Jembrana

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 scross 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 kilometres at is widest point and in some places reaches only 60 metres.

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 conquared both Buleleng and Lombok, proceeded to covet Jembrana, and actually succeeded in taking over for a stage, much to the chagrin of Badung.

The Ducth 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 stri of the 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 kilometres southwest of the major town of Negara, within view of the nearby coast of Java. The local fishermen here, using large motorized peraus, catch quantities of sardines in the triangular area of 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.

As one of Bali’s most isolated and untouched areas , with its mountainous hills of virgin jungle, wildlife and stretches of beautiful beaches Jembrana has a great deal to offer to the tourist wishing to delve further than the popular resort areas and experience the beauty of Bali’s natural scenery. Visitors coming to Bali overland from Java all pass this way, on the main highway from Gilimanuk to Denpasar, but until now, due to the distance from the major resorts, Jembrana has received very little exposure to tourism.