Bali has been branded a beach party destination in recent times. Backpackers, surfers and beach goers descend on the island province in large numbers, all year round. There is also a market for the high end traveller with more than one luxury hotel. Bali boasts a serene and tranquil side to be explored amongst the lush green mountains, rice fields and inland lakes. Tucked away in the hills, exuding a traditional village atmosphere but providing world class amenities is the Uma by COMO, Ubud.
Take a closer look at Balinese culture by paying a visit to the Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets. The one of a kind museum has over one thousand masks and more than four thousand puppets on display. Many of the items are from the Indonesian islands but others have been collected from Africa, China, Latin America and Europe. To get to Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets you must travel about one hour from Denpasar, the capital to the quiet village of Tegal Bingin in Sukawati. The Sukawati District is famous for woodcarving, mask making and sculpting.
The museum is a set of five traditional wooden Balinese pavilions and Javanese houses located in a backdrop of paddy fields and encircled by landscaped tropical gardens. The first house accommodate traditional shadow puppets, there is even a puppet of American president, Barack Obama. The second house is dedicated to Balinese heritage. The leather shadow puppets found here, called ‘wayang kulit’, are made from cured cowhide and are used for traditional ceremonies. The third house holds traditional, sacred masks while the fourth shows off the skills of present day, local village craftsmen. The fifth wooden house has still more puppets and masks from Bali. There is no admission fee to enter the museu
Damon Starky is a creative nomadic travel writer, who is well informed and experienced on a wide range of interests that would connect to the needs of any type of traveler. Google+
