Bali is one of Indonesia’s most vibrant and culturally rich islands. It sees millions of visitors every year, all clamouring to participate in, partake of and appreciate all the festivals, shopping, beaches, entertainment and surroundings. A unique town for the adventure-seeker is Ubud, and lodging comes in the form of eclectic Ubud accommodation such as the Alila Ubud Bali whose elegant interiors and stylish amenities are a treat to experience. Of the many accommodation options, it is a superb Ubud hotel that pampers guests with warm island hospitality. Bali is home to many ancient and intriguing artefacts, of which one is the Moon of Pejeng, otherwise known as the world’s largest single cast bronze kettle drum in the world. It is the biggest surviving relic derived from Southeast Asia’s Bronze Age period, and is considered to be a highly sacred monument to the local people. It is believed that the drum was used in early rituals for rice cultivation. It is 186.6 metres in length and the dynamo of the tympano is 160 centimetres in diameter. It is housed at the Pura Penataran Asih Temple in the Petauan River Valley, which is where complex rice irrigation first started in the country, originating in South Bali. The drum is almost two thousand years old and was constructed by the Dong Son people. It is the largest and most complete example of the Pejeng drums found in Bali and Java and is a fine spectacle of the country’s illustrious past to behold.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and intends to visit them all someday.