| Do take Rupiah with you when traveling especially to the village. Keep small change on hand because it will be needed when riding public transportation or buying a drink in warung. | Don't enter a temple during menstruation. When visiting a temple, always wear a sash or sarong and do not walk in front of people praying. |
| Do change your money only in banks or authorized money changers. When changing money, always insist on an official receipt at the time of the transaction and take your time to make sure the money received matches the total shown on the receipt. | Don't attempt to swim outside designated areas on the beach. There are red and yellow flags, swim between them. Don't collect of corals or shells or the purchase of any items made from these materials. Also do not purchase any items made from endangered animal product. |
| Do reconfirm your flight at least 48 hours prior to your next flying. Please consider making a photocopy of your airline tickets and the identifying pages of your passport. | Don't deal in or do drugs. A death penalty could await! |
| Do leave your important travel documents in your hotel safe and be careful with your belongings at all times. Make a list of all travelers' checks and your credit card details. Store all of this data separately from your wallet. Having these details at hand will speed replacement in the event of loss. | Don't attempt to hire a car or motorbike without full insurance. It is important to have travel insurance as it will cover you if you are involved in an accident. |
| Do drink only boiled, distilled or mineral water. Try to get yourself used to the local food, however the flavours sometimes unusual. | Don't attempt to get in the way of the attendees when seeing processions though it's a good chance to take a photograph. |
| Do respect local customs and traditions when visiting a temple. Please note that this is a land where prayer and religious festivals take center stage. | Don't stand or sit higher than the offerings and the priest when visiting a temple. |
| Do show respect and avoid honking if you trapped behind the slow pace of local processions. | Don't attempt to use a flash in your camera in front of the priest or people praying. |
| Do try to avoid stepping on offerings in the street and walk around them. | Don't touch people's heads. It is considered offensive. |
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Do's and Don't - during enjoy your holiday in Bali
Friday, November 28, 2008
Bali Beach Hotels: Top Class Retreats Near the Beaches
Bali, a huge conglomeration of 13,000 islands, tempts the travelers all around the world with its richness ranging from mountains to long coastlines and hillsides to sandy beaches. The beach lovers throng in at Bali throughout the year and thus number of Bali Beach Hotels has multiplied in the recent years. Couples, families and even the corporate individuals make frequent visits to spend a nice vacation near the Bali beaches.
Since the island of Bali covers a huge area you find plenty of Bali beach hotels situated at every corner of the region. While Southern part of Bali has the major concentration of hotels you can still count on a number of star category hotels located in other parts of Bali. After you fly down at Ngurah Rai international airport in Denpasar you can easily get connected with your chosen hotel.
Accommodation
If you are planning to go for a trip to North Bali you can select from a number of quality Bali beach hotels. Apart from the luxury hotels like, Matahari Beach Resort & Spa, Damai Lovina Villas and Puri Bagus Lovina, you can also check-in at the mid-range hotels like Saranam Eco Resort. This beautiful region of Indonesia touches the heart of millions of travelers every year and these beach hotels in Bali offer you the dose of relaxation.
Candi Dasa, a noted tourist destination in the East of Bali is also gifted with a number of world class hotels. Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa and Alila Manggis Bali are among the luxury beach hotels in Bali while Puri Bagus Candidasa and Puri Bagus Manggis are the noted mid-range accommodations. You expect to receive exclusive comfort in the form of elegant rooms, elaborate arrangement of dining and wining and endless list of recreational facilities.
Coming down to the south of Bali will let you explore the blessed regions like, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Tuban, Jimbaran, and Nusa Dua. There is a wide range of Bali beach hotels in these popular destinations. The luxury hotels like Kuta Seaview Cottage, Mercure Kuta Bali, Ramayana Resort & Spa, and White Rose Hotel & Spa await your coming and welcome you with sheer hospitality. Be it the night-life or the beach activities, staying in these Bali hotels give you a free ticket to entertainment.
Nusa Dua, considered to be a posh region in Bali, has the major concentration of 5-star hotels. If you can afford luxury the Bali beach hotels in Nusa Dua like, Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, Novotel Nusa Dua Bali Hotel & Residences, and Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, are ready to offer you a grand treatment. Like other luxury hotels in Indonesia, these beach hotels in Bali offer you extensive range of recreational facilities including spa, swimming pool and water sports in the nearby beaches.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Bali Luxury Hotels
An Indonesian island located near the Indian ocean Bali is the most sort after tourist destination. Considered as a vacationers paradise Bali is the home to the discerning travelers. This beautiful island will take your breath away the moment you land in Bali. The picture perfect scenery, the rice paddies, the volcanoes, the warm water of the sea, the sandy beaches, friendly people-Bali is the perfect painted backdrop island.
The hospitality of this island can be experienced in the hotels of Bali. It is easy for travelers to find a place to stay in Bali. You have the option to choose from the budget fit hotels to the luxurious hotels in Bali. There are lots of luxury hotels in Bali which offer state of art facilities and excellent service. There are luxury hotels like Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali Hyatt, Grand Hyatt Bali, Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay Bali which are the located here in Bali to offer a comfortable stay. The Bali Luxury Hotels are an epitome of luxury providing excellence in service and facilities.
These luxury hotels in Bali are well facilitated to cater to the needs of its guests. Satellite TV, direct dial telephone, round the clock room service, air conditioned rooms, safe deposit vaults, in house restaurant, conference facilities, swimming pool are just some of the amenities offered in the luxury hotels in Bali.
The tourist attractions in Bali attract people from near and far to this tropical island. There is lots for tourists to see and enjoy in Bali. There is a beautiful sea temple, Tanah Lot, which stands on a huge rock surrounded by the sea. Another beautiful temple is the thousand years old Pura Besakih which also happens to be the biggest temple here.
Bali also happens to be a shoppers paradise. Here you can bargain for all that you plan to buy. The inexpensive stuff is sure to increase your baggage once you fly back home. Kuta, Nusa Dua and Sanur are the best market places to shop for for inexpensive shopping.
When in Bali don not forget to taste the lip smacking cuisines offered here. The cosmopolitan restaurants offer delectable food and you have a wide variety of options to choose from the menu cart. The local delicacies -Nasi Goreng, Sate Campur here are a must try apart from the Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and lots more cuisines.
Bali also has interesting adventure activities to offer to its tourists like scootering, snorkeling, white water rafting and kayaking. The tourists here can go on jungle treks or can enjoy cycling in the mountains. There are lots of hotels in Bali situated in areas which are surrounded by mother nature. In the laps of nature a stay in the luxury Bali hotels is what completes the vacation.
This beautiful island of Bali is an experience in itself. A perfect blend of the rich past and the modern present this island knows how to leave the tourists awestruck.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Golden Sands Of Tanjung Benoa Beach - A Charming Spot in Bali
Tanjung Benoa is a charming resort area, located to the north of Nusa Dua, in Bali, Indonesia. Also known as Benoa Peninsula, Tanjung Benoa is a magnificent five kilometers long peninsula, which is much famed for its scenic views comprising beautiful coconut groves, white sandy beach, and incredible mountains.
Once a typical seaside village, Tanjung Benoa has now been transformed into a highly developed resort area, dotted with a number of upscale hotels, luxury resorts, world class private villas, superb restaurants, open air cafes, and facilities for enjoying a continuum of water sport activities. In short, in recent years, Tanjung Benoa has become one of the most sought after tourist spots in the country.
Of the attractions in Tanjung Benoa is undoubtedly its beach with calm waves. This beach area serves as a perfect base for enjoying a large number of water sport activities such as parasailing, water sports, wind surfing, jet skiing, banana boat sailing, snorkeling, reef fishing, and much more. Further, to cater to the needs of diving enthusiasts, a plethora of diving centers operate here. Likewise, you can also find an array of shops specializing in providing rental equipments that are required for different water sport activities.
However, things to see and do in Tanjung Benoa are not just confined to beach as well as its activities, but beyond that. The place is also home to such interesting destinations as Batubulan, which is a quaint village much famed for its stone carvings. One can find here thousands of statues displayed in the street starting from Batubulan village to Tegaltamu. Many of the stone statues that are used as the Balinese gate's guards found in the Dewata Island are created by sculptors from Batubulan.
Batubulan is also much famed for its stunning temples, among which perhaps the most popular is Pura Paseh, which is placed about 200 meters from the main road. Pura Paseh is noted for its one of the kind art and architecture. Apart from these, Batubulan is a center for shopping items such as handicraft items, textiles, carved items, and traditional clothing. Besides, you can also see a couple of shops presenting traditional Balinese performances such as Rangda and Barong dances.
Located to the north of Tegaltamu, close to Batubulan village is another popular destination, namely, Taman Burung. Sprawling over an area of about two hectares, this is an incredible bird park with more than 1000 birds of about 250 different species, all of which are collected from different parts of the country. Just few among the specialties found here are African hornbill, birds of paradise, Bali Starling, flamingos, and Blue and Gold Macaw.
A reptile park can also be seen here, with a plenty of amazing reptiles that have been collected from Africa and Indonesia. Some of them are crocodile, piton snake, turtle, komodo, mega snakes, and monitor lizard. The park is also attached with gift shops and a fine restaurant. With these rare bird and reptile species, the park is really worth a visit.
Places of interest in and around Tanjung Benoa also include the Bali Golf and Country Club, which is one of the most renowned golf courses in Asia. Further, it would be a great experience to take a visit to Tanjung Benoa's quiet port, with a village-like atmosphere. Likewise, while your stay at the destination, take a tour to the Chinese Buddhist temple found here.
Attractions nearby Tanjung Benoa include Serangan, also known as Turtle Island. A temple that dates back to 16th century can be seen at this spot. Above all, people touring the destination can also engage in a range of such activities as shopping and savoring seafood delicacies from any of the umpteen restaurants that are spread across the area.
As mentioned earlier, Tanjung Benoa consists of a plenty of upscale hotels and resorts, private villas, and other accommodation options. Some of the premier resorts in the area allow you to choose from a number of high end accommodation options, from deluxe sea view suites to premier hotel rooms replete with high-end amenities. Let it be of any type, an accommodation choice in the place is complete with all comforts that are required to make your stay here memorable as well as enjoyable.
Once a typical seaside village, Tanjung Benoa has now been transformed into a highly developed resort area, dotted with a number of upscale hotels, luxury resorts, world class private villas, superb restaurants, open air cafes, and facilities for enjoying a continuum of water sport activities. In short, in recent years, Tanjung Benoa has become one of the most sought after tourist spots in the country.
Of the attractions in Tanjung Benoa is undoubtedly its beach with calm waves. This beach area serves as a perfect base for enjoying a large number of water sport activities such as parasailing, water sports, wind surfing, jet skiing, banana boat sailing, snorkeling, reef fishing, and much more. Further, to cater to the needs of diving enthusiasts, a plethora of diving centers operate here. Likewise, you can also find an array of shops specializing in providing rental equipments that are required for different water sport activities.
However, things to see and do in Tanjung Benoa are not just confined to beach as well as its activities, but beyond that. The place is also home to such interesting destinations as Batubulan, which is a quaint village much famed for its stone carvings. One can find here thousands of statues displayed in the street starting from Batubulan village to Tegaltamu. Many of the stone statues that are used as the Balinese gate's guards found in the Dewata Island are created by sculptors from Batubulan.
Batubulan is also much famed for its stunning temples, among which perhaps the most popular is Pura Paseh, which is placed about 200 meters from the main road. Pura Paseh is noted for its one of the kind art and architecture. Apart from these, Batubulan is a center for shopping items such as handicraft items, textiles, carved items, and traditional clothing. Besides, you can also see a couple of shops presenting traditional Balinese performances such as Rangda and Barong dances.
Located to the north of Tegaltamu, close to Batubulan village is another popular destination, namely, Taman Burung. Sprawling over an area of about two hectares, this is an incredible bird park with more than 1000 birds of about 250 different species, all of which are collected from different parts of the country. Just few among the specialties found here are African hornbill, birds of paradise, Bali Starling, flamingos, and Blue and Gold Macaw.
A reptile park can also be seen here, with a plenty of amazing reptiles that have been collected from Africa and Indonesia. Some of them are crocodile, piton snake, turtle, komodo, mega snakes, and monitor lizard. The park is also attached with gift shops and a fine restaurant. With these rare bird and reptile species, the park is really worth a visit.
Places of interest in and around Tanjung Benoa also include the Bali Golf and Country Club, which is one of the most renowned golf courses in Asia. Further, it would be a great experience to take a visit to Tanjung Benoa's quiet port, with a village-like atmosphere. Likewise, while your stay at the destination, take a tour to the Chinese Buddhist temple found here.
Attractions nearby Tanjung Benoa include Serangan, also known as Turtle Island. A temple that dates back to 16th century can be seen at this spot. Above all, people touring the destination can also engage in a range of such activities as shopping and savoring seafood delicacies from any of the umpteen restaurants that are spread across the area.
As mentioned earlier, Tanjung Benoa consists of a plenty of upscale hotels and resorts, private villas, and other accommodation options. Some of the premier resorts in the area allow you to choose from a number of high end accommodation options, from deluxe sea view suites to premier hotel rooms replete with high-end amenities. Let it be of any type, an accommodation choice in the place is complete with all comforts that are required to make your stay here memorable as well as enjoyable.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Experience the Serenity of Sanur, Bali
Sanur is a tranquil beach town in Bali Island, and is located about 15 minutes drive from the bustling city of Kuta. A vacation to Bali is considered incomplete without taking a tour to this traditional village. Situated on the opposite side of the island's southern peninsular, near Denpasar, Sanur has a long history dating back to 913 AD, the details of which are inscribed on an ancient stone pillar, namely, Prasasti Blanjong, which in turn is enshrined in a glass case at the rear of Blanjong on Jalan Danau Poso in the south side of the town.
It is at this place where the Dutch forces landed in the beginning of 1900s to begin their quest for Bali. Further, Sanur boasts of the first luxury beach resort in Bali which was built more than 30 years ago. Sanur is now a much preferred destination for comfortable long stays, since it is not as feverish as Kuta or Nusa Dua. It is also a place where ancient Balinese ethnicity and modern comforts exist in harmony.
The major draw of Sanur is undoubtedly its magnificent white soft sandy beaches, stretching south for about six kilometers with gleaming tidal crystal like water and ending in the mangrove marshlands opposite to the Serangan Island. Since it is bordered by a reef-sheltered lagoon, the Sanur beach is considered one of the safest in the island.
An array of activities can be enjoyed in the beaches such as canoeing, paragliding, and jet skiing. Additionally, the placid waters between the reef and the shore make it excellent for such activities as wind surfing, paddle boating, and swimming, particularly during high tide. Certain parts of the reef are filled with fish species, which make it a great spot for snorkeling. One can also enjoy fishing in the area, for which the assistance of local boatmen as well as cruises are available. In times of low tides, the beach appears to be wide due to its natural formations.
In contrast to Kuta beach, the beach in Sanur allows guest to enjoy a range of activities such as volleyball and sun bathing. The beach area also has a paved walkway, which is perfect for activities such as jogging, walking, and cycling. Above all, the beach allows visitors to savor the picturesque views of the surrounding including the magnificent vistas of the sunrise. Also, stunning is the scenic views of the sunset, during which the beach area is dotted with sail boats.
Sanur is an important religious center, the evidence for which is a plenty of temples found here. The village is also home to many colorful ceremonies as well as traditional festivals and dances conducted here. One of the most popular festivals conducted here is the Sanur Festival, during which the place is thronged by large number of people. Further, in order to experience the traditional aspect of Sanur, a variety of options are available in the form of dances such as Barong, Janger, and Kecak and traditional puppet shows with themes taken from such great epics as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Also, a unique cultural art form of Sanur is Tabuh Rah, which in turn is a part of a sacred ceremony.
A not to miss attraction in Sanur is its local art market, where you can see an array of traditional markets selling items such as handicraft specialties, clothing, paintings, ceramic items, and other unique accessories. Above all, the nightlife in Sanur is truly vibrant with a continuum of nightlife bars and clubs.
When comes to accommodation, tourists can choose from a variety of choices including traditional Balinese accommodation and western style luxurious accommodation. Many of the hotels are coupled with high-end facilities and amenities. Additionally, majority of the chic hotels come with excellent restaurants serving a range of cuisines from Asian and western cuisines to Balinese cuisines. Apart from restaurants within the hotels, you can also find a large number of restaurants and eateries along the beachside, from where a variety of sumptuous meals can be tasted. For unique dining experience, Sanur has some superb choices in the form of open air cafes and restaurants.
For those looking for privacy, some excellent accommodation choices are beachside villas and bungalows, each of the designed with luxurious facilities. These accommodation options are also great for those who are vacationing with large group. In addition, many of the service providers in the region provide packages crafted with accommodation, dining, sightseeing, transportation, and facilities to enjoy some of the top activities in the area.
The internet undoubtedly serves as one of the best sources to find the most suitable accommodation option that goes with your needs. Travel magazines, yellow pages, and reviews are the other sources to search for a suitable hotel or resort in the area.
It is at this place where the Dutch forces landed in the beginning of 1900s to begin their quest for Bali. Further, Sanur boasts of the first luxury beach resort in Bali which was built more than 30 years ago. Sanur is now a much preferred destination for comfortable long stays, since it is not as feverish as Kuta or Nusa Dua. It is also a place where ancient Balinese ethnicity and modern comforts exist in harmony.
The major draw of Sanur is undoubtedly its magnificent white soft sandy beaches, stretching south for about six kilometers with gleaming tidal crystal like water and ending in the mangrove marshlands opposite to the Serangan Island. Since it is bordered by a reef-sheltered lagoon, the Sanur beach is considered one of the safest in the island.
An array of activities can be enjoyed in the beaches such as canoeing, paragliding, and jet skiing. Additionally, the placid waters between the reef and the shore make it excellent for such activities as wind surfing, paddle boating, and swimming, particularly during high tide. Certain parts of the reef are filled with fish species, which make it a great spot for snorkeling. One can also enjoy fishing in the area, for which the assistance of local boatmen as well as cruises are available. In times of low tides, the beach appears to be wide due to its natural formations.
In contrast to Kuta beach, the beach in Sanur allows guest to enjoy a range of activities such as volleyball and sun bathing. The beach area also has a paved walkway, which is perfect for activities such as jogging, walking, and cycling. Above all, the beach allows visitors to savor the picturesque views of the surrounding including the magnificent vistas of the sunrise. Also, stunning is the scenic views of the sunset, during which the beach area is dotted with sail boats.
Sanur is an important religious center, the evidence for which is a plenty of temples found here. The village is also home to many colorful ceremonies as well as traditional festivals and dances conducted here. One of the most popular festivals conducted here is the Sanur Festival, during which the place is thronged by large number of people. Further, in order to experience the traditional aspect of Sanur, a variety of options are available in the form of dances such as Barong, Janger, and Kecak and traditional puppet shows with themes taken from such great epics as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Also, a unique cultural art form of Sanur is Tabuh Rah, which in turn is a part of a sacred ceremony.
A not to miss attraction in Sanur is its local art market, where you can see an array of traditional markets selling items such as handicraft specialties, clothing, paintings, ceramic items, and other unique accessories. Above all, the nightlife in Sanur is truly vibrant with a continuum of nightlife bars and clubs.
When comes to accommodation, tourists can choose from a variety of choices including traditional Balinese accommodation and western style luxurious accommodation. Many of the hotels are coupled with high-end facilities and amenities. Additionally, majority of the chic hotels come with excellent restaurants serving a range of cuisines from Asian and western cuisines to Balinese cuisines. Apart from restaurants within the hotels, you can also find a large number of restaurants and eateries along the beachside, from where a variety of sumptuous meals can be tasted. For unique dining experience, Sanur has some superb choices in the form of open air cafes and restaurants.
For those looking for privacy, some excellent accommodation choices are beachside villas and bungalows, each of the designed with luxurious facilities. These accommodation options are also great for those who are vacationing with large group. In addition, many of the service providers in the region provide packages crafted with accommodation, dining, sightseeing, transportation, and facilities to enjoy some of the top activities in the area.
The internet undoubtedly serves as one of the best sources to find the most suitable accommodation option that goes with your needs. Travel magazines, yellow pages, and reviews are the other sources to search for a suitable hotel or resort in the area.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Bali Destination: the Favorite Places Series
Different destination has different atractions, it is true but every destination has a common similar. Yes, all mountain in the world are high, all sea are deep and full of water,
But what is the same? it is the activities. Every mountain in this world is best for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, etc, everybeach is best place for sunbathing, swimming, snorkling, etc. That is the fact. Activities that do in australia`s mountains is same in bali`s, activities that do in cities of europe are similar to bali`s cities. Did you get my points? great.
Then, what are the most visited tourist when travelling to bali. I can guarantee here are the favorite places by its destination:
(1.) Mountains
- Agung Mount
- Batur Mount
- Batukaru Mount
(2.) Beaches
- Kuta Beach
- Dreeamland Beach
- Nusa Dua beach
- Sanur Beach
- Bingin Beach
- Padang Padang Beach
- Medewi Beach
(3.) Lakes
- Beratan Lake
- Buyan Lake
- Tamblingan Lake
- Batur Lake
(4.) Cities
- Kuta city
- Denpasar city
- Ubud
- Nusa Dua
- Uluwatu
(5.) Temples
- Besakih Temple @ Karangasem
- Batur Temple @ Kintamani
- Goa Lawah @ Klungkung
- Uluwatu Temple @ Uluwatu
- Tanah Lot Temple @ Tabanan
- Tirta Empul @ Tampak Siring
But what is the same? it is the activities. Every mountain in this world is best for hiking, climbing, mountain biking, etc, everybeach is best place for sunbathing, swimming, snorkling, etc. That is the fact. Activities that do in australia`s mountains is same in bali`s, activities that do in cities of europe are similar to bali`s cities. Did you get my points? great.
Then, what are the most visited tourist when travelling to bali. I can guarantee here are the favorite places by its destination:
(1.) Mountains
- Agung Mount
- Batur Mount
- Batukaru Mount
(2.) Beaches
- Kuta Beach
- Dreeamland Beach
- Nusa Dua beach
- Sanur Beach
- Bingin Beach
- Padang Padang Beach
- Medewi Beach
(3.) Lakes
- Beratan Lake
- Buyan Lake
- Tamblingan Lake
- Batur Lake
(4.) Cities
- Kuta city
- Denpasar city
- Ubud
- Nusa Dua
- Uluwatu
(5.) Temples
- Besakih Temple @ Karangasem
- Batur Temple @ Kintamani
- Goa Lawah @ Klungkung
- Uluwatu Temple @ Uluwatu
- Tanah Lot Temple @ Tabanan
- Tirta Empul @ Tampak Siring
Friday, October 31, 2008
Eleven Places You Must See in Bali
Bali is possibly one of the most enchanting island on earth. One of more than 13.000 islands in Indonesia, and Bali is revered as one of the world’s most popular and interesting tourist destination.
Some quick facts: Bali covers an area of 5620 km2, about 140 km from West to East and 80 km from the South to North. The South part consists of lime stone with beautiful soft white sand along the beach, while the East, West and North are mostly volcanic layers with black soft sand beach.
Bali has a tropical climate with the average temperature of about 30 degrees C (80 degrees F) all year. It has only 2 seasons, dry season started from April to October and wet season from October to April. It is always nice and cool in the hillside while though hot around the coastal area but there are still nice breeze all the time. The dry season is always sunny with great view of sunset and sunrise, while the wet season is not too wet because there is still much sun to enjoy during the day time.
Here are eleven things one must see if you are in Bali.
- Barong Dance – This is approx. 1 hour long religious dance representing the eternal fight between the good - Barong and the evil symbolized by a horrible looking witch called Rangda. The costumes and set are elaborate and nice. The trick is to get there early, so that you get front seats and be close enough to see the facial expressions of the dancers
- Celuk (Gold & silver smith), Mas (wood carving) and Stone carving villages - You would drive past these 3 villages and see the array of shops selling the gold, wood and stone. As you get into Celuk, all the gold and silver smith shops flank the roads, you can also drop by their factory to take a look at the production process. The same goes for the wood carving and stone carving
- Mount Batur (Kintamani) – This is the second largest active volcano in Bali. It is 1,717 meters from sea level, and bears the remains of the black lava from it's eruption in 1917 and 1927. There is a nice scenic crater lake there. You can do buffet lunch at one of the restaurant and admire the breath-taking view as you eat. The buffet lunch cost about S$10 and has reasonable spread
- Trita Empul - Tirta Empul means " bubbling water " and is a holy water temple built in 960 AD. The temple is beautiful temple and has holy water fountains for different purposes of purification and blessing. There were people in the fountains doing their purification when I was there. Further inside the temple area, you can see the source of the water – a spring where water is bubbling up through the black sand. A total make of nature. Legend has it that one of the gods shot an arrow from heaven to look for water, and the spot where the water is bubbling up now is the exact spot where the arrow hit
- Goa Gajah – Means "elephant cave". Found in 11th century, this cave was dug in the peaceful riverside valley in a hard sand stone. Entering the inside T-Shape cave, there are some niches used by Buddhist Monks for meditation. Among the many historical remains found around this cave is the holy Ganesh Statue (a human body with elephant head) which is believed as the God of Purification and Evil Controller. The cave can be quite claustrophobic for some people but is well worth a quick look inside
- Sebatu Holy Spring Temple - Is named " Gunung Kawi " in Balinese. It is a very beautiful village temple located in a peaceful valley with its holy spring. Somewhat similar to Trita Empul, there are large fountains outside the temple area, where villagers use to take a bath. However, my driver told me that this place is not as ‘holy’ as Trita Empul
- Taman Ayun - Is the largest Royal Family Temple Complex built in 1934 in the village of Mengwi, Badung Regency. The area of this temple is surrounded by moat with some water lilies and lotuses. The place is still used during prayer sessions and important ceremonial events
- Tanah Lot – One of the most famed temple in Bali. Tanah Lot means " the land of ocean" is a fascinating Hindu Temple built on a piece of cliff in Indian Ocean shore. This temple is dedicated to the God of Ocean "Baruna" built by a high Hindu Priest name Dang Hyang Dwijendra in the 16th century. During high tide, the cliff is surrounded by water and the temple looks like it is floating. In the bottom part of the cliff there is a fresh water holy spring while on the beach cave there are some holy snakes that guard the temple. In the South and North part of the temple is absolutely beautiful view and best for watching sunset
- Uluwatu Temple - Also built by the same Hindu Priest who built Tanah Lot, Uluwatu temple is also another magnificent temple built perched on a cliff. The whole temple stretches across a large area and it is flanked by the fabulous India Ocean. Here, you also see large numbers of monkeys, mostly mischievous ones, who snatches food from visitors
- Lake Beratan & Pura Ulun Danu - Beratan is a name of the Lake and Village. There is a spectacular floating temple called "Ulun Danu Temple" and is an absolutely interesting sight. The weather at the lake is cool, which is a nice break from the mostly hot sun during my trip. There were people who hired a traditional paddle boat or speed boat to go around the lake, although my driver said there really is nothing much to see around the lake
- Jatiluweh – A place where you see lots of terraced rice paddy fields. The sights are breathtaking as you see the green terrace, meandering around you. This place is supposed to one of the few in the world that has such nice terraced paddies. Those terraces are probably cut decades ago, and now resulting in the fascinating view today
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Beach Life in Bali is Pure Fun in the Sun
As the temperature gets chillier in many Northern Hemisphere countries, tropical destinations such as Baliseem all the more attractive. With their bona fide friendly nature and ingenious for hospitality, the Balinese make the island an even more popular destination to beachcombers in search of sun, sand and surf.
Bali also has a variety of beach options to suit every kind of traveler. There are the popular surf spots of Kuta and Legian, the luxurious and private shores of Nusa Dua, the chic and romantic Seminyak beach and the beautifully serene locale of Sanur.
Says seasoned traveler Ganesh Manickavasagar, Director of D’Casting Company, “Bali is one of those locations where you really feel an affinity with the environment. The picturesque beaches, charming people and traditional culture combine together to create a unique experience that really is unmatched by other tropical destinations.”
With its clean break waves and lengthy golden shore, Kuta has been a favourite among surfers since the 1970s. These days, the area is something of a tourist Mecca, offering a prime nightlife and entertainment scene in addition to its vast array of beach activities and hotels. The area is also brimming with shopping options, with everything from branded luxury clothes and accessories to bohemian beach wear.
The Kuta town and surrounding suburbs are suitable for all types of tourists including seasoned solo surfers, young groups of friends, couples and families. It is an epicenter for surf, sun and fun – but not necessarily peace and quiet. For this year’s summer high season, Agoda.com has hot deals around Kuta beach and the suburbs of Legian at Santika Beach Hotel, The Rani Hotel and Spa and Legian Beach Hotel.
“Bali is my favorite holiday spot. I’m from Sydney and love surfing back home but Bali has a different, more laid back feel. I love the food, the people and Balinese culture. Also, you cannot get a beach massage Balinese style at such a cheap price back home; they’re sublime!” says frequent Bali traveler and customer service manager, Natalie Brooks.
Not far from Kuta town is the trendy Seminyak beach. Quickly earning a reputation for being a sleek, boutique hotspot, Seminyak has a first-rate swimming beach and a number of designer accommodation and fine dining options. Agoda recommendations include the Resor Seminyak Resort & Spa and the opulent Oberoi Hotel.
The luxurious beach cove of Nusa Dua is a favorite among those traveling to Bali, because of its calm, tranquil atmosphere and inviting turquoise waters. It is a perfect place for romancing honeymooners but also for those with a passion for underwater life – there are good diving and snorkeling spots to be found in this area. Agoda has special discounts at Nikko Resort & Spa, Melia Benoa Hotel and Nusa Dua Resort & Spa, all known for their splendid outdoor landscaping, Balinese architecture and high levels of service.
Closer to Denpasar, the quiet beach of Sanur is a pleasant alternative to the highly developed and more popular beach spots of Bali. Everything at Sanur moves at a leisurely pace, and guests can experience a more traditional Bali, with local fishermen bringing in their catch of the day and the soothing sounds of the nearby temple, offering a unique atmosphere. Agoda has special hotel rates at Sanur Beach Hotel, Mercure Sanur Hotel and Sri Phala Resort and Villas.
Bali also has a variety of beach options to suit every kind of traveler. There are the popular surf spots of Kuta and Legian, the luxurious and private shores of Nusa Dua, the chic and romantic Seminyak beach and the beautifully serene locale of Sanur.
Says seasoned traveler Ganesh Manickavasagar, Director of D’Casting Company, “Bali is one of those locations where you really feel an affinity with the environment. The picturesque beaches, charming people and traditional culture combine together to create a unique experience that really is unmatched by other tropical destinations.”
With its clean break waves and lengthy golden shore, Kuta has been a favourite among surfers since the 1970s. These days, the area is something of a tourist Mecca, offering a prime nightlife and entertainment scene in addition to its vast array of beach activities and hotels. The area is also brimming with shopping options, with everything from branded luxury clothes and accessories to bohemian beach wear.
The Kuta town and surrounding suburbs are suitable for all types of tourists including seasoned solo surfers, young groups of friends, couples and families. It is an epicenter for surf, sun and fun – but not necessarily peace and quiet. For this year’s summer high season, Agoda.com has hot deals around Kuta beach and the suburbs of Legian at Santika Beach Hotel, The Rani Hotel and Spa and Legian Beach Hotel.
“Bali is my favorite holiday spot. I’m from Sydney and love surfing back home but Bali has a different, more laid back feel. I love the food, the people and Balinese culture. Also, you cannot get a beach massage Balinese style at such a cheap price back home; they’re sublime!” says frequent Bali traveler and customer service manager, Natalie Brooks.
Not far from Kuta town is the trendy Seminyak beach. Quickly earning a reputation for being a sleek, boutique hotspot, Seminyak has a first-rate swimming beach and a number of designer accommodation and fine dining options. Agoda recommendations include the Resor Seminyak Resort & Spa and the opulent Oberoi Hotel.
The luxurious beach cove of Nusa Dua is a favorite among those traveling to Bali, because of its calm, tranquil atmosphere and inviting turquoise waters. It is a perfect place for romancing honeymooners but also for those with a passion for underwater life – there are good diving and snorkeling spots to be found in this area. Agoda has special discounts at Nikko Resort & Spa, Melia Benoa Hotel and Nusa Dua Resort & Spa, all known for their splendid outdoor landscaping, Balinese architecture and high levels of service.
Closer to Denpasar, the quiet beach of Sanur is a pleasant alternative to the highly developed and more popular beach spots of Bali. Everything at Sanur moves at a leisurely pace, and guests can experience a more traditional Bali, with local fishermen bringing in their catch of the day and the soothing sounds of the nearby temple, offering a unique atmosphere. Agoda has special hotel rates at Sanur Beach Hotel, Mercure Sanur Hotel and Sri Phala Resort and Villas.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Bali Travel Guide and Review - Part 2
The Balinese Hindu religion regards a traditional caste system though it has never been as divisive as its Indian ascendent. This is for the most part due to the fact that over 90% of Balinese belong to the lowest 'Sudra' caste, and in India would have been considered 'untouchable'. Given their dominance such mental attitudes in Bali would not be realistic. Notwithstanding these facts, inter-marriage persists to be uncommon and discouraged.
The three upper castes are together recognized as the 'Triwangsa' ('three peoples') constituting Brahmana, Kesayatria and Wesia. Caste is specified by birth but is rarely reflected in a person's occupation, although only a Brahmana can be suited to be a Pedanda high priest, and only Brahmana may take the task of recreating masks from the 'Barong' dance as they harbour the ability to protect themselves from the evil spirits.
Balinese Names
Upon learning a Balinese friends name, you can establish some elements of his or her background. First Of All, the name will often indicate the cast to which they belong. For illustration, if you meet someone named Ida Bagus, you recognize they belong to the highest Brahmana caste or, if they are addressed as Gusti, they will almost surely belong to the Wesia caste. The Balinese also distinguish their children in order of birth. Together with a personal name, unique in the family, a Balinese child will be awarded a more common name. The firstborn is often Wayan or Putu while the second born generally carries the name of Made or Kadek. The third child usually is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is always Ketut; with the birth of a fifth child, the naming cycle starts again.
Children
The Balinese dote on their children, a devotion that no doubt leads to the calm and relaxed demeanour of the island's population. At birth the baby's umbilical cord is buried with oblations to protect them throughout their lives. Until the child reaches three months of age, they are permanently carried as it is regarded as unclean and disrespectful if they should touch the ground before that age. Balinese children are discouraged from crawling, believed to be only the actions of an animal, and learn to walk at a very young age. Upon reaching 105 days, the baby will be ornamented with bracelets and anklets. A further 105 days later, a ceremony is held to signify their entry into adulthood. The passage through puberty is celebrated with a tooth filing ceremony, aimed to flatten any pointed teeth that may represent evil and designed to restrict sinful emotions and actions such as greed, anger, jealousy, stupidity, and adultery.
Everyday, there are many temple ceremonies all over Bali. Some are held at a single village temple while others are island-wide. One common ceremony is the 'odelan', held every 210 days to celebrate a temple's anniversary. Another is held every time there is a full moon. The day of Saraswati heralds a ceremony celebrating knowledge, learning and the arts. Ceremonies on this day are held in relation to schools and primarily involve students. Some important days occur very rarely such as the 'Eka Dasa Rudra', held only once every 100 years at Besakih Temple. .
Religion
Bali is a predominantly Hindu Island, surviving in an Islamic nation. Minority populations of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists are also found on the island.
Little is known of the introduction of Hinduism in Bali though it doubtlessly involved the Indian traders who came to these parts for the spice trade over two thousand years ago. Given its physical isolation from the ancestral religion, Balinese Hinduism has since developed into a unique version of the ancient faith. Although the fundamentals remain the same, many of the gods revered on Bali are unknown in India and vice versa. Vast Hindu kingdoms were also found in neighbouring islands but they disappeared soon after the Arabs became interested in the archipelago, bringing with them Islam to Indonesia's shores. Bali held little interest for the Arab traders so it was largely left alone. Throughout Indonesia, traditional beliefs in mysticism and the spiritual world remain strong, despite the common practice of imported faiths that forbid such strong beliefs.
While the impact this has had on the Islamic faith is often controversial, for the Balinese, the two have merely blend to create the distinctive religion they follow today.
to be continued.....
The three upper castes are together recognized as the 'Triwangsa' ('three peoples') constituting Brahmana, Kesayatria and Wesia. Caste is specified by birth but is rarely reflected in a person's occupation, although only a Brahmana can be suited to be a Pedanda high priest, and only Brahmana may take the task of recreating masks from the 'Barong' dance as they harbour the ability to protect themselves from the evil spirits.
Balinese Names
Upon learning a Balinese friends name, you can establish some elements of his or her background. First Of All, the name will often indicate the cast to which they belong. For illustration, if you meet someone named Ida Bagus, you recognize they belong to the highest Brahmana caste or, if they are addressed as Gusti, they will almost surely belong to the Wesia caste. The Balinese also distinguish their children in order of birth. Together with a personal name, unique in the family, a Balinese child will be awarded a more common name. The firstborn is often Wayan or Putu while the second born generally carries the name of Made or Kadek. The third child usually is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is always Ketut; with the birth of a fifth child, the naming cycle starts again.
Children
The Balinese dote on their children, a devotion that no doubt leads to the calm and relaxed demeanour of the island's population. At birth the baby's umbilical cord is buried with oblations to protect them throughout their lives. Until the child reaches three months of age, they are permanently carried as it is regarded as unclean and disrespectful if they should touch the ground before that age. Balinese children are discouraged from crawling, believed to be only the actions of an animal, and learn to walk at a very young age. Upon reaching 105 days, the baby will be ornamented with bracelets and anklets. A further 105 days later, a ceremony is held to signify their entry into adulthood. The passage through puberty is celebrated with a tooth filing ceremony, aimed to flatten any pointed teeth that may represent evil and designed to restrict sinful emotions and actions such as greed, anger, jealousy, stupidity, and adultery.
Everyday, there are many temple ceremonies all over Bali. Some are held at a single village temple while others are island-wide. One common ceremony is the 'odelan', held every 210 days to celebrate a temple's anniversary. Another is held every time there is a full moon. The day of Saraswati heralds a ceremony celebrating knowledge, learning and the arts. Ceremonies on this day are held in relation to schools and primarily involve students. Some important days occur very rarely such as the 'Eka Dasa Rudra', held only once every 100 years at Besakih Temple. .
Religion
Bali is a predominantly Hindu Island, surviving in an Islamic nation. Minority populations of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists are also found on the island.
Little is known of the introduction of Hinduism in Bali though it doubtlessly involved the Indian traders who came to these parts for the spice trade over two thousand years ago. Given its physical isolation from the ancestral religion, Balinese Hinduism has since developed into a unique version of the ancient faith. Although the fundamentals remain the same, many of the gods revered on Bali are unknown in India and vice versa. Vast Hindu kingdoms were also found in neighbouring islands but they disappeared soon after the Arabs became interested in the archipelago, bringing with them Islam to Indonesia's shores. Bali held little interest for the Arab traders so it was largely left alone. Throughout Indonesia, traditional beliefs in mysticism and the spiritual world remain strong, despite the common practice of imported faiths that forbid such strong beliefs.
While the impact this has had on the Islamic faith is often controversial, for the Balinese, the two have merely blend to create the distinctive religion they follow today.
to be continued.....
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Where To Go Scuba Diving In Bali
The tropical Indonesian island of Bali is still attracts millions of tourists every year. Tourists on vacations to Bali are attracted by the mystique, charms and allure of the predominantly traditional Hindu culture, spectacular tropical jungles, mountains and beautiful beaches. Many tourists especially from nearby Australia and Singapore travel to Bali for scuba Diving. The islands in Bali are well known for its excellent scuba diving locations.
Scuba divers in Bali can expect to encounter awesome underwater landscape as well as sighting a very wide array of marine sea creatures. Let's visit some scuba diving Bali dive spots.
In Nusa Penida and Lembongan Islands, there are spectacular drop off reefs making reef and wall diving the predominant staple on these two scuba diving locations. It takes about a 45 minute speedboat ride to reach these dive destinations.
Water visibility is excellent all year round but the current here is stronger. Experienced divers will love it here as they can enjoy some drift dives. However, the current may get very strong occasionally and dives may have to be abandoned when this happens.
The dive sites at Nusa Dua and Sanur are just 5 minutes away from the coast and therefore easily assessable. The novice divers will love these dive spots because of the gentle current. Water visibility ranges from low to moderate since they are located in the coastal area and are more affected by pollution. Although hard coral life is limited, the dive spots have a surprisingly diversity of marine fishes, soft corals and sponges which are thriving on the reefs.
There is a very wide variety of corals, colorful sea fans and huge pelagic fishes here. Big schools of sweet lips fish, turtles, sharks and manta rays are often sighted by excited scuba divers.
Jemeluk and Amed Beaches are one and half hour away from Denpasar. Denpasar is a popular tourist coastal town with many wonderful hotels, resorts and night entertainment. Scuba divers need to be very experienced as the current here can get very strong. However the dives here can be very exciting because of long coastal reefs, reef slopes/drop offs and majestic wall diving. Water visibility can be considered as moderate to good. To add a final touch, these dive spots have one of the best hard coral communities in Bali.
The Tulamben Wreck Dive is a must dive spot for scuba divers to enjoy wreck diving. The water visibility here is fair to good and the current is gentle. Night dive on this wreck are often described as breathtaking.
The wreck, USS Liberty which met its fate in 1942 when a Japanese torpedo fired from a submarine in the second world war found its target.
The above are just some of the many splendid scuba diving destinations in Bali. For more superb dive sites,just contact the many scuba diving operators in Bali Island.
Scuba divers in Bali can expect to encounter awesome underwater landscape as well as sighting a very wide array of marine sea creatures. Let's visit some scuba diving Bali dive spots.
In Nusa Penida and Lembongan Islands, there are spectacular drop off reefs making reef and wall diving the predominant staple on these two scuba diving locations. It takes about a 45 minute speedboat ride to reach these dive destinations.
Water visibility is excellent all year round but the current here is stronger. Experienced divers will love it here as they can enjoy some drift dives. However, the current may get very strong occasionally and dives may have to be abandoned when this happens.
The dive sites at Nusa Dua and Sanur are just 5 minutes away from the coast and therefore easily assessable. The novice divers will love these dive spots because of the gentle current. Water visibility ranges from low to moderate since they are located in the coastal area and are more affected by pollution. Although hard coral life is limited, the dive spots have a surprisingly diversity of marine fishes, soft corals and sponges which are thriving on the reefs.
There is a very wide variety of corals, colorful sea fans and huge pelagic fishes here. Big schools of sweet lips fish, turtles, sharks and manta rays are often sighted by excited scuba divers.
Jemeluk and Amed Beaches are one and half hour away from Denpasar. Denpasar is a popular tourist coastal town with many wonderful hotels, resorts and night entertainment. Scuba divers need to be very experienced as the current here can get very strong. However the dives here can be very exciting because of long coastal reefs, reef slopes/drop offs and majestic wall diving. Water visibility can be considered as moderate to good. To add a final touch, these dive spots have one of the best hard coral communities in Bali.
The Tulamben Wreck Dive is a must dive spot for scuba divers to enjoy wreck diving. The water visibility here is fair to good and the current is gentle. Night dive on this wreck are often described as breathtaking.
The wreck, USS Liberty which met its fate in 1942 when a Japanese torpedo fired from a submarine in the second world war found its target.
The above are just some of the many splendid scuba diving destinations in Bali. For more superb dive sites,just contact the many scuba diving operators in Bali Island.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Bali Volcanoes Helicopter Tour
Bali island in Indonesia is renowned for its natural beauty and as a fabulous tourist attraction. However, the island is also known for its terrorist attacks in recent years. Since then, the people of Bali have recovered and the island is now a hotspot for tourists from all over the world once again, especially for its beach resorts and volcano helicopter tours.
The island's ecology and geography are greatly influenced by the towering mountain range of volcanoes that dominate the island. These majestic volcanoes created Bali's stunning mountainous landscape and they occasionally regenerate its soils and help produce heavy rains that provide this resort island with precious fresh water.
The Balinese considered the island's many volcanoes, lakes and spring as sacred and treat them with respect and awe. If you are a tourist traveling to Bali for your holiday vacation, you will be awestruck with the sheer majesty of the volcanoes. These natural landscapes are major tourist attractions and many tourist go sightseeing the volcanoes on helicopter tours so that they can view the volcanoes in all its splendor and take awesome pictures. The island is still continually being formed by volcanic activities.
Bali is located over a major fault zone where the Indo-Australian plate collides with the Sunda plate. In 1963, a violent eruption on Mount Agung killed thousands of people and utterly destroyed many rice fields and irrigation network.
The dramatic lava flows on the north eastern faces of Mt Agung is the newest landforms, showing what the island may look like in ancient pre-historic time. It is a fascinating sightseeing experience, almost like a scene out of Jurassic Park.
Perhaps, the most popular volcano for tourists to visit and go sightseeing is Mount Batur. This grand old dame of a volcano sits in a giant caldera that contains a lake that is a few miles long and over a mile wide. Mount Batur is actually a very active volcano and can erupt moment as it erupted with great frequency but the eruptions are less violent these days except in a giant eruption in 1917 which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed hundreds of temples and villages.
Hiking up Mount Batur in the wee small hours of the the morning has become something of a "must do" thing for many tourists in Bali. You will need to bring along a sweater as it can get a little chilly at the volcano summit.
There is also a little coffee shop at the rim selling drinks for thirsty hikers and many children and women in flip flops balancing buckets of soft drinks on their heads scampering around trying to earn your tourist dollar. As the sun rises, you will get a picturesque view of Lombok and other surrounding islands.
One very interesting hike on Mt Batur is the climb down the inside of the crater from Penelokan to Kedisan. There are boats at Toya Bungkah Lake to take you across the lake to a village called Trunyan. This village is notorious for its mortuary traditions because instead of cremating or burying their deceased, the Trunyan villagers leave dead human bodies to decompose naturally in a designated cemetery.
Although Bali is known for rice cultivation, its volcanic soil is actually not well suited for such activities. The soil is finely textured and well drained, so water soaks through the soil rapidly and thus precious water is wasted. The solution therefore lies in repeated and vigorous ploughing which make the soil less permeable.
So if you are visiting Bali for your holiday vacations, do not miss out a sightseeing trip to view Bali's majestic volcanoes, better yet, take a helicopter tour of this spectacular tourist attraction.
The island's ecology and geography are greatly influenced by the towering mountain range of volcanoes that dominate the island. These majestic volcanoes created Bali's stunning mountainous landscape and they occasionally regenerate its soils and help produce heavy rains that provide this resort island with precious fresh water.
The Balinese considered the island's many volcanoes, lakes and spring as sacred and treat them with respect and awe. If you are a tourist traveling to Bali for your holiday vacation, you will be awestruck with the sheer majesty of the volcanoes. These natural landscapes are major tourist attractions and many tourist go sightseeing the volcanoes on helicopter tours so that they can view the volcanoes in all its splendor and take awesome pictures. The island is still continually being formed by volcanic activities.
Bali is located over a major fault zone where the Indo-Australian plate collides with the Sunda plate. In 1963, a violent eruption on Mount Agung killed thousands of people and utterly destroyed many rice fields and irrigation network.
The dramatic lava flows on the north eastern faces of Mt Agung is the newest landforms, showing what the island may look like in ancient pre-historic time. It is a fascinating sightseeing experience, almost like a scene out of Jurassic Park.
Perhaps, the most popular volcano for tourists to visit and go sightseeing is Mount Batur. This grand old dame of a volcano sits in a giant caldera that contains a lake that is a few miles long and over a mile wide. Mount Batur is actually a very active volcano and can erupt moment as it erupted with great frequency but the eruptions are less violent these days except in a giant eruption in 1917 which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed hundreds of temples and villages.
Hiking up Mount Batur in the wee small hours of the the morning has become something of a "must do" thing for many tourists in Bali. You will need to bring along a sweater as it can get a little chilly at the volcano summit.
There is also a little coffee shop at the rim selling drinks for thirsty hikers and many children and women in flip flops balancing buckets of soft drinks on their heads scampering around trying to earn your tourist dollar. As the sun rises, you will get a picturesque view of Lombok and other surrounding islands.
One very interesting hike on Mt Batur is the climb down the inside of the crater from Penelokan to Kedisan. There are boats at Toya Bungkah Lake to take you across the lake to a village called Trunyan. This village is notorious for its mortuary traditions because instead of cremating or burying their deceased, the Trunyan villagers leave dead human bodies to decompose naturally in a designated cemetery.
Although Bali is known for rice cultivation, its volcanic soil is actually not well suited for such activities. The soil is finely textured and well drained, so water soaks through the soil rapidly and thus precious water is wasted. The solution therefore lies in repeated and vigorous ploughing which make the soil less permeable.
So if you are visiting Bali for your holiday vacations, do not miss out a sightseeing trip to view Bali's majestic volcanoes, better yet, take a helicopter tour of this spectacular tourist attraction.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Exclusive Boutique Style Bali Hotels
The basic idea is to combine the conveniences of a five-star resort with the cultural richness of a Balinese private home. A Bali hotel experience of a different kind.
Over the years this type of accommodation has increased vastly in popularity with travelers looking for something special and exclusive.
The difference between large hotel chains and boutique hotels is that they don't provide 100's of rooms but instead secluded luxury in small and intimate resorts.
A "home away from home" is a bit a stressed expression, but it describes quite accurately what you may find. A really private space in a total different location, thousands of miles away from home. You already could find that easily in many Bali hotels that are always different than big city hotels and even more so in boutique hotels.
All amenities are usually provided in these resorts to make you feel comfortable. Individual service with a personal touch makes all the difference, and a villa with an selection of things you don't want to miss like a sound system and satellite TV, several cozy in- and outdoor areas for relaxation, and refreshingly different styled bathrooms surely add to the ingredients to make you enjoy your stay.
Some icing on the cake may be a private Jacuzzi, plunge or swimming pool. What would be life in the tropics without it.
A resort in Ubud was ahead of its time and has been copied by newly built ones a several times since then. It's the Pita Maha, build by a member of the Royal family of Ubud in Bali. The concept of a river view resort with spa is taken from the Tjampuhan hotel and greatly refined through adding privacy by establishing a exclusive luxury villa concept. More about this resort later.
On the ocean side it was Four Seasons in Jimbaran who first successfully introduced the private villas concept within a hotel. Of course they also went to Ubud to build The Four Seasons Sayan. Overlooking the Ayung river it became too small for the demand already and new villas have been added.
The leading resorts in this field try to accomplish a secluded setting of each villa, permitting undisturbed outdoor life with outdoor dining areas. So life within nature can be experienced in Bali style. Some of the villas have outdoor bathrooms and private plunge pools as well.
Many known Bali hotels and resorts are renovating and redesigning themselves to follow this trend. Alam Kul Kul in Legian added boutique elements, The Villas in Seminyak are a good example to fully mature this concept, all villas have a private swimming pool and offer the privacy requested by clients.
In Jimbaran the Jimbaran Puri bali is a good beach side concept and must be booked early. The negative side of Boutique resorts is really the limited availability of rooms. It seems that because of the initially understated expectancy a few years back when the success of small high end resorts wasn't guaranteed, some of them are maybe build a bit too small.
Now the situation is very much different, travelers looking for that special place to spend a vacation, and are willing to pay for the extra luxury. The Ubud area is leading the way with resorts such as Kamandalu Resort, The Alila or the Natura Resort, one of the better and most convincing additions.
In the meanwhile we saw the opening of many new intimate small Bali hotels over the last few years, it seems a trend unbroken despite the slow down and recent recovery in the Bali tourism industry. Bali is once again the tropical dream location on a small island that currently attracts more individual travelers than mass group tours. Personally I am happy with this development and hope it will stay like this, as it supports space and tranquility for a personal experience in a location that 'is made' to be experienced this way.
Over the years this type of accommodation has increased vastly in popularity with travelers looking for something special and exclusive.
The difference between large hotel chains and boutique hotels is that they don't provide 100's of rooms but instead secluded luxury in small and intimate resorts.
A "home away from home" is a bit a stressed expression, but it describes quite accurately what you may find. A really private space in a total different location, thousands of miles away from home. You already could find that easily in many Bali hotels that are always different than big city hotels and even more so in boutique hotels.
All amenities are usually provided in these resorts to make you feel comfortable. Individual service with a personal touch makes all the difference, and a villa with an selection of things you don't want to miss like a sound system and satellite TV, several cozy in- and outdoor areas for relaxation, and refreshingly different styled bathrooms surely add to the ingredients to make you enjoy your stay.
Some icing on the cake may be a private Jacuzzi, plunge or swimming pool. What would be life in the tropics without it.
A resort in Ubud was ahead of its time and has been copied by newly built ones a several times since then. It's the Pita Maha, build by a member of the Royal family of Ubud in Bali. The concept of a river view resort with spa is taken from the Tjampuhan hotel and greatly refined through adding privacy by establishing a exclusive luxury villa concept. More about this resort later.
On the ocean side it was Four Seasons in Jimbaran who first successfully introduced the private villas concept within a hotel. Of course they also went to Ubud to build The Four Seasons Sayan. Overlooking the Ayung river it became too small for the demand already and new villas have been added.
The leading resorts in this field try to accomplish a secluded setting of each villa, permitting undisturbed outdoor life with outdoor dining areas. So life within nature can be experienced in Bali style. Some of the villas have outdoor bathrooms and private plunge pools as well.
Many known Bali hotels and resorts are renovating and redesigning themselves to follow this trend. Alam Kul Kul in Legian added boutique elements, The Villas in Seminyak are a good example to fully mature this concept, all villas have a private swimming pool and offer the privacy requested by clients.
In Jimbaran the Jimbaran Puri bali is a good beach side concept and must be booked early. The negative side of Boutique resorts is really the limited availability of rooms. It seems that because of the initially understated expectancy a few years back when the success of small high end resorts wasn't guaranteed, some of them are maybe build a bit too small.
Now the situation is very much different, travelers looking for that special place to spend a vacation, and are willing to pay for the extra luxury. The Ubud area is leading the way with resorts such as Kamandalu Resort, The Alila or the Natura Resort, one of the better and most convincing additions.
In the meanwhile we saw the opening of many new intimate small Bali hotels over the last few years, it seems a trend unbroken despite the slow down and recent recovery in the Bali tourism industry. Bali is once again the tropical dream location on a small island that currently attracts more individual travelers than mass group tours. Personally I am happy with this development and hope it will stay like this, as it supports space and tranquility for a personal experience in a location that 'is made' to be experienced this way.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Adventures in Bali
With it's tropical temperatures and lush landscape, the island of Bali is a wonderful place to get in touch with your adventurous side.
Start by taking a Sea Walk. SeaWalker Bali has a special diving system that lets you get a close up view of the Bali ocean life. You actually walk on the ocean floor, to a depth of 15 feet, without getting your hair wet! Unlike traditional SCUBA diving no certification is needed. Your tour will include pickup from your hotel, transport in an air conditioned coach or minivan, professional instruction, safety approved equipment, insurance, refreshments and lunch. All you need to bring is a towel, sunscreen, swimsuit, and money for a video of your sea walk. The cost is just US$69 and instruction is provided in both English and Japanese. During your 30 minute sea walk you can expect to be surrounded by a large variety of colorful fish and sea life.
From the depths of the ocean to the top of a pachyderm. Bali is home to the Elephant Safari Park. Over 20 rescued Sumatra elephants live and play at the park. Here visitors are encouraged to get up close and personal with the elephants. Elephant shows are offered throughout the day, during some the elephants even paint. At the Elephant Safari Park you can touch and feed the elephants. The park is also home to the Elephant museum which houses a wide variety of elephant exhibits and information, including the only mammoth skeleton in Southeast Asia. To top off your trip to the elephant park, take an elephant tour and explore the nearby jungle from the back of a majestic pachyderm. Enjoy the elephant park and know that you are helping save the endangered Indonesian elephants, as a portion of all proceeds goes to relocation and breeding programs for Indonesian elephants.
Now that you've tried the easy adventures, it is time to step it up a bit. There are some fabulous whitewater rafting in Bali. The river scenery is amazing. During your rafting trip you will travel through gorges where cliffs soar high above you. This is interspersed with lush primary rainforests and spectacular waterfalls. The spectacular scenery combined with exciting white water make for a Bali adventure you will not soon forget. Two of the more common rivers to raft on are the Ayung River and the Telaga Waja River. The Ayung River has over 28 class II and III rapids interspersed with calmer areas where you can view waterfalls, lush forests, and steep cliffs. The Telaga Waga River is more of a thrill ride with continuous rapids from start to finish. Experienced guides will make sure you have a fun and safe trip.
So when visiting Bali make sure you do more than just enjoy the beaches. I've touched on just a few of the adventures that can add a little spice and excitement to your trip. In addition to the the adventures mentioned here, Bali also offers bungee jumping, trekking to volcanoes, and mountain biking. So get out there and enjoy the natural beauty of Bali while adding some excitement to your trip.
Start by taking a Sea Walk. SeaWalker Bali has a special diving system that lets you get a close up view of the Bali ocean life. You actually walk on the ocean floor, to a depth of 15 feet, without getting your hair wet! Unlike traditional SCUBA diving no certification is needed. Your tour will include pickup from your hotel, transport in an air conditioned coach or minivan, professional instruction, safety approved equipment, insurance, refreshments and lunch. All you need to bring is a towel, sunscreen, swimsuit, and money for a video of your sea walk. The cost is just US$69 and instruction is provided in both English and Japanese. During your 30 minute sea walk you can expect to be surrounded by a large variety of colorful fish and sea life.
From the depths of the ocean to the top of a pachyderm. Bali is home to the Elephant Safari Park. Over 20 rescued Sumatra elephants live and play at the park. Here visitors are encouraged to get up close and personal with the elephants. Elephant shows are offered throughout the day, during some the elephants even paint. At the Elephant Safari Park you can touch and feed the elephants. The park is also home to the Elephant museum which houses a wide variety of elephant exhibits and information, including the only mammoth skeleton in Southeast Asia. To top off your trip to the elephant park, take an elephant tour and explore the nearby jungle from the back of a majestic pachyderm. Enjoy the elephant park and know that you are helping save the endangered Indonesian elephants, as a portion of all proceeds goes to relocation and breeding programs for Indonesian elephants.
Now that you've tried the easy adventures, it is time to step it up a bit. There are some fabulous whitewater rafting in Bali. The river scenery is amazing. During your rafting trip you will travel through gorges where cliffs soar high above you. This is interspersed with lush primary rainforests and spectacular waterfalls. The spectacular scenery combined with exciting white water make for a Bali adventure you will not soon forget. Two of the more common rivers to raft on are the Ayung River and the Telaga Waja River. The Ayung River has over 28 class II and III rapids interspersed with calmer areas where you can view waterfalls, lush forests, and steep cliffs. The Telaga Waga River is more of a thrill ride with continuous rapids from start to finish. Experienced guides will make sure you have a fun and safe trip.
So when visiting Bali make sure you do more than just enjoy the beaches. I've touched on just a few of the adventures that can add a little spice and excitement to your trip. In addition to the the adventures mentioned here, Bali also offers bungee jumping, trekking to volcanoes, and mountain biking. So get out there and enjoy the natural beauty of Bali while adding some excitement to your trip.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Book Cheap Hotels in Bali & Explore the Diamond Shaped Island of Spectacular
Try something new this time. Choose Bali, which is an Indonesian island, as your holiday travel destination. And explore the diamond shaped island of spectacular volcanic mountains and lakes, enchanting rice terraces, ancient temples and palaces, surrounded by sparkling coral seas. To have a great spectacular view of this island, you must book hotels in advance.
If you are a budget traveler then you should definitely select discount Bali hotels for its rooms are well equipped with modern amenities and excellent facilities for visitors. The culturally rich city Bali has lot of attractive places to offer. Beaches are the prime attraction of this island. The main beaches of Bali include Kuta Beach, Sanur Beach and Tulamben. The best time to visit Bali is in between April to December.
Sailing, water sports, surfing, fishing and enthralling rides of water parks are the watery adventures of Bali Island. Apart from water adventures, you can also visit the settlement of Bayung Gede, an intact pre-Javanese village, and course the caldera rim road of the volcanic mountain, Gunung Batur.
Bali is influenced greatly by the Hindu Religion unlike other Muslim majority states of Indonesia. But the religions like Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are also prevalent there in minority basis. There are many temples in Bali. Among them, the Mother Temple of Besakih is the most significant Hindu temple.
The most widely spoken languages in Bali are Balinese and Indonesian, whereas English is spoken as third language. Another interesting area in Bali is its culture. Enriched with music, dance, art and various festivals make this island a perfect place to live in.
To sum up, Bali Island is an exact holiday spot for travelers around the world. And the travelers can also go for discount hotels if they don’t want to choose the grand luxury hotels. So, without wasting time, just book a hotel that offers you discount hotels rooms.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Five Tips for Booking Online Discount Hotels in Bali
Holiday destinations like Bali can make your holiday a memorable one. Bali is an Indonesian Island located in between the islands of Java and Lombok. The scenic beauty in the backdrops of natural ambiance like rice paddies, volcanic mountains, lush tropical forests, and fascinating beaches surround the city. If you want to explore the diversity of culture, natural beauty, and the Balinese society, then come to Bali.
In Bali, beach lovers will definitely enjoy the white sandy beaches and warm crystal clear water of the Indian Ocean. Apart from these there are many attractive colourful events that take place in Bali. So, to indulge yourself to its interesting happening events what you need is to fix a perfect hotel to stay. If you are looking for discount Bali hotel then undoubtedly you can find such cheap hotels which are pocket and budget friendly.
Before you select a discount hotels just keep in mind these below mentioned five tips for booking discount Bali hotels.
1. Make a search on the internet search engines by selecting a proper keyword relating booking discount Bali hotels online. A few best search engines must to mention here are Google.com, Yahoo.com, Ask.com, Altavista.com, Msn.com etc.
2. Get confirm about the relevancy and authenticity of the websites which display the search result of booking cheap Bali hotels. For that you can do some research works like domain age. Domain age is nothing but the lease period of that particular website. The trusted website always has a domain age of at least 2 years. If a website offers online booking then you must check whether it has secure SSL service or not. SSL gives you the authenticity and protects you from being victimised by internet frauds.
3. Then search the hotel map and see the location and availability. Location can be determined through encyclopedia or Google maps. You can also search by location and preferred language. For that, you can make changes in settings, every search engines has there own settings.
4. Some of the hotel booking sites promises many facilities and offers. Check them whether they are true or not by browsing the particular hotel website. Always compare the discount hotels rates as every hotel has their own discount offers. Also never forget to check the hotel reviews and facilities. Hotel reviews are very popular way to find out about the hotel and its adeptness’s.
5. Don’t be hurry in selecting discount hotels for you need a little research work because it is advisable to compare and contrast the rates of the hotels which are offering discountable rates. By doing these you can get the lowest discount rate hotels and on the same time reliable as well.
The aforementioned tips can be a useful advice for the travelers and definitely these five tips for booking discount Bali hotels can minimize the worries and hurries of a budget traveler.
In Bali, beach lovers will definitely enjoy the white sandy beaches and warm crystal clear water of the Indian Ocean. Apart from these there are many attractive colourful events that take place in Bali. So, to indulge yourself to its interesting happening events what you need is to fix a perfect hotel to stay. If you are looking for discount Bali hotel then undoubtedly you can find such cheap hotels which are pocket and budget friendly.
Before you select a discount hotels just keep in mind these below mentioned five tips for booking discount Bali hotels.
1. Make a search on the internet search engines by selecting a proper keyword relating booking discount Bali hotels online. A few best search engines must to mention here are Google.com, Yahoo.com, Ask.com, Altavista.com, Msn.com etc.
2. Get confirm about the relevancy and authenticity of the websites which display the search result of booking cheap Bali hotels. For that you can do some research works like domain age. Domain age is nothing but the lease period of that particular website. The trusted website always has a domain age of at least 2 years. If a website offers online booking then you must check whether it has secure SSL service or not. SSL gives you the authenticity and protects you from being victimised by internet frauds.
3. Then search the hotel map and see the location and availability. Location can be determined through encyclopedia or Google maps. You can also search by location and preferred language. For that, you can make changes in settings, every search engines has there own settings.
4. Some of the hotel booking sites promises many facilities and offers. Check them whether they are true or not by browsing the particular hotel website. Always compare the discount hotels rates as every hotel has their own discount offers. Also never forget to check the hotel reviews and facilities. Hotel reviews are very popular way to find out about the hotel and its adeptness’s.
5. Don’t be hurry in selecting discount hotels for you need a little research work because it is advisable to compare and contrast the rates of the hotels which are offering discountable rates. By doing these you can get the lowest discount rate hotels and on the same time reliable as well.
The aforementioned tips can be a useful advice for the travelers and definitely these five tips for booking discount Bali hotels can minimize the worries and hurries of a budget traveler.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Bali Beach Hotels- Dream Homes in the Lap of Nature
Blessed with natural bounteousness, Bali- a nature's paradise is dream destination for several romantic hearts. Bali beaches are excellent places to soak your body in the natural beauty and to indulge in the varied water sports activities. Stretch yourself along the sandy beaches or visit the century old temples and the shrines. Explore all these and a lot more during your stay in the Bali Beach Hotels.
There are several beaches in Bali that offer numerous accommodation options. The Sansur Beach, one of the most popular beaches is an excellent site to watch the sun rise. There are many luxurious resorts and hotels along the entire stretch of white sand. The Inna Grand Bali Beach is a renowned 5-star hotel. The Inna Sindhu Beach Hotel is a nice place to experience the traditional hospitality of the land. Some other resorts and hotels that are nestled in this area are La Taverna Bali Hotel, Mercure Resort Sanur Bali, theParigata Spa Villas and others. Situated under the cool shade of the palm trees, these hotels and resorts offer excellent range of facilities.
The bali Beach hotels of the Kuta and the Legian area are also excellent. The place offers you the excitement and the thrill that you may look forward during your holiday. All the hotels located in the Kuta beach cater to the needs and the taste of discerning guests. Spend your days and nights in the charming ambiance of the hotel. Located along the entire stretch there are a good number of accommodation options which include both luxurious resorts and moderately priced hotels. Indonesia is also famous for its traditional massages. There is an array of hotels which specialize in these massages.
Some of the best hotels of Bali Beaches are also located in Nusa Dua which has impressed travelers with its white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and lush greenery. It is of the top destinations of the world for surfers and water sport lovers which have transformed it into one of the most flourishing cities of the country. There are a few international hotels like Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, Novotel Nusa Dua Bali Hotel & Residences, The Bale Nusa Dua Bali and others.
The beach of Legian is also popular among the tourists. There are several good value-for-money hotels in this region. To meet the needs of the travelers, especially the leisure ones, there are a number of hotels in the Soka and the Lovina beach.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Bali Travel Guide and Review - Part 1
Bali is a small volcanic island covering around 5000 square kilometers, just south of the equator. Central Bali is dominated by the island's major volcanic peaks, from which the land steadily descends all the way down to sea level on the northern and eastern coasts; the southern Bali peninsula is largely flat. There are four major volcanoes in Bali, the highest being Mt Agung at 3124m.
Agung erupted violently in 1963 and although many people died in the eruption it has since been a blessing to the Balinese in providing some of the richest soil in Indonesia. The next four highest mountains are no longer alive but the smaller Mt Batur (1717m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the region, puffing regular clouds of ash into the air.
Bali, being such a small island, has little space to create rivers of any notable size. Rather it is riddled with small creeks that are channeled into the intricate irrigation system that feeds Balinese rice paddies. Nevertheless, some major rivers do flow, namely the Sungai Pakrisan ("Kris River"), the Sungai Petanu ("Cursed River") and the Ayung, Bali's longest river.
Bali Introduction : The History
Many years ago Bali was divided into eight Hindu kingdoms. These small kingdoms were powerful but prone to fighting each other, which weakened their resistance to foreign invasion. As early as the sixth century, Javanese kings conquered parts of Bali although Balinese princes often continued to rule as puppets with Javanese sovereignty pulling their strings. Nevertheless power continued to bounce between various kingdoms of Bali and Java.
As links with Java strengthened, Javanese script, sculpture and temples began to appear on the island. Late in the tenth century, ties between the islands were solidified with the marital union of a Balinese Prince and a Javanese Princess. The Javanese Majapahit kingdom conquered Bali in the thirteenth century by vanquishing the semi-demonic king of Bali at the time, 'Dalem Bedulu', and attempting to eradicate the 'vile' Balinese princes and their 'barbaric' customs.
Ironically, the supreme Majapahit ruler gave a Balinese the position of 'King of Bali', a position that gained little respect from the majority of Balinese who continued to refuse to recognize Javanese sovereignty. The Majapahit presence in Bali turned out to be short and turbulent and during the ensuing centuries, much of the unique Balinese Hindu culture and traditions that we see in Bali today were created. This was possibly a result of a community determined to protect their individuality and not be overcome by imported Javanese culture.
Contact with the west began when a Dutch fleet stumbled across Bali in 1597 and felt they had found 'paradise'. Many of the crew refused to return home but stories of a magical place leaked back to their homeland. With Dutch royalty eager to establish relations, Dutch ships bearing gifts for the Balinese kings were dispatched. However, from a trading perspective, Bali had little to offer so the opportunity to develop international relations was restricted at first. Originally, its primary export was slaves but as the world slave trade was curtailed, the Balinese Kings turned to other commodities such as coconut oil, thereby putting Bali in a position to enter the world trading market.
Dutch interest in the Indonesian islands changed into the seventeenth century and the merchant ships gave way to war ships. The Dutch had overcome many Javanese kingdoms through ancient principles of divide and conquer and the same approach was taken in Bali. As the Balinese continued to resist, the Dutch became more and more aggressive.
Stories of their barbaric tactics were not received well in their homeland and protests led them to complete their invasion more tactfully. Surprisingly, once the Dutch secured control, they protected the island from outside influences and encouraged them to maintain much of their culture and traditions. Grateful of this as we are today, their reasons were not purely benevolent: they considered the Balinese controllable with their peaceful religion but were wary should that religion change to a more fundamental variety.
World War 2 brought a new era as Japanese armies took over from the Dutch. The Japanese presence in Bali was short lived and they left without a trace as they lost the war. The Dutch tried to return to the Indonesian islands, but their desperate attempts to regain power in the colony were condemned all over the world. Together with the rest of the Dutch East Indies archipelago, Bali was handed over to a new independent Indonesian government that emerged in 1949. Bali had finally lost its liberty and fell to its destiny of economic and political dependence on neighboring Java.
Bali Introduction : The Population
Bali is bursting, with an estimated population of over three million people. Through the controversial transmigration program, Balinese communities have developed in the outer regions of Indonesia such as Sumatra and Sulawesi, in order to relieve the islands' already stretched natural resources.
to be continued.....
Agung erupted violently in 1963 and although many people died in the eruption it has since been a blessing to the Balinese in providing some of the richest soil in Indonesia. The next four highest mountains are no longer alive but the smaller Mt Batur (1717m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the region, puffing regular clouds of ash into the air.
Bali, being such a small island, has little space to create rivers of any notable size. Rather it is riddled with small creeks that are channeled into the intricate irrigation system that feeds Balinese rice paddies. Nevertheless, some major rivers do flow, namely the Sungai Pakrisan ("Kris River"), the Sungai Petanu ("Cursed River") and the Ayung, Bali's longest river.
Bali Introduction : The History
Many years ago Bali was divided into eight Hindu kingdoms. These small kingdoms were powerful but prone to fighting each other, which weakened their resistance to foreign invasion. As early as the sixth century, Javanese kings conquered parts of Bali although Balinese princes often continued to rule as puppets with Javanese sovereignty pulling their strings. Nevertheless power continued to bounce between various kingdoms of Bali and Java.
As links with Java strengthened, Javanese script, sculpture and temples began to appear on the island. Late in the tenth century, ties between the islands were solidified with the marital union of a Balinese Prince and a Javanese Princess. The Javanese Majapahit kingdom conquered Bali in the thirteenth century by vanquishing the semi-demonic king of Bali at the time, 'Dalem Bedulu', and attempting to eradicate the 'vile' Balinese princes and their 'barbaric' customs.
Ironically, the supreme Majapahit ruler gave a Balinese the position of 'King of Bali', a position that gained little respect from the majority of Balinese who continued to refuse to recognize Javanese sovereignty. The Majapahit presence in Bali turned out to be short and turbulent and during the ensuing centuries, much of the unique Balinese Hindu culture and traditions that we see in Bali today were created. This was possibly a result of a community determined to protect their individuality and not be overcome by imported Javanese culture.
Contact with the west began when a Dutch fleet stumbled across Bali in 1597 and felt they had found 'paradise'. Many of the crew refused to return home but stories of a magical place leaked back to their homeland. With Dutch royalty eager to establish relations, Dutch ships bearing gifts for the Balinese kings were dispatched. However, from a trading perspective, Bali had little to offer so the opportunity to develop international relations was restricted at first. Originally, its primary export was slaves but as the world slave trade was curtailed, the Balinese Kings turned to other commodities such as coconut oil, thereby putting Bali in a position to enter the world trading market.
Dutch interest in the Indonesian islands changed into the seventeenth century and the merchant ships gave way to war ships. The Dutch had overcome many Javanese kingdoms through ancient principles of divide and conquer and the same approach was taken in Bali. As the Balinese continued to resist, the Dutch became more and more aggressive.
Stories of their barbaric tactics were not received well in their homeland and protests led them to complete their invasion more tactfully. Surprisingly, once the Dutch secured control, they protected the island from outside influences and encouraged them to maintain much of their culture and traditions. Grateful of this as we are today, their reasons were not purely benevolent: they considered the Balinese controllable with their peaceful religion but were wary should that religion change to a more fundamental variety.
World War 2 brought a new era as Japanese armies took over from the Dutch. The Japanese presence in Bali was short lived and they left without a trace as they lost the war. The Dutch tried to return to the Indonesian islands, but their desperate attempts to regain power in the colony were condemned all over the world. Together with the rest of the Dutch East Indies archipelago, Bali was handed over to a new independent Indonesian government that emerged in 1949. Bali had finally lost its liberty and fell to its destiny of economic and political dependence on neighboring Java.
Bali Introduction : The Population
Bali is bursting, with an estimated population of over three million people. Through the controversial transmigration program, Balinese communities have developed in the outer regions of Indonesia such as Sumatra and Sulawesi, in order to relieve the islands' already stretched natural resources.
to be continued.....
Friday, September 19, 2008
Bali Blinds are an excellent means cheap and enliven the appearance of the whole area and to give a face lift to your chair. Bali blinds in a variety of styles, fabrics, and the structures and give your house a random, up, and calling on the look. Among the most popular Bali, Dockers, cellular, just, Roman blind, the blind and wood species.
Plissées Bali Blinds are with the way the conditions and reasons, Tempo and beautiful natural fibers mixed. The bites are to stay and seek elected, while Give your room, the peace, freedom, in fact. Bali Stores, on the other hand, another in shallow or tear loop styles and are among the most modern and more fashionable window for the options available on the market. If you are looking for a traditional pace and vertical Bali stores are the types of stores for you.
These vertical curtains are ideal for large windows, especially for those who are the focus of a room. Long vertical boards, all with a free, and the feeling of luxury are ideal for the dining room, living room, bedroom and large impressive. Vertical blinds are so large, the privacy and the control of light and allow you to the sound of a song simply to decide in the corner of the battens. Bali vertical Stores are also in the simple structures, which allow a soft light, without compromising confidentiality. Love Bali bilnds.
Plissées Bali Blinds are with the way the conditions and reasons, Tempo and beautiful natural fibers mixed. The bites are to stay and seek elected, while Give your room, the peace, freedom, in fact. Bali Stores, on the other hand, another in shallow or tear loop styles and are among the most modern and more fashionable window for the options available on the market. If you are looking for a traditional pace and vertical Bali stores are the types of stores for you.
These vertical curtains are ideal for large windows, especially for those who are the focus of a room. Long vertical boards, all with a free, and the feeling of luxury are ideal for the dining room, living room, bedroom and large impressive. Vertical blinds are so large, the privacy and the control of light and allow you to the sound of a song simply to decide in the corner of the battens. Bali vertical Stores are also in the simple structures, which allow a soft light, without compromising confidentiality. Love Bali bilnds.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Bali Villa Rental Tips & Tricks
If like me, you have been bitten by the ‘Holiday Villa Bug', you will already know that no hotel can match the privacy and luxury of a good Villa Holiday. The great news is that today there are even more villa rental options out there than ever before. Not to mention the fact that if you know how to choose the right holiday rental villa you will be saving a lot of money in comparison to the same level of service in a comparable quality hotel.
It seems that no where in the world has seen as big an explosion of luxury fully serviced holiday villas, as the island of Bali in Indonesia.
OK, I happen to be blessed with a great line of work, as a Travel Writer, and have been lucky enough to stay in some of the best tropical resorts around the world, especially in Asia. But still for me, nothing compares to the peace, luxury and delights (not to mention the cost effectiveness) of staying in a good serviced villa in Bali.
So, what makes a ‘good holiday villa'?
Like everyone else, I have learned how to choose the perfect villa through luck, some mistakes and sheer experience.
Here are my top tips for choosing the right villa in Bali for your next Bali holiday.
Location-Location-Location
This sounds obvious, but it is not always easy to make the right location decision when we are sat at home, far away from our holiday destination.
Like every other world-class holiday destination, Bali offers a range of options, from ‘central' locations, to those which offer ‘absolute tranquility'.
I personally like a balance between the two. On a Bali villa holiday, the last thing one needs is to be sooo central that you feel like you are an extension of a night club's base unit till wee hours of the morning. On the other hand, I really don't want to be more than 15-20 minutes away from where the restaurants, shops and the action is. I like my villa to be certainly quiet, preferably amongst rice fields, but at the same time accessible (within 30 minutes of the airport, and a few minutes from the action).
The great thing is that Bali caters for all of these tastes.
Those seeking a central location, with a lively night life may want to look into Legian and Seminyak, (I exclude Kuta area from this list, as there are hardly any proper rental villas left in this bustling tourist centre).
Those who don't mind a bit of a trek, and don't want to go out and about much during their holiday, may opt for areas such as Uluwatu or Canggu and beyond.
For me the perfect choice is Kerobokan and Umalas areas. Quiet rural environment, surrounded by rice terraces and real villagers going about their real daily routines (instead of trying to push you a handicraft (Kuta) or pull you into a restaurant you really couldn't care for (Seminyak)).
Quality and Availability of Service Now this is an area where villas differ from each other immensely. In Bali most villas proclaim to be ‘fully serviced'. However, how ‘fully' and how ‘serviced' range from the most basic to being totally pampered.
A good villa should provide a guest to total staff ratio of nearly 1 to 1, or at least 1.5 to 1. So, if you are a group of 8 you should be looking at, at least, 5-6 full time staff, or for a group of 4 at least 3-4 full time staff. Sounds ostentatiously high? It really isn't once you consider the effort it takes to keep a holiday villa, its gardens, and the pool in a tip-top shape.
Of course, quantity is never the only answer. The staff needs to be full-time and fully-trained at a professional level. There are too many villas out there, which are run by ‘part-time' managers and staff who actually have other full time jobs elsewhere!
Your Own Chef
One of the great pleasures of traveling to a foreign destination is to experiment with and experience the local cuisine. And what better place to experience this, than in the comfort of your own villa!
So, make sure that your villa comes with its own Chef. Once you have tasted the delights of enjoying home cooking in your own villa, you will probably not want to venture out to restaurants at all. The best thing is, having your own private villa Chef in Bali, is substantially cheaper than eating out.
However, make sure to check how the Chef arrangement works.
Ideally, the Chef cost should be included in your rental rate. In this case all you have to pay for are the cost of the ingredients which are purchased for you, typically at the local market/supermarket prices, with no mark-up. So, financials of eating at your own villa becomes just like eating at home, but without lifting a finger, and at substantially lower Bali prices.
Some villas claim to offer a Chef service, but charge restaurant/hotel prices for each dish that the chef prepares for you. I prefer to avoid these, as I can always pop out to a restaurant if I so wished anyway.
So, check to make sure that the Chef is part of your villa team, and that you will not be charged incrementally for food on a per item basis.
Your Villa Manager
A professional Villa Manager makes a huge difference to your enjoyment of your holiday. Even if you have been to Bali many times before, a good Villa Manager can be a much valued life-line, a great source of shopping tips, and a problem solver. A good villa manager can provide a wealth of directions/advice, from where to eat, to which river to choose for your white-water rafting adventure in which season, or where the cheapest golf courses are, to which temples to visit to see which local ceremonies.
Needless to say, they should also be managing the villa team, and making sure that the quality of service and cleanliness are never compromised.
Before I book a villa in Bali, I always check to see what the Villa Manager arrangement is like, and that there is a full time Villa Manager on site at the villa I am planning to rent. Typically, for good villas, you can expect to have your own dedicated Villa Manager, or have a Villa Manager who is working at 2-3 adjacent villas. However, if a Villa Manager is expected to look after 5-6+ villas, then you are most likely not going to see him for more than a few minutes a day, only during his courtesy visits (at best), so you loose out on the real benefits of having the inside-track.
Villa Quality & Upkeep
Be very, very weary of any rental villas which can not provide you with more than at least 20 recent photos of the property. These photos should show you not only the outside of the buildings, but also the living/dining areas, as well as insides of bedrooms.
If you are not provided with a sufficient number of photos giving you a clear idea of the property, then it is quite likely that there is something substantially wrong with the property, such as a building overlooking it, an abattoir next door, or at the least peeling paintwork or missing fixtures/furniture.
Remember, not all villas are created equal. But additionally, not all villas are kept and maintained equally well. It is your right to request and see these photos of the property.
Mod-Cons
OK, you are planning to stay on a tiny island, in the middle of the tropics. What mod-cons should you expect? From own experience, I would suggest that even in the middle of the tropics, good Bali villas should be able to provide at least the following mod-cons:
Air-conditioning in all bedrooms
Clean, Western style kitchen -fully equipped with a fridge, microwave, electric kettle, and a coffee maker, as well as sufficient crockery and cutlery
Safe deposit box - at least one for your private villa use, and preferably one in each bedroom
TV/Satellite/DVD Player - as there will always be someone who wants to catch the news, or children who will need entertaining
Telephone - whilst many of us live attached to our mobile/cellular phones, it is important that there is a permanent phone connection at the villa, in case of emergencies
En-suite bathrooms - if you are looking at going as a family or a group of friends, you really don't want to spend your holiday in Bali queuing for the next available slot at shared facilities!
Enjoying a fully staffed and serviced villa with your own Chef may seem like an un-attainable dream in most other parts of the world. However, renting a Villa in Bali is by far one of the most cost effective ways of enjoying this beautiful island and the company of its hospitable people.
Now armed with this check-list you are ready to plan you next dream holiday in a Villa in Bali. Like me, you will probably never want to leave, and go back to reality!
Many happy returns...
Friday, September 12, 2008
Bali Beach Hotels: Top Class Retreats Near the Beaches
Bali, a huge conglomeration of 13,000 islands, tempts the travelers all around the world with its richness ranging from mountains to long coastlines and hillsides to sandy beaches. The beach lovers throng in at Bali throughout the year and thus number of Bali Beach Hotels has multiplied in the recent years. Couples, families and even the corporate individuals make frequent visits to spend a nice vacation near the Bali beaches.
Since the island of Bali covers a huge area you find plenty of Bali beach hotels situated at every corner of the region. While Southern part of Bali has the major concentration of hotels you can still count on a number of star category hotels located in other parts of Bali. After you fly down at Ngurah Rai international airport in Denpasar you can easily get connected with your chosen hotel.
If you are planning to go for a trip to North Bali you can select from a number of quality Bali beach hotels. Apart from the luxury hotels like, Matahari Beach Resort & Spa, Damai Lovina Villas and Puri Bagus Lovina, you can also check-in at the mid-range hotels like Saranam Eco Resort. This beautiful region of Indonesia touches the heart of millions of travelers every year and these beach hotels in Bali offer you the dose of relaxation.
Candi Dasa, a noted tourist destination in the East of Bali is also gifted with a number of world class hotels. Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa and Alila Manggis Bali are among the luxury beach hotels in Bali while Puri Bagus Candidasa and Puri Bagus Manggis are the noted mid-range accommodations. You expect to receive exclusive comfort in the form of elegant rooms, elaborate arrangement of dining and wining and endless list of recreational facilities.
Coming down to the south of Bali will let you explore the blessed regions like, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Tuban, Jimbaran, and Nusa Dua. There is a wide range of Bali beach hotels in these popular destinations. The luxury hotels like Kuta Seaview Cottage, Mercure Kuta Bali, Ramayana Resort & Spa, and White Rose Hotel & Spa await your coming and welcome you with sheer hospitality. Be it the night-life or the beach activities, staying in these Bali hotels give you a free ticket to entertainment.
Nusa Dua, considered to be a posh region in Bali, has the major concentration of 5-star hotels. If you can afford luxury the Bali beach hotels in Nusa Dua like, Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, Novotel Nusa Dua Bali Hotel & Residences, and Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, are ready to offer you a grand treatment. Like other luxury hotels in Indonesia, these beach hotels in Bali offer you extensive range of recreational facilities including spa, swimming pool and water sports in the nearby beaches.
Since the island of Bali covers a huge area you find plenty of Bali beach hotels situated at every corner of the region. While Southern part of Bali has the major concentration of hotels you can still count on a number of star category hotels located in other parts of Bali. After you fly down at Ngurah Rai international airport in Denpasar you can easily get connected with your chosen hotel.
If you are planning to go for a trip to North Bali you can select from a number of quality Bali beach hotels. Apart from the luxury hotels like, Matahari Beach Resort & Spa, Damai Lovina Villas and Puri Bagus Lovina, you can also check-in at the mid-range hotels like Saranam Eco Resort. This beautiful region of Indonesia touches the heart of millions of travelers every year and these beach hotels in Bali offer you the dose of relaxation.
Candi Dasa, a noted tourist destination in the East of Bali is also gifted with a number of world class hotels. Rama Candidasa Resort & Spa and Alila Manggis Bali are among the luxury beach hotels in Bali while Puri Bagus Candidasa and Puri Bagus Manggis are the noted mid-range accommodations. You expect to receive exclusive comfort in the form of elegant rooms, elaborate arrangement of dining and wining and endless list of recreational facilities.
Coming down to the south of Bali will let you explore the blessed regions like, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Tuban, Jimbaran, and Nusa Dua. There is a wide range of Bali beach hotels in these popular destinations. The luxury hotels like Kuta Seaview Cottage, Mercure Kuta Bali, Ramayana Resort & Spa, and White Rose Hotel & Spa await your coming and welcome you with sheer hospitality. Be it the night-life or the beach activities, staying in these Bali hotels give you a free ticket to entertainment.
Nusa Dua, considered to be a posh region in Bali, has the major concentration of 5-star hotels. If you can afford luxury the Bali beach hotels in Nusa Dua like, Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, Nikko Bali Resort & Spa, Novotel Nusa Dua Bali Hotel & Residences, and Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, are ready to offer you a grand treatment. Like other luxury hotels in Indonesia, these beach hotels in Bali offer you extensive range of recreational facilities including spa, swimming pool and water sports in the nearby beaches.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Some Very Good Reasons For Staying At The Tugu Bali Hotel
The Top Bali Luxury hotel is situated right on a broad beach on the south west side of Bali, and it is called The Tugu Bali Hotel.
This is very definitely the most romantic hotel in Bali with only 22 rooms, and each decorated with priceless antiques and pictures. In fact wherever you turn in the Tugu Bali Hotel you will see artifacts lovingly collected over many years by the owner. Don't for one second think that the hotel is in any way out of date, in fact you will find the Tugu has a huge reputation for service, luxury and romance and exceptional hospitality too.
A love of fine art, and a planned wedding, means you need the perfect luxury hotel for the most romantic honeymoon you could possibly have here in Bali, and the Tugu Bali Hotel can and will certainly supply that, and more.
You will find that the Tugu is a wonderful romantic refuge from the outside world, and because it is a little out of the way, the staff who will treat you like royalty go more than out of their way to ensure you don't have any need to leave. This starts at the international airport at Denpasar where you are picked up and given refreshments during the thirty minute ride, which will then be repeated as you complete the formalities in the beautiful open air reception area.
Looking around you will immediately realize that the Tugu Bali Hotel is not only a luxury hotel in Bali, it is also going to be one of the best experiences of your life, and so romantic if it is your Bali honeymoon, then you couldn't have chosen better. All the cobble stone paths, the gardens, the Balinese and Javaneses antiques, and the altars make you feel as if you are in a friend's home and not one of the top luxury hotels in Bali.
It is the personal attention to detail that makes a good hotel into a great one, and the staff here are unobtrusive, know your name, nothing is too much trouble, and wishes are turned quickly into reality, without having to continually sign chits because the staff know who you are.
If you are able to, then stay in one of the suites with the private plunge pool, the courtyard with the huge outdoor bath tub is fantastic, and you could spend some hours in that alone!! It is like being able to step for a few days into a magical world, you'll almost have to pinch yourself.
The food at the Tugu Bali Hotel is uniformly excellent, and if you get the opportunity take part in the cooking class and the market visit. The cooking class takes place in what is like a film set with a reconstruction of a street kitchen. This one on one lesson is something you'll never forget especially as you then get to eat it!!
Another experience not to be missed is dusk on the beach at Tugu, where you can watch the sunset over the sea whilst eating a romantic grilled seafood dinner, cooked right in front of you. In fact you can eat wherever you want and this includes the 18th century temple in the grounds, and food is genuine Balinese
Altogether the Tugu Hotel Bali is an oasis, unique in that it is so tranquil in an increasingly hectic world.
Go there especially for your Bali Honeymoon or just to recharge your batteries.
This is very definitely the most romantic hotel in Bali with only 22 rooms, and each decorated with priceless antiques and pictures. In fact wherever you turn in the Tugu Bali Hotel you will see artifacts lovingly collected over many years by the owner. Don't for one second think that the hotel is in any way out of date, in fact you will find the Tugu has a huge reputation for service, luxury and romance and exceptional hospitality too.
A love of fine art, and a planned wedding, means you need the perfect luxury hotel for the most romantic honeymoon you could possibly have here in Bali, and the Tugu Bali Hotel can and will certainly supply that, and more.
You will find that the Tugu is a wonderful romantic refuge from the outside world, and because it is a little out of the way, the staff who will treat you like royalty go more than out of their way to ensure you don't have any need to leave. This starts at the international airport at Denpasar where you are picked up and given refreshments during the thirty minute ride, which will then be repeated as you complete the formalities in the beautiful open air reception area.
Looking around you will immediately realize that the Tugu Bali Hotel is not only a luxury hotel in Bali, it is also going to be one of the best experiences of your life, and so romantic if it is your Bali honeymoon, then you couldn't have chosen better. All the cobble stone paths, the gardens, the Balinese and Javaneses antiques, and the altars make you feel as if you are in a friend's home and not one of the top luxury hotels in Bali.
It is the personal attention to detail that makes a good hotel into a great one, and the staff here are unobtrusive, know your name, nothing is too much trouble, and wishes are turned quickly into reality, without having to continually sign chits because the staff know who you are.
If you are able to, then stay in one of the suites with the private plunge pool, the courtyard with the huge outdoor bath tub is fantastic, and you could spend some hours in that alone!! It is like being able to step for a few days into a magical world, you'll almost have to pinch yourself.
The food at the Tugu Bali Hotel is uniformly excellent, and if you get the opportunity take part in the cooking class and the market visit. The cooking class takes place in what is like a film set with a reconstruction of a street kitchen. This one on one lesson is something you'll never forget especially as you then get to eat it!!
Another experience not to be missed is dusk on the beach at Tugu, where you can watch the sunset over the sea whilst eating a romantic grilled seafood dinner, cooked right in front of you. In fact you can eat wherever you want and this includes the 18th century temple in the grounds, and food is genuine Balinese
Altogether the Tugu Hotel Bali is an oasis, unique in that it is so tranquil in an increasingly hectic world.
Go there especially for your Bali Honeymoon or just to recharge your batteries.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Have you Been to Bali Yet? Want to See How it Looks Like?
Much has been written about the favorite dream island of Bali. But how does it actually look like, and what's more important - is it the right destination for a visit or for a honeymoon? There are lots of promotional materials circulating out there done by travel companies and book publishers, but how about getting real close up views by visitors that share their own intimate perspectives for a change.
Nothing is more honest and revealing than private Bali videos all created by individual people from all over the globe that visited this island already, and made videos about that in their own language. Then uploaded it to a video web site, and now share them with the world and everyone. Free Bali videos. How convenient.
This new video site is strictly about Bali videos only. Watch what other people experienced here already, the places they visited, and what kind of people they met. What type of hotels or exclusive villas they stayed at. Now it's all online available at one single spot dedicated to the private Bali on film.
Good idea to include a search engine into that, so one can search whatever they want to see in particular. My favorites today was the search term 'Jimbaran Bali' what did show a few very relaxing videos made at that location, also 'Nusa Dua beach' did show some good results, with some of the great resorts there. Occasionally one finds some cool music in the search results that have related song titles that have "bali" in the name, as for example the title 'Bali run' of classic song by the band 'Fourplay' live in concert.
It's stunning with what some people come up with in these few minute long flicks. The 'classic Bali style' ones come with some accompanying Balinese Gamelan and flute music are very emotional touched, as they captured the Bali of the early years. What is for some travelers the 1980's and 1990's. When walking from Kuta beach to Legian beach on the main road without any car disturbing you was a reality. Unthinkable these days when everyone has a motorbike or a car.
The video website was created as a true tribute to Bali as seen by travelers, with so many interesting videos that myself spend considerable time there watching a few of these and still find new videos from some unknown 'Bali fanatics" that have great landscapes, huge waves and at times also extremely good looking people enjoying themselves having a great time.
From casual 3-days travelers that just bought a new camera, to some experienced video artists that show their skills with artistic montages zooming in on rice fields, beaches and mountain sites. Yesterday for a change I had a look at the contestants of a Miss Universe Japan video, what was basically something you would see on TV, except the girls are very beautiful here in that one. Naturally charming, like so many people visiting Bali.
Some videos are commercials done by tour and villa marketing people showing off their special villas. What's cool too, as there are so may exclusive villas now in Bali and so little time to actually go and visit each of them. So it can be really time saving and revealing to have it all presented to you while sitting comfortably and nodding with amazement or approval occasionally. Having peek previews of for example the Four Seasons in Sayan, Ubud is a pure pleasure. They really did built some marvelous villas there, all set inside the greenest jungle there possibly can exist.
And if you're into surfing, Bali waves videos are of course a must watch. From locations like Amed to the southern cliffs, it's all there. Some heavy duty pure adrenalin action videos and also some 'still impressions' that go in the opposite direction by showing only the waves coming in and going out for about 5 minutes straight. Very relaxing actually, with the original sound of the waves, makes a great screensaver for the next creative coffee break in front of the PC. And that's another interesting point to it, we cannot all live there, but we can all watch it anytime we like. Bali, truly a dream island as seen on video. Now showing on the all new Bali videos website.
Nothing is more honest and revealing than private Bali videos all created by individual people from all over the globe that visited this island already, and made videos about that in their own language. Then uploaded it to a video web site, and now share them with the world and everyone. Free Bali videos. How convenient.
This new video site is strictly about Bali videos only. Watch what other people experienced here already, the places they visited, and what kind of people they met. What type of hotels or exclusive villas they stayed at. Now it's all online available at one single spot dedicated to the private Bali on film.
Good idea to include a search engine into that, so one can search whatever they want to see in particular. My favorites today was the search term 'Jimbaran Bali' what did show a few very relaxing videos made at that location, also 'Nusa Dua beach' did show some good results, with some of the great resorts there. Occasionally one finds some cool music in the search results that have related song titles that have "bali" in the name, as for example the title 'Bali run' of classic song by the band 'Fourplay' live in concert.
It's stunning with what some people come up with in these few minute long flicks. The 'classic Bali style' ones come with some accompanying Balinese Gamelan and flute music are very emotional touched, as they captured the Bali of the early years. What is for some travelers the 1980's and 1990's. When walking from Kuta beach to Legian beach on the main road without any car disturbing you was a reality. Unthinkable these days when everyone has a motorbike or a car.
The video website was created as a true tribute to Bali as seen by travelers, with so many interesting videos that myself spend considerable time there watching a few of these and still find new videos from some unknown 'Bali fanatics" that have great landscapes, huge waves and at times also extremely good looking people enjoying themselves having a great time.
From casual 3-days travelers that just bought a new camera, to some experienced video artists that show their skills with artistic montages zooming in on rice fields, beaches and mountain sites. Yesterday for a change I had a look at the contestants of a Miss Universe Japan video, what was basically something you would see on TV, except the girls are very beautiful here in that one. Naturally charming, like so many people visiting Bali.
Some videos are commercials done by tour and villa marketing people showing off their special villas. What's cool too, as there are so may exclusive villas now in Bali and so little time to actually go and visit each of them. So it can be really time saving and revealing to have it all presented to you while sitting comfortably and nodding with amazement or approval occasionally. Having peek previews of for example the Four Seasons in Sayan, Ubud is a pure pleasure. They really did built some marvelous villas there, all set inside the greenest jungle there possibly can exist.
And if you're into surfing, Bali waves videos are of course a must watch. From locations like Amed to the southern cliffs, it's all there. Some heavy duty pure adrenalin action videos and also some 'still impressions' that go in the opposite direction by showing only the waves coming in and going out for about 5 minutes straight. Very relaxing actually, with the original sound of the waves, makes a great screensaver for the next creative coffee break in front of the PC. And that's another interesting point to it, we cannot all live there, but we can all watch it anytime we like. Bali, truly a dream island as seen on video. Now showing on the all new Bali videos website.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Bali Hotels – Designed for Ultimate Relaxation
Bali is a tropical island of Indonesia. Meet with the friendly Balinese people, soak yourself in the past culture and heritage of the land, learn more about the temples and the shrines and actively participate in one of the festivals and events of the region. Bali is a place that has entertainment options for all types of travelers. Known as one of the best surfing lands of the world it is a paradise for all adventure lovers. To cater to the needs of all travelers, all the Bali hotels offer a wide range of facilities to all its guests. The Bali hotels are the best places to experience true Balinese hospitality.
There are innumerable hotels dotted all along Bali. Some of the popular places of Bali where you can find a good number of hotels are Kuta, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sansur and Ubud.
All the Kuta Hotels in Bali are known for their wonderful ambiance and traditional hospitality. Some of the popular hotels of the area are Alam Kulkul Boutique Resort, Bounty Hotel Kuta, Barong Hotel Kuta, Dewi Sri Cottage Kuta and others. Travelers with limited budget constraint can reserve a room in the 2-star Green Garden Hotel, 1-star Ida Hotel Bali and others. All the hotels in this region are well known for their wide range of facilities and services. Most of the hotels overlook lush greenery and azure blue waters.
Tourists planning their trip to Sansur can find a good number of excellent accommodation options. There are many 4- star, 3-star and cheap hotels in this part of Bali. Enjoy a luxurious stay in Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel which is reputedly the first international hotel in Bali. You can choose one of the thatched roof bungalows in the La Tavern Hotel. The Mercure Resort Sansur Bali after its recent renovation is one of the most preferred hotels of the region. Most of the hotels have on-site restaurants where guests can relish a variety of regional sea food delicacies. After a fabulous meal you can pamper yourself in the private beach of the Parigata Resort and Spa.
June to September is the mainly the tourist season in Bali. If you are planning your trip in July or August then make sure that you make reservation in any one of the hotels. As the rates of the hotel during these months can be a bit high you can save your expenditure by planning your trip during the off-peak season. Most of the hotels in Bali have provision for online booking.
Tourists from all corners of the world come to North Bali for spending a wonderful vacation. Marvel at the panoramic mountains and treat your eyes by the wonderful views of the Java Sea. Most of the hotels in the northern part of Bali provide an easy access to the beach areas. Indulge in the varied water sport activities that are loved by all adventure enthusiasts. Some of the popular hotels where you can find in South Kuta are Asdi Jaya Hotel Tuban, Aston Inn Tuban Bali, Febri's Hotel and Spa, Green Garden Beach Resort and Spa, Rama Beach Resort and Villas.
There are innumerable hotels dotted all along Bali. Some of the popular places of Bali where you can find a good number of hotels are Kuta, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sansur and Ubud.
All the Kuta Hotels in Bali are known for their wonderful ambiance and traditional hospitality. Some of the popular hotels of the area are Alam Kulkul Boutique Resort, Bounty Hotel Kuta, Barong Hotel Kuta, Dewi Sri Cottage Kuta and others. Travelers with limited budget constraint can reserve a room in the 2-star Green Garden Hotel, 1-star Ida Hotel Bali and others. All the hotels in this region are well known for their wide range of facilities and services. Most of the hotels overlook lush greenery and azure blue waters.
Tourists planning their trip to Sansur can find a good number of excellent accommodation options. There are many 4- star, 3-star and cheap hotels in this part of Bali. Enjoy a luxurious stay in Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel which is reputedly the first international hotel in Bali. You can choose one of the thatched roof bungalows in the La Tavern Hotel. The Mercure Resort Sansur Bali after its recent renovation is one of the most preferred hotels of the region. Most of the hotels have on-site restaurants where guests can relish a variety of regional sea food delicacies. After a fabulous meal you can pamper yourself in the private beach of the Parigata Resort and Spa.
June to September is the mainly the tourist season in Bali. If you are planning your trip in July or August then make sure that you make reservation in any one of the hotels. As the rates of the hotel during these months can be a bit high you can save your expenditure by planning your trip during the off-peak season. Most of the hotels in Bali have provision for online booking.
Tourists from all corners of the world come to North Bali for spending a wonderful vacation. Marvel at the panoramic mountains and treat your eyes by the wonderful views of the Java Sea. Most of the hotels in the northern part of Bali provide an easy access to the beach areas. Indulge in the varied water sport activities that are loved by all adventure enthusiasts. Some of the popular hotels where you can find in South Kuta are Asdi Jaya Hotel Tuban, Aston Inn Tuban Bali, Febri's Hotel and Spa, Green Garden Beach Resort and Spa, Rama Beach Resort and Villas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
