KUTA

							                                              KUTA




       Kuta is administratively a district (Kecamatan) and sub district/village (Kelurahan) 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. It is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, many
restaurants and bars, and many renowned surfers who visit from Australia. It is located near Bali's
Ngurah Rai Airport.
       Kuta was the site of the October 12, 2002 1st Bali bombing (202 killed) and the October 1,
2005 2nd Bali bombing (26 killed).
       The Balinese Provincial Government has taken the view that the preservation of the
Balinese culture, natural resources and wildlife are of primary importance in the development of the
island. To this end they have limited tourist development to the peninsula on the extreme southern
aspect of the island; Kuta beach is on the western side of this peninsula and Sanur is on the east. To
the north of the peninsula no new tourist development is supposedly permitted.
       To the south, Kuta Beach extends beyond the airport into Jimbaran. Other nearby towns
and villages include Seseh (6.4 nm), Denpasar (4.5 nm), Ujung (1.8 nm), Pesanggaran (2.0 nm),
Kedunganan (2.9 nm) and Tuban (1.0 nm).


Administration
       Kuta District (Indonesian: Kecamatan Kuta) covers sub districts/villages (Indonesian:
Kelurahan/Desa) of Kuta Village, Legian, Seminyak, Kedonganan, and Tuban. Furthermore
Badung Regency has 3 districts with the name Kuta: Kuta, Kuta South District Kecamatan Kuta
Selatan (Jimbaran and the whole Nusa Dua peninsula), and Kuta North District Kecamatan Kuta
Utara (villages of Kerobokan Klod, Kerobokan, Kerobokan Kaja, Tibu Beneng, Canggu and
Dalung).
       Kuta is now the center of an extensive tourist-oriented urban area that merges into the
neighboring towns. Legian, to the north, is the commercial hub of Kuta and the site of many
restaurants and entertainment spots. Most of the area's big beachfront hotels are in the southern
section of Tuban.
       Legian and Seminyak are northern extensions of Kuta along Jl. Legian and Jl. Basangkasa.
They are somewhat quieter suburbs with cottage-style accommodations, where many of the expert
crowd live. Also to the north are Petitenget, Berawa, Canggu, and Seseh - new and quieter
continuations of Kuta's beach. They are easy to reach through Abian Timbul or Denpasar and
Kerobokan. Several large hotels are located in this area: the Oberoi Bali, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, the
Intan Bali Village, and the Legian in Petitenget, the Dewata Beach and the Bali Sani Suites in
Berawa.


Bali bombing memorial
       1st Bali Bombing in 2002 at Kuta: A permanent memorial was built on the site of the
destroyed Paddy's Pub on Legian Street. (A new bar, named "Paddy's: Reloaded", was reopened
further along Legian Street). The memorial is made of intricately carved stone, set with a large
marble plaque, which bears the names and nationalities of each of those killed. It is flanked by the
national flags of the victims. The monument is well-maintained and illuminated at night.
       The memorial was dedicated on 12 October 2004, the second anniversary of the attack. The
dedication included a Balinese Hindu ceremony and the opportunity for mourners to lay flowers and
other offerings. The Australian ambassador and Indonesian officials attended the ceremony as most
the victims were Australians.
       The Balinese mark their commitment in a nine-day long event. After major cleansing
ceremonies, establishing a memorial for the lost lives, and paying respect to those who left loved
ones behind, the people of Kuta look forward to restoring Bali’s image through an event named
"Kuta Carnival - A Celebration of Life”. The community event consists of traditional art
performances such as Balinese Sunset Dances, sports on the beach as well as in the water for young
and old plus rows and rows of culinary displays along the one kilometer of sandy beach.
       In line with the return of tourism to Kuta, Kuta Carnival has grown into a tourism
promotional event with major coverage from television and newspapers from across the globe.
Companies, embassies, Non-Government Organizations, associations and even individuals come
forth to get involved in the various events such as a Balinese dance competition presented by a surf-
wear company, an environment exhibition presented by an embassy, a fun cycle presented by a
group of individuals, a seminar presented by an association and a parade on the streets presented by
an NGO. Tourists and locals alike, more than ninety thousand people participates in the numerous
events, year after year.
       A repeated tragedy in Bali in 2005 did not reduce the Kuta community’s determination to
carry out this annual event. Kuta Carnival is conducted to commemorate and give respect to the
victims of human violence and show the world the true spirit of local community survival despite
terrorism attacks.