Bali Travel News

Brides Magazine selects venerable travel betwork Virtuoso to reveal top honeymoon destinations

2012-04-16T12:26:00.000+03:00

When it comes to planning a honeymoon or romantic getaway, the travel possibilities can be endless. Choices may include a secluded beach vacation, European tours, intrepid safaris, as well as adventures in new and exotic lands, often leaving couples in a destination decision quandary. The good news for discerning couples: high-end travel agency network, Virtuoso, has teamed up with the renowned Brides magazine to provide insight on the hottest honeymoon destinations now.

Collaborating with the revered travel network, Virtuoso, Brides magazine gained access to an army of 7,200 elite travel specialists, questioning each on what they consider the very best destinations for newlywed couples. Taking advantage of Virtuoso's more than 60 years of travel expertise, the survey determines Italy, French Polynesia and Maui as the top three honeymoon destinations from a full list of 20 locales in total. Additional destinations in this category cited Greece, Mexico, Bali, Thailand, Costa Rica and Australia as favorites amongst the newlywed set.

"Virtuoso's reputation as the premiere network of travel agencies and advisors made them a perfect partner for this year's Honeymoon Awards," said Jacqueline Gifford, Travel Editor for Brides magazine. "Their level of travel knowledge is unsurpassed and their insight led to an impressive and comprehensive list of world's-best destinations, hotels, resorts and cruise lines - everything couples need to get started on their own honeymoon."

Bali beefs up security, but tourists unfazed

2012-04-14T10:22:00.000+03:00

Police on Indonesia's resort island of Bali stepped up security in tourist hotspots yesterday after five suspected terrorists were shot dead in raids, but tourists remain unfazed by the incident.

"We beefed up security in all places around Bali especially in strategic places such entertainment spots, hotels and malls. What's clear, we are on alert," Bali police spokesman Hariadi said.

"We guarantee maximum security for tourists. They should not be alarmed and should continue to enjoy their holiday," he added.

Muslim-majority Indonesia has been rocked by a series of attacks staged by regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah in recent years, including the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people.

Police said that on Sunday evening they gunned down five people in two separate raids in the Denpasar and Sanur areas in the south of the island, which is popular with tourists for its beaches and lush interior.

Over one hundred members of the elite Detachment 88 counter-terrorism force were seen in Sanur where three suspects were killed at a villa, a correspondent saw.

The men "planned to carry out an act of terrorism and several robberies" and are believed to be part of a group who killed an officer in a spectacular 2010 bank robbery to raise funds for terrorist attacks, police said.

Bali escape hatch on our doorstep

2012-04-13T16:45:00.000+03:00

Bali is the too-easy escape hatch on our doorstep, a seductive zone of spas and sunsets, waves and temples, plus the chance to shop to the brink of bankruptcy.

Guide to Asia:
BALI
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
SINGAPORE

PENANG

Regardless of Bali's labels - the island of the gods, the morning of the Earth, or paradise mislaid - the place continues to draw us in. About 700,000 Australians visit each year, despite the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's long-standing travel warning. In general we return sunburnt, surfed out, credit maxed, hungover and happy as Larry.

Southern Bali could be renamed the Shore of a Million Motorbikes, such is the all-day traffic jam that oozes across its Sanur-Denpasar-Kuta-Seminyak sprawl. Yet somehow we keep the cool that we don't have at home - the trick is, of course, to be driven, don't drive - and make our way through the traffic to art galleries, rafting safaris, cooking classes, beachfront weddings and spa sessions, more or less on time.

Catering to an estimated 2.7 million annual international visitors and a very large numbers of domestic tourists, Bali has bloomed with theme parks for families. Toucans, hornbills, ibis and scores of other rainforest species flit beneath the canopies of Bali Bird Park in Batubulan. Kuta's Waterbom Park is a gleeful melee of children and huge waterslides with vivid names like Super Bowl and Smash Down. The Elephant Safari Park Lodge at Taro, north of Ubud, has jumbo shows and an on-site resort while its competition, the Bali Safari and Marine Park at Gianyar, presents the huge Bali Agung stage spectacular.

Meanwhile, Kuta Beach could be the world's biggest tanning park. Here heliotropic visitors rotisserie themselves to bronze or blisters while besieged by a walking, hawking supermarket of masseuses and trinket spruikers.

Learning How To Travel On A Trip To Bali

2012-03-30T17:06:00.000+03:00

F*ck you!" she heard as she hurried off in anger. I was with my mom in Bali and as I ran to catch up with her, I again wondered what I had gotten myself into.

I had come to Bali with my family a few days earlier. My cousin had just gotten married and for their honeymoon they decided to travel to Southeast Asia, visiting the places of his childhood. Rejected from graduate school and "between jobs" (read: unemployed), I decided to accept their invite and serve as their translator, porter, honeymoon photographer and all around handyman -- my own indentured servitude. Adrift in my own sea of uncertainty, I joined my family on a journey to a land known for its beaches and beauty.

Most our days in Bali followed a similar pattern: touristy sites, then beaches and fabulous dinner -- a routine that forced me up early each morning for a workout lest my beach body paranoia lose its daily battle to my "I'm-on-vacation" eating mindset. The pattern was comforting, but after a few days, sitting and sipping cocktails was just losing its charm. Shouldn't I be doing something productive?

There was a Hard Rock Bali and a Planet Hollywood Bali. I don't think I traveled across an ocean to eat a Hollywood Burger or a New York Strip. After awhile a beach is a beach, a bar is a bar and hotel pools are just hotel pools. Don't get me wrong, these things are amazingly fun, but why spend your entire time just doing the same things you can do anywhere? Where is the soul of a place that makes the journey worthwhile?

Bali is beautiful. I have everything here’

2011-07-04T19:09:00.000+03:00

Getting there: There are no direct flights from India to Denpasar, Bali. Stopover in either Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore

Visa: Visa on arrival. Only USD or Rupiah accepted

Where to sleep: There are hotels for everyone – from backpackers to luxury seekers. The only tip is all hotels can negotiate to include either breakfast or airport transfers or guided tours, but book early

Getting around: There are plenty of taxis, but my personal preference would be to hire a two-wheeler for the day. If you do plan on doing that please ensure you get your International Drivers License and a personal Insurance policy

Eating: There are plenty of options in Bali when it comes to restaurants, but if you are a vegetarian, ask the waiter about the ingredients as sometimes they do tend to add fish sauce to vegetarian dishes

Not to miss: If you love to surf, head to Padang Padang near the famous Uluwatu Temple. If you are looking to get away for some quiet time on the beach, don't head south to Kuta where the milling crowds are. Instead, head north to Lovina

Bali Update

2011-05-18T17:50:00.000+03:00

Bali Provincial Government Prepares to Issue Third and Final Warning Letter to PT Bali Sunrise Beach – Owners of Beach World Complex at Nusa Dua.

AirAsia extends daily Perth-Bali service

2011-05-14T16:41:00.000+03:00

Leading low-cost airline AirAsia will add an extra daily service between Perth and Bali as the popular route continues to flourish.
From 1 July 2011, AirAsia will ramp up its frequencies to Bali from three to four flights daily in response to increased passenger demand, with weekly services to rise from 21 to 28.
“Due to high demand for our low fares and West Australians’ desire to travel to Bali for less, AirAsia is adding a fourth daily flight over the peak period from 1 July to 29 October 2011,” AirAsia X Head of Commercial Darren Wright said.
“People are continuing to choose AirAsia over other airlines and we’ve seen tremendous support for our Perth-Bali route since launching in 2009. Bali is very popular and a relatively short, easy flight from Perth, which is why our low cost travel model is such a popular option.
“The extra flight will help more travellers get to Bali for school and university holidays and escape winter here at home. The extra capacity also means more lower fares will be available.”

BALI TRAVEL GUIDE

2011-05-04T14:44:00.000+03:00

Nature lovers and adventures will have no shortage of things to do on Bali, as just some of the activities available include nature walks, surfing, diving, horseback riding, bungee jumping and even white water rafting. Those with a love of all things floral won't want to miss the Bali Orchid Garden, where orchids grow exceedingly well in the fertile, volcanic soil.
Sightseers won't be disappointed either, with a trek to Gunung Kawi, one of the largest ancient monuments found on Bali. The Museum Le Mayeur commemorates the Belgian artist who arrived on the island in 1932, and his paintings, done during his world travels. Those with an interest in Bali's spiritual side won't want to miss the Hindu-Buddhist temple Pura Ulun Dan Bratan, founded in the seventeenth century, or the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which is home to three temples

Bali travel warning after dengue fever outbreak

2010-07-05T20:39:00.000+03:00

Travellers are being cautioned over visiting Bali amid a worrying outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus dengue fever.

The WA Health Department has warned the number of those suffering from the disease has topped 150 so far this year, up from a total of 16 in 2006.

Symptoms include fever, severe headache, aching joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting and a rash and usually occur within three to 14 days of being bitten.

Eat, Pray, Love Tour in Bali

2010-01-14T23:00:00.000+02:00

Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a memoir in 2006 titled Eat, Pray Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia which became a national bestseller. The book takes the reader along the author's personal quest for equilibrium after a messy divorce and other life snafus. Really it focuses on one woman's question "What am I doing with my life?" Her journey's final stop is in Bali where she starts to find her center and balance. Her search is partially about finding love with an appropriate man but really more significantly learning how to know, love and appreciate herself.

Soon to be a major motion picture staring Julia Roberts the story so captivated readers that it was one of only two books to be on the New York Times Paperback Bestseller list every week of 2008. For those of you who made New Year's resolutions to really examine their life Spirit Quest Tours has organized an amazing spiritual journey to Bali based on the book. The trip will take place in May 2010 and can accommodate thirty-five travelers departing from either New York or Los Angeles. It is a good compromise for those who are not writers and can't leave their desk jobs for a year to travel the world and find themselves.

Australian fugitive arrested in Bali

2010-01-13T22:22:00.000+02:00

A fugitive wanted by the Australian Federal Police for drug offences has been arrested on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali, police said.

Timothy Geoffrey Lee, 45, was arrested in a house in Kuta district on Saturday, Bali police anti-narcotics head Kokot Indarto said.

"There was a fax request and a red notice by the Australian Federal Police on November 9, 2009, asking us to arrest and investigate him on a drug-related offence," he said.

"He's suspected of being part of an Australian drug ring."

Police found an Australian passport and three British passports in Lee's possession.

"We plan to coordinate with Interpol and Australian police to take him to Australia," Mr Indarto added.

Provincial police spokesman Gde Sugianyar said Australian police wanted Lee over the possession of 45 litres of materials used to make methamphetamines.

Lee reportedly had been wanted by Australian police since 2008.

Bali’s tourist arrival record of 2.2m difficult to break

2010-01-11T00:26:00.000+02:00

Bali set a new record of foreign tourist arrivals with 2.2 million in 2009, but local and international tourism industry players doubt the island can equal or break the mark in the future.

Ida Bagus Sidharta Putra of Santrian Group tours and travel network said Saturday Bali was lucky to receive foreign tourists who shifted their destination from Thailand due to a protracted political crisis there last year.

“I think it will be difficult for us to equal the record now that Thailand has regained political stability. Early room booking this year is no better than last year. A number of tourists from Russia and Europe have even canceled their trips here due to global financial crisis which remains unabated,” he was quoted by kompas.com.

Fortnight in Bali follows memorable day for city sweethearts

2010-01-09T11:10:00.000+02:00

A TWO-WEEK honeymoon in Bali followed the wedding of a Derby couple in the city.

Ellie Sturt, daughter of Thomas and Christine Hindmarch, of Ilkeston, and Mitchell Allseybrook, son of Geoff and Joy Allseybrook, of St Alban's Road, Derby, were married at All Saints' Church Findern, the ceremony followed by a reception at The Highfields House Restaurant at The Littleover Lodge

The bride wore Maggie Sottero's Gatsby gown, a slimline vintage-style dress.

She was attended by maid of honour Gemma Barker and bridesmaids Lexie, Lottie and Millie Thomas.

The best man was Mark Petty and the ushers were Aidan Hindmarch and Lee Allseybrook.

The couple, who live in Heatherton Village, matched their colours along a vintage theme with the groom wearing champagne and the attendants champagne and chocolate brown.

Bali gets Rp 8.7 trillion from state budget

2010-01-07T23:45:00.000+02:00

Bali received Rp 8.7 trilllion (US$925 million) from the state budget for the 2010 fiscal year, Governor Made Mangku Pastika confirmed Thursday.

“We will disburse the fund to support economic activities that stimulate growth, create job opportunities and reduce poverty,” he said.

The governor elaborated that government officials’ salaries would amount to Rp 1.918 trillion; procurements of various goods (Rp 1.25 trillion); capital spending (Rp 1.14 trillion) and social aid (Rp 580.37 billion).

General Fund Allocation is set at Rp 3.54 trillion, while special allocation fund Rp 333.35 billion.

Pastika suggested that each of the government’s agencies pay serious attention to the fund’s allocation.

The governor said he would focus on seven sectors including health, education, agriculture, and environment.

“We will also improve infrastructure in many parts of the island, especially in the remote areas.”

Bali is enjoying a robust tourist industry. However, the industry benefits only some of the island’s eight regencies and muncipality such as Badung and Gianyar.

* News * World news * Global terrorism Confusion over Bali terror warning from US embassy

2010-01-05T21:37:00.000+02:00

JW Marriott hotel

Workers clean up the site of the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta after a bomb attack in July. Photograph: Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images

The US embassy in Indonesia today issued a warning of a possible attack in the popular tourist destination of Bali tonight, saying it was based on information from the island's governor.

A message on the US embassy website carried what it said was a statement from the Bali tourism board.

The statement read: "The governor of Bali, Mangku Pastika, wishes to share a message with all of us: 'There is an indication of an attack to Bali tonight' ... please don't panic, but put your security system to full alert."

However, Putu Suardika, the head of public relations at the Bali governor's office, denied that Pastika had made such a statement.

Government urges Aussies to delay Bali travel

2010-01-03T21:52:00.000+02:00

AUSTRALIANS are being urged to reconsider travel to Bali after the Government's "very high threat" warning over the New Year period.

However, there was confusion yesterday about the origin of a New Year's Eve warning to tourists on the holiday island, which was circulated by the US Embassy in Bali.

It quoted the Governor of Bali, Mangku Pastika, warning there was an indication an attack was planned for New Year's Eve.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs also posted the warning on its SmartTraveller website, saying it was circulated by the Bali Tourism Board, and urged travellers to be alert to the statement.

Pita Prada celebrates traditional Balinese paintings

2009-12-31T10:04:00.000+02:00

Painting connoisseurs who find themselves stranded in Ubud this month should not curse their fate.

Yes, the seemingly eternal traffic jams, the overzealous street hawkers and the hordes upon hordes of noisy visitors tend to make this little town a suffocating place to get lost in.

However, for lovers of good paintings, the town currently offers a rare feast for the eyes: the first biennale of traditional Balinese paintings, featuring more than 150 paintings, including masterpieces from the past and breathtaking works from the present.

The Flavor of Bali, at Roadside Stands

2009-12-30T21:32:00.001+02:00

THERE are two kinds of culinary travelers who end up on Bali: ones who don’t flinch at spending hundreds of dollars for a bottle of Rioja at a trendy Asian-French fusion restaurant, and those who are obsessive about going as local as possible, searching out the most authentic Balinese meal, a box of Imodium A-D always at their side You’ll find the latter at Bali’s many streetside food vendors known as warungs. Scattered throughout Indonesia, warungs usually occupy a modest shack or roadside lean-to with a small counter and a bench where customers sit and eat traditional dishes. The bigger ones are no more than no-frills cafes, sometimes fashioned out of modest materials like rattan and corrugated metal.

Arrests, but Few Details, in Bali Murder

2009-12-29T19:01:00.000+02:00

Denpasar. Police in Bali are refusing to release details of the reported arrests made in connection with the brutal slaying of Japanese national Hiromi Shimada.

“I promise, we will reveal everything in two days,” Sr. Comr. Gede Alit Widana, chief of Denpasar Police, said during a news conference on Tuesday.

All Widana would say was that police had arrested the suspected killers, though he declined to give their names or possible motive, or say how many people had been taken into custody. He did say, however, that the 41-year-old Shimada’s two Indonesian ex-husbands — Agus and Harianto — were not among the suspects.

A police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said several male suspects had been arrested in East Java. He declined to say how many suspects were being held.

The source added that the Bali Police were working particularly hard to solve the murder, saying “our chief always gives special attention [to tourist-related crimes] and orders immediate arrests.”

Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards Held in Bali

2009-12-28T14:13:00.001+02:00

The Balinese Food Festival event made its way to Tri Hita Karana Tourism Awards 2009 in Bali.

The event theme "Tri Hita Karana" means to balance man with God, society and nature. And awards were given to members of the hotel and tourism industry who did just that.

Organized by Bali Travel News and the Indonesian Chef Association, the event attracted dozens of hotels and restaurants.

Traditional drinks and food served at the festival had to be specially prepared according to health and presentation standards.

Each participant must also prepare a typical Balinese menu, with a customized decoration as the theme.

An appetizer, main dish and dessert must be presented.

MAS Offers Three Daily Flights To Bali

2009-11-04T16:17:00.000+02:00

Malaysia Airlines is flying three daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Bali from Wednesday, with the additional flight departing Kuala Lumpur everyday at 12.25pm and arriving in Bali at 3.20pm.

Its senior general manager, network and revenue management, Dr Amin Khan, said customers could now travel anytime at their convenience as the daily flights were timed every three hours, with departures at 8.45am, 12.25pm and 3.20pm.

He said in a statement today that demand had been picking up, especially with passengers from other countries flying to Kuala Lumpur and connecting onwards to Bali.

"Our load factor is strong at 80 per cent, which is 10 per cent higher compared to the same time last year," Amin said.

KL ranks top 3 city for business in Asia

2009-09-06T08:35:00.000+03:00

Kuala Lumpur has been ranked among the top three cities for business in Asia in the SmartTravelAsia.com’s 2009 Best in Travel Poll.

The Malaysian capital, ranked fourth last year, finished behind Hong Kong which remained the top city for business, followed by Singapore, while Bangkok, the “City of Angels”, dropped one rung to fourth. SmartTravelAsia.com, the region’s dedicated online travel magazine with over one million readers worldwide, said the category took in perceptions and actual experiences of business travellers in dealing with a range of factors like efficiency of transport and general services, signposting, hotels, airport and so on.

Low fares to Bali - buy before June 28 for fall travel

2009-06-20T17:35:00.000+03:00

Bali in the fall is niiiice - as they say, "bagus." The weather's great, surf's up and college students are back in school.

With Singapore Airlines advertising LAX to Bali for $679, take in the Indonesian island's colorful dances, fragrant flowers and funny monkeys all for what I once paid to go to Hawaii (I know). That leaves plenty of rupiah for surf tours, scooter rentals, heaping plates of mie goreng and hand-crafted art to bring back home.

Singapore Airlines is offering similar rates to Bangkok, Manila, Hanoi (and several more Asia destinations) from Los Angeles in this special promotion. Travel through Nov. 30, 2009.

Bali tourism unaffected by global crisis

2009-05-22T19:11:00.000+03:00

The current global financial crisis exacerbated by the outbreak of H1N1 influenza, has not affected Bali's tourism industry, say experts.

Aloysius Purwa, chairman of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agencies (Asita), said Bali had experienced significant growth in the number of tourists visiting from January to May 2009.

"The number of tourists from China, Malaysia and Taiwan has increased," Purwa said.

Based on the latest data from the Bali office of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the number of Chinese tourists reached 21,492.

The number of tourists from Malaysia is also increasing, while Japan and Australia have remained the island's top markets since the early l980s.

New agro-tourism village in Karangasem

2009-04-22T14:09:00.000+03:00

The Bali provincial administration is currently developing an agro-tourism village project in Besakih, Karangasem regency, 75 kilometers east of Denpasar.

The project, overseen by the provincial agricultural agency, is scheduled to be completed within the next five years.

It covers a 200 hectare plot of land belonging to the Besakih community.

Head of the agriculture office, Wayan Badra Wisnaya, told reporters on Friday that since 2008, local farmers have grown 4,000 orange trees and 5,000 durian (durio zibethinus murr) trees on their lands.

"The office provided seeds for trees to the crop and horticultural office, valued at Rp 150 million," said Winaya.