THE SILVER LINING

Two women spread out their jewelry designs on the table. They convey their wishes replete with design specific jargons (“engrave?”, “coating”, “brazing”) to better their jewelry line, to which the silver expert listens attentively whilst inspecting diligently every nook and crannies of the necklaces and the rings laid out in front of him.

Bali possesses many charms, which includes the appeal of sterling silver jewelry that has been attracting tourists and aspiring jewelry designers alike. The popular Celuk Village in Gianyar is home to talented artisan silversmiths and goldsmith that dates back to almost a century ago. Intricate and souvenir-worthy accessories are on full display in their showroom, and you can even witness firsthand the artisans in action, or perhaps you like to learn the craft yourself? Their workshop will cater to your interest.

There are other spots that will bring out your inner silversmith in Bali, such as Studio Perak and Chez Monique in Ubud, renown John Hardy Workshop in Mambal, and House of Alaia in Batu Bolong, Canggu.

THE MASK OF BALI

Desa Singapadu in Gianyar is the place to get your mask on. The village is renowned for its mask artisans, a generational business since the 1970s that is still the main source of livelihood for some of the family members. Here you can find various forms of masks, made from the wood of kenanga or pule tree, with prices ranging from Rp.350k to 8mill for the most intricate ones such as the topeng barong, the Balinese lion-like mythological creature.

The Balinese mask is indeed inseparable from the traditional dances, worn on ceremonial occasions in which the dance either presents a particular moral message or as a pre or post harvest blessings. The mask represents the characters the actors are playing, such as the topeng keras (hard mask, representing a warrior), topeng bondres (the common people), and topeng ratu (queen, nobility).

THE HOUSE OF EVIL SPIRITS

If you had experienced the Balinese’s Day of Silence (Nyepi), then you must be already familiar with the menacing figure of the ogoh-ogoh, an effigy that is supposed to represent evil spirits.

For an up close and personal look of the ogoh-ogoh, two museums in Bali allows you to gawk at the intricate craftmanship that goes behind in the designing of the figures. Situated inside the complex of the Manusa Yadhya Museum in Mengwi, the ogoh-ogoh display is the collection owned by I Ketut Nuada, a resident painter, who opened the place in April 2012 and he has so far amassed around 20 ogoh-ogoh, ranging from 3 to 5 meters in height.

WATERBOM BALI

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Escape to Waterbom Bali and release your inner child on world-class slides at Asia’s #1 water park