Your Bali Photos of the Day ~ Lake Reflection of Temple in Bali ~ Balifornian Villas and Tours

Sangeh village, about 20 km north of Denpasar, houses the Pura Bukit Sari Temple built around the 17th century. A shrine or plankiran reflects in the lake of Bukit Sari Temple located in Sangeh, Bali.  Inside The Bali Sangeh Monkey Forest in southwestern Bali grow enormous nutmeg trees over 40m high. The trees are a mystery as they grow nowhere else in Bali and are believed to be sacred.  The monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) of the forest are also believed to be sacred and they interact with those paying their respects at the beautiful temple.

The Temple in The Sangeh Village Monkey Forest in Southwestern Bali. Balifornian Villas and Tours 2011.Balifornian Villas and Tours wishes you the most joyous and prosperous Holiday Season and safe and exciting journeys in the New Year.

Your Bali Photo of the Day ~ Glorious Rice Terraces of Bali ~ Balifornian Villas and Tours

Hello Balifornians!

Todays image was taken just outside of the old fishing village of Amed in Eastern Bali.  These days Amed is more of a scuba and snorkeling town with several good priced hotels right on the beach, some tasty restaurants and even some nightlife.  Please see our blog post on Amed for all the ins and outs and some great tips for a perfect stay and contact us with any questions.

Vibrant green rice terraces cover the beautiful landscape outside of Amed, Bali, Indonesia. Balifornian Villas and Tours. 2011We highly recommend a stop in Amed as it is a relaxing little town without the crush of tons of tourists.

Happy holidays to all our loyal readers and tour participants and come see us in Bali soon!

Salamat jalan,

Mikaku and Putu

Photo of the Day ~ Surfer rips Keremas Beach ~ Balifornian Villas, Tours and Travel Blog

Our friend and great young surfer Mas Ricko shreads the waves at Keramas Beach.  This was a fairly mild day of waves but this little known break (by foreigners) is perhaps the most publicized 'new' break in all of Bali.  Known for years by surf pros and locals as being one of the best spots on the island, the new Sunrise Road has opened up access to this amazing surf spot.  Few accommodations and restaurants in the area make it difficult to get to, but our new Balifornian Purnama Villas will solve this problem in style. Professional surf contests occur here frequently but it remains an uncrowded spot for the most part.

Our buddy Mas Ricko rips the lip on this wave near our villas while surfing Keramas BeachCheck Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog for much more surfing news and events.  http://www.balifornian.com

Planning a surfing vacation?  Let Balifornian Tours handle it for you and leave all the stress and hassle behind.  We know the best spots, hidden locations, ways to beat the crowds and we can help you get the very most out of your epic surf trip.

Our Adventure Photo Safaris ~ Are you a photographer or just love to take pictures?  Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers.  Take a look at the images in the gallery, as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours.  The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers.  Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.

Do you have some great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your fantastic photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels! Salamat Jalan!

Michael and Maryam ~

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ The best website for news and information on Bali and Indonesia.

Ubud wins travelers' top choices for ideal place to visit

 The cultural and artistic heart of Bali, Ubud, has earned its place atop several recent award lists. Ubud was listed as one of Asia’s top spa destinations. Ubud was also chosen as one of the Top 25 Destinations in Asia in TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards 2011. Ubud placed 17th in the list and outranked Seoul in South Korea, Varanasi in India, Hoi Nam in Vietnam, Taipei in Taiwan, Baguio in the Philippines, Lijiang in China, and Pattaya in Thailand.

 Ubud is the ideal place for famed Balinese massage, acupressure, reflexology, yoga, and aromatherapy to name a few.  The yoga community had grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years and rivals spots in the US and Europe.  The Yoga Barn is a great example of a quality yoga center and boasts a great community, cafe and learning center.

Kecak Dance, Ubud, Bali

Ubud is about 45 minutes to an hour northeast of Bali’s airport and close to the center of the island.  While it is not the postcard beach location that comes to mind for most people when they think of the paradise island of Bali but this speaks to the draw of the art, dance, culture and amazing food that is found in this growing group of small towns.  One can still find rice fields and the Bali of old around Ubud, it is reaching a critical mass as its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years.  It is still one of our favorite spots and we considered it our second home.  

In this year's TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, almost 700 places were recognized in the 9th year of the competition, and award categories included Best Romance, Best Luxury, and Best Bargain, and many more.

Other Indonesian winners of TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice 2011 included the Samaya Bali Villas at Seminyak for Travelers’ Top 25 Choice Hotels in the World for its Fantastic Service and Fantastic Villa. Additionally, the wonderful small island of Gili Trawangan in-between Bali and Lombok, came in 7th among Asia’s Top 10 Beaches.

Bali and Indonesia continue to win awards for their amazing beaches, spas, culture and much much more.  Contact Balifornian Yours today to see how we can help you get the very most out of your upcoming vacation to the island paradise.

Indonesian Boxer Chris John retains WBA title for 13th time. #Bali

John retains WBA featherweight title for 13th time

Bali and Indonesia is proud today.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian Chris John retained his WBA featherweight title for the 13th time by beating Fernando David Saucedo of Argentina in a unanimous decision on Sunday.
The victory at The Tennis Indoor Senayan improved his unbeaten Indonesian's record to 44-0-2.

John, 31, became the WBA interim champion in 2003 by defeating Oscar Leon in Bali. He then became a super champ after drawing with American contender Rocky Juarez in March last year. Six months later, he outpointed Juarez in Las Vegas.

The country celebrated his newest victory.

4PYUDSY7A3JR

Balifornian Tours offers the best custom holiday experience on Bali and all of Indonesia.  Balifornian Travel Blog is your source for news and fun information on travel, vacationing, upcoming events and much more.

See it all with Balifornian Tours.  Balifornian Tours offers the best custom holiday experience on Bali and all of Indonesia.  Balifornian Travel Blog is your source for news and fun information on travel, vacationing, upcoming events and much more.  We are a hospitality tour company and when you travel with us, you are our family.  Because Maryam is from the royal family, we have access to parts of the island that other tour operators simply can not visit.  Dont be a tourist, be a Balifornian! http://www.balifornian.com