its
surrounding
Candidasa
Candidasa comes from words Candi meaning temple and Dasa means ten, so literally Candi dasa means ten temples. The tourist area in Karangasem that is known for its beach is a quaint seaside resort from which to explore the secluded bays and ancient temples.
CandidasaCandidasa is no more than a small resort on the dark sand eastern coastline. It is a right place for your "base camp" to explore the eastern part of Bali. Nearby is Tenganan, one of the old traditional villages in Bali where the inhabitants of this area believe that they are the origin of Balinese. Also, close by is Amed, one of Bali's famous dive areas.
CandidasaCandi Dasa still offers an escape from the hassles of the more populated tourist areas. There are lots of hotels, losmens and restaurants here. You can also hire boats for a day's snorkeling.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Government and Districts(about bali)
Government and Districts
Bali is one of the 26 provinces of Indonesia. Within Bali there are eight kabupatens or districts, which under the Dutch were known as regencies. These are Badung, Gianyar, Bangli, Klungkung, Karangasem, Buleleng, Jembrana, Tabanan. There are now nine districts since the addition of Kotamadya Denpasar. Each district is headed by a government official known as a bupati. The districts are further subdivided into subdistricts called Kecamatan which is headed by a camat, then come the perbekels, the head of a desa (village) and finally, an enormous number of banjars, the local divisions of a village.
Badung Regency
The regency of Badung extends in a narrow ribbon from the central uplands in the north of the island to the Nusa Dua Peninsula, also known as Bukit Badung, in the south. The Peninsula is strikingly different from the northern fertile volcanic plain, consisting of a slightly-raised limestone plateau surrounded by the sea. Kuta and Jimbaran are to the north and west of the peninsula, Sanur to the east, while the famous Nusa Dua resort area is on the eastern tip of the peninsula itself.
The local government became concerned about the "immortality" of the western hippie communes, which developed in Kuta. It was thus decided to isolate future tourist resorts. The development of Nusa Dua was therefore carefully planned. Today, while Kuta is still synonymous with sun, fun and youth, Nusa Dua - which was developed in the 1980's - is home to the five-star resorts.
Nusa Dua and nearby Tanjung Benoa are in a world of their own, where the idea of tourism insulated from the Balinese environment has been implemented. Some of the most famous hotels in Asia are to be found here, among them the Hilton, the Hyatt, and Club Med. Their neo-Balinese architecture (giant split gates, huge statues and halls) complements the beautiful natural surroundings of white sandy beaches, pristine water and the ubiquitous palm trees, to provide all the ingredients of a tropical paradise. Nusa Dua differs from the rest of the Bukit Peninsula. The beach at Nusa Dua is sheltered by coral reef, creating an ideal family beach, while Tanjung Benoa specializes in water sports.
Bukit Badung is famous among surfers for its long, white rollers. The best surfing is at Suluban, Labuhan Sait and Bingin. For hikers, there are paths running along much of the cliff, while the inland region has many prehistoric caves including Gua Selonding. The tallest statue in the world, The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (145m), is built in an ancient quarry at the highest point on the Bukit. The famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is an architectural marvel situated on a headland at the western tip of the plateau. According to local tradition, the first Uluwatu temple was built in the 11th century. In the 16th century, it was rebuilt into its current state.
The Bukit peninsula is connected to the rest of Bali by a narrow neck of land. Here, the Jimbaran bay area has one of the safest and most tranquil white beaches on the whole island. Jimbaran is renowned for the Barong (trance) dance. It also has Pura Ulun Siwi, a beautiful temple made of brick. To the north of the Bukit peninsula is the popular beach resort of Kuta. Its claim to fame owes much to two things, its beach (originally Bali's best) and the sunset. The beach front is now host to star hotels, except for Legian and Seminyak, where much of the social scene is now centered. The main shops are located along Legian street.
Beach bungalows first opened in Kuta in the 1930's. But mass tourism did not start here until the late 1960's, when it became known as a hippie haven. Kuta soon boomed. The bamboo beach bungalows were turned into losmen, then into hotels. The hippies either left or struck it rich, and Kuta has become one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia, a place to encounter new ideas and lifestyles and a place to experience all manner of pleasures.
Another resort to the south of Kuta is Tuban. Originally part of Kuta, it now claims an independent status. To the west of Kuta are the new resorts of Peti Tenget (with its beautiful temple), Canggu and Seseh.
Further west is the little town of Mengwi, which has one of the grandest temples of the island, Taman Ayun. Until the end of the last century, Mengwi was one of the main island kingdoms, and this temple was built around 1740. Pura Taman Ayun is a water garden temple, symbolizing the cosmic union of sea and mountain. The architectural structure has three parts, duplicating the order of the cosmos - nista (impure/demonic); madia (middle/human); and utama (godly) - corresponding to the three successive courts. The most sacred (utama) is the inner court. The shrines are made and decorated in the finest traditions of Balinese carving.
To the north of Mengwi is the famous Monkey Forest at Sangeh, set in the heart of the only primary forest in southern Bali. This forest consists entirely of pala (nutmeg) trees. The monkeys living here are considered sacred, an association from the Ramayana epic, wherein Prince Rama allied himself with the monkey hero Hanoman to attack Alengka.
Bali is one of the 26 provinces of Indonesia. Within Bali there are eight kabupatens or districts, which under the Dutch were known as regencies. These are Badung, Gianyar, Bangli, Klungkung, Karangasem, Buleleng, Jembrana, Tabanan. There are now nine districts since the addition of Kotamadya Denpasar. Each district is headed by a government official known as a bupati. The districts are further subdivided into subdistricts called Kecamatan which is headed by a camat, then come the perbekels, the head of a desa (village) and finally, an enormous number of banjars, the local divisions of a village.
Badung Regency
The regency of Badung extends in a narrow ribbon from the central uplands in the north of the island to the Nusa Dua Peninsula, also known as Bukit Badung, in the south. The Peninsula is strikingly different from the northern fertile volcanic plain, consisting of a slightly-raised limestone plateau surrounded by the sea. Kuta and Jimbaran are to the north and west of the peninsula, Sanur to the east, while the famous Nusa Dua resort area is on the eastern tip of the peninsula itself.
The local government became concerned about the "immortality" of the western hippie communes, which developed in Kuta. It was thus decided to isolate future tourist resorts. The development of Nusa Dua was therefore carefully planned. Today, while Kuta is still synonymous with sun, fun and youth, Nusa Dua - which was developed in the 1980's - is home to the five-star resorts.
Nusa Dua and nearby Tanjung Benoa are in a world of their own, where the idea of tourism insulated from the Balinese environment has been implemented. Some of the most famous hotels in Asia are to be found here, among them the Hilton, the Hyatt, and Club Med. Their neo-Balinese architecture (giant split gates, huge statues and halls) complements the beautiful natural surroundings of white sandy beaches, pristine water and the ubiquitous palm trees, to provide all the ingredients of a tropical paradise. Nusa Dua differs from the rest of the Bukit Peninsula. The beach at Nusa Dua is sheltered by coral reef, creating an ideal family beach, while Tanjung Benoa specializes in water sports.
Bukit Badung is famous among surfers for its long, white rollers. The best surfing is at Suluban, Labuhan Sait and Bingin. For hikers, there are paths running along much of the cliff, while the inland region has many prehistoric caves including Gua Selonding. The tallest statue in the world, The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (145m), is built in an ancient quarry at the highest point on the Bukit. The famous Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is an architectural marvel situated on a headland at the western tip of the plateau. According to local tradition, the first Uluwatu temple was built in the 11th century. In the 16th century, it was rebuilt into its current state.
The Bukit peninsula is connected to the rest of Bali by a narrow neck of land. Here, the Jimbaran bay area has one of the safest and most tranquil white beaches on the whole island. Jimbaran is renowned for the Barong (trance) dance. It also has Pura Ulun Siwi, a beautiful temple made of brick. To the north of the Bukit peninsula is the popular beach resort of Kuta. Its claim to fame owes much to two things, its beach (originally Bali's best) and the sunset. The beach front is now host to star hotels, except for Legian and Seminyak, where much of the social scene is now centered. The main shops are located along Legian street.
Beach bungalows first opened in Kuta in the 1930's. But mass tourism did not start here until the late 1960's, when it became known as a hippie haven. Kuta soon boomed. The bamboo beach bungalows were turned into losmen, then into hotels. The hippies either left or struck it rich, and Kuta has become one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia, a place to encounter new ideas and lifestyles and a place to experience all manner of pleasures.
Another resort to the south of Kuta is Tuban. Originally part of Kuta, it now claims an independent status. To the west of Kuta are the new resorts of Peti Tenget (with its beautiful temple), Canggu and Seseh.
Further west is the little town of Mengwi, which has one of the grandest temples of the island, Taman Ayun. Until the end of the last century, Mengwi was one of the main island kingdoms, and this temple was built around 1740. Pura Taman Ayun is a water garden temple, symbolizing the cosmic union of sea and mountain. The architectural structure has three parts, duplicating the order of the cosmos - nista (impure/demonic); madia (middle/human); and utama (godly) - corresponding to the three successive courts. The most sacred (utama) is the inner court. The shrines are made and decorated in the finest traditions of Balinese carving.
To the north of Mengwi is the famous Monkey Forest at Sangeh, set in the heart of the only primary forest in southern Bali. This forest consists entirely of pala (nutmeg) trees. The monkeys living here are considered sacred, an association from the Ramayana epic, wherein Prince Rama allied himself with the monkey hero Hanoman to attack Alengka.
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Discover Bali Paradise Island
(by: Administrator - on Oct 12, 2007 for country Indonesia)
The natural attractions of Bali include miles of sandy beaches, picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 3000 meters high, fast flowing rives, deep ravines, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves and lush tropical forest full of exotic wildlife are the attractive points for travelers to come. Bali has been widely known as the holiday and travel destination for both business and leisure travelers.
The richness of the cultural heritage of the island can be found throughout Bali. It has over 20,000 temples and palaces, full with many colorful festivals and ceremonies including tooth filings and cremation, drama, music and dances. Hindu Balinese temples are found in almost every corner of the island. The religious ceremonies happen every day. Those will entertainment all visitor who want to learn and experience the real traditional Balinese way of life and culture. It seems that Bali has its daily ceremonies, you may see when travel around. Each village and small community has different cycles of ceremonies.
Travel around Bali is easier in any mode of land transportation. The friendly local people will be happily giving information and advice on where to go and how to get there. English is mostly practiced by the locals who work on the travel industry as well as other tourism related. Do and ask them if you have lost the direction. The distance from one tourist area to another takes not more than two and half hours. If you drive from Nusa Dua on the southern part of Bali to Singaraja on the north will take around 2 hours without stopping en-route. From Kuta, Legian and Seminyak to Ubud is just an hour drive.
Your holiday in Bali will not complete without flattering the richness of Balinese arts and culture, traditional dances and the breathtaking natural view. The traditional dances are performed daily in Ubud, the central part of Bali and other nearby villages. Some four and five star hotels in Bali offers regular Balinese dance performances, cooking class, and traditional activities such as painting, dancing, carving and making offerings. This gives a general overview of Balinese daily life embracing their cultural activities.
Festivals and religious ceremonies are the important part of the Balinese daily life. It occurs on fixed dates based on the Balinese calendar which takes place in every 210 days or every six months. The most important ceremonies and holidays in Bali are Nyepi, Galungan and Kuningan. Nyepi is a day of seclusion without any activities outdoor, no lights during the night and no transportation passing through the island. Galungan falls on Wednesday and ends with Kuningan on Saturday, the next 10 days.
Spend the rest of your holiday in Bali with other activities or just relax around the white sandy beach near your hotel. There are plenty of tourist attraction from guided local sightseeing tours, adventure tours such as whitewater rafting, sea cruises, trekking, hiking, bicycling, spa treatment for well being and relaxation. It is your time to refresh your soul while reenergize your body.
Besides art and culture, local tours, and colorful ceremonies, Bali is a shopping paradise especially on the southern part. Kuta, Legian, and Denpasar are the place where you can find options of shopping items. Local art shops, furniture shop and big shopping malls can be found around Kuta, Legian, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Seminyak and Denpasar. Just take a taxi ride and enjoy your time for shopping.
Discover the paradise island Bali not just on the southern part but there are plenty of other attractions on other parts of Bali. Plan your holiday and arrange your itinerary wisely to discover the island where the hidden treasure and natural beauty awaits.
(by: Administrator - on Oct 12, 2007 for country Indonesia)
The natural attractions of Bali include miles of sandy beaches, picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 3000 meters high, fast flowing rives, deep ravines, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves and lush tropical forest full of exotic wildlife are the attractive points for travelers to come. Bali has been widely known as the holiday and travel destination for both business and leisure travelers.
The richness of the cultural heritage of the island can be found throughout Bali. It has over 20,000 temples and palaces, full with many colorful festivals and ceremonies including tooth filings and cremation, drama, music and dances. Hindu Balinese temples are found in almost every corner of the island. The religious ceremonies happen every day. Those will entertainment all visitor who want to learn and experience the real traditional Balinese way of life and culture. It seems that Bali has its daily ceremonies, you may see when travel around. Each village and small community has different cycles of ceremonies.
Travel around Bali is easier in any mode of land transportation. The friendly local people will be happily giving information and advice on where to go and how to get there. English is mostly practiced by the locals who work on the travel industry as well as other tourism related. Do and ask them if you have lost the direction. The distance from one tourist area to another takes not more than two and half hours. If you drive from Nusa Dua on the southern part of Bali to Singaraja on the north will take around 2 hours without stopping en-route. From Kuta, Legian and Seminyak to Ubud is just an hour drive.
Your holiday in Bali will not complete without flattering the richness of Balinese arts and culture, traditional dances and the breathtaking natural view. The traditional dances are performed daily in Ubud, the central part of Bali and other nearby villages. Some four and five star hotels in Bali offers regular Balinese dance performances, cooking class, and traditional activities such as painting, dancing, carving and making offerings. This gives a general overview of Balinese daily life embracing their cultural activities.
Festivals and religious ceremonies are the important part of the Balinese daily life. It occurs on fixed dates based on the Balinese calendar which takes place in every 210 days or every six months. The most important ceremonies and holidays in Bali are Nyepi, Galungan and Kuningan. Nyepi is a day of seclusion without any activities outdoor, no lights during the night and no transportation passing through the island. Galungan falls on Wednesday and ends with Kuningan on Saturday, the next 10 days.
Spend the rest of your holiday in Bali with other activities or just relax around the white sandy beach near your hotel. There are plenty of tourist attraction from guided local sightseeing tours, adventure tours such as whitewater rafting, sea cruises, trekking, hiking, bicycling, spa treatment for well being and relaxation. It is your time to refresh your soul while reenergize your body.
Besides art and culture, local tours, and colorful ceremonies, Bali is a shopping paradise especially on the southern part. Kuta, Legian, and Denpasar are the place where you can find options of shopping items. Local art shops, furniture shop and big shopping malls can be found around Kuta, Legian, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Seminyak and Denpasar. Just take a taxi ride and enjoy your time for shopping.
Discover the paradise island Bali not just on the southern part but there are plenty of other attractions on other parts of Bali. Plan your holiday and arrange your itinerary wisely to discover the island where the hidden treasure and natural beauty awaits.
Paradise beaches on the Bukit Bali
Southern Bali is where 95% of tourists come to and spend their time. The most southerly tip of mainland Bali is the Bukit Peninsula. The Bukit is way behind Kuta / Legian / Seminyak / Sanur as far as development, but is getting popular, with people outside of the surfing industry.
The Bukit is a limestone plateau and the beaches are a pale yellow / white sand. The largest beaches on the Bukit are in Nusa Dua, Dreamland has the largest beach on the western side.
One of the best Bali beaches, is at the very southern end of the Bukit. Looking at a map, you ride up the hill from Jimbaran, heading to Uluwatu. Instead of turning west, you keep going stright south, towards Pura Masuka. This temple is tiny and is perched on a clifftop, overlooking the ocean. Directly in front of it is a hiking trail that leads you down to the beach, which is usually empty. The hike takes about 15 minutes.
A French guy told me once that along the coast to the west, is another empty beach. With even less access, you are assured of privacy. The Bukit is only 15 minutes from Kuta, so if Kuta beach isn’t what you’re looking for, get adventurous and check out the Bukit.
The Bukit is a limestone plateau and the beaches are a pale yellow / white sand. The largest beaches on the Bukit are in Nusa Dua, Dreamland has the largest beach on the western side.
One of the best Bali beaches, is at the very southern end of the Bukit. Looking at a map, you ride up the hill from Jimbaran, heading to Uluwatu. Instead of turning west, you keep going stright south, towards Pura Masuka. This temple is tiny and is perched on a clifftop, overlooking the ocean. Directly in front of it is a hiking trail that leads you down to the beach, which is usually empty. The hike takes about 15 minutes.
A French guy told me once that along the coast to the west, is another empty beach. With even less access, you are assured of privacy. The Bukit is only 15 minutes from Kuta, so if Kuta beach isn’t what you’re looking for, get adventurous and check out the Bukit.
Monday, 21 July 2008
Pura Rambut Siwi and Nusa Lembongan
It stay the same, from when I was only 5 the temple stay like what it was. Pura Rambut Siwi is located in the west side of Bali. There are only a few tourist visit this place. I was really happy to see the picture is available in flickr.
According to the legend, this small temple already existed here when Danghyang Nirartha (will tell you the story about this guru) arrived in Negara.
You will not regret to visit this Temple. The Temple sits on the border of the sea in Yeh Embang, offering the spectacular Indian Ocean and the peaceful landscape of rice terrace.
Nusa lembongan bridge
Oh I forgot, this bridge is connecting Nusa Lembongan island and Nusa Ceningan, during that periode of time when I visit this island (1989) the bridge was not buit yet.
In the old time people wait for the low tide to cross to the other island, and imagine you can cross it walking through, and the water level only your knee height, and you will enjoy to see some fish and other sea creature along the way.
314 Views | Posted in Bali Daily | 5 Comments »
Nusa Lembongan
This is a traditional boat of Nusa Lembongan people, they colorful and naturally match with the white sandy beach and crystal water.
I remember when I was a kid, my dad took me to this island to see some relatives (we rarely meet), I had a bad seasick and was not enjoying the trip, but in the island I was having a great time playing in the beach.
During that time in Nusa Lembongan, there was no resort, and no tourist, and everything still natural, and people lives from the seaweed. It was an unforgotten memory.
2
According to the legend, this small temple already existed here when Danghyang Nirartha (will tell you the story about this guru) arrived in Negara.
You will not regret to visit this Temple. The Temple sits on the border of the sea in Yeh Embang, offering the spectacular Indian Ocean and the peaceful landscape of rice terrace.
Nusa lembongan bridge
Oh I forgot, this bridge is connecting Nusa Lembongan island and Nusa Ceningan, during that periode of time when I visit this island (1989) the bridge was not buit yet.
In the old time people wait for the low tide to cross to the other island, and imagine you can cross it walking through, and the water level only your knee height, and you will enjoy to see some fish and other sea creature along the way.
314 Views | Posted in Bali Daily | 5 Comments »
Nusa Lembongan
This is a traditional boat of Nusa Lembongan people, they colorful and naturally match with the white sandy beach and crystal water.
I remember when I was a kid, my dad took me to this island to see some relatives (we rarely meet), I had a bad seasick and was not enjoying the trip, but in the island I was having a great time playing in the beach.
During that time in Nusa Lembongan, there was no resort, and no tourist, and everything still natural, and people lives from the seaweed. It was an unforgotten memory.
2
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Diving And Surfing
Diving and Surfing | Golfing in the Island of Gods
Bali, as an island, is surrounded by sea. All year-long, sunshine gives you a chance to enjoy many offshore attractions.
Diving and snorkeling are among major attractions in Bali. Divers can view various marine creatures, such as colorful tropical fish and coral reefs. The best time for diving here is in the dry season that lasts from April to October, when warmer temperatures invite more fish and the objects can be clearly viewed.
Bali offers a lot of sites for beginners and professional divers, with some of them adjacent to the shore with abundant colorful hard and soft corals. Once you start diving, a wide variety of marine life, such as dolphins, rays, turtle, sea snakes and moray eels will greet you.
The locations for diving and snorkeling in Bali spread out along Bali's sea. The popular sites are located on the southern part: Sanur and Nusa Island (Lembongan and Nusa Penida); in the western part are Labuan Lalang, Menjangan Island, an uninhabited island with some of the best diving in Bali; in the north of the island is Lovina that will undoubtedly satisfy your diving needs. On the east coast are Amed where virgin nature can be enjoyed, Tulamben, Candidasa and Padang Bay also.
Surfing can be done everyday in Bali. Bali's magnificent surfing was introduced by Australian surfers at the end of 60's, and since then, Bali has become a paradise for surfers. Not just because of various choices for beaches and breaks, but surfing in Bali can be done everyday! Perfect wave to ride on are always available somewhere on this island. Kuta and Ulawatu are recognized for their magnificent surfing waves.
Out-standing reef breaks are found in Kuta and Sanur. Sanur reef is a real pleasure because, here you will find a tube-forming wave that will carry you back to the seashore and in this way, it is unnecessary for you to paddle like a madman.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Bali Modern Architecture
The New Bali Style
The "Bali-Style" of architecture and interior design is renowned and increasingly popular the world over. How it came into being is a story of cross cultural legacy and an amalgamation of different design elements. In this chapter, we explain the connection between religion and architecture in traditional Balinese design, trace the development of new styles in both commercial and residential buildings and see how a thoroughly modern, international architectural form has been born.
The Art of Tropical Living
The island of Bali has along been a magnet for the western culture-hound-and over the last 100 year many people have set up home there. Most built their tropical dream villas in vernacular style. Today, however, a new internationalism is emerging : along with wood, alang-alang and bamboo are ceramics, stone and glass; pavilion-style is being replaced with a more modern vision of space. Here, we showcase the most inspiring examples of contemporary residences, shops, restaurants, studios and resort homes the island has to offer.
The Tropical Garden
Tropical gardens in Bali are traditionally associated with a sense of fecundity, Javanese-inspired water gardens or junglescapes with mossy walls and hand carved statues and fountains. Today's gardens seem to have taken this style one step further : firstly, they are designed more to complement the architecture that they are attached too, and, secondly, there is more order and definition in the planting. In this section we portray the creme-de-la-creme of Ball's private and resort landscaped gardens.
The Delightful Balinese Pavilion
No longer is the 'bale simply a 4-poster wooden platform protected by a thatched roof. Innovative designs are emerging: be they modernist stone structures shaded by canvas "umbrella-roofs" or vernacular-inspired, poolside loungers, all are excellent dens for the those seriously committed to languour-induced afternoons. Here, we showcase a selection of contemporary reinterpretations of the classic Balinese pavilion.
The Tropical Water
Water is the source of life for the Balinese; it is also a wonderful cooling element in hot and humid climates, it's not surprising, therefore, that virtually every architect and landscape artist incorporates some type of water feature in their designs. Here, we present an array of contemporary water features: gardens, open-to-the-air bathrooms, numerous cascades, fountains and springs, modernist pool scapes, even a giant, eleptical, rooftop lily and lotus pond. Water as play, water as architectrual element and of course water as a natural source of nourishment for garden and soul alike.
The "Bali-Style" of architecture and interior design is renowned and increasingly popular the world over. How it came into being is a story of cross cultural legacy and an amalgamation of different design elements. In this chapter, we explain the connection between religion and architecture in traditional Balinese design, trace the development of new styles in both commercial and residential buildings and see how a thoroughly modern, international architectural form has been born.
The Art of Tropical Living
The island of Bali has along been a magnet for the western culture-hound-and over the last 100 year many people have set up home there. Most built their tropical dream villas in vernacular style. Today, however, a new internationalism is emerging : along with wood, alang-alang and bamboo are ceramics, stone and glass; pavilion-style is being replaced with a more modern vision of space. Here, we showcase the most inspiring examples of contemporary residences, shops, restaurants, studios and resort homes the island has to offer.
The Tropical Garden
Tropical gardens in Bali are traditionally associated with a sense of fecundity, Javanese-inspired water gardens or junglescapes with mossy walls and hand carved statues and fountains. Today's gardens seem to have taken this style one step further : firstly, they are designed more to complement the architecture that they are attached too, and, secondly, there is more order and definition in the planting. In this section we portray the creme-de-la-creme of Ball's private and resort landscaped gardens.
The Delightful Balinese Pavilion
No longer is the 'bale simply a 4-poster wooden platform protected by a thatched roof. Innovative designs are emerging: be they modernist stone structures shaded by canvas "umbrella-roofs" or vernacular-inspired, poolside loungers, all are excellent dens for the those seriously committed to languour-induced afternoons. Here, we showcase a selection of contemporary reinterpretations of the classic Balinese pavilion.
The Tropical Water
Water is the source of life for the Balinese; it is also a wonderful cooling element in hot and humid climates, it's not surprising, therefore, that virtually every architect and landscape artist incorporates some type of water feature in their designs. Here, we present an array of contemporary water features: gardens, open-to-the-air bathrooms, numerous cascades, fountains and springs, modernist pool scapes, even a giant, eleptical, rooftop lily and lotus pond. Water as play, water as architectrual element and of course water as a natural source of nourishment for garden and soul alike.
Bali Forests & Mountains
National Park, Gunung Batur Area, Bali Botanical Gardens
Venture into Bali's interior for a different perspective of this incredible island. Picturesque rice fields cover around 20% of the island with dense jungles in the interior. In drier areas, expect scrub, savannah and barren volcanic cones.
The lush greenery of Bali is stunning. Huge Banyan trees thrive in villages and temple grounds; tamarind trees in the northern region; clove trees cover the highlands; and bright red flame trees, acacias and mangroves dominate the south. About a dozen species of coconut palms call Bali home, with an even larger variety of bamboo species.
Flowers - are everywhere! Fragrant jasmines, graceful water lilies, bright hibiscus and cheery bougainvillea abound. In gardens, roadsides and temple grounds the scent and colours of magnolia, frangipani and orchids hangs in the air. Cut flowers decorate temples and statues as offerings to the Balinese gods. These same blooms are also delicately woven, plaited and arranged in the crown of Bali's mesmerizing dancers.
Bali's interior provides a home for monkeys, civets, mousedeer, barking deer and flocks of beautiful birds. The jalak putih or Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) is Bali's only indigenous bird, but there are over 300 species of birds in Bali. This includes dollar birds, wild fowl, sea eagles, sandpipers, blue kingfishers, white herons and egrets, sparrows, cuckoos and wood swallows.
Taman Nasional Bali Barat (National Park)
Taman Nasional Bali Barat, or Bali Barat Nasional Park makes up almost the whole of the western tip of Bali, covering an area of over 750 square km. The area that is the park, has been made into a conservation area.
The park's boundaries include open savannah, dense rainforest, tangles of mangrove swamp, colourful coral reefs and Pulau Menjangan, the famous Deer Island, which is really a small island reserve off the north coast of Bali. The park is a haven for over 300 species of animals and birds, most particularly the endangered jalak or Bali Starling.
Pulau Menjangan is home to the rare Java Deer, and welcomes visitors who enjoy good diving and snorkelling. You must be accompanied by an official guide and in possession of a park permit, to enter the park.
Gunung Batur Area
The Gunung Batur area, known as Danau Batur and the volcanic cones at Gunung Batur are contained in a huge awesome bowl-shaped caldera. Towering at 1717m, Gunung Batur is one of Bali's natural wonders, and just perfect for trekking, although the beauty of the place can still be enjoyed without such exertion.
Don't forget to drop by the much-revered Pura Ulun Danu temple, Pura Puncak Penulisan in Penulisan; and the hot springs at Toya Bungkah.
Gunung Agung
Gunung Agung is Bali's biggest trekking challenge. Fortunately, Bali's highest and most revered mountain is not difficult to climb. The tip is to start well before dawn, armed with a strong flashlight, water, food, and warm and waterproof clothing. The best time for a climb is during the dry season of April through October. But climbing is not permitted when major religious events are held at Pura Besakih, which is most of April.
The shortest and most popular route up Gunung Agung is from Selat or Muncan; involving the least walking due thankfully to serviceable roads from both Selat or Muncan town to the Pura Pasar Agung, or Agung Market Temple. From the temple, you can climb to top in as little as 2 short hours.
Do remember to report to the police station at Selat before start off on your excursion, and drop by again on your return. A guide is necessary, and one can be pre-arranged in Selat or Muncan by just asking around the markets, or by contacting the Selat police station.
Bali Botanical Gardens
It is truly a treat to be able to wander freely around the Bali Botanical Gardens in Bedugul deep in the heart of northern Bali, locally known as Kebun Raya Eka Karya.
Established in 1959 it's a rambling 120 hectares located high on the slopes of Tree Mountain with a massive collection of trees, a rich fluttering bird lifeand five hundred species of exotic orchids!
Friday, 11 July 2008
At Bali
One on one with James R. Pitchon,
Executive Director, CB Richard Ellis Thailand
The sub prime mortgage crisis in the US seems to be widening and deepening as more lending institutes reveal loses in their portfolios. As interest rates reset again, an even wider group of companies are sure to find bad debt on their books. In all likelihood, we are looking at the bursting of the real estate bubble in the US. The result could mean that the US economy dips into a recession in the first or second quarter of 2008. In any event, we are witnessing a slow down as the real estate crisis seeps into other sectors of the economy.
The mortgage crisis isn’t only a domestic issue in United States. Japanese banks are also finding bad debt, causing tightening credit there as well. In fact, it seems as if they U.S. sub prime crisis has finger in nearly every major developed and developing country. The result has been a restricted of lending practices and worldwide shrinking of available credit.
What does that mean for countries like Thailand and others in the Asia Pacific? Hotel Management Magazine caught up with Mr. James R. Pitchon, Executive Director of CB Richard Ellis Thailand to get his feelings on the crisis as well as changes in the Thai tourism and hotel markets.
Do you feel that the sub prime crisis in the U.S. will have an effect on the investment climate for the hotel industry here in Asia?
I think sub prime is a misnomer. There is a tightening of finance globally and that has been brought on by banks suddenly realizing that they have problems with lots of their structured financial products, whether its sub prime or other collateralized debt. We can see now that banks are hesitant to lend to each other in the U.S. and in the U.K. and the cost of borrowing is rising. It’s a global trend where money is becoming more expensive and it is certainly much harder to get. However, Thailand has almost zero exposure to this collateralized market.
So you feel that Thailand won’t be affected?
Very little! I think there is global fall out from the western banking challenge in the U.S., the U.K. and Europe that is making money tighter around the world. That will have some impact but most of the development in Thailand is funded locally.
How have Thai lending institutes been reacting?
Thai banks have been very conservative about lending, particularly with regards to property. The memories of the problems of 1997 are still very strong in the Thai bankers mind. So Thailand has been doing exactly the opposite of many countries in the rest of the world and there is under exposure to real estate. Even mortgage lending in the residential sector has not been growing with rejection rates being very high.
What about lending institutes in other countries, Japan for example?
There is minimal exposure. The far bigger impact will be if the US has a recession. That will affect the number of travelers coming to Asia from the US.
Are there any markets that are more exposed to a global credit crunch?
Not in Asia. The biggest risk is a recession in the US that will reduce US visitors.
Just US visitors?
Well, if there isn’t a recession in Europe, it won’t affect visitors from Europe.
But isn’t there the famous saying that if Uncle Sam sneezes, the world gets a cold?
If I could predict that then I’d become a central banker. What I’m saying is that there is very little linkage between the US lending problems and hotel development in Asia apart from on a macro economic scale. If the world economy slows down, then everybody will be affected in every property sector, including hotels.
So most of the hotel industry here in locally owned?
Yes, but the Asian market has become more international so you have, for example, Morgan Stanley acquiring a group of hotels from ANA. There are some interesting funds that have been created and there is an awful lot of money chasing real estate around the world. A lot of it focuses on prime grade A offices but there are specific hospitality funds as well.
Turning to tourism, it appears that the leisure travel numbers are good, but there are some problems with business travel and MICE. Doesn’t that tie into the global economy which, in turn, ties into the US economy.
The effect has not been due to the sub prime lending though, it’s because there was a coup and the bombings. Now what we face in the future is different.
What have you seen changing in the Thai tourism market?
We’re not just looking at growth from the European markets, we’re looking at a domestic Asian market. The Indian market in Thailand has done quite well (it was up in the second quarter by 16%). It’s cheaper for someone to go on holiday from India to Thailand than it is to go on holiday in India. That’s because when it comes to room rates, India is suffering from room shortages.
If we’re looking at where Thailand has done well we can look at places like the Middle East market. There has been a 15% growth of visitors from the UAE and 34% from Saudi Arabia. These are year-on-year for the half year so that’s very positive. Then you’ve got Russia (and the former CIS states). Eastern Europe is up 35% year-on-year and Russia is up 41%.
Where Thailand scores poorly is in the Chinese market which is down 12%. I believe there will be about 40 million outbound Chinese tourists this year and Thailand gets less than 2%. That’s been very poor. The Japanese market is down 7% as well.
Where do you see the hotel market going here in Thailand?
What’s been happening in Thailand is that there has been a broadening of the Thai market. You’ve seen a lot of new product being built and I think just about every international hotel management company in the world wants a presence here. Not just a single presence but multiple locations. So the managers want to be here.
If you’re looking at the future of the Thai market, there will be a greater product offering. At the high end you’ve got some very interesting product coming on with things like W in Bangkok and Shangri La in Phuket. But then at the lower level I think Holiday Inn Express will be rolling out a mid-range brand as well. So it’s really something for everybody. And they are all going to be managed by international companies,… just about. Thailand’s marketing power is going to significantly increase because all these brands are going to be pushing the product into the global market place.
And we’re not just looking at Phuket! The opening of the Sheraton in Pattaya has proven that if you build up a good product, then people will pay the rate. That has created more interest in Pattaya helping people realize that it’s not just going to be a two or three star market. If we build the right product, we can get people coming.
There is a good range of product in Hua Hin and there are new hotels opening in Chiang Mai. So it’s not just a single destination like Indonesia for example, which is really Bali and not much else.
Do you see any difficulties other than a world wide recession?
There are challenges such as airlift in to Bangkok. The capacity of the new airport and what will happen to overcome that, for example. Luckily Thailand does have a lot of airports. Phuket and Krabi can both take more capacity and maybe Krabi can take the overspill from Phuket as a separate destination.
CB Richard Ellis is the largest commercial real estate company in the world. The Thailand branch is also the largest property consultant, offering strategic advice and execution for sales and leasing for luxury residential, office, retail, industrial, investment properties, and land, property and facilities management, valuation and advisory, and research and consulting. With more than 600 professionals throughout Thailand, CB Richard Ellis has four offices in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Samui. To learn more log on to their website at www.cbre.co.th.
Executive Director, CB Richard Ellis Thailand
The sub prime mortgage crisis in the US seems to be widening and deepening as more lending institutes reveal loses in their portfolios. As interest rates reset again, an even wider group of companies are sure to find bad debt on their books. In all likelihood, we are looking at the bursting of the real estate bubble in the US. The result could mean that the US economy dips into a recession in the first or second quarter of 2008. In any event, we are witnessing a slow down as the real estate crisis seeps into other sectors of the economy.
The mortgage crisis isn’t only a domestic issue in United States. Japanese banks are also finding bad debt, causing tightening credit there as well. In fact, it seems as if they U.S. sub prime crisis has finger in nearly every major developed and developing country. The result has been a restricted of lending practices and worldwide shrinking of available credit.
What does that mean for countries like Thailand and others in the Asia Pacific? Hotel Management Magazine caught up with Mr. James R. Pitchon, Executive Director of CB Richard Ellis Thailand to get his feelings on the crisis as well as changes in the Thai tourism and hotel markets.
Do you feel that the sub prime crisis in the U.S. will have an effect on the investment climate for the hotel industry here in Asia?
I think sub prime is a misnomer. There is a tightening of finance globally and that has been brought on by banks suddenly realizing that they have problems with lots of their structured financial products, whether its sub prime or other collateralized debt. We can see now that banks are hesitant to lend to each other in the U.S. and in the U.K. and the cost of borrowing is rising. It’s a global trend where money is becoming more expensive and it is certainly much harder to get. However, Thailand has almost zero exposure to this collateralized market.
So you feel that Thailand won’t be affected?
Very little! I think there is global fall out from the western banking challenge in the U.S., the U.K. and Europe that is making money tighter around the world. That will have some impact but most of the development in Thailand is funded locally.
How have Thai lending institutes been reacting?
Thai banks have been very conservative about lending, particularly with regards to property. The memories of the problems of 1997 are still very strong in the Thai bankers mind. So Thailand has been doing exactly the opposite of many countries in the rest of the world and there is under exposure to real estate. Even mortgage lending in the residential sector has not been growing with rejection rates being very high.
What about lending institutes in other countries, Japan for example?
There is minimal exposure. The far bigger impact will be if the US has a recession. That will affect the number of travelers coming to Asia from the US.
Are there any markets that are more exposed to a global credit crunch?
Not in Asia. The biggest risk is a recession in the US that will reduce US visitors.
Just US visitors?
Well, if there isn’t a recession in Europe, it won’t affect visitors from Europe.
But isn’t there the famous saying that if Uncle Sam sneezes, the world gets a cold?
If I could predict that then I’d become a central banker. What I’m saying is that there is very little linkage between the US lending problems and hotel development in Asia apart from on a macro economic scale. If the world economy slows down, then everybody will be affected in every property sector, including hotels.
So most of the hotel industry here in locally owned?
Yes, but the Asian market has become more international so you have, for example, Morgan Stanley acquiring a group of hotels from ANA. There are some interesting funds that have been created and there is an awful lot of money chasing real estate around the world. A lot of it focuses on prime grade A offices but there are specific hospitality funds as well.
Turning to tourism, it appears that the leisure travel numbers are good, but there are some problems with business travel and MICE. Doesn’t that tie into the global economy which, in turn, ties into the US economy.
The effect has not been due to the sub prime lending though, it’s because there was a coup and the bombings. Now what we face in the future is different.
What have you seen changing in the Thai tourism market?
We’re not just looking at growth from the European markets, we’re looking at a domestic Asian market. The Indian market in Thailand has done quite well (it was up in the second quarter by 16%). It’s cheaper for someone to go on holiday from India to Thailand than it is to go on holiday in India. That’s because when it comes to room rates, India is suffering from room shortages.
If we’re looking at where Thailand has done well we can look at places like the Middle East market. There has been a 15% growth of visitors from the UAE and 34% from Saudi Arabia. These are year-on-year for the half year so that’s very positive. Then you’ve got Russia (and the former CIS states). Eastern Europe is up 35% year-on-year and Russia is up 41%.
Where Thailand scores poorly is in the Chinese market which is down 12%. I believe there will be about 40 million outbound Chinese tourists this year and Thailand gets less than 2%. That’s been very poor. The Japanese market is down 7% as well.
Where do you see the hotel market going here in Thailand?
What’s been happening in Thailand is that there has been a broadening of the Thai market. You’ve seen a lot of new product being built and I think just about every international hotel management company in the world wants a presence here. Not just a single presence but multiple locations. So the managers want to be here.
If you’re looking at the future of the Thai market, there will be a greater product offering. At the high end you’ve got some very interesting product coming on with things like W in Bangkok and Shangri La in Phuket. But then at the lower level I think Holiday Inn Express will be rolling out a mid-range brand as well. So it’s really something for everybody. And they are all going to be managed by international companies,… just about. Thailand’s marketing power is going to significantly increase because all these brands are going to be pushing the product into the global market place.
And we’re not just looking at Phuket! The opening of the Sheraton in Pattaya has proven that if you build up a good product, then people will pay the rate. That has created more interest in Pattaya helping people realize that it’s not just going to be a two or three star market. If we build the right product, we can get people coming.
There is a good range of product in Hua Hin and there are new hotels opening in Chiang Mai. So it’s not just a single destination like Indonesia for example, which is really Bali and not much else.
Do you see any difficulties other than a world wide recession?
There are challenges such as airlift in to Bangkok. The capacity of the new airport and what will happen to overcome that, for example. Luckily Thailand does have a lot of airports. Phuket and Krabi can both take more capacity and maybe Krabi can take the overspill from Phuket as a separate destination.
CB Richard Ellis is the largest commercial real estate company in the world. The Thailand branch is also the largest property consultant, offering strategic advice and execution for sales and leasing for luxury residential, office, retail, industrial, investment properties, and land, property and facilities management, valuation and advisory, and research and consulting. With more than 600 professionals throughout Thailand, CB Richard Ellis has four offices in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Samui. To learn more log on to their website at www.cbre.co.th.
Bali Shopping Places
Bali owns many unique presentable thing to bring home as a souvenir since the Balinese very creative to create the value thing like handicraft, souvenir, gold, silver etc. they are full innovations and imaginations toward the earth and creates plenty of the high value artwork which has been exported to all over the world. The innovations and imaginations has been poured into the media which has produced the high artwork like pictures, wood carving, jewelry, art material, stone carving and a lot more. You can easy to locate the good shops and shopping mall offers the valuable thing and here we guide to find some of them.
Nusa Dua
Bali Collection at Nusa Dua is a perfect place to shop and it is located right in the center of the elite resort area. There are many good shops offering attractive valuable thing like t-shirt, cloth, souvenirs, handicraft and others. Restaurant and bars are also available in this place that completes it as a shopping center in Nusa Dua Bali. Other small shops along the road to the close village in Nusa Dua are offering the same thing with competitive prices.
Kuta
Kuta is well know as a center of tourist activities in Bali provides plenty of good shops sell the tourist needs, shopping mall, bars, restaurants and pub. The biggest shopping mall is available in this place and offering the beautiful thing that the tourist need. There are two big shopping malls in Kuta offering innovative items like Matahari Square and Centro.
Ubud
Ubud is well known the center of artwork in Bali. There are several traditional art market around Ubud are selling the multifarious of artwork for souvenir like handicraft. Ubud Art market is strategically located in the center of Ubud Bali offering plenty of handicrafts which you can bring home for souvenir.
What are you looking for in Bali for souvenir?
GOLF AND SILVER
Celuk Village is the right place to visit where a lot of gold shops available in this place like Sari Dewi Art Shop and Melati art shop. These shops offer multifarious of gold and silversmith like rings, bangle, mother of pearl, necklace, earring, brose etc.
WOOD CARVING
Mas Village is the right place to visit where you can find many galleries sell the wood carving with high value. The Siadja Gallery offers plenty of the wood carving you need.
PAINTING
Ubud is the perfect place to visit and it available plenty of painting galleries offer the world's class painting with multifarious of media, style and type.
BAG AND OTHER THIGNS
there are many art shop sell the several of handicraft available in Bali from Nusa Dua until Ubud Area. We are pleased to provide the list of good shop recommendation for your shopping time in Bali.
Shop's Name
Location
Product Selling
Bali Collection Nusa Dua Various
Nanami Art Shop Jimbaran Various of Handicraft
Ashitaba Jimbaran Traditional bag
Extreme Toys Jimbaran Surfing equipment, sun glasses etc
Centro Kuta Shopping mall
Matahari Square Kuta Shopping mall
S & W Batubulan Village Various of Handicraft
Sari Dewi Celuk Village Gold and Silver
Melati Celuk Village Gold and Silver
Siadja Mas Village Wood Carving
Semar Kuning Ubud Painting
Dian Lestari Ubud Painting
Nusa Dua
Bali Collection at Nusa Dua is a perfect place to shop and it is located right in the center of the elite resort area. There are many good shops offering attractive valuable thing like t-shirt, cloth, souvenirs, handicraft and others. Restaurant and bars are also available in this place that completes it as a shopping center in Nusa Dua Bali. Other small shops along the road to the close village in Nusa Dua are offering the same thing with competitive prices.
Kuta
Kuta is well know as a center of tourist activities in Bali provides plenty of good shops sell the tourist needs, shopping mall, bars, restaurants and pub. The biggest shopping mall is available in this place and offering the beautiful thing that the tourist need. There are two big shopping malls in Kuta offering innovative items like Matahari Square and Centro.
Ubud
Ubud is well known the center of artwork in Bali. There are several traditional art market around Ubud are selling the multifarious of artwork for souvenir like handicraft. Ubud Art market is strategically located in the center of Ubud Bali offering plenty of handicrafts which you can bring home for souvenir.
What are you looking for in Bali for souvenir?
GOLF AND SILVER
Celuk Village is the right place to visit where a lot of gold shops available in this place like Sari Dewi Art Shop and Melati art shop. These shops offer multifarious of gold and silversmith like rings, bangle, mother of pearl, necklace, earring, brose etc.
WOOD CARVING
Mas Village is the right place to visit where you can find many galleries sell the wood carving with high value. The Siadja Gallery offers plenty of the wood carving you need.
PAINTING
Ubud is the perfect place to visit and it available plenty of painting galleries offer the world's class painting with multifarious of media, style and type.
BAG AND OTHER THIGNS
there are many art shop sell the several of handicraft available in Bali from Nusa Dua until Ubud Area. We are pleased to provide the list of good shop recommendation for your shopping time in Bali.
Shop's Name
Location
Product Selling
Bali Collection Nusa Dua Various
Nanami Art Shop Jimbaran Various of Handicraft
Ashitaba Jimbaran Traditional bag
Extreme Toys Jimbaran Surfing equipment, sun glasses etc
Centro Kuta Shopping mall
Matahari Square Kuta Shopping mall
S & W Batubulan Village Various of Handicraft
Sari Dewi Celuk Village Gold and Silver
Melati Celuk Village Gold and Silver
Siadja Mas Village Wood Carving
Semar Kuning Ubud Painting
Dian Lestari Ubud Painting
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Bali Art Festival 2008
Tomorrow, Saturday (6/14/08) Bali Art Festival, a month-long festival participated by all regencies in the province of Bali and from other provinces in Indonesia and several foreign participants, like USA, Korea, Japan, Australia, will be opened with a grand opening ceremony that involve 3000 artist from all over the paradise island of Bali. This opening ceremony will be held in front of the Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat Bali (Bali People Struggle Monument, at Renon Square Denpasar. The main attractions of this opening ceremony is the parade various art performances and cultural treasures from each participants of Bali Art Festival that usually involve thousands of artists.
Badjra Sandi(Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat Bali)
The Bali Art Festival 2008 will be held from June 14 until July 12 in Bali Art Center Werdhi Budaya at Jalan Nusa Indah Denpasar. The theme of Bali Art Festival 2008 as the cultural event overall is “Citta Wretti Nirodha—Self Restrain toward Balance and Harmony”.
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