BaliLive

Jakarta’s Life Music Scene Evolving

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Jakarta’s live music scene is constantly evolving but recently there has been a new wave of venues opening and that is exciting for vacationers and locals alike.

Black Cat Jazz & Blues Club
Jakarta has few places that are truly a jazz and blues club, but the Black Cat certainly is. You will find the Black Cat at the Plaza Senayan Arcadia building and every day there is life performances to entertain their guests. The sultry music wafts through the air and you’ll find yourself drawn towards the Black Cat.

Marley Bar
Don’t be fooled by the name Marley Bar is not a reggae bar. It is a hip place for young musicians aspiring to grow their careers combined with young adults who love live music. Marley is located in the Energy building. It’s a dimly lit bar with a relaxed atmosphere so it is perfect for getting together with friends for late drinks. There is live music every night, and on special nights, there is a tribute to 90s bands such as Coldplay, Blur, and Foo Fighters. On Wednesdays, customers can get on stage to sing with a full band.

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Bali Promotes Itself as a Green Destination

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Bali is a popular destination for vacationers from around the world, but they are also promoting themselves in a new light – as a “green destination.” There’s a lot of environmentally friendly opportunities in Bali.

Marine tourism has certainly taken advantage of this new way of promoting Bali. There are tons of dive operators in the area and marine tourism is running in harmony with coral reef conservation.

In the southeast part of Bali, there are some of the most amazing landscapes and some fabulous headlands that overlook the bays where you can see fishing boats dotting the waters. In Amed there are around 20 dive operators taking tourists out snorkeling and diving. Of course there are many others in other areas of Bali.

Kuta offers some amazing landscaped both on land and on water, as well as underwater. Sea lovers love vacationing in this area. Whether you want to snorkel, dive, or just go out for a sail there’s tons of opportunity.

There are all the wonderful Bali beaches to enjoy too. Walk along the white sandy beaches, soak up some rays from the shore, take in a magnificent sunset, or enjoy the sound of the lapping waves onshore.

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Bali Hotel Market Will Evolve Dramatically in Next Few Years

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Luxury Villas in Bali

Now that tourists know that Bali has been one of the best-kept vacation secrets, they are flocking to Bali at record numbers. That has put a great deal of pressure on Bali infrastructure, and Bali has responded with improvements to the airport and roadways.

Horwath HTL and Phuket-based C9 Hotelworks stated in a report that Bali, like other Asian resort destinations is facing similar dilemmas where public sector infrastructure is having a hard time keeping up with private sector investment.

“Like it or not, Bali’s evolving hotel market is set to evolve dramatically as we head toward the landmark AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) free-trade initiative in 2016,” said managing director of C9 Hotelworks, as quoted by Phuket Wan Tourism News.

This October, the attention of the world will be on Bali, as it prepares to host the APEC Summit. There has a been a $200 million US upgrade to the airport that handles 25 million passengers a year, along with a new toll road, key underpass, and other infrastructure upgrades.

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Bali is one of the World’s top Islands

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bali beach

The world’s best resorts are located in Bali. Additionally, it is also one of the best islands, which families, newlyweds and even groups love to visit. The island is quite magical in captivating first time tourists. If you have never been to Bali, the first time you visit will probably not be your last; you will most certainly feel the urge to make return visits. It is such a captivating place to visit throughout the year considering the all season friendly tropical climate, and especially during holidays.

Tourist attractions

Bali has several historical sites that you can visit with your family and learn more about its origins and early days. The island plays host to several religious and sacred sites that an entire family can comfortably visit. Its beaches are among its biggest attractions and they pull in millions of tourists every year, numbering more than 2.5 million each year, with prospects of increasing numbers in the future. It is home to several excellent entertainment centres, and shopping arcades thus making it a modern yet traditional island.

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Balinese Sanctuary for Women Travelling Alone Opens

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If you combine women who are looking for a vacation where they can heal their mind, body, and soul with women who are looking for a safe vacation destination, you would come up with the brainchild of entrepreneur Zoe Watson, who opened Bliss Sanctuary for Women in 2010 in Bali.

Watson, who was scared to fly, left the corporate office for Bali in order to let her body recover after a bad car accident. In a world, including Bali, that offers all kinds of retreat vacations for women. According to Watson, what most don’t focus on is the actual travel experience. And this is something Watson knows personally.

“At the time, I said to my boss, ‘I need a month off or you need to get someone to help me’. He said, ‘You can’t do either or those; you can take next week’,” Watson recalls. She took what she could get and travelled to Bali – an option she thought wasn’t ideal at the time, but relatively simple, inexpensive and appeared to offer the safe, solo-travelling experience she was after.

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Bali Tourism Leads to Increase in Real Estate Sales

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The rapid growth in tourism in Bali has also lead to a much higher demand in the real estate sector. Wealthy individuals along with a number of Indonesian firms are creating a buying frenzy in the real estate market, especially when it comes to buying land in the southern island.

According to a report done by property management company, C9 Hotelworks and Horwath HTL, in addition to the very active tourism market, Bali has also seen recent improvements in highways, the underpass construction, and the airport, all of which support the growth of the real estate market.

There has also been a spike in the number of hotels, condo hotels, and Bali villas that are becoming available. Villas in Bali are incredibly popular because they offer something that even the most up-scale hotels cannot offer – seclusion and privacy, along with spacious, luxurious villas, private swimming pools, lush gardens, and their own staff including cooks/chefs.

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Bali Thriving Thanks to Tourism Growth

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Bali continues to thrive as its tourism industry continues to grow and prosper. According to Horwath HTL and C9 Hotelworks, market wide occupancy is almost at 70%. In 2012, the average room rate was $137 US per night.

Australia, China, and Japan are all key to driving the demand, and Malaysia is thought to soon surpass Japan in the number of citizens heading to Bali for their vacation. US vacationers also heads to Bali regularly. It seems the secret is out – Bali is a great place to vacation.

Initially Bali governments may have found themselves struggling to keep up with their new found popularity, especially when it comes to infrastructure. But that is certainly not the case any longer, as they continue to undertake massive infrastructure upgrades to accommodate both tourism and the overall growth in Bali.

Bali locals are benefiting as well from their new found popularity as more employment opportunities arise, better business opportunities, and a real estate market that’s booming. Land is at a prime in Bali and as hotels scramble to find prime land to build, what they may not be realizing is a number of tourists are looking for a different kind of experience.

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Aussies Love Vacationing in Bali

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Aussies love to vacation and Bali has become one of their favourite destinations in the world – in fact; it’s 9th on their list according to travel reporter Angela Saurine. It seems the only places that are rating higher than a trip to Bali is a trip somewhere in their own country. They love Bali beaches, and they head to Bali in record numbers every year. Those numbers are continuing to grow and Bali tourist operators are spending more time focusing on this market. They love having the Aussies vacationing in their country and the Aussies love being there – it’s a win-win all the way around.

Childless Australians love Bali beaches, and they are very fond of Seminyak villas. Many of these people travel as couples or as a group of friends and a Bali villa offers the perfect in accommodations. Luxurious, spacious accommodations, with lush gardens, and private swimming pools, as well as on site staff such as cooks, beautiful ocean views, and so much more. It’s no surprise that this type of accommodation is becoming far more popular that hotel stays, because even in the most luxurious hotel there are still other guests to share the common spaces with.

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Tanah Lot Temple Sees Record Number of Visitors in 2012

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The iconic Tanah Lot Temple is a must see for anyone spending their vacation in Bali, and according to the tourist stats for 2012 more and more people are discovering this. A whopping 2.5 million people made it to the Tanah Lot Temple last year.

Tanah Lot Temple can be found on the coast of Beraban in the Kediri sub-district. It is 30 km west side of Denpasar town and about 11 km in south side Tabanan town. The temple is built on a three-acre rock and can be reached by walking for just a few minutes. Enjoy the strategically placed Balinese shops along the walk to the temple.

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Bali Establishes Five Tourism Projects

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With the growth of tourism comes the growth of Bali, and that includes the announcement of five new tourism projects with a value of Rp 21.5 trillion, which translates to around $2.2 billion US dollars. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, four of these tourism projects are set to be constructed in Bali, while one is set to be constructed in West Nusa Tengara.

The four Bali projects will be well received by tourists. They include the construction of a golf course in the Buleleng district along with a resort and accommodations, and the construction of a marina and yacht facilities in the Badung district.

In 2012, during the first eight months, 5.21 million foreign tourists arrived in Bali and those numbers will continue to grow. It’s clear – the secret is out that Bali is one of the best vacation destinations on the planet.

While these five tourism projects will be well received by tourists, one should recognize that Bali already has plenty to offer. White sandy beaches are one of Bali’s top tourist attractions. You can walk for miles in the warm sand, go surfing, enjoy numerous marine activities, or just relax on the beach soaking up some rays. There are a number of beaches you can choose from – some are quieter than others, so you can choose what’s right for you.

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Golfers Create List of Favorite Bali Golf Courses

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Golfers lover to explore golf course and that applies to those who are in vacation in Bali. Those same golfers decided to share what golf courses were their favorites. Let’s have a look:

#1 Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club – 18 holes
Golfers like the challenge of this course and there is no difference in rates for members and non-members making it a popular choice for many vacationing golfers.

#2 Balibeach Golf Course – 18 holes
Not only will you love the golf course, you will love the clubhouse here. Located on the grounds of the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, which is a popular resort with tourists.

#3 Balibeach Golf Course – 9 holes
This 9 hole course is very popular with tourists offering a course that few have any complaints about. The Balibeach Golf Course Clubhouse is on the grounds of the Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, another popular tourist resort.

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Bali Wine Auction Returns January 20, 2013

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In November 2011, the Bali Wine Auction enjoyed a successful first event. So much, that they’ve decided to host the Bali Wine Auction once again on January 20, 2013, at the Astor Ballroom of the St. Regis Bali Resort, located in Nusa Dua. If you happen to be vacationing in Bali at this time, this is an excellent event to attend.

This is the brainchild of Henny Santoso and Bill Busch of Lotus Food distribution, and colleagues in the Bali wine distribution sector were very quick to support the event.

The event begins on Sunday, January 20th at 3:00 pm with a one-hour ‘brown-bag’ blind wine tasting of six wines, which is followed by the auction from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm that includes 25 lots of wine and wine merchandise. The event is limited to 150 tickets so if this is something you would like to participate in while you are on vacation in Bali, be sure to get your tickets early. This is going to be one of those events you are glad you didn’t miss.

Luxury Villas are available throughout Bali, that are a great start to any vacation, and a wonderful place to return at the end of a busy day. Or spend your days relaxing by your private pool or enjoying personal spa treatments in the comfort of your villa. Bali is a wonderful place to vacation with so much to offer – enjoy the culture and local people, participate in the very active nightlife, go surfing or enjoy other marine activities, watch the breathtaking sunsets, go for a walk on the beach, visit the many temples, or explore the interesting and unique shops.

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Bali Selected for APEC Summit 2013

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Bali has been selected as the venue for the 2013 APEC Summit. This should come as no surprise since Bali has successfully hosted numerous international events. The APEC Summit will focus on promoting investment in infrastructure, and providing the appropriate tools to small and medium business for economic development.

The Bali government did a great deal of preparation to ensure that the 2013 APEC Summit would be held in Bali October 5-7. Bali will construct an overpass and underpass to handle the congestion so that things move along smoothly for the Summit. Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali will be completed in June of 2013 so it will also be ready for the APEC Summit.

Bali has a seen a great deal of growth in its tourism industry in the past decade and it is anticipated that growth will continue into the future. In fact, tourism has become the main economic income for Bali. These improvements to the roads and airways are going to benefit tourists in general. More flights in and traffic moving smoother on the ground.

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Enjoy a Happy Ending Bali Massage

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Happy Ending Massage in Bali

Full service massages aren’t new – their history in Asia dates way back. At one time, they were used on both sexes by psychiatrists and physicians as a type of treatment. For males, it was used to release tension and for females, it was used to induce labour and more. In fact, it was the full service massage that led to the creation of the vibrator.

Western culture might see the full service massage as unsavory, but not Asian society where it is understood to have societal and health benefits. It can be debated as to whether this is a sexual encounter or a relaxation technique. You could try it and decide for yourself!

Finding a Happy Ending Massage in Bali
If you want to find a happy ending massage in Bali, the best areas to look are Sanur, Kuta, Renon and Denpasar in the city. There are also well known places in Legain and Seminyak that will be happy to accommodate. 

The taxi drivers in Legian and in Kuta know where all the happy ending massages are to be found. One way is to pay them a little extra and they’ll even wait for you to have your massage, although the more savvy will get the taxi driver to drop them away from the premises as quite often the taxi driver will ‘claim’ a commission from the massage establishment, which is then added to your bill.

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Kuta Beach Offers Excellent Value for Vacation Getaway

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Kuta Beach is one of Bali’s best surfing places. This white sandy beach stretches for three kilometers from Seminyak beach to the tuban area. Restaurants and bars are scattered along the way offering you plenty of places to stop to grab a bite to eat or enjoy a cocktail while having some fun in the sun. In the area, you’ll find great value in hotels and villas, with the latter offering you a luxurious and spacious accommodation option.

The big and powerful waves on Kuta beach are quite something to watch. If you are new to surfing not to worry there are plenty of surfing instructors that you can find right along the beach shore. If you are an avid surfer the waves waiting for you – come ride the big ones. There’s an opportunity awaiting you here regardless of your skill level. Or perhaps you just want to sit on the sidelines and watch the surfers – that can definitely be an experience in itself! However, you choose to enjoy the ocean waves and white sandy beaches, we know that you are going to have a great time.

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The Batur Volcano

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The Gunung Batur is the active volcano which is located in the north-west of Gunung Agung area. This volcano is consisted of two craters. The first one is up to 10 km long and 13,5 km wide. In this crater the lake Danau Batur can be found. When it comes to the second crater its dimensions are 6,4 km by 9,4 km. It is estimated that this volcano is over 25,000 years old. The highest point of this volcano is approximately at 2,200 meters.

According to some of the researchers this volcano has been much higher. However, as a consequence of one explosion the current height had been reached. A small lake is created by the rain in the crater. It is worth mentioning that this volcano is still active. The lake with its dimensions 3 km by 9 km according to some beliefs is treated as the holly lake. In addition, it honors the goddess of the lakes Ida Batara Ulun Dewi Danu. This lake is definitely one of the most photographed places on the volcano.

It is interesting to mention that up to 20,000 people live in the villages next to the craters including Kedisan, Toya Bungkah and Kintamani. On the shores of this like the tourists can witness some of the oldest traditions and ceremonies on Bali. The top of the volcano can be reached from the western side of the lake. Here the village of Toya Bungkah is located. It serves as the starting point for the tourists who want to visit the top of the volcano. It takes approximately three hours to reach to the top of the volcano for the tourists who walk to it. It is recommended to start with the journey as early in the morning as possible. The reason for this advice is actually very simple. In order to enjoy the sunset on the top of the volcano you have to arrive before the sun shines this area. One more thing is to be taken into serious consideration by the tourists who come here in search for the genuine adventure. A local guide is more than an appropriate choice for climbing in the dark to the volcano top. In addition, the climbers have to dress properly, because of the significant temperature oscillations in this area. It is worth mentioning that the natural sources of water are very rare on the way to the volcano top.

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Padang Padang Bali

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Local rippers at Padang Padang, Bali in October 2011. A truly epic swell. Filmed by Oq Abrar. Produced by Mick Curley.

Kuta Cowboys a Hit With Female Sex Tourists in Bali

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It’s a well-known fact that Bali is a popular vacation destination, but what many don’t know is that it is one of the most desired vacation destinations for female sex tourists, thanks to the Kuta cowboys. Each year thousands of women make their way to Bali looking for paradise. And what many find are the open arms of the Kuta cowboys. In fact, these muscular, bronzed beach bodies have made Bali the world’s leading vacation destination for female sex tourists.

According to “Cowboys in Paradise” Bali is the hottest destination for those women looking for a little holiday romance. Now you might think that these guys are just your typical gigolos, but they claim to be much more than this. How one would find out the difference will have to be left to the imaginations of the female sex tourists, who may not even care.

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Bali Popular Destination for Students on Break

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Bali has become a popular destination for students on break looking to get away and party. In fact, during these breaks, Bali has never had so much testosterone floating around the beaches, which are filled with men in their twenties on the hunt for girls.

In the past few years, Bali as a party destination for school breaks has grown immensely. During the last couple weeks of November and the early part of December more than 6000 students visit Bali, bringing youthful energy and spirits to Bali clubs.

One popular drink is called the “Illusions” – it is served in tall plastic cups and costs a fraction of what a similar drink would cost in Australia or the US. Groups of young men and women hip, hop, and shake to the beat of the music all night long especially in areas like Seminyak or Kuta’s nightclub strip – this goes on every night of the week.

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Retiree Tourists are Welcomed to Bali Villages

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Bali has become the home away from home for many over the age of 65. Some of this retirement crowd has been coming for years and have just continued to do so after they retired, while others are just discovering the beauty and culture that Bali has to offer. One thing is for certain – Bali is welcoming this retiree tourist with open arms.

One of the largest demographics to take visit Bali is the elderly Japanese who come to Bali for their annual vacation. In fact, more than 2000 Japanese senior tourists come and stay for extended periods of time during the year. Of the 3 million tourists that arrived in Bali in 2012 a larger percentage were retirees from Japan, Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and Australia.

Because of the retiree, tourists that are heading to Bali a number of retirement villages have been built in the Bangli region, and villas around the island cater to the retirement population. Luxurious and spacious Bali villas are available for rent by couples, or groups traveling together. They offer an affordable alternative to hotels.

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