Bali - Mangsi Coffee

Bali - Mangsi Coffee

At a glance, Mangsi Coffee looks similar to various other coffee houses. However, the newly opened coffee house has been established due to the owner’s desire to preserve Balinese culture.

The word mangsi refers to the black residue from oil burned in an oil lamp.
In the olden days, parents put mangsi on the foreheads of their children who often played outside, to symbolize the god Brahma’s protection over the children from any kinds of danger.

The coffee house, situated on Jl. Hayam Wuruk 195 in Denpasar, serves only original Bali coffee harvested from Kintamani and produced in the own factory. So visitors should not expect imported coffee or any other type of coffee from outside Bali to be served there. The regular hidangan at the cafe includes original coffee, espresso, cappuccino and coffee latte. Favorite items include Kopi Tubruk Stamina, Special “Coffee Vitality”, and Special “Coffee Spirit”.

The cafe is run along the motto “Murah, Enak dan Banyak” (cheap, tasty and large portions). Prices range from Rp 2,000 to Rp 20,000, except for Kopi Luwak Arabica which is tagged at Rp 30,000 per cup. The interior is dominated by tables and walls made from second-hand wood, covered with used newspaper and magazine pages.

Read More

Bali - Serangan Island

Bali - Serangan Island

Prior to 1994, Serangan was a tiny, 112-hectare island, separated from the mainland by shallow water south of Denpasar.

Home to several important Hindu temples, including those associated to great sages Danghyang Nirartha and Danghyang Astapaka, the island is a favorite pilgrimage site for Balinese Hindus. Twice a year, when the tide receded, thousands of Hindu devotees crossed the shallow strait to reach the island. Some boarded traditional jukung outriggers, while the rest simply walked through the shallow waters.

From 1994-1997, a tourism company carried out a massive reclamation project that saw the island’s size grow to 491 hectares. A concrete bridge was constructed and an asphalt road connected the island to mainland Bali. Although a large tract of the island is now the private property of the company, domestic and foreign tourists can still access its beach via a security gate manned by private security officers and pecalang (traditional guards).

The beach lies one kilometer from the security gate. Some food stalls owned and managed by local residents dot the shoreline. The beach has white sand and crystal clear waters. Sunbathing, swimming, or even just relaxing under the casuarina trees, are several things that visitors could enjoy here at a leisurely pace. When the larger waves arrive, visitors could also grab their board and jump to the challenge. Ship watching is another interesting and leisurely activity. Ships of every size and color pass the beach on their way from and into Benoa, the island’s biggest seaport.

Read More