(Source ; balitravels.org) For those traveling by land and ferry from Java to Bali, the regency of Jembrana is where the discovery of Bali begins. The distance between two islands is a mere 4 km. The ferry ports of Ketapang in Java and Gilimanuk in Bali, first opened in the 1970s, have been recently upgraded and can now handle the massive transportation needs between the two islands.
The fate of Bali has been intermingled with that of Java for centuries. It is said that Hinduism was first introduced to Bali in the 5th by a holy man Empu Markandeya, who lived originally on the slopes of Mount Raung, just across the strait. The Majapahit warriors are also thought to have attacked Bali through Jembrana. And in the 16th century, the great Hindu saint Dang Hyang Nirartha First landed in Purancak while fleeing from the court of Blambangan.
The area is heavily forrested, has long been considered a buffer zone between Java and Bali. With the integration of Bali within the Dutch colonial empire, it became increasingly subjected to Javanese and Madurese influences. The area is arguably the most ethnically heterogenous in Bali. Some villages are ethnically mixed, as the Madurese settled along the coast.
The Loloan area is populated by a Malay speaking population of Bugis descent. There are also many Balinese Christians, as part of Jembrana was made into a settlement area for Balinese who converted to Catholicism and Protestanism at the beginning of the century.
The nature scene is no less varied than its culture. Jembrana covers no less than 841 km�, much of which is made up of an uninhabited mountain massif in the North. In the South, the coastline comprises 71 km of beach.
The sand is mostly of volcanic origin, hence black, but there are also beautiful white coral beaches especially in Medewi- and mangrove forest. Southern Jembrana has also some of the most beautiful rice terraces in the island. Roughly half of the territory of Jembrana, mostly in the mountain, is part of the West Bali National Park.
The fate of Bali has been intermingled with that of Java for centuries. It is said that Hinduism was first introduced to Bali in the 5th by a holy man Empu Markandeya, who lived originally on the slopes of Mount Raung, just across the strait. The Majapahit warriors are also thought to have attacked Bali through Jembrana. And in the 16th century, the great Hindu saint Dang Hyang Nirartha First landed in Purancak while fleeing from the court of Blambangan.
The area is heavily forrested, has long been considered a buffer zone between Java and Bali. With the integration of Bali within the Dutch colonial empire, it became increasingly subjected to Javanese and Madurese influences. The area is arguably the most ethnically heterogenous in Bali. Some villages are ethnically mixed, as the Madurese settled along the coast.
The Loloan area is populated by a Malay speaking population of Bugis descent. There are also many Balinese Christians, as part of Jembrana was made into a settlement area for Balinese who converted to Catholicism and Protestanism at the beginning of the century.
The nature scene is no less varied than its culture. Jembrana covers no less than 841 km�, much of which is made up of an uninhabited mountain massif in the North. In the South, the coastline comprises 71 km of beach.
The sand is mostly of volcanic origin, hence black, but there are also beautiful white coral beaches especially in Medewi- and mangrove forest. Southern Jembrana has also some of the most beautiful rice terraces in the island. Roughly half of the territory of Jembrana, mostly in the mountain, is part of the West Bali National Park.
Obyek wisata ini terletak di Desa Pengeragoan, kecamatan Pekutatan, tepatnya di Pintu Gerbang Timur Kabupaten Jembrana, berbatasan dengan Kabupaten Tabanan, di pinggir selatan jalan raya yang menghubungkan Gilimanuk-Denpasar.
Rambut Siwi terletak 18 Km arah ke timur dari Kota Negara dan 78 Km arah ke barat dari kota Denpasar. Dapat dicapai dengan semua jenis kendaraan serta tempat parkir yang cukup luas.
Obyek Wisata Perancak merupakan sebuah obyek wisata yang indah, bibir pantai yang dihiasi perahu-perahu nelayan merupakan suatu keindahan tersendiri untuk dinikmati.
Baluk Rening merupakan salah satu pantai di kabupaten Jembrana ramai dikunjungi oleh wisatawan baik lokal maupun manca negara terletak lebih kurang 10 Km ke arah barat dari kota Negara.
Pantai Candikusuma terLetak kurang lebih 12 Km ke arah barat dari kota Negara , dan merupakan salah satu pantai wisata di Kabupaten Jembrana yang cukup baik untuk mandi dan berenang.
Desa Sagkaragung terletak di Kecamatan Negara kurang lebih 5 Km kearah timur kota Negara. Di Desa Sangkaragung terdapat pusat kesenian khas Jembrana yaitu " Jegog ".
Gilimanuk terletak di ujung barat pulau Bali merupakan pintu gerbang masuknya wisatawan melalui jalan darat yang datang dari pulau Jawa. Terdapat beberapa tempat yang menarik diantaranya : Teluk Gilimanuk yang sangat cocok untuk menikmati wisata tirta dan Taman Nasional Bali Barat. Di Gilimanuk telah tersedia penginapan, restauran atau rumah makan dan juga kedai kedai untuk suvenir.
Sejak tahun 1963 di Gilimanuk diadakan penelitian oleh para ahli di Indonesia antara lain : Prof DR R Soejono dan Prof DR T Jacub. Hasil penelitian tersebut ditemukan ratusan rangka manusia yang diperkirakan hidup pada akhir masa Prasejarah dengan ciri ciri Ras Mongolid. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian tersebut, maka salah satu tindakan untuk menyelamatkan.
Taman Nasional Bali Barat sebagai kawasan pelestarian alam, dapat dimanfaatkan untuk kepentingan pendidikan, penelitian, rekreasi dan menunjang budidaya. Ciri khas Taman Nasional Bali Barat adalah terdapatnya burung jalak Bali (Leucopsar rothschildi) yang dapat hidup di alam bebas hanya di Taman Nasional Bali Barat. Secara Administratif Taman Nasional Bali Barat Berada di kabupaten Jembrana dan Buleleng Propinsi Bali. Diantara bulan Desember hingga Maret curah hujan di wilayah ini cukup tinggi.
Ditengah tengah kota Negara mengalir sebuah sungai yang bernama sungai Ijo Gading aliran sungai ini menuju ke Pantai Perancak. Setiap tahun pada bulan Agustus di sungai ini selalu diadakan lomba sampan dayung tradisional.