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I GEDE RASMAWAN
Owner


Contact
Address:

Jl. Nuansa Timur F/14
Perum Nuansa Kori Jimbaran
Denpasar
Bali
80363
Indonesia

Email : adebalitour@yahoo.com
Mobile Phone Number: +6281 2463 6522
http://www.destinationtobali.com

Information: "YOUR SATISFACTION IS MY GOAL"

Three Bali Hotels Honored in World Travel Awards

Bali News : Established in 1993 to track and reward quality in the fast developing travel industry, The World Travel Awards calls on tens of thousands of travel professionals from around the world to vote for their favorite travel companies.

Nominations for finalists are based on voting in the preceding year with trophies awarded in all areas of the industry. Travel agents from over 200 countries vote for their favorites, broken down by geographical area and industry sector. Hundreds of thousands of votes are cast on line ending with the eagerly awaited list of winners hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the "Travel Industry's equivalent to the Oscars."

While a complete list of the World Travel Awards 2006 winners is available via the link provided, here's quick list of the Bali hotels who distinguished themselves in the 2006 awards

Balinese Dance

Bali News : Throughout the years, dance and drama have played an important role in Balinese culture. It is through this medium that the Balinese have learned tales from the Ramayana, Mahabarata and other epic stories from their history. There are several places you can enjoy a dance performace in Ubud. Dances are held virtually every night. Below you will find short descriptions of some of the more popular dances you can attend in Ubud.

Bali has been ranked no 1 world's best Island

Bali news : Bali has been ranked No. 1 World’s Best Islands by readers from Travel and Leisure Magazine. This is the 11th annual poll by the magazine and it is the fifth time that Bali has won first place in the Island category.

Bali was closely followed by Kauai and Maui in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. The poll was taken in early 2006 by readers of Travel and Leisure Magazine and judged based on natural attractions, activities, restaurants, people and value.

Other winners include Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Mount Desert Island in Maine, Tasmaniz, Hawaii, Galapagos Islands, Santorini and Phuket in Thailand.

Contact details of all major airlines operating in Bali

Air France
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Room 1105
Jl HangTuah Phone : (+62361) 288 511
Terminal Keberangkatan - Tuban
Phone : (+62361) 755 523


Ansett Australia
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Jl Hangtuah Sanur 80001
Phone : (+62361) 289 635 (+62361) 289 636 Fax : (+62361) 289 637
Airport Tuban Phone : (+62361) 755 740


Bouraq Airlines
Kompleks Sudimian Agung Blok A 47-4X.
Jl Panglima Besar Sudirman 7A
Phone :(+62361) 241 397 Fax : (+62361) 241 390


Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd
Grand Bali Beach Sanur 1st Fl
Phone : 286 001 Ext 1138 Fax : (+62361) 288 576
Bandara Ngurah Rai Tuban, Phone : (+62361) 753 942


China Air
Phone :(+62361) 757 298


Eva Air
Wisti Sabha Administration Building,
Ground Floor, Room No.4
Ngurah Rai Airport.
Phone : (+62361) 751 011 ext 1638 Fax : (+62361) 756 488.


Korean Air
The Grand Bali Beach Hotel
Garden Wing Rm 1121 & 1123 PO Box 275
Reservation Phone : (+62361) 289 402 Fax : (+62361) 289 403


Garuda Indonesia PT
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Phone : (+62361) 288 243
Natour Kuta Beach Phone : (+62361) 751 179.
Nusa Dua Phone : (+62361) 771 864, (+62361) 771 444
Jl Melati 61 Phone : (+62361) 227 825
Hotel Nusa Dua Beach Phone : (+62361) 772 231
Jl Kapt Mudita 2 Phone : (+62361) 234 913
Jl Kepundung 21 Phone : (+62361) 233 853
Jl Pantai Kuta Phone : (+62361) 751 l 79
Jl Srikarya 1 Phone : (+62361) 228 916
Jl Sugianyar Phone : (+62361) 5227 823


Malaysia Airlines
Grand Bali Beach Hotel. Phone : (+62361) 285 071 - (+62361) 288 716
Ngurah Rai Airport Office, Phone : (+62361) 756 132.


Qantas Airways Ltd
Grand Bali Beach, Phone : (+62361) 288 331 Fax : (+62361) 287 331
Airport Cargo Airport International Ngurah Rai, Phone : (+62361) 751 471 Fax : (+62361) 752 218
Gg Murai 18 Phone : (+62361) 432 896


Singapore Airlines
Jl. Dewi Sartika No.88 Denpasar Phone : (+62361) 261666
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Sanur, Phone : (+62361) 261 666
Bandara Ngurah Rai Phone : (+62361) 751 011


Air New Zealand Ltd
Wisti Sabha Bldg 2nd Fl, Ngurah Rai Airport, Tuban
Phone : (+62361) 756 170 Fax : (+62361) 754 594
Email : bcbali@dps.centrin.net.id


Bali Qantas Airways Ltd
Hotel Bali Beach Sanur, Phone : (+62361) 289 280
Jl Babakan Sanur, Phone : (+62361) 289 281


British Airways
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Jl Hang Tuah
Phone : (+62361) 288 511


Cathay Pacific
Phone : (+62361) 286 001


Continental Airlines
Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Jl Hang Tuah Sanur.
Phone : (+62361) 287 774 Fax : (+62361) 287 775
Terminal Building Airport
Phone : (+62361) 752 107


Japan Airlines
Grand Bali Beach Hotel
Phone : (+62361) 287 576 – (+62361) 287 577


KLM Royal Ducth Airlines
Wisti Sabha Bldg, Ngurah Rai Airport
Phone : (+62361) 756 126 Fax : (+62361) 753 950


Lufthansa German Airlines
Hotel Bali Beach, Phone.(+62361) 287 069 Lauda Air
Gedung PAJ Jln. By Pass Ngurah Rai – Tuban
Phone : (+62361) 758 686
Jl Airport Ngurah Rai, Phone : (+62361) 753 207


Merpati Nusantara
Jl. Melati No. 51 Denpasar, Phone : (+62361) 235 358.
Jl Merpati 51 Phone : (+62361) 263 918
Jl Ngurah Rai Tuban, Phone : (+62361) 751 374


Royal Brunai Airlines
Wisti Sabha Building. Ngurah Rai Airport
Phone : (+62361) 757 292.


Thai Airlines
Wisti Sabha Building, 2nd Floor Room 19,
Ngurah Rai Airport. Phone : (+62361) 754 856.
Grand Bali Beach Hotel Sanur
Phone : (+62361) 288 141 Fax : (+62361) 288 063

How to pick the airline to fly to Bali ?

Bali News, Airline tickets vary in prices and conditions and more than one airline can bring you to Bali.

The big difference between the airlines are in the route they take and from whom you will purchase the ticket from.

Since routes are changing quite often, it makes sense to ask an agent about your particular flight, chances are they know or can find out. Experiences tell it's still 50% uncertainty left after they advice you, because schedules change faster than the normal travel agent can keep up with.

Many times the cheapest tickets involve the most stop overs en route, so it actually makes sense to pay a bit more to have a shorter flight. My personal experiences only cover exit airports in Europe like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and London. Here there are at times huge differences among the airlines.

Thai Airways had always those lengthy 4 hour transits in Bangkok that made the flight to Bali about 18 hours long, Garuda stopped a lot at different airports to make sure the plane was always packed full - a 21 hours trip, ouch!
Really convincing was only Singapore Airlines, nonstop to Singapore, after 45 minutes transit straight to Bali. 14 hours after leaving Amsterdam we finally reached Balinese soil.

Interesting can also be Quantas flights going to Australia that have a stop in Bali. As I said it depends where you fly from and how much you are prepared to pay for the ticket. Best is always a nonstop flight, nonstop Singapore is fine too. Be aware that a "direct" flight is not necessarily also a nonstop flight.

Boutique Hotels in Bali

Bali News, The basic idea is to combine the conveniences of a five-star resort with the cultural richness of a Balinese private home.

Over the years this type of accommodation has increased vastly in popularity with travelers looking for something special and exclusive.

The difference between large hotel chains and Boutique hotels is that they don't provide 100's of rooms but instead secluded luxury in small and intimate resorts.

A "home away from home" is a bit a stressed expression, but it describes quite accurately what you may find. A really private space in a total different location, thousands of miles away from home.

All amenities are usually provided in these resorts to make you feel comfortable. Individual service with a personal touch makes all the difference, and a villa with an selection of things you don't want to miss like sound system and satellite TV, several cozy in- and outdoor areas for relaxation, and refreshingly different styled bathrooms surely add to the ingredients to make you enjoy your stay.

Some icing on the cake may be a private jacuzzi, plunge or swimming pool. What would be life in the tropics without it.

A resort in Ubud was ahead of its time and has been copied by new ones a few times since then. It's the Pita Maha, build by a member of the Royal family of Ubud. The concept of a river view resort with spa is taken from the Tjampuhan hotel and refined with adding more privacy by establishing a exclusive luxury villa concept. More about this resort later.

On the ocean side it was Four Seasons in Jimbaran who first successfully introduced the private villas concept within a hotel. Of course they also went to Ubud to build The Four Seasons Sayan. Overlooking the Ayung river it became too small for the demand recently, new villas have been added in the second stage.

The leading resorts in this field try to accomplish a secluded setting of each villa, permitting undisturbed outdoor life with outdoor dining areas. So life within nature can be experienced in Bali style. Some of the villas have outdoor bathrooms and private plunge pools.

Many known hotels and resorts are renovating and redesigning themselves to follow this trend. Alam Kul Kul in Legian added boutique elements, The Villas in Seminyak are a good example to fully mature this concept, all villas have a private swimming pool and offer the privacy and seclusion needed.

In Jimbaran the Pansea is a strong contender, and must be booked early. The negative side of Boutique resorts is really the limited availability of rooms. It seems that a few years back the success of small high end resorts wasn't guaranteed, some of them are maybe build a bit too small.

Now the situation is very much different, travelers looking for that special place to spend a vacation, and are willing to pay for the extra luxury. The Ubud area is leading the way with resorts such as Kamandalu Resort, Kupu Kupu Barong, The Chedi or the Natura Resort, one of the latest and most convincing additions.

Pita Maha Resort, the unofficial leader of the trend is establishing a second resort to stay on top of the wave. By end of this year, Pita Maha 2 will open its gates with an increased size of about 80 villas. The reality will show if the intimacy of the original Pita Maha resort with its 24 villas can be preserved.

Sunset Dinner at Jimbaran Beach " Bali "

Bali News : Jimbaran beach is stretching between the barren limestone hill to the south and Kedonganan beach near the international airport on the north. This white beach is so tranquil and just the right place for relaxing in the afternoon while waiting for the sunset. It has been more known after the presence of five-star and luxury hotels since the beginning of the 1990s. Suddenly it was on everyone's lips.

The new arising tourist resorts at Jimbaran now have more option to dine out. Along the Jimbaran to Kedonganan Beach there are many cafes operated by local people. It is something
like night markets where visitors can choose a wide range of seafoods. Nearly all cafes provide special seafood menus with local recipes or combination with the western one. Fish is supplied by a nearby fishermen village at Kedonganan. Some vendors there still sell their fish until to the afternoon.

When the west horizon turns yellowish red, the cafes spread their colorful chairs on the sand overlooking the beach.
Slowly the activity on the beach reduces, while other activities begin at cafes. And when the night arrives, it starts getting to be romantic. Candle lights and live musicians enhancing the atmosphere. There are many small and big jukungs that are ready to sail and will become an artistic background for your dinner.

The shining stars in the sky, candle-like lights from the resorts on the hill and the spotlight from the airport has changed Jimbaran Beach to something like a celebration night.
Taste the grilled fish on the sand of a open-air beachfront café and enrich your dining experience with one not usually available at 5 star hotels . You can choose the kind and size of fish and other seafood yourself. The local characteristic of the recipe is that grilled fish is topped with Balinese
raw spices (basa matah). It is then traditionally accompanied with stir-fried water spinach and white steamed rice.

Only a ten-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, also easily reachable from Kuta or Nusa Dua by inexpensive taxis. Always worth a visit.

The Tample at Besakih

Bali News ,Having discussed the existence of seven mandalas (stairs) of Penataran Agung Temple at Besakih (read Volume VII, numbers 3-19) it’s the turn to deal with the existence of 20 temple complexes that sit on the slopes of Mount Agung. The 20 temples are also known as the complexs of Besakih Temple. Other than this complex, there is a number of padharman temples, however, they are not categorized into the complex of Besakih Temple.

Among the 20 temples on the slopes of Mount Agung, first things first that will be discussed is the Pesimpangan Temple located some 2 km to the west—some may consider it to be in the south—of Penataran Agung Temple at Besakih. Difference views of direction seems to be merely caused by ‘the feeling’ so it does not accord to that based on the compass.
Complex of Pesimpangan Temple is very cramped. Its building is really unembellished consisting of principal pelinggih (holy shrine) called Gedong Limas Catu, Pepelik (a pavilion to place oblations as a part of sacrificial offerings), Bebaturan (lingam-like shrine) and Piyasan Pavilion (larger pavilion as a place for the offerings). Other than those buildings, there are still some other inconspicuous stone relics, as their surfaces have decayed. Such stones may be the remains of sanctum originating from megalithic periods (relic of worshiping paraphernalia of Saiva Pasupata sect’s period that was more influential before the emergence of Saiva Siddhanta sect).
Though the Saiva Pasupata sect does not exist any longer, the Siddhanta Sivaites does not want to remove these paraphernalia relics, as it is a representation found on some bebaturans at the complex of Besakih Temple. Worshiping paraphernalia of the Saiva Pasupata sect does not come to be the premier element in the Saiva Siddhanta cult, but it is sustainably appreciated so it is not destroyed or treated improperly.
Gedong Limas Catu constitutes the leading shrine at Pesimpangan Temple functions as pesimpangan (ephemeral abode for Ida Bhatara/God’s divine light at Besakih). Probably, there is one amongst us that would like to rise the question, why there is ephemeral abode called Pesimpangan Temple at the complex of Besakih Temple?
In regular religious rite activities at Besakih Temple, there is a ritual procession called melasti. This procession represents the passage of devas (God’s manifestation) to Batu Klotok Temple at the southern beach of Klungkung Regency, to Tegal Suci and Toya Sah. These three temples become destinations of melasti procession every year.
As soon as the procession arrives back, it does not proceed straight to Besakih Temple, but takes a short break (for some hours) at Pesimpangan Temple. On this break, the Gedong Limas Catu shrine at Pesimpangan Temple is symbolized as ephemeral abode of Ida Bhatara at Besakih. The word pesimpangan is derived from Balinese word simpang that means ‘coming by’ for a while. So, Pesimpangan Temple conveys a stopover point of Ida Bhatara (divine symbol) of Penataran Agung Temple Besakih. On the return of the procession to the origin temple, most of the time is presented oblations of which scale greatly depends on the scale of the ritual. If the ceremony held is in a large scale so the oblation will also be more prodigious. To prepare the oblations will take time. Therefore, the return procession of melasti takes stopover time for a while at Pesimpangan Temple.
In the earliest period, before the existence of sophisticated communication and transportation means as those of today, it was difficult to know whether the welcoming preparation of the procession had been ready or not at Besakih Temple. At that time, the only indication that the procession had come close to Penataran Agung Temple at Besakih was the sound of gamelan.
It is said that when the melasti procession had arrived at Pesimpangan Temple, the strings of gamelan ensemble was clearly heard from Penataran Agung. If the sound of gamelan was heard so everything pertaining to the reception of the arrival of melasti procession can be commenced. After a short pause at Pesimpangan Temple, the melasti procession then resumed to Penataran Agung Besakih. As soon as they arrived at Penataran Agung any ritual paraphernalia prepared for the reception had been well completed.
The most exciting thing at Pesimpangan Temple is the design of Limas Catu shrine. Every Merajan Gede (family temple as worshiping place to ancestral soul), in general, has Limas Catu shrine locating on the right side of Gedong Pertiwi shrine. Limas Catu at Merajan Temple also constitutes a sojourn of Bhatara of Mount Agung at Besakih. While, on the left side of Gedong Pertiwi shrine lies Gedong Limas Mujung representing the sojourn of Ida Bhatara of Mount Batur.
The architectural design of Limas Catu and Limas Mujung are commonly the same. If they have distinction, it may be seen on their rooftops—that of Limas Catu has a conical shape made of palm fibre while that of Limas Mujung is made of clay.
Besakih and Batur Temple constitute Kahyangan Jagat Temple that is categorized into Rwa Bhineda Temple. The latter functions as medium to venerate God to invoke corporeal and spiritual balance. In the meantime, at Besakih Temple is to appeal for bliss of spiritual life, and at Batur Temple for bliss of corporeal life. So, the purpose of ancestral worship at Merajan Gedong Pertiwi is also to invoke the ancestral soul to encourage the veneration to God for the sake of establishing life prosperity of both corporeal and spiritual. Accordingly, there are Pesimpangan Besakih and Batur shrines in the form of Limas Catu and Limas Mujung. (BTN/Ketut Wiana)

Bali, the Island of Thousand Temples

Bali travel News One of the nicknames given to the Island of Bali is the Island of Thousand Temples. This nickname is indeed true, as this island is confined by thousands of temples occurring at the fringe of the beach and hundreds of others at the mountain ranges.
In the meantime, a single village in Bali is not entitled to hold the name of customary village if it does not have at least three temples or puras encompassing the Pura Desa, Pura Puseh and Pura Dalem. These three temples are the essential requirement of the establishment of a Customary Village in Bali.
Apart from the three temples as mentioned above, there are some other temples having non-identical function. For instance, the Melanting Temple, as a sanctum to worship the Goddess Melanting, is mostly used by traders. So is the Subak Temple worshipped by local farmers because this temple represents the venerating symbol of the Goddess Sri ruling the fertility and prosperity. It is not unusual, that when farmers are engulfed by water shortage to irrigate their rice field, they will hold a ritual of rain invocation at the Subak Temple in order to be blessed with abundant water by Hyang Widhi (God).
Here, the current issue of Bali Travel News features the theme of great temples spreading out in all regencies and city across Bali. For details, simply read this edition!