Bali Info

ABOUT BALI

Tanah Lot SunsetBali is the most well known of Indonesia’s islands and remains the number one tourist destination in the archipelago. One of Bali’s biggest attractions is its culture, which despite the intrusion of the outside world has been preserved in unique arts and ceremonies. It’s hardly surprising that people are captivated with this tropical island paradise … and some of them never leave!


Art and culture are strongly bonded to Bali’s unique form of Hinduism called Hindu Dharma, which is widely thought to be the closest example to the religion and social framework that existed in Java during the zenith of its power and is now found nowhere else on earth.


Temple in BedugulThe very soul of Bali is rooted in religion and spirituality and is expressed in art forms and skills that have been passionately preserved over the centuries. During the mid-sixteenth century Bali reached a cultural climax, encouraging and developing elaborate arts and customs which are the foundations of what is practiced today. In many senses they have changed little over time. Festivals are common place. Each village will hold some sort of colourful ceremony for each one of its own temples a couple of times a year … times by two or three temples per village … times by tens of thousands of villages … averaging out to one ceremony every few weeks or so just for each of the temples!


Temple in BedugulAdd to this the rituals and celebrations for each person’s passage from birth, puberty, marriage, childbirth, death and the after life. And then there are island-wide celebrations like Galungan, Kuningan (almost like a western Christmas and New Year concept), Saraswati and Nyepi; a day of complete silence (when the whole island literally closes down in fear of evil spirits flying in from the sea) and you can begin to understand how important religion, spirituality and ritual play in the day to day life of the Balinese.


One thing every visitor notices is an abundance of arts and crafts, from elaborate dances and paintings to intricate wood and stone carvings. It seems that every Balinese is an artist, spending ‘free-time’ applying skills and images which have been passed down from generation to generation and grasped from a very young age.


Rice fieldsTerraced rice fields carved into hillsides and mountain slopes dominate the landscape and like everything else here serve more than one purpose. They provide food, of course, but their very system of cultivation is tightly woven into a complex social fabric. Dissecting a luscious green landscape and filling the air with the enchanting sounds of moonlight, rivers and irrigation streams are communal in the sense that they supply enough water for rice cultivation and everyone’s needs and are, therefore, religiously maintained and carefully administered. In this way, villages and families are bonded, each having a responsibility to each other and the gods and spirits if they want to reap the benefits of a good harvest and maintain a harmonious balance.


And if that isn’t enough for you, Bali is nestled just 8 degrees south of the Equator south east of Singapore and north west of Australia. It has just two seasons; one dry, one wet and it is blessed with warm temperatures all year round! A truly tropical island paradise!

WHAT TO DO

Bali on the map seems such a small island. Indeed it covers a small area of just 5,620 square kilometers, and is one of the smallest islands in the Indonesian archipelago. The island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia’s small Hindu minority. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.


A good map is an invaluable tool, whether on tour or venturing out unescorted. The best and busiest roads connect Denpasar with the main towns and tourist resorts. Tour buses and taxis generally limit themselves to these routes, and travel agents can arrange hire of motorbikes bike or jeeps for those who wish to explore further off the beaten track. Bicycles are also available for hire for the more adventurous explores.


Your destination may be volcano, temple, palace, dance performance of craft centre. Or a number of these combined to make up an exciting half-day or full-day tour. Bali is crisscrossed by amaze of inter-connecting routes that range from modern highways to narrow roller-coaster routes and unsealed back-country paths passable only by motorbike or jeep.


Hiking is another experience altogether. Paths should be worked out well in advance and an experienced tour guide is needed, as the best routes follow the natural terrain, passing cross-country through terraced rice-field, traversing gorges to isolated villages where the local people can be seen at their daily work.


For those who love the sea Bali has an off-shore playground comparable to none. Scuba diving and snorkeling tours are available with a number of tour agencies to the many and varied dive sites which have been carefully selected for their special attributes. Sailling tours on local outrigger sailboats can be arranged departing from Sanur, Benoa Harbour and Nusa Dua, as well as on the north coast, and keen fishermen can arrange the hire of equipment.


Besides lounging under the palm trees and sipping delectable tropical cocktails at your hotel bar, recovering from pre-holiday pressures and jet-lag, there is a whole new world discover in Bali. So much to see in fact that advance planning is well advised.

BALI NEWS

Fly with Me!

November 14, 2008 until January 16, 2009, Daily


ASIAN BEACH GAMES

The Indonesian-born Dutch artist Anne Van Boselen makes a triumphal return to the Jenggala Gallery with her latest exhibition of paintings and ceramics - "Fly with Me."


Van Boselen views freedom as the fundamental state for all humans, born of an inalienable personal willpower. Where a mind is free, it is unbound by physical limitations.


Visual arts are works of the imagination. Anne Van Borselen's imagination derives its inspiration from her surroundings; people and faces she encounters; and the songs she hears. Stored in her memory and mixed in an amalgam acquired over a lifetime her active imagination eventually gains expression on canvas or clay.


Anne's art skills and techniques, honed by passionate practice since she was five, and subsequent study at The Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and Rotterdam have resulted in a body of work prized in leading galleries and private collections around the world.


On canvas, Anne Van Borselen opts for soft colors, playing compulsively with abstract faces and figures. Faces seem on the streets stays in her mind to emerge later in her art. "The Frog King," for example, was inspired by the facial expressions of a Balinese Frog Dancer. The dancer's astonished twinkle of his big round eyes comes out on the painting as well as when represented on ceramic pieces. So strong is the impression of certain object and events encountered by Borselen that they can reappear in three or four artworks. The face of a woman that featured in "A Silent Way," emerges again in "A Bird Claimed Freedom," "Sun at Midnight," and "Golden Wings." According to Anne, abstract faces and figures give the audience freedom of interpretation. "It's up to them to find which painting that really 'talks' to them about any story," she says.


In "Fly with Me," Anne Van Borselen chooses wings to highlight the spirit she wants to hold during a two-month exhibition. The wings, rendered in ceramics as well as of glass, are collaborative artworks between Jenggala craftspeople and Anne Van Borselen.


"Fly with Me" – a journey of the imagination of Anne Van Borselen on exhibit daily at the Jenggala Gallery in Jimbaran, Bali from November 14th, 2008 - January 16th, 2009.


ASIAN BEACH GAMES
OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 26, DAILY



ASIAN BEACH GAMES


Bali has been chosen as host for the inaugural Asian Beach Games with an expected participation by athletes from 45 member countries of the Olympic Council for Asia.



The event will include 14 sporting events, including:

  • beach volleyball
  • marathon swimming
  • parasailing
  • dragon boat racing
  • handball
  • surfing
  • windsurfing
  • a triathlon
  • beach soccer
  • jet ski racing

Four additional sports are also currently being considered for inclusion in the Bali Asian Beach Games:

  • wood ball
  • sepak takraw
  • power boating
  • body building


For more information contact:
Bali Asian Beach Games organizing committee
Sector at Bali Beach Golf Course
Jl. Hang Tuah no. 58, Sanur
Bali 80227
Telp. +62 - 361 - 283 011
Fax. +62 - 361 - 282 281
email: info@babgoc2008.org


NIKKO BALI RESORT TENNIS CLASSIC 2008
OCTOBER 17 - OCTOBER 25, DAILY


Nikko Bali Resort & Spa’s Tennis Classic and Bali Tennis Academy Championship will take place from October 17-25, 2008.


The week-long tennis tournament; featuring single and double match categories, is open to both adults and children. In addition to championship prizes in various divisions of play, all entrants are also eligible to win a number of door prizes.







Entry fees for the tournament:

  • Rp. 110,000 ($12 US) for Adult Single
  • Rp. 180,000 ($20 US) for Adult Double
  • Rp. 95,000 ($10.50 US) for Junior Single
  • Rp. 120,000 ($13 US) for Junior Double

Fees covers all play and an official tournament polo shirt.


The tournament will open with a courtside cocktail party for registered tournament participants on Friday, October 17, 2008, starting at 5pm.


Closing ceremonies will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2008, via a gala award dinner. Guests will be entertained with a stylish fashion show prior to the presentation of awards to all winners. The climax of the evening will be a lucky draw featuring 2 return airline tickets to Kuala Lumpur and 2 nights accommodation at the Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur.


KUTA KARNIVAL
OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 26, DAILY


Graha Wicaksana, the head of Community Development for Kuta, Bali’s most famous beach area, has confirmed that the Kuta Karnival returns for nine days from October 18-26, 2008.


Initially organized as a response to the Bali terrorist attack of October 2002, the event has now become a regular fixture on Bali’s busy calendar of yearly events. This year’s event has been given the motto of "A Celebration of Life" reflecting the nine days of traditional art performances, sunset dances on the beach, sports activities, and an entire bazaar of culinary kiosks located in tents up and down the beach. Following the first Kuta Karnival held in 2003, this will represent the sixth year for the festivities which now garners national and international press coverage. The 2008 Karnival will also feature Balinese dance competitions, environmental conservation exhibits, a fun cycle show, seminars and a mass street parade. Based on past years, the Kuta Karnival is expected to draw more than 90,000 people.


Some of the highlights of this year’s Kuta Karnival:

  • Opening Ceremony - Held on the first day of the event, this day will be marked by a traditional Sekar Jagat dance and "Bali Paddle for Peace" in which 1,000 surfers will take to the ocean to spread flower petals on the waves. 500 turtles will also be released back into the local seas.

  • Food Festival - Tentatively set for days 8 and 9 of the Kuta Karnival more than 60 of Bali’s best restaurants will set up kiosks along Kuta Beach. A children’s play area will be in operation and live entertainment will be on offer from a central stage during these two days when more than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend.

  • Tebs Shocking Games - Tebs will be offering samples of their beverages and a number of adventure activities including rope climbing and rope games offered under the careful supervision of the professionals from Tree Top Bedugul.

  • Beach Volley Ball Competitions - Volley Ball competitions between both local and international teams at the competition arena on each day of the Kuta Karnival.

  • Beach Soccer - Held on "Surf Family Day" informal soccer matches for all those who wish to take part.

  • Sand Creations - School children will have the opportunity to compete for prizes as they display their ability to build sand-based sculptures.

  • Life Guard Demonstrations - See life-saving techniques demonstrated by the Kuta Life Saving Association.

  • Surfing and Body Building - Competitions to be held at "Halfway Point" on Kuta Beach.

  • Skate Ramp - Bali’s landmark skate arena located on the beach will allow everyone a chance to try their skill at skateboarding. Day 3 will be dedicated to a final skate boarding competition.

  • Tug-of-War- See companies, clubs and community groups compete.

  • Traditional Dance and Music - Scheduled for every afternoon of the Karnival - a different traditional Balinese dance each day.

  • Surfer Girl Balinese Dance Competition - Traditional dance competition for children.

  • Traditional Kite Flying - Scheduled for day 2, some 3,200 kites are targeted to participate at the Bali Garden Hotel.

  • Arts Attractions - Alumni from Bali’s Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) will perform during the Karnival.

  • Bali Islamic Festival - Islamic-themed activities will be on offer at the Discovery Shopping Mall.

  • Beach Stalls - Local merchants and organizations offering knowledge and goods from their bazaar stalls stretched along the beach.

  • Suzuki Music Festival - Scheduled for each day of the Karnival, see new products and national bands perform.

  • IndieFez XL - Sponsored by XL on the music stage, day 5.

  • Cardinal Awards - A competition between local bands and models. Winners will compete in Bandung, West Java in a national competition later in the year.

  • Karnival Parade - Set for the last day of the Karnival in the parade will include decorated floats, roller skaters, cyclists, big bikes, antique cars, gamelan orchestras, and horse-drawn carts.

  • Jalan Santai - A fun walk by more than 2,000 people through Kuta Beach.


For more information contact Mr. Graha Wicaksana at +62 (0) 81 557 5222.

BALI STYLE

Boreh – Traditional Balinese Spa Treatment
‘Boreh’ is a Traditional Balinese spice body mask, made from ancient recipes. It was traditionally used by Balinese for many generations to create well being for body and soul. This homemade creation is prepared using local ginger, cloves and nutmeg, and is now used internationally by many Spa companies who include it at the top of their list of treatments. A full Boreh treatment experience can be arranged while holidaying at any Exotiq Holiday villa.

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