Bali InterContinental Resort Bali has regretfully announced that the special appearance of culinary legend Pierre Gagnaire in a One-Day Engagement at the resort on Saturday, April 21, 2012 has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Resort regrets any inconvenience caused by this development and is working to reschedule Chef Gagnaire later in 2012.

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[Food as Art; Chef as Maestro]
 

Exquisite European comfort -ood is on offer every Friday starting from 7:00 pm at the Uma Ubud Pool Bar in the form of 3 styles of moule or mussels. These succulent shellfish are standard fare in France, Belgium and Netherlands where it is de rigueur that they be served with twice-fried pomme frites or French fries.

At the Uma Ubud the 3 styles of moules on offer are:

• Moules marinières – the most classic approach to the dish calls for chopped garlic, a bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves, double cream, butter and a generous helping of white wine.
• Moules provencale – the provincial version of the popular dish forgoes the cream and butter in favor of tomatoes and garlic.
• Moules portugais – uses wine and a generous helping of thinly-sliced, spicy chorizo sausage augmented by corriander and chilli.

Diners are also treated to the choice of a glass of house wine or a bottle of Storm Beer.

Cost of dinner is Rp. 300,000 ++ (US$33).

Uma Ubud
Jalan Raya Sanggingan
Banjar Lungsiakan
Kedewatan
Ubud, Bali

Reservations: ++62-(0)361-972448
[Email Bookings] 

Hilton Worldwide has appointed Jean-Sébastien Kling as general manager of Conrad Bali Resort and Spa at Tanjung Benoa, Bali.

Kling, who replaces the popular and amiable Michael Burchett who will is moving on to new hotel projects in Bali, has 18 years experience in the hospitality industry.

Kling joined Hilton in 1996 as director of conference and banqueting and outside catering at Hilton Strasbourg, France. Other assignment have brought him to France, Egypt, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Turkey and the Maldives serving variously as assistant food & beverage manager, director of conventions and events, director of operations, re-branding manager and regional director of food and beverage.

In 2007 he was named hotel manager at Conrad Istanbul, Turkey before coming to Bali his most recent position was as general manager of Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi.

Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali has becomes the first hotel in Kuta to be certified “Tsunami Ready.”

The resort’s tsunami evacuation procedures have been assessed by the ‘Tsunami Ready’ Certification Authorities and found acceptable on March 30, 2012.

According to the review team, the resort has implemented policies and procedures in the following areas: information sources and interpretation, decision-making, evacuation procedures, evacuation routes and shelters, post-tsunami and earthquake preparedness.

‘Tsunami Ready’ defines regional tsunami safety standards and is actively supported by Bali Hotels Association (BHA), Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali has become the first hotel in Kuta recognized as prepared in the event of a tsunami and joins 3 other hotels in Bali with equal certification. The remaining three properties with 'tsunami ready certification' are the InterContinental Bali Resort, Aerowisata Sanur Beach Hotel and AYANA Resort and Spa Bali.

The highlight of the certification session was an evacuation drill involving guests as well as all employees. During the evacuation drill an entire sequence of events kicked into gear, including shutting down gas and power supplies and the protection of vital documents. At the evacuation or muster points, managers performed roll calls to ensure no one was left behind. Each muster point is supplied with sufficient food, water, and essential medical and hygieneequipment in the event of a prolonged period of isolation.

Alexander Kesper, senior advisor at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia said he was impressed with the dedication of staff and the level of organization displayed during the drills.

“We are pleased to have achieved yet another step leading us to excellence in guest and employee safety. Our guests can be assured that their well-being is being looked after and stay with us with confidence” said the resort’s general manager, Stéphane Varoquier.

[Book a Stay at the Holiday Inn Baruna Bali Resort]

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To celebrate Earth Day 2012 – R.O.L.E. Foundation - the Bali-based non-government organization that seeks to revitalize coastal communities and the environment through the education of women and children, will host an event on Saturday, April 21, 2012 to promote organizations and businesses working to inculcate sustainable tourism practice on the island.

Co-sponsored by Synergy Carbon, the day is configured to be a fun day for tourism industry members and their families with eco-entertainment provided by Coca-cola, Surfer Girl and Oakley.

There will be entertainment, and lectures and product presentations throughout the day.

While visitors enjoy food and drink provided by local vendors they can explore the latest options in green building, water harvesting and conservation, waste management, ocean farming, biogas harvesting and Permaculture.

Synergy Carbon

Founded in 2008, Synergy Carbon has help lower energy bills and achieve sustainable building solutions. Using cutting-edge technology and design, their clients reduce carbon footprints and establish carbon accounting capabilities.

Earth Day Event
Sponsored by R.O.L.E. Foundation and Synergy Carbon
Saturday, April 21, 2012
2:00 - 8:00 pm
Admission is Free
R.O.L.E. Eco-Learning Center
Jalan Celagi Nunngul 101
Sawangan, Nusa Dua

[R.O.L.E. Foundation Website]

Turn right past Nikko Bali Resort and Spa and follow the signs

Telephone ++62-(0)361-8078805
[Email for more information] 

Four Seasons Resorts Bali presents two outstanding dining occasions on Thursday, May 17, 2012 at their Jimbaran Bay property and Saturday, May 19, 2012 at their Sayan – Ubud resort. Center stage at both dinners will be the outstanding wines of Pio Cesare - a winery located in the Piedmont northwest region of Italy.

Pio Cesare is renowned for its range of Piemonte wines. Using Nebbiolo grapes, this region produces Barolo and Barbaresco wines, which have been described by it fans as “drinking velvet.” Other varietals from this region include are Barbera and Dolcetto. Moscato grapes grown in this region produce the sparkling Asti, while Brachetto grapes are employed to make sparkling and sweet wines.

The Pio Cesare Winery was founded in 1881 by Cesare Pio. Cesare Pio was an adamant proponent of Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and the other great wines of Piemonte.

Centered near the city of Alba, the Pio Cesare Winery owns more than 50 hectares of vineyards, located in the most highly rated and better-exposed areas.

Thursday, May 17, 2012 - Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay

The evening of fine food and wine at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay begins with a sunset cocktail reception accompanied with music of the Rindik players on the resort’s poolside deck from 6.30 – 7:00 pm. A multi-course wine-paired dinner follows at the Taman Wantilan restaurant overlooking Jimbaran Bay.

Italian Chef Samuele Baudoino will present an outstanding five-course degustation menu including smoked duck breast, poached lobster and roasted loin of lamb complimented by pairings of Pio Cesare Wines.

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Four Seasons Resort at Sayan

Heading for the hills of Bali at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, the second evening of fine dining and Pio Cesare Wines will also commence with cocktails and canapés at the Lily Pond from 7:00 to 7:30 pm followed by dinner at the picturesque Ayung Terrace suspended above the lush jungle canopy of Sayan Ridge.

The culinary delights of the multi-course dinner will feature bebek (steamed minced duck wrapped in banana leaf), sop kepiting (root spice crab soup) and kambing bumbu rujak (grilled lamb chops) – all expertly prepared by Executive Chef Denny Frederick.

During dinner and the presentation of Pio Cesare Wines, guests will be serenaded by the live performance of a Keroncong Orchestra.

Featured Wines

The wines to be served over both nights are:

Gavi DOCG 2009

Tasting Notes: Ripe fruit with freshness and a clean spicy fragrance, good complex flavor, smooth, silky, rich and slightly aromatic, meant to be consumed young but it can age in the bottle up to 3 years.

Piodelei Chardonnay 2009

Tasting Notes: Spicy, creamy, intense, persistent. Sweet, warm and ripe fruit, still fresh with a long finish. Long ageing potential.

Fides - Barbera D’Alba 2008

Tasting Notes: Fresh ripe fruit, pulp and spices provide the Barbera d'Alba "Fides" with body, structure depth, full concentration and harmony of flavors. Sumptuous wine and meant to age.

Vino Roso Barbaresco 2007

Tasting Notes: A very classic Barbaresco, elegant with ripe and spicy fruit, great depth and complexity. The mild and ripe tannins provide this wine with gentleness and finesse, but also strength and opulence. Very long ageing potential.

Barolo Ornato DOCG 2005

Tasting Notes: This is a very rich Barolo, dense, with supple tannins, full concentrated ripe fruit, elegant and powerful, with an extremely long life. Produced in small quantities and only in excellent vintages.

Moscato D’Asti 2009

Tasting Notes: A semi-sweet wine, with flavors of honey, rich ripe fruit, aromatic on the palate, along with a frizzante finish. The nose is fresh. This wine is produced in very limited production.

Meet Pio Boffa – Master Wine Maker

Pio Cesare’s owner, Pio Boffa, the great grandson of Cesare Pio who founded the winery in 1881, will be present during the dinners to introduce his family-owned vineyard estate and winery, which has become recognized the world over for its dedication to excellence in the art of Italian winemaking.

Bookings, Reservation and More Information

• Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay – Thursday, May 17, 2012

             Rp. 950,000 ++ (US$128)

Reservations are essential and can be made by telephoning ++62-(0)361-701010 extension #8409 or [Email] 

• Four Seasons Resort at Sayan – Saturday, May 19, 2012

            Rp. 850,000 ++ (US$114)

Reservations are essential and can be made by telephoning ++62-(0)361-977577 extension #8003 or [Email] 

The English-language The Jakarta Post has launched a new “Bali Daily” - newspaper supplement dedicated exclusively to covering news from the island.

At a launch ceremony held at the Hard Rock Café in Kuta on Monday, April 9, 2012, Meidya Tama Suryodiningrat of The Jakarta Post told the invitees that the ‘Bali Daily’ was not a Jakarta newspaper published in Bali but a newspaper produced entirely in Bali.

The launch of Bali Daily makes the new newspapers the largest-circulation English language publication in Bali, rival weekly publication's inflated claims to the contrary.

He explained that the idea to published the four-page full-color Bali edition, delivered in tandem with The Jakarta Post, was born of a desire to provide the best service to the existing Bali readership of The Jakarta Post by answering a desire for more news about Bali.

Meidya, who is also know as Dimas, revealed that initial plans are to publish 15,000 copies distributed across 891 places in Bali. Plans are to distribute the publication free over the initial three months following the Bali Daily launch.

BIMC Hospital will expand the medical services offered from its existing hospital in Kuta with the opening of another new hospital in Nusa Dua, marking a milestone in the expansion of the private health services BIMC Hospitals offer to the public in Bali.

Craig Beveridge, CEO of BIMC Hospitals, said: “In close collaboration with the Bali Tourism Development Corporation at Nusa Dua, BIMC Hospital invests significantly to effectively improve the health care services available for tourists as well as for residents in Bali.”

After its official opening on May 5, 2012, the new BIMC Hospital will again raise the standard for quality health care services available to Bali visitors and locals alike as it offers Cosmetic Medicine (CosMedic), Dental and Dialysis services - earning Bali a place on the global map for international standard medical tourism.

Starting in 1998, BIMC Hospital has successfully established an international reputation for quality medical care, initially as a medical center and, since 2007, as a fully-fledged hospital.

The success of BIMC’s commitment to provide an international standard medical service is built on the cornerstone of a comprehensive qualification program designed to keep all medical staff and personnel up-to-date with the constantly evolving developments of medical care.

Similarly, BIMC Hospital continually updates its facilities and staff qualification in order to meet international and Indonesian standards and protocols in the practice of health care. Just one example of this commitment is the long-established collaboration with the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) that provides regular coaching and training by US doctors throughout the year.

Chief Medical Director, Dr. Donna Moniaga, oversees a dedicated medical team of professionals from Australia, USA, UK, Indonesia, New Zealand and Sweden who assist patients 24-hours a day. 

BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua

Internationally owned and managed, BIMC Hospital has assigned Silver Thomas Hanley (STH), an Australian health architecture firm, to design the new hospital. STH is known for their cutting edge designs and expertise in the areas of acute health, special planning, feasibility studies and healthcare architecture design. Their work has included Newcastle Hospital, Austin Hospital, Gold Coast Hospital, RPA Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital to name buy a few projects. The hospital’s interior design has been outfitted by Urban Fabric, an award-winning interior design company based in Durban, South Africa.

The two-storey hospital with 42-inpatient beds is the only hospital in this most southern part of Bali, within easy reach of Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa, Jimbaran and Uluwatu. Situated in the heart of the BTDC resort complex, BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua is located on an approximately one-hectare site central to five-star hotels and villas, the Bali Golf and Country Club, a shopping mall, restaurants and beaches – all located just 20 minutes from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport.

BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua incorporates a number of centers of excellence: 

• 24-hour Accident and Emergency Center dealing with accidents and emergency cases.
• Fully equipped ambulances.
• An Intensive Care Unit
• Day Procedure Units
• A suite of international standard Operating Theatres
• State-of-the-art sterilization technology meeting the highest international standards.
• 24-hour Medical Center prepared to address general medical issue at any hour with its team of international of doctors and specialists.
• Private consultation rooms and first-class Ward Rooms
• Dialysis Centre
• CosMedic Center
• Dental Centre Unit

Dialysis Center

The Dialysis Centre is designed to provide dialysis service using the latest high-tech instruments delivered in a dedicated Spa-style environment. An Australian nurse supervises the whole process with long-term experience in dialysis procedures. Travelers in search of world-class dialysis service will now be able to add Bali to their travel itineraries.

Cosmetic Care

The CosMedic Centre will cater to the growing demand for rejuvenation, aesthetic and cosmetic medical services by offering a comprehensive range of non-invasive and invasive treatments and procedures using the latest technologies available. The portfolio of services includes ablative lasers rejuvenation and resurfacing, non-ablative lasers for skin rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction, pain-free laser hair removal, ultrasound-radiofrequency body contouring, microdermabrasion for facial skin revitalization, as well as botox, fillers and aptos stitching.

The very affordable cosmetic surgery, performed by accredited plastic surgeons, will provide procedures that include breast augmentation, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, liposuction, tummy tuck and face lifts.

In tune with the lush tourist surroundings of Nusa Dua, the BIMC Hospital CosMedic Centre will deliver a premium service experience for its clients via a separate private entrance to ensure client privacy and comfort, two dedicated operating theatres, four consultation rooms, a luxurious lounge and a serene waiting area.

Dental Care

The Dental Center aims to offer high standard dental treatment for tourists and residents alike, ranging from regular check-ups, standard restorative treatments (fillings, crowns, bridges) and more complex procedures like oral surgery or dental implants. These procedures, often are not covered by standard medical insurances in many countries, promise to provide an affordable alternative. Best of all, these dental services can be provided in combination with a Bali holiday without any compromises on quality and safety.

With its established portfolio of premium healthcare services provided from the established hospital in Kuta and the new ultra-modern facility in Nusa Dua, BIMC Hospital promised set a new standard for Bali by offering more and better healthcare to tourists and local residents.

[BIMC Hospital Website]

The administration of Denpasar – Bali’s capital city, is taking steps to prevent terrorism and other criminal acts by conducting sweeping raids and inspections, checking the identity of the city’s residents.

Foreign residents of Denpasar are not immune when officials come knocking on the door of local businesses and residences. This was proven when a number of expatriates were netted in recent raids of rented accommodation in the Sanur Kauh sub-district of Denpasar. Those raids were conducted by teams that included officials from the municipality, immigration, police, the armed forces and officials from the South Denpasar sub-district.

The head of the enforcement team, I Ketut Dunia, told Radar Bali that the goal of the sweeps was to improve security in Denpasar. When they encountered foreingers, the members of the team inspected the stay permits, visa, and police books and checked to ensure the activities of the foreigners matched the immigration and work permit status,

The raids also allowed the Denpasar officials the opportunity to turn over foreigners lacking the correct administrative paperwork to immigration officials for final disposition.

Dunia complained that the owners of the residences in Denpasar try to complicate the work of inspectors by impeding enforcement efforts. “I hope the owners of the residences will actively report the presence of foreigners living in their homes,” he said.

He said the most recent survey in Sanur Kauh discovered a South Korean, Jungchun Kuk, living on Jalan Batur Sari, Sanur, South Denpasar, who refused to make all the required reports on his presences in Bali to local officials. Haerun, an immigration official on the survey team, said that Jungchun Kuk holds a temporary stay permit (KITAS), but had failed to make the mandatory reports to Manpower officials and the Police.

Immigration officials continues to investigate the case, saying the Korean could be placed under arrest or deported from Indonesia if he is determined to have violated the law.

The rule of three: The supposition that trinities are inherently better and more effective than lesser or greater groupings. The Latin variation on this theme is expressed in three-words: "omne trium perfectum" (everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete).

Graeme Ritchie, who has recently been promoted from the role of executive chef to food and beverage director at Nikko, leads a “team of three” that is fully committed to raising even higher the already high culinary standards of the Nikko Bali Resort and Spa.

An inspired professional in the field of food and beverage, Ritchie brings to his current position experience in leading resorts, city hotels and restaurants in Asia and Europe.

Erick Hardiansyah, the second member of Ritchie’s team has also traveled the world before joining Nikko Bali Resort and Spa in February 2012. He brings with him expertise and proven experience in creative cuisine, innovative mixology and event planning. As the assistant director of food and beverage at the resort, Hardiansyah has already left his mark through his careful attention to detail and the introduction of signature cocktails creation and a refined wine list.

Rounding out the team of three is the young talented chef Attila Kormoczi who fills the role of executive chef. He first arrived in Bali in 2008 working at two resorts before joining the Nikko.

Building on his Indonesian and German cooking experience, Attila’s mission is to refine the culinary experience by developing new menu selections and presentations at Nikko Bali Resort and Spa.

Graeme, Erick and Atilla – three talented culinary professionals pledging one for all and all for you- their guest at the Nikko Bali Resort and Spa.

The increasing shallowness of Bali’s Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan, located in the island’s mountain-lake district, is blamed on the destruction of surrounding jungle and plantation agriculture that are being converted to commercial uses and the planting of seasonal crops.

Bali Post reports that hillsides once covered with coffee and other trees are being turned to flowers, vegetables and strawberry crops. The change in land use have resulted in soil conditions prone to landslides that evetually deposit loose soils into the nearby lakes.

Data collected by the Forestry and Plantation Service (Dishutbun) of the Buleleng regency and presented to the press on April 10, 2012, said that hillside lands are being changed to seasonal uses such as vegetable and strawberry crops over the past few years in combination with the building of hillside villas.

Nearby, on the shores of Lake Tamblingan, the villages of Asah Munduk and Asah Gobleg have seen similar changes in the use of local lands. Soils on steep hillsides inclined at more than 50 degrees that were once covered by trees are now bare and exposed to the elements. Seasonal crops are being planted in areas once covered by trees. What’s more, some local residents are allowing their hillside property be excavated for rocks to be used in the construction of local villas.

Forestry official, Tatang Priatna, said on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, said that land at an inclination of more than 50 degrees should not be cultivated. Cultivation makes such landscapes unstable and leads to landslides. The shifting soils, in turn, add to sedimentation of local lakes, reducing the natural depth.

Tatang said the government is unable to control the cultivation of these inclined hillsides. There is no legal basis to forbid owners of the land from doing what they like with their own property. Added to this are economic pressures on local populations who convert lands once used for coffee timber strands to the more lucrative annual crops, such as flowers or oranges.

Radar Bali reports that 70% of the alcoholic beverages sold on the island are illegal. The value of illegal liquor sold on the island is estimated to account to sales of Rp. 1 billion per day or Rp. 360 billion (US$40 million) per year.

These figures were tabled following a Bali House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali) session on April 10, 2012. Nyoman Wirya of the Glokar faction of the House said the amount legally circulating alcohol contributing to the tax base was only 30% of the total alcohol sold, describing the current distribution of alcohol in Bali as out of control and beyond the capability of officials to control.

To address this problem, the DPRD-Bali is discussing new regulations for the control of alcohol, including ways to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed by the general public but still sufficient to meet the demands of the tourism industry.

Legislators also profess that they are seeking away to accommodate the “home brewing” industry that will allow traditional manufacture of alcohol as a home industry to flourish in a regulated atmosphere.

Wirya said the informal economy sector producing “home brew” was operating below the screen creating a sector of the economy difficult to regulate and ripe for illegal fees levied by government officials. Wirya says licenses to produce alcohol should be simplified and then operated under tight supervision.

Of the 178 gas stations (SPBU) operating in Bali, only 50% have pumps supplying Pertamax - the unsubsidized premium gas that the government would like all private vehicles with engines in excess of 1,500 cc to be compelled to purchase.

The State Oil Company Pertamina's general manager for retail fuel marketing for Bali, Nusa Tenggara and East Java – Affandi, told Bisnis Bali on Tuesday, October 4, 2012, that his company will soon increase the number of outlets selling Pertamax to make it easier for the public to access the higher cost premium gas.

He explained: “There are not many gas stations selling Pertamax because the demand from the public for non-subsidized gas remains small. On the average the demand for Pertamax is about 1 percent of all demand for fuel in East Java and Bali.”

He said the daily use of Pertamax in Bali has reached 20 kiloliters per day. This compares to the 2,300 kiloliters of subsidized premium gas consumed on the island each day.

Affandi estimate that in order for all the gas stations in Bali to be able to sell Pertamax each station would need at have least one the underground fuel storage tanks to be converted to Pertamax storage.

Those stations with less than 3 tanks would need to invest Rp. 400 million (US$45,000) to add an additional storage tank and pumps required to sell non-subsidized fuel.

Affandi said he hoped that in a short period of time 50% of all the SPBUs that presently do not sell Pertamax will soon be able to do so.

That the traditional subak system of water distribution is under threat is a revealed fact, requiring one to look no further than Bali’s capital of Denpasar for proof that the days of the time-honored subak system may be numbered.

Radar Bali reports that Bali’s ancient irrigation system is threatened not only by newcomers to Bali, but also by the acts of Bali’s endemic population. This assessment was tabled during a seminar on “Revitalizing the Subak to Become an Economic Agribusiness Enterprise that Can Raise the Living Standard of Farmers.”

The seminar, conducted by the agricultural faculty of Bali’s Udayana University was held on April 11, 2012. The Dean of the agriculture facility, Professor Dr. Ir. Nyoman Rai, raised an alarm that a latent threat to the very existence of the subak system currently exists in Bali.

Professor Rai said the outside threat to the subak comes from those who seek to change the functional use of land in Bali. “The process of changing agricultural land to housing must be halted. This is needed to save the subak,” warned the Professor.

Warning the position of the subak is becoming increasingly squeezed, he pointed out that the internal threat to the ancient irrigation system emanates from the competition for water resources among tourism activities and the State water board (PDAM).

The academic called for the establishment of a management model for subak that can be duplicated across the island in order to save the ancient irrigation system. The professor also underlined that the preservation of the subak system and the iconic rice terraces they feed will, in the end, preserve a majestic attraction that will continue to lure tourist visitors to Bali.

“A work is born from a kind of confused emotion. The work is an attempt to elucidate that emotion.”
- Puvis de Chavannes

Echoing the words of the 19th century French Symbolist artist, Puvis de Chavannes, painter Marijke Lambregtse’s works illustrate the challenges of her creative tightrope walk between opposites. She began her artistic career in Holland, the land of her birth, as a highly successful dancer,
choreographer and teacher. After dancing with several major companies she then left her native land in 1987 to lecture on ballet in Melbourne and Brisbane.

The historical connection between dance and the visual arts has been strong from at least the Bronze Age and today dominates the work of modern masters of Toulouse-Lautrec. Marijke made her crossover from dance to graphic art after studying art, painting and design during the first half of the 1990s. Almost immediate recognition of her talent resulted in prizes, exhibitions and commissions. Today she lives half the year in Queensland and half in Bali.

ent collection of canvasses, “Lost and Found” at the Ganesha Gallery at the Four Seasons Bali Resort at Jimbaran Bay is an exploration of two distinct themes of great personal importance to her:  awareness and protection of the environment, and the crucial role woman can play in bringing positive change by active participation.

In Marijke’s view women are the “Pillars of Society”.

Visually she begins a dialog about the environment through still life compositions featuring debris that can be regularly found scattered about the Balinese landscape. In her hands, trash becomes art. Other environmental images appear as geological slices filled with handwritten graffiti-like messages. Her women, like dancers, are always moving - a series of seekers as portrayed in her work “The Trail of My Footsteps”. Some of her characters stride boldly forward, confidently wearing strong colors; others are ethereal and feature few details.

One of the great and most enduring trends in modern art has been social interaction to bring about change. This has also been the case in Indonesian art as well.

The harmonious merger of a message and aesthetics is rare and important, especially on Bali that is struggling to deal with the increasingly negative side effects of development and rampant tourism.

Marijke does not only hold the mirror up but also urges us to play an active role in the solution.

“Lost and Found”
A Solo Exhibition by Marijke Lambregtse
Ganesha Gallery at the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay
June 7 – July 30, 2012
Open Daily

Bali neither felt nor experienced any of the shaking produced by a massive 8.6 earthquake that struck off the coast of West Sumatra on Wednesday, April 11, 2012.

The strike-slip earthquake, although felt over a wide region in Indonesia’s west and in adjoining countries, did not produce a devastating tsunami more normally associated with a mega-thrust earthquake.

Cognizant of the enduring threat to all who live of the Pacific Ring-of-Fire, the Bali Office of the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) routinely tests the warning sirens located in six locations around the southern island (see map).

o TV quotes I Wayan Suardana of the BMKG office in Bali who confirms that all sirens are in good operating order and are routinely tested.

The sirens are located in Sanur, Tanjung Benoa, Seminyak, Kuta, Kedonganan and Nusa Dua.

“This equipment will sound a signal if there is an earthquake in the oceans above level 7 in on the Richter scale,” he explained.

Protocols are in place to ensure the sirens are sounded if a tsunami-potential earthquake occurs off a facing shore to Bali. His office immediately informs all the relevant agencies of the government should such an earthquake occurs.

Responsibility for evacuating local residents rests with the Center for Disaster Mitigation (Pusdalops). The warning to Pusdalops will occur within five minutes of an earthquake. Suardana estimates that in all it will take between 15 and 20 minutes for officials to evacuate people living on beachfronts threatened by a tsunami.

The tsunami sirens across Bali are always sounded exactly at 10:00 am on the 26th day of each month, marking the exact hour and day-of-the-month of the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami that occurred on December 26, 2004.

Alila Villas Soori presents an extraordinary event in combination a chance to make a positive contribution to the local community on Sunday, April 29, 2012. The resort, located on Bali’s western shore north of the iconic Tan Lot Temple, is inviting a group of children from the SALAM Children’s Home in Tabanan to briefly join the resort’s culinary brigade in helping to prepare a special dinner for privileged guests while raising funds for their Home.

e SALAM Children’s Home serves as both a home and refuge for almost 50 disadvantaged children who come from various places in Indonesia including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and East Timor. The institution supports the children’s with nurturing program focused on education, health and social care.

Eight children from the SALAM Children’s Home will have the opportunity to join an educational excursion to the Bali highlands at Bedugul. There, they will explore the many different fresh organic produce grown there and bring back those items they will help cook together with the Alila’s professional kitchen brigade led by executive chef Ashton Hall to be served at a special evening for participating guests.

The feast will be served on the seaside at Soori’s Ombak Restaurant. The children will welcome guests dining on the evening of Sunday, April 29, 2012 sharing excellent food and valuable lessons on caring and sharing.

The resort will host the day of real-life experience and island touring for the children, while guests paying Rp. 500,000 ++ (US$67) will see 20% of each dinner booking contributed to the welfare of the children at SALAM Children’s Home.

For more information and reservation contact Sri Martini at telephone ++62(0)361-894 6388 or [Email] 
 

Officials at Bali’s Kerobokan prison are refuting media reports that 34-year-old Schapelle Corby is mentally disturbed after serving 7-years of a 20-year sentence for attempting to smuggle 4-kilograms of marijuana into Indonesia.

Quoted by Beritabali.com, the head of the Kerobokan prison, Gusti Ngurah Wiratna said: “From what I know, when I, in the company of fellow officers, were inspecting the women’s block, Corby looked calm and able to adequately perform daily activities. Our observations were that she can perform normally, such as participating in sports activities with other inmates.”

When asked about reports of a sentence remission for the Australian woman, Wiratna said he had yet to receive any information on that point.

The head of the Bali office of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Budhi Harmanto, confirmed that his office has yet to receive any information regarding  a request sent to the President urging Corby’s sentence be reduced to 10-years.

“There's no remission of 5 or 10 years for Corby. The (shorter) remission request submitted at Christmas has yet to be answered and may have been refused. As regards remission, we have never been contacted by lawyers or the Australian Embassy, so we know nothing about any remission,” said Harmanto.

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[Incomplete Sentences are . . . ]

A survey conducted by Bali’s Environmental Agency (BLH) has noted that severe abrasion of shorelines has occurred along eight main beaches in Bali. The 8 beaches are: Padang Galak Beach, Lebih Beach, Purnama Beach, Lepang Beach, Watu Kelotok Beach, Seseh Beach, Soka Beach and Pengambengan Beach.

The head of BLH for Bali, Anak Agung Alit Sastrawan, told Beritabali.com that the eight beachfronts have been classified as having suffered "severe abrasion" by virtue of an annual 5-meter intrusion of the shoreline at each of the beaches.

Sastrawan said the rising shoreline is not due solely to building too close to the water’s edge, but can also be linked to rising seas worldwide linked to global warming.

Sastrawan said that, in fact, almost all the beaches of southern Bali areas are experiencing some degree of beach erosion.

Radar Bali reports that the Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, has confirmed that the government is taking a number of steps to promote cruise tourism, including repairs and upgrading at port facilities favored by cruise ships. One of the destinations listed for priority attention is Bali’s southernmost port of Benoa.

Speaking at an international cruise workshop held in Kuta on Thursday, April 12, 2012, the Minister commented: “In the short term, we have prioritized the Port of Benoa. This is being done, firstly, because the port of Benoa is listed in the Master Plan for the Acceleration of Indonesia’s Economic Development (MP3EI). Secondly, because Benoa is the most prepared (for an upgrade).”

The Minister revealed that a number of other ports, such as Tanjung Mas in Semarang; Tanjung Perak in Surabaya; and the Port of Belawan in Medan, Sumatra will be getting upgrades in the near future. Adding: “There are 10 of 25 ports in Indonesia which will be designated as Cruise Shipping Terminals, but in the near future we will prioritize the Port of Benoa. In the medium term, there will be more ports. We need to show results. So, if we succeed in Benoa, that will become an example of our credibility.”

Cruise ship operations in the Austral-Asia region continue to grow. There are about 70 ports visited by cruise ships in Indonesia. In 2012, a total of 200 cruise ships carrying an estimated 119,000 passengers are expected to visit Indonesia.

Because of the economic potential of cruise tourism, the government has annually allocated Rp. 7 billion (US$778,000) towards the development and promotion of cruise tourism.

A special committee of the Denpasar House of Representatives (DPRD-Denpasar) reviewing building codes is having problems determining guidelines on structure heights and how to measure the actual height of existing structures.

By law the maximum building height in Bali is 15 meters.

According to Radar Bali, the DPRD-Denpasar special committee cannot come to an agreement on how exactly to calculate the true height of a building

One of the stumbling points is agreeing exactly what constitute ground level, the starting point in measuring the height of any structure. One legislator, AA Susruta Ngurah Putra, complained: “What’s troubling is when there are two roads adjacent to a building. In the front there’s a road and in the back there’s also a road. Meanwhile, the elevations of the road in front and the road in back are different."

He described the problem of determining hotel heights in Denpasar where, when viewed from the front, the hotel does not look to be too high, but when viewed from a rear perspective is quite high.

One hotel in Sanur recently countered claims that their structure violated the 15-meter maximum height restriction by using a nearby mound of earth to calculate ground-level-elevation and then declared the ground floor of the hotel as a basement.

The special committee of the DPRD-Denpasar is also reviewing rules governing abutting land and adjacent structures. Many complain that rules requiring formal permission be obtained from an abutting landowner is proving an impediment to owners wishing to develop a piece of land.

As reported by Balidiscovery.com [See: Off the Radar Screen] , future plans for an airport in Bali’s north remain very much in doubt as concrete details on the much-discussed airport remain hard to come by.

Kompas.com reports that the provincial government of Bali is seeking clarification on the proposed Buleleng airport from the Central Government.

The need for another airport in Bali is made all the more urgent, according to some observers, due to the impossibility of expanding runway capacity at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport. The location of environmentally protected mangrove forests and the close proximity of a Hindu Temple preclude adding another runway at Bali’s existing airport.

Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, speaking at the governor’s office on Thursday, April 12, 2012, said she supported plans for another airport in Bali to support the current Ngurah Rai International Airport. Pangestu said: “We need to review this (the new airport). What’s important is how to meet the demand for flights to Bali and how to make Bali’s north prosper, not only Bali’s south.”

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport is undergoing a US$215 million upgrade targeted to be completed before September 2013.

The Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy is targeting an average expenditure of US$1,130 by each foreign tourist visitor to Indonesia in 2012.

Quoted by the State News Agency Antara, Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said, “That target represents an increase in the average expenditure of US$1,118 per tourists in 2011.” The Minister’s comments were made during discussions with the Bali Tourism Board in Denpasar, Bali on Thursday, April 12, 2012.

The Minister explained how the average expenditure per tourist visit once stood at US$1,200. That average, however, has declined due to a drop in visitors from the U.S. and Europe and the increase in Asian visitors who generally spend less and stay for much shorter periods of time.

The Minister said current strategy is to offer special packages to Asian tourists that will encourage two or three visits to Indonesia in a single year.
 

The Bloo Lagoon Eco Resort in Padang Bai, on Bali Bali’s eastern shore, is hosting a free solo acoustic performance by American songstress Maya Dorn on Friday, April 20, 2012.

Maya Dorn

Described as a “musical force” with “a voice like a great big sail,” Maya Dorn is based in San Francisco. Her musical range runs from the thought provoking to humorous and fun-filled compositions.

n is a member of the electro pop futurists Sweet Snacks and also a member of the 10-piece Afro-beat ensemble Aphrodesia. She has toured internationally and was nominated with the group Sweet Snacks for an Independent Music Award in 2010 for the song “Shanghai” written during a China tour.

The Bali performance will be held on the veranda of the Bloo Lagoon Eco Resort in Padang Bai, a drive of 1.5 hours from Denpasar. Admission is free and a happy hour will be in operation prior to Maya Dorn’s performance between 7-9 pm.

Meal service is also available.

For more information or reservations telephone ++62-(0)363-41211 or [Email]  

[Maya Dorn Website]  

Foreign tourist arrivals for February 2012 totaled 219,475 – increasing 9% over February 2011.

ulative basis for both January and February, foreign tourist arrivals reached 467,764 up 15,79% from 2012.


set an ambitious target of 3 million tourists arrivals, approximating a 10% improvement over the 2.75 million tourists who came to the island in 2011.

ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region produce 73.2% of all Bali’s tourist visitors with Australia the biggest market share at 26.04%.

a now represents far and away the largest source of foreign tourist visitors to Bali. 57,381 Australians came to Bali in February, increasing 27.9% over the total for the same month in 2011. Cumulatively, Australian visitors for January-February are up 17.10%

The People’s Republic of China is now the second largest source of Bali visitors. While visitors for January-February from the PRC are up a staggering 85.13% its not clear that this burst can be sustained over the rest of the year. The arrival totals for the PRC are bloated by a 224% increase in arrivals from that market in January when Chinese New Year fell. A more sobering and realistic view of arrivals from the PRC in 2012 is provided by February totals when only 27,607 PRC nationals came to Bali, a decline of 9 visitors when compared to the same month in 2011.

On Wednesday April 11, 2012, Bali lost a much-loved and respected senior member of the local travel industry with the sudden death of Dukhori Insan Dewata in Medan, North Sumatra.

Born in Bali 40 years ago, Insan Dewata joined PACTO Tour and Travel in 1993 as a trainee, rising through the ranks to his most recent position as Incentive Business & Airport Manager, a position he held since 2002.

Insan Dewata was on a traveling assignment with PACTO in Medan when he taken ill and died shortly after seeking medical assistance from a local hospital.

He is survived by his wife Sherly and 9-year-old daughter, Jasmine.

Pink Ribbon mania is descending once again on Bali, as momentum builds towards the fourth annual Pink Ribbon Walk to be held at Nusa Dua on Saturday, May 26, 2012.

As with the previous three walks, more than 500 walkers from around the world are expected to converge on Nusa Dua starting at 3:00 pm when the gates open, prior to the formal start of the walk at 4:30 pm. Participants may choose to run or walk along a five-kilometer route through the beautiful gardens and along the beach paths of the Nusa Dua Peninsula. The Walk will finish with a program of live music, craft bazaar, raffle, auction and refreshments from international food stalls sponsored by the leading hotels in Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa.

A march against the scourge of cancer, an inspired group of women in Bali, some of whom had been affected by breast, established the first Bali Pink Ribbon Walk in 2009.

In 2012 a Bali Pink Ribbon Foundation was established and a Breast Cancer Support Center has been opened in Bali’s capital of Denpasar.

Funds generated from the 2012 Walk will be used to finance the center, purchase equipment, provide monthly Breast Cancer Awareness seminars and free mammogram vouchers to women living in Bali.

By purchasing a ticket, making a donation or merely joining the fun at Nusa Dua on Saturday, May 26th you are helping to empower individuals and communities to increase breast cancer awareness in Indonesia.

Cost of Participation:

Adults: Rp. 150,000 (US$17) (includes a pink T-shirt)
Students: Rp 75.000 (US$8.40)
Children Free

[Pink Ribbon Walk Website] 

The New Kuta Golf Course at Pecatu is again sponsoring the 2012 Fourth Edition of the “Swing for Charity” Bali World Cup and Links Challenge on Saturday, May 19, 2012.

Funds raised thorough the event will aid the R.O.L.E. Foundation's programs on behalf of economically disadvantaged women living on the Bukit and south Bali. [Role Foundation]  

The golf tournament is open to all with play by teams of five attending a shotgun start at 7:00 am or 1:00 pm. Individual registrants will be assigned to teams.

Cost of participation is Rp. 600,000 (US$66) for New Kuta Golf Club members and Rp. 1.2 million (US$122) for guest. Fees cover green fees, cart fees, insurance, refreshment, dinner celebration, hole-in-one prize eligibility, trophies and lucky draw.

Hole-in-One-Prizes

Among the prizes to be won by tournament participants sinking a hole-in-one are 2 Mitsubishi Pajeros, a round trip ticket on Garuda Indonesia Denpasar to Seoul and a round-trip ticket on Garuda Indonesia Denpasar to Perth.

Join the Dinner

The evening dinner starts at 6:00 pm where winners will be honored, prizes awarded and an auction with thousands of dollars in valuable items will be auctioned to the highest bidder. Cost of attending the dinner only is Rp. 200,000 (US$22) per person.

Accommodation Packages

‘Swing and Stay’ accommodation packages start form Rp. 1.55 million per person based on twin sharing at either the Le Grand Hotel Suites or New Kuta Condotel.

For more information or reservations telephone ++62-(0)361-8481 333 or [Email] 

Bali and Beyond Magazine hosts their popular Recharge Night once every three-months. Each event, generously sponsored by local businesses, provides an evening of conviviality for members of Bali’s hospitality and travel industry.

d members of the industry are welcome to attend and enjoy free flow drinks, canapés and have a chance to take home attractive door prizes.

The most recent Recharge Night was held on Saturday April 14th 2012, at the Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali. All participants were entertained by a DJ Performance, Fashion Show, Dance Competition and Raffle Prizes.

Shown on balidiscovery.com are snap shots taken at the Pan Pacific Bali Nirwana Resort’s Recharge Night.

Bliss Wayan Hotel - A new 111-room hotel has opened in South Legian, on Jalan Sriwijaya, that despite the absence of a beachfront is a surfer’s paradise.

Bliss Wayan Hotel’s front exterior is a large mural of crashing ocean surf facing a large battery of multi-colored surfboards. Consistent in a "surf's up" theme throughout, guests enter the hotel by walking through a sculpture of a breaking wave.

Once inside the bright and colorful lobby adorned with pictures of “surfer dudes,” a young and cheerful staff guide visitors through the check-in process or offer refreshment in the adjacent poolside bar or restaurant outfitted with rough-hewn tables and chairs reminiscent of a relaxing surf- side bar

Beyond the relaxing welcome of its lobby and public areas, Bliss Wayan Hotel’s best feature may arguably be its bold new approach to quality accommodation presented in its 111-rooms. Spacious, with the smallest rooms measuring a generous 27-square-meters, rooms are naturally illuminated via large sliding glass doors that open onto balcony areas overlooking the pool area. Top-quality King-Koil© mattresses, 32-inch LCD smart TVs connected to the Internet, iPod docking stations and quality toiletries underline the Hotel’s attention to detail and guest comfort. Coffee and tea makers and in-room safes are also part of the fit out for accented by multi-colored striped walls and large surfing paintings.

The Hotel also boasts 35-square-meter Junior Suites and large Family Fuites with double bunk beds for accompanying children.

Keeping things different and fun, Wayan Bliss Hotel offers a welcoming beer or a mock tail to guests at check in, while the in-room refrigerator are regularly restocked with beverages available on a complimentary basis (in Deluxe Rooms and Family Suites) throughout the duration of the guest’s stay.

The hotel offers regular complimentary shuttle service to the nearby Legian and Kuta areas.

[Book a Stay at Wayan Bliss Hotel]