Archive for December, 2007
NUSA DUA—BTDC Nusa Dua pays great attention to the birds inhabiting Nusa Dua Tourist Resort Area. This is why BTDC has been regularly working together with Ecotourism Study Group of Udayana University to check the bird population in this resort area. That was mentioned by A. A. G. Raka Dalem, the head of ecotourism study group of Udayana University Bali when he met with BTN’s reporter. The group was conducting a survey on birds around Nusa Dua lagoon. “We have been running the survey since 1998. Our data on birds for this site is getting better. To date, around 90 species of birds have been identified inhabiting or just visiting Nusa Dua as a migrant species”, he said. He added that the birds spotted in Nusa Dua included among others, kingfishers, cormorants, night-heron, egrets, sunbirds, woodpeckers, pigeons, and sunda teal. “If we are lucky, we might see the rare species, brahminy kites, flying around in the sky hunting for prey. It is fantastic!” said Raka Dalem seriously. “When we have a bird watching activity in Nusa Dua we will be seeing between 20-30 bird species within 2 hours of observations. It is great for relaxing while learning about birds, especially for the students. We have limited budget for running more detailed research about bird and its ecology in Nusa Dua and also around Bali. Anybody who wants to help with funding, would be welcome”, Raka said. (BTN/028).
Source: http://www.bali-travelnews.com/
December 7th, 2007
AsiaXPAT Founder Paul Luciw has purchased a villa at The Wabi - Umalas, on the tropical resort island of Bali. The island, recently award the title of the World’s Best Island by Travel and Leisure Magazine (for the second year running), has been famous for decades for its luxury hotels and its unique culture, and is now also increasingly known for its world famous tropical architecture and vacation villas.
Hong Kong, PRC (PRWEB) December 6, 2007 — AsiaXPAT Founder Paul Luciw has purchased a villa at The Wabi - Umalas, on the tropical resort island of Bali. The island, recently award the title of the World’s Best Island by Travel and Leisure Magazine (for the second year running), has been famous for decades for its luxury hotels and its unique culture, and is now also increasingly known for its world famous tropical architecture and vacation villas.
Most expatriates in Asia are familiar with the widely-publicized website www.AsiaXpat.com. Founded by in Hong Kong by Canadian Paul Luciw in 1999. AsiaXPAT, through growth and acquisitions, has grown into a branding and advertising behemoth that sees over half a million unique visitors every month, with approximately half of those residing in Hong Kong and Singapore. Its clients in the travel and hospitality industry include the Marriott, Sukothai and leading hotels of the world. They also service blue-chip clients such as HSBC and Cathay Pacific. AsiaXPAT itself can be found worldwide with selective sponsorships of events including the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.
AsiaXPAT has always been about finding new paths and opportunities that conventional wisdom may overlook in the fast moving markets of Asia. When asked about why he choose Bali as place for a villa, as opposed to other markets such as Thailand, Paul responded, “There’s just so much upside in Bali. Put aside the unique culture, the fantastic nightlife, restaurants and beaches, just in pure value terms, Bali is on average 40 percent less expensive for villas and real estate than Phuket or Samui.”
Long term expatriates in Asia have continued to discover that their historic vacation spots in Europe or the Americas take a long time to get to despite the wonders of modern transportation. When traveling with children or for vacationing, jet-lag must be factored in, which makes options that are easily reached from Hong Kong and Singapore the most popular among expats. Combing holiday opportunities, with the long time regional interest in real estate investments which continue to benefit from Asia’s continued growth, results in more foreign residents of Asia investing in Asian luxury resort destinations for reasons of both lifestyle and investment. As Paul stated, “I’m a huge fan of private villas in Bali, I’ve been staying as a rental client for years and there’s just no better way to spend a vacation. You have private pools, dedicated staff, privacy and space. One I looked into the comparative economics of a Bali villa from an ownership perspective, it became a no-brainer.”
From a real estate perspective, despite the terrorism incidents of times past, and contrary to a lot of misheld assumptions, the island has seen an annual increase in land prices of 20-30 percent over the last eight years. Private foreign investment in Bali real estate, in villas, luxury hotels, and raw land continues to hit new levels as the island’s majority population of Hindus also benefits from Indonesia as a country continuing to experience a strong stock market, routine increases of its credit rating by such institutions as Moody’s, and a current national growth rate of 6.5 percent.
The Elite Havens Group(www.EliteHavens.com), a Bali-based firm founded in 1998 and famous for its involvement in all facets in the luxury villa sector is representing the Wabi along with Knight Frank, the global luxury property consultancy. They will shortly be staging a property exhibition in Hong Kong to showcase the Wabi Resort. When quizzed about the appeal of the project, Matthew Georgeson, a partner in Elite Havens, stated, “Wabi works on a lot of levels. As each villa is on an individual freehold title, it lends itself easily to the Hak Pakai structure [an Indonesian government sanctioned method of foreigners owning titles for 100 years. It’s within 10 minutes drive of Seminyak and the world-famous Ku de Ta restaurant, and our management subsidiary BHM [which will be doing the operations and marketing at the Wabi has achieved really good results in terms occupancy and rates in that area in the past, resulting in great investment characteristics for the property.”
Paul Luciw’s Wabi purchase also fulfilled his desire to leverage AsiaXPAT’s regional reach into leisure accommodation by providing traffic and potential rental clients and in return benefiting from brand association with a quality management services provider. Ian Macaulay, director of developments at Elite Havens, stated “Signing a long-term marketing and branding contract with AX made sense for so many reasons. Firstly, Hong Kong and Singapore, who form the bulk of AX’s client base, are key markets for us. Asian expatriates stay in 5-star hotels routinely for work; these kinds of people appreciate the great value and unique experience that well-managed serviced villas can provide. We’re honored to have Paul as a client and thrilled to have the opportunity to harness AsiaXPAT’s prominence as a branding and marketing tool. From past experience we know what they’re capable of delivering.”
The nine Wabi villas will be operated and marketed by BHM(www.BHMVillas.com), which since its inception in 2001 has been managing and representing luxury villas and complexes such as The Istana, Atas Ombak, and the Majapahit Beach Villas, and boasts a distribution network of over 300 representative agents worldwide, has seen their villas represented in world-wide media ranging from the New York Times to Conde Naste Traveler.
Source: http://www.prweb.com/
December 7th, 2007
A scuba diver swims around an artificial reef in Pemuteran, Indonesia on January 18, 2004.
The reef, part of a project dubbed the “Bio-Rock”, is the creation of scientist Thomas Goreau and the late architect Wolf Hilbertz.
The metal structures submerged in the bay off Bali’s northwestern shore are fed by cables that send waves of low-voltage electricity, which spurs the coral to revive itself.
Similar structures have been set up in about 20 countries, but the Bali experiment is the most extensive.
Bali’s corals have suffered from rising temperatures and destructive fishing methods.
Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/
December 6th, 2007
The EU sets the bar high at the international climate change conference in Bali by calling for ambitious emissions targets to reach by 2050
Representatives from the world’s leading governments began Monday to unveil the potentially conflicting agendas they will seek to advance during an international climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia.
Leaders from the European Union kicked off the UN-led conference Monday by declaring that they will seek ambitious international emissions reduction targets of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
“It would be sensible, to give direction to the negotiation process, but we have to see how far we get,” said Arthur Runge-Metzger, leader of the European delegation.
EU member states have already committed to reducing emissions by 20 percent by 2020, and a spokeswoman for the European Commission told SPIEGEL ONLINE last week that they would seek a 30-percent international decrease in the new contract.
Officials from over 180 nations have gathered in Bali to start drafting a new international treaty to govern greenhouse gas emission reductions.
There was good news for environmentalists already on the first day of the conference, as newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the Kyoto Protocol. Australia is now the 37th country to make a binding commitment to reduce emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Rudd’s decision to ratify the treaty reverses the position of his conservative predecessor, John Howard, who refused to sign the pact.
“I think I can speak for all present here by expressing a sigh of relief,” said conference host and Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar during the conference’s opening session.
Australia’s decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol isolates the United States as the only developed nation that has not signed the treaty. The leader of the US delegation in Bali, Harlan Watson, said the US would respect Australia’s reversal and stressed that their goal in Bali was not to sidetrack the negotiation of a new treaty.
“We’re not here to be a roadblock,” Watson said during a press conference. “We respect the decision that other countries have made and we would, of course, ask them to respect the decision we have made.”
President George W. Bush rejected the pact in 2001, saying that it would hinder the US economy and that it unfairly excused some of the world’s largest polluters, like the developing economies of China and India.
Watson said Monday that the US would openly discuss the possibility of a new international emissions reduction treaty, but that any binding commitments would need to cover those major developing economies as well. Leaders in China and India have said in the past that it is unfair to impose emissions restrictions on their rapidly growing economies as they attempt to lift hundreds of millions of their citizens out of poverty.
The conference in Bali, which runs until Dec. 14, is the first meeting to establish a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires after its commitment period ends in 2012. While broad issues will be discussed at the conference, concrete expectations are modest.
UN officials hope that delegates will set 2009 as the deadline by which a new treaty must be drafted, which they believe would leave enough time for it to be ratified and enacted in 2012. That would leave no gap between the parameters of the Kyoto Protocol and the requirements of a new treaty.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/
December 5th, 2007
Published by ksingh16, December 4th, 2007 Asia , Bali 2007 , global warmingÂ
As dawn broke on the island of Bali, Indonesia on December 3, 2007, I think something bigger than just the UN Climate Change negotiations were kicked off. As approximately 9,000 delegates from nearly every country in the world convene here, it is not going unnoticed the significance of this gathering taking place on the Asian continent. A lot more is on the table than just items like “adaptation,” “CDM,” or “Technology Transfer.” The inclusion and role of developing countries is as usual weighing heavily on the minds of the delegates and two countries, India and China–both on the Asian continent and making up 1/3rd of the global population–are considered exceptionally important in this process. We have all heard about the “Rise of Asia” and the pace at which the economies of India and China are galloping. Unfortunately not enough attention is given to the ecological implications of such rapid growth unless we are talking carbon emissions and climate change.
Aside from these important negotiations, the start of the conference has also signaled the coming together of youth from various parts of Asia. Many of them youth leaders and pioneers in the environmental movement in their respective countries–are now seizing this opportunity to building a stronger pan-Asian network for youth working on climate change and other environmental issues. It is evident that the rise of environmental consciousness is taking place across the Asian continent, perhaps in reaction to the onslaught on the local environments from haphazard development. I see myself in a unique opportunity as part of the US youth delegation (being a resident of the US) but also still a citizen of India to work with other Asian youth here and represent the voices of Indian youth with whom I have been interacting over the past 4 months in India. Voices of the youth from the global South are often under represented and though it is encouraging to see strong and committed youth from places like the global North, one must realize the importance having a similar contingent of youth from the global South. That is where we know we will need increasing environmental action as the countries rapidly develop in an effort to lift millions out of poverty.
There are youth from nine different Asian countries present including several islands of Indonesia (Bali, Java, and Bogor), Japan, Singapore, China, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Nepal, India and with rumors of more. This evening the first informal “Asian Youth Caucus” took place to determine what steps will be taken to build and strengthen the coalition between youth working on climate change issues (and perhaps other environmental issues) from across the continent. The members come from backgrounds as diverse as forestry and management consulting to energy and nonprofit work, but they all have the same passion: to see action taken to combat climate change. Within the International Youth Caucus, it is obvious that there is more direction from those from North America and Australia, however concerted effort is being made to ensure that the voices of all youth are represented in the overall “youth vision.” Unfortunately, before the youth vision can include any discussion on the role of developing countries in emissions reductions, stronger representation of voices from the global South is necessary. Perhaps the a stronger voice in the form of an “Asian youth network for climate cooperation” might show the way. It could be quite similar to the “African Youth Initiative on Climate Change” which came out of the COP12 in Nairobi, Kenya last year.
Something similar is happening concurrently on the island of Bogor, Indonesia. A gathering of approximately 200 youth age 8-16 from across Asia are also convening to discuss climate change. Perhaps this is a movement that is gaining pace faster than one would imagine. Once youth around Asia are empowered through the network they can themselves begin to formulate the future of the continent and roles of Asian nations with regards to climate change. They are of course, Asia’s hope for the future.
Source: http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/
December 5th, 2007
Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s complaint that developed nations must do more to combat climate change highlights a central conflict confronting delegates at Bali talks on global warming that begin today.
Industrialized countries “must bear more responsibility'’ on harmful emissions, Wen said in Singapore on Nov. 21. His comments indicate the position China, by some measures the biggest source of carbon dioxide discharges, will take at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The U.S. has refused to accept mandatory targets to cut emissions because developing nations including China haven’t adopted them. China insists it and other fast-growing economies must be given more leeway on greenhouse gases as they need to consume energy to generate growth and reduce poverty.
“There’s going to be quite a big gap between the kind of progress China puts forward on addressing climate change and what is expected from it,'’ Han Wenke, head of energy research at China’s National Development and Reform Commission, said in an interview in Beijing. The commission is the country’s top economic planner.
Environment ministers from about 190 countries are meeting on the Indonesian Island of Bali to discuss an agreement to succeed the emissions-limiting Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012. China passed the U.S. last year to become the world’s largest source of carbon dioxide gas, from burning fossil fuels and producing cement, according to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
`Earnest’ Effort
China is “earnestly'’ seeking to address the issue of climate change by curbing energy consumption and emissions, Wen said Nov. 21. The nation has a plan to reduce the amount of energy used to generate each unit of gross domestic product by one-fifth by 2010 from 2005 levels.
Even so, Chinese officials have argued that their country can’t do as much to control global warming as the U.S. or Europe and won’t subject themselves to a mandatory target.
“Even if China’s own standards for energy reduction and emission controls coincide with global benchmarks, we still adhere to the principle that no sovereign nation should be forced to accept mandatory measures imposed by another country,'’ Liu Jianchao, a foreign ministry spokesman, said on Nov. 22 in Beijing. “Third-world countries should not be forced to accept any mandatory measures.'’
China is a so-called “annex two'’ country under the Kyoto Protocol and doesn’t have to meet mandatory emissions reduction targets like developed nations. The U.S. has cited China as the reason for not adopting mandatory caps.
`Hide and Seek’
“It’s a game of hide and seek now,'’ said Lo Sze Ping, campaign director of Greenpeace China. “The U.S. is trying to hide behind China and China is trying to hide behind the U.S. This kind of attitude is not going to help us avoid disastrous climate change.'’
Still, China is more aggressive and appears more serious than the U.S. in tackling climate change, Lo said.
The country will use hydropower, nuclear energy, biomass fuels and natural gas to help cut 950 million metric tons of greenhouse gas output by 2010, Ma Kai, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planning body, said June 4, when he presented a 62-page National Climate Change Program.
China burns coal to generate 78 percent of the electricity used in the world’s biggest energy consuming nation after the U.S. Pressure to curb emissions conflicts increased demand for power generation in an economy that’s growing faster than any other major market.
The country’s power demand may rise 13.5 percent next year, the State Grid Corp. of China said Nov. 12.
Most developing countries “are in the process of industrialization and urbanization, and they face the arduous task of eliminating poverty,'’ Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said on Nov. 9 in Beijing. “Their need for increased energy and greenhouse gas emissions is inevitable, and they need a reasonable process of continued growth.'’
To contact the reporter on this story: Ying Lou in Beijing at ylou1@bloomberg.net .
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/
December 3rd, 2007
BALI (Reuters Life!) - Got 48 hours to explore Bali? Reuters correspondents use their local knowledge to help you get the most out of Indonesia’s resort island.
FRIDAY
5.30 p.m. - Enjoy the sunset. If you arrive by mid-afternoon, head for Pura Tanah Lot, a small temple perched on top of a large rock that’s cut off from the beach except at low tide. A good spot to watch the sun set over the sea. Alternatively, head for the beach for a quick dip.
7 p.m. - Have an early dinner in the open air. For those who enjoy being barefoot on the beach, dine on the day’s catch at one of the many seafood restaurants on the beach at Jimbaran Bay, where candle-lit tables are set up on the sand. Grilled fish coated in spicy sambal sauce will set your tongue burning.
Or, try La Lucciola, on Legian beach in Seminyak. It’s one of the places to be seen and serves simple, delicious food throughout the day.
9 p.m. - Restaurant and lounge Ku De Ta (www.kudeta.net) in Seminyak exudes modern chic and is popular with the post-dinner drinks crowd. Sip on cocktails until late and watch the beautiful people swan around the grounds.
SATURDAY
7 a.m. - If you have the energy, start early and head for Ubud, considered the island’s artistic centre because it attracted painters such as Walter Spies and Miguel Covarrubias, whose book, Island of Bali, is considered a classic.
8 a.m. - Breakfast at Indus (www.casalunabali.com) for lovely views over the rice terraces. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Gunung Agung, Bali’s most revered volcano — it last erupted in 1963, killing thousands.
9 a.m. - Take a sun hat, sun block, water bottle and binoculars and head for the Tjampuhan bridge, meeting place for Bali Bird Walks. Your guide will take you for a stroll through the rice fields, explain Bali’s elaborate rice culture and point out the birds — Java kingfisher, bulbul, cisticola — and local medicinal plants (www.balibirdwalk.com; tel
+62-81-2391 3801)
Alternatively, you can stroll at your own pace through the rice fields around Ubud. Start at the temple by the bridge and follow the path through the rice fields and villages. If you get tired you can flag down a passing car and hitch a lift.
11 a.m. - Head to the centre of Ubud and drop by the Puri Saren Palace, which from the late 19th century to the mid-1940s was the seat of the local ruler. Entry is free and visitors can stroll around the pavilions. The palace is also the one of the best settings for Balinese dance performances.
For some retail therapy, browse through the jewellery, book, and crafts stores around the palace.
12 p.m. - Lunch on a Balinese speciality, suckling pig, at Ibu Oka (tel +62-361 976345) just across the road from the palace, but get there before 1.30 p.m. as it’s very popular and sells out fast.
1.30 p.m. - Head for Neka Art Museum, where collector Suteja Neka has put together works by Balinese and Bali-inspired foreign artists, including I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Arie Smit, and Donald Friend, whose diaries from Bali make entertaining reading. Also, see Robert Koke’s black and white photos from the 1930s when he and his wife Louise ran a small hotel in Bali, and a new exhibit of Balinese jewelled ceremonial daggers (www.museumneka.com)
4 p.m. - Spa time. Bali is well endowed with spas and massage centers, so you will be spoilt for choice, but Spa Hati is one of the most popular so be sure to book (www.spahati.com)
7 p.m. - For delicious Balinese smoked duck, fern tips and other local cuisine, try Kafe Batan Waru or its sister restaurant Terazo for Western dishes (www.baligoodfood.com).
8 p.m. - During your time in Bali, you’re bound to see a temple ceremony or village procession, with everyone dressed in their best and the women carrying towers of fruit and flowers on their heads.
There are dance performances next to the palace most evenings, and if you hear the sound of gamelan music in the distance, check it out — you might find there’s an all-night temple ceremony in progress and as long as you are dressed appropriately, you can join in the celebrations.
In terms of bar life, Ubud closes down early so night-owls might want to head back to Seminyak or Kuta for late-night entertainment.
SUNDAY
8 a.m. - Pick a day trip around the island. Popular choices include Klungkung and its palace, Puri Smarapura. The pavilion’s painted ceilings show scenes from daily life and punishments in hell — look for the people being boiled alive in giant cauldrons. Drive on to the walled village of Tenganan, home to the Bali aga, or “original Balinese”. The village is famous for its double ikat cloth.
Alternatively, drive through the villages north of Ubud and head to Bedugul to see the multi-tiered lakeside temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.
Or, if you are short of time, head to the southern tip of Bali to see Uluwatu, a temple perched on the cliff-top high above the sea. Watch out for the mischievous monkeys who have a tendency to steal cameras, sunglasses and even wallets.
2 p.m. (or 7 p.m.) - Round off your stay with a Balinese feast at Bumbu Bali in the scenic resort strip of Tanjung Benoa (www.balifoods.com/bumbu/). The award-winning restaurant, owned by chef Heinz von Holtzen, serves fine local cuisine.
4 p.m. - If you’re craving a game of golf, head to the Bali Golf & Country Club, one of Asia’s premier courses, in nearby Nusa Dua.
(Reporting by Sara Webb, editing by Miral Fahmy)
Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/
December 3rd, 2007
Next Posts