The Laguna, Nusa Dua, Bali makes Bali island greener by planting 2000 mangroves

The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali makes Bali Island greener by planting 2000 mangroves at Serangan Beach on Thursday, 29 April 2010. This Care for Community initiative involved more than 200 employees from various departments led by the General Manager, Mr David Cuddon, Executive Committee members, Department Heads and many staffs. All enthusiast participants departed from the resort at 14.00hours to Serangan Beach - Bali an hour's drive away.

Hotel upgrades rejuvenate Bali

The island's business events properties improve offerings

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel is to begin a room upgrade this year and is currently offering meeting packages for US$45 per person. The hotel has an abundance of outdoor beachside space ideal for off-site events and gala dinners under the stars. The hotel also features an amphitheatre that can host up to 900 people for standing cocktails.

Bali airport renovation rejected by governor

Kompas.com reports that Bali's governor, Made Mangku Pastika, has rejected renovation plans advanced by Bali's airport managers, calling instead for a more Balinese design concept with greater emphasis on public as opposed to commercial spaces.

Tourism authorities to fix visa on arrival service at Bali airport

Tourism authorities have asked immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali to improve their visa on arrival service following complaints from foreign visitors.

Jammed Bali looks for solutions

The popularity of Bali Island has for years translated into road congestion due not only to the multiplication of tourist busses but also the lack of parking facilities, of proper public transport, and the undisciplined behavior of most local drivers who park their vehicles at their convenience. All of these elements make circulation in Bali a nightmare.

World Expo: Putting Indonesia on the map

The Indonesian Pavilion attracted 20,000 visitors at the opening day on May 1.

If Phileas Fogg and Passepartout need 80 days to travel the globe in Verne's classic Around the World in 80 Days to win £20,270 (US$30,000), we need less than that and less traveling once we are inside the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, China.

Located on a 5.28-square-kilometer plot of land, the 53rd expo features dozens of pavilions from 189 participating countries – after three countries withdrew from the event at the last minute – as well as 50 international organizations.

Ten affordable places to stay in Ubud

Bali's cultural capital is enjoying a moment in the spotlight, having recently been voted Asia's best city destination. Here's our pick of the best-value homestays and hotels

Amandari Screens Heritage Films Of Classic Bali

Amandari will host a viewing of heritage films of Bali in conjunction with the French Cinémathèque of Dance and the Swedish Dance Museum.  The films focus on the theme of dance, with rarely-seen screenings of Rolf de Maré, a Swede who compiled outstanding footage of dance from Indonesia in the 1930s.

Films will be screened in Kedewatan's village wantilan, or open-air meeting place, adjacent to Amandari.  Each evening's showcase will feature two films with an intermission in between.

Celebrating Galungan in Bali, Balinese slaughter thousands of pigs

Balinese people do a mass slaughter thousands of pigs on the day PENAMPAHAN Galungan, a day before the Galungan holy day, Tuesday (11 / 5) morning.

 

"Thousands of pigs slaughtered at the same time it has been prepared since six months ago, so the needs of pigs in large numbers can be met from the local area, no longer bring in pigs from outside Bali, as in previous years," said Head of Bali Provincial Animal Husbandry Putu Sumantra .

Galungan in Bali, Janur Vendors and Flower Harvest

A day before the celebration of the holiday Galungan, Hindus in Bali was busy with preparations to welcome the day of victory over adarma or good darma against crime. Among them is to buy equipment such as flowers and prayers on special occasions.

 

Garuda Plans to Cover Gap After JAL Cuts Bali Routes

National flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia announced on Monday that it was ready to fill the void after ailing Japan Airlines canceled its routes to Bali this year.

Kiyoshi Tanaka, a JAL representative in Bali, said on Monday that the bankrupt airline's massive restructuring had prompted it to cut less-profitable routes, including to Bali, which have already showed a decrease in passenger numbers. He said JAL's daily Tokyo-Denpasar and Osaka-Denpasar would be eliminated by Oct. 1, leaving Garuda the only carrier flying between Japan and the resort island.

Pujobroto, Garuda's corporate secretary, said on Monday after JAL's announcement that the Indonesian carrier would raise

Salacious film 'Koreana' bares Bali's all

After the recent release of the controversial documentary trailer of Cowboys in Paradise, another risque movie filmed in Kuta has been posted on the Internet.

Titled Koreana, the 22-minute film shows an uncensored oral sex scene between an Indonesian woman and a foreign man on a balcony of a hotel located on Jl. Pantai Kuta.

The film begins with shots of tourists strolling along Kuta Beach as well as a surfing competition.
The following scenes feature the woman drinking beer at the beach, before it moves to the hotel where the sexually explicit scene takes place.

Balinese pottery on show at Bentara Budaya

Cultural center Bentara Budaya Jakarta is showcasing an exhibition of pottery products from Bali's Pejaten craftsmen.

The exhibition, titled "Habis Genteng Terbitlah Kodok" (After Roof Tiles Comes the Frog) was opened Tuesday May 4. The exhibition of pottery made by craftsmen Wayan Kuturan, I Made Durya and I Putu Oka Mahendra, will run until the end of the week.

Pejaten is a village in Bali that has transformed from being a roof tile production center into a flourishing pottery factory, exporting its elegant products to Europe, Japan, Australia and the US. The title of the exhibition is a play on the title of Indonesian women's rights heroine Kartini, Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang (After Darkness Comes the Light).

In the exhibition, ceramic statues of frogs were lined up for show. Rows of coral green ceramic teapots and glazed mugs, vases, and plates were beautifully arranged.

Guiding Right

Krystyna Krassowska wants to take tourists and locals alike off Indonesia's well-tread tourist paths with her expedition guides. And do it safely and professionally. She talked to Bruce Emond.
 
Many of us have lost that loving feeling for the job at hand, if we ever had it in the first place. We envy the lucky individuals who get to do what they want in life, those who go it alone to forgo the usual home-work-home cycle to pursue what makes them happy.

Enchantment Sunset at Dreamland Bali

On of the charm Of Bali or Pulau Dewata is a beach. Bali island surrounded by sea and facing to Indian Ocean, making the island is rich with famous beaches all over the world. Just mention Kuta Beach, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Dreamland region Pecatu Indigenous Village, Bali, which has attracted local and foreign tourists.

Sripo residing on the island of Bali, some time ago, 3-10 April 2010, the opportunity to visit some beaches and enjoy the eye sunset (sunset) among several beaches. Scenery as well as enjoyed by the Western and local.

Bali Want to Enhance Tourists from Australia

Directorate General of Marketing, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, took 18 players in the Bali tourism promotion in four cities in Australia, 16 to 25 May 2010. Bali as the Indonesian tourism relationship is expected to maximize the tourists visiting the "land of kangaroos" is to boost the national tourism.

 

Four cities are Perth, Melbourne, Darwin, and Syney. Promotion to four-city program entitled Sales Mission to Australia. The 18 players of tourism on the island who had been invited to join the travel agents who are under the coordination of Bali Village, one of the stakeholders under the control of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB).

 

Representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Bali, Molly Prabawati in Denpasar, Friday (9/5/10) states, the target of Australian tourists to visit Indonesia this year targeted to reach 620 000 people. Over the past year the Australian tourist visits to the country is 530 000 people.

 

"Promotions directly to Australia to be one strategy to encourage more tourists the country. It is undeniable that we should invite Bali for more than 80 percent of Australian tourists coming directly to Bali," said Molly.

 

Molly is disclosed, the visit to Indonesia Australian tourists continues to rise. In the period January-March 2010 was recorded a fantastic increase to around 55 percent compared to same period previous year. Noted the number of Australian tourists to the country during the first three months of this year 142 654 people.

 

Translate from Kompas

Enjoying sunset in 'heaven'

The Pan Pacific Bali Nirwana Resort (BNR), owned by the family of millionaire Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie, and which recently merged with international hotel chain Pan Pacific, was basking in a heavenly sunset near the Tanah Lot Temple, 25 kilometers from Kuta.

Mixed beauty: The Pan Pacific's Bali Nirwana Resort, located close to the famous Tanah Lot Temple, sports an international-standard golf course designed by the legendary Greg Norman. JP/Wasti Atmodjo

Hundreds of foreign and local visitors had patiently waited for the sun to go down behind the temple.
Some had spent a leisurely afternoon at the newly opened Cendana restaurant, one of the many attractions of this five-star resort.

"This is one of the best places to watch the beauty of the sunset. The sun usually goes down at the back of the temple creating a perfect scenery. Just now, the sky is very clear," said Dwi Lismiarni, marketing communication manager for the Pan Pacific Bali Nirwana Resort recently.

Nirwana means heaven in Sanskrit. The site is indeed a blissful place, with a fantastic view of the Bali Strait in the southern part of Bali and located near one of the holiest Hindu temples, Tanah Lot. The Cendana restaurant is part of the 103-hectare Bali BNR currently managed by the Pan Pacific Group.

PT Bali Nirwana Resort, a unit under PT Bakrieland Development Tbk, developed the resort twelve years ago.

"If you need a break from your busy schedule and the hustle and bustle of the glittering but noisy tourist destinations in Bali, Nirwana Resort is your best choice," Lismiarni said.

The resort has 278 rooms including 245 deluxe rooms, 20 executive suites, 12 villas and one presidential suite.

"We will gradually be renovating the interior of the rooms to adjust to Pan Pacific International Hotel standards and improving our services for our guests," said Hans G. Winsnes, the general manager of Pan Pacific BNR.

The Pan Pacific Group, he said, has been in Indonesia for many years, however, the group only manages one hotel, the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta.

"After long consideration, we decided to spread our wings to Bali by collaborating with PT BNR to manage this resort," Winsnes said.

He is sure that faithful guests of the Pan Pacific Group across the world will jump at the opportunity of spending their holidays here at its Bali resort.

"We have many guests from Australia, Japan and Korea, who keep coming back," added Lisminiarni.

Under the new management of the Pan Pacific Group, the resort feels confident it will draw many more visitors from different geographical zones.

Yudi Rizard Hakim, chief corporate affairs officer of PT Bakrieland, added that 85 percent of the 103-hectare resort area was "green and open" space, and included an 18-hole golf course as well as lush gardens.

"We have an international-standard golf course designed by the legendary Greg Norman. It was the recipient of the Best Golf Course in Indonesia and Asia award," Hakim said.

Hakim went on to say the company was proud to employ local residents and therefore contribute to the local economy.

"Around 60 percent of our 900 employees come from neighboring areas," Hakim said. The company's close relationship with the local community will remain the same, despite the change in the hotel's management. "Currently, we provide 15 hectares of land for local farmers," he added.

Bakrieland is currently focusing on developing hotels and resorts in Bali, Lampung and Bogor. The company plans to build a resort in Balikpapan in East Kalimantan too.

"We have other projects in Bali in addition to the Bali Nirwana Resort," he said.

Next June, the company will open the Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana, a four-star hotel and 300 apartment units in Legian, Kuta.

For those wanting a peaceful, relaxing holiday, the Bali Nirwana Resort could be considered an ideal choice. But people who prefer to be in the middle of the action are more likely to enjoy the planned Legian Nirwana in Kuta. Just one more month to wait. Have a nice holiday in Bali.

Wasti Atmodjo, The Jakarta Post, Tabanan

Trunyan: Where the dead lie

The island of Bali is generally thought of as an island full of life. When and where death does encroach, it often becomes a spectacle of cremations and elaborate ceremonies.  

One small part of Bali however upholds an unusual and apparently quite ancient tradition pertaining to death.
Sitting at the edge of Lake Batur in Northern Bali is a small cemetery known as Trunyan, where people from the nearby village of Kuban "bring" their dead to rest on top of the ground.

This unusual practice has become something of a macabre tourist attraction. Perhaps it is not really an "attraction" but a place that pricks peoples' curiosity. The local people, though, have clearly become used to tourists coming to this site and so haggling and near constant pestering for "donations" has to be dealt with.

Unusual ritual: Flimsy bamboo cages and cloths cover up the deceased. JP/Simon Gower

One can only reach this site by boat, a small fleet of which awaits visitors at the end of a wooden jetty where the stunning Mount Batur looks on.

Crossing the lake to Trunyan takes between 20 and 30 minutes and upon arrival a small huddle of men awaits any arriving boats.

The cemetery is small and there is little need or sign of maintenance. Although this is the final resting place for a number of people, a sense of respect for the dead does seem to be in short supply here.

Human skulls are lined up on stonewall shelves, which makes for a quite eerie sight to begin with but then the men here will invite visitors to pick a skull up and presumably pose for a photo; all of the visitors to this site on this occasion were quite quick to decline this invitation.

The views across the lake to Mount Batur are quite stunning and despite the annoying attendants, this is a peaceful place.

In this final resting place, the bodies of the deceased are just covered in cloth and rudimentary bamboo cages. These cages are flimsy and practically leave the body out in the open to the elements.

This creates an obvious concern; dead bodies left out in the open will of course decompose and the potential for unwelcome odors and even health concerns is real. However here, apparently, the presence of a banyan tree, described as holy, has warded off such concerns.

The huge banyan tree seems to stand as a guarding and protective figure of  this cemetery. Its leafs carpet the ground around the gravesite and presumably this is part of the way in which the tree keeps the area free from unwelcome odors and so on.

Even with the hassle and haggling from the people that wait and wander about the cemetery, this is still a peaceful place that enjoys beautiful and powerful scenery. The lake dazzles in the Balinese sunlight and Mount Batur watches somewhat broodingly in the distance.

Returning across the lake local people are travelling by boat to the cemetery, it seems to pay their respects to the dead. They smile and wave as their boat glides on by; they seem to realize what a pleasant part of the world they live in and may rest in peace in one day.

Simon Marcus Gower, Contributor, Trunyan Jakarta Post

A quirky museum, a welcoming home

An impressive and imposing entranceway seems to stand guard as you approach the Antonio Blanco Museum located on a hill known as Campuan, in Ubud, Bali. Passing under this archway, the entrance road rises up steeply and there is a real sense of approaching something special but also a little reclusive.

Welcoming: The museum's mansion house looms large on Campuan Hill. JP/Simon Gower

It is said the King of Ubud gave the artist Antonio Blanco this land to build his home and which today stands as something of a monument to this renowned artist.

This land in Ubud is also said to sit at the confluence of two sacred rivers and so in a variety of ways is seen as an auspicious and special place.

It soon becomes clear that this is a place of restfulness and beauty: Gardens are beautifully kept, lawns are clipped and manicured, and statues are adorned with umbrellas and flowers.

The grounds of the museum immediately reflect this space is respected and worshipped. Signs over the entrance door into the grounds state that "Through these portals pass the most beautiful people in Bali".

Antonio Blanco was an artist of Spanish parentage born in Manila, The Philippines, in 1911. It is evident from the museum that the artist enjoyed a varied and truly international life. After his high school education in Manila, he went on to study art in New York and developed skills and a liking for figurative and portrait art.

While this sentiment was to prevail throughout his artistic life, his arrival in Bali in 1952 proved central to the rest of his life. He married a Balinese woman famed for her Balinese dancing, Ni Ronji. Her portraits kept in the museum add a very personal touch to the museum, almost making the visitor feel like being at home.

Perhaps first and foremost it is the home of Antonio Blanco. His spirit seems to linger throughout the mansion at the center of the place.

The mansion is large and ornate; perhaps a little too ornate and even gaudy for many a modern person's tastes, but it is important as it acts as a gallery space for so many of Blanco's paintings.

These are displayed in often highly decorated frames, some of which were also designed by the artist.

But it is in the artist's studio to the side of the mansion that visitors get a real sense of the artist's work.

Antonio Blanco passed away in 1999 but his spirit seems to linger on in his small but intimate studio, where numerous frames and paintings either line the walls or rest, stacked up against the walls. One feels like someone needs to finish the pieces or take up the brushes and use the paints left in the center of the room.

Today, visitors to the museum are invited to sit as the artist would have and have their photograph taken posing with artist's palette and brush in hand. Although this sounds almost terribly touristy, it is done in a fun way and the attendants are warm and welcoming.

 This is, perhaps, one of the nicest aspects of this museum; although the mansion house is grandiose and imposing — practically demanding attention — there is still something of an intimacy and warmth about the place as a whole.

Antonio Blanco's son Mario also became an artist, very much in his father's tradition, and so his studio resides right next to that of his renowned father's.

Antonio Blanco was one of many foreign artists to come to Bali and feel at home. His memory is, though, kept alive more powerfully than most with this museum that combines studios and a large mansion house.

The artist may have passed away more than a decade ago now and, to some extent, the times that he represents have passed; perhaps they were more stylish and genteel times. But this museum seems to look back on them with a fondness and warmth that is both simultaneously interesting to the mind and calming to the spirit.

The Jakarta Post

Hotels and restaurants `dump waste into the sea'

KLUNGKUNG: A number of hotels and restaurants operating on Lembongan Island in Klungkung regency are suspected of dumping waste into Semarapura Beach.

Klungkung Regent Tjok Gede Agung expressed concern over these allegations.

"These acts would certainly threaten marine life," he was quoted as saying by the Bali Post daily on a visit to Nusa Penida and Lembongan islands.

Agung said he frequently pressed hotel and restaurant operators to abide by environmental regulations. - JP

Jakartapost

Trade agency proposes Bali-themed day for hotels

DENPASAR: The Bali Industry and Trade Agency has put forward plans to launch Bali-themed days in hotels in the province.

Agency head Gede Darmaja said the agency would ask hotel managers to promote Balinese culture, cuisine and fashion once a month.

"On the day, every hotel employee, for example, could wear traditional Balinese clothes and serve Balinese food," Darmaja said.

The campaign is aimed at encouraging small industries that supply local products.

"In the long run, the campaign will boost the island's economy," Darmaja said. - JP

Badung Bali Tourism Promotion to South Korea and London

Head of Tourism Department of Badung regency, Bali, Made Subawa said it plans to conduct tourism promotion overseas, namely Korea and London. "This year we will do the promotion of tourism to Korea and London, as the two countries is very potential to bring citizens to the Island of the Gods, especially in Badung," said Made Subawa in Denpasar, on Wednesday (04/13/2010).
Promotion to London will carry an interest for European citizens to visit the island resort.

 

He said the European community is very happy to perform the natural and cultural tourism, because it is not excessive if the promotion to the country. Moreover, the potential tourist objects that they expect all in Bali. "Over there (London) European citizens collected from many countries, so that promotion to the kingdom that would bring the country's interest for the citizens of Europe to visit the Island of the Gods," he said.

 

Head of the Badung Tourism Promotion Agency, the god Sumitro said the fund for the purpose of promoting tourism this year a little slack. Year 2009 total campaign fund of Rp 3.5 billion Badung, whereas this year only USD 3.1 billion. "The number is declining because last year there were four countries we visited. Who's this year only two countries," he said.

 

He said the four countries visited for the campaign in 2009, each of China, Japan, Italy and England. Based on the data of Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in Bali, it was revealed that the visit of China's citizens are now experiencing a significant increase, even able to shift the position of Japan since some time ago.

 

Dewa Sumitro said, promotion in 2009 has something to do with what happened this year. "The proof, promotion to the Land of the Bamboo Curtain in the last year, the result is a new look this year," he said.

 

For the Korean nation will be addressed in June 2010, Dewa Sumitro said, the market share target is the citizens of Asia. "For a campaign in the country will be conducted at three sites namely Jakarta, Surabaya and Batam," he said

 

Translate from Travel Kompas

Within a month, 13 444 Taiwanese take a trip to Bali

Taiwanese tourists who take a trip to Bali was recorded 13 444 people during February 2010 alone. That means increased 92.88 percent compared to February 2009 that only 6970 people.

 

They went to Bali through Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport with planes flying directly from Taiwan. During 2009, Taiwan tourists to Bali recorded 120 445 people, a decline of 7.67 percent over the previous year which reached 130 449 people.

 

The increase would make Taiwan's ranking rose from sixth to fourth in the 10 countries most of the Island of the Gods. According to the Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in the Province of Bali, Ida Komang Wisnu, Denpasar, Malaysia was ranked fourth after Australia, Japan and China, now sixth in the Taiwan and South Korea.

 

Ida Komang Vishnu added, from 10 countries supplying the most foreign tourists to Bali, seven countries experienced a significant increase and the three countries showed deterioration.

 

The seven countries that showed the increase was encouraging, in addition to Taiwan, which China also reached 175.27 percent, 63.78 percent in Australia, France, 15.68 percent, 28.25 percent of Russia, the Netherlands and the United States of 61.06 percent 24.93 percent , Ida Komang Wisnu said.

 

Three countries that the community including Japan is reduced to Bali dropped 19.80 percent,
South Korea amounted to 26.31 percent from 11 034 people to 8131 people and Malaysia, 13.99 per cent from 9385 people to 8072 people only, said Ida Komang Wisnu

 

Kompas.com

Buleleng suffers as volcano forces Europeans to cancel holidays

Thousands of European tourists have cancelled their trips to Buleleng regency, North Bali, due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland that brought air traffic above Europe to a virtual standstill for almost a week.

Dewa Ketut Suardipa, chairman of the Buleleng chapter of the Hotels and Restaurants Association said the cancellations had badly affected occupancy rates at star hotels in the Lovina beach resort area, Pemuteran Beach and other tourist destinations in Buleleng regency.

Some hotels' occupancy rates dropped from 90 percent to 15 percent, Suardipa said. "Hotels with European markets really suffered heavy blows," he said.

Many hotels in Buleleng receive a large proportion of their guests from European destinations. Buleleng regency played a significant roles during the Dutch colonial period.

During that time, Singaraja was the island's largest port. Many European tourists come to the regency to visit the former Dutch landmarks.

Ayu Ardini, leisure manager of Puri Bagus at the Lovina Beach Resort Hotel, said the hotel's main market was European tourists.

"Our average occupancy rates are usually between 50 and 60 percent, but the Iceland's volcanic eruption has drastically dragged down our rates to only 15 percent in April,"  Ardani said.

However, many of the tourists who cancelled their trips have rescheduled to visit Lovina next year, he said.

Suardipa said he expected the cancellation to only temporarily effect tourism to the area. "Some hotels like Matahari Beach and Damai Hotel have almost 90 percent occupancy rates."

Non-star hotels have remained lucrative despite global travel problems. "We have numerous backpacking holiday makers staying at small hotels and villas in Lovina."

Suardipa said the political conflict in Thailand had not impacted tourism in Buleleng.

"Some tourists might have swapped their destination from Thailand to Bali, but we have felt no significant impact," he said.

Alit Kartarahardja, The Jakarta Post, Singaraja/North Bali

Cartoon Museum, Alternative Tourism in Bali

Hearing the words of the museum, you must have imagined the things that history may be boring for some people. However, in Denpasar, Bali, there is a museum that it can make you smile and far from boring things.

 

You must be wondering whether it's the museum? Musem in question is the Cartoon Museum. From the name, you can imagine what would have been just the contents of the museum. Yes, at the Cartoon Museum where you can view the work of cartoonist-reliable Indonesian cartoonist with a variety of intriguing themes. Starting from editorial cartoons to the humor you can find in there.

 

In accordance with its name, the Museum of Cartoon also contains works of historical cartoon from the Sukarno era past that is packaged attractively. In addition, many are also works that address critical social and political life was "in" in our midst.

 

"This is the first cartoon museum in Southeast Asia," said Istiono, Operations Manager Cartoon Museum. "More than 300 Indonesian cartoonist's work displayed here," he said.

 

"Picture-picture fun, make relaxed," said Cholidi, one of the Cartoon Museum visitors. For those of you who were on holiday to Bali, there is nothing wrong to try to visit this tourist alternative. Cartoon Museum is located at 85 Jalan Sunset Road, Kuta, Bali.

 

Translate from Kompas.com

Violence Thailand, Bali Tourism Harvest

Thailand's security situation was not conducive to an increasingly positive impact on the world tourism in Bali. A number of tourists to Thailand will now look for another destination and the island resort as one of their favorite alternative.

 

According Menbudpar Jero Wacik, since the unrest in Thailand burst, the level of tourist arrivals to Bali continues to increase. "An increasing number of tourists to Bali reached 400 people per day," said Jero Wacik when reviewing the Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar.

 

"Tourists Japan and Australia are going on holiday to Thailand to cancel his visit and chose Bali as an alternative," added the minister of this island native.

 

If the usual tourist coming to Bali around 6300 per day, tourists can now reach 6700. The positive impact would be felt directly by the perpetrator of tourism in Bali, especially those engaged in the world of hospitality.

 

"The increased traffic in our hotel from the usual 70 percent occupancy, up to 90 percent now," said Era Haerati, Sales Manager Ramayana Hotel.

 

"They actually wanted to go to Thailand, but because of the riots, some choose a holiday in Bali, such as the Australian and Japanese tourists," he added.

 

travel.kompas.com

Badung to revive hotel and restaurant association

BADUNG: Badung regency said it plans to revive its hotel and restaurant association, following a five-year absence.

Perry Markus, the secretary of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurant Association (PHRI), said Badung was a key tourist destination with hundreds of rated hotels, luxury restaurants and other tourist facilities.

PHRI's Badung branch is important to providing a forum for the regency's tourist industry, he added.

"Badung is undergoing rapid tourist development but many key people in the industry remain unaware of existing regulations, market shares and the real supply and demand of facilities," Perry said. - JP

thejakartapost.com

Badung gets new capital

BADUNG: Badung regency got a new capital on Thursday after Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi officially inaugurated the regency's sprawling new administrative center and named it Mangupura. The center will serve as the regency's new capital city.

The administrative center covers 46.6 hectares and cost Rp 470 billion to build. Its development was marred by controversy over the high cost as well as the fact that it was built on land designated as the regency's green belt.

"I thought I was going to inaugurate a small building. It turns out that the size *of the administration center* is 10 times the average size of other regency administration centers in Indonesia," the minister said.

However, he said, the owners of the administration center were the people of Badung as the regent only borrows it from the people during his tenure.

"Give the public the best service," he stressed.

Badung is one of the wealthiest regions in Bali with local revenue of Rp 858 billion and an annual budget of Rp. 1.3 trillion in 2010. - JP

thejakartapost.com

Foreign Tourist like the Legong Dance

DENPASAR,  - Legong, one of Balinese classical dance has its own charm and is very popular overseas and domestic tourists while enjoying a holiday on the island. "Dance is very flexible, supple, with a dynamic motions presented by some very brilliant woman, either now or in the future," said AA Kusuma Ayu Arini SST Msi, a lecturer in the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Denpasar, Monday (19 / 4 / 2010).
Dance is very flexible, supple, with a dynamic motions brought by several women.

 

Agreed with Ayu, two other ISI faculty, Cok Putra Padmini SST Wife Msn and Ni Made Rai Kasumari Bambang Msi SST, also mentions that the popularity of the Legong dance never subsided.

 

Arini Kusuma explains, Legong is a cultural inheritance from two centuries ago that continue sustainable from one generation to the next. Legong dance in addition to the foundation's daughter, also a prima donna of the various types of Balinese dance, which for this type of dance is unique compared to other regions in Indonesia.

 

"Legong dance style that had been famous in Bali is a flow Peliatan, Saba and the flow of Badung," says Padmini Cak added.

 

Among these three schools of dance kegong, Peliatan the most active force in conducting a regular gig as a dance spectacle.

 

Legong registered already quite popular among the public since 1931, after Sekaha Art Peliatan entered the stage to Europe to tone up "Colonial Exhibition" in Paris. Legong addition, the arena was also shown Calonarang.

 

Kusumari Rai added, Sekaha Peliatan Art, Ubud, Gianyar, back stage for a second time in Europe and the United States in 1952. Overseas trip for the second time it was sponsored by a British impresario, John Coast. "Legong Peliatan may be regarded as a pioneer in Bali pariwsata promotion abroad," she said.

 

"I was so impressed with Legong dance performance in London, to the point that BBC Radio London wearing the accompaniment of dance music to broadcast Indonesian introduction for more than a dozen years," said Cok Padmini.

 

Success in overseas performances and is known in some areas of Indonesia, has been making dance for the aspirant able to maintain the distinctiveness of the dance movements.

 

For the sake of it, he said, which was considered the most instrumental in print reliably dancers is a duet AA Gde Mandera and Gusti Made Sengog, both are now gone. They are considered instrumental in expressing style and movement vocabulary specific Legong.

 

"Peliatan Village, Ubud, from then until now doing continuous Legong dance performances, both for performances related to a ceremony or to entertain tourists," says Kusuma Arini.

 

KOMPAS.com

Controversy Bali gigolo movie "Kuta Tourism Growing Not because Gigolo"

Bali Tourism Board chairman Ngurah Wijaya sure, the emergence of a gigolo movie titled Cowboys in Paradise is very little impact on the tourism image of the island known as cultural tourism.

 

The image that the gigolo is one attraction for tourists Kuta Beach woman as depicted in the movie Cowboys in Paradise rebutted by Gusti Ketut Sudira, Bendesa Adat Kuta or Kuta Customary Village Head. "Tourism Kuta grow not because of a gigolo," said Sudira.

 

He did not dismiss the existence of male female entertainer in Kuta. According to him, gigolo in Kuta existing since 20 years ago when tourism began to be known world Kuta. 'The existence of a gigolo in Kuta has existed since the first. However, it covertly and illegally, 'added Sudira, Tuesday (04/27/2010).

 

He believes, the gigolo hide behind the traders who make a living day-to-day in Kuta. "Sometimes sellers do not understand and are protecting them by telling this friend of mine," added Sudira. To anticipate this, Sudira will give instructions to the trader that is not easy to accept people from outside who do not have identities.

 

One member of the Agency for Tourism Saviour Tirta (Balawista), Putu Arya, also denied that the purpose of tourists in here just looking for a gigolo. "I often take guests (Caucasian) dinner, but I'm just friends," he said.

 

"The possibility that (gigolo) exist, but do not be generalized," Arya added.

 

Translate form Kompas

Gigolo Movie Not Affect Citra Bali

"I think people will still see that Bali is Bali with the main icon as the cultural and natural attractions. So, the influence of the film is very small for decreasing the image of Bali," he said in Denpasar, on Wednesday.

 

Nevertheless, he said, the problem remains to be seen as a valuable lesson because of the phenomenon of prostitution who used the guise of tourism, it could really happen in foreign tourist destinations.

 

"Similarly, the phenomenon of filming without permission by foreigners should be the government's attention. Pratik Regarding prostitution, as depicted in the film, it is difficult to prove whether or not there. This is a social problem that must be a common concern," he said.

 

He acknowledged, if indeed such a gigolo practice really exist in Kuta, it is the excesses of the tourism industry must find a way out so as not to damage the tourism image of Bali as a whole.

 

"Bali is different from Thailand, so these problems need to look for a way out so that this practice can be eliminated," he said.

 

He also reminded the media not too encouraging news about the film so that the issue could soon subside.

 

translate from kompas

Alila receives ASEAN Green Hotel Award

UBUD: Alila Manggis in East Bali and Alila Ubud in Gianyar received the ASEAN Green Hotel Award for their commitment to supporting responsible tourism.

The ASEAN Green Hotel Award is one of six ASEAN Tourism Standards considered essential for supporting ASEAN to become a world-class destination.

The award is presented to hotels that measure up to 11 environmental and energy conservation criteria.

Among the criteria are environmental policies and actions for hotel operation, use of green and local products, collaboration with the local community on environmental protection, the hotel's steps to providing staff training programs on environmental management, as well as efficient management of water, energy, waste, air quality and noise pollution.

Organizers of the award said Alila Manggis and Alila Ubud fully embraced Alila's philosophy that commerce, conservation and community could and should be integrated. - JP

http://www.thejakartapost.com

Bali Cultural Center to be built in India

DENPASAR: Bali Hindu Center will be built on a 2-hectare plot near the Ganges River to allow visitors to learn more about the island's culture and religion.

Indra Udayana from Ashram Gandhi Puri said the center would serve as a cultural and religious bridge connecting Balinese and Indian people. The Ganges is considered a sacred river in Hinduism.

"Every year, millions of people visit the site for spiritual enlightenment," Udayana said.

"Therefore, it would be quite strategic to introduce Balinese culture to fellow Hindus from around the world," he said.

The development of the center was an initiative by Hindu leaders such as Pedanda (High Priest) Made Gunung, Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka and former  Bali governors Ida Bagus Mantra and Dewa Made Beratha. — JP

The Jakarta Post, Denpasar