Jembrana Regency

Capital : Negara
Highest Peak : Mt. Patas – 1.500 meters above sea level
Location : Western Bali
Land Area: 841,80 sq. km.
No. Of Districts : 4 (Melaya, Negara, Mendoyo, Pekutatan)
Important Phone Numbers :
Direct Inquiries : 0365 41108
Jembrana Tourist Office Address : Jl. Setia Budi – Negara.
Phone : 0365 – 41210

Regency of Jembrana is located in the western of Bali, consists of 4 sub districts namely : Melaya, Mendoyo, Pekutatan, Negara. Divided into 51 villages/administrative villages (desa/kelurahan). This area covers more or less then 841.8km² with more less than 220,000 people its density 261 people of every km. Negara is the capital city of Jembrana, Bali’s western most districts and where some of Bali’s oldest remains of prehistoric humans have been found. Jembrana also happens to be Bali’s most sparsely populated district.

Jembrana is the most heavily Javanese regency of Bali. Settlements with typical Javanese names like Palarejo are common in the area; in some instances the people have adopted Balinese ‘subak’-style irrigation practices. In a subtle gray area around Negara you can see where Java really starts. You begin to notice more mosques, ‘Peci’, ‘Nasi padang’ restaurants, Javanese-style wooden ‘Cikar’ carts pulled by plodding water buffalo.

The Balinese culture recedes to the east, almost as if the Balinese had relinquished this swath of island to the Javanese. Jembrana is also home to Bali’s strongest and most populous Christian communities. Jembrana is the least populated regency of Bali. The population today is around 215,000, scattered throughout 51 villages, mostly situated along the main Denpasar-Gilimanuk coastal artery. Four of five inhabitants earn their income from farming or fishing.

Drier and not as agriculturally rich as the rest of the island, revenues derive for the most part from huge coconut plantations along the coastal strip, ubiquitous rice fields, coffee plantations in the highlands near the border of Tabanan, and vanilla, cocoa, and cloves. One of the main fishing ports of Bali is Pengambengan, eight-km southwest of Negara. Jembrana is also the least visited part of Bali. Its isolation only came to an end with the Gilimanuk-Ketapang ferry in the 1930s.

Today, most tourists speed through the region on buses, racing along the 134-km-long road from Denpasar to Gilimanuk. All Jembrana’s hotels are located in Negara, Medewi, or the ferry terminal of Gilimanuk. Not even rudimentary English is widely spoken. Ample ‘Bemo’ and minibuses regularly service the district; ‘dokar’ and ‘ojek’ are available in the smaller towns and villages. Other than exciting bull races held in the vicinity of Negara, in which buffalo thunder down racetracks at speeds of 80-kph, there’s a dearth of historic sights and cultural performances.

The regency does offer utterly unique dance and ‘gamelan’ forms, isolated, stunning sea temples, challenging surf, and a heavily trafficked 71-km-long stretch of highway paralleling a coast lined with rocky, black-sand beaches pounded by high surf.

Overview

Gilimanuk Bay is Bali ‘s western sea gateway. Gilimanuk is the port serving the ferries that ply the route between Java and Bali . The waters in the Bali Strait are calm and very suitable for water sports. The sun rises from behind Mount Sangiang , or Klatakan.Baturiti lies in a mountainous regon and the natural scenery is beautiful with many hills and green, small forests. In the little town of Negara , one can see bull races. Yeh Embang village is ten kilometers from Negara and to the east of it is Rambut Siwi temple. This is the biggest temple in the western part of Bali . The temple stands 300 meters from the road towards Jembrana. Besides the temple, the setting of sea and paddies are just as alluring. Drop by at Perancak a recreation park with a fishing pond, not for away. Perancak temple is found hare. There is a fishermen’s hamlet o the beach. Asah Duren village 20 kilometers from Negara, in a mountainous region. Clove trees grow in this area. About 10 kilometers away is Medewi Beach.

N.B. : Negara’s famous Bull Races are in August

History

This regency is thought to have been established in the early 1400’s, although civil war broke out and the regency became part of the Badung regency. In the 17th century, sparsely populated Jembrana was not of much interest to the other royal Balinese kingdoms and for a time it was ruled over by a prince from Sulawesi. Jembrana was one of the first kingdoms to surrender to the invading Dutch in the 1800’s.

Place of Interest in Jembrana Regency :

Negara Town Map
(click Image to Enlarge)

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