Archive for May, 2006
As consumer confidence in Bali returns, Garuda Indonesia and Garuda Orient holidays are producing their most comprehensive ever “Bali on ANY budget” brochure.
The 2006-2007 brochure, being released from this month, includes more than 20 new resorts, hotels and villas among the almost 200 accommodation options featured, including an expanded choice of exclusive villa properties, a dozen new hotels in popular resort areas, and tour options throughout Bali - and beyond.
“With productivity levels already well ahead of those recorded at the same time in 2003, we intend “Bali on ANY budget “ to be a powerful and versatile tool in helping to drive the resurgence of Bali. We aim to give our retail partners and customers the best choice ever by enhancing our world-class offerings for New Zealand” said Garuda Orient Holidays New Zealand Manager, Ms Alyssa Field . When launched, the new brochure will be mirrored in an information-packed website www.balionanybudget.co.nz and “e-brochure” which can be downloaded to computer desktops for quick reference.
The cover of the new brochure features traditional Indonesian masks, reflecting the theme “Faces of Indonesia” a title shared with the MEGA-famil earlier in May, in which 150 top producing agents from Australia and New Zealand were given the opportunity to come to know the many “faces” of Indonesia, showcasing both familiar and lesser-known resort areas through a range of itineraries through Bali and choice of optional destinations such as Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Lombok.
Included in the main body of the brochure are hotels and resorts rated among the best in the world in recent surveys, including the latest survey in Travel and Leisure magazine (circ one million) which rated Bali the world’s best island destination for the fourth time in a row.
The rapid growth in villa style accommodation, and burgeoning demand for this style of accommodation, is mirrored in the expanded coverage in the brochure, which features a range of villas catering to families, couples and groups of friends. Being featured for the first time are new villa properties in Nusa Dua, Sanur, Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Jimbaran Bay, Uluwatu and Ubud. When shared between a group of friends or, for families, when the overall cost is considered, villa holidays become an affordable alternative to mainstream resort hotels, and have the added benefit of providing privacy, exclusivity and a greater choice of locations within easy reach of the busy tourist centers of Bali.
For the active, new options include Paintball Bali where families or groups of any size can participate in a variety of game options. Including state of the art compressed air paint guns and imported protective clothing, Paintball Bali will appeal to both extreme sport enthusiasts and first timers. To celebrate the opening of “Boomerang”, Waterbom Bali’s newest waterslide, this popular water theme park returns to the pages of the brochure.
For those looking “beyond Bali”, Ombak Putih cruises to Komodo Island will again be featured. With weekly departures (subject to minimum 2 pax) now available, the Borneo Wilderness Tour to Southern Kalimantan brings adventurous travellers ‘up close and personal’ to wild and rehabilitated orangutan. The stark scenery, turquoise lake and sulphur mines of ljen Crater in East Java are easily accessible from the scenic Ijen Resort in East Java, while history buffs will be drawn to the Dutch Colonial Losari Coffee Plantation Resort in Central Java. These new package options, as well as regular tour packages to Mt Bromo, Yogyakarta, Torajaland (South Sulawesi) and classic Java / Bali Overland tour, are found in the rear pages of the brochure.
With value across the board accentuated by an historically favourable exchange rate to the New Zealand dollar, “Bali on ANY budget” spans market segments extending from the most budget-conscious, to the most sophisticated, from the most relaxed, to the most adventurous – from top value, to literally the world’s best.
Source: Garuda Press Release
May 28th, 2006
New Association Calls on Bali’s Government to Clarify Regulatory Requirements for Commercial Villa Operations.
At a special party held on Friday, May 19, 2006, the Bali Villa Association (BVA) was formally launched as a division of the Bali Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).
The first Chairman of the BVA, Ismoyo S, Soemarlan, told the Indonesian-language Bisnis Bali that the establishment of the new organization will help ease current steps to undertake a census of all villas operating in Bali by helping its members process the necessary operating permits and process the payment of taxes in connection with their villa operations. Soemarlan, who serves simultaneously as both the new association’s Chairman and as one of the Vice-Chairmen of the PHRI, said villa operators in Bali do not generally wish to operate illegally but are thwarted in their efforts to become “legal” when confronted by a myriad of confusing and unclear regulations.
Soemarlan estimates that there are approximately 1,000 villa operating in Bali, the majority of which are operating without licenses. Because of this, the BVA, in cooperation with the Government and PHRI, are undertaking steps to inventory the villas and provide guidance to its members to fulfil regulatory requirements on licensing.
The Chairman of the PHRI-Bali, Ir. Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati, has called on villas to enhance their management, particularly in the installation of security systems for the protection of villa guests.
The founders of the BVA are quick to assure that the organization will not add to the problem of villa owners and is there to assist in the registration and legalization of commercial villas in Bali. Only fully legal villas will be admitted to membership while those villas falling short of the minimum legal requirements will be assisted in the application and fulfilment process.
The BVA has called on the Provincial Government to clarify the rules and regulations affecting villa operations in Bali.
Source: Bali Discovery Tours
May 26th, 2006
Hundreds of Balinese will have free access to clearer vision, thanks to the generous donors who recently contributed unwanted, used eyeglasses to the “I Can See Clearly” community drive.
Launched in October to collect used eyeglasses, the effort has since netted nearly 1,000 donated units to The John Fawcett Foundation/ Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia (YKI). Donations were shipped, posted and hand carried by year-end visitors to Bali arriving from around the world, while local residents scoured drawers for out-of-date spectacles.
Once received, all donated eyeglasses are sorted according to usability. Of the recent donations, about 60 percent were deemed usable, a high ratio according to the foundation’s optometry workers. An optometry technician grades the lenses and standard lenses are retained. Non-standard lenses are removed and replaced with standard ones.
For poor Balinese farmers or school children in remote villages, good vision care is not an assumption - it is a luxury. YKI routinely conducts free vision checks among local schools and in mass village screenings. A surprisingly large percentage of people screened are identified as candidates for cataract surgery. An equally significant number of those screened have vision impairment, which can be aided with eyeglasses.
These patients may choose frames from the donated stock. Thus, these recently donated and processed glasses are immediately available to benefit patients - and at no cost to the recipient.
Used or unwanted eyeglasses or frames are continually accepted at designated points around the island. These points include: YKI, Lakimen Advertising, Bali Discovery Tours, BIMC, Tropical Homes, Jenggala Keramik, Bali Hotels Association, Sourcing Bali, The Works and Ary’s Warung.
Bulk shipments remain a logistical problem, but small quantity donations brought in with visitors luggage or posted have not been a problem.
For further information contact:
Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia
The John Fawcett Foundation
JI. Pengembak 16
Blanjong, Sanur, Bali
Tel: +62-361-270812 Fax: +62-361-287707
Email: yki@indo.net.id
Web: www.balieye.org
Source: Tropical Living
May 23rd, 2006
Bali’s reputation as an international centre for the arts is further enhanced with the recent opening of Casa Iseabo, a gallery specializing in contemporary art, centrally located in Seminyak. The gallery focuses on artists who dare to be true to their vision in a chosen field - whether stone or wood hand-carving, glass, painting, metals or any other medium.
Casa Iseabo supports and promotes exceptionally talented local artists who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to exhibit their work in Bali and overseas.
The gallery’s first exhibition spotlights the “primitive-modernist” art of famous Balinese stone sculptor, I Wayan Cemul. At 78 years of age, this is only his second exhibition in 50 years (in 1983 he exhibited in Australia) and the first time he has produced sculptures in white stone. His unconventional sculptures are delightfully Balinese in character and full of comical playfulness. Many of them are displayed in museums and hotels throughout Bali, as well as collected by private individuals worldwide.
CASA ISEABO
JI Laksmana 22A
Seminyak, Bali
www.casaiseabo.com
Source: Tropical Living
May 23rd, 2006
The 28th Annual Bali Arts Festival in Buleleng is held this year, coinciding with the 402nd Anniversary of the regency which was named by the first Radja of Bali-Pandji Sakti who named the original Capital of Bali, Singaraja.
May 19 sees the Grand Opening ceremony, which also is the start of a series of evening cultural shows held at the Sasana Budaya Singaraja.
On Saturday, May 20, Gamelan Semar Pegulingan (among the traditional Balinese music usually played in special events or temple festivals) is held, featuring the orchestra group from the Gobleg Banjar village. Another orchestra, Angklung Kebyar (normally used in cremation ceremonies), is featured from Busungbiu village.
Sunday, May 21, has a Joged Mebarung competition. The Joged Bumbung is one of the few exclusively secular dances of Bali, in which the brightly-dressed female dancer invites males from the audience to dance with her in pretence of seduction. The Music is made with bumbung (bamboo) instruments. This dance is very popular among tourists. The Music and the dancers are from Sari Mekar Village and from Petandakan Village. Performances commence at 8pm.
Monday, May 22, has the Women’s Gong Kebyar Gamelan orchestras competing between Gong Kebyar from Galungan Village and Gong Kebyar from Pancasari Village. Tuesday, May 23 sees the closing ceremony of the festival, featuring Men’s Gong Kebyar from Trippitaka Munduk and Ambengan Village. The “Wija Kusuma Art Awards” is also highlighted in the evening from 7.30pm. For additional information contact Damai Lovina Villas.
Damai Lovina Villas, Singaraja, North Bali - www.damai.com
Source: Bali and Beyond
May 22nd, 2006
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