Todays photo of the day comes from The Bali Aga Village of Penglipuran. Penglipuran is known for its main walkway that is lined with traditional houses that lead up to the village temple. Each home along the way features traditional elements, chief among them being the front gates.
Here we have a dog asleep on his watchdog duties.
Penglipuran Village, one of Bali's ancient civilizations.
Today we feature a powerful shot of a mass ritual self stabbing during a traditional dance. They don't really hurt themselves as this is more of a demonstration, but there are sacred events in Bali and Indonesia during the year where serious pain (and sometimes lasting damage) is done during holy festivals.
Balinese Traditional Dance and Rituals
This Traditional Dance from Bali features a ritual self mutilation
The men are stabbing themselves with a mock up of a holy kris or spiritual dagger. You can see a Mankgu or Hindu Priest blessing the daggers (Kris) here.
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We had a great time and made some wonderful connections at The Adventure Travel Show in San Francisco. We wanted to thank The Consulate General of Indonesia for all of their kind support. Ibu Vita, Ibu Nur and the rest of the wonderful people from The Consulate deserve a huge thank you and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future. We also wanted to extend a big thank you to Paula from Wakatobi and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship.
Part 2 of this post has been completed and can be viewed HERE
Here is the list I wish I had 20 years ago when I started traveling the world taking photos. After years of leading photography tours to Bali and Indonesia, I have had the pleasure (and sheer frustration) of using a myriad of gear, gadgets, cameras, clothing and more. Here I breakdown those that have made the cut and saved me time after time.
A quick disclaimer. I am in no way affiliated with any of these products. I have searched high and low to find the best, most durable, handiest products I could find at the best value and provided them here for you. I encourage you to use the links provided below for items you are interested in. It is easiest to right click and open in a new window or tab so you still have the window with the blog post open. In the new tab or window you can get more information and pricing. If you like what you see, simply click “Add To Cart”. I greatly appreciate you using the links to purchase directly from the blog as I get a tiny percent to help keep the blog alive. I have selected items at the best prices and all are through Amazon so you can trust the seller. Thank you for supporting us! If you want to browse The Balifornian Store at Amazon please click HERE.
I will not cover cameras and lenses, as that is a whole other blog post (and perhaps tome). I will convey a humorous story I heard the other day from the Morro Bay Photo Group illustrating the importance of the artist behind the camera and not so much the camera itself. At a dinner party a professional photographer was showing his work and the host was so impressed she said, “My, you must have an amazing camera”. His reply, “The food was incredible this evening, you must have a fantastic oven”.
Prior to any trip, I will start a packing list weeks prior. By now my gear is pretty much set, but there are always new challenges with every adventure- new gear to try, or leave behind (or smash into a thousand pieces). I find a great way to keep track of this list is the Evernote app http://www.evernote.com/ It allows you to make lists, capture photos, use voice notes, etc. to remember things and it sync with your iPhone and computer so you have it anywhere you go (even without an internet connection which is crucial in some remote areas we travel to). Had a great bottle of wine? Too drunk to write down the name? No problem, just take a photo of the label with Evernote and it will not only keep it for you but it can use automatic character recognition to transcribe the label text for you to make it searchable. This is great with CD’s, DVDs, even stuff I find on the web and want to remember.
In fact, the iPhone and its millions of apps have replaced many items in my travel bag like an alarm clock, music player, compass, flashlight, etc. Although, I always carry a spare of the last two just in case.
Its small and it can save your precious equipment from irrecoverable destruction via electricity surges which are a common event in many countries. The cleverly designed unit also includes two USB ports so you can change your phone and other gadgets at the same time. This little guy not only comes in handy in other countries but also in that all to familiar airport hunt for an open outlet. I always chuckle when I see travelers huddled on the floor around one of the few open outlets to charge their laptops and phones during a layover. Become the hero and save the day as you can not only always plug in but allow a couple other people to have access as well. It’s $25 but you can buy it here for only $12!
A product I discovered recently and really love is the iStabalizer
Its $30 and is a great mini tripod not only for the iPhone but will fit any camera phone or small camera. I used to use the gorillapod tripod but now it forces you to use its cumbersome iPhone case and is not usable with other gadgets. The best part about it is the flexible strong legs that can wrap around many objects to secure the tripod in many otherwise impossible positions. Wrap it to a fence, sign post, even your rear-view mirror for a great time lapse of your travels. Another cool feature is the mount unscrews ant fits right into your full size tripod when needed. I love to set it up and do a time-lapse as I set up my big boy gear for a more formal shoot. They also manufacture a cool video steady cam for $99 but that might be a bit much for iPhone style video shooting. You can buy the tripod here.
Speaking of time-lapse, if you have not tried it yet, do it right away. Its fun, provides great additional coverage and is so easy to do. There are many apps out there but I like iTime Lapse best. It’s free and has some good options. Here is sample of one I created
Thankfully, these days most electronics will work in most countries. The safe voltage required for my iPhone, Canon battery chargers, Mac Book Pro, etc. is found in most destinations so a bulky, expensive and heavy converter is normally not required as it was many years ago. Now a simple, lightweight and inexpesive adapter is all you need. Simply search the web for the outlet configuration and order the proper adapter. Just be sure you do this before you leave as it is often times very hard to find in country and if you can locate it, it will be 500% more expensive. Most electronics are now universal but check the manufactures web site to be sure.
Pockets, pockets, pockets. I love me some pockets. The leader in ‘modern pocket technology’ as I call them is - www.scottevest.com They offer some great travel pants with tons of storage space and some nifty pockets that even the most skilled pickpocket (or David Blaine) can’t penetrate. They also offer a fleece jacket with zip off sleeves that can accommodate an iPad, water bottle and tons of other gear. It even comes with a lens cleaner shammy. The company sponsors people to do an around the world trip with no luggage, only using the pockets in their products. While that may be a bit extreme, it can offset some of the ridiculous additional costs the airlines shove down our throats for luggage. The downside of course is the more pockets you have, the more places you need to check so work out a system to remember where your stuff is stashed. I commonly carry pens, lens cleaners, model releases, water, etc.
Bali can get hot so I recommend wicking shirts with lots of pockets like those from North Face but you can find great deals on these at the discount stores.
My backpack is a TamracAero Series Speed Pack.Great photographers travel gear by Tamrac It fits my 17 inch MacBook Pro, some gear, a couple lenses (even a 220-400 beast), but the coolest part is the quick access pocket that allows you to get to your camera in seconds without even taking the pack fully off. This allows me to catch shots that I would otherwise have missed. It also features weatherproof zippers so the rain or splashing waves wont get in and ruin your gear. I love it and you can get yours here. Its not fully waterproof so I also carry a rain cover like this one
In the back I always stash some granola bars, a headlamp, carabineers, etc. I use a carabineer to clip my Leatherman multi-tool to the front of my pack, not inside, so I always have it handy for many uses including protection. Obviously you can’t bring it on the plane so remember to always put it in your checked gear so it doesn’t get confiscated or get you locked up in the pokey. Purchase yours HERE
Camera gear and lenses are very expensive and heavy so you may want to look into renting gear specific for the type of adventure you are embarking upon. In some countries you can even rent the cameras, lenses and equipment there so you don't need to lug them back and forth (also saving you some money on those bogus luggage fees).
Of course I also travel with an external hard drive. Lacie makes good rugged drives that are known thier reliability. Here is a link to purchase. I also like Western Digital's drives but they are not as good for traveling. www.wdc.com I also carry a card reader, extra batteries, polarizing filter, etc.
A good final tip is too make your expensive gear look as crappy as you can. Some people are attached to their labels and brands but I don't want to stand out and be a target. I use a sharpie to cover up labels, brand names, etc. I also switch out my Canon neck strap for an aftermarket one. It’s more comfortable too.
I hope these tips and tips are helpful and please share your thoughts below. I would love to hear from you. Do you have any gear you cant live without?
Come join us on one of our Photography tours and learn even more tips, trick and ideas. Please check out some of our tours and we specialize in fully custom tours to see exactly what YOU want.
We have lead teams of documentary filmmakers and amateur and professional photographers from all over the world. We know many secret spots that most people never see and we have special access to help make the trip as unique as possible.
Part 2 of this series has been completed and can be viewed HERE. You can EMAIL me to get on our mailing list to be notified for future updates.
Whoever said Amed was a small sleepy fishing town much smaller and less to do than its neighbor Candi Dasa was giving you a handful of bull honkey. In actuality it is now a fun town sprawling approx 15 km chock full of restaurants, hotels, beach bungalos and even a nightlife. Actually I think there is more to do and see in Amed than Candi Dasa. Candi Dasa does have access to the Bali Aga, which, while incredibly interesting, and a look into early Bali, can be dangerous for outsiders and is not recommended without an experienced guide. Don’t get us wrong, Candi Dasa is worth a visit and is quite charming with some great hotels and some right on the beach. We recommend The Nirwana Resort http://thenirwana.com in Candi Dasa. It’s a bit pricey (maybe $100 per night), but it offers a great pool and it’s right on the water. This brings us to one of the big downfalls of Candi Dasa. While I say its right on the water, this does not mean on the beach. In fact, there is very little beach in Candi Dasa at all, and much of it is a breakwater with very little swimmable area. This is another reason to prefer Amed, as there is a good beach with entertaining snorkeling right in front of many of the hotels and bungalows. The coral is not plentiful and much of it has been destroyed, but you can find some coral gardens if you know where to go. There are however, many colorful fish that make the snorkeling worthwhile. The waves are generally small but can reach almost a meter kicking up the sand and decreasing visibility but the beauty of it is, you can watch the conditions from the hotel pool, and walk a few steps into the ocean whenever you feel the time is right.
Three Brother's Hotel's infinity pool overlooking the ocean and Mount Agung Volcano
The guidebooks and travel sites will tell you ‘Life in Amed’ Restaurant is the best in town but that is highly inaccurate. Our meal there was fairly tasteless but the presentation and alang-alang roof covered dining area is quite nice.
For some confusing reason, several businesses in Amed share the same name but are different entities. For example there are 3 different ‘3 Brother’s Hotel’ and a couple Wa Wa We We’s, so you need to know which one is better. Wa Wa We We 1 is the bar and WWWW2 is the hotel and restaurant. #1 is fun on most nights and currently has live music on Wednesday and Saturday nights. You will find many local expats here, mainly from the diving community along with some true locals as well as tourists. It’s a good mix and for a town that is supposed to be small and sleepy, it can really be a good time. As for the 3 ‘3 Brothers’ locations, they are right next to each other and choose the one with the pool (the northern most location). It hosts a small but quite nice infinity pool over looking the ocean. It can’t quite accommodate all the guests of the hotel at once but that’s rarely a problem as some are sure to be out snorkeling, diving or elsewhere in town. While the staff is not overly welcoming, we found the hotel to be a good value. It’s inexpensive at about $30 per night (including AC and hot shower) with a small breakfast (the egg jaffels are tasty). The best room is most likely the 2nd closest to the pool/ocean as it’s a bit more private than the one overlooking the pool and ocean. The 3 rooms in the back offer a second floor with 2 additional beds for families or those traveling with a driver. While we like 3 Brothers, we think Kembali Bungalos right next door is an even better place to stay. Its still inexpensve but just a bit nicer, the staff is much friendlier and the snorkeling right out front is even better. Head straight out and then to your left for wonderful coral gardens and lots of big colorful fish.
3 Brothers- a good choice for accommodation in Amed, Bali
As an aside, don't try to translate 3 brothers into Bahasa Indonesia (tiga suadara) as surprisingly; none of the local Balinese seemed to know what this referred to. There is no Wi-Fi at 3 Brothers but we would simply walk 2 doors down to the Amed Café, order a Bintang, overlook the ocean and use theirs. The Amed Café also offers more beach chairs by the ocean if the pool at 3 Brother’s is at capacity (which it never was while we were there ever during full occupancy.
The main reason for the change from sleepy fishing town to Amed’s current state is the diving industry. There are several good dive spots in the area including two shipwrecks. The Japanese sunk the SS Liberty about 7 km north of town in Tulamben, and the US returned the favor about a half hour catamaran ride south of town. Both are quite shallow and can be enjoyed snorkeling,. You can see the cannons, the deck and the splayed open hull. But to get the full feel a good scuba company can get you inside the wrecks. We recommend Diving Concepts and if you are lucky enough to get Miki as your guide, you will be stoked. But all the instructors and guides are highly trained and speak several languages well.
Amed's black sand beach provides spectacular views of Mt Agung Volcano and BOTH sunrise AND sunset!
For a real local traditional experience head to Culik Market in Amed. The food is excellent and crazy cheap. We got a truckload of nasi bungkus, fish satay, lawar, and other super tasty treats for about $4 USD. It’s quite a deal and a great experience too considering we spent over $30 USD at Life in Amed and the food was nowhere near as tasty as the market.
One last note that makes Amed a really special place is that you can view both the sunrise and the sunset from the same beach! Both illuminate massive Gunung Agung volcano, the anchor of Balinese tradition and houses Bali’s Gods.
Amed has earned its place into our regular tour itineraries and we look forward to visiting again. For more information on Amed, Candi Dasa, accommodations and other tips and tricks, just contact us at m@Balifornian.com.
We hope these tips help and make your holiday in Bali even more rewarding. We share the very best secrets with our tour participants andBalifornian members, but we are happy to share these. Want more? That’s easy. Read our blog regularly, Like us onFacebook, follow us onTwitterand if you want the very best tips, email us atmembers@Balifornian.comto become aBalifornian. Get the best travel deals, time saving tips and much more. We will never, ever give, sell or transmit your information in anyway, to anyone. Email ustoday and benefit right away.
Thanks and happy travels from all of us at Balifornian Villas, Tours and Travel Blog
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Monday, July 23, 2012 at 12:18PM 
A dog naps infront of a Bali Aga gateway in BaliFor more about Penglipuran click here and for more about The Bali Aga, please click here. If you would like to learn about and view photographs of one of The Bali Aga's rituals, click here for a photo essay on The Human Blood Sacrifice ritual of The Bali Aga of Tenganan.
