Bali Tourism News

Pousada Tom Bombadil: Endless Scenery, Endless Relaxation

Why go all the way to Brazil to enjoy a beach holiday when the likes of Queensland and Bali are so much closer?  If you have already been to Brazil, you know the answer to that question.  If you haven’t, you will find out.  Brazil is unlike any other country in the world, offering an unrivalled mix of culture, cuisine, and natural scenery—and that includes lots of skin with precious little clothing blocking the view.

BĂșzios is a small Brazilian town about 200km northeast of Rio de Janeiro.  It was just another sleepy fishing village before the Bardot Effect caused a boom in tourism, much as that starlet’s association with Saint-Tropez brought international recognition to that hamlet on the French Riviera.  Thanks to Brigitte’s search for a bit of peace and quiet while taking in the scenery (which included her Brazilian boyfriend at the time), Ms. Bardot left behind enough media coverage to engender a tourism industry where before there had been none.

So the hotels and guesthouses started rising along with waterfront and into the hills of this beautiful peninsula.  One of the most impressive is Tom Bombadil.

Tom Bombadil is a character in JRR Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings; if you only know the film versions of the story, you won’t know this character; he was left out, but no one is left out of the beauty of BĂșzios.  Tom Bombadil is also the name of a beautiful guesthouse in the town of BĂșzios, two and a half hours’ drive from Rio.  With only four (simple) guestrooms and a main house that really is a house, the only way to feel more at home would be to rent all the rooms for yourself and your friends and have the place all to yourselves.  With its reasonable rates, this is not at all an impossibility.  The spectacular views of the beach and little else will make you fall in love at first sight.  The good thing is that the infatuation lasts for the entire stay.  Sonia, who speaks Portuguese, English, and Hospitality with equal aplomb, is the gracious hostess of this property perfectly situated on a bluff overlooking the quiet Praia da Foca (Seal Beach), a less developed part of the town.  Actually, it overlooks the entire peninsula, which makes the thought of ever getting out of the swimming pool sheltered by native forest one side but open to sweeping vistas on the other an idea that is best suppressed.

Believe it or not, this little piece of paradise will be only one stop from Australia once Qantas introduces its nonstop flights from Sydney to Buenos Aires.  It will then be possible to connect in Buenos Aires with the Brazilian low-cost airline Gol’s (seasonal) nonstop flight from Buenos Aires to Cabo Frio, completely bypassing the mayhem of Rio’s international airport and bringing travellers directly to an easy arrival at what must be one of the sleepiest of Brazilian airports.  From Cabo Frio, BĂșzios is a half-hour drive.  Sonia can arrange for a taxi to pick up guests at the airport (advisable).  So small is Cabo Frio airport that it has no money exchange or bank facilities, so have the taxi driver stop at an ATM for a cash injection along the way to paradise.

Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/

Add comment July 7th, 2008

Indonesia gives Australia a taste of Bali and beyond

The Sales Mission, Bali & Beyond, Australia-New Zealand event launched with over 50 travel and hospitality industry professionals at the Novotel Rockford in Sydney’s Darling Harbour last week.

Continuing their ‘Visit Indonesia Year 2008’ campaign, the sales mission aimed to promote new and current Indonesian products and services to entice Australian’s to visit the ‘Island of the Gods’ shores.

The night started with flowing wine and canapés before the attendees gathered to watch a traditional Balinese dance and listen to the many reasons to visit Bali and beyond. Speakers included Mr Siuaji Raja, Consul for Economic Affairs and Dr I Gde Pitana, Director for International Promotion from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Pitana pointed out the strong tourist numbers that Indonesia had been experiencing over the past few years, with 2007 welcoming overall an increase of 43.4% of tourists compared to 2006. The first quarter of 2008 has already seen 101, 115 visitors arrive at the country, and the government has set an estimated target of 380,000 visitors already.

It was found, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the republic of Indonesia, that Australian’s rank as the 4th highest numbers of visitors to hit Indonesian shores, with Singapore, Malaysia and Japan respectively taking the top three places.

Pitana urged attendees to make Australians aware of the diverse experiences Indonesia offers, with over 500 ethnicities, 473 dialects, endless shopping, over 100 festivals and 25 international standardised golf courses, Indonesia as a product is “suitable” for the Australian market.

In regards to the safety and security that many Australians have had concern over, Pitana assured that these “issues” were “only issues, they are not correct”. He referred to the fact that the US had removed the Travel Ban from Indonesia three weeks ago, and that terrorism is a worldwide problem.

The sales mission also featured a Table top session where over 10 suppliers of products and services in Indonesia sat down with a new group of buyers every 7 minutes to explain their innovative and hospitality-driven ideas.

To further drive the sales mission home, 38 industry practitioners offered special deals only for Australian and New Zealand agents, which included package deals and discounts at luxury resorts and hotels.

The night ended with a lucky draw for attendees, the winner taking home a 7-night package at one of Bali’s luxury resorts.

Source: http://www.etravelblackboard.com/

Add comment July 7th, 2008