|
Denpasar (pronounced [dənˈpasar]) (Indonesian:
Kota Denpasar) is the capital city of the province
of Bali, Indonesia. It has a population of 491,500
(2002). It is located at 8°39′S 115°13′E / 8.65°S
115.217°E / -8.65; 115.217.
History
Denpasar was the capital of the kingdom of
Badung.[citation needed] It was conquered by the
Dutch during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906).
The royal palace was looted and razed by the Dutch,
leaving today's central square "Taman Puputan" in
which a statue to the 1906 Puputan can be seen.
Tourism
Denpasar has various attractions. The white sandy
beaches are well-known all over the island. Some of
the surfing beaches are Kuta Beach, Legian Beach and
Canggu Beach. Sanur beach has calmer waters and is
excellent for sunbathing.
Ten minutes from the Ngurah Rai International
Airport lies the town of Kuta. Kuta is where most of
the hotels, restaurants, malls, cafes, marketplaces,
and spas that cater to tourists are located. In the
Denpasar area, all kinds of Balinese handicrafts are
represented in local shops. These include artwork,
pottery, textiles, and silver.
The traditional batik cloth is sold all over
Denpasar. These bright sheets of cloth are as
beautiful as they are cheap. Made of pure cotton
with glorious patterns, Balinese batik is definitely
a good buy. Sometimes batik cloth is made into
wearable clothing such as a sarong or men's shirts.
The jewelry district is in a town called Celuk which
is 30 minutes away from Kuta. Here there are
silversmiths' and goldsmiths' shops selling
jewellery cheaply.
It's population is over 495,000 people (Estimated
2010) and covers 47.9 sq miles. Its time zone is
UTC+8.
|
