Bali Bali Tourism News
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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Desecration in Bali
Like most people in Bali and travellers alike were disgusted with the development years back around Tanah Lot temple. There really is no need for this type of development that encroaches upon sacred ground and sacred places. It is unjustified greed. If any of you have recently visited Tanah Lot then you know what I mean. And now, developers have their eyes on the sacred temple of Pura Uluwatu. There are currently many development projects for new villas in the Bukit area in Jimbaran, including in the sacred area around Uluwatu shrine. This condition has triggered a public uproar with some of Bali’s noted intellectuals declaring the constructions illegal. But some locals and developers argue the constructions are legal because the developers acquired the necessary licenses from the Badung regent. There has to be a cut-off point as far as blatant development is concerned. It seems to me that this desecration of Bali will continue unless it is curbed and fast.
Date: May 7th, 2008 |
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Anantara Spa Resort: Seminyak
When you talk about pure luxury in a resort then you can’t go past the newly opened boutique property Anantara Resort in Seminyak. This place eclipses most of those flash places in Nusa Dua. Actually the resort was designed by Anthony Liu of the TonTon architectural firm, responsible for the Bale Resort in Nusa Dua. Located on absolute prime beachfront at the end of Jl. Abimanyu, the resort has 59 suites each with plasma screen TVs, contemporary Asian-inspired furniture, broadband internet connection and spacious baths. But it is more than just another resort. The Anantara has everything you would need without even having to leave the place unless of course you wanted to cruise around the area checking out the locals. Heck, you can do that from your balcony overlooking the beach.
Date: May 2nd, 2008 |
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Bali Arts Festival Dates
The one festival and time of the year I enjoy is the Bali Arts Festival. A potpourri of drama, dance and culture combine to make it one of the most enjoyable attractions of the year. Twenty provinces from Indonesia will join the festival this year by presenting their cultural arts and handicrafts as well as twelve arts troupe from eight countries. The international events would include a world `wayang` (puppet shadow) festival and an ASEAN ethnic music festival. The theme this year will be “Citta Wretti Nirodha” or a self-controlling behaviour toward the balance and …
Date: May 1st, 2008 |
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Lion Air to Begin Flights from Bali to Singapore
Many times I have been tempted just to head out of Indonesia and over to Singapore for a week or so break. As cheap as it is to get there from Jakarta, it’s going to be even better now that Lion Air will fly direst to Singapore from Bali. This is good news for those travellers on a RTW trip wanting to go direct to Bali from South-East Asia. It is also good news for those residents who want to holiday in Bali. Indonesia’s Lion Air has declared its intention to begin flying between Bali and Singapore in June or July 2008, utilizing Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. As reported in Bisnis Indonesia, the public relations manager of Lion Air, Hasyim Alhabsi, said service would initially be once each day with additional flights to follow.
Date: May 1st, 2008 |
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Saving the Elephants
Indonesia currently has 16 or more species on the verge of extinction. A further 30 are classified as endangered. On the critically endangered and endangered lists are the Sumatran tiger, the Bali starling, the Javanese wild dog, the orangutans of Kalimantan and Sumatra, the Sumatran gibbon and the Sumatran elephant. Some claim the number of Sumatran elephants remaining in the wild is around 1,500, while the more conservative believe 1,000 is more likely. A further 900 or so are found in Sumatra’s elephant camps; once known as elephant training centers, the camps are now called elephant conservation centers and are designed to save the species. However, these camps have become death camps for far too many elephants, according to elephant conservationist Nigel Mason of the Elephant Safari Park in Taro, Bali.
Date: May 9th, 2008 |
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Foreign Arrival Statistics
The foreign arrivals statistics for Indonesia are out courtesy of the Central Statistics Agency and they are showing a marked increase for the first quarter. Naturally, Bali remains the number one destination for travellers to Indonesia although arrivals from Europe are on the wane and this is probably due to the Indonesian Airlines ban imposed there. The quarterly statistics are great news for the country that is currently in their celebration year of Visit Indonesia, although I would liked to have seen more arrivals in the larger outlying islands like Sulawesi. It seems that most foreign tourists prefer the relative safety of Bali as compared to the larger Muslim dominated islands.
Date: May 4th, 2008 |
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Aneh-aneh Art and Uniques: Denpasar
How weird is weird? Well, nobody could answer that for sure including Tjia Jie Hong, the owner of Aneh-aneh Art and Uniques in Denpasar. There is no certain limitation to the meaning of the word aneh (weird). This was why he picked the name Aneh-aneh for his business. Aneh-aneh is a workshop providing various kinds of artworks with extraordinary designs, mostly made from wood and roots. It is located next to the busy Ngurah Rai express highway.
Date: May 2nd, 2008 |
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Jason Monet Exhibition: Ubud
Art and orangutans don’t appear to have much in common. However, for internationally recognized artist Jason Monet, conservation of the threatened primate starts with bamboo. According to the Bali-based artist, the more the arts, architecture and just about everything else from food to furniture uses bamboo, the longer orangutans on Sumatra and Kalimantan will have a home. Jason has been working with bamboo for the past two years, using it for his sculptures and to frame his paintings.
Date: May 1st, 2008 |
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New Zealand to Bali Flights Needed
One thing I never knew and that was Garuda Indonesia had stopped flying to Bali straight from New Zealand and Brisbane in 2007. New Zealanders are amongst the nicest people in the world and I say that after spending a year there riding around the islands on a motorbike. Kiwis wanting to visit Bali have to connect through an Australian city. How stupid. Wouldn’t it be far better if the straight flights from the main cities in New Zealand to Denpasar and Jakarta were to be restored, then surely this would significantly contribute to …
Date: April 28th, 2008 |
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