The Bali Museum of Classical Balinese Paintings (Museum Seni Lukis Klasik Bali), also known at the “Gunarsa Museum,” in deference to its founder Nyoman Gunarsa, has had only 1,000 foreign tourist visitors in 2011.

The Museum is located in the village of Banda in Klungkung, 45 kilometers northeast of Denpasar.

Qutoed in MICON, the founder and manager of the museum, I Nyoman Gunarsa, said: “the total (of visitors) is relatively small compared with museums in Ubud, which are already acknowledged as interesting tourism objects.”

Gunarsa, a leading artists of Bali in his own right, says he hopes more visitors will come to the museum in the future, assisted by expanded artistic and cultural activities within the museum complex.

He continued: “Although the distance is relatively far from Denpasar and the regency of Badung where (most) tourists stay, many tourists who visit East Bali find the opportunity to come to the museum.”

Gunarsa, who also serves as the chairman of the Bali Museum Association (Mimusba), added that his museum is the most popular located in the eastern part of Bali. attracting 1,000 domestic visitors each year.

The Gunarsa Museum has a collection of 400 objects comprised of 160 classical Balinese paintings, 46 statues, and 194 puppets, daggers and ancient objects d’art.

The Bali Museum of Classical Balinese Paintings will present a festival of Bali development and on the Gamelan Gong Kebyar from July 15 until mid-August.

Beritabali.com warns that the island of Bali is predicted to experiences a waters crisis by 2015. The dire warning comes form the Bali executive for the Friends of the Earth (Walhi) who underlines the situation ahead, saying that by 2020 Bali will also endure a “clean water” crisis.

The internal-deputy of Walhi for Bali, Suriadi Darmoko, said: “Bali’s ecological crisis has reached a critical limit. The symptoms of an ecological crisis are now in evidence. Among the most obvious and most basic signs is the water crisis.”

Darmoko revealed that research conducted by the Ministry of the Environment in 1997 predicted a water crisis for Bali in 2013 via a water deficit of 27 billion liters. Adding, “Meanwhile the Bali Environmental Agency (BLH) has stated that Bali will experience a clean water crisis by 2020.”

Walhi is offering a number of possible solutions to overcome the island’s water crisis. First, the provincial administration of Bali must be consistent in applying the 2009 Zoning law (RTRW), which has numerous safeguards for the island’s ecology. Second, Bali must introduce a consistent moratorium on development in the tourism industry.

Darmoko is convinced that these steps must be taken in order that the government can achieve a long-term and comprehensive solution. He said the people must also be given a participatory role in managing the environment in order to develop a sustainable and comprehensive tourism development model for Bali.

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[We’ll Drink to That!]

Bali Post depicts the problem of rubbish and trash in Bali as a "time bomb." Of the 10,000 cubic meters of trash produced each day on the island, more than 50% of that amount is abandoned without any system of proper waste handling or disposal.

Of the total amount of Bali’s daily trash production, 10-12% is comprised of plastic waste, a small fraction of which is eventually recycled.

Such stark statistics threaten to defeat Bali’s declared campaign to make “Bali Plastic Free” by 2013.

The head of the Center for Environmental Studies at Bali's Udayana University, Dr. Ir. Wayan Arthana, said on Monday, April 23, 2012, said that Bali’s “Clean and Green” program launched by the province has yet to be realized. Similarly, the declaration to make “Bali free of plastic waste by 2013” remains unclear in its execution with only a year remain before the self-imposed deadline falls due.

Arthana said the lack of clear and firm action from the government makes him pessimistic that the goal of ridding Bali from plastic can be achieved in the remaining year leading up to 2013.

Athana, a graduate of Reading University (U.K.),  pointed to the many obstacles remaining to be surmounted in order to make Bali "plastic free." He cited the behavior of people in Bali who have little awareness of the threat posed to the natural environment by plastic waste. He also bemoaned the tendency of people in Bali to discard trash anywhere they please. Moreover, despite much public posturing, little is being done to actually reduce the use of plastics adding to the growing deposit of permanent plastic now residing in Bali’s soils.

The head of the Bali Environmental Agency (BLH-Bali), A.A. Gede Alit Sastrawan, said that the island’s “green and clean” program was in keeping with the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana that dictates balance be maintained between Man, God and Nature.

Sastrawan said that the problem of trash in Bali is not unlike a time bomb waiting to explode.

He urged Bali to worry less about being free of plastic by 2013, but to, instead, introduce graduated steps for the collection, separation, management and recycling of plastic wastes.

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Hatta Rajasa, has confirmed that steps to limit the consumption of non-subsidized premium gasoline for private vehicles will not be introduced on May 1, 2012, as originally announced.

As reported by Balidiscovery.com [See: May Day May Prove Expensive] the government originally intended that all private vehicles with engine capacities greater than 1,500 cubic centimeters would be required to by non-subsidized Pertamax fuel on May 1st.

As reported by Bali Post, Hatta says the government must still make proper preparations and socialize to the people the coming change in fuel policy.

In the end, Hatta explained, steps must be take to reduce the consumption of subsidized fuel to keep the amount of subsidized fuel in 2012 below 40 million kiloliters. Hatta warms: “If there is not a policy and if there is not control, then the energy subsidy will reach Rp. 340 trillion (US$37.8 billion). This will in turn push the budget deficit above 3 percent.”

Hatta said of equal importance in preparing for the new fuel policy was determining which vehicles will still be allowed to purchase subsidized premium fuel. He suggested that one system under consideration is the use of stickers.

The coordinating minister explained that the government would not be reckless in their preparations for the reduction in the use of subsidized fuels.

The director-general of Oil and Gas from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Evita Hernawati Legowo, explained that the elimination of the fuel subsidy for cars with engines greater than 1,500 cubic centimeters would be introduced in stages.

Legowo said the policy for private vehicles would come into effect around August-September 2012. The new policy will be introduced in the Jakarta metropolitan area (Jabodetabek) first.

The recent visit to Bali by Miss World 2011, Ivian Sarcos, permitted the 22-year-old Venezuelan beauty the chance to tour the island and pay a courtesy call on Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika.

During her visit with Bali’s chief executive, Sarcos told governor Pastika of the desire of the Miss World organizer’s desire to hold the 2013 Miss World competition in Bali.

Joining the meeting was Julia Morley, co-chair of the Miss World Organization, who explained to the governor that Bali was chose because of its success in hosting many international events.

The event will take place in Bali in September of 2013 and use a number of locations around the island as settings for the competition, which is televised internationally.

Following the meeting, governor Pastika said 2013 was shaping up to become a busy year of events in Bali. Pastika pointed to the provincial elections, the Bali Arts Festival, a Development Exhibitions, the APEC Summit and, now, the Miss World 2013 competition.

The governor while meeting with the reigning Miss World asked that in holding the event in Bali “local wisdom” and “local values” be respected. Pastika hope equal emphasis would be placed on intelligence and not just physical beauty.

Miss Sarcos, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter, told the press in Bali that she was most impressed with Indonesian cuisine.

Bali Hai Cruises have announced the appointment of Andrew Sutherland as General Manager for its Indonesian cruise operations.
nd replaces Rick Williams who held the same position since January 2011.

Sutherland holds a masters degree in Marine Science and Technology from the UK and has worked in the marine industry around the Caribbean, Ambon and, for the last 3 years, Bali.

Previously he managed Bali Hai Diving Adventures, a sister company of Bali Hai Cruises.

American professional surfer and award-winning environmentalist Kelly Slater has sounded an ominous warning for Bali.

The legendary surfing champion is quoted in The Western Australian as declaring Bali beaches so polluted that surfing at his favorite holiday destination could soon become off limits.
ear-old American sportsman, widely considered the world’s most successful surfing champion, used his substantial presence on the social networking Twitter (@kellyslater) to lambast the condition of the Indonesian seas saying, "I've never been so alarmed by the pollution situation as (on) this trip to Bali/Indo."

Labeling the conditions of Bali’s oceans the worst he’d ever seen, he continued, "If Bali doesn't do something serious about this pollution it'll be impossible to surf here in a few years."
omplained of medical waste being dumped directly into local waterways.

Surfers now regularly see large islands of accumulated waste floating around the island.

One Bali surf operator was quoted, saying: "I guess the biggest problem is on the west coast from Kuta to Canggu by far, with all the overbuilding going on meters from the beach, this is pushing more trash than ever into these parts of Bali's surf breaks.

A number of hotels and restaurants in Bali’s South are thought to be pumping untreated sewerage into the local seas, with pipes spewing effluent into the water visible at low tide. Enforcement against business polluting Bali’s rivers and seas has been largely non-existent.

Surfing is a large and lucrative subset in Bali’s tourism mix, with a number of hotels, businesses and tour operator catering specifically to surfers. A tightly knit fraternity, word of Bali’s rapidly declining surrounding seas, if left unaddressed by the government. threaten to destroy Bali’s reputation with the surfing set.

Bisnis Bali quotes Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and the Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, as calling on Bali to become the gateway for Indonesian national tourism, particularly as the launching point for the development of the tourism industry in eastern Indonesia.

The Minister said tourism operators in Bali are obliged to offer travel packages to Bali and Beyond including destinations in East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and other eastern regions of the archipelago. Pangestu asked that these travel packages be offered to tourists hailing from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Russia.

Continuing, the Minister called on the travel industry in the promotion of Bali and Beyond packages to create and sell packages incorporating history, culture, culinary experiences, shopping, sports, cruise tourism, spa/wellness and MICE (meetings, incentive, conference and exhibitions).

Mari Elka Pangestu added that the arrival of foreign tourist to Bali is dependent on flights and the carrying capacity of Bali’s airport. As a result, she is coordinating with the Ministry of Transportation to facilitate more flights to Bali. In the future, she will work for direct flights to Bali from India and Russia.

Radar Bali writes that Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika has a reputation for coming up with ingenious and creative ideas in managing Bali.

His latest idea may, in fact, offer a brilliant approach to providing quality education to young Balinese, creating high-paid employment for young workers and satiating the seemingly endless demand for Indonesian cruise workers.

Governor Pastika suggests that the government should pay for the training of Balinese youth seeking employment on board international cruise ships, including the cost of their travel to their first port of engagement.

The governor’s idea was tabled during provincial budget discussions at his office on April 25, 2012, whilst discussing ways of reducing unemployment on the island.

In exploring the idea, the governor said: “Yesterday I sent off 240 young people to work on cruise ships. Apparently the need for such staff overseas is very high. Companies are looking for 1,800 people, but we are only able to supply 240. We must be able to do something about this.”

The governor called on the Manpower and Transmigration office to look into the possibility of providing job training to meet the demands of the cruise industry. Adding, “If necessary, cooperate with training centers. The education is only two years. And, what’s more, there’s a certain (high) wage that awaits at the end of training.”

“We could pay for everything from the time the education begins until the time they leave for their assignment. There’s already a training center, We don’t need to create a buildings,” continued the governor.

Developing the theme further, the governor said: “Who would be the participants? There are 82 ‘poor’ villages in Bali. Take one or two people from each of these villages. We don’t need to ask anything from the participants being prepared for work. This is a program to reduce unemployment.”

Admitting the proposal would require more study, the Governor hopes the training program for the cruise industry could be included in the 2013 budget.

Denpasar traffic authorities are once again trying to bring order to the four-wheeled vehicles operating in Bali’s capital.

Local transportation officials commenced a bold new step of locking the wheels of four-wheeled vehicles parked illegally along major roadways in the city. Trucks parked in no parking zones along Jalan Kargo and Jalan Mahendradatta saw their tired locked pm April 25, 2012.

Radar Bali also reports how a vehicle parked on the sidewalk on Jalan Gatsu next to the Pizza Hunt Restaurant.

City-parking officials said the wheel-lock program is needed to improve parking conditions and to educate people to obey traffic rules.

When the owners of the illegally parked vehicles return, the locks are removed only after the driver surrenders his driver’s license and vehicle registration, which can be retrieved when the driver settles a fine with the traffic court.

The Sheraton Bali Kuta have announced the appointment Dario Orsini as the General Manager for the new 203-room hotel in Kuta scheduled to be opened in September 2012.

Born in Naples, Italy, Dario graduated from Instituto Professionale Alberghiero di Stato Ippolito Cavalcanti majoring in Food & Beverage and hotel management.

With more than 25 years of hotel experience, prior to joining the Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort, he worked as Hotel Manager at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali.

He started his career in the up market Il Sangire’ in the notoriously fashionable street of Via Dei Mille, Napoli.

Orsini joined Starwood at the Sheraton in Perth in 2001 and has held positions at the Sheraton Royal Orchid Bangkok, Thailand; the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and since 2007 in Bali at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua Bali.

“I am extremely excited to lead the opening team of this incredible new addition to the Starwood family, the Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort. I am eager to create and lead a team of passionate and energetic people who will bring to life Sheraton’s unique programs,” said Dario.

Dario is married and has three children.

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[Rising in the Ranks at Westin] 

Customs and Excise officials at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport apprehended a 30-year-old Russian national on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, caught in the act of trying to smuggle one kilogram of hashish.

Alexander Simonov was arrested after he disembarked a Malaysian Airline flight at 12 noon in a journey that started in Katmandu, Nepal.
Brought by police to a local clinic, more than 10 capsules of hashish were detected in the man’s stomach cavity via a medical x-ray.

The man was held at the clinic under police guard while nature took its course and the illegal drugs became more readily accessible to police and prosecutors for use in a coming trial.

That the man had more than 1 kilogram of drugs in his possession clears the way for Indonesian prosecutors to seek the death sentence in the coming trial.

Police have yet to make formal charges in the case.

The Indonesia National News Network Metro TV recently listed five restaurants they recommended as interesting for Bali visitors.

The five eateries on Metro TV’s list:

1. Di Mare - in keeping with the Italian equivaleny of its name - “of the sea,” Di Mare sits suspended 85 meters above the Indian Ocean at Karma Kandara Resort. An outstanding menu with a focus on Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant has a separate wine tasting cellar stocking more than 3000 wines. Jalan Villa Kandara, Banjar Wijaya Kusuma, Ungasan. Telephone: +62-(0)361 848 2200
2. Ku De Ta – First opened in 2000, Ku De Ta is arguably the beachfront venue most preferred by Bali’s glitterati set. An ever-changing menu, tending musical atmospherics and expert bartenders complement its modern architecture that maximizes Ku De Ta’s uninterrupted ocean views. Jalan Kayu Aya No. 9 Seminyak Bali Indonesia 80361 Telephone: +62-(0)361 73 6969
3. Metis – located in Keobokan’s growing restaurant and entertainment strip, Metis is the domain of legendary chef Nicholas ‘Doudou’ Tourneville. The  restaurnat is known for fine dining and flawless service from it restaurant-lounge setting that is also home to fine jewelry and antique collections available for sale. Jalan Petitenget No. 6, Kerookan. Telephone: +62-(0)361 4737888
4. Tsavo Lion Restaurant – Located within the Bali Taman Safari and Marine Park, the Tsavo’s design is reminiscent of a super-sized Bantu tribal hut. The restaurant's thick safety-glass floor to ceiling walls are all that separates diners from an ever-watchful pride of African lions. An extensive, attractively priced international menu makes Tsavo a favorite with Park visitors or those staying at the adjacent Mara River Safari Lodge. Bali Safari and Marine Park, Jl. Bypass Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra Km. 19,8 ,Gianyar. Telephone: + 62-(0)361 950 000
5. Wawasan Café – not far from the Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay, Wawasan specializes in grilled seafood and maximizes on its seaside location by offering relaxing lounge chairs just meters from ocean waves. Jalan Four Seasons, Jimbaran

Selamat Makan!

Bali Animal Health Officials have again recorded a new outbreak of Bird Flu among Bali’s poultry populations. Officials warn that Bali, as area endemic to the H5N1 Virus, can expect the disease to sporadically present itself at any location around the island from time to time.

Quoted by Beritabali.com, the head of the Livestock and Animal Health Department for Bali, Putu Sumantra, blamed the appearance of Bird Flu in Bali over the past year on low levels of bio-security, particularly at bird and traditional markets where traders place little importance on following guidelines to eliminate the disease.

“The implementation of bio-security measures, by both traders and consumers, is little considered. Because of this, the disease is sporadically appearing, with 12 cases identified to date,” explained Sumantra.

Another factor making Bali vulnerable to the disease is the widespread tendency to allow poultry to roam freely in areas of human populations.

As many as 230 fighting cocks were rounded up and destroyed by officials at the Satria Bird Market in downtown Denpasar on Thursday, April 26, 2012. The slaughter followed the death of an 8-year-old child from Kintamani identified by preliminary laboratory tests as a victim of the H5N1 Virus and the sudden death of a chicken purchased from the Satria Bird market.

Dr (veterinarian) Wayan Sukandi of the laboratory of the Livestock and Animal Health Department said, “the destruction of hundred of chickens was done to interrupt the cycle of contamination for the H5N1 Virus.”
The mass culling of birds took place after a “rapid test” confirmed the virus was present in the market’s bird population.

The birds, originating from Probolinggo and Jember in East Java, were euthanized through fatal injections before having their remains burned.

In 2012 Bali has recorded two deaths linked to the H5N1 virus. In February a resident of Tabanan died from Bird Flu. The latest death of a child from Bangli, Kintanani on April 24 was tied to the virus, but subsequent confirmatory tests carried out in Jakarta reportedly proved negative for the H5N1 Virus.

As a step to reduce criminality in Bali’s capital of Denpasar, the head of the chief of the south Denpasar police precinct (Kapolsek Densel), Police Commissioner Adjutant Leo Martin Pasaribu, has established Nine “strong points” or temporary police posts in areas identified with strong potential for crime.

In addition, a separate observation-coordination point manned by uniformed officers has also been established at the busy Dewa Ruci Monument at the Simpang Siur intersection in Kuta,

Leo explained that of the 10 posts now in operation, nine are “strong points,” with three of which are for the use ofBali's tourism police. The remaining post plays a coordinating and observation role.

He said that each post will be manned by several police officers. Those assigned to the new posts will be selected from the criminal division, intelligence personnel, traffic police, armed brigade and public order officers depending on the crime profile of the respective location of each locale.

“There are some points with 8 until 10 officers, depending on the crime rate of each area. The post were set up a month ago,” Pasaribu explained to the press.

Pasaribu claims the new posts have proven their effectiveness in reducing crime over their first month of operation. He says each post has reduced the number of reports generated from their areas from 8-10 each day to only 2-3. He also claims crime has been reduced in the subject areas by 80% since the establishment of the police posts.

Nusa Bali quotes the chairman of the Bali Chapter of Association of Indonesian Tourism (GIPI), IB Ngurah Wijaya, as calling for an urgent implementation of the 2009 Zoning Law (RTRW).

“The new provincial law should not only been seen but also felt, as this current situation will only serve to increase the number of restaurants and hotels and other forms of illegal accommodation,” said Wijaya speaking at a seminar on the RTRW held at Bali’s Udanyana University on Tuesday, April 24, 2012.

He told the attendees at the seminar that the implementation and enforcement of the new zoning law is needed to curb the uncontrolled growth now taking place in Bali. Wijaya complained that the regencies and municipalities are only seeking to increase tax revenues through the quantity of new projects with little regard for quality of those developments.

The head of GIPI in Bali also bemoaned Bali’s shift to regional visitors staying for brief periods of time and away from longer-staying higher-spending visitors from Europe and America.

He sees this development as tied in part to the declining quality of the Bali tourism product. To preserve Bali’s attractiveness as a tourism destination, Wijaya see the RTRW’s enforcement as essential to the island’s future. Rule on set backs from shorelines and religious site are needed to help Bali move forward as a destination for spiritual tourism.

He also sharply criticized the reluctance of regents in Bali to accept the provincial zonings law, preferring to administer their own rules in their own way. He said all of Bali must conform to the provincial rules with legal steps taken against administrators and structures violating Bali’s RTRW 2009.

Bali Daily reports that the sudden surge in large-scale souvenir shops popping up around Bali, primarily in Kuta, are displacing small shopkeepers selling traditional handicrafts in Bali.

Many of the new “handicraft-supermarkets” are air-conditioned, have spacious parking, fixed prices and many are open 24-hours each day. Moreover, with the increasingly short period of stay for domestic and international visitors to Bali, the chance to accomplish all shopping in a one-stop and close-to-port setting provides a strong appeal over the alternatives of haggling with shopkeepers from oftentime  unkempt stalls.

As a result, small handicraft shops are finding the struggle to survive increasingly challenging. Made Asri, a trader at the Kumbasari market,said: “People now rarely come to my shop. It is very hard to even sell a wooden statue or other piece of handicrafts.”

Local authorities, as is th case with other elements of Bali’s fast-changing business landscape, have been slow to recognize the shift in shopping behavior and now appear largely helpless to take any steps to safeguard the role of local traders.

I Wayan Gatra of Denpasar’s Industry and Trade office said: “We have been facing problems with modern min-marts and super markets that have affected businesses at traditional markets, Now we have to pay attention to these big souvenir shops.”

Promising to conduct studies and seminars on the impact of large handicraft shopping centers, there appears little chance at this point that anything can be done to stem the tide of large handicraft enterprises that threatens to sweep the small roadside handicraft shops into oblivion.

In defense of the large-scale markets, some local officials and the business people who own the new markets point to the fact that they are ordering handicraft from local trades people to stock their handicraft super markets.
Meanwhile, detractors say the new shops focus on quantity and price before quality, resulting in a decline in the skills demanded of Bali’s handicraft producers and the reputation of the island's handicrafts.

On Sunday, April 29, 2012, the Dijon Bali Café was officially inaugurated on Jalan Raya Sanggingan in Ubud.
Ubud restaurant is part of the Dijon food network that includes: Alam Boga-Food Wholesalers and Suppliers, the Dijon Food Specialties Shop – Kuta, Dijon Bali Café – Kuta and Dijon Bali Catering.

The grand opening in Bali feature a festive cocktail party, live music provided by well-known band Tropical Transit and lavish food and beverage catered by Dijon Catering.

"We are thrilled to be bringing the new Dijon Café to Ubud. We feel this market will really embrace our café serving fresh, quality, and healthy cuisine." said David Scherer,” This is part of our never ending commitment to provide the best of a range of quality foods to meet the varied tastes of our diverse customer base.”

Located on the same street with Bali’s famous Mozaic Bali Restaurant and Naughty Nuri’s, the new restaurant features an extensive menu

The Cafe serves custom made sandwiches and salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Uniquely, guests can purchase from a wide selection of wine in the café’s wine shop to be enjoyed without any corkage fee in the restaurant.

Dijon Cafe Ubud serves many of the original Dijon Cafe favorites such as quesadillas, grilled sandwiches and the well-known Dave’s Big Veggie Salad. 

Appetizers include Pan Seared Scallops with Red Onion Confit, Rucolla Salad or Chicken Stuffed with Green Olives with Salad.

Main courses include Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic and Spinach Mash or Duck Confit with Baby Potatoes and Mixed Vegetables.

Shown on Balidiscovery.com are pictures taken from the grand opening taken by Arie S. Sukirno.

Dijon Café Ubud
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Bali

Ines Putri Tjiptadi Chandra has brought Bali honor via her selection as Miss Indonesia 2012.
nes” was selected in the final competition for Miss Indonesia held in Jakarta on Saturday, April 28. 2012

The lady who has won the right to represent Indonesia in the Miss World competition to be held later this year in Inner Mongolia was born on September 5, 1989.

She is an accomplished professional golfer, the youngest woman to win the Governor (Bali) Cup Golf Tournament. An avid sportswoman, she also professes to love basketball, swimming and volleyball.

As part of the several prizes won by the new Miss Indonesia is a scholarship to continue her studies at the University of Georgia.