Bali Diggest.

Wine Poisoning Kills 21 in Indonesia

2009-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

A batch of rice wine laced with methanol has killed 21 people on the Indonesian island of Bali, including two Britons, officials say.

Police say they have arrested the owner of a small rice wine factory after discovering drums of the wine, called arak, that contained traces of the toxic chemical methanol, which is often used as an antifreeze or solvent, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

The owner and two employees were arrested for allegedly "producing and selling alcohol containing methanol which can cause death," a police spokesman said in a statement. "We are investigating whether they did it on purpose."

Indonesian authorities are also reportedly looking into whether the methanol may have been added to the wine after it had left the factory.

The newspaper said some of the victims died in extreme agony, including Briton Alan Colen, 59, who suffered a long and painful death Saturday after buying arak from a roadside stand near his home in Canggu, North Kuta.

"There was nothing we could do for him," Dr. Ida Bagus Alit told The Times. "When methanol gets into the bloodstream the victim deteriorates very quickly. It attacks the eyes, the liver and the kidneys."

UPI

Bali woos Indian tourists this autumn

2008-09-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

The blossoms of the Indonesian island of Bali will add fragrance to the holiday itineraries of several Indians this festival season. With the number of Indian footfalls growing in the island every year, officials of Indonesia's culture and tourism ministry, the Bali tourism industry and the Bali chapter of the Pacific-Asia Travel Association (PATA) all expect the number to cross the 22,000 mark in 2008.

At the close of 2007, the number of Indian visitors to Bali stood at 21,909, up 71.27 percent from the previous year, said a communiqué issued here Friday by the Indonesian culture and tourism ministry.

There has been a steady increase in Indian arrivals to the exotic island. In 2003, the number of Indians who visited Bali was a mere 4,554. The subsequent year, the number logged a quantum jump of 42.03 per cent to 6,468 and in 2006, it was 12.792 per cent.

The ministry, which is hard-selling the island as a preferred destination to Indian tourists this year, held a colorful cultural roadshow Friday.

The highlight of the marketing show was a traditional dance performance which opened with the Sekar Jagat dance - Sekar in Balinese means flowers and Jagat means the world. Like other welcoming dances, the Sekar Jagat dancers bring flowers with them, which combined along with hand movement, make the flowers come alive. The dancers move in a circle, which is beautiful when seen from above.

It was followed by the religious Topend Tua dance, which tells the story of a grandfather. The dancer illustrates to the audience that as we age someday into old men and women, one of our senses would not work perfectly any longer. The eyes lose power of sight, the hair changes colour and the body emaciates.

The show ended with the Cendrawasih dance, which is woven around the scarce fauna found in the Irian Jaya (Papua) island.

This dance has a green message - it tells the viewers how to protect the environment - through the movements of the playful Cendrawasih bird. The bird is red in colour and attire and winged formations of the dancers make the dance lyrical.

Bali, which was nominated the world's best island by the International Travel Magazine, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Nestled in the Indonesian archipelago, with a rich tropical wildlife and exotic cultures, it attracts tourists from across the continents.

This year, it hopes to draw at least two million foreign tourists by the year end.

“Interestingly, Balinese is still as rich as it was though it is growing along with globalisation. The Balinese culture has always been related to 'Tri Hita Karana' or a tripartite concept that includes spiritual relationship between humans, gods and environment.

"Owing to many similarities between Bali and India and influence of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata on the lives of the people in Bali and India, the two places have shared an emotional bond,” the statement issued by the ministry said.

Bali, one of the 17,000-odd islands in Indonesian archipelago, was an old spice trade centre dealing in pepper, cloves, nutmegs, vanilla and cinnamon. India last year ranked 14th in terms of foreign tourists visiting Bali.

via NDTVTravels

Summer at the Samaya

2008-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

The treatment rooms in the Samaya Spa are positioned so that you can have an ocean view, and even with eyes closed, ensconced in the privacy of the room the oceanic presence is audible and restful.

The Friendly Samaya Spa staff guide you through the choices of treatments and offer knowledge on essential oil blends and suitable styles of massage for problem areas. Well trained and in tune with the healing culture of their heritage, the massage therapists are among the islands' finest. They have a beautiful work ethic; 'share the gift of touch and touch someone's heart'.

A sense of gentleness pervades as the pretty gardens are echoed in the room by the petals strewn on the massage bed and the soft traditional music that flows through the room. The Samaya have a full range of treatments available and what we especially like is the Rama Men's treatment, it is so wholesome and male it provides the perfect excuse for a man to tend to his wellbeing. An afternoon spa session is a perfect gift and can be provided as a treatment for romantic couples or simply as a solo undertaking

Samaya Spa : 0062 361 731 149

Nyepi Holy Day

2008-08-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most unique celebrations in the world. It is also known as the Day of Silence. This unique day is celebrate once a year between March or April.

On this day Balinese must remain in their homes for 24hrs, abstaining from lighting fires and work. Before this holiday at night, house yards are symbolically swept of demons and lots of noise is made to scare negative forces away. Great big papier-mache puppets, called ogoh-ogoh, parade through the streets.

Kecak Dance

2008-08-25T23:40:00.000-07:00

In 1930th, for the new influx of tourists, the kecak was created by the German painter Walter Spies and artists are from Bedulu Village. Now, it is one of Bali's most spectacular performances. It is based on the hypnotic songs which originated with the Sanghyang trance traditions.
In this incredible interlocking rhythms of the vocal sound of cak, create the swirling music of the kecak. Over 100 mens chant while dancers perform an excerpt from the Ramayana story in the middle of the human circle. Peliatan at the Puri Agung, is one of the best to see it, in the Ubud area.

For more detail information abouy Kecak Dance:
Puri Agung, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, 80571.
Tel.: +62 361 976 285
Article: World News, Photo: mountainelm.com

Bali to host international animal welfare meetings

2008-08-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Around 250 delegates from countries in Asia, Europe and the United States along with representatives from 10 animal welfare foundations will gather in Sanur from Aug. 24 to 29.

The delegates will attend two events to discuss animal welfare issues, namely the Asia for Animals Conference and Asia Coalition for Farm Animals Workshop, which is organized by the Bali-based Yudhistira Swarga Street Dog Foundation.

The participants will include the London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), and the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA).

"We intend to learn from the best practices around the world on how to improve our ways in taking care of these animals, including how to increase public awareness on the issues," Yudhistira foundation's spokeswoman Danti Yuliandari told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Yudhistira foundation was established in 1998 by Balinese veterinarian Dr. Listriani Wistawan and her American friend Sherry Grant. The name of the foundation was taken from a character in Hindu's great epic Mahabharata.

According to the story, Prince Yudhistira, the epitome of virtue, refused to enter heaven after Lord Indra denied entry to Yudhistira's sole companion -- a skinny, dirty dog. Yudhistira argued the dog had earned its place in heaven for being loyal to him along the journey.

Danti said Bali was selected as the conference's site because many animal owners on the island were still treating pets or livestocks in a poor manner.

"Like humans, animals need to be treated with respect and care," she said.

Rina Dwi Asih, one of the foundation's field veterinarians, said they would also use the information from the conferences to lobby local legislators for a new animal welfare law.

She said the new law was expected to grant more power to animal welfare foundations and the government's animal husbandry agencies as well as to stipulate firmer punishments for those who abuse animals.

"With heavier legal sanctions there will be a new hope for a more conducive atmosphere on animal welfare in this country," she said.

Another veterinarian I Wayan Mudiarta said that to this date the only law concerning animal welfare used by the government was 1967 Animal Sanitary Law.

"This law is already out of date and in desperate need of improvement as it doesn't view animals from the animal welfare perspective and only stipulates minimum legal sanctions for violators," he said.

posted via: thejakartapost.com

Bamboo sales soar as Galungan nears

2008-08-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

As the Balinese prepare to celebrate their spiritual triumph in the Hindu holiday of Galungan on Wednesday, bamboo merchants celebrate another kind of victory -- high sales and good profits.

Many bamboo merchants in Denpasar reported high sales in the days leading to Galungan, when Hindu worshippers celebrate the victory of dharma (virtue) over adharma (vices) by erecting elaborately decorated penjor bamboo poles in front of their homes.

"The earnings I've gotten from this year's bamboo sales have gone up about 20 percent to 30 percent over last year's Galungan," said Made Reda, a bamboo merchant on Jl. Kenyeri in Denpasar, on Tuesday.

Reda attributed the high sales to more Balinese simply getting better connected to their religion.

"That makes me feel good too, because I'm helping my fellow Hindus celebrate Galungan," he said.

Reda, who has been selling bamboo for 13 years, said he had sold about 1,500 bamboo pieces since Saturday, up from the 25 to 100 he can expect on normal days. His sales of janur (young palm leaves) and rice paddies bouquets have also increased.

Reda's bamboos come from areas outside Denpasar, like Gianyar and Klungkung, while the janur come from Java.

"Because it's hard to find janur or bamboo in Denpasar anymore," he said.

He said his bamboo go for Rp 15,000 (US$1.60) apiece, while his other decorative items cost between Rp 13,000 and Rp 35,000, a slight increase compared to last year due to the high cost of fuel.

"But that has not stopped people from celebrating Galungan, apparently. In fact, it's great that more people are buying Galungan decorations," he said.

Ngakan Putu Jendra, another bamboo merchant, said he had sold about 1,000 bamboo pieces since Sunday. His bamboo and other decorative items go for between Rp 12,000 and Rp 25,000. Jendra, who studied to be a teacher, said he enjoyed selling bamboo because it gave him a chance to help Hinduism flourish.

"We do what we do because it is part of our blessing. We can only give what we have received," he said.

Galungan, which occurs every 210 days and lasts for 10 days, ending on a day called Kuningan, is one of the most important recurring religious festivals in Balinese Hinduism. During the festival the deified ancestors descend to their former homes. The ancestors must be suitably entertained and welcomed with prayers and offerings.

According to Balinese mythology, Galungan is a celebration of the victory of Lord Indra and his heavenly army over Maya Denawa, the atheistic ruler of ancient Bali.

The days leading to Galungan see Balinese men prepare pigs or chicken as sacrifices, while inside the homes women can be seen making cakes and preparing fruits and flowers for offerings.

On Tuesday, Balinese men erected the penjor next to the front gates of their houses. The sight of the arching bamboos flanking the island's streets enhanced the festive spirit brought on by the religious festival.

Balinese artists invited to Beijing Biennale

2008-08-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Six Balinese artists have been invited to participate in the upcoming 3rd Beijing International Art Biennale after their works of art passed the rigid selection process of the event's curatorial board.

The biennale will be held as a parallel event to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"We are really proud to have played a small role in making this happen ... in assisting these artists to be able to participate in this prestigious event," Ign. Darmawan of the Rumah Budaya Bali Mangsi said.

A private cultural institution, Rumah Budaya Bali Mangsi, organized the administrative matters relating to the artists' participation in the Biennale.

Two of Rumah Budaya Bali Mangsi's staff members, Darmawan and Benito Lopulalan, played a pivotal role in convincing the Biennale's organizing committee to give the Balinese artists additional time to submit their pieces after the official registration period had already ended.

The participating artists are Wayan Sujana Suklu, Polenk Rediasa, Ida Bagus Indra, Grace Tjondronimpuno, Putu Edy Asmara Putra and Agus Cahaya. All are young, promising artists known for their aesthetic explorations with new themes and mediums.

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"The Biennale's curatorial board selected three of Agus Cahaya's pieces, two works of Ida Bagus Indra, and one each of Polenk Rediasa, Suklu, Edy Asmara Putra and Grace Tjondronimpuno," Darmawan said.

The artists all had similar responses to the invitation.

"We are honored to accept the invitation and we believe it will be a good opportunity to bring our works and aesthetic explorations to the global stage," Suklu said.

In the biennale's academic symposium, Rumah Budaya Bali Mangsi will also present a paper on Exploring Stupidity (a project exploring the possibilities of misunderstandings).

The biennale will be held until end of August 2008 and will involve artists from 70 countries. The Beijing Olympic Games will take place Aug. 8-24.

Sponsored by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Chinese Artists Association, the biennale is to use the theme "Color and Olympism".

The Biennale's press materials detail the theme as a vivid depiction of the close relationship between the biennale and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. A variety of colors used implies the diversity of human cultures.

The 3rd Beijing International Art Biennale aims to enrich the humanistic spirit promoted by the Beijing Olympics through paintings and sculpture.

The first Beijing International Art Biennale in 2003 drew an average of 20,000 visitors per day.

Source: AskIndonesia.com

Balinese's Sacred Monkey Forest

2008-08-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

In the Balinese Hindu pantheon of Gods and religious ceremonies, no one and nothing misses out on prayers and offerings for their well being.

Cars, motorbikes, books and even monkeys and their animal mates have their turn at the alter of Bali's Hinduism. And it was the monkeys of Padang Tegal's Sacred Monkey Forest in Ubud who were the big winners during last Saturday's twice-yearly Tumpek Kandang religious ceremony.

According to the manager of the Sacred Monkey Forest, I Wayan Selamet, the ceremony is for all animals, but the monkeys appear to get the best of it in the free-for-all party of fresh eggs, papaya leaves and fruits served following the ceremony.

Hundreds of monkeys whoop it up during the ceremony, but are surprisingly well behaved, waiting with scarcely concealed excitement for an end to the serious business of chanting and the real festivities to begin.

A few monkeys cannot control themselves and with the speed of pickpockets zoom across the offerings, grabbing at anything that looks edible, but most sit and wait, ready to pounce on eggs when the time is right.

I Wayan Selamet says the ceremony follows the three concepts of Bali's Hinduism, which pays respect to God, man and nature, but it is unclear how devoted the monkeys are to God, they appear much more devoted to eggs.

While the monkeys of the sacred forest appear to be especially favored during the ceremony, Selamet makes it clear that these raucous primates deserve special attention for the economical and environmental benefits they have accidentally brought to the Padang Tegal community.

""The monkey forest is important not only for Ubud and Bali, but I believe for the world. At the moment there are forests being cut down everywhere, but this forest is growing larger. We have recently added another three hectares of plantings and the villagers all take part in protecting the forest,"" Selamet said.

He points out there are few places in the world that have forested land in the city"" with a resident population of monkeys and he says all towns will need this green belt in the future; a place for people to escape the stress of city life and share time with animals in a natural environment.

""Having a forest in cities balances the environment. At the moment the forest is almost 10 hectares and that grows as we change the villages' communal rice paddies to forest,"" explained Selamet.

The forest has grown with the increase in tourism, says Selamet, who remembers the 1970s when the forest was much smaller, ringing the communal rice fields of Padang Tegal. But even then the forest was protected by its sacred status.

""There were always stories about the forest, that if you destroyed it or killed the animals you could never escape. That fear protected the forest and taught people to respect it. At that time most of the community economy was dependent on the rice fields, but as tourism has grown the forest and the monkeys have become the dominant element in our economy.

""It was the stories passed down from earlier generations that have saved the forest and allowed us to now develop it as an environmental and tourism area. It is important for our religion and our economy"" Selamet said.

But, like all valuable land, there are some in the community who, Selamet says, would like to see the forest chopped down and hotels built on the site.

""I often need to point out to people that we don't need to build hotels here. Some people think they could make more money from hotels, but we don't need to do that. The forest and the monkeys are very good for our community economy.

""Yes you can build art shops and hotels anywhere, but you can also build natural forests with their animals, so we need to protect the Sacred Monkey Forest, and other forests and wilderness in Bali and Indonesia, into the future,"" Selamet said. (TheJakartaPost.com)

Ubud Residents Send Prince on Final Journey

2008-08-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

For many people -- tourists, international media, and romantic Balinese -- the grand cremation ceremony held in Ubud was a clear example of the Balinese people's devotion toward royal patrons and the splendor and grandiose nature of their cultural heritage.
With a 28-meter-tall bade (tower used to carry the deceased's body to the cemetery), gigantic petulangan (wooden sarcophagus inside which the body is cremated) in the form of a black bull with golden horns, an elaborately decorated Naga Banda (giant dragon symbolizing the deceased's worldly attachments), a holy host group of 60 Hindu high priests and a watching crowd of around 15,000 people, the royal cremation was indeed a feast for the eyes.

Indonesian President witnesses mass cremation in Bali

2008-08-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono attended a mass cremation procession of 139 Balinese people, at Batur village, Bangli district, around 60 km east of Denpasar, on Wednesday.

The cremated remains included those belonging to Guru Nyoman Santi, the father of Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik.

Guru Nyoman Santi, who died at 94 years old, around 1.5 year ago, was one of the country's freedom fighters.

The first mass cremation was held in Bali in 1963 at the initiative of Nyoman Santi and his colleagues. It is for the first time that a mass cremation Hindu ritual was attended by Indonesia's head of state. (The Jakarta Post Newspaper article)

Balinese Mass Creamtion.

2008-08-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Balinese women in traditional dress carry photographs of the dead and their belongings on their head during a mass cremation ceremony in Kintamani, on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday.
(AP/Firdia Lisnawati)

More Balinese and Indonesian Photos are available at Indonesian Gallery: http://gallery.askindonesia.com

Obama, Indonesian Painting.

2008-08-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

AskIndonesia.com, Indonesian painter S. Wito puts finishing touch to his painting of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, at his street-side studio in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday. Obama, who was born in Hawaii, moved to Indonesia at age 6 to live with his mother and stepfather, attending schools in the country until age 10, when he returned to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents....

Article Source : Obama in The Street

Indonesian Serial Killer - Five More Victims

2008-07-29T01:58:00.000-07:00

Askindonesia.com:

Police on Monday lifted five more bodies from holes in the backyard of a serial killer`s house after recovering four others from the same area in Maijo hamlet, Jatiwates village, Jombang district, East Java last week.

Verry Idham Henryansyah alias Ryan (34) who sparked public horror last week after he was arrested for mutilating a friend, butchering four others and burying them in two holes in the backyard of his home, admitted on Sunday he had battered to death five more people who had previously been reported missing by their families.

The chief of the Jombang Police Resort, Adjunct Senior Commissioner M Khosim, said Sunday, Ryan had admitted that the five people reported missing by their families were among the victims of his killing sprees.

The five victims whose bodies were found on Monday were identified as Nanik Kristanti (28) and her daughter Silvia Ramadhani (3), residents of Kepuh Permai Housing complex, Peterogan, Jombang; Agustinus Fitri Setyawan (28), a resident of Jalan Dr Soetomo; M Zainul Abidin alias Zaki (27), a resident of Dapur Kejambon, Jombang; and M Aksoni (28), a resident of Slawe village, Tarik sub-district, Sidoarjo district, East Java.

“Ryan has admitted the five were among his victims. He confessed to the murders when he was shown pictures of the five people,” Khosim said.

Until Sunday (July 27), Ryan still refused to reveal the place where he had buried the bodies of the five victims, nor was he prepared to explain the motive of the killings.

But a joint team of the Jakarta and East Java police on Monday successfully dug up and lifted five bodies from the holes where the five victims were suspected to have been buried in the backyard of Ryan`s father`s house in Jatiwates village, Tembelang sub-district, Jombang East Java.

“Based on Ryan`s confession to having murdered the five victims, we are investigating the suspected location and digging it,” director of the Criminal Investigation Department of the East Java Police, Senior Commissioner Rusli Nasution said on Monday.

Two bodies were lifted from a hole beside a septic tank, two from a hole near the house`s kitchen and one in a hole where previous victims were found. It was believed that they were the bodies of Nanik Kristanti and her daughter Silvia Ramadhani, Agustinus Fitri Setyawan, M Zainul Abidin alias Zaki M Aksoni.

Previously, on July 22, 2008, police found four bodies buried in two holes in the backyard of Ryan`s father`s house in Jatiwates village, Tembelang sub-district, Jombang district, Eat Java. Ryan had also admitted to murdering the four.

More: Indonesian Serial Killer - Five More Victims

More info about Indonesian Serial Killer can be found here

Balinese and The Beach

2008-07-25T00:49:00.000-07:00

Unlike westerners, the Balinese rarely go to the beach except for work and ritual. Swimming and sunbathing on the beach like a tourist is not a Balinese custom. For the Balinese, at least before the development of tourism, the beach was not a place for recreation, but a sacred site – a place for spiritual purification.

There are several Hindu rituals that take place on the beach that include melasti, nganyut, and pakelem. Melasti is a purification ritual that takes place every year, usually in March or early April, precisely two or three days before the Bali-Hindu New Year day of Nyepi (the day of silence). The melasti ritual is marked by a long procession from village to the beach and vice versa. In the past, people carried all of the religious paraphernalia while walking( some are very heavy), but more recently wheeled-carts or even trucks are used to lighten the load. Thanks to technology and the smooth asphalt it has become less of a burden for the procession participants. Besides the beach, melasti is also made lakeside or by a river, especially for those who live far from a beach. Water is the important element.

During the one day ritual, almost every beach in Bali fills with people in traditional attire, gamelan music, and colorful religious paraphernalia such as the umbrellas, statues, spears and other sacred objects that are usually stored in temples. While the day is usually hot and humid at Bali's beaches, some people like to take a swim during melasti, though it is still not a common activity. While tourists are discouraged from coming to the beach to swim on melasti day, it is the best time to see one of Bali's grand rituals. Melasti ritual is also held on other auspicious days in conjunction with important temples festivals over the island, or festivals for newly renovated temple. Such festivals commence by bringing all the temples' religious paraphernalia to the beach for purification. But this time, they carry them by car or truck. There is nothing like the annual melasti procession.

Nganyut is an ash-throwing ritual held by the sea which marks the end of a cremation ceremony. It usually take place in the late afternoon, or even at night, depending on the time the cremation ritual ends. For a high scale cremation, the ash-throwing is usually done a few hundred meters from the beach, so several canoes or boats are required to take the ashes out to sea. They must be thrown into the sea, as some believe the sea has every power to purify any impure matter. Others believe that it is a symbolic way to send them to the Gangga River, India's holy Hindu Ganges River, because that river also finishes at sea.

Pakelem is a ritual that attempts to neutralize negative energies of the macrocosim. Depending of its scale, this ritual is marked by throwing sacrificed animals, like a cow or buffalo into the sea. Before sacrificing, the animals are purified so their souls go to heaven so that should they reincarnate, they can become a creature of a higher level than before.

In the growing fear of frequent natural disasters like tsunami and earth-quake, several pakelem rituals have been held throughout certain beaches in Bali. The aims of such rituals are twofold – both to prevent natural disaster, and most importantly, is calm fearfulness amongst the community. Recently, with the growing trend of national disintegration, a pakelem ritual is also held in the hope that the unity of Indonesia as a nation may be maintained and strengthened. The red and white Indonesian flag is brought to the ritual, marking its nationalistic dimension. Swimming is rarely done in this ritual.

Although swimming is rare, it doesn't mean that Balinese people avoid the totally. In fact, one day called banyupinaruh is an auspicious day for beach swimming. It falls every six months in the Hindu-Bali calendar on the day after the special day of knowledge, honouring the Goddess Saraswati. It is considered the best day for Balinese to swim, usually at dawn to cleanse their bodies. On this day, Sanur beach and the beaches around Kuta and Nusa Dua are usually packed with people, especially families with children. Most people bring offerings and pray before swimming. Yet on all other days, except for those who working as fisherman, most Balinese do not approach the beach. Twilight is the most dangerous time for Balinese to go out, let alone to come to the shore to see the sun set. The beauty of the sun set is, in the past, hardly part of ordinary Balinese conversation.

Change, however, has taken place since the tourism industry developed. By the 1970s, Sanur Beach became a popular site for young Balinese couples, particularly at night, and during full moon (purnama). School students also came, although not for swimming. They sought the strange ten-story building of Grand Bali Beach Hotel, the tallest building on the island.

Now more and more Balinese see the beach as a place for recreation, especially for town folks with the fast growing population. Every weekend or holiday in the morning and the afternoon, see Bali's beaches packed with local people. Since tourism developed, many young Balinese have also learned how to surf and they often spend time on the beach, particularly in Kuta. Many of Kuta's youth have gained success as world class surf champions, whilst others work as beach patrol. Change brought about by tourism also brought about a different understanding. Today, Balinese come to see the sun set, and they talk about its beauty, take pictures with digital camera or hand phone, just as tourists do.

Beach clothing with international brands like Quiksilver and Billabong have also become popular among young Balinese. Yet, those who wear such clothes as part of a fashion statement may or may not have ever been swimming at the beach as they are occupied with an idea that Bali has no beach culture, if what is understood as beach culture is swimming, sunbathing, and surfing.

Source: Hello Balli Magazine

Indonesia, The Bali High Life

2008-07-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

In spite of a troubled year, Bali remains a favoured destination for discerning travellers seeking luxury living at package prices.

In between the luxury hotels and backpackers’ hostels are far more intoxicating options. The secret of Bali is the breadth of luxury villas, bungalows and estates for hire, with or without staff, at prices that would make a two-star hotel blush. This option provides an opportunity to have an authentic Balinese holiday rather than the micro-managed ‘Balinese experience’ you might expect from one of the larger hotels.

All the private villas, which are located all over the island, come with cooks, housekeepers and gardeners, who will take care of everything. You wake up in a private villa on the Mertasari estate in Sanur, an unspoilt seaside community on the southeast coast, the first rays of morning light shimmering through the coconut and banana trees. You’re greeted with a plate of fresh papaya and mango, a cup of kopi Bali (Balinese coffee) from a beautiful, handmade ceramic mug, and a view over the lotus pond. The homes have thatched roofs, air conditioning, and everything you could need to feel comfortable but not cut off.

There is a Shangri-La quality to the landscape: everywhere you look you can see lush greens and fiery red hibiscus flowers. Reading by the pool or lounging on an oversized bamboo couch, enjoying sumptuous meals of fresh grilled fish prepared by the cooks on your own private porch, it’s easy to lose yourself in the temptation to do nothing. The distinctive, Lumbung-style architecture - a traditional, Balinese rice storage barn accessed by a ladder, with a thatched roof that you sleep under - is to be found all over the island. There’s a Lumbung house for rent on Mertasari; when you wake up you’re high in the trees, or overlooking the rice paddies or the sea, depending on where you stay.

Read full Article: Indonesia, The Bali High Life

Jakarta to Bali the safe way

2008-07-25T00:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green:

There have been a spate of air crashes in Indonesia over recent years, and the situation has got so bad that the EU has added all Indonesia-based carriers to its banned list - see

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm. It means that the EU aviation authorities feel the airlines there all fall short of acceptable safety standards.

Everyone who’s ever been to Indonesia has an airline horror story mine was in Sumatra on an old Merpati airlines plane with black smoke billowing from the for right engine so for time being, you are better off booking with on alternative carriers.

Until recently this wasn’t possible, and you’d be stuck with Garuda (www.garuda-indonesia.com), Lion Air (www.lion.co.id), which has new aircraft and uses the accidentally menacing strap line ‘We make people fly’, or Adam Air (so bad that it has even been grounded by the Indonesian government).

Read the source: Jakarta to Bali the safe way