Hari Waisak – Waisak Day

by Barrie | May 16th, 2011   Tweet

Today in Bali and across Indonesia is Waisak Day. This is a Bhuddist holiday to celebrate the anniversary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Bhuddism. The day commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. This celebration is enlivened by religious and social activities in Buddhist temples.

In Indonesia, the largest Buddhist temples, Candi Mendut and Candi Borobudur, both located in the Magelang Regency of Central Java not far from Yogyakarta, are the focus of interest and attract those observing the holiday and tourists.

Three major historical events are celebrated on Waisak. The first is the birth of Siddhartha Gautama. The second is the acceptance of the divine revelation under the Bodhi tree. And the third is the journey of Siddhartha Gautama to heaven.

These three big events occur exactly on the Full Moon Purnama Sidhi. Thus, Waisak is also very well known as Tri Suci Waisak or Three Holy Events. Buddhists celebrate Waisak by praying to their God Sang Tri Ratna as thanks giving for creating and maintaining the earth and its resources in harmony. It is very common for Buddhists to celebrate Waisak with the presentation of fruit, flowers and candles. For Buddhists, candles symbolize their philosophy of life, the sought-after enlightenment.

Bali’s Reefs Being Restored

by Barrie | May 12th, 2011   Tweet

As most of you know, coral reefs form large sections of the Bali coastline. These coral reefs are important for the marine habitat, providing shelter for marine life, protecting the coast against erosion and as a breeding ground for fish.

Bali’s coral reefs contain a diverse selection of marine life. Statistics show that in 2007 over 80% of the coral reefs in Bali were damaged in some way, some almost destroyed. The situation has gradually worsened and by the mid 1990’s development took its toll on the reefs.

Serangan Island has been destroyed by beach reclamations work done at the location in 1996; the building of the causeway connecting the mainland to the island did almost irreparable damage to the biodiversity of the reefs. However, the fishing community in the area are working hard to restore 5 hectares of coral surrounding Serangan Island.

Serangan Island is home to one of the most sacred temples on Bali – Pura Sakenan. But it is the coral reefs that are of importance and one can only hope that in the not too distant future the reefs will return to normal. If you are unaware, coral reefs and the tiny polyps are extremely sensitive to their environment, small changes in ocean temperatures, salinity and other factors. Slight changes in the amount dissolved particles from human waste can seriously threaten a coral reef.

Villas and Hotels in Ubud

by Barrie | May 5th, 2011   Tweet

If you drive for about an hour and a half north-east of Kuta you will find the bohemian cultural centre of Bali, Ubud. Famed for its arts, Ubud is a cool area of Bali and home to many expats. Located in the district of Gianyar, the town of Ubud is central and surrounded by a group of villages: Padang Tegal and Nyuhkuning are to the south, Peliatan and Kutuh are to the east, Campuhan, Penestenan and Sayan are to the west and Sanggingan and Kedewatan are to the north-west.

Ubud is peaceful. It is a place where you could spend your entire holiday in Bali and it is also a great place to base yourself for exploring the rest of the island. There are many levels of accommodation in Ubud ranging from losmens to upmarket luxury resorts and villas, in fact, too many to list here and so here is a selection:

Kupu Kupu Barong Villas
Komaneka at Bisma
Pita Maha Resort & Spa
Uma Ubud
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa
Kamandalu Resort
Alila Ubud
Komaneka at Monkey Forest Road
Bali Spirit Hotel & Spa
Champlung Sari Hotel
Hotel Tjampuhan & Spa
Ubud Village Hotel
Villa Chempaka Ubud
Pertiwi Resort & Spa
Ananda Cottages
Sri Ratih Cottages
Ubud Hanging Gardens Resort
Alam Indah

Photo of the Day – Tulamben

by Barrie | May 7th, 2011   Tweet

The landscape around Tulamben and a large portion of the east coast is dry and boulder strew. The rice belt ends and the corn-belt begins further to the south-west and there is not much going on heading up the coast. In Tulamben there are several losmens, a few places to eat and, plenty of dive shops.

Tulamben is probably the most popular site for dive tourists along the south-east coast road. Famous for the sunken wreck of the USS Liberty, Tulamben doesn’t offer much to anyone not interested in diving or snorkelling, but, it does have some delightful beaches graced with fishing boats and friendly locals. The whole ocean area around Tulamben is actually a Marine Reserve and thus protected. From Tulamben the coastal road tends to leave the coast and goes slightly inland until you arrive at a place called Culik where you turn left and return to the coast at Amed.

Bali Marine Walk

by Barrie | May 11th, 2011   Tweet

Not so long ago I wrote about the Seawalker located in Sanur and how it is a fabulous opportunity for those of you who don’t or do not like the idea of scuba diving. It is a unique diving system, fully escorted as you walk down deep into the ocean. It’s brilliant, although I have yet to do this adventure of walking on the bottom of the ocean rather than swimming in it.

Now there is a new player in Bali doing the exact same thing except that it is located on Lembongan Island. They are the Bali Marine Walk. I actually spoke to a few of these guys at a recent travel expo in Perth. As they explained to me, the tourists remain underwater for fifteen minutes and the time was determined as the safest length of time for guests who have never been underwater before.

As their website explains, Bali Marine Walk using an open-ended helmet that allows the wearer to stay underwater by just putting it over head. The helmet is connected to the scuba thanks by air hose that supplies it with air. The interior of the helmet is designed with a defogging mechanism that prevents the front window from fogging. The helmet is also fitted with a vent which continuously exhausts unneeded air from the helmet. Since the bent is located at the back, there is no air valve to obstruct the guest’s view.

For those of you who wish to explore the fascinating world of the ocean, the walk and experience of the underwater world will be an experience never to forget. Hotel and boat transfers are included in the package price and the company is fully insured. Lembongan Island is only a thirty minute cruise from the mainland and Bali Marine Walk also offers a good range of other activities.

Durian Time in Bali

by Barrie | May 4th, 2011   Tweet

It’s that time of the year again when you can’t take them into a taxi or a bus, or even into a shopping centre and, some hotels even ban them being devoured in their rooms. In fact, Durian is one of those fruits that give off an odour even before it is sliced open. And yes, they are delicious to eat; or so I am told never having the tastebuds to continue eating them. Once was enough for me!

The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine and gym socks.

The 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace famously described its flesh as “a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds”. The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet edibles in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.

My wife Candika loves them and so do our good friends in Bali and we often have Durian get-togethers; yours truly preferring to take photos. I did have Durian ice-cream in Java once and loved it but have been unable to obtain it in Bali.

Clouds of Bali – A Photo Journal

by Barrie | May 1st, 2011   Tweet

Everybody knows that Bali is a photographers’ delight with so many colours; in the landscapes, the people and their dress, markets, the culture, and of course, the fabled sunsets. How many times have you bothered to actually look at the sky in detail when it’s not a clear day? You would be surprised at the poetic images created; especially in the early morning and at dusk.

As a kid I used to love looking up at the sky on a cloudy day and try to imagine animals and other features in the sky. Yes, we all did it! Bali has a unique location in this world being in the tropics. Storms are prevalent yet rain may not fall. This atmospheric action combined with the sun’s rays hidden behind the clouds provides some spectacular and colourful images.