A while ago I wandered around the Garuda Wisnu Kencana complex and was strikingly impressed. As a cultural park it is no doubt a centrepiece of tourism in Bali and well worth putting on your itinerary for your next visit.

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana complex, situated on a limestone hill in Jimbaran, is an integrated cultural centre with a 140 meter-high statue as its landmark.

Almost a decade after construction started in 1996, only 15 percent of the park's master plan encompassing 200 hectares in total has been realized due to budget constraints. Garuda Wisnu Kencana is the brainchild of Nyoman Nuart, a Balinese contemporary sculptor, who raised the idea in 1992.

When finished the park will have an entertainment hall, an exhibition centre, villas, a residential complex, theaters and a trade center as well as a spacious parking lot to accommodate visitors.

“It’s like visiting a cemetery,” said a young girl watching the sunset from the park, which sits on a hill south of Denpasar.

The beautiful and serene park, overlooking Jimbaran Bay, was originally meant to be the best cultural park in Indonesia, and maybe, one day, the world.

Kuta Beach

Kuta is a town in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations.
Kuta in addition to being the Sunset Site Number One, with its daily spectacular sunsets, it is also the centre of night life activities in Southern Bali and a shopping mecca, with its lines of shops, boutiques, and galleries. Restaurants line up the streets as well as the Bachfront,Hotels, ranging from a small, inexpensive homestay to a luxurious resort, will ready accomodate you.
It is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, many restaurants and bars, and substantial Australian population. It is located near Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport.