Sekar Jagat Spa | Nusa Dua, Bali

Balinese New Year, known as Nyepi or Day of Silence, will take place on Tuesday 16 March 2010. Local custom requires that all people in Bali observe a day of silence from 6am on Tuesday 16 March 2010 until 6am Wednesday 17 March 2010. Authorities require that all people in Bali stay indoors, make no noise and switch off all lights for the duration of this period. The Balinese Hindus consider “Nyepi” to be the most important day on the religious calendar and these prohibitions are taken very seriously.

Love it or hate it: Durian

Of unique odour (you might say it stinks) and formidable thorn-covered husk, this seasonable fruit is a must when in Bali.

Check it out, eg in Tabanan, on the way to Bedugul, in the area of Baturiti you will find a few vendors at roadside stalls selling durian for IDR 20.000-100.000/piece. Price depends on quality and size.
If you you prefer the more convenient way, just pick them up in the supermarket, but don’t expect best quality and price…

For the brave amongst you: make some durian juice, rare and delicious!

Nusa Dua Resort, beaches and golf course

Google Earth recently updated for Nusa Dua, Jimbaran and Benoa. Newest satellite images are dated 15 October 2009, just 6 weeks young. Download Google Earth and take a flight over Bali!
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Tasty bits of life in Bali!

Ever heard of this tree in Bali with a hole in the middle where cars can pass through? What exactly is a penjor? Is petrol for sale in vodka bottles here on Bali?

Visit this lovely blog “Always Look On The Bali Side Of Life” written by “the Airy Fairy”, an expat woman working in the education system. And if you have a penchant for cup cakes you must not miss her other blog Airy Fairy Cupcakes.
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The field has been set for the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, a season-ending event for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s top International tournament winners. Marion Bartoli, Samantha Stosur, Yanina Wickmayer, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Shahar Peer, Melinda Czink, Agnes Szavay, Aravane Rezai and Magdalena Rybarikova have qualified, while Kimiko Date Krumm and Sabine Lisicki have accepted invitations as tournament wildcards to round out the playing field at the inaugural event. Additionally, Vera Dushevina will travel to Bali as an alternate.

Making its debut in Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia from November 4-8, 2009, the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions features established and next generation stars competing in an innovative 12-woman round robin singles format (four groups of three players), and offers $600,000 in prize money. The top 10 highest-ranked players who have won an International tournament during the 2009 season on the Tour and who are not competing at the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2009 (which features the top eight singles players in the world) qualify for the event.

Continue reading at sonyericssonwtatour.com >>

Related links: Official site of Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions

Lisa, a 40-something year old from New Zealand, recently started a 6 month journey through SE-Asia. Follow Lisa on travelpod.com and read her adventures in Bali and on neighbouring islands. Great stories of a curious and courageous traveller speaking some Bahasa Indonesia.

Related links: All Bali Travelogues Of The Week

From 17-21 October Nusa Dua celebrates the 13^th edition of its famous Art Festival, organized by BTDC (Bali Tourism Development Corporation), supported by all the hotels in Nusa Dua area. During 5 days, the visitors will enjoy some performances of Art, Culture, Sport and Exhibition and participate to Fun Games.

Related links: Nusa Dua Fiesta 2009 Program | Map of Nusa Duaa

David Pu’u, commercial photographer and film maker from California, recently has travelled to Bali. His Bali Journal is a superb read, his photographs brilliant, and local East Bali Poverty Project a matter of concern.

Related links: All Bali Travelogues Of The Week

Jones Lang LaSalle Indonesia put together some data for this informative chart above (click on the image to enlarge it). The graphic compares number of International direct arrivals in first half of 2009 with 2008.

JakartaPost has the related article “Time to be more optimistic than ever for Bali tourism market” written by Djodi Trisusanto.
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Related links: Bali Tourism Board Data Statistic | Central Bureau of Statistics Indonesia
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Recently seen in JakartaPost’s paper edition.

Punctually at start of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting from 21 August to 19 September 2009, an Indonesian GSM provider runs an iPhone advertisement promoting iPhone as the gadget that helps you to get closer to God.

Bring yourself closer to God.
Maximize the meaning of devotion in Ramadhan with iPhone 3G and Telkomsel.
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The theme ‘Marine Life’ will be the highlight of this year’s Sanur Village Festival, which means many of the activities will be inspired from the marine life. The fourth festival of its kind is set for the 12 to 16 of August 2009 with activities such as traditional performances, parade, music, collaboration show, water sports and food festival as main attractions.

Related links: Festival Program | Sanur Map
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Just came across a “subjective Bali Best Beach list”, an informative article with short beach reviews and plenty of pictures, gives you a quick overview of beaches in Nusa Dua (Mengiat, Geger), Jimbaran (Muaya, Kedonganan, Balangan), Pecatu (Dreamland), Kuta, Legian Beach, Kerobokan (Batu Belig), Canggu (Echo), Sanur, Lovina Beach and Amed.

List hopefully to be continued.

Keep in mind that many Bali beaches are afflicted with dangerous riptides and undercurrents. So please take care while having fun in the water.

Related links: Muaya Beach @ Jimbaran Bay | ThreeBestBeaches.com
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Very new logo of Indonesia’s national airline Garuda Indonesia

EU ends 2 year blacklisting of Indonesian aviation opening way for European flights by Indonesian airlines. Europeans travellers no longer discouraged from flying domestic carriers.

More > | Bali News

Related links: Skytrax Airline Reviews | Garuda Inflight Magazine

I came across these old recordings recently when reading Pete’s Bali diary.

The videos show life in Bali in 1910 and in the 1930s, precious contemporary documents.

This one is certainly not from 1946, these recordings were made most likely in the 1930s:

“Road to Bali sans Bob Hope”

Drove past a sign which read, “AGUS’S CO-OPERATIVE ART CENTER”. If the Balinese can correctly handle the possessive apostrophe, why can’t the Australians? Saw a lot of signs on lamp-posts and walls which suggested, “TALK LESS, DO MORE.” What a great sign to stick on the walls of Parliament House in Canberra!

Continue reading >

Related links: All Bali Travelogues Of The Week

(Featured travelogues do not represent the views of this blog, BaliTrivialist or Sekar Jagat Spa)