Bali After Dark

BALI AFTER DARK

Night life in Bali starts late, which
means around midnight. Many visitors wonder where crowds of expats suddenly
come from around 1:00 in the morning – even when all of Kuta has been
very quiet during the whole evening, the IN-places often become crowded after
midnight.

There's a simple explanation: during
the early evenings many of Bali's night owls either still work, visit friends
at home, or simply sleep. Most of them visit pubs, bars, or discos only in the
early morning hours. Therefore, if you plan a night out don't start your dinner
too early. Between 9:00 p.m. and midnight there are not many places we can recommend.

Visitors looking for company don't
need to worry. Wherever you go in Sanur and the Kuta area, there are many other
single travellers with the same problem around – day and night. In Bali's
discos you'll meet also many "kupu kupu malams" ("night butterflies"
or working girls) and young boys who compete with the females and service all
sexes. All taxi drivers know the more popular karaoke bars and massage parlours
in Kuta and Denpasar, and the various "Houses of ill Repute" in Sanur's
narrow back lanes.

As reported in the BALI travel FORUM:
"Prostitution is illegal in Bali. However, like in many countries, everyone
turns a blind eye. Many girls can be found in nightclubs and bars in most areas.
They look usually just like the girl next door, albeit with a bit more make
up on, and they usually dress to please the eye. For the most part, they are
gentle, easy to be with, and a lot of fun if you want to dance, drink and have
a little fun with. Most will be yours for the whole night for about 300,000
Rupiah although prices range from 100,000 Rupiah to 1,000,000 Rupiah and more
– depending on the season, the time of night, the situation and the quality
of service".

SANUR & NUSA DUA

Some quite popular places in Sanur are the BORNEO PUB on Jalan Danau Tamblingan
and the TROPHY PUB in front of the Sanur Beach Hotel. Both, however, close around
1:00 a.m.

The JAZZ GRILLE, located at the Komplek
Pertokoan Sanur Raya No. 15/16 at the By-Pass opposite the Radisson hotel, was
opened in February 1999 and attracts tourists and locals alike with live bands
(from 9:30 to 12:00 p.m.), a smallish menu, and a billiard table upstairs. KAFE
WAYANG in the same building has life music with a good local band and jam sessions
with foreign guests every Friday – no wonder it's very popular with many
residents. JANGER is currently the only disco in Sanur. Most tourists and even
the expats living in Sanur prefer to go to "Kuta" if they look for
some fun.

The discos and pubs in Nusa Dua's
5-star hotels are often rather empty. They are mostly frequented by those visitors
who stay in-house and are too tired to make the 30 minutes drive to Kuta.

THE "KUTA" AREA

Everybody looking for some action and fun in the evening goes to "Kuta"
which nowadays means the area extending about 4 miles or 7 kilometers North
from the original village of Kuta and includes now Legian, Seminyak and even
Basangkasa. Here are most of the better entertainment places offering EVERYTHING
single male or female visitors as well as couples might be looking for.

There are several places such as
CASABLANCA etc. – down-market open-air pubs and very noisy discos full
of stoned Aussies courting Javanese "Kupu Kupu Malams". PEANUTS Discotheque
on Jalan Raya Legian at the Jalan Melasti corner (about the border between Kuta
and Legian) has been re-opened very soon after it was gutted by a fire. The
huge (air-conditioned) dance floor is often crowded, guests are a mix of locals
and younger foreign visitors.

Closer to the center of Kuta you
find the BOUNTY SHIP with a noisy, over-air-conditioned disco in the basement
and the re-built PADDY'S RELOADED not far from the original PADDY'S. When most
places close around 2.00 or 3.00 in the morning, night owls of all kinds continue
drinking at nearby MAMA'S until sunrise.

For a somewhat more civilized evening
out, you can have dinner and a couple of drinks at the bar at either TJ's or
KORI in Kuta, at POCO LOCO in Legian, at the open street side bar at NERO Bali
right opposite AROMAS Restaurant in Kuta, at the re-built MACCARONI CLUB in
Kuta, at MADE'S WARUNG in Basangkasa (see BALI - Restaurants to Enjoy), or at
the trendy HU'U Bar & Lounge near the Petitenget temple, LA LUCIOLA and
THE LIVING ROOM.

Something more outrageous and only
for open-minded people is HULU CAFE between Jalan Padma and Jalan Melasti in
Kuta/Legian, a place which calls itself the "only real gay bar in all of
Bali" with drag shows starting at 11:00 p.m. three times per week. The
performances are actually kind of funny!

You'll find a large and quite popular
HARD ROCK CAFE right at the beginning of Kuta's beach road with live music from
11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Expect to find many singles of all kinds here looking for
company. If you think this is too noisy, too crowded, or the air-conditioning
too cold for you, try the CENTER STAGE at the HARD ROCK RESORT located in the
back of the CAFE. As the name implies, the band performs on a raised stage in
the middle of the huge round lobby bar until 11:00 p.m. Both HARD ROCK outlets
are expensive by Bali standards.

The JAYA PUB on the main road in
Seminyak features also live music and attracts many Indonesian customers who
don't mind the chilling air-conditioning and the sometimes horrible bands and
singers.

Seminyak's best place to have a drink
and some fun at night is nowadays probably SANTA FEE Bar & Grill, Jalan
Abimanyu No. 11 (also known as Gado Gado Road or Jalan Dhyana Pura). Life music,
reasonably priced cocktails, a surprisingly good wine list (you have to ask
for it, but the prices are very low for Bali standards), and a menu offering
local, Mexican, and Japanese dishes as well as a choice of pizzas around the
clock and the friendly service attract many visitors until the early hours.
If you feel too hot downstairs, you can move to the small air-conditioned "Wine
Lounge" upstairs where you find also a rather good choice of wines to take
home.

Other popular night spots nearby
in the same street are SPY BAR, LIQUID, Q Bar ("for the alternative lifestyle"),
Antique Bar, SPACE, THE GLOBE and "A" BAR. New bars and "Chill-Out
Lounges" are opening all the time, and most of them feature DJ's and/or
live music on certain nights. Just walk down the road and check them out !

Later, from 2:00 a.m., it's party
time at the PAPARAZZI LOUNGE and DOUBLE SIX, a large open-air disco with several
bars, big dance floor, and many tables. Both are located next to each other
on the beach in Seminyak and charge an entrance fee of 30,000 to 100,000 Rupiah
(depending on the day) for which you get a voucher for a free drink. Here you'll
find most of Bali's night owls drinking and dancing the night away until 4:30
a.m. or so. (The legendary GADO GADO Disco has been re-converted into a restaurant.)

Also, watch out for notices and small
posters in Kuta and Seminyak announcing special events such as Full Moon Parties,
House Warming Parties, Body Painting Parties, etc, etc. If these "parties"
are announced to the public (even if only by word-of-mouth), they are open for
everybody. You'll have to pay for your drinks, therefore, don't be shy.

UBUD

Don't expect too much here. We are not Ubud nightlife experts, but names frequently
mentioned include PUTRA BAR, Jl. Monkey Forest (every night live music ranging
from Reggae to rock), MAGIC BAR, Jl. Monkey Forest (live music and sometimes
great atmosphere), JAZZ CAFE, Jl. Tebesaya (live music and jam sessions on different
nights), EXILE BAR (Saturday nights only, great music), and FUNKY MONKEY (early
hours cafe).

INTRODUCTION TO BALI, INDONESIA

INTRODUCTION TO BALI, INDONESIA

WHERE IS BALI?

The island of Bali is part of the Republic of Indonesia and is located 8 to
9 degrees south of the equator between Java in the West and Lombok and the rest
of the Lesser Sunda Islands (Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba and Timor) in the East.
Flying time to Jakarta is about 1.5 hours, to Singapore and Perth (Australia)
2.5 and 3 hours, to Hong Kong about 4.5 hours, and to Sydney/Melbourne about
5.5 to 6 hours.

GEOGRAPHY:

The island of Bali has an area of only 5,632 square kilometers (2,175 square
miles) and measures just 55 miles (90 kilometers) along the north-south axis
and less than about 90 miles (140 kilometers) from East to West. Because of
this it's no problem to explore the island on day tours. You can go wherever
you want on the island and return to your hotel or villa in the evening.

Located only two kilometers east
of Jawa, Bali's climate, flora and fauna are quite similar to its much larger
neighbour. The island is famous for its beautiful landscape. A chain of six
volcanoes, between 1,350 meters and 3,014 meters high, stretches from west to
east. There are lush tropical forests, pristine crater lakes, fast flowing rivers
and deep ravines, picturesque rice terraces, and fertile vegetable and fruit
gardens. The beaches in the South consist of white sand, beaches in other parts
of the island are covered with gray or black volcanic sand.

FLORA:

The wide variety of tropical plants is surprising. You'll see huge banyan trees
in villages and temple grounds, tamarind trees in the North, clove trees in
the highlands, acacia trees, flame trees, and mangroves in the South. In Bali
grow a dozen species of coconut palms and even more varieties of bamboo.

And there are flowers, flowers everywhere.
You'll see (and smell the fragrance of) hibiscus, bougainvillea, jasmine, and
water lilies. Magnolia, frangipani, and a variety of orchids are found in many
front yards and gardens, along roads, and in temple grounds. Flowers are also
used as decorations in temples, on statues, as offerings for the gods, and during
prayers. Dancers wear blossoms in their crowns, and even the flower behind the
ear of your waitress seems natural in Bali.

FAUNA:

Elephants and tigers don't exist any more in Bali since early this century.
Wildlife, however, includes various species of monkeys, civets, barking deer
and mouse deer, and 300 species of birds including wild fowl, dollar birds,
blue kingfishers, sea eagles, sandpipers, white herons and egrets, cuckoos,
wood swallows, sparrows, and starlings. You can watch schools of dolphins near
Lovina, Candi Dasa, and Padangbai. Divers will see many colorful coral fish
and small reef fish, moray eels, and plankton eating whale sharks as well as
crustaceans, sponges, and colorful coral along the east coast and around Menjangan
Island near Gilimanuk.

CLIMATE:

You can expect pleasant day temperatures between 20 to 33 degrees Celsius or
68 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. From December to March, the West monsoon
can bring heavy showers and high humidity, but usually days are sunny and the
rains start during the night and pass quickly. From June to September the humidity
is low, and it can be quite cool in the evenings. During this time of the year,
you'll have hardly any rain in the coastal areas.

Even when it rains in most parts
of Bali you can often enjoy sunny days on the "Bukit", the hill south
of Jimbaran Beach. On the other hand, in Ubud and the mountains you must expect
cloudy skies and showers throughout the year (this is why the international
weather reports for "Denpasar" or "Bali" mention showers
and rain storms during all times of the year). In higher regions such as in
Bedugul or Kintamani you'll also need either a sweater or jacket after the sun
sets.

POPULATION:

Bali's population has grown to over 3 million people the overwhelming majority
of which are Hindus. However, the number of Muslims is steadily increasing through
immigration of people from Java, Lombok and other areas of Indonesia who seek
work in Bali.

Most people live in the coastal areas
in the South, and the island's largest town and administrative center is fast
growing Denpasar with a population of now over 370,000. The villages between
the town of Ubud and Denpasar, Kuta (including Jimbaran, Tuban, and Legian,
Seminyak, Basangkasa, etc), Sanur, and Nusa Dua are spreading rapidly in all
directions, and before long the whole area from Ubud in the North to Sanur in
the East, Berawa/Canggu in the West, and Nusa Dua in the South will be urbanized.

ECONOMY:

This southern part of Bali is where most jobs are to be found, either in the
hotel and tourist industry, the textile and garment industry, and in many small
scale and home industries producing handicrafts and souvenirs. Textiles, garments,
and handicrafts have become the backbone of Bali's economy providing 300,000
jobs, and exports have been increasing by around 15% per year to over US$400
million. Textiles and garments contribute about 45%, and wood products including
statues, furniture and other handicrafts 22% to the province's total income
from exports. Silver work is ranked third (4.65%) with 5,000 workers employed.
Main buyers are the US and Europe with 38% each, and Japan with 9%.

Important agricultural products besides
rice are tea, coffee, tobacco, cacao, copra, vanilla, soy beans, chilies, fruit,
and vegetable (there are now even vineyards near the northwest coast). Bali's
fishing industry and seaweed farming provide other products which are important
exports.

The new free-trade regulations will
create some problems for Bali's exporters as they do not allow to employ children.
Most children here work for their parents, and this is part of the process of
acquiring professional skills and kind of an informal education which has been
very important in the Balinese society for centuries.

WHAT MAKES BALI SO SPECIAL:

There is the combination of the friendly people, the natural attractions, the
great variety of things to see and do, the year-round pleasant climate, and
the absence of security problems. And then there is Bali's special "magic",
which is difficult to explain.

As soon as you step off the plane
you might sense the difference. In the villages you'll notice the quietness
and wisdom in old people's faces, and the interest and respect in the young's.
Old men sit at the road side caressing their fighting cocks. Beautifully dressed
women walk proudly through rice fields and forests carrying offerings on their
heads to the next temple. There is the smell of flowers, and in the distance
you hear the sound of gamelan music.

Gods and spirits have been an important
part of Bali's daily life for hundreds of years. Gunung Agung – Bali's
holy mountain – is internationally regarded as one of the eight "Chakra"
points of the world. This may be more than an coincident. Watch out, the moment
you feel the magic of this island, you're addicted for the rest of your life.

To quote the "BALI travel FORUM"
contributor "Si Badak" who posted the following message on September
4th, 2000:

"The intricate patterns of Batik.
A walk on the beach at low tide,near where a stream flows into the ocean at,
for instance, the bottom of Jl. 66 in Seminyak, will show you where some ideas
originate. Because of different coloured minerals in the sand, swirling patterns
are intermingled by the action of the tide meeting the out-flowing stream very
reminiscent of Batik design. For many years it was forbidden to depict human
or animal forms so that people had to look to other natural forms for ideas.
It would be good to hear on this from the real experts.

Shining delight upon the faces of
newly arrived visitors, "baru datang" to local people, as they forge
ahead into the great unknown that is Bali. Confronted by a sea of golden faces,
the visiting children are the first to smile and reap emotional profit as they
are cosseted and cuddled by every Balinese woman or man they meet : sale or
no sale, children are all adored as spirits newly returned from the after-life.
Giving a happy smile in the direction of Balinese children is a very rewarding
pass-time also ; the proud Mum or Dad are only too willing to stop for a chat,
even without a language in common !

Boys and girls who are there to Party,
Party, Party ! These are no different to the Party Animals to be met on the
Costa Brava, in Baja California, at Blackpool, Bondi or anywhere people go for
a good time. Doesn't matter which nationality, although loud they are seldom
obnoxious unless you attempt to impose your ides of decorum upon them. A smile
and a snippet of badinage works well. Even WE were young ! Do you remember ?

An erect old lady on her 1940s bicycle,
pedalling through traffic while carrying 1000 eggs, in cartons 60cm square,
balanced precariously we think, upon her head of old, honorable grey. Thoughts
of very large omelets pass through tourists' minds but seldom has one of these
ladies of remarkable poise been seen to provide entertainment by falling over.
Carrying heavy buckets of water on their heads, from an early age, has given
them a balance and strength to be envied by olympic gymnasts.

Pairs of men on motor-bikes who deliver
newly made, wooden beds on their heads and shoulders from town to country. Sometimes
they can be seen carrying as many as three mattresses in the same way, or even
a bundle of pillows larger than themselves, buffeted by the slip-stream of passing
trucks : the man on the pillion is responsible for load security while the driver
controls the bike and attempts to keep them both steady. One wonders if this
merchandise gets tested along the way, maybe at about 2pm ?

The "8 Ps" are not often
in evidence ON this blessed isle, i.e. "proper prior planning & preparation
prevents pathetically poor performance". How many more time are we to see
the streets of Kuta being excavated for the installation of yet another public
utility ? To date we have had : drains at roadside dug and covered up, asphalted
a week or two later : footpaths to be paved and raised above drains : excavations
for telephone lines followed 6 months later by excavations for more cabling
and each time asphalting carried out when the pot-holes have been allowed to
mature to their full, axle-shattering width and depth : oops ! Then ? "The
drains are not deep / wide enough, let's do it all again !" Town planning
?

Early morning on the beach at Legian
towards Seminyak. A light breeze wafts aromas of the morning's rice to the fisherman,
sarung and basket tucked up near his waist, casting his net into the surf in
the hope of some extra food for his family. Old ladies and gentlemen appear
for a bath, cautiously dipping into the water, fully clothed, at its shallowest.
Tourist joggers and power-walkers come thundering sweatily along, ( to the amusement
of locals from a less punishing lifestyle), to be joined by a few enthusiastic
dogs, barking happily, who add to the fun by companionably running between their
legs.

Gunung Agung can be seen raising
his mighty head above his vassal clouds to see what his subjects are up to.
Having made his ritual inspection he draws his court around him and, usually,
hides for the rest of the day: he doesn't go away, the Balinese people know
he is still there, unseen but all-seeing as he ponders upon the doings of everybody,
even the stupid tourists!"

BALI MAP

Find complete information of map of Bali Island

Why i am still Going to Bali

Why I am Still Going to Bali

My friend Dian, an Indonesian journalist who works for ABC Radio, calls me
on my mobile. I’m standing on the corner of Hoddle and Victoria Streets
in Melbourne waiting for the lights to change. Dian tells me her phone has been
ringing all night with calls from Indonesia about the Bali bombings. I don’t
understand. I assume she’s talking about the anniversary.

She knows I am leaving for Bali in three days. “Aren’t you worried,”
she asks. I haven’t read the paper yet or heard the news and reply, stupidly,
that the bombings were a long time ago.

I hear her suck in her breath and then she tells me; there has been a second
round of attacks in and around Kuta. I have friends in Bali and I go there often
for yoga retreats, to rest and to write. All I can think about now are the lives
lost and how the Balinese will suffer economically as tourism plummets.

The pedestrian sign turns green and I step into the street. A khaki-green Mercedes
hurtles around the corner. The driver, a young kid, sees me at the last second.
He attempts to stop but is moving too fast. Brakes screech. I jump back out
of harm’s way. The boy throws his left arm up and I hear him yell “Sorreeeee”
as he accelerates away.

Having been knocked down twice at intersections by drivers who seem to confuse
pedestrians with the zebra lines on the road, Melbourne drivers scare me more
than Jemaah Islamiah. As I walk to work every day, I decide to research my survival
odds: In 2004, 49 pedestrians were killed in the state of Victoria. That means
the same number of Australians die every month here on the streets as died in
Bali II. Even more frightening is the fact that 30 percent of drivers surveyed
by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) admitted they had almost hit a pedestrian
or cyclist at least once. I am 12 times more likely to become a traffic statistic
this year than die in a bomb attack. I won’t lose sleep worrying about
terrorists; it’s Melbourne drivers that give me nightmares.

In the cruellest of ironies, the Ubud Writer’s Festival takes place the
week after Bali II. The Festival is an annual event started by Janet de Neefe,
an Australian living in Ubud, as a way to encourage tourists back to Bali after
the first bombing in October 2002. When I interviewed Janet last year, she told
me the Festival was organized to “draw the people and the community back
together.” Janet e-mails on Monday to say, “We hope you will support
us at a time when we need your help more than ever before.”

Besides attending the Writer’s Festival, I am going to Bali to finish
a story about the unemployed young men who idle along the sidewalks of Hanoman
Street, where I stay, and how they struggle to find work in an uncertain economy
that is overly reliant on tourism. Before, many of them worked in shops or as
artisans, but now, they tell me, tourists aren’t buying handicrafts, the
result of an oversupply of crafts and tourist numbers that never recovered after
the first bombings. The men have gone onto the streets. They work as drivers,
couriers, guides, anything. Sony, one of my contacts, tells me that he is happy
to have one job a day. “As long as we can eat and drink, we are happy,”
he says, “It has been a good day.” I have a sinking feeling that
when I go back to visit Jalan Hanoman, there won’t be many good days now.

For me, going to Bali has been a calculated risk since 2002. Several Indonesians
warned me Bali would be a target again. I have been taking precautions since
the last bombing—staying in small hotels, avoiding tourist restaurants,
steering clear of markets and crowds—but the odds are still greater that
I’ll be struck down right here at home. I am nervous about going but I
also feel a sense of responsibility to the Balinese and to the tourism culture
that Australians have helped to build. Eighty percent of Balinese rely on tourism
for their livelihoods and there is a lot of hidden poverty on this island. I
am more worried about the latest bombs blowing a hole in the Balinese economy.
Ketut, another of my Jalan Hanoman contacts, e-mails me that he “has much
fear Australians not come” to Bali now. The fatalistic Balinese urge tourists
to return to their island; bombings, they tell me, are just one of those unfortunate
things that now happen everywhere in the world that we must all learn to live
with. The only way I know to help the Balinese is to go there and spend my money
in their country. I’m not a medical professional; I’m not trained
in disaster relief or forensics. All I can give is my presence, my money and
my stories. I can assure them that I will still come back.

As a travel writer, I’ve learned that fear is largely a matter of perception
and of not understanding the community in which you find yourself. Ubud, where
I am headed, is a tightly-knit community; outsiders stand out. Dian, who has
a house in Jakarta, where she never ventures out of doors without a bodyguard,
tells me she is afraid to walk alone in the early morning hours in Melbourne,
a city I consider the safest I’ve lived in. Peter Semone of the Asia Pacific
Travel Association, quoted in the news, says that Australians may inevitably
face terrorism anywhere we go; he calls it the “new normal.” We
may no longer be safe from terrorism even inside Australia.

On Monday afternoon, I call Australian Airlines to confirm my flight to Denpasar.

“Do you still want to go after what’s happened?” asks the
agent.

“Of course I’m still going,” I reply.

I’m told that I will get a full refund if I choose to cancel my ticket.

“I won’t let the bastards win,” I say.

“Good onya, love,” says the agent.

Bali Renaisance

Bali Renaissance

Tanya joslin rediscovers the beauty of bali.

IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG for any underlying concerns to disappear. In fact,
I can pinpoint the exact moment when I felt 110% convinced that going back to
Bali was something I had left too long: the second I walked out of Ngurah Rai
International Airport in Denpasar. As the familiar smell of teak and incense
– heightened by the humidity – hit me, and a flood of memories poured
back, I knew I was falling under Bali’s spell again.

Like many Australians, Bali had been one of my favourite and most visited destinations
for years, and as we made our way from the airport, I tried to quell my excitement
at being back so I could absorb the ever-changing scenery. We passed through
the hustle and bustle of Kuta, eventually finding ourselves looking out at buffaloes
grazing by the roadside. Behind them, farmers toiled in emerald green rice paddies,
while towering mountains dominated distant perspectives, looking as if they’d
been hand-painted on to this glorious scene.

So many parts of Bali are so visually arresting that they alone lure travellers
back, time and time again. The island enjoys an incredibly diverse and beautiful
topography, including mountains and rivers, volcanoes, beaches, and dense jungle.
Sunsets are incredible here; the sun seems bigger, redder, and certainly more
brilliant than anywhere else. Witnessing a sunset from Tanah Lot – a temple
that is hundreds of years old and sits perched on a rock formation in the ocean
– is an experience everyone must enjoy at least once. As this temple and
the thousands of others on the island attest, the Balinese are a deeply religious
people. Their beliefs are called “Hindu Dharma”, which, although
based on Hinduism, is far removed from that practised in India. Hindu Dharma
is believed to have arrived on the island in the 11th century A.D and today,
religion still dominates all areas of life – from family and community
customs, to the arts and culture. You will see temples and shrines everywhere
- on mountains, by the seaside, and in the ever-present terraced rice fields.
It’s as if the spirituality of the Balinese people thrives on the beauty
of the island itself.

Besides all of the natural glories, there are also enticing man-made attractions
that set the island apart, in particular the huge range of luxury accommodation.
All the big names are here: Le Meridien, Sheraton, The Hilton, Conrad (the new
luxury sister-brand of the Hilton), The Grand Hyatt, Intercontinental and Ritz
Carlton, just to name a few. Incredible accommodation, unsurpassed service,
international fine dining at its best ... a holiday in one of the premier hotel
brands in Bali has to be experienced to be believed. The island is also a spa
afficionado’s dream destination, with magnificent settings and to-die-for
treatments proving worthy of a range of coveted awards.

The term “boutique resort” seems to have been created especially
for Bali. Highly regarded names, such as AmanResorts, Oberoi, GHM and Alila
(a relatively new brand, boasting the expertise of directors previously associated
with Aman and GHM), have all made their mark here, but don’t discount
or underestimate the many lesser-known, “one-off” boutique resorts
that also abound. Either way, these resorts are always smaller (never more than
50 rooms or villas; many with much less) and often exclusive, providing a holiday
experience in which traditional Balinese architecture and attentive staff –
experts in the art of satisfying even the most discerning guests – are
just some of the appealing trademarks. Then there are the private luxury villas.
Bali has set the pace when it comes to this style of accommodation, and the
rest of the world can only aspire to the standards set by villas found virtually
everywhere – amidst rice fields, on the beach, behind shopping precincts.
With private pools or lap pools seemingly a prerequisite, many villas also come
with their own staff who, if not staying in their own compound within your villa,
are usually only a phone call away, ready to attend to your every whim. Feel
like a massage? Most villas are able to arrange for a masseuse to visit your
room, or direct you to a high quality outside establishment. Feel like making
the most of the grand surrounds of your private luxury villa for the night,
rather than venturing out for dinner? No problem - staff are often able to visit
local restaurants on behalf of their guests, and deliver an affordable restaurant
meal to the villa (I’ve even stayed at villas that send staff in to clean
up after your meal! ).

You’ll also be struck by Bali’s unique take on hospitality if you’re
holidaying on a budget. Establishments of four stars or less are so often in
a different league to similarly-rated establishments in other parts of the world,
thanks in no small part to the genuine warmth of the Balinese people, who seem
to do everything from the heart.

Just as all of the accommodation options in Bali possess their own unique charm,
so too do the different regions of the island ...

Ubud is where the heart of Bali’s artistic culture lies. Ever since early
last century, when this highland region first caught the attention of Dutch
painter, Ruldoph Bonnet, lovers of art and culture have made their pilgrimage
to beautiful Ubud, with the awe-inspiring Mt Ayung towering in the background.
Today, the artistic personality of the area is still very evident, with quaint
art galleries and shops featuring artworks ranging from paintings and carvings,
to textiles and sculptures. Ubud is also well positioned for day trips to Mt.
Batur and Lake Batur, as well as the botanical garden in Bedugul.

Seminyak is approximately ten minutes’ drive from Kuta (depending on
traffic), but much more sophisticated. While Kuta is often associated with loud
tourists enjoying a pub crawl, Seminyak has developed a reputation for being
quite “hip”. Much of the shopping and dining here is of an international
standard, and there are establishments in Seminyak that will make you think
you’re sitting at a chic bar or restaurant in the trendiest part of any
major Australian city ... with a different view, of course! A restaurant and
bar revolution is taking place in Bali, and with its incredible plethora of
great dining experiences, Seminyak seems to be leading the way.

Legian, just south of Seminyak, also offers great shopping and dining, as well
as a beautiful surf beach.

Nusa Dua is thought by many to be the most glamorous beach area of Bali, and
certainly this seems to be the opinion of high class hotel developers, with
an impressive range of sumptuous hotels located here. The beaches are wide,
great for snorkelling, and most are reserved for the guests of the enviable
mix of luxury brands. Jimbaran was once a sleepy fishing village and today,
one of the delights of staying or visiting the area is the freshly caught seafood,
barbequed on the beach and offered for a fraction of the price you would pay
at home.

Sanur is a top spot to watch the sun rise, and is a favourite destination for
families because of the sheltered swimming it affords.

Candi Dasa, located on the other side of the island, was a relatively unknown
area as recently as a decade ago. It has managed to retain much of its “village”
atmosphere, and is somewhat quieter than the southern areas of Bali. Located
on the “black sand coast” of Bali, many visitors to this part of
the island come for the snorkelling and scuba diving.

I’d love to tell you that I was up early every morning on my long-awaited
holiday, ready to step out and see and do as much as possible. But as this had
been my modus operandi on numerous other trips to Bali, I felt comfortably free
from the need to explore from dusk ‘til dawn – it had been too long
since I had had enjoyed a holiday, and some serious “down time”
was in order. As such, we did nothing more than bask in the luxurious surrounds
of a five-star hotel out at peaceful Tanah Lot for four nights, before moving
into a luxurious private villa in the busier area of Seminyak. Heaven!

Splitting our time this way was a great way to enjoy two very different holidays
in one. We had the full service and facilities of the hotel, where days were
spent relaxing around the resort and the stunning pool areas, with quick trips
out to the small village at nearby Tanah Lot, before enjoying cocktail hour
by the pool, beautiful sunsets and memorable evening meals.

Once ensconced in our private villa, it was tempting to simply hide away there
and enjoy our luxury surroundings, but the hip and happening Seminyak proved
irresistible, and we spent much of our time dining at Ku de Ta and The Living
Room, with plenty of shopping in between.

And what shopping it was – truly better than ever! If it’s homewares
you’re after, Bali has an endless array of shops offering decorator items
for at least half the price they’d sell for at home, while the quality
of shoes and clothing has improved tenfold, both in style and durability: gorgeous
sandals for less than $10 a pair that would easily sell for $50 at home; intricately
beaded wraps for around $5 (their Aussie twins would cost at least $40); and
fun little beaded silk handbags for $5-$10 that would easily retail for $30
or more, all made their way into our suitcases.

For children’s clothes (think Christmas presents for nieces and nephews
if you don’t have any children of your own), Matahari Department Store
was great, with Disney sneakers costing around $10, and other brands of shoes
as little as $5. Matahari also stocks the famous Osh Kosh brand, and a two piece
velvet outfit that would have cost a small fortune at home was less than $35.
The ultimate proof of their durability? Regularly putting them on my two year
old daughter ... six months later, they are still going strong!

The two questions I have been asked most since returning from Bali are: “Did
you feel safe?” and, “Has Bali changed much?”. The answer
is a resounding yes on both counts. For me, safety concerns in Bali were on
a par with catching the train to work at home, or attending any event in the
world that draws large numbers. And as for change, I am happy to report that
Bali has changed, but definitely for the better. It’s always offered luxury
accommodation, exquisite scenery, quality shopping and great dining options
– not to mention a fascinating and vastly different culture so close to
Australia – but now there’s also a noticeable change in the “vibe”,
and an infrastructure in the midst of major upgrades to ensure it keeps abreast
of this buzz.

Bali has grown up and grown into her beauty, and she is undeniably more confident
and more sophisticated than ever before.

A Honeymoon in a Luxury Villa in Bali

A Honeymoon in a Luxury Villa
in Bali

A honeymoon in a luxury villa in Bali is guaranteed to be one of the most important
times that a newly wed couple will ever spent together. It marks the beginning
of a life journey of two people who have committed themselves to love and unity.

There are two very special villa properties in Bali, Kayumanis and the Gangsa,
which have been designed especially for honeymooners seeking that extra touch
of privacy and romance.

There are three Kayumanis villa properties on the spiritual isle of Bali in
distinct locations where honeymooners can choose to experience the refreshing
countryside of Ubud, tranquility of a beachside coconut grove at Jimbaran Bay
and an exclusive resort enclave at Nusa Dua.

Alternatively, any honeymoon couple will appreciate time at the Gangsa, an
intimate compound of 11 stylish villas that emulates the harmony of Balinese
living, tucked down a back lane in the revered priestly village of Sanur.

Both Kayumanis and the Gangsa villa properties offer honeymooners the opportunity
to spend precious time alone together without any unnecessary disturbances to
their privacy. A discreet personal Butler service is available to serve breakfast
and any other meals if desired. Each villa features a swimming pool, gourmet
kitchen and many other luxury conveniences that will anticipate every possible
honeymoon need.

Honeymoon couples choosing to stay at either of these exclusive villa properties
in Bali will take pleasure in the array of unique services and facilities available.
Kaymanis and the Gangsa have recognized that weary honeymooners often need to
wind down and replenish themselves following a hectic wedding schedule; therefore
both villa properties feature spa facilities. Treatments based on Bali’s
ancient healing and beauty rituals have been created especially for couples
to nurture the body, mind and spirit. In a double spa villa honeymooners can
indulge with a choice of stimulating massage, body scrubs and flower baths.

A delightful treat for every honeymoon couple is a romantic candlelight dinner
set up after dark in the privacy of their own villa garden. Under a tropical
Balinese sky filled with twinkling stars, honeymooners can savour the ambience
of wining and dining with a backdrop of whispering candles and fragrant flower
petals decorating the pool. This is a once in a lifetime moment.

Kayumanis and the Gangsa villa properties have gone to great lengths to ensure
that every newly wed couple will experience the ultimate honeymoon experience
in Bali – one that is filled with joyous memories of love and romance
that they can treasure forever.

A Wedding in a Private Villa in Bali

A Wedding in a Private Villa
in Bali

A wedding is a milestone in every adult couple’s life and this very special
occasion should be just perfect. A less formal alternative to a church ceremony
is holding an intimate wedding celebration for close family and friends in a
luxurious villa in Bali. Kayumanis and the Gangsa are properties that provide
exclusive private villa settings where couples can spent their precious day
in natural tropical garden surroundings.

A wedding in a private villa in Bali eliminates much of the stress and anxiety
that is invariably associated with this day. Both Kayumanis and the Gangsa villa
properties can assist with most of the time consuming details leaving the bride
and groom to relax and enjoy the lead up to the big day. The professional teams
at these private villa properties have extensive experience in catering, decoration,
photography, flowers, entertainment and all the other necessary arrangement
that need to be made.

Kayumanis and the Gangsa villa properties in Bali provide an array of services
and facilities to ensure that every bridal couple is completely indulged before
and after their wedding. Pampering spa treatments especially for him/her include
massage, body scrubs and facials based on ancient Balinese healing and beauty
principles. Optimal wellness and a sense of inner enlightenment are attained
through specific treatments designed to nurture the body and soothe the soul.

The three Kayumanis villa properties located in Ubud, Nusa Dua and Jimbaran
as well as the Gangsa in the revered priestly village of Sanur were purposely
designed as private contemporary Balinese retreats with each providing an uncompromising
level of personal service. Each unique villa environment is an idyllic wedding
setting and couples can choose whether they want to marry against a backdrop
of tropical hinterland, under a grove of dancing coconut palms, in a stylish
resort enclave or in a harmonious Balinese compound.

If a couple decides to keep their wedding ceremony small and intimate, Kayumanis
and the Gangsa properties can accommodate members of the bridal party in their
own private villa. This eliminates organizing transport and there are ample
sightseeing tours and in-house activities to keep everyone occupied while the
bride and groom prepare themselves.

There is no better destination for couples to celebrate their wedding and the
spirit of love than the island of Bali. Private accommodation such as Kayumanis
and the Gangsa villas anticipate and cater to every possible need for that special
day which symbolizes a new beginning that is filled with romance, commitment
and sharing all aspects of life together.

Balinese Architecture

Balinese Architecture

Tradition can be defined as the general and collective practice or custom descending
from generation to generation in a community that covers all aspects of the
community’s life. Balinese traditional architecture can be described as
spatial arrangement of the Balinese apparatus that has developed from time to
time with all its rules and codes bequeathed from the ancient times, until it
evolved to the forms with distinguished physical designs of Rontal Asta Kosala-Kosali,
Asta Patali, etc, and the adjustment made by the undagi in accordance to the
said directions.

The Balinese traditional architecture we know possesses the fundamental concepts
that inspire the spatial setting. These principal concepts are as follows:

- The spatial hierarchy, Tri Loka or the so called Tri Angga.

- Cosmic-orientation concept, Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala

- Cosmic-balancing concept, Manik Ring Cucupu

- Proportion and human-scale concept

- Court, open air concept

- The concept of construction material balancing

Tri Angga is the fundamental concept which is closely related to the architectural
planning of which Tri Hita Kirana originated. Tri Angga divided everything into
three main components or zones:

- Nista (underneath, dirt, foot)

- Madya (center, neutral, body)

- Utama (above, pure, head)

There are three poles where building construction in Bali is based on, these
poles include:

- Hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere (Bhur, Bhuwah and Swah)

- The rising and the falling of sun (kangin-kauh)

- Mountain and sea (nature)

From these poles, the people of Bali acknowledge the concept of cosmic orientation,
Nawa Sanga or Sanga Mandala. Physical transformation of this concept on the
architectural design is the guideline in the setting of typical Balinese houses.

House Construction

The houses of the Balinese people are arranged in accordance to the Tri Hita
Karana concept. Such orientation is based on the guidelines mentioned above.
The north-east angle is the sacred point and thus reserved as the place for
the house temple. In contrary, the west-south angle is the side of the lowest
value in house construction setting, this is the side for the house entrance.

A wall called aling-aling is built at the entrance door (angkul-angkul), this
doesn’t only function as a block for the inside (providing privacy), but
also used as a way to repel bad/devil influences. In this part is built the
Jineng (paddy warehouse) and the kitchen (paon). Then the following structures
are found bale tiang sangah, bale sikepat/semanggen and umah meten. The three
structures (bale tiang sanga, bale sikepat and bale sekenam) are open structure.

Natah (court garden) is built at the center part of the house. Umah meten is
the bedroom for the head of family, or the daughter. Umah meten is the structure
with four walls as it aimed to have higher security than other rooms (the places
for important and valuable goods). This kind of typical Balinese house usually
comes with a border in the form of fences around the construction/rooms as described
above.

Ajeg Bali - Bali Standing Strong

Ajeg Bali - Bali standing strong

Hindu-Balinese identity is enforced through pork meatballs and praying competitions.

Elizabeth Rhoads

Walking the streets of Denpasar, you will probably notice small food stalls
and carts bearing red and white banners that read ‘Bakso Krama Bali’
(BKB), meaning bakso (meatball soup) sold for and by Balinese. Previously, bakso
was most commonly made from chicken and sold from carts by Javanese migrants.
The new BKB often uses pork, thus violating halal (Islamic dietary) requirements,
meaning not only that Muslims can’t eat BKB, but also that they can’t
sell it. Non-Muslim Balinese therefore have a monopoly on the market.

BKB arose in an attempt to take back control over the Balinese economy from
the perceived economic threat of Javanese transmigrants. Even non-BKB food stalls
and carts will often paint ‘Bakso Ajeg Bali’ (literally, ‘Bakso
Strengthening Bali’) on their signs, or advertise that they use pork,
in order to benefit from the rising popularity of BKB. BKB is a reflection of
what could be interpreted as the rise of Balinese nationalist or Hindu fundamentalist
sentiment in Bali.

Post-Suharto, as elsewhere in Indonesia, Balinese are attempting to redefine
their regional and cultural identity. In Bali this trend is exemplified by ajeg
Bali, a discourse on strengthening Balinese identity through promoting and protecting
Balinese Hinduism, language and adat (custom and customary law).

Response to 2002 Bali bombing

Ajeg Bali became a household term after the 2002 Bali bombing with the help
of local media such as the Bali Post and Bali TV. While ajeg literally can be
defined as erect, stable or strong, an ajeg Bali is a Bali standing strong,
but also one that is more closed to outside dangers and influences, especially
those from within Indonesia. Left open to interpretation, ‘ajeg Bali’
is quickly used by both proponents and opponents of the discourse as an excuse
or justification for almost anything. Shortly after the 2002 bombing, notions
of a strong Bali and how to create it grew from strengthening Balinese cultural
and religious confidence to include safeguarding the economy and the island
of Bali itself. Thus ajeg Bali was reinterpreted to include increased village
security, special taxes for ‘outsiders’, identity card raids on
migrants and other police work as part of the process of ‘strengthening
Balinese culture’.

Those looking for a response to terrorism, rising Islamic fundamentalism in
Indonesia and the encroachment of their island by Javanese and other Indonesian
‘outsiders,’ found it in ajeg Bali. Safeguarding Bali means protecting
the island from the influences and dangers of ‘outsiders’ —
both foreign tourists and non-Balinese Indonesians. However, this protection
is selective: while notions of Western modernity are an acceptable import, poor
Indonesian migrants looking for work are not. The categories of ‘insider’
and ‘outsider’ have led to an increased anti-Muslim/Javanese sentiment
and signs of a growing push for a renewed sense of a homogenous Balinese Hindu
identity.

While Hindus are the majority on the island of Bali, Balinese Hindus see themselves
as a threatened minority, since they are a religious and ethnic minority within
Indonesia. This minority status has allowed for many Balinese post-Suharto and
especially post-bomb regulations to focus on strengthening the status of the
‘insider,’ or the Balinese Hindu majority, and targeting the ‘outsiders,’
especially Javanese Muslims, with special taxes, identity cards and papers.
To many, terrorists destroyed the peaceful, safe image of Bali, thus severely
harming the tourism-based economy. These terrorists happened to be Javanese
Muslims, as are many Javanese transmigrants who have been steadily migrating
to Bali from overpopulated Java since the 1980s to take advantage of Bali’s
then booming economy. This ‘direct’ link from the terrorist attacks
of 2002 and 2005 to the lower class informal sector Javanese workers and other
Indonesians living in Bali became the excuse for the midnight raids and heavy
taxes — in addition to rent — imposed on the Javanese in many areas
of Bali, especially in Denpasar.

Ajeg Bali has also been interpreted as aspiring to return to a ‘true’
Bali, a Bali of the past, or at least a Bali less under threat from the outside.
However, this ‘Bali of the past’ is based on an image of a Bali
as a homogenous, closed community, which belies the fact that Bali has long
been involved in global networks of changes, invasions, trading and sharing
of ideas. This began with the arrival of Buddhism and Hinduism in the eighth
and ninth centuries. It continued with the spice trade that linked Bali to both
Europe and Asia, the intermarriage between Balinese and Javanese Hindu nobility
and the later conquest of Bali by the Javanese Hindu Majapahit kingdom in 1343.
This was followed by Dutch colonialism, the Japanese occupation, and finally
the rise of mass tourism and globalisation. Yet, some proponents of the ajeg
Bali discourse portray Balinese culture and religion almost as if they are static
— often denying the existence of a Balinese culture that has been heavily
influenced from the outside, searching for a ‘pure’ Balinese cultural
and religious identity.

Religion has long played a role in defining Balinese ethnicity. But there are
many Balinese Muslim families — even villages — that have adapted
to Balinese community structures, kinship patterns and wet-rice agriculture.
They even join in the banjar (community organisation) and take part in village
ceremonies, while adhering to the practices of Islam. Some interpretations of
ajeg Bali define ‘Balineseness’ as Balinese Hinduism — excluding
both Balinese Muslims and Javanese Hindus from the identity.

Recently, public school children in Bali have been asked to wear pakaian adat
(customary dress) to school on purnama (full moon). To celebrate purnama, students
pray during the school day in a Balinese Hindu fashion. Although wearing pakaian
adat and joining in the purnama activities are not compulsory, non-Hindu children
can feel left out of their school community, in addition to losing class time.

Redefining Balinese Hinduism

It is not only Muslims and non-Balinese who are visibly excluded or even threatened
by this discourse. It also affects Balinese Hindus who do not practise the ‘appropriate’
Hinduism as portrayed in the Bali Post and as taught by the televangelist Hindu
priests on Bali TV. This form of Hinduism is supported by the PHDI (Indonesian
Hindu Council). Ajeg Bali is part of a larger movement to ‘sanitise’,
standardise and explain Balinese Hinduism. Thus Bali TV will often have programs
explaining how offerings should be made and how rituals should be performed.
There are also community and city-wide youth ‘praying competitions’,
enforcing ideas of stylised praying and how a Balinese should and should not
communicate with God. In addition to the standardisation of praying styles and
ritual activity, ceremonial clothing has also become more uniform. Today, it
is the norm to wear white for most ceremonies and black for cremation, whereas
ten to 15 years ago ceremonial clothing was much more varied in colour. The
Western colours of purity and grief have been appropriated by the PHDI, Bali
TV and other ajeg Bali proponents and promoted as a form of standardising ritual
and pakaian adat.

Balinese Hinduism is not only going through a process of standardisation, but
also sanitisation of ritual practices. ‘Inhumane’ aspects of ceremonies
and rituals, such as animal sacrifice, cock fighting and even the traditional
practice of tooth filing, are heavily discouraged. In place of live animal sacrifice,
symbols or meat are used. Instead of a full tooth filing, Balinese are encouraged
to get a less invasive, more ‘symbolic’ tooth filing ceremony. While
animal rights groups may be cheering about this, for many Balinese, ceremony
and ritual is not about symbols and meaning but about practice. Thus, many Balinese
believe that if the demons want a blood sacrifice they must be appeased, or
else they could do serious damage to the lives of those who did not pacify them.

Ethnicity, religion, class and the general state of the economy are all thickly
intertwined in Bali, and it is all but impossible to address one without addressing
all of the others, as the lines between them are often blurred. While Bali’s
society is generally fluid, the growing separatism and quest for clear ‘definitions’
of group membership, practices, identity and collective past and future are
threatening Bali’s image as the peaceful and welcoming ‘island of
the Gods.’ In this context, pushing for a more clearly defined and popularly
supported ethnic and religious identity may leave not only Balinese Muslims,
but also some Balinese Hindus out of a homogenised, Hinduised and sanitised
vision of Balinese identity.

Elizabeth Rhoads is a senior anthropology student at Bryn Mawr College, writing
her senior thesis on the Balinese identity discourse ‘ajeg Bali’.

What Is The Safety Situation In Bali ?

What Is The Safety Situation
In Bali ?

Since the late 1990's, Bali has been reeling from a string of devastating economic
events including the devaluation of the Indonesian Rupiah in the late 1990's,
the devastating events of 9/11, SARS, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the
Bali bomb blast in October 2002, bird flu and the second bomb blasts in Jimbaran
Bay and Kuta in October 2005.

Thankfully, Bali was spared the earthquake and tsunami of December 2004 that
devastated many parts of Sumatra, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

Much has changed in Bali as a result of these events. Prior to the bomb blast
of October 2002, security in Bali was not given a high priority. Things have
now changed.

Through this litany of economic devastation that would have brought many other
countries to their knees, the response of the people of Bali has been extraordinary.
Instead of getting angry and blaming others, they interpret these events as
a signal that something is wrong in their relationship with the Gods.

In the weeks following the bomb blasts, the entire Hindu population, which
accounts for about 95% of the total population of Bali, took part in massive
purification ceremonies in an attempt to redress this balance.

There's no denying that things are difficult in Bali at the moment, but their
Hindu religion gives them the ability to handle hardship with considerable grace
and dignity.

People often think of Bali as a tropical paradise of palm-fringed shores and
volcanic peaks jutting through the clouds - the "Island of the Gods"
where people lead an idyllic lifestyle in blissful ignorance of the worries
and tensions plaguing the Western World.

The people of Bali have certainly created a remarkable spiritual and mystical
culture based upon their Hindu religion that is incredibly invigorating and
stimulating to visitors from the West.

An unfortunate after-effect of this long sequence of tragic events is that,
whilst incidents of serious crime remain extremely rare as compared to the West,
there has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of petty crime. Most of
this comes from people driven by desperation into stealing a chicken or pig
in order to feed their families. There has also been an increase in muggings
in areas frequented by tourists, mostly by drug addicts seeking money to support
their habit.

Seminyak

After the October 2002 bombing, occupancy rates at most hotels in Seminyak,
as in most other parts of Bali, plunged. All of the staff at The Bali Mystique
Hotel think of the hotels Australian owners as "family" and, in order
to keep the family together, the hotel had to rearrange duties and put their
staff on half pay.

By 2004, tourism gradually returned to pre-bomb levels before taking another
body blow after the second bomb blasts, although the effects were not as bad
with many tourists choosing to continue their vacations undeterred.

It's very encouraging to see the emergence of an attitude that people are no
longer willing to change their travel plans and let the threat of terrorism
dictate how they lead their lives. People are realising that if they do, terrorism
will win.

So Is It Safe ?

Sadly, nowhere in the world is guaranteed as being safe these days and the
events of 9/11 have added a new set of issues for us to consider. But if we
allow our lives to be governed by fear, then surely that is no life at all.

The commitment of the Indonesian Police in tracking down the terrorists is
tangible evidence that terrorism will not be tolerated.

Whilst travel warnings issued by foreign governments to many countries are
now a sad fact of life, these warnings seem to be instigated more as a precaution
in the event of an incident, rather than actual knowledge of planned attacks
and should therefore be considered in the right context.

The tourist areas of Bali will probably need to see a few bomb-free years before
a return to normal conditions could realistically be expected. But the foreign
visitor can always expect to receive a genuinely warm welcome wherever you go.

Living as they do in such a spiritual and mystically charged island, the people
of Bali consider it their privilege and duty to welcome visitors to share it
with them. So if you're considering a visit to Bali, I strongly urge you to
do so. The spiritual and mystically invigorating effects of being here could
last you a lifetime.

After all, there's nowhere on earth quite like Bali. !!!

Bali Culture

Bali Culture

Bali is truly a unique isle; from its timeless traditions, colourful pageantry
to rites of passage. The people possess a genuine sense inner happiness that is
perhaps attributed to the strong Hindu faith. There is a fundamental belief in
the spiritual world which should always be in balance and harmonize with the physical
world to attain peace and prosperity.

HISTORY

Although there are no artifacts or records dating back to the Stone Age, it
is believed that the first settlers on Bali migrated from China around 2500
BC. By the Bronze era, around 300 B.C. quite an evolved culture existed in Bali.
The complex system of irrigation and rice production, still in use today, was
established around this time.

History is vague for the first few centuries. A number of Hindu artifacts have
been found dating back to the 1st century, yet it appears that the main religion,
around 500 AD was predominantly Buddhist in influence. A Chinese scholar, Yi-Tsing,
in 670 AD reported on a trip to India, that he had visited a Buddhist country
called Bali.

It wasn't until the 11th century that Bali received the first strong influx
of Hindu and Javanese cultures. With the death of his father around AD 1011,
the Balinese Prince, Airlanggha, moved to East Java and set about uniting it
under one principality. Having succeeded, he then appointed his brother, Anak
Wungsu, as ruler of Bali. During the ensuing period there was a reciprocation
of political and artistic ideas. The old Javanese language, Kawi, became the
language used by the aristocracy, one of the many Javanese traits and customs
adopted by the cause.

With the death of Airlanggha, in the middle of the 11th century, Bali enjoyed
a period of autonomy. However, this proved to be short-lived as in 1284, the
East Javanese king Kertanegara, conquered Bali and ruled over it from Java.
In 1292, Kertanegara was murdered and Bali took the opportunity to liberate
itself once again. However, in 1343, Bali was brought back under Javanese control
by its defeat at the hands of Gajah Mada, a general in the last of the great
Hindu-Javanese empires, the Majapahit. With the spread of Islam throughout Sumatra
and Java during the 16th century, the Majapahit Empire began to collapse and
a large exodus of aristocracy, priests, artists and artisans to Bali ensued.
For a while Bali flourished and the following centuries were considered the
Golden Age of Bali's cultural history. The principality of Gelgel, near Klungkung,
became a major centre for the Arts, and Bali became the major power of the region,
taking control of neighboring Lombok and parts of East Java.

The European Influence

The first Dutch seamen set foot on Bali in 1597, yet it wasn't until the 1800's
that the Dutch showed an interest in colonizing the island. In 1846, having
had large areas of Indonesia under their control since the 1700's, the Dutch
government sent the troops into northern Bali. In 1894, Dutch forces sided with
the Sasak people of Lombok to defeat their Balinese rulers. By 1911, all the
Balinese principalities had either been defeated in battle, or had capitulated,
leaving the whole island under Dutch control. After World War I, Indonesian
Nationalist sentiment was rising and in 1928, Bahasa Indonesia was declared
the official national language. During World War II, the Dutch were expelled
by the Japanese, who occupied Indonesia from 1942 to 1945.

After the Japanese defeat, the Dutch tried to regain control of their former
colonies, but on August 17, 1945, Indonesia was declared independent by its
first President, Sukarno. After four years of fighting and strong criticism
from the international community, the Dutch government finally ceded and, in
1949, Indonesia was recognized as an independent country.

THE PEOPLE

Life in Bali is very communal with the organization of villages, farming and
even the creative arts being decided by the community. The local government
is responsible for schools, clinics, hospitals and roads, but all other aspects
of life are placed in the hands of two traditional committees, whose roots in
Balinese culture stretch back centuries. The first, Subak, concerns the production
of rice and organizes the complex irrigation system. Everyone who owns a sawah,
or padi field, must join their local Subak, which then ensures that every member
gets his fair distribution of irrigation water. Traditionally, the head of the
Subak has his sawah at the very bottom of the hill, so that the water has to
pass through every other sawah before reaching his own. The other community
organization is the Banjar, which arranges all village festivals, marriage ceremonies
and cremations, as well as a form of community service known as Gotong Royong.
Most villages have at least one Banjar and all males have to join one when they
marry. Banjars, on average, have a membership of between 50 to 100 families
and each Banjar has its own meeting place called the Bale Banjar. As well as
being used for regular meetings, the Bale (pavilion) is where the local gamelan
orchestras and drama groups practice.

Each stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals
known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life
the average Balinese leads.

Birth

The first ceremony of Balinese life takes place even before birth. Another ceremony
takes place soon after the birth, during which the afterbirth is buried with
appropriate offerings. The first major ceremony takes place halfway through
the baby's first Balinese year of 210 days.

Names

Basically the Balinese only have four first names. The first child is Wayan
or Putu, the second child is Made or Kadek, the third is Nyoman or Komang and
the fourth is Ketut. The fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth will be another
Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut and Wayan again.

Childhood

The Balinese certainly love children and they have plenty of them to prove it.
Coping with a large family is made much easier by the policy of putting younger
children in the care of older ones. After the ceremonies of babyhood come ceremonies
marking the stages of childhood and puberty, including the important tooth-filing
ceremony.

Marriage

Every Balinese expects to marry and raise a family, and marriage takes places
at a comparatively young age. Marriages are not, in general, arranged as they
are in many other Asian communities although strict rules apply to marriages
between the castes. There are two basic forms of marriage in Bali - mapadik
and ngorod. The respectable form, in which the family of the man visit the family
of the woman and politely propose that the marriage take place, is mapadik.
The Balinese, however, like their fun and often prefer marriage by elopement
(ngorod) as the most exciting option. Of course, the Balinese are also a practical
people so nobody is too surprised when the young man spirits away his bride-to-be,
even if she loudly protests about being kidnapped. The couple go into hiding
and somehow the girl's parents, no matter how assiduously they search, never
manage to find her. Eventually the couple re-emerge, announce that it is too
late to stop them now, the marriage is officially recognized and everybody has
had a lot of fun and games. Marriage by elopement has another advantage apart
from being exciting and mildly heroic it's cheaper.

The Household

There are many modern Balinese houses, but there are still a great number of
traditional Balinese homes. The streets of Ubud; nearly every house will follow
the same traditional walled design.

Men & Women

There are certain tasks clearly to be handled by women, and others reserved
for men. Social life in Bali is relatively free and easy. In Balinese leisure
activities the roles are also sex differentiated. Both men and women dance but
only men play the gamelan. Today you do see some women painters, sculptors,
and woodcarvers.

Community Life

Balinese have an amazingly active and organized village life. You simply cannot
be a faceless nonentity in Bali. You can't help but get to know your neighbors
as your life is so entwined and interrelated with theirs.

Death & Cremation

There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last ceremony-cremation-is
the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful,
noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation
that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily
buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since
a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may
take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own
dead on their way at the same time. Brahmans, however, must be cremated immediately.
Apart from being yet another occasion for Balinese noise and confusion it's
a fine opportunity to observe the incredible energy the Balinese put into creating
real works of art which are totally ephemeral. A lot more than a body gets burnt
at the cremation. The body is carried from the burial ground (or from the deceased's
home if it's an 'immediate' cremation) to the cremation ground in a high, multi-tiered
tower made of bamboo, paper, string, tinsel, silk, cloth, mirrors, flowers and
anything else bright and colorful you can think of. The tower is carried on
the shoulders of a group of men, the size of the group depending on the importance
of the deceased and hence the size of the tower. The funeral of a former rajah
high priest may require hundreds of men to tote the tower.

A long the way to the cremation ground certain precautions must be taken to
ensure that the deceased's spirit does not find its way back home. Loose spirits
around the house can be a real nuisance. To ensure this doesn't happen requires
getting the spirits confused as to their whereabouts, which you do by shaking
the tower, running it around in circles, spinning it around, throwing water
at it, generally making the trip to the cremation ground anything but a stately
funeral crawl. Meanwhile, there's likely to be a priest halfway up to tower,
hanging on grimly as it sways back and forth, and doing his best to soak bystanders
with holy water. A gamelan sprints along behind, providing a suitably exciting
musical accompaniment. Camera-toting tourists get all but run down and once
again the Balinese prove that ceremonies and religion are there to be enjoyed.
At the cremation ground the body is transferred to a funeral sarcophagus, this
should be in the shape of a bull for a Brahmana, a winged lion for a Satria
and a sort of elephant-fish for a Sudra. These days, however, almost anybody
from the higher castes will use a bull. Finally up it all goes in flames funeral
tower, sarcophagus, body, the lot. The eldest son does his duty by poking through
the ashes to ensure that there are no bits of body left unburned. And where
does your soul go after your cremation? Why, to a heaven which is just like
Bali!

RELIGION

The Balinese are Hindu yet their religion is very different from that of the
Indian variety. They do have a caste system, but there are no untouchables and
occupation is not governed by caste. In fact, the only thing that reflects the
caste system is the language which has three tiers; 95% of all the Balinese
are Hindu Dharma, and speak Low or Everyday Balinese with each other; Middle
Balinese is used for talking to strangers, at formal occasions or to people
of the higher Ksatriya caste; High Balinese is used when talking to the highest
class, the Brahmana, or to a pedanda (priest). It may sound complicated, but
most of the words at the low and medium levels are the same, whereas High Balinese
is a mixture of Middle Balinese and Kawi, the ancient Javanese language.

The Balinese worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, who are seen
as manifestations of the Supreme God Sanghyang Widhi. Other Indian gods like
Ganesha (the elephant-headed god) also often appear, but more commonly, one
will see shrines to the many gods and spirits that are uniquely Balinese. Balinese
believe strongly in magic and the power of spirits and much of their religion
is based upon this. They believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains and
that the seas are home to demons and ogres. Most villages have at least three
main temples; one, the Pura Puseh or 'temple of origin', faces the mountains
and is dedicated to the village founders, another, the Pura Desa or village
temple, is normally found in the centre and is dedicated to the welfare of the
village, the last, the Pura Dalem, is aligned with the sea and is dedicated
to the spirits of the dead. Aside from these 'village' temples, almost every
house has its own shrine and you can also find monuments dedicated to the spirits
of agriculture, art and all other aspects of life. Some temples, Pura Besakih
for example, on the slopes of Mount Agung, are considered especially important
and people from all over Bali travel to worship there.

Offerings play a significant role in Balinese life as they appease the spirits
and thus bring prosperity and good health to the family. Every day small offering
trays (canang sari) containing symbolic food, flowers, cigarettes and money,
are placed on shrines, in temples, outside houses and shops, and even at dangerous
crossroads.

Festivals are another great occasion for appeasing the gods. The women bear
huge, beautifully arranged, pyramids of food, fruit and flowers on their heads
while the men might conduct a blood sacrifice through a cockfight. There are
traditional dances and music and the gods are invited to come down to join in
the festivities. The festivals are usually very exciting occasions and well
worth observing, if you are in the area. A crucial thing to remember, if you
wish to join in celebrations or enter a temple, is that there are a number of
rules that have to be respected. Please see back page "A Word of Advice"
for Rules.

Bali Consulates

Bali Consulates

Complete list of foreign
consulate contact details

AUSTRALIA

(also rep. Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea & other commonwealth in
emergencies)

Australian Consulate

Jalan Prof. Moh. Yamin No.4 Renon - Denpasar.

Phone : 235 092, 235 093

Fax : 231 990

Email : ausconbali@denpasar.wasantara.net.id

BRITISH

British Honorary Consul

Cat and Fiddle Restaurant

Jalan Mertasari No. 2 Sanur

Phone/Fax : 282 968

Email : bcbali@dps.centrin.net.id

CZECH REPUBLIC

Consulate of the Czech Republic

Jl.Pengembak 17, Sanur

Phone : 286 465

Fax : 286 408

Email : bali@honorary.mzv.cz

FRANCE

Consular Agency of France

Jalan mertasari Gg.II No. 8, Sanur Kauh - Denpasar.

Phone : 285 485

Fax : 286 406

Email : consul@dps.centrin.net.id

GERMANY

Consulate of Germany

Jalan Pantai Karang 17, Sanur Denpasar.

Phone : 288 535, 288 826

Fax : 288 826

Email : germanconsul@bali-ntb.com

ITALY

Honorary Vice Consulate of Italy

Lotus Enterprise Building

Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, Jimbaran, Denpasar

Phone/Fax : 701 005

Email : italconsbali@italconsbali.com

JAPAN

Consulate Office of Japan

Jalan Raya Puputan, Renon Denpasar No.170

Phone : 227 628

Fax : 231 308

Email : konjdps@indo.net.id

MEXICO

Honorary Consulate of Mexico

Puri Astina Building

Jalan Prof. Moh. Yamin 1-A, Renon, Denpasar

Phone : 223 266

Fax : 244 568

Email : astina@denpasar.wasantara.net.id

NETHERLANDS

Consulate of The Netherlands

Jalan Raya Kuta No: 127, Kuta

Phone : 751 517 Fax : 752 777

Email : purwa@denpasar.wasantara.net.id

NORWAY

Jalan Jayagiri VII/10 Denpasar

Phone/Fax : 234 834

DENMARK

Royal Danish Consulate

Mimpi Resort, Kawasan Bukit Permai, Jimbaran

Phone : 701 070 (ext 32)

Fax : 701 073, 701 074

Email : mimpi@mimpi.com

SPAIN

Honorary Consulate of Spain

Jl.Raya Sanggingan, br lungsiakan, Kedewatan Ubud

Phone : 975 736 Fax : 975 726

Email : rabik@indo.net.id

SWEDEN & FINLAND

Consulate of Sweden and Finland

Segara Village Hotel

Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur 80228

Phone : 288 407 Fax : 287 242

Email : segara1@denpasar.wasantara.net.id

SWITZERLAND & AUSTRIA

Consular Agency of Switzerland

Swiss Restaurant, Jalan Werkudara, Kuta

Phone : 751 735 Fax : 754 457

Email : swisscon@denpasar.wasantara.net.id

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Consular Agency of the United States of America

Jalan Hayam Wuruk 188, Tanjung Bungkak Denpasar 80235

Phone : 233 605 Fax : 222 426

Email : amcobali@indo.net.id

Bali Medical Clinics

BALI MEDICAL
CLINICS

There are some medical clinics that are well known by foreigners in Bali. Some
of them are western owned and operated:

Bali International Medical Center (BIMC)

Bali International Medical Centre (BIMC) provides excellent Primary Health Care
& Emeregency Medical Services for tourists, traveler, and expatriate living
in Bali. Emeregency Room, Ambulance, Clinic Services, Insurance & Medical
Evacuations also available. Open 24 hours Phone : 761 2631. Located Jl. By Pass
Ngurah Rai No.100X, Kuta Bali 80361 - Indonesia. http://www.bimcbali.com

International SOS Clinic Bali

Opened in 1999, offers International SOS members and visitors to Bali comprehensive
primary health care and 24-hour emergency medical service.

Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 505X, Kuta 80361, Bali - Indonesia

Phone : 720 100 Fax : 721 919

E-mail : info@sos-bali.com

ttp ://www.sos-bali.com

Bali Nusa Dua Emergency Clinic

Jl Pratama No. 81 Phone : 771 324

Kuta Clinic

Jl. Raya Kuta Phone : 753 268

Ubud Clinic

Jl Raya Ubud No.36 Campuhan Phone : 974 911

Dental Clinic

- Dr Indra Guizot, Jl. Patimura 19, Denpasar

Phone : 222 445, 234 375

- DDS. Ritjie Rihartinah, Jl Pratama No. 81

Nusa Dua Phone : 771 324

- Retno W. Agung, Jln. Bypass Ngurah Rai No.4A

Br. Tamansari – Sanur Phone : 288 501

Bali Hospitals

BALI HOSPITALS

There are 4 major hospitals usually used by foreigners - Denpasar General Hospital
(RSUP Sanglah), Kasih Ibu Hospital, Rumah Sakit Wongaya and Rumah Sakit Dharma
Husada.

RSUP Sanglah is
the main provincial public hospital. Its facilities have improved since the
emergency ward had been built in 1991. Difficult/critical cases would not become
a problem anymore since it has complete equipments. It is located on Jl. Kesehatan
Selatan 1 Sanglah Denpasar with :

Phone : 227 911 – 15

Fax : 226 363

Kasih Ibu Hospital is
a private hospital which caters for less serious cases such as diarrhea, intestinal
disorders, anemia, asthma and minor accidents. Kasih Ibu is also equipped to
care for pregnant women. This hospital is located on Jl. Teuku Umar 120 Denpasar.

Phone : 223 036

Fax : 268 690.

Rumah Sakit Wongaya
(Public Hospital; Psychiatric Unit) Jl. Kartini, Denpasar.

Phone : 222 142.

Rumah Sakit Dharma Husada,
(Private)

Jl. Sudirman No 50, Denpasar

Phone : 227 560, 234 824

In relating with health, Bali also has insurance and medical evacuation company,
that is:

AEA International - SOS Assistance Bali.

PT Abhaya Eka Astiti, Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai

No. 24X, Kuta 80361.

Phone : 755 768 Fax : 755 768

One thing that should be noted by tourists here is that the Blood Bank in Bali
normally carries no stock of Rhesus (Rh) Negative blood.

Bali Travel Tips

General things that
you

should or shouldn't do...

v Do...

v ...change money at a reputable looking location, use your own (or the hotel's)
calculator before changing!

v...put on loads of High Factor Waterproof Sun Cream (especially if you intend
to spend a lot of time in the water).

v...drink a lot of bottled water and eat a lot of fresh fruit - do your body
a favor.

...be careful with your belongings at all times. Crime is on the increase and
can ruin your holiday. Cases of handbag snatching have been reported, so leave
important documents in your hotel safe and wear your bag across your shoulders!

v...try not to step on offerings in the street (walk around them).

v...respect the slow pace of processions when stuck behind one, i.e. don't honk!

v...haggle when buying (except on price-tagged goods.)

v...buy 'Immodium' to relieve bouts of Bali belly.

v...have a great holiday!

× Don't ...

×...forget to take your passport (or a photocopy of your ID), with you
at all times and a copy of Bali Plus!

×...swim outside designated swimming areas on the beach, currents can
be very strong. Swim between the red and yellow flags.

×...do drugs! It can carry the death penalty, and there are enough foreigners
residing in Bali courtesy of the Govt. prison service!

×...touch people's heads - it is very offensive to Hindus.

×...enter a temple during menstruation. Sorry Ladies!

×...forget to put salt on your food & drink water - you will probably
sweat a lot.

×...worry too much about the ice - it's government-quality controlled
in established bars and restaurants.

×...forget to look and listen while you cross the road. Cars may stop,
motorbikes may not!

×..forget to reconfirm your flight 72 hours prior to flying. Airport Departure
Tax is:

International = Rp. 100,000 Domestic = Rp. 20,000

Passports and Visas

Bali Visa. Important change to Indonesia's Visa Policy for Tourists.


Please read carefully as there have been changes to Indonesia visa policy. This
affects all arrivals to Indonesia after February 1, 2004, are subject to new
visa regulations

Countries that do not require a Visa to enter Bali.

Brunei Darussalam

Chile

Hongkong Special Administrative Region,

Macao Special Administrative Region,

Malaysia

Morocco

Peru

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Countries that require and are eligible for Visa-On Arrivals - cost
for these visas are US$10 for a stay of up to 3 days, US$25 for a stay of up
to 30 days.

Arab Emirates

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Canada

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Hungary

Italy

Japan

New Zealand

Norway

Poland

South Africa

South Korea

Switzerland

Taiwan

United Kingdom

United States America

It is important to also note the following:

• The Visa on Arrival is non-extendable and cannot be converted into a
different visa.

• The Visa purchasing system will take approximately 3-5 minutes per applicant.


• There are 6 payment counters, a bank and a money changer set up to process
payments

• Once you have paid for and received your visa you will need to proceed
to Immigration where your visa will be processed

Citizens of countries not on the visa on arrival or visa free lists will be
required to apply for a visa before entering Indonesia.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into
Indonesia, and you must have proof of onward passage (either return or through
tickets). If you cannot fulfill both of these requirements, you may not be allowed
to enter the country

Currency

The Rupiah. Notes 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000. Coins
25, 50, 100, 500, 1000. Currency Converter click here

Bali Time

Bali Time Zone is GMT + 8 hours.

Electricity

Most hotels use 220 volts, 50 cycles and a round, two-pronged slim plug. Bathroom
shaver plugs usually have a transformer switch. We suggest taking an adaptor
for your appliance.

Getting Around

You will find a range of chauffeur driven limousines, self-drive cars, taxis
and hotel courtesy cars. Many taxis are not metered so it's wise to negotiate
the fare before you climb aboard. Bemos are a unique form of transport. They
are a mini-van masquerading as a communal bus. You simply hail the driver and
negotiate the fare that suits you both. Motorcycles can also be hired in many
places but special care should be exercised at all times as road and traffic
conditions can be somewhat hazardous in certain locations. Traveling around
Bali is made all the easier because everywhere you go you'll find friendly people
only too happy to give you advice and directions on how to get where you want
to go.

Driver's License

If you wish to hire a car you must be over 18 years of age and posses an International
Driver's License or license from ASEAN countries.

Clothing

Light, airy, casual clothes are the most practical and you'll find natural fibers
like cotton or linen are the most comfortable in Bali's often humid conditions.
Waist sashes should be worn when visiting temples.

A Word of Advice

ATTENDING CEREMONIES

remember these are serious occasions and should be treated as such. Religious
guidelines:

1. Always wear a sarong and sash.

2. Do not walk in front of people praying.

3. Do not use flash camera or push your camera into the priest's face!

4. Never sit higher than the priest or the offerings.

5. At cremations, do not get in the way of the attendees - however important
that photographic opportunity is!

6. Women are not allowed to enter temples during menstruation.

DANGEROUS SPORTS

make sure you either have personal insurance or travel insurance that will cover
any accidents.

DRIVING

In Bali always expects the unexpected; always keep your eyes open and your mind
on driving. Beware of motorbikes! It is best to rent a car with a full insurance
as this will save time and money if you are involved in an accident.

MONEY CHANGERS

be very careful when changing your money. Always check the rate of exchange
and commission (if any) the money changer is taking. Most importantly, always
count your money before you leave the premises and if you can, bring your own
calculator, as the ones used by some places can be "a little inaccurate".

PETTY CRIME

1. There have been a few cases of handbags being snatched after tourists have
cashed money at Banks or Money Changers! Put your money away in your 'bum-bag'
or hold onto your handbag tightly!!!

2. When changing large amounts of money please check each note carefully as
there are a number of (noticeably) fake notes in circulation.

3. When trying on garments do not take your jeweler off and leave it lying round
- give it to a friend or leave it in the hotel safe.

SWIMMING IN THE SEA

Current underflows can be strong, always swim between the red and yellow flags,
don't swim too far out! Do not leave your belongings unattended on the beach.

N.B. When attending Special Ceremonies or Anniversary Celebrations as a guest
or onlooker, small donations are gratefully received. Your donations will help
in paying for the offerings and upkeep of the temple.

Thank you for respecting these suggestions.