Bali News

Bali Police locate dishonest currency exchanges

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Bali money changer scam

In response to an Australian couple becoming victims to a money changer scam in Legian last week, Bali Police have stated that they aim to locate dishonest currency exchanges in the island’s tourism hotspots and bring them to justice. As previously reported, a husband and wife from down under who were traveling on the Island … Read more

A Sea of Plastic in Bali

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Bali has been a tourist hotspot for many years, with millions of visitors flocking to the Indonesian island annually. While beautiful beaches and culture are everywhere – so is plastic. One British diver recently showed just how bad the problem is on a diving trip off the coast of Bali.

The video, featuring Richard Horner, shows plastic waste, bags, plastic baskets, straws, buckets, sheets, cups, bottles, and more, scattered throughout the sea. There appeared to not only be a thick layer of plastic waste on the water’s surface but covering the reefs as well.

Richard, who went diving to catch a glimpse of manta rays which use the area as a cleaning station, was horrified by what he saw. During his entire experience, he only sighted one ray.

According to Richard, who posted his video on Facebook, the manta rays probably “decided not to bother”.

“Surprise, surprise, there weren’t many mantas there at the cleaning station today,” he said.

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30-year-old Woman Arrested for Allegedly Stabbing Father to Death

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In the West Nusa Tenggara province of Lombok in Bali, a 30-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her father to death with a kitchen knife.

According to the Mataram Police Chief, Saipul Alam at a recent press conference, the suspect’s father died after being stabbed at least one dozen times in his chest, head, and eyes. The incident took place at the beginning of June.

So far, Police have not been able to establish mental illness as the cause for the attack. Instead, they believe the alleged assailant was entirely aware of her actions.

The woman, who Police have only referred to as ‘HN’, had initially been involved in a verbal argument with her mother on the Saturday the incident took place. HN’s father had heard the commotion from another area of the family’s home and went to investigate.

Upon arriving, his daughter had already made her way to her own bedroom, closing the door behind her. Her father knocked on her door and asked her to perform the Asr prayer. The Asr prayer is the third prayer out of five daily prayers for practicing Muslims.

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Brazilian MMA Fighter Dies in Bali

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MMA Fighter

A Brazilian MMA fighter and instructor has died in Bali following a late night motorbike accident. The incident happened on Pantai Berawa in the greater Canggu area on Bali’s West Coast on Monday, December 5, 2016. Silvio Romero da Silva was the owner of a martial arts studio in Bali where he was an instructor. He was riding … Read more

Kiane Sabet – Amokrane Dead

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Kiane 'Amokrane ' Sabet

Canggu Bali resident and French national Kiane Sabet aka ‘Amokrane’ was shot by police after attacking and fatally stabbing one of the police officers from the North Kuta Police force, identified as Anak Agung Putu Sudi.

On Facebook a post from someone who says ‘I lived in the same region as this guy – Canggu Bali for a couple of years. Complete nut case. Many people I know had scary confrontations with him in the last couple of years. Banned from most of the gyms in Bali”.

Kiane Sabet Amokrane - BaliHe also went on to say, “I read a book by Kate Kray (ex-wife of prolific London gangster Ronnie Kray) a couple of years ago called “Ultimate Hard Bastards – The truth about the toughest men in the World” that he was featured in under his real name Kiane Sabet – along with the likes of ex-IRA soldier Johnny Adair, Britain’s most notorious high security prisoner Charles Bronson, Albert Reading and one of the UK’s most violent members of the underworld, Roy ‘Pretty Boy’ Shaw.”

“In the book he comes off as being a pretty normal type of guy – not crazy – but every time I ran into him in the last few years he was yelling absolutely crazy shit and kept repeating that he was Jesus Christ” – then commented “not sure what happened in between – but I also read that the police in London had petitioned to have him banned from all licensed premises due to the violence at several venues where he was in charge of security. I have read lots of posts on FB in Bali community groups today & yesterday where bleeding hearts are saying he was harmless. Pig’s ass he was. Any sympathy should be kept for the poor copper & his family”.

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Schapelle Corby Released

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shapelle corby

Shapelle Corby has been released from Kerobokan jail in Bali today. She has spent more than nine years in Hotel K on drug charges. She departed the jail in a van with a massive media contingent and chaotic scenes. Indonesia’s justice minister, Amir Syamsuddin approved Corby’s parole application late last week, and she is expected to be … Read more

Bali Mandara Toll Road is Now Open to the Public

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The opening of the Mandara Toll road to the public was met with great excitement. This toll road is going to make a difference of about 20 minutes from the Ngurah Rai airport to Benoa turning a 30-minute ride into a 10-minute drive. That’s exciting. The Bali Mandara toll road connect Nusa Dua with Ngurah Rai Benoa, Bali

It seems with the opening came some glitches and travellers were quickly reporting that there were significant traffic jams after the exit gates. These glitches are sure to be worked out over time as the excitement of the new route returns to normal and traffic patterns stabilize. Once the toll charges begin it’s likely locals will opt for the old way of commuting and that will take a great deal of pressure off the new Mandara toll road.

If you have not seen pictures of this toll, you should take the time to have a look. It is really quite an amazing achievement and visitors are not only going to save time, they are going to get a spectacular view as they travel this highway.

According to a recent news report, local officials are excited because their goal was to have the toll road open for the APEC Summit, which happens in October, and they did indeed meet their goal. According to government officials this toll road was built to help reduce traffic jams, support tourism infrastructure and to help make it easier to transport goods.

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Bali Government Wants to Preserve Traditional Bali Games

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When Balinese children attend school they learn the Balinese language, but they also learn traditional Balinese games such as Gala Gala, Tajog, and Bakiak/Terompah. However, the concern is that these traditional games are going by the wayside and thus an important part of Balinese culture could be lost. It seems these days Playstation and other video games are becoming more popular than traditional games. In fact, in some schools the children are no longer taught these traditional games.

These games are not just played by children, adults participate as well. After all, they are a real part of Balinese culture. But the concern is that these games are dying a slow death. Just recently, the Denpasar Culture Agency has asked for an inventory of the different traditional games that exist in the area. So concerned are they about the loss of these traditional games from their society, they have made this a priority.

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Marketing Bali: Image Ideas

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When you’re building a website about Bali vacations aimed at the tourist industry, what kind of image should you use to represent Bali? We’re talking about the overview here – designing your website, logo, banner, or business card.

The good news is that Bali is such a rich landscape of culture and natural wonder that you have a wide choice of iconic representations to choose from. What we mean by “iconic representations” is, for example, think of the Disney theme parks. The first image that came to mind was probably a set of mouse ears. Or think of the tourism industry for France – notice how the image of the Eiffel Tower immediately flashed through your mind? Things like that are iconic – they represent their place using a picture.

Here’s some possible inspirations for your Bali-travel business:

* Temples: You can’t throw a rock in Bali without hitting a temple. Half the tours in Bali have temple stops. Also, they have that distinct pagoda-style layered peaked roof shape, perfect for a logo.

* Watersport: Surfboards, snorkel gear, jetskis, and yachts are just perfect for a Bali tourism campaign that focuses on beach-side villa rentals. If you just represented a seaside attraction with sea shells and starfish, any old country with a coastline can boast those. But quality ocean-going leisure can only be had in places like Bali.

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Snowing in Bali Drug Trafficking In Bali

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snowing in bali

It’s snowing in Bali. What? Snowing? Never! Actually, when we are taking about snowing in Bali this is the code that is used by drug dealers when a very large cocaine shipment has landed in Bali. For the men who are in charge of Bali’s drug empires, it means it’s time for them to get rich.

This practice dates back to the 1980s, when smuggling cocaine to Bali entailed the use of South American surfers. This was certainly big business! The drug trafficker’s methods were alternated depending on what was being scrutinized by the authorities. A surfboard shaper would be paid $5,000 to embed the cocaine into the surfboard and then the surfer would travel to Bali with his/her board.

This method remained popular until the mid 1990’s when Frank de Castro Diaz, a South American surfer was arrested at Denpasar Airport in Bali with 4.3 kilos of cocaine hidden in his surfboards. The publicity around the case lead to a temporary halt in moving drugs this way.

However, that was short lived and before long, the cocaine was once again moving from South America to Asia using sports equipment, windsurfing equipment, surfboard bags and a blend of tourists. There’s no shortage of surfers that were willing to be a runner. That’s because it’s a lucrative business. The cost of the cocaine goes up with every border that it crosses.

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Bali Hosts Talks to Outlaw People Smuggling

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Bali recently hosted an international forum on illegal trafficking of humans. Foreign Minister Bob Carr says that there are 37 countries that have jumped on board and agreed to outlaw people smuggling and these countries will be cracking down on illegal trafficking.

The conference got started with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Marty Natelegawa, asking for early detection and higher prevention of human trafficking and more effort in stopping people smuggling.

Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor and Senator Carr attended the forum, in a closed session that involved 37 countries, all of who attended and agreed to engage law enforcement and their expertise along with training organizations to coordinate any crackdowns on human smuggling.

The meeting has resulted in the formation of a partnership with the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. The focus is to increase the police and border security ability to respond to people smuggling. Senator Carr said other countries would need to assist the local law enforcement because the issue was far too big for one country to address on its own.

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Bali Highway Benoa-Nusa Dua Nearing Completion

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According to The Ministry of Public Works the highway construction above sea level that will connect Benoa, Denpasar and Nusa Dua has reached 83% and for Bali that’s very exciting.

“Now the construction is on schedule and will finish on time,” said the Head of Highway Management Agency Ministry of Public Work Ahmad Ghani Gazaly in the middle of regional consultation meeting in Denpasar.

According to the Minister, a special consultant has tested the quality of the 11 kilometres of road construction, and it passes with flying colours. Thus far, the weather has not been a factor in the completion of the road construction, which has made the Minister very happy.

The Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto had a similar opinion and was also extremely optimistic that the Denpasar-Nusa Dua highway would be completed by May of 2013.

“We believe that the target will be achieve since there is no serious obstacle,” said Kirmanto.

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Private Jet Charter Services in Bali Grow

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As tourism grows in Bali and more and more business venues appear the demand for private jet charter services grows, and Bali companies have stepped up to that demand. In recent years there has been significant expansion in these services.

Embraer Legacy 600

This new business jet is able to accommodate up to 13 passengers, and it can fly 3,250 miles on a 7-hour non-stop flight. This jet has the latest avionics and it also has an excellent entertainment system to make each flight more enjoyable. The Embraer Legacy 600 is excellent for busy executives and vacationers.

Air Bali Charter

This 4 passenger Piper Cheyenne 400LS is now available in Bali and offers exciting air trips to Bali points of interest. This fixed wing twin-turboprop aircraft is excellent for Bali vacationers that want to enjoy a bird’s eye view of paradise. This is the fastest turbo prop in its class and it has a cruising speed of 330 knots at 35,000 ft altitude. It can take off and land from 850m airstrips and has a 2,500 km range. This plane is also offered up as an air ambulance and for private charters.

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Tirtha Bridal Unveils Innovative Water Wedding

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Tirtha Bridal is excited to unveil its most creative wedding yet. The new water wedding is innovative and incredible. What an experience for the bride, groom, and guests. This is the ultimate in perfect fantasy weddings. Couples will exchange vows on a the natural green stone altar that has been built specifically for weddings, which has then been set on an infinity pool, that is perched atop a Bali cliff.

The alter floats perfectly in line with the horizon so your backdrop is the spectacular Indian Ocean merging with the brilliant skies. This water wedding truly does offer the most surreal wedding experience ever. There are certainly a number of ways to tie the knot in Bali but this tops most.

For more information about the Water Wedding Tirtha Bridal is offering you can contact them at Jalan Uluwatu, Br. Dinas Karang Boma, Pecatu, reach them by phone at (0361) 847-1151, or visit their website.

To add the finishing touches to your wedding consider a Bali villa – not only as the perfect place for your honeymoon, it’s the perfect place to have your wedding reception. There are numerous choices in Bali villas to meet your needs and your pocket book.

If a water wedding isn’t your idea of the perfect wedding, not to worry, because Bali is well known for the variety of memorable wedding settings and themes it offers – there is certainly one that is just what you envisioned. You might even decide to have your service right at your Bali villa – that’s a popular choice for many, after all everything you want is right there – beautiful gardens, ocean views, private swimming pools, personal chefs and staff, and so much more.

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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 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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