Touched by Love

love is a verb. love heals. and who deserves more love than ourselves? and well, our loved ones. como shambhala estate and tea tree spa let you love yourself and others not only from the outside, but also from within

como shambhala estate

the look
Designed by Cheong Yew Kuan, the estate is a vast wellness compound swathed in all of nature’s elements. Located on hilly and grassy terrain, surrounded by the holy Ayung River, the energy of the property really resonates the moment you step foot on the grounds of the estate.

The spa is aptly named Ojas, a Sanskrit word meaning “essence of life”, alias a life-giving force. Sunken in a valley-esque location on the estate, the descending steps leading to the spa are straddled by two infinity pools.

A huge circular fountain centrepiece greets you as soon as you make your way down. Water (in all its sensory qualities) plays a major role at this place;
it is, after all, the most healing element Mother Nature has to offer.
the touch

COMO Shambhala promotes a holistic approach to wellbeing, meaning that you don’t come in for “merely” a spa treatment, but a complete systematic therapy programme, modified according to every individual’s needs. I came in for a relaxation programme, which started out with a morning dip in the estate’s Vitality Pool guided by a trained aqua-therapist. This pool is equipped with water-jets that have been constructed to provide exacting treatments, which means it is also beneficial for pain and fatigue relief, including jet lag and hangovers (yes, there IS a cure!).

A 90-minute signature massage (and inevitable ten-minute power nap) followed after the hour-long aqua therapy. The massage therapist, Chandra, used the power of her fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows and forearms; quite a fulfilling touch for a massage. Also, it was a full-body approach, meaning everything from my scalp to my pinkie-toe was pampered, coddled and kneaded.

The touch was that akin to an iron, and as if my body were rumpled sheets that needed sprucing up from all the wrinkles, muscle wrinkles, that is.

the ingredients
As my treatment was one meant for relaxation, COMO Shambhala used ylang-ylang essential oils to smoothen out my knots.

the exceptional
COMO Shambhala Estate is the epitome of the term self-improvement. It’s the place to truly fall in love all over again with oneself, not only through pampered indulgence, but also through a proactive self-enhancement approach. For example, COMO Shambhala has a psychiatrist, nutritionist, Ayurvedic doctor and trained yogis and pilates coaches on duty, available on-call according to your treatment programme.

COMO Shambhala Estate,
PO Box 54, Ubud, T: 0361 978 888,
cse.comoshambhala.bz

tea tree spa

the look
Nestled in a quiet corner of the Kuta shoreline, Tea Tree Spa is home to a sprawl of cosy floating pavilions, all facing the ocean and interconnected by wooden bridges set among a beautiful garden, each housing a treatment room.

The couple’s treatment room contained two massage beds and a lofty bathtub, filled with red swirls of floating hibiscus flowers. There is an outdoor wooden patio facing the beach where cushy lounge sofas are arranged for the preparatory foot scrub and relaxation session prior to the four-course couples treatment.

the touch
Starting off with a de-stressing foot scrub on the outdoor patio, the therapists were very warm people and the aura was truly that of a romantic couples retreat. This foot-friendly interlude gave time for him and I to talk and connect in a relaxed environment.

A full body scrub followed inside the treatment room, where soothing background music filled the space and aromatic candles intensified the aura of ardour.

After the body scrub, we were granted a private session of quality time alone in the room, where a warm flower bath was prepared, complete with massage oils. The therapists told us to call them back in the room when we were ready for the next treatment, which was a full body massage.

Aside from the intimate connection inevitably felt by him and I, this part of the treatment is objectively the perfect ending to an intimate journey.

The bodyworkers were very thorough with tending to each tension-prone area of the body, focusing on the upper back, shoulder blades, lower back, shins and feet.
Their method of caress was somewhat shiatsu-like, with the therapist climbing up on the beds and using their standing force to further deliver a firmer – yet still gentle – massage.

the ingredients
I chose the rose milk body scrub, meant to tone, smooth and give the body a fragrant allure, and peppermint and lemongrass massage oil, meant to relax and balance the mind and body, whereas my partner chose the ground coffee body scrub, beneficial for getting rid of dead skin cells and cleansing that extra bit of grime from the body.

the exceptional
Known for its economical alternative for holiday accommodation, this Holiday Inn Resort is no different, and the Tea Tree Spa is definitely good value for your money. The location of the Spa and warm service of the staff are worth mentioning. Their selection of body scrubs is also remarkable, so you can customise and mix and match products according to the specific needs of your mind and body.

Tea Tree Spa Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali, Jl. Wana Segara, no. 33, Tuban, T: 0361 755 577

Rain Stoppers, Traditional Knowledge in A Modern Age

Imagine a three-month well planned garden party all of a sudden dissolved by heavy rain. Invited guests scattered around, food soaking wet, and all the fine decorations destroyed by water. Imagine an open-aired professionally prepared musical concert cannot proceed because of water pouring unexpectedly from the dark sky overhead. Assume a special outdoor party for an incentive tour group failed to continue because of rain. All of these situations would cause great pain and disappointment.

In order to avoid such disappointment and pain, inviting a rain stopper or diverter might be a good idea. It might sound senseless, but attempts in stopping unexpected rainfall is one of the oldest traditions in Balinese cultural practices, which can also be found in most societies in Java. This tradition is still practiced by the Balinese, because of its significance and function, not only within traditional, but also within a modern context, such as tourism activities. These beliefs and practices are not aimed against the will of Mother Nature. In fact, people believe that Mother Nature has her own system that cannot be intervened by human beings. All natural occurrences, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, lighting, strong winds, and thunder are predestined by God through Mother Nature. No one knows how to predict them or how to stop or divert them, to save human lives and prevent natural disasters.

For rain, however, the Balinese have a tradition to stop, hold, or divert it to other locations or to simply hold it for several hours. The aim is to secure a rain-free spot where a function or activity is being held. Many important occasions in Bali and other parts of Indonesia were made rain-free by traditional means. For example, the opening performances of the annual Bali Arts Festival at the Denpasar Art Centre is usually accompanied by a rain-stopping ritual, especially if the program is going to be attended by special guests like Presidents, ministers, and ambassadors. To also ensure the smooth running of a temple festival, a ritual of rain stopping will usually be performed. At Besakih Temple, there is a shrine for the seat of Ida Ratu Sila Majemuh, where rain-stopping rituals are usually performed to avoid rainfall in the Besakih Temple area during a festival. The celebration of Asia-Africa Conference Anniversary in West Java, in 2005, was also secured by rain-stopper.

The ritual of rain-stopping or diverting, is not an eye-catching activity because it is performed low key. It is performed by officiating small offerings and burning incense, as well as a plate of fire (pengasepan). All of these aim to produce smoke that on rising up is believed to be able to push clouds away. The movement of the clouds aims at letting the rain fall elsewhere or pour when the rain stopping ritual has ended.

In Balinese tradition there is also a rain-asking ritual. This ritual is usually performed in the case of long dry spells. Groups of farmers often perform this in order to water their paddy. A more elaborate offering is required for the rain-asking ritual. Both the rain-asking and stopping rituals have proved to work well otherwise would not still be performed. The failure of a rain stopping ritual might occur because several rain-stoppers are in action at the same time at a similar location. Each of them will push away the clouds from the area they have to secure, sometimes to the direction where another rain-stopping ritual is being held. By this, the attempt easily fails. Another reason may be that the ritual of rain stopping is performed too close to the time of rainfall. The earlier a rain-stopping ritual is performed, the better the results. The better prepared the ritual, the higher chance it will be fulfilled by God.

A person who performs the rain stopping or rain diverting is called 'tukang terang' in Balinese or 'pawang hujan' in Indonesian. Knowledge in asking and preventing or diverting rainfall is kept in a 'lontar' leaf manuscript written in old Javanese. Some of these have recently been printed into a book form with stunning calligraphy or rerajahan. A tukang terang usually gains knowledge and skill through either reading lontar palm leaves or by receiving divine blessings through a series of trances. Before being able to perform a rain stopping ritual, they need to do a self-purification ritual. Many temple priests try to have rain stopping rituals performed for his/ her temple. A set of offerings and a lot of incense is required for performing a rain-stopping ritual. The offerings will be officiated in a shrine or temple near to the area where the function is to be held. Hotel management or event organizers might invite a tukang terang from a distant village if the local temple priest is not keen to do so. During the ritual, a tukang terang spell is cast as a mantra in the form of mediation, to ask God to kindly pour rain on another place.

A rain diverter is often in high demand during the rainy season in Bali. Rainy season falls between September and April. This means that the holiday and festivity month of December and January tend to have a lot of rain. As there are usually a lot of outdoor celebration during these months; concerts, and parties, the invitation of a rain-stopper to ensure the smooth running of a program is often given priority. The success of a rain-diverting ritual can be as high as 90%. Event organizers have to budget extra to ensure their program is rain free. As other rituals in Balinese tradition, there is no fixed charge for rain-stopper ritual, but it could cost between US$ 25 to US$ 100, including the costs of offerings.

Although the average rainfall in Bali is relatively low, avoiding disappointment from the possibility of rain by providing a rain diverter is always worth planning. Since the topic of the rain-stopping ritual is often discussed between people in the tourism industry, especially by event organizers with their foreigner counterparts, more and more outsiders know and think about rain-stoppers. Eventually the subject can even serve to promote and enhance the mystical image of Bali.

The continued use of rain-stoppers in various activities indicates that this traditional knowledge or belief still has its functional meaning and practicality in the modern age. Although modern technology now witnesses the use of laser-light to clear a cloud to prevent rainfall, the traditional way to divert rain is still popular in Bali as it is in most regions in Java. Compared to modern technology, the use of a traditional rain-stopper is much more practical, while its effectiveness is almost certain. If you happen to have an important and special outdoor function yourself, do not allow rain to spoil it. Invite a rain-diverter, and, let the Balinese Gods do the rest.

Let's kid play

In countries like the United States and Australia, where surfing has been in the culture for many years now, kids of grammar and high school age have ample opportunity to integrate their passion for surfing into their scholastic curriculums as part of their physical fitness programmes. During the week they can go to the beach for a surf before school, get coaching and training classes, then surf again after school, in addition to competing in junior surf competitions on the weekends.

Usually those that display extraordinary skill and promise get support from their parents and sponsors by way of surfboards, clothing, accessories, and travelling expenses, and while still being required to attend school and complete their education, can be well on their way to a career as a professional surfer while still in their teens.

Among the many benefits of these type of scholastic programmes is that it instills a sense of responsibility and discipline early on, and while at this age the kids are prone to get a bit wild now and then, the fact is that they know what they should do and usually return to doing it after they've sowed their wild oats.

Here in Bali, sports like soccer and badminton get a big part in the public school sports programmes, but surfing probably has about as much of a chance as a snowflake in hell of being added to the curriculum during our lifetime. No surf classes, no coaching, no health and diet instruction, and not much in the way of discipline or rewards. So for a young surfer in Indonesia, the only option is the private sector.

Thankfully, for several years now Bali-based surfing brands such as Rip Curl, Rusty, Quiksilver and Volcom have stepped up and supported aspiring young surfers by holding yearly competition series' with catchy names like "GromSearch", GromFest, "King of the Groms", and LTKRF (Let the Kids Ride Free) Totally Crustaceous Tour. The word "Grommet" in surf slang is generally used to refer to young surfers under the age of 16.

In these competitions the kids learn how to follow instructions, play fair, wait their turns, and then get rewarded for their performance. There are normally two age group divisions, one for those under 16 years of age and the other for those under 14. Girls are free to compete with the boys in the same ages group, although if there are enough girls at an event the organisers will generally try to create a separate division for them.

These competition events are not only held in Bali but have recently been expanding to include places in Java, Sumatra, Lombok and Sumbawa. Though not as large as Bali, these islands also have surf communities that have developed over the years through surf tourism, and as the kids don't have the means to come to Bali to compete, the surf brands take the competitions to them instead.

The local event winners usually get a free trip to Bali to compete with the other local event winners for the overall series championship created by each sponsor. The series champion in the Under 16 division final is generally rewarded with an all expense paid trip for him/her and a chaperone to either Europe, America, or Australia (depending upon the surf brand sponsor) to compete with other national series winners at the grand finals. In most cases this is the first time these Indonesian kids have been on an airplane, let alone travel to another country. It certainly is an eye-opener and a great experience for them.

They not only experience international travel but they also get to meet kids from all around the world, make new friends, and learn about life outside of their country and island. And being that the surf community is both large and small at the same time, many of their new friends will eventually make their way to Bali and so these relationships can often be maintained for life.

Surfing is undoubtedly one of Indonesia's most undervalued and unrecognised resources…well, by the Indonesian government anyways. The recent Asian Beach Games gave it a bit of a boost in visibility, but I'll still venture a bet that the current President of Indonesia knows that the town he grew up in has a host of good surf spots that draws hundreds of surfing tourists each year, and that at the Rip Curl GromSearch last year an unprecedented four young local girls joined in the competition!


But thankfully, there are those in the private sector of business that recognise the value of investing in the stimulation, nurturing, and rewarding of kids that are attracted to the sport of surfing, and this will continue to help grow the sport in Indonesia and create an career path for these talented and dedicated kids.

The Coca-Cola Indonesian Surfing Championship Junior Division season just got underway at the beginning of February with the Rusty GromFest in Bali and the Rip Curl GromSearch in Lombok. It's off to a great start, and through the next few months kids in Bali and beyond will get the chance to surf together and compete not only for a trip to another country but also for the year end honor of being crowned the Coca-Cola ISC Tour Junior Champion 2009. You can check isctour for the 2009 schedule as well as for reports and photos from each Coca-Cola ISC Tour event.

Sanur shine......

A vibrant village in the 1970s, Sanur in southern Bali retreated to the background as the island's upscale Nusa Dua, cozy Legian, artistic Ubud and elegant Seminyak took center stage. It is now, however, set to reclaim its rightful place among its peers on the back of its intrinsic time-honored allure.

A place in the sun at Sanur Beach.Sanur is not exactly Bali's best-kept secret. After all, it was precisely the village's exotic appeal that attracted tourists the world over and sparked Bali's tourism growth in the early 1970s, making the island a perennial winner of major travel magazines' much-coveted 'the world's most favorite resort' title.

Rock stars Mick Jagger and David Bowie always make it their point to spend time in Sanur to re-charge their batteries after doing exhausting concerts in Australia. Celebrities such as Sarah Ferguson and Sophia Loren have put Sanur in their list of must-visit places (maybe now no longer, but certainly during their happier days).

And when years ago Dewi Soekarno, to the delight of incorrigible voyeurs, decided to bare her natural assets -- albeit somewhat depreciated -- in a coffee-table book, it was said that she would settle for no less than Sanur as the site for the steamy photo session.

"Sanur stands out among other areas in Bali for its wide appeal that caters to a wide spectrum of visitors," said Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, the chairman of the Denpasar-based Bali Tourism Board (BTB) and owner of the Segara Village cottages, told this magazine recently.

He added: "Here you'll find sandy beaches, spectacular sunrises, a golf course, a shopping center, art galleries, a five-star hotel and beachfront villas. The culinary scene is also picking up pace, with new eateries opening at a steady rhythm."

"No village in Bali can boast such a wide range of facilities, including international schools due to its sizable foreign community. At present, we're in the opening of spas mode."

A new feature in Sanur's landscape is the face-lifted, nine-hole Bali Beach Golf Course in Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel area. Its newly re-designed greens and completely new driving range come with tall trees and lakes that add to the already beautiful course. A Pro Shop provides a wide range of golf equipment and accessories and an open air restaurant of Western-Asia menu amidst gorgeous view and relaxing ambience.

Said Carolina Wijaya (no kin to Ngurah Wijaya), the marketing manager of Bali Beach Golf Course: "Many come here because they can play early in the morning and finish off soon before they go to the office. Likewise, there are also many who come here in the afternoon after office hours and go home before dinner time."

In many ways, with its irresistible drawing power of sun, sand, spa and (a little bit of discrete) sex, Sanur defines Bali. But there is more to Sanur than that. The aura of old money and new money is in the air, an interesting combination that takes shape in Jalan Danau Tamblingan, a tree-lined street dotted with villa hotels, chic boutiques, fine-dining restaurants and art galleries, many of which owned by foreigners with locals as their fronts.

On Saturday evenings, the place to be for good, reasonably-priced food and good, reasonably-performed music is Cafe Batujimbar on that very same street.

The newly-built driving range at the Bali Beach Golf Course

A wide patio graces the front of the establishment, inundated with wooden chairs and tables protected by umbrellas to shield visitors from the sun. The menu is a mirror of the chef's culinary prowess – from classic Caesar salad and grilled smoked Turkey breast and cheese toast to Pad Thai rice noodles and nasi campur (steamed rice with beef, chicken, fish, vegetables and chili). While you devour your food, a local band does a respectable re-interpretation of the work of foreign artists.

"On Sundays we hold a kind of an open market where fresh vegetables and local food are sold," says a woman who identified herself simply as Tari, the manager of the joint.

Mark Wilson was first introduced to Indonesia in the 1970s when he was a catering consultant for Garuda Indonesia. He has only fond memories of the time he spent during the Indonesian flag carrier's formative years. He has even fonder memories of the day when he later moved on and opened The Cat & Fiddle pub and restaurant and other related businesses in Sanur, all of which thrived in good time.

"I was in the midst of Indonesia's best years. The oil boom and investments were in high gear, while foreign tourists flocked to Bali in droves," he recalls.

"Even in dire times you're still be able to make a decent living here."

Recently, Wilson, who is also Great Britain's honorary consul, opened not far from his earlier venture a similar eatery, The Wicked Parrot, which featured in the evening, of all things, Irish music performed by members of his family accompanied by local musicians.

The place has the distinction of serving the British brand beer, Storm, which is brewed in the island in a joint venture with local businessmen. It has a sweet, mild taste that promises to make a teetotaler into an alcoholic.

Like many foreigners, Wilson too finds Sanur an ideal place to spend the remaining years of your life. While that may not be possible for all, some do so at least three to four months a year.

"It's common for retired folks from England to come here on a prolonged visit to escape the harsh winter. Sanur is quite and at the same time lively, and most importantly safe," says Wilson, who is married to a local woman and has his children to help him out running his diverse businesses.

Cafe BatujimbarSays BTB's Wijaya: "Our promotional drive also focuses on the so-called 'silver market', baby-boomers who have retired and have discretionary income and free time to spend outside their countries. So far we have been able to attract large numbers of retirees from Holland, who come here to stay for up to six months as they enjoy special rates."

But no matter where they come from and spend their time in Sanur, they all share a common desire to visit the Le Mayeur Museum, the former house-studio of the famous Belgian impressionist painter of aristocratic stock who came to Bali in 1932 and stayed there for almost three decades. The museum displays parts of his large body of work in several rooms, whose upkeep leaves much to be desired. But what the museum lacks in good maintenance it makes up in historical original paintings that never fail to amaze even the uninitiated.

(Next month's issue of this magazine will feature an expanded story of the museum.)While you're in the environs of the museum, don't miss one of Sanur's icons, Warung Mak Beng, which is said to have been around for over six decades and lies a few footsteps away. The somewhat dilapidated small eatery serves unequivocally the best fried fish and drool-inducing fish soup in perhaps the whole universe.

Most villages in Bali hold promotional festivals every year though none seem to match Sanur in terms of its breadth and reach. The Sanur Village Festival (SVF) is held in August featuring cultural performances and sports and culinary events.

"In addition to SVF this year we also plan to hold the "Spiritual Festival", an event that highlights mind and body wellness," says Wijaya.

So, how upbeat is Wijaya on Sanur's future?

"In 2007 and 2008 we experienced double-digit growth in the number of foreign visitors visiting Bali. I'm not sure whether we'll have any growth at all this year. It's too early to tell because of the ongoing global economic crisis," Wijaya, whose parents were among the prime movers who transformed Bali into what it is today.

"We would still be happy if we could retain the number of foreign tourists that came here last year, which was about 1,9 million."

Sanur, by the way, is said to mean something like "the strong urge to visit a place." First-time and serial visitors as well as long-time residents insist that it should mean "the place strongly urged to visit."

Ubud one of the best in sustainable tourism

Bali is a mixed big of tourism projects that represent the absolute worst (Kuta) in sustainable travel and some of the best (Ubud)."

Although consecutively named World’s Best Island for years from major traveller magazines around the world, and loved for its people and the great value it offers Bali has not scored so well in a survey done by the National Geographic Traveler. In behalf of the traveller magazine the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations conducted its fourth annual Destination Scorecard survey, aided by George Washington University.

A panel of 522 experts in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship donated time to review conditions in 111 selected islands and archipelagos. Let's see what these experts have to say about our beloved Bali and our neighboring island of Lombok.

The survey rates the qualities that make a destination unique—"integrity of place." It's not about consumer service, so a poor but unspoiled island like Palawan can rate higher than a Hilton Head, called "the best golf-course-and-gated-community island anywhere."
While Bali is still called in the survey 'one of the world's magical places' it has only come in at rank 27, even Lombok has done slightly better. Hard to believe for those of us living here:) Let's look at the reasons for this:

Bali, Indonesia
Score: 57

"Bali is one of the world's magical places. Even though it has been overrun by tourism development and population growth, somehow it has been able to maintain its unique character, though some parts of the island—Denpasar, Kuta Beach—are now incredibly degraded and depressing for those of us who knew Bali in the good old days."

"Yes, Kuta and Nusa Dua represent the ugly faces of crass commercialism—but if they are developed as specific mass tourism enclaves and generate income, and if development in the rest of the island is more restrained, Bali will still be worth visiting. The flowers are still colorful, the smiles still warm, the rice fields still mesmerizing, and the gamelan music still a calming, soothing backdrop—after 30 years of rampant development."

"Bali is a mixed bag of tourism projects that represent the absolute worst (Kuta) in sustainable travel and some of the best (Ubud)."

"In spite of the recent terrorist events, Bali is still an excellent destination. Magnificent rice terraced landscapes. Gentle, warm people. The culture is strong, vivid, and vibrant. Facilities are varied, catering to many tastes. However, beaches are not good, and the environment is under threat from destruction of reefs and mangroves, linear development, salt water intrusion, etc."

Lombok, Indonesia
Score: 62

"Bali's little sister. Lower numbers of visitors than Bali, so has been slower to develop. It is relaxed, and the local government expresses concern for careful development. There is a lack of interpretive information, although guidebooks generally tell the stories well. Some luxury accommodations."

"Lombok has many scenic natural sites and some lovely, comfortable hotels. It also has several strips of beach that are overdeveloped and disappointing. Some of the cultural tourism in the south is a bit like 'human zoo' tourism, where tourists are accosted by aggressive local people in local dress."

"The strong Islamic culture to a certain extent ensures its cultural survival from the tourist onslaught. A lot of tourist development, some of it illegal, threatens the integrity of its seashores. Huge gap between the tourism resort culture and local incomes and traditions."

take from news.ubud.com

Kuta Bali with its daily spectacular sunsets

Kuta is a town in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations.It is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, many restaurants and bars, and convenience to Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport.

Kuta is now the center of an extensive tourist-oriented urban area that merges into the neighboring towns. Legian, to the north, is the commercial hub of Kuta and the site of many restaurants and entertainment spots. Most of the area's big beachfront hotels are in the southern section of Tuban.

Legian and Seminyak are northern extensions of Kuta along Jl. Legian and Jl. Basangkasa. They are somewhat quieter suburbs with cottage-style accommodations, where many of the expat crowd live. Also to the north are Petitenget, Berawa, Canggu, and Seseh - new and quieter continuations of Kuta's beach. They are easy to reach through Abian Timbul or Denpasar and Kerobokan. Several large hotels are located in this area: the Oberoi Bali, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, the Intan Bali Village, the Legian in Petitenget, the Dewata Beach and the Bali Sani Suites in Berawa.

To the south, Kuta Beach extends beyond the airport into Jimbaran. The Balinese Provincial Government have taken the view that the preservation of the Balinese culture, natural resources and wildlife are of primary importance in the development of the island. To this end they have limited tourist development to the peninsula on the extreme southern aspect of the island; Kuta beach is on the western side of this peninsula and Sanur is on the east. To the north of the peninsula no new tourist development is supposedly permitted.


Ngurah Rai Airport

Ngurah Rai Airport, also known as Bali International Airport, is located in southern Bali, 13 km south of Denpasar. It is Indonesia's third-busiest international airport, after Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Surabaya's Juanda International Airport. The airport is located close to the extensive tourist developments of southern Bali; the resort center of Kuta is 2.5 km north of the airport.

Domestic Arrival and Departure Width: 9.039 m²
International Arrival and Departure Width: 28.630 m²
The parking area is 38.358 m².
The total terminal area is 265.60 Ha.
The Domestic Terminal is located in the old building, while the International Terminal is located in the L shaped terminal.
The airport has 17 gates: 3 in the Domestic Terminal, and 14 in the International Terminal.
The Domestic Terminal has 35 check in counters, and 2 baggage carousels.


Jimbaran

Restaurants on the beach near Jimbaran is a fishing village and tourist resort in Bali, Indonesia. Located just at the south of Ngurah Rai International Airport, the beach is cluttered with hotels from inexpensive homestays to five stars hotels. Tourism in Jimbaran has increased rapidly that has boosted local economy, but it suffered by the 2005 Bali bombings where the bomb exploded in one of the restaurants in Jimbaran.

Jimbaran lies on the 'neck' of the southern peninsula in Bali and is widely known for the fresh seafood kiosks that litter the beach. Diners select the seafood live that they wish to eat and it is prepared immediately. More recently, Jimbaran has become a popular location for foreigners to build villas.

Pearls are a Girl’s Best Friend

Bali is famous for many things, and although pearls do not readily spring to mind, if you consider how and where pearls are cultivated you soon come to realise that Bali would be a perfect place to find them.

pearlsDeep in the pristine waters of West Bali National Park a quiet miracle of nature and beauty grows a little every day. Lustrous, top class pearls are cultivated in The Bali Pearl's exclusive pearl preservation, and harvested to produce gorgeous export-quality pearls that are fashioned into jewellery-pieces of must-have splendour. The tour of the pearl preservation is interesting, and a wonderful way to be acquainted with the appreciation of just how much goes into each pearl's existence.

The jewellery is fashioned by one of The Bali Pearl's own three designers whose distinct styles vary from traditional, classic or contemporary designs, each using white or yellow 14 or 18 karat gold, as well as diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and semi-precious stones to set and enhance the natural exquisiteness of each pearl that is so individual. Choose your personal style in either a ring, pendent, bangle, bracelet, brooch or necklace, or a combination of several, not forgetting the vast variety of earrings, a sure fire bet for 'girls' of all ages, as pearls send light to the complexion to luminate it winningly.

A strand of pearls given, as a thoughtful gift, will win over any situation, as any sensible man will tell you. Or, you can always opt for a loose pearl and take the time in designing how you would like to treasure it. As Marilyn so famously once sang 'Pearls are a Girl's Best Friend', oh she didn't, well she certainly didn't do her homework then. Why not do yours, and visit The Bali Pearl and take home something so unusually Balinese, that will be the inspiration ofw many conversations to come.

Available at;
The Bali Pearl,
Simpang Dewa Ruci 7,
Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai, Kuta.

Information on jewellery and tours;
T: 62-361-765656
F: 62-361-767450