Once the capital of Bali and Nusa Tenggara under the Dutch colonial administration, Singaraja was a business and political center for eastern Indonesia. Lines of old warehouses standing sturdily along the harbor are proof of the city’s flourishing business activities and the coastal city remains proud of the diverse ethnicity of its residents, Balinese, Javanese, Madurans, Bugis, Arabs, Indians and Chinese.
The pride of the old city of Singaraja, Buleleng harbor, was badly neglected once the mantle of being Bali’s capital city was transferred to Denpasar. The warehouses became old and started to decay, the harbor became dirty, dark and frightening to the locals. However, thanks to a massive renovation, Buleleng harbor has started to shine again, becoming one of the city’s attractions.
The regional administration has done a good job of the makeover, constructing strong concrete foundations for the floating wooden restaurants overlooking the sea, where visitors can dine on seafood, as well as local and western favorites. Meanwhile, the warehouses have been transformed into gathering places and at night a pasar senggol (temporary night market) springs into life, offering local food.
One of the harbor’s hallmarks is the Yudha Mandala Tama monument, a symbol of Indonesian freedom fighters who fought against Dutch colonists. Another point of interest is the Chinese temple, Ling Gwan Kiong, which was built in 1873. A visit to Buleleng harbor is a real historical journey, demonstrating Singaraja’s past glories as one of Indonesia’s international trade routes, and showing new life rising from the past.
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