Bali Kuta Area Guide
Discovery Mall Evolving
After a 10 year absence from Bali having had these years in Yogyakarta, Central Java, I returned in 2003 to see many changes had occurred on the island of Bali. One place that particularly took my attention was the near completion of the Discovery Mall on Jalan Kartika Plaza. At that time I can recall mentioning to my wife as we passed on our way from the airport that the white edifice would be a ‘white elephant’. How wrong was I in my statement. Of course every year I have returned to Bali since 2003 and over the years I have seen the Discovery Mall evolving into one of the best shopping complexes on the island. There are not many tourists to the island that dislike the place as it offers an excellent choice of restaurants, coffee shops and stores, but also affords spectacular ocean views from the rear of the building. Little by little over the years a new shop or restaurant has been added, another bank installed in the complex making it a delightful place to spend a few hours, or in some cases with over-enthusiastic shoppers, a whole day.
Date: July 1st, 2008 |
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Dapur Alam
Quite accidentally I read about this new eatery in a local magazine a few months ago. Dapur Alam opened in February and has been steadily increasing its clientele mainly due to the high quality of food and, I consider this to be the reason why it has become so popular now with locals, domestic and foreign tourists. Dapur Alam means ‘natural kitchen’ in Bahasa Indonesia. Located on Jalan Patih Jelantik, Dapur Alam is nestled in a gully and can be easily missed. However, you will find most taxi drivers know about the place. I went there with my Javanese wife and a Swiss friend of ours who considered himself a connoisseur of Javanese cuisine having spent some months in Jakarta. The first impression of Dapur Alam is one of warmth mainly because of the two open-air pavilions where people sit and eat, and the general friendliness of the staff who come from various islands in the archipelago. The seating arrangements are purely simple. Wooden benches with mock, marble-topped tables give Dapur Alam that, well, natural ambience. There is even a special playground area set aside for kids.
Date: May 22nd, 2008 |
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Kuta restaurants: Apache reggae bar
Just like Raja’s on Jl. Legian, I have passed by the Apache restoran and bar more times than I can remember. I have always been dubious about eating establishments that are a part of a club, but it was worth a gecko I thought. Sure am glad I did.
Date: April 27th, 2008 |
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Discovery Mall Bali
The largest addition to the tourist scene in the Kuta area in recent years is the Discovery Shopping Mall located across from Waterbom Park on busy Jl. Kartika Plaza in Tuban. The place is very impressive looking and designed to attract attention.
Date: March 3rd, 2008 |
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Mooks: A popular t-shirt brand in Bali
A trip to Bali will probably include a spot of souvenir shopping at some point. Picking up a few last minute items for friends and family is a routine we’ve all been through. One of the high profile brands in Bali is Mooks.
Date: November 20th, 2007 |
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Sheppy’s Bar and Restaurant
I am always on the lookout for a good warung or restaurant that serves delicious cuisine wherever I travel in the archipelago and on my last sojourn to Bali, I discovered a great place. Sheppy’s restaurant is located on Jalan Melasti in Legian and I must have passed this place many times but never really noticed it. Across the road from the traditional markets, Sheppy’s is owned by an Australian and offers not only excellent food, but great service from a friendly staff. I particularly liked Sheppy’s because of its openness to the street making it a nice to place to people-watch, enjoy a meal or just a drink. The restaurant is very clean and one thing that really impressed me was the toilet. It was super-duper clean and not like you find in many places on the island of Bali. Candika and I ate at Sheppy’s many times after discovering the place and each time I was definitely not disappointed. The menu far is a good selection of Indonesia and western foods, all cooked to perfection and reasonably priced.
Date: June 3rd, 2008 |
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Kafe Batan Waru: Tuban
As a great lover of Javanese food I am a regular patron at Kafe Batan Waru in Tuban. The sister restaurant to the one in Ubud, the cuisine is just as delicious and although not in a garden setting, the décor more than makes up for this. Located opposite Waterbom Park in Tuban and a stone’s throw from the Discovery Mall, Kafe Batan Waru is not your ordinary open-air warung. Adorning the walls on one side are beautiful collection of flora and fauna prints, and the other, classic prints of Indonesia during the colonial era. The décor is practically simple with polished, long wooden tables and benches giving the place that touch of class. I particularly like the ‘feel’ of the restoran, warm and comfy. And, as with all upmarket restoran the service is first-class.
Date: May 10th, 2008 |
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Furniture, Art & Antiques at Apo Kayan in Seminyak Bali
Seminyak and Kerobokan are full of furniture places and on a walk down Jl. Seminyak this afternoon I checked one called Apo Kayan. Located directly across the street from Pantarei restaurant, the shop has some massive pieces including benches, couches, carved wall decorations and big wooden pots. Its like land of the giants and looking around I thought the kind of person buying this stuff must either have a hotel or a a very large house. Its cool though, you won't find this stuff in a catalog. I asked the lady in charge Yohan …
Date: March 17th, 2008 |
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Eiger Adventure equipment
Indonesia has its own brand of camping equipment called Eiger Adventure. This company is based in Bandung Java and has been around since 1990. Camping, hiking and backpacking are not as popular in Indonesia as it is in Europe, the USA and Australia. Still for someone who wants to give it a try and pick up some useful gear, this company provides and affordable option.
Date: November 22nd, 2007 |
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Double Six nightclub Bali
Bali has an ever growing assortment of nightlife venues, providing everything from relaxing lounge bars such as Hu’u, to rowdy yahoo bars such as Bounty, to pumping nightclubs such as MBarGo. The daddy of them all is Double Six, located at the beach end of Jl. Double Six.
Date: November 20th, 2007 |
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