Baru di Bali

Away from the old Balinese village of Tenganan near Candidasa lies one of the island’s hidden beauties called Pantai Pasir Putih (Indonesian for White Sand Beach). The beach’s honest name should be enough of a description. Anyway, given that it’s pretty secluded – thus not many come around – Pasir Putih is a perfect spot for those seeking laid-back tranquility. The absence of crowd also keeps...

The Indonesia Surf Life Saving Association (ISLSA) was founded in 1972 and became a member of World Life Saving (WLS) in 1980. Founder and president of the company, I Gde Berata, has been successfully building a large network of lifesaving posts throughout Indonesia. Increasing lifesaving activities have led to a significant drop in the number of deaths caused by drowning over the last...

As if the island hasn’t had enough parties already, the culturally rich Bali is currently at a busy time preparing yet another festivity. And this time, it’s island-wide! The huge festivity is very fascinating, especially since it’ll be like the famed Venice’s Carnivale, but only with the members of Adam’s Family and Disney-Pixar’s scary, oh-so-not-cute troupes of Monsters Inc. altogether...

The thick spiritual aura of the quiet, unsullied village of Sidemen in Karangasem is made even more divine with the palm reader, Akiko Matsubara finding her home in the area. Curiosity led Akiko to come to this island; yet, little did she know that Bali had primed something way beyond her wildest dream: a Balinese husband. Her modest yet peaceful home welcomes everyone wishing to be foretold....

Do you want to hug a lion cub, share some thoughts with a bunch of chatty cockatoos, or even pet a crocodile? Whatever meets your fancy, Bali Zoo is definitely the place to be, when you feel like satisfying the nature lover in you.

Ever since it was established in September 2002, Bali Zoo has delighted visitors with its amazing diversity of the natural world in all its wild and natural glory....

As a Hindu temple, certainly, Tirtha Empul attracts the Balinese Hindus from across the island. Even so, a lot of non-Hindu visitors also come to the temple these days to receive blessings from the sacred spring sited within the temple compound. Local belief has it that the sacred spring was created by Warrior God Indra, whose army had been poisoned by the evil force of Mayadanawa. God Indra...

Now, dear readers, let’s take a quick moment playing with biology. If you learnt the lesson well then you might comprehend the simple links between the tree shrubs, animals and us, humans in a food chain. That’s right, some animals eat plants, some animals eat other animals and we eat them all. In a food chain, energy is passed from one link to another so that each link can grow and carry out...

It surely looks staggering, but the Balinese women’s temple dress is certainly not intended as a kick-ass fashion statement. The dress, which is called kebaya, is compulsory attire and worn as a symbolic gesture with a function to honor the Moon Goddess Ratih.

As nearly with everything in Bali, dress also has a divine origin. According to the Balinese Hindu manuscripts, humans were created...

March 15.
"Tawur Agung Kesanga": a great sacrificial ceremony offered to the underworld spirits for not disturbing human being's settlement (at 12.00) followed by procession of ogoh ogoh (huge dolls symbolizing evil spirits) in the evening. (Puputan square, downtown of Denpasar)

March 16.
"Nyepi": Saka New Year 1932, the day of absolute silence.

March 17.
"Med-Medan": an event held in...

Rapid developments currently undertaking in Bali have resulted in continuation of diminishing land, shrinking the amount of arable land by 750 hectares every year. This alteration of land use is posing a threat to Bali's agriculture-based culture, creating a downside for the preservation of Balinese culture. In response to this matter, suggestions have been delivered to the government to...