Archive for June, 2007
Excitement for Both Runners and Spectators on Jimbaran Beach at Bali International Triathlon on Sunday Morning, June 24, 2007.
Serious athletes and ponderous couch potatoes will have reason to rejoice and enjoy themselves at the inaugural Bali International Triathlon on Sunday, June 24, 2007 at Bali’s Jimbaran Beach.
Over 130 triathletes are set for an 8:00 a.m. start on a 1.5 km swim, a 40 km bike race and 10 km run. An hour later, at 9:00 a.m., a large group of runners will race a 5 km fun run through Jimbaran village.
The start, finish and transition points for all races will be at the Coconut Grove of the Four Season’s Resort at Jimbaran Bay where music, refreshments, free massages and booths from leading local merchants will be on hand to keep race enthusiasts entertained from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m..
Admission is free of charge and spectators have a chance of winning prizes without running a single stride!
Please note: Traffic access to “race central” will be strictly restricted with parking facilities and free-shuttles provided from a special parking area at the quarry-site on Jalan Karang Mas.
To view race routes throughout Jimbaran and Nusa Dua visit [Route Maps -Bali International Triathlon 2007]
Come Join the party on the beach at Jimbaran and watch the dramatic swimming start to the Bali International Triathlon at 8:00 a.m. sharp on Sunday, June 24, 2007.
balidiscovery.com
June 21st, 2007
The Indonesian-language BisnisBali reports that around 70% of the companies involved in Bali’s off-the-rack garment trade have ceased operations in the aftermath of the second terrorist attack of October 2005.
From an original 175 registered Bali members of the Indonesian Textile Association (API), only 40 companies remain in operation as members of the professional grouping. Yunasril Anga, a Directors of API, confirmed that there have been “tens” of garment companies who have gone bankrupt over the past two years resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs among people living in Bali.
Speaking from personal experience as the operator of Orient Bali Garments, Anga related how prior to the October 2005 bombing his Company had employed 200 workers and another 300 contracted outside piece workers. Current employments levels are down to just 60 workers at his factory with no outside piece workers currently employed. Anga said the end of outside work, normally placed with work circles at villages across Bali, has had a devastating effect on local communities.
Signs of Gradual Improvements in the Garment Sector
There are encouraging signs that the garment industry in Bali is gradually on the mend. Garment exports from Bali during the first four months of 2007 achieved 13.4 million pieces with a value of US$52.4 million – a 13% improvement over the same period just one year ago.
Indonesia’s Department of Trade and Industry is supporting programs for participation by Bali’s garment producers at overseas trade shows in the hope of accelerating the recovery in the textile and garment sector.
balidiscovery.com newspaper
June 20th, 2007
A www.news.com.au report says that hoteliers in Bali have blamed Qantas for sluggish bookings out of Australia, as travellers complain about a lack of flights to the increasingly upmarket resort island.
Some passengers have reported waiting months to get suitable flights, with Qantas and Garuda Indonesia slow to reinstate Australian services that were cut following the October 2005 bombings.
That terrorist attack, the second in three years, killed 20 people including four Australians and sparked mass booking cancellations.
Bali’s tourism numbers have now bounced back and the island is shedding its reputation as a budget backpackers haunt.
Foreign arrivals rose 38 per cent to 472,082 during the first four months of this year 2007, marking the strongest start to any year on record.
However, Australian visitors dropped 36 per cent over the same period, in stark contrast to firm numbers from Japan, Europe and emerging markets like Russia.
Michael Burchett, chairman of the Bali Hotels Association and general manager of the Conrad Bali Resort & Spa, said the lack of airline capacity was the biggest hurdle to getting Australians back to Bali.
“The demand is there from Australia, but there’s no interest or willingness from Qantas to resume flights,” said Burchett, originally from Perth.
“You can’t get a flight out of Perth for months, and if you’re in Brisbane you have to go to Sydney or Melbourne.
“It’s just ridiculous. Garuda is doing what it can, but it doesn’t have the financial strength, so the Australian recovery has been hamstrung by the lack of support from Qantas.
“Well keep waving the white flag and maybe someone will see it soon.”
Georgia Fell-Smith, an Australian spa consultant from Perth who lives in Bali, said the current situation posed problems. “I always have trouble booking with Qantas,” she said.
“The problem is I much prefer to fly with Qantas because of its strong safety record and the opportunity to earn frequent flyer points, but they make it so difficult because they only fly twice a week.”
Fell-Smith was booked to fly back to Perth to search for a wedding dress on May 29, but cancelled because she could not return to Bali on her desired dates with either Qantas or Garuda.
She will now make the trip in July, using a Qantas flight booked four months ago.
Qantas flies twice a week to Bali from Perth and Darwin, while its budget arm Jetstar flies twice a week from Melbourne and Sydney. Garuda flies every day from Perth, four times a week from Melbourne and Sydney, and twice a week from Darwin.
A Qantas spokesperson said an additional flight would be added to the Perth-Denpasar route between August 5 and October 21 this year, but there were no plans at this stage to expand services from any other cities.
“Qantas will continue to monitor the route and make changes as demand increases,” the spokesperson said.
Collapsed Bali airline Air Paradise is reportedly looking at a comeback, while Singapore-based low-budget carrier Tiger Airways has also hinted at possible flights between Bali and Australia.
However, hoteliers said Australia needed a full-service airline to cater for higher-end tourists and business travellers who were finding a new, fashionable edge to the island.
Not far from Kuta’s cheap bungalows and rowdy pubs, some hotels - like the exclusive Amandari and recently opened Bulgari Resort - charge thousands of dollars a night per room, and ferry passengers to the airport by helicopter, while restaurants in chic Seminyak do a brisk trade in French champagne and freshly shucked Sydney oysters.
“Rather than treating Bali as a cheap beach destination, the expansion of the luxury hotel and villa market shows it is anything but,” said Adrian Forsyth, general manager of Kuta’s mid-range Bali Garden Hotel.
“Bali is now a luxury destination and while tourism is returning to normal, the airlines have been slow to respond to that.
“We’re grateful for Jetstar’s entrance into the market, but Bali really needs Qantas to serve this higher-end clientele, who are willing to pay Qantas rates and want Qantas-style service.”
Report by The Mole - travelmole.com
June 19th, 2007
“One Stop With No Doubt” is the slogan of an international restaurant called Madania, which serves halal food, acceptable in accordance with Islamic rules.
Since Bali now hosts a large number of tourists from Muslim countries such as Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and those from Middle Eastern countries, Madania Restaurant on Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai, in the Kuta tourism hub, caters successfully to diners with such dietary restrictions.
“We have been trying to offer something different in the highly competitive Balinese restaurant business by serving food for new holidaymakers from Muslim countries,” said Arief Fathkhul Muchtadi, operation manager of Madania Restaurant.
All food and beverages that appear on the menu of the restaurant establishment is free of alcohol and other haram, or forbidden, ingredients such as pork, pork derivatives and select seasonings.
The spacious restaurant has been designed carefully to reflect Islamic nuances. And even while serving strictly halal dishes, it offers a large variety of cuisines such as Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern and Western cuisines.
“We just replace certain ingredients that are not edible for Muslim clientele. But the flavor is still as delicious as the original,” Arief said.
With a seating capacity of 175 and its strategic location, Madania is easily accessible and only a five-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Open from 9 a.m. through 11 p.m., the restaurant is always crowded with both local and foreign diners.
In addition, a small mosque has been built in the corner of the facility to enable Muslim customers to observe daily prayers before, after or even during their visit.
“I don’t have to find a nearby mosque to pray and I really like the atmosphere of this restaurant,” commented Fatima, a visitor from Malaysia.
With Malaysian Air, Air Asia and Qatar Airlines plying direct routes to Bali, the number of visitors from Muslim countries has been increasing dramatically in the last few months.
Restaurants serving halal food is poised to become a red-hot business on the island of Bali, which is generally known for local specialties such as bebek Bali (duck with Balinese spices), sate babi (pork satay) and babi guling (roast pork).
Today, Bali is filled to bursting with hundreds of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars catering to holidaymakers from traditional tourist markets like Japan, Australia, South Korea and Europe. But the tourism demographic has been shifting, with Bali welcoming more and more visitors from India, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Now, tourists from Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries are also flocking to the Island of the Gods.
“Hundreds of Malaysians fly to Bali on weekends and holidays to shop,” said Fatima, adding that she has just bought a bulk of garments and handicrafts from the Sukawati art market in Gianyar.
For local businesspeople, this shift in the market trend has opened new business opportunities.
“What is important is to set high cooking and serving standards in line with international standards,” said Arief.
At Mandania, dining guests can order delicious Yakiniku (Japanese-style braised beef, Soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) or fresh Chinese and seafood dishes at affordable prices.
“We can be so innovative in creating and serving food and beverages to meet the needs of Muslim customers,” Arief said.
For example, he said, Mandania’s bar staff have produced a mocktail that is as tasty and fresh as the alcoholic original. A myriad selection of ice cream, milk shakes and juices also appear on the menu.
The restaurant’s experience in providing catering services for Qatar Airlines, which now flies direct to Bali thrice weekly, stands testament to their quality, halal menu.
“We have to admit that only a very few Westerners eat here,” Arief added. “But we welcome them to come taste our food and drinks.”
Madania Restaurant
Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No.29F
Kuta, Bali
Phone: (0361) 764787
Fax: (0361) 764483
madania@telkom.net
Wasti Atmodjo, Contributor, Kuta
June 18th, 2007
Vice President Jusuf Kalla asked flag carrier Garuda Indonesia here Wednesday to fly directly to Kunming, the capital of Yunan province in China, to foster trade and tourism links between Indonesia and the province.
In his meeting with Bai Enpei, the most powerful man in Yunan province, Kalla also recognized that more and more affluent Yunan people were visiting Indonesia, especially Bali, and therefore a direct flight between Kunming and Bali would enhance that link.
“As Yunan and Bali are sister provinces, I would ask Garuda to open a direct flight between Kunming and Bali, so that tourism as well as trade links between the two will improve further,” Kalla told Bai.
Bai, secretary general of the Communist Party Committee in Yunan, noted that a direct link would enhance trade between Yunan and Bali as well as the rest of Indonesia.
He revealed that two-way trade between Yunan and Indonesia reached US$230 million last year. In the first four months of this year alone, two-way trade reached about $100 million, representing a 140 percent increase from the same period last year.
Separately, Johan Unggul, one of several Indonesian businessmen in Kunming, welcomed Kalla’s proposal, saying that when he travels to Kunming he currently flies via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
“Singapore and Malaysia seems to have been one step ahead of us in this regard,” said Johan, who has a fertilizer plant in Kunming.
During the meeting, Bai and Kalla also discussed possible cooperation in the agriculture sector, in which Yunan is more advanced.
Besides agriculture, Bai also promoted investment opportunities in other sectors, especially mining and manufacturing.
“Yunan is rich with natural resources. We have everything in Yunan, gold, silver, bronze and other minerals,” he said.
Yunan itself, with over 40 million people, could serve as a potential major market for Indonesian products.
Earlier, Kalla visited the World Horti-Expo Garden in Kunming. Wednesday was the first day of his six-day official visit to China.
Riyadi Suparno, The Jakarta Post, Kunming, China
June 18th, 2007
As it struggles to recover from the effects of two terrorist bombings, Bali’s tourism industry is facing a new threat. Global warming.
Experts say climate change is hitting Bali’s coral reefs hard, turning once vibrant diving locations into bleached shadows of their former glory.
The situation has been compounded by the widespread, but illegal, use of cyanide and bombs by local fishermen.
In the West Bali National Park, the once common sight of brightly-coloured clown fish swimming among healthy pink anemones is becoming rare. And larger fish are increasingly uncommon.
On Menjangan Island, a popular dive spot within the park, once-vibrant cliffs of underwater colour now look washed out and brittle, with rising sea temperatures aiding the bleaching process.
“Climate change is a major threat to the Bali’s coral reef ecosystem,” says Ketut Sudiarta, a lecturer at Bali’s Warmadewa University.
“The prediction of more frequent El Nino phenomena and increasing sea surface temperatures due to climate change is worrying.”
Foreign tourist numbers to the park have fallen dramatically, but no-one can say whether terrorism or the changing seascape is to blame. Just 3,206 foreign tourists went there last year, compared to 20,168 in 2000 - before the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings.
Indonesia, along with Malaysia and the Philippines, has the most diverse marine life in the world, while Australia’s Great Barrier Reef sits on the second ring.
But coral bleaching has intensified over the past 20 years - a severe El Nino event in 1998 was blamed for the most extensive bleaching to coral reefs in Bali, as sea surface temperatures climbed.
El Nino is a powerful phenomenon in which ocean surface temperatures fluctuate and warmer currents replace cooler ones, and experts warn global warming will generate more frequent El Nino events in the future.
“The bleaching doesn’t mean the coral is dead, but it makes the corals become transparent,” says Reef Check Indonesia’s Naneng Setiasih.
“If it stays like that for along time, it will die.
“If it isn’t exposed to the (warmer) temperature for a long time, and the stress is not too big, it can return back to normal.”
Greenpeace activists in Bali’s busy Kuta tourist precinct this week staged a protest, urging greater action to tackle the problem of climate change.
“Ultimately, the survival of the reefs in Bali and other tropical regions depends on halting the catastrophic phenomenon of climate change,” Greenpeace South East Asia climate and energy campaigner Nur Hidayati said.
“And the only way to do that is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, especially burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil that are responsible for the bulk of emissions.”
Reef Check said other illegal practices were compounding problems in the West Bali National Park.
Despite a government ban, fisherman are continuing to use potassium cyanide to catch fish. They spray the highly toxic compound into holes in the coral to flush out fish, which are then scooped up.
Reef Check is also alarmed about the ongoing use of bombs by fishermen, with the devices used killing everything within a four metre radius.
“Sedimentation, bombing, cyanide, coastal development unfriendly to the environment must be stopped, if not the corals will not have a chance to survive,” Reef Check’s Setiasih says.
In some parts of the park’s marine protected zone, such as Banyu Wedang, dead coral is scattered like rubble on the sea floor.
Sudiarta says the amount of coral has fallen significantly since 1997, when it covered 43.5% of the marine area off Menjangan Island.
After 2001, it was about 30.1%, but has recovered slightly to be about 35% currently.
Despite the problems, Sudiarta says awareness is low. Unless that changes, the marine ecosystem in West Bali is firmly on the endangered list.
Source: AAP — tvnz.co.nz
June 15th, 2007
Padangbai has 5 major temples, Pura Dalem, located downtown, Pura Segara located next to the beach in between town and the main beach, Pura Telagamas, Pura Silayukti and Pura Tanjungsari in the eastern end of Padangbai.
Pura Dalem (the temple of the dead) is where cremation ceremonies happen. Pura Telagamas sits behind Pura Silayukti and is connected by a pathway. Pura Silayukti was the home of a priest named Empu Kuturan in the 11th Century and there is a 3-roofed meru (tiered structure) inside the temple.
A path from Silayukti leads to an ancient shrine overlooking the ocean. The shrine has a candi bentar (Balinese split gate) and some ancient rocks wrapped in cloth. A turtle shaped sarcophagus sits above the waves below.
Pura Tanjungsari is dedicated to Empu Bharadah, Kuturan’s brother who together with his brother spent time at the early Besakih temple site. These temples could make a an interesting hike after a morning at the beach. Simply go along the beach road to the end and up around the headland. Remember to bring a sarong and sash.
Bali Blog
June 15th, 2007
Jetstar will double its direct services between Sydney and Bali* to 4 times weekly from 28 October 2007 in response to the bounce back in Australian traveller demand and the ongoing recovery of the island’s tourism industry.
The additional 2 weekly services* from Sydney will complement Jetstar’s existing 2 times weekly direct Melbourne-Bali services and see the value based carrier offer 6 times per week flights between the Australian east coast and Bali.
Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said the carrier’s additional Bali flights were a direct response to the island’s existing performance as one of Jetstar’s strongest international markets.
He made the announcement during a keynote address to the National Aviation Press Club in Sydney.
Mr Joyce said Jetstar International would expand its two-class A330 operations between Australia and Denpasar* from 28 October in line with the growth of its long haul fleet to 6 A330-200s, seat configured for 303 passengers.
“Bali is clearly bouncing back as an overseas destination for Australians from the tragic events of recent years and within our existing operational capabilities this is a demonstrative response by Jetstar to support this popular tourist market,” Mr Joyce said.
“As part of the two brand future growth strategy within Qantas, Jetstar will always seek to grow in markets with either demonstrated or future growth potential.
“With further expansion of our international long haul fleet to occur next year through the Qantas Group acquiring 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners for Jetstar, a continued strong performance of our Australia – Bali services could deliver further growth.”
In a wide ranging address to the National Aviation Press Club Mr Joyce also outlined:
The development of Jetstar and its brand to rapidly become a pan Asian carrier;
The airline’s continued low fares leadership including a renewed focus on ancillary revenue streams to keep fares low;
Jetstar’s growing direct relationship with its expanding Australian workforce; and
A philanthropic partnership with World Vision Australia – StarKids - seeking to raise AUD $3 million over 3 years to support World Vision community projects in key Jetstar international destinations including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.
* Additional flights subject to regulatory approval
e-Travel Blackboard (press release) - Sydney,NSW,Australia
June 14th, 2007
About the Bali Arts Festival
The Bali Arts Festival is a full month of daily performances, handicraft exhibitions and other related cultural and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Bali comes to the city to present its offerings of dance, music and beauty. On display are trances from remote mountain slopes, forgotten or recently revived village dances, food and offering contests, classical palace dances, stars of Balinese stage, odd musical performances, “kreasi baru” (new creations) from the dance schools of Denpasar, as well as contemporary choreography and dance companies from other islands and from abroad.
It is a month long revelry that perhaps no other place in the world can put up on such a low budget as the Balinese. Not only is their traditional culture alive and well, but they have a tremendous pride in it.
It begins in the villages, where the seka or cultural groups are selected and organized at the regency level, vie with each other to perform the Arts Festival and thus display in front of a large audience the uniqueness of their village of birth and resting place of their ancestors.
The Bali Arts Festival is the Denpasar cultural event of the year, perhaps it would no be too far fetched to suggest that it is the cultural event of Indonesia. The festival is thus a unique opportunity to see local village culture both “live” and at first hand. Tourists are warmly welcomed.
The History of the Bali Arts Festival
When tourism took off after 1965, the Balinese insisted that it followed cultural guidelines: if tourism was to be accepted, it was to be a cultural tourism, or “pariwisata budaya”.
As the Balinese put it: “Tourism should be for Bali instead of Bali for tourism.” In time, this idea become national policy, as part of a larger revping of regional cultures for national purposes. The policy owes much to the former Director General of Culture (1968-1978) and Governor of Bali (1978-1988), Ida Bagus Mantra, an Indian-educed Balinese. It led, on the one side, to the creation of enclave resorts such as Nusa Dua to limit the direct impact of tourism, and on the other, to a long haul cultural policy aimed at nurturing and preserving the traditional agrarian culture while adapting it to the demands of modernity, and in particular of “cultural tourism”.
At the village level, local music groups, dances and other cultural events were inventoried, then supported by a series of contests at the district and regency level. The ensuing competition energized the cultural life of villages, whose “young blood” was already being drained to the city by the process of economic change and urbanization.
Schools of dance and art were created, in particular the Kokar conservatory and the STSI School of Dance and Music. Beside research, these schools replaced the traditional master/disciple relationship by modern methods of teaching; standardized the dance movements, produced new types of Balinese dances for tourism and modern village entertainment. Most important, it enabled former students to return to the villages as teachers, where they diffused, beside the creed of cultural resilience and renewal, new dances and standardized versions of old ones.
Many of the performances are held at the amphitheater which can hold up to 6,000 spectators, in a temple-like stage.
baliartsfestival.com
June 13th, 2007
The prestigious CondĂ© Nast Traveler 2007 List of Hot Hotels and Spas has just been published. Like any list “in the know” for smart travelers, the 2007 list includes the following hotels and spas found in Bali.
• Desa Seni - a collection of ten antique houses from across the Indonesian archipelago and installed on the edge of a Balinese rice field. Rustic, yet tasteful, the Desa Seni has built in all the bells and whistles in terms of creature comforts. It’s a long list that includes DVD players, Internet access, and luxurious bathrooms. Outstanding food and free yoga classes are sure to complement any stay at this Seminyak property.
• Kayu Manis Jimbaran Private Estate - is one of Jimbaran’s hidden treasures. A very light use of a large piece of land that was once a coconut plantation provides the ultimate luxury of “space” on an increasingly crowded island. Simplicity and excellence at every turn are the hallmarks of the Kayumanis with many delightful Indonesian features yours to discover and explore. There are only 19 well-appointed pavilions – so best book early.
[Kayu Manis Jimbaran Private Estate].
• Bulgari Resort - Bali’s newest and most talk-about luxury resort has also made the CondĂ© Nast “Hot” list. Located on the southernmost tip of the Island, this 59 room villa is quickly becoming the preferred haunt for the rich and famous who keep their private jets parked at Bali’s nearby airport while they luxuriate at the Bulgari’s Spa or dine at one of their premier restaurants.
Incidentally, Bali’s Bulgari got a double mention in the CondĂ© Nast Hot List by having their Spa named to the list of Hot Spas - the only Indonesian spa so honored.
Nestled on a high cliff over the Indian Ocean, the views, both inside and outside the Resort, are breathtaking. God takes credit for the views to the sea; Bulgari gets full marks and credit for what you’ll find ashore.
[Bulgari Resort Hotel, Jimbaran]
© Bali Discovery Tours.
June 12th, 2007
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