the basic of Balinese gamelan orchestra. One of the gamelan compositions that applies the gamelan of gong kebyar is used to accompany Panyembrama Dance presentation. In addition, they are also trained to play rindik or bamboo gamelan instrument. Rindik is exceedingly favoured because the gamelan orchestra is always played every time they enter a hotel. “Rindik makes use of simple rhythmical notation. However, the problem lays on the fact that it is hard for them to move their hand harmoniously between the right and left hand,” he said while added that the activity has been available since 1998.
Balinese Dancing Lesson is an intriguing activity to know about Balinese dance. The lesson is held on Thursdays starting from 15:00 and has run since 2000. Instructors are from outside hotel and he usually takes some children to practice several kinds of Balinese dance. In the meantime, Palm Leaf Arrangement is an activity to arrange young palm leaf for oblations that is known as majejahitan. This activity is performed on Saturdays at 15:00. Kinds of oblations made are of the basic only, like canang that is started out by making ceper (base of canang), arranging the palm leaf up to decorating it with assorted flowers. Tourists are not only trained to make canang but also given explanation about the significance and meaning of every single part and form. Activity that was commenced in 2002 in fact is best favoured, particularly by children. They learn how to hold a knife properly and then make ringgitan in which all are made of palm leaf.
There is also an activity of Carving Exhibition, namely a special show program in carving. It takes place every Tuesday and Thursday starting from 10:00 while on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00.
Last program but not least is Village Track Cycling. This package will take tourists to look around and have a closer look at the village at the vicinity of hotel. For instance, when encountering a temple, the tour guide will explain about the spatial division of its courtyard that consists of outermost, middle and innermost one. Similarly, the meaning of shrine or people’s house compound are described. In the midst of the journey, guests are served with drink of young coconut. This activity is carried out daily by Spa Recreation starting at 9:00. “Averagely, there are two to six guests joining this package and depends very much on our hotel occupancy in which our hotel has 278 rooms,” he said. (BTN/015)