The Regency of Jembrana is a rugged area covering a large strip of the southwest coast of Bali. The western tip of the island is separated from East Java by a narrow strait, serviced by a regular ferry service between Gilimanuk and Ketapang.
Legend has it that Bali was once joined to Java here by a narrow piece of land, until one day a distinguished Javanese priest of great powers banished his badly behave son to Bali, drawing a finger across the connection sands and cutting Bali off from the “mainland” of Java. Indeed, geological evidence proves that there was once a land
connection. The strait is lees than three kilometers at is widest point and in some places reaches only 60 meters.
An enterprising Buginese prince from Makasar named Kapiten Patimi set himself up during the 17th Century as ruler of Jembrana. He was tolerated by the Badung royalty, who basically considered Jembrana as an appendage of their own extensive realm. At the turn of the 19th Century the Raja of Karangasem, having conquered both Buleleng and
Lombok, proceeded to covet Jembrana and actually succeeded in taking over for some time, much to the chagrin of Badung.
The Dutch military expedition of 1846-49 enabled the colonials to exert an increasing degree of control over northern and western Bali. In 1847 the Raja of Jembrana finally relinquished his kingdom to the Dutch who appointed a “puppet” member of the royal family a Regent.
Independence brought increased prosperity to Jembrana, and the narrow piece of coastal land is now intensively cultivated. Large coconut plantations back onto a range of mountainous jungle. The most important and largest fishing port in Bali is at Pengambengan just ten kilometers southwest of the major town of Negara, within view of
the nearby coast of Java. The local fishermen here, using large motorized boats, catch sardines in the triangular area of the Indian Ocean between Bali and Java known as Selat Bali. There are several large canneries right on the beach at Pengambengan. Prawn-breeding is also a small industry with tremendous potential in this area.
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Negara
Negara is farmed for its bull races, held every year between July and October. The dates of the events vary from year to year. Information can be obtained from the Badung Tourist Promotion Boards office in Denpasar on these. Water buffaloes are used to pull the tiny carts, gaily decorated for the occasion, at high speed down the race
track. Held to celebrate the end of the rice harvesting season, the races are judged both on speed and style, and create and amazing spectacle, enthusiastically watched by crowds of local people as the bulls thunder down the narrow mud track, bells ringing and silken banners flying.
Perancak
The coastal village of Perancak is named for its ancient temple, Pura Ancak, where the Hindu priest Dang Hyang Nirartha first set foot on Bali.
Pura Rambut Siwi
Between the village of Air Satang and Yeh Embang a side-road leads to the beautiful coastal temple of Pura Luhur at Rambut Siwi, set on a cliff top overlooking a long wide stretch of beach.
Asah Duren
Twenty kilometers inland from Negara the road climbs into the foothills. At Asah Duren large clove plantations surround the village. In the past the principal clove-growing areas in Indonesia were in Sumatra and Maluku but, in the last decade, Bali has become a major producer.
Bamboo Music and Folk Dancing
In the northern part of west Bali, near the Jembrana border, are a large number of coffee plantations. This is where the Joged Bumbung music and dance troupes are thought to have first originated. Flirtatious dance performances of similar genre are now popular throughout Bali. One particular group from Tegal Cangkring were so popular
in the 1940’s that they used to take a wooden oxcart to performances to carry home all the coffee they were given. “Bumbung” means "bamboo tube, and the instruments of the Joged consist of a number of bamboo xylophones. Another variety of these, known as the Jegog, are specific to the Jembrana region. These are made of such large
bamboo that the players have to sit on their instruments. The sound produced by these attractive instruments is mellow and haunting and very pleasing to the ear.
Potential in Tourism
As one of Bali’s most isolated and untouched areas, with its mountainous hills of virgin jungle and wildlife with stretches of beautiful beaches, Jembrana has a great deal to offer to tourists wishing to delve further than the popular resort areas and experience the beauty of Bali’s natural scenery. Visitors coming overland from Java
to Bali pass through this region on the main highway from Gilimanuk to Denpasar but, due to the distance from the major resorts, Jembrana has received very little exposure to tourism.
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