Bali Blogger – Page 5

Civet Coffee – Another Amazing Balinese Oddity

On February 29, 2012

Travelers to luxury villas in Bali love to soak up the local culture and lore, and nothing is so authentically Balinesian as their famous civet-cat coffee. Produced on Sumatra, Java, and Bali, these Sumatran beans are incredibly expensive, but also highly sought after. Because they’re made from civet-cat poop.

No, wait, come back here! You see, civet cats eat coffee beans, which are actually the “seed” in the middle of a kind of berry. As the beans pass through the digestive tract of the civet cat, its enzymes break down peptides and amino acids in the beans – this makes them less acidic and more mellow. The beans are then collected and washed, sun-dried, and light-roasted. They sell for $160 per pound, but coffee fanciers staying in Bali might find a bargain from a local producer.

A Student’s-Eye View of Balinese Tourism

By Bali Blogger

On January 16, 2012

In News, Tourism

Any young student should take advantage of that opportune time of their early 20s to travel the world and see the sights. It broadens the mind, stimulates the intellect, and gives you some great stories to tell in your advancing years. And Bali provides one of the best experiences of all.

General Student Info – Actually, it’s also good basics for anybody to know.
A post about a nurse’s student exchange program – Just one example of the opportunities there are out there.

Bali – The Diver’s World Paradise

By Bali Blogger

On December 3, 2011

In Beaches, Things To Do, Tourism

Divers worldwide, both amateur and professional, rank Bali as a sublime world-class diving destination. Miles of unspoiled beaches, amazing diverse coral reefs, an unimaginable menagerie of tropical sea life, and the clearest, most crystal-blue water of the mighty Pacific. Oh, did we mention that even the weather’s perfect for it nearly year-round? Whether scuba or snorkel, Bali is Neptune’s gift to divers.

The concentration of best locations are on the east side of the island of Bali, near either the small south-east islands (Lembongan, Ceningan, Penida), or Tulamben to the north-east. But really, you almost can’t go wrong anywhere around Bali. We recommend staying at a beachside luxury villa, many of which cater to the diving enthusiast. The peninsula of Nusa Dua is also popular. Here, we’ll try to give you a YouTube tour of just some of the awesome diving experiences you could have around this jewel of the Pacific.

Five Reasons To Stay In A Villa When Visiting Bali

By Bali Blogger

On September 22, 2011

In Villas

Sure, there are all kinds of ways to enjoy a Balinese vacation. There could be something to be said for almost any kind of temporary residence, because Bali’s such an enjoyable place that you really could stay in a stable and still have a good time. But from surveying a lot of travellers over the years, you’ll find that villas are the overall top-rated accommodation.

1. It’s private.

Hotels are crowded, private lodging is dodgy, and youth hostels are not only dormitory style, but a great place to get your luggage stolen. Bali, as a culture, is generally structured to be a lot more communal than what we Westerners are used to. Villas are the one respite from the hectic, chaotic pace of Balinese cities, and gives you a chance to regroup away from the mobs.

How To Visit Bali Like A Responsible Tourist

By Bali Blogger

On September 16, 2011

In Tourism

The Indonesian island of Bali has been one of the most-visited places in the world, and their tourism industry has only shown more expansion and become a more valuable part of their economy as time goes on. But, as anybody who has lived near a popular tourist destination can tell you, all that activity can take a toll on an area. You can help ensure that Bali will continue to welcome visitors by following a few tips:

Be patient and respectful with the locals.

Balinese culture, being relatively isolated, is far different from any other region. It has a heavy spiritual influence, and that spiritualism is usually Hindu, which has its own morals and values. At the same time, the pace may be more hectic because of the cultural attitude of “rame”, which basically means “everybody act like bees in a beehive”. At the same time, the pace can seem slower, because everybody seems more interested in socializing than getting any work done. And then there’s the street vendors and touts, who can be annoyingly persistent. The thing to do is to not take any of this personally, and just try to adjust to the pace around you. You’ll never get anywhere by acting like a bossy Westerner and trying to push people around.

A Thrilling Snorkel Adventure In Tulamben, Bali

By Bali Blogger

On April 26, 2011

In Beaches, Things To Do, Tourism

What could possibly make snorkeling of the coast of a tropical paradise into the clear, sparking, sapphire waters of the Pacific even more fun? How about a whole shipwreck to explore? Bali Villa Rent gives an account of snorkeling amid the shipwreck remains. This is a historic site off the coast of Tulamben, on the north-east coast of the island of Bali.

The shipwreck is that of the U.S. Liberty, a United States aircraft carrier that was sunk during World War II, 1942. Today it rests a mere six meters underwater, easily accessible by divers, and has now partly merged with a corral reef. Scuttlebutt around the diving community says that October and November are the best times to dive the wreck, which is located a mere few minutes’ swim from shore.

Transportation in Bali

By Bali Blogger

On March 15, 2011

In News, Tourism

Whether your Bali vacation destination is a bustling, major city like Denpasar or Ubud or a quieter, remote locale, getting around town will be a necessity. While Bali, being a relatively small island, doesn’t have things like railways or major freeways, it is a very well-civilized culture in most places with paved roads and traffic laws, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble.

Buses and shuttles – The most common form of transportation, Bali buses are run by the Perama bus company and have stations in most major tourist locations. There is also the newer Trans Sarbagita bus company, set up in 2011 by the Balinese government. Shuttles are also available from most villas and tourist areas, and are cheap and reliable.

A Sweet Tale of One Couple’s Bali Adventure

By Bali Blogger

On May 13, 2010

In News

Our hearts were warmed at this post about one couple’s experience in Bali after winning a vacation as a prize. This was a well-deserved rest, because it was the couple’s first vacation in 12 years! They stayed at a resort in Nusa Dua and got the pampered massage-and-spa treatment.

Naturally, they were thrilled partly just because they didn’t have the kids tagging along. But Bali’s still a great place for kids as well, with the beaches, exotic flora and fauna, and natural beauty everywhere. You’d just want to be sure to pry them away from their iPod and Nintendo DS long enough to look out the window.

A Visit To the Ubud Monkey Forest

By Bali Blogger

On April 29, 2010

In Things To Do

Ubud is a major city in south Bali which sees some of Bali’s heaviest tourist traffic, and most of them are there to visit the world-famous Ubud Monkey Forest and sacred monkey temple. This is a truly unique experience, shared by some 10,000 visitors per month.

The monkeys are of the long-tailed Macaque variety, numbering into the hundreds. They typically split up into “troops”, lately about four of them, that take turns roving around and interacting with the visitors. Monkeys are not too territorial but they do have a strong sense of social community, so members of different troops occasionally fight each other. Females stay with the same troop for life; males may migrate from one troop to another.

The Sacred Monkey Forest of Bali – Why A Temple?

By Bali Blogger

On March 29, 2010

In Culture, Things To Do

Visiting the Balinese Monkey Forest of Ubud, and the accompanying temples there, is an activity that some 10,000 visitors per month enjoy. But, particularly to the Western mind, the mere existence of a sacred forest, much less the temples, is an enigma. Why build a temple to monkeys, of all things? Do they actually worship monkeys as gods there?

Well, no, they don’t worship monkeys per se. But the explanation requires us to dive deep into the Balinese traditions of Hinduism, which is a pretty complicated subject. Balinese Hinduism differs from other forms of Hinduism in that the Balinese mix in some animism, Buddhism, and ancestor worship. They believe in reincarnation and have a caste system. And they believe that how you live in your present life determines what caste and form you take in the next one. Furthermore, they believe that all life forms, animals, insects, and all, participate in this great universal scheme of reincarnation.