Tiket Pesawat Murah dan Tiket Kereta Api Murah

 

Friday 26 December 2008

Intercontinental Bali Resort






Hotel OverviewSecluded within the boundaries of the exclusive neighbourhood of Jimbaran Bay on Bali's southern coastline, InterContinental Bali Resort embraces 35 acres of tropical landscape. Blessed with an endless stretch of white sandy beachfront as its stunning backdrop, the resort integrates ornamental ponds, a winding lagoon and aesthetic stonework. Suspended between heaven and earth, this 418 luxury room resort was designed to blend modern convenience with elements of traditional Balinese architecture. There is an obvious sensitivity towards the surrounding environment, whilst respecting the rich culture of the island, its fine artistry and Hindu heritage. InterContinental Bali Resort has an alluring appeal with just enough versatility to cater to the needs of couples, families and business travelers alike. An outstanding destination, the resort bears resemblance to a nurturing Balinese community with an ambience making guests feel like they truly belong.

All rooms have air conditioning, spacious marble bathroom with separate bath tub and shower, international satellite television channels, tea/coffee making facilities, in-room digital safety deposit box and internet access.

InterContinental Bali Resort Publish Room Rates :
Room Type
Publish Rate
Resort Classic Room
US$ 290.00
Resort Classic Duplex Suite
US$ 314.00
Singaraja Room
US$ 393.00
Singaraja Duplex Suite
US$ 417.00
Club Room
US$ 590.00
Club Duplex Suite
US$ 630.00

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Bali places to go, things to do, sights to see # 3 -End

I. NUSA DUA

1. Dining

The five-star hotels of Nusa Dua contain a great number of high standard restaurants (with international prices) serving international, European, Chinese, Balinese and Indonesian cuisine. Generally, the restaurants of the neighboring resorts of Tanjung Benoa have greater variety and are better value. Virtually all Nusa Dua restaurants immediately outside the resort offer free transport in the Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa.


2. The Beach

Nusa Dua’s beach hotels front a three-kilometer-long shoreline of sugary white sand with gentle waves and usually not a rock, jet ski or motorboat in sight. The surf break, only accessible by boat, is from September-November. Boats are only allowed to pick up passengers at designated jetties and barriers have been constructed to protect the swimming environment, moving the surf quite a distance from shore. There’s a lovely seaside park in this beach, with a picnic rest area and nearby rocky outcroppings with spectacular blowholes created when waves blow up through fissures in the coral. This is also a great bird watching area.


3. Shopping

Although the Nusa Dua/Tanjung Benoa are does not compare to Kuta or Denpasar for choice, you can find a wide range of products in a much smaller area. On the stretch of Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai between the airport turnoff and Nusa Dua itself there are scores of small retailers offering a wealth of local goods from lamps, woven mats, pottery, outdoor furniture and garden accessories.


II. SANUR


1. Dance Performance in Sanur

Being a fishing village traditionally, Sanur retains its local flavor even though the busy Bypass Ngurah Rai passes through and the main street, Jalan Danau Tamblingan is wall-to-wall shops and restaurants. The Brahman banjar (village) of Anggarasih and the fishing village of Belong still hold a yearly baris gede warrior dance at Pura Dalem Kedewatan. And the village of Taman, whose Brahman’s have traditionally served as the region’s chief administrator or perbekel is a home to an electric barong troupe complete with an impish telek escort.

2. Prasasti Belanjong

Sanur’s history goes back a long way, with some of the oldest recorded writing on the island still preserved at the small temple in Belanjong Village. The ancient text called Prasasti Belanjong, dating back to the 10th Century, is inscribed on stone pillar locked in a glass cabinet only about 10 meters from the street. Wrapped in cloth, you can just manage to see a bit of the writing sticking out. The inscriptions detail the arrival of a Javanese king in Bali of the Mahayana Buddhist kingdom, another cultural and religious influence.

3. Nightlife

Sanur nightlife is basically the local bar and restaurant scene, with the some places providing live music. There are no real nightclubs in Sanur and the younger party crowds do not frequent the area as much. One of the most pleasant aspects of Sanur is its large expanse of beachfront. A footpath covers the entire 5kms allowing visitors to stroll along and explore, stopping when they feel like it for a drink or snack at a beach side restaurant. The sand quality is good in Sanur, yellowish in color and fairly clean.

4. Watersports

Sanur has a reef making it ideal for surfers and also people with young kids inside the reef. Sanur does not get a strong beach break like Kuta and Seminyak. Swimming is only possible at high tide as low tide exposes the reef. Swimming outside the reef is not recommended. You can find almost any watersport imaginable here. Most of the facilities are found right on the beach around the Sanur Beach Market, or in front of the big hotels in this area. There are jet skis, kayaks and windsurfing boards to rent. There are also other activities such as banana boat, water skiing, parasailing and snorkeling.


III. UBUD

1. Dance Performances and Ceremonies

Ubud often regarded as ‘the real Bali’. This nickname makes it open its door for people who want to come and see the daily life of Balinese the way it has been for hundreds of years. When you come, make sure you see as much as dance and ceremonies as possible because some of the performances in the temple are sacred, or can only be happening in a certain time. You may just witness ceremonies that never happen again in the same place in another fifty or a hundred years. The regular performance is scheduled everyday in almost 10 different places in Ubud. Ask for the performance schedule and choose the performance you want to see.

2. Museums and Galleries

Ubud is the only town in Indonesia with many museums in it. Thanks to the encouragement of the late Cokorda Gede Raka Sukawati, Walter Spies was settled in Ubud thus provoking a growing tide of visitors to this enchanting village. In 1920s and early 1930s, Ubud became the focal point for foreign artists and other creative people gathering around Spies, a highly gifted and versatile German artist. The result of this development is a flowering of the arts, that somehow made some museums and galleries exist in Ubud. In the Ubud Main Road, you can find Puri Lukisan Museum, home for paintings and sculpture made by members of Ubud’s Pita Maha artist association. In Campuhan, there is Blanco Renaissance Museum that exhibited artworks from the eccentric painter. Up to Sanggingan, the Neka Art Museum displays a comprehensive collection of Balinese and Indonesian artists. There are two other museums slightly out of Ubud, the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) and Museum Rudana is also worth to look for. Several galleries that you must not missed are Lempad Gallery and Seniwati Gallery in Ubud Main Road. The latter features women’s art, especially works by female Balinese artists. Visit also Sika Gallery, on Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Komaneka Fine Art Gallery on Monkey Forest Road and Gaya Fusion and Senses at Sayan for contemporary artworks by Indonesian and foreign artists.

3. Pura Gunung Lebah

According to an 8th century legend, a Javanese priest named Rsi Markendya came to Bali from Java and meditated in Campuhan (Sangam in Sanskrit) at the confluence of two streams – an auspicious site for Hindus, he founded the Gunung Lebah Temple here, on a narrow platform above the valley floor, where pilgrims seeking peace came to be healed from their worldly cares. You can still get there by following a small road on the western outskirts of Ubud, then taking the path down toward the river.

4. Spa in Ubud

Set amidst emerald green rice paddies and steep ravines in the stunning central Balinese foothills, the village of Ubud was originally an important source of medicinal herbs and plants. “Ubud” in fact derives from the Balinese word for medicine – ubad. Nowadays, the general feeling of wellbeing can be enjoyed in the spas all over Ubud. The area offers wide range of treatments and prices for tourists of all budgets.

5. Dining in Ubud

Ubud has an incredible variety of places to eat. The simple warungs serving nasi campur, satay and suckling pig are still around, but now there is everything else. Today Ubud offers a choice ranging from American hamburgers and steaks, country-style Japanese, and sophisticated Italian pastas all the way to haute cuisine attracting worldwide acclaim. A few restaurants stand head and shoulders above the crowd for the quality and the originality of their food. Those on a budget can find the local warungs.

6. Petulu – place of herons

Petulu is a small village northeast of Ubud where everyday around sunset time you can witness thousands of white herons hovering over the village as they alight in lofty trees. Just mention the name, and any villagers will point you the way to get there.


7. Puri Saren Agung

The main street is Jalan Raya Ubud, which runs east west through the center of town. Two long roads, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanuman, extend south from Raya Ubud. Puri Saren Agung is a large palace located at the intersection of Monkey Forest and Raya Ubud roads. The home of Tjokorde Gede Agung Sukawati (1910-1978), the last "king" of Ubud, his descendants currently live there and dance performances are held in its courtyard. This is one of the buildings that were decorated with carved statues and ornament made by the late I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, a noted sculptor and painter in Ubud. Puri Saren Agung is located near to several other important buildings (also decorated by Lempad) such as Pura Pamerajaan Sari Cokorda Agung –the royal family temple and storage place for the family regalia, the main temple of the noble family (Pura Puseh) in the north of the palace and Pura Saraswati (temple of learning) next to it.

8. The Sacred Sanctuary Monkey Forest Park

Monkey Forest Park is a small nature reserve located near the southern intersection of Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanuman. It houses a temple for the deceased and over 200 long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys.

Bali places to go, things to do, sights to see # 2

I. KUTA, SEMINYAK, LEGIAN


1. Dining


Kuta and Legian, as well as the northern area of it, have become a culinary paradise. New places open almost daily and competition is fierce. When you come, ask around for the latest ‘in’ spots. The places that last for a long time are having great food at unbeatable price. Although the best foods here are still seafood and Asian dishes, dare to try other kind of foods from all over the world as Kuta also offers Mexican, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Brazilian, Mexican and even Greek. Bali’s trendy restaurant strip is on Jalan Laksamana (also called Jalan Oberoi). An ‘eat street’ that currently hosting a mind-boggling total of over 45 different dining venues.

2. Shopping

Kuta and Seminyak are shopper’s dream. This is partly because it’s an important manufacturing center for summer wears, jewelry and decorative handicrafts and home wares which are exported all over the world. The best area of shopping is Jalan Legian, Jalan Bakungsari, Jalan Melasti and nearby back lanes such as Poppies I and II. Some bargains, though, can still be struck as far away as Seminyak and Kerobokan. Many of the stores displayed goods designed by expatriates from Europe, the USA and Japan. Kuta offers the whole range of clothing prices and styles, from gaudy T-shirts to exclusive designer labels. Other than that, you can find almost everything here, including modern artwork, leather goods, casual summer clothing, shoes, jeans, CDs, T-shirts, furniture and pottery as well as knick-knacks. For those who do not want to wander too far from the beach, Kuta and Legian have more than enough to appease any shopper's withdrawal symptoms. From sarongs to sandals, wooden statues to Javanese puppets, silver to surf boards. It has also several department stores, which are great paces for one stop shopping, in Kuta Square, Legian Plasa and also on Jalan Kartika Plasa.

3. Partying (Nightlife)

To understand the listings of nightspots, entertainment venues and events including DJs and groups coming to town, live cabaret, beach parties, fashion show and other cultural happenings, you can simply pick up fliers and free magazines from many restaurants in Kuta. Bali’s nightlife is legendary and these days there are two different ‘scenes’, the young crowds that dominates the Kuta circuit and a cooler, slightly older expatriates crowds that frequent the beach cafĂ© and chic restaurants around of northern Legian and southern Seminyak. Much of Legian action happens in and around Jalan Dhyanapura, Bali’s party street. With its scores of cocktail bars and cafes, it’s the busiest street in Seminyak and attracts droves of people, filling every establishment until around 2:30am.



4. Watersports and other activities


Kuta and Legian have long been surfing areas. The 5 km beach break stretching from Kuta to Petitenget has a range of waves. Speak to the experts at Kuta’s surf shops. The owners are all avid surfers and provide up-to-the-minute surfing reports and tide charts, which are essential for negotiating the tricky currents. The Seminyak beach is now also popular amongst surfers looking for a less crowded area to surf and to enjoy the sun drench beach. Swimming in Kuta is not recommended because the currents are extremely strong and the undertow can be very treacherous. Therefore, swimming is at your own risk. There are markers to indicate no-swim areas, but no sea markers to indicate safe distance from the beach. You can also go to the waterpark on Jalan Kartika Plasa. It is an amusement park with variety of pools, “rides” and slides in a beautifully landscape environment. Another activity that may attract you is bungee jumping. Both in Legian and Kuta, this activity is become more and more popular.

II. LOVINA, SINGARAJA

1. Air Banjar Hot Springs

Located west of Lovina, Air Banjar is an enchanting and sacred hot springs with stone-carved mouths gushing water among a lush garden setting. In the 1985, the sulphurous spring water was channeled into a public bathing area consisting of 3 pools. The water is a pleasant 38˚C. There are changing rooms, showers, toilet and a restaurant.

2. Bratan

A Few kilometers away from Singaraja, Bratan village is a center for silversmith. They make religious items and less frequently, jewelry. You can watch the craftsmen at work and buy directly from them, or purchase their wares at shops located on the left-hand site of the main road.

3. Gondol Beach

In the western part of Buleleng, near the village of Banyupoh, lies the delightful Pantai Gondol (Gondol Beach). It is a superb beach with clean sand and beautiful coral reefs. Pantai Gondol is a marvelous spot for swimming and snorkeling. It is also the site for a fishery research project.

4. Pura Ponjok Batu


The Pojok Batu Temple is situated on the north east coast of Buleleng, about 7 kilometers from Air Sanih, the well-known beach resort in this area. This is an important temple that was built atop a hill and affords a fine view of the ocean and some splendid frangipani trees. Cross the road to the small fenced-in shrine that encloses a number of stones. It is said that the 16th century priest Nirartha drawn to the site by its immense beauty, sat on one of these stones as he composed poetry



5. Bali Aga village - Sembiran

The more remote parts of Bali are home to the Bali Aga (original Balinese who shunned the caste system imposed on the rest of the island by the advancing Javanese Hindu Majapahit Empire in 1343. Besides the famous villages of Tenganan and Trunyan there are other smaller villages with a connection to the Bali Aga. One of these is Sembiran on the North East coast of Buleleng. A steep and narrow winding road will bring you into this village. The local temples might be interesting to check out to note the differences between them and the temple you see in other parts of Bali. The layout of the Bali Aga village also differs from that of predominantly Hindu villages. For one thing, some Bali Aga temples may not have a perimeter wall. Sembiran is located 3km inland from the village of Pacung.

6. Gitgit


If you have a private transport, visit to Gitgit is a must. Ten km south of Singaraja, this is the site of Bali’s most dramatic waterfalls. The road to Gitgit climbs steeply, offering fine views along the way. The waterfall located about a 500m from the main road, is surrounded by lush vegetation. A fine, cool mist hangs in the air providing a refreshing welcome after the walk down.

7. Lovina Beach


The long stretch of black sand is bordering the coastal villages of Anturan, Tukad Mungga, Kalibukbuk, Kaliasem and Kemukus. The pace of life at Lovina reflects the calmness and safety of the sea. This is an excellent spot for swimming and snorkeling, particularly near the reef, and local boats are to hire. Also, take the dolphin sighting trips that will leave in the morning off the coast to the sea. This trip has a mixed review as sometimes the boats outnumbered the dolphins, but still is an enjoyable trip to take. Snorkeling and scuba diving trips leave from Kalibukbuk for Deer Island (Pulau Menjangan) and other north shore dive spots. There are several dive operators based out of Lovina that operate daily dive trips to Deer Island, Tulamben and Amed, as well as night dives from the local shore. Guides are available in a variety of languages.

8. Tejakula


Located in the eastern coast of Buleleng, Tejakula is the last important port to call in this area. You can visit its Banjar Pande, the ward of silversmiths and watch them at work as they produce Balinese religious items and jewelry. Be sure also to see the famous horse bath. It sits 200m south of the T-intersection in Tejakula. The large, elaborate, white stones structure with its graceful architecture is no longer used to wash horses, but has been turned into public bathing area and remains a famous local relic.

Sunday 14 December 2008

Bali places to go, things to do, sights to see # 1

  1. Candi Dasa
  • Bugbug and Gumang Hill

Located 4 kilometers northeast of Candidasa, Bugbug is a sizeable rice growing and fishing village, an administrative center for the sub-district. Along the way, the road climbs unexpectedly steep Gumang Hill. There is beautiful panorama from the top of the sea, river, rice field and Bugbug with the mountains of Lempuyang and Seraya in the distance. When the sky is clear, people can see Mt. Rinjani of Lombok from here. The village of Bugbug is quite old fashioned. There are many interesting rituals that you can see here. One of them is the “war of the gods” that held every two years on the full moon of the fourth month. During this ceremony, four villages (Bugbug, Jasi, Bebandem and Ngis) will participate in a “war” that based on a legend about how god of Bugbug tried to resolve the problem with the god of Ngis after his daughter (who married to god of Ngis) eloped with the god of Jasi. The ritual battle takes place near the temple on top of Gumang Hill. Consult your guide for the ceremony and ritual schedule.

  • Perasi

If you come to this area during full moon, make sure you go to the village of Perasi. This village still operates with old-fashion system in which they have a council of elders that responsible for all religious affairs. Its member enters the council based on seniority. This council is also responsible important rituals in the area. One of the rituals is held around the full moon of the first Balinese month. This ritual worship of the village gods is carried out in the central temple (pura desa) and lasts for several days. Most spectacular are the dances by unmarried boys (abuang teruna) clad in costumes of white and gold-threaded cloth, with headdresses and traditional weapon called keris. After the dance follows the so called daratan, in which the older men in trance carrying keris approach the main shrine of the temple, to the accompaniment of special music.

  • Manggis and Putung

Several km to the east from the main road, you will arrive to the village of Manggis. It's a quiet village yet a popular honeymoon getaways destination. From this village, there is a lovely path that leading up to Putung village in the hills overlooking the coast. The path runs through woods and garden and reaches Putung after about 5 km, where you can see a splendid view across the sea to the nearby islands.

  • Pura Silayukti

It was told that the Buddhist sage, Mpu Kuturan- have lived there in the 11th century. Located in the village of Candidasa, this temple anniversary falls on Wednesday-Kliwon on week Pahang. Consult a Balinese calendar or reliable guide to make sure you come on the right days of the festivities.

  • Tenganan

The village of Tenganan Pegringsingan still practiced the ancient rules of Bali Aga (original Balinese). Thus it has different rituals than other Balinese in general, such as swinging ritual, and perang pandan that cannot be found in other area. This village is also known as the place for making double ikat cloth called geringsing. This cloth regards as sacred and is using as the sign of purity and the ability of perform rituals – qualities that these clothes protect from harmful outside influences. Tenganan is a closed and exclusive village, where only Tengananese can stay and spend the night. If you visit this village, you must leave the area towards the evening.

2. JIMBARAN, TUBAN

  • Kedonganan Fish Market


During the fishing season there is lots of interesting activity just after sunrise, well worth waking up early for. To get to the hub of the activity, follow the unpaved road that leads to the beach from Jimbaran main crossroads, past Pura Ulun Siwi. The Kedonganan Fish Market is located on the northeast corner of the main crossroads in the village, just across the street from Pura Ulun Siwi. It is the principal trading center for most of the Bukit, as well as the villages that lie to the nortm between Jimbaran and Kuta. There is no special market day. It opens for business at 4 am and as any housewife will confirm, the market sells the highest quality and freshest seafood in all of South Bali, and at a very good price.

  • Pura Ulun Siwi

This temple must be special because it faces east, rather than south. During the prayers, the worshipper face west, rather than to the north, to Gunung Agung, as is the usual practice. This is due to the fact that the temple, once a primitive shrine, became a Hindu-Balinese temple fairly early, in the 11th century. At this time, the holy man Mpu Kuturan still followed the custom of his native Java in orienting his temple toward holy Mount Semeru, in East Java. The principal gate (kori agung) of this temple is built with wings, something that very similar in construction to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu on the Bukit, except that it is made of brick instead of coral stone. There is a close connection between these two temples, and it is said that one should pray at Pura Ulun Siwi before proceeding to Pura Uluwatu.

  • Surfing at Bukit Area

In the south of Jimbaran, the road climbs steeply up several switchbacks onto Bukit Badung plateau, offering dramatic panoramas back up the beach to the rice lands and the volcanoes on a clear day. All around the southern and western edges of the plateau, limestone cliffs tower above a pounding surf 70 meters below. This is where Bali’s best surfing is found- particularly famous are the waves at Suluban, Labuhan Sait and Bingin.

  • Pura Luhur Uluwatu

Like a ship of stone afloat in the sky, Pura Luhur Uluwatu is poised above the Indian Ocean. The temple is carved from the enormous limestone rock upon which it sits at the farthest edge. Legend says that the temple was built by Mpu Kuturan in the 11th century, and then rebuilt several hundred years later by Danghyang Nirartha in anticipation of his ultimate release there. The temple is also home to a small colony of monkeys who roam freely over this high and airy place.

  • Sand floor Dining at Jimbaran Beach

Coming alive after sunset, the smoky palm-thatched open-air establishment that stretching all along Jimbaran Beach is an ever burgeoning and very affordable selection of sand floor beach restaurants. These places grill the choicest prawns, squid, snapper, and lobster over coconut husk fires. The setting is unbeatable. The lights of fishing platforms twinkling in the horizon, the setting sun, the candlelit tables overlooking the beach, the barbecue racks billowing smoke, all make for and enchanting atmosphere. Whenever you come, you just choose your fish from big iceboxes, pick a table and enjoy. This is definitely a must –do while in Bali.

WHY BALI

Very often many thing become reality inspired by a dream. For example if one wants to have a very memorable holiday he will choose a place which have everything to fulfill his needs or his requests sometimes begin with a sweet dream. If a dream tells about beautiful island lies under the equator and have a nice weather all year round, an oasis of undying culture and quiet beauty, if so, Bali has it all.

Bali is a beautiful island situated within Indonesian Archipelago and one of the best tourist destinations in Asia. In 1930th some of the foreign writers and artists arrived in Bali and stayed on, thoroughly seduced and inspired by the island’s breathtaking physical beauty and cultural complexity. They were also deeply impressed by the warmth and the hospitality of the Balinese, and the amazing breadth of artistic expression that pervaded daily life.

Since 1970th Bali performed his high quality in tourism industry, and attracted many bona fide tour operators and airlines companies to bring their clients to enjoy this enchanting island. The island boast a Bali International Airport, luxuries 5 star Bali hotels, best built Bali villas, luxury and typical secluded resorts ad even hundreds of budget hotels.

The development in tourism industry continues in progress for years, and the visitors of Bali can learn and explore more its unique places of interest, various typical local cultures, enjoy the hospitality of the people, as well as other tourist attractions such as diving, snorkeling, para-gliding, cruising, rafting and even sports. Besides, Bali Island is also an ideal place for having MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) and honeymoon. Tourism actually has been becoming a massive industry and the main source of Bali’s income.

In October 2002 and again in October 2005 Bali was frightened by a violence terrorist’s attack, the boom blast that devastated the island of Bali and the international community. More than 200 lives were lost and hundreds more were injured. It need months for recoveries and the Balinese people is still working hard to rebuild the image of the island and we look forward to a brighter and promising future for the Balinese and our tourism industry.

The Balinese have their own way to respond the terrorist attack not by physical violence but by peaceful means; performing major cleansing ceremonies, prayer and hopes, establishing a memorial for the lost lives, because the Balinese believe that the true and utmost prayer have a magic power to face up to evil. The Balinese doctrine Ruwa Bineda tells that all nature is eternally divided into pairs – high and low, right and left, day and night, strong and weak, healthy and sick, clean and unclean; in general: good and evil, life and death. Each illuminates the other within the scope of creation, and the Balinese ritual strives always to maintain a middle ground – a harmony between two poles. So wherever one goes, be a wise man and beware of any possible dangers and put oneself on guard, because the good and the bad are everywhere in this world.

All the appropriate efforts has been performed by Indonesian Government and the Balinese people and also by the world in order to keep the island peaceful. For the Balinese after performing major ceremonies, it is now time to move ahead and leave the incident behind us. Bali Loves Peace is our motto, peace for everyone, and peace for the world. Many of the visitors have been proved the peace of the island after the incident and leaved Bali with a memorable stay.

Bali is a fiesta for the senses. There are kilometers of dreamlike beaches (with white sand in the south and black sand in the north and west) and crystalline waters, edging coral reefs, which contrast with the exuberant green of the picturesque terraces of paddy fields, in a equatorial island of just 5,632 km? (2,000 square mi), 153 km x 112 km
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(92 mi x 70 mi). Impressive volcanic landscapes and the silvery bright of the mountain lakes are the perfect combination; the highest point, the Mount Agung, is at 3,142 m (10,308 ft) high. And the intoxicating scent of Hybiscus flowers, cloves and incense sticks is always in the air. In Bali, the divine island of the Indian Ocean, there are about 20,000 temples and sanctuaries. Its calendar has 200 days of religious feasts and each morning people ask for the benevolence of the gods through offers of flowers and fresh food.

Even if life in Bali is based on ancestral rites and traditions, modern times have conquered the place. Especially in Denpasar, the capital of the island, a multicolor, noisy and turbulent city. Cars, motorcycles, old trucks run along horse carriages on the street. The chaotic traffic is permanent. Commercial centers, fast food chains, posh boutiques and souvenir shops mix with the most traditional cooking posts, old street markets and temples. The same can be said about Kuta and Legian, the most important touristic points on the southern coast. Here we will find the most luxurious hotels, restaurants, discotheques, next to beaches of fine sand, light waves and mighty palm trees. Singaraja is the ancient capital of multicultural influences and now the largest city in northern Bali. The best season for visiting Bali is in May-October. The music of Bali combines drums, xylophones and cymbals but also the bronze gong. The folk theater of Bali shows the ancestral fight between Good (represented by a dragon) and Evil (represented by a witch). Young men are dressed up with colorful fantasy clothes, dancing in the traditional Barong. Later on the evening, a puppeteer will play a Wayang Kulit, the popular Chinese shadows show. Religion is part of the daily life for the locals, but unlike most of the Indonesians, which are

Muslim, 97 % of the about 3 million Balinese are Hindu. Just like in the Hindu religion of India, monkeys are considered sacred animals. Craftsmanship is rich in Bali, with unlimited details and beautiful artifacts at low prices: bright brocades, artistic masks, hand cut figures and delicate silver costume jewellery are the most appreciated souvenirs. Here you can buy an authentic sarong and fabulous engraved batiks. Trade is the rule in Bali.

So if you plan a vacation do not doubt to put Bali at your top list for your next holiday destination. Bali is still worth a visit after the boom tragedy, because the situation is well in hand now. The easiest way to book your preferred Bali Hotels is go online and visit a hotel reservation website. Do a search for the city or island you are traveling to (Indonesia-Bali) and you will be presented with a list of available Bali hotels/Bali Villas in that area. Or you can search a local reliable Bali Tour Operator and contact him by e-mail for further information.

How Go to Bali - Flights to Bali






How to reach Bali?, what the airlines fly to Bali, Check out our Bali Flights Schedule and Airlines, find out their flight schedule and airfares

From Jakarta, it's a 1 1/2 hour flight, from Singapore or Perth, Australia it takes about two to three hours, from Hong Kong it's a 4 1/2 hour flight and from Sydney, Australia it's about 6 hours. From the United States, several airlines will be necessary as no flights are direct to Bali. Flight times for the trip can take 26 to 43 hours or more, so patience in planning your trip will help. Try some of the travel discount websites like kayak.com, expedia.com and vayama.com and enter your departure city and type in Denpasar or DPS as your arrival city and see what types of flights are available.
All commercial flights will land at the Ngurah Rai Airport in the capital city, Denpasar. Flights to Bali can be found in the following cities: Adelaide, Amsterdam, Auckland, Bangkok, Brunei, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Frankfurt, Fukuoka, Guam, Honolulu, Kaohsiung, Kuala Lumpur, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Munich, Nagoya, Osaka, Paris, Perth, Rome, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Vienna, and Zurich.
New schedules are always being added, and some discontinued, so it's necessary to check airline flight schedules for changes when making plans

Direct flights to Bali are available mostly from cities in Asia and Pacific countries: Bangkok (BKK), Brunei (Bandar Sri Begawan, BWN), Darwin (DRW), Dili (DIL), Doha (DOH), Hong Kong (HKG), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Melbourne (MEL), Osaka (KIX), Perth (PER), Seoul (ICN), Singapore (SIN), Taipei Taiwan (TPE), Tokyo Narita (NRT).
If you are not living on the above cities, find the flight to Singapore (SIN) or Hong Kong (HKG) or Bangkok (BKK) or Kuala Lumpur (KUL), then get connection flight to Denpasar (DPS), Bali.(Denpasar is capital city of Bali with code: DPS. When you check flight schedule, don’t look for Bali, but look for Denpasar, DPS)
If you are living in Amsterdam, you get KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to Jakarta (CGK) then connect to Denpasar by Garuda Indonesia. OR You can get Cathay Pacific (CX) flight to Hong Kong, or Singapore Airlines (SQ) to Singapore (SIN), or Thai Airways (TG) to Bangkok, or Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur (KUL), then connect to Denpasar, Bali (DPS).For other cities in Europe, check it out at Our Flight Schedule. Just click here!
If you are living in North America, you can get flight from Los Angles to Singapore (by Singapore Airlines) or to Hongkong (by Cathay Pacific) then get connection flight to Bali with the same airlines. OR ou get flight from New York to Singapore (by Singapore Airlines) or to Hongkong (by Cathay Pacific) then get connection flight to Bali with the same airlines. Another option: You may also get flight from New York to Nagoya – Japan (By Japan Airlines or Northwest) then connect to Bali.
You can find your flight schedule using “oag-flights.com”. Type your Departure city in “Departure” field and Denpasar or DPS in “Arrival” field. Click here to go to “oag-flights.com”. - OR –
You may check flight schedules at the Airlines’ websites such as:
AirAsia,
American Airlines,
Air France,
British Airways,
Cathay Pacific Airways,
China Airlines,
Continental Airlines,
EVA Airways,
Garuda Airline,
Japan Airlines International
Jetstar Airways,
Korean Air,
Malaysia Airlines,
Qantas Airways,
Qatar Airways,
Royal Brunei Airlines,
Singapore Airlines,
Thai Airways International,
Transaero,
Valuair,

Friday 12 December 2008

Bali Island General Information












Bali Island - where religion is the source of traditional customs in everyday life. A vibrant culture, unique arts and ceremonies, a gentle and friendly people and spectacular scenery make Bali Island one of the premier travel destinations in the world.
Come to Bali Island to learn for yourself how beautiful Bali is. It needs more pages to describe the wonders and magic of Bali Island in words. Here is a glance info about Bali Island.


Bali Island, Where, Width and Population
Bali Island is one of the 17,000 Islands of Indonesia, located between 8 and 9 degree south of the Equator.It takes 3 hours flight from Singapore or 5 hours from Sydney or 4 hours from Hong Kong and 8 hours from Tokyo, those closest cities in the pacific. There are direct and some connects flights from Europe, North and South America as well as Africa.
A very narrow strait, called the strait of Bali, joins the Indian (Indonesia) ocean and the Java sea, separating Bali Island from Java Island.Bali Island’s total area is slightly more than 2000 square miles. According to the latest census Bali Island’s population is three million five hundred thousand people.
Bali Island Topography, rice fields, mountains and beaches

Bali mountain range is from Batukaru in the west and Gunung Agung in the East while in the center there are lakes which divides Bali Island into two plains, the Northern and the Southern plains.
The Northern plain is much narrower, hilly and dry so that there is no much wet rice culture possible and yet the people here like in the rest of Bali Island live from agriculture.
The mountain in some places comes right to the sea, the coast is swampy in the West, alternately sandy and full of pebbles in the center and rocky in the East. There are few beaches here good for swimming as well as snorkeling and diving.

The Gunung Batur is very active volcano. In this century it erupted in 1905, 1926 and 1963 when it kept erupting till 1974. One of its many craters once in a while emits smoke. The highest Volcano - Mt. Agung was quite for more that 150 years, but it was certainly not dead yet. It erupted suddenly in 18 February 1965 when Bali Island was about to have a big purification ceremony, called Eka Desa Rudra, which is to be held every 100 years. The previous eruption must be 1811, because this was mentioned in the book, the history of Java, written by Raffles, when he was Governor General of Indonesia. The center part of Bali Island are most fertile and in these regions the tourists can see the most beautiful rice field terraces. This part of Bali is, no wonder, called the rice belt of the Island. The South part lies white sandy beaches where mostly hotels are located such as : Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta, Legian and Sanur area. To the Southeast of central Bali lies the arid island of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan which used for snorkeling, beaching by most of Cruises company.
Bali Wood Carvings
Collection of Bali Wood Carvings in various themes; Hindu and Buddha religious theme, Ramayana and Mahabarta great epic, Balinese daily life, Animals, New style, and more...
Bali Flora and Fauna
Bali Island is though to be the last island of Wallace line that separates the flora and fauna of Mainland Asia and Australia, but in Bali Island there are no kakatoe birds, but one finds plenty of them in the islands East of Bali, e.g. in Sumba and Flores. A very few are found in Nusa Penida. There are more snakes and beautiful myna colored birds. The Australian flora and fauna are supposed to begin in Lombok, the island just East of Bali. In Nusa Penida one occasionally sees the white kakatoe and the Horned bill; a bird with very large beak, too big in proportion with the head, and the body.


Bali Religion
Most population of Bali Island (90%) are Hindu and the others are Catholic, Protestant, Moslem and Buddhist. The Hinduism in Bali mixed with local tradition and culture, thus almost everyday you can find ceremony or festival.
The Balinese will be accompanied by rituals from birth to death. The birth is celebrated through the "penyambutan" ceremony, The three Month ceremony when the child is allowed to touch the ground an given the name. Every six month celebrate otonan (birth day), after the adulation they have 'tooth filling' ceremony then wedding ceremony.
As we are Hindu we have also Cremation ceremony, if some one died we will cremate the death body. Common people said that through cremation the soul can go the Heaven.
Temples, houses and other building are celebrated every 210 days (6 month) as the anniversary ceremony. You can easily find ceremony almost everyday. This is one of the main reason why travelers come to bali.
















Thursday 11 December 2008

Where Is Bali



Bali is an Indonesian island located south of Sri Lanka. It's about 8 degrees south of the equator and lies between the much larger island of Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Bali is actually a series of six volcanoes that stretch from west to east and form the island and its varied terrain. The south and west of Bali are generally warmer and sunnier than the central and northeast, where the mountains and lush tropical vegetation are fed by frequent rainfall. The island is only a little more than 2,000 square miles, but the islands features many mountains and peaks, lush tropical mountainsides, craters, lakes, black sand beaches to the north, and white sand beaches and surfing to the south and west. Divers can find dive sites all around the island. Try to see maps of Bali and for more information.



Monday 8 December 2008

Bali


Bali is a land that seems to have a magnet at its very heart. It is a feeling that is difficult to understand unless experienced but once visited you are surely compelled to come back and you may even want to stay forever, such is its pull. Maybe its Bali’s beauty, maybe the friendly people, or maybe even the influence from spirits that certainly abide in this place.Bali goes under many names. Some call it the ‘island of the gods’, others Shangri-La. The ‘last paradise’, the ‘dawning of the world’ and the ‘centre of the universe’ are yet more names for this truly beautiful tropical island inhabited by a remarkably artistic people who have created a dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies.Bali is small, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.
Daily life on Bali is culturally linked to satisfying and appeasing the gods, spirits and demons in the midst of breathtaking panoramas of cultivated rice terraces, impressive volcanoes and pristine beaches. Bali’s main volcano, Gunung Agung, is still active and sometimes explosive and is considered sacred among local people as it is believed to be the centre of the universe. Lying just 8o south of the Equator, Bali can boast a tropical climate with just two seasons a year and an average temperature of around 28o Celsius. It has a whole range of different environments and activities for the tourist, many of which are covered in these homepages.
Economically and culturally, Bali is one of the most important islands of Indonesia. Rice is grown on irrigated, terraced hillsides; other crops include sugar cane, coffee, copra, tobacco, fruits and vegetables. Cattle and hogs are also raised. The Balinese are skilled artisans, particularly in woodcarving and in fashioning objects of tortoiseshell and of gold, silver and other metals. The Balinese are noted for their traditional dance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth of gold and silver threads, Songket, as well as for embroidering silk and cotton clothing.
Bali of today is one of the twenty six provinces of the Republic of Indonesia, divided administratively between eight districts that take their names and boundaries from the island’s old Hindu kingdoms.
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