 The rice terraces of Jatiluwih (above); Taman Ayun Temple, Mengwi (right); Taking the sacred waters of Pura Tirtha Empul (below right) |
 Indonesia has a number of World Heritage sites, including the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. But astonishingly, the island of Bali has until now had no sites listed on UNESCO's World Heritage register.
However, this is about to change, with the visit of a UNESCO delegation in early 2007 to three Balinese sites nominated for World Heritage listing by the Indonesian government. The common theme underlying all these places is the life-giving properties of water: - The terraced rice fields of Jatiluwih. At over 300 hectares, these are one of the best examples of the centuries-old Balinese subak agricultural system;
- The Tukad Pakerisan riverbanks in Gianyar, Bali's richest archaeological site; and
- Taman Ayun temple in Mengwi - Bali's second biggest and one of its most elaborate Hindu temples.
This story reports on all three of these sites, how to get there, and what to get out of the experience.
See also Image Gallery
|
