New 2010 Indonesia Surfing Champion is Crowned

Putra Hermawan is the 2010 Indonesia Surfing Champion - Bali Surfing News and Blog

Written by Editor at SurferToday.com

When a national champion is crowned in the last seconds of surfing contest you're witnessing a breathtaking moment. It happened in Asia. The 2010 Indonesia Pro Surfing Tour reached its climax in the Rip Curl Surf and Music Festival, held at Kuta Beach’s famous "Halfways". Dedi Santosa was trying to beat Marlon Gerber and needed an 8.65-point wave to claim the 2010 Coca-Cola ISC Tour. But Santosa missed the score in the last 30 seconds of the final heat and delivered the championship to Putra Hermawan. 18-year-old Putra Hermawan is the youngest ever ISC Tour Open Division champion. Marlon Gerber, the event winner, dedicated his first ISC tour win to his friend Andy Irons who tragically passed away recently. Husni won the Longboard Division for the second time, Dyah Rahayu Dewi took her second win in a row in the Women’s Division and Jeren Kiring claimed the National GromSearch Final. 2010 Coca-Cola ISC Tour Open Division Results: 1. Putra Hermawan 2. Dedi Santoso 3. Pepen Hendrik Rip Curl Surf and Music Festival results: 1. Marlon Gerber 2. Dedi Santosa 3. Raditya Rondi 4. Wayan Suprayitna

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A Greener Bali- Indonesia protects waters around Bali

Indonesia Travel~ Bali environmental improvements

AFP

Indonesia has declared the coral-rich waters around Bali -- a popular scuba diving spot which is home to the giant Mola-Mola ocean sunfish -- a protected zone.

The 20,000-hectare area around Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan islands will be protected from destructive fishing, waste dumping and coral mining, project leader Marthen Welly said.

"Destructive fishing is carried out by fishermen using cyanide and explosives," Welly, of the conservation group The Nature Conservancy (TNC), told AFP on Sunday.

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"Many ships also throw anchors on the coral reefs and hotels and households dump wastes causing water pollution. Now they can't do these anymore," he said.

Guidelines for marine tourism will also be drawn up and zones carved out for various activities including fishing, tourism and seaweed mining, Welly said.

"We'll need to consult the community further and we hope to do this within six months," he added.

The islands are part of Coral Triangle, considered the world's richest underwater wilderness which stretches across six nations between the Indian and Pacific oceans -- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Divers from all over the world arrive at the islands between July and September in the hope of seeing the Mola-Mola, a rare two-metre-long ocean sunfish.

The district government will provide 300 million rupiah ($A34,025) and aid agency USAID and TNC will each provide $US50,000 ($A50,633) a year to run the project, TNC Indonesia director Arwandrija Rukma said.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said the project will contribute to the government's target of creating 20 million hectares of maritime conservation parks by 2020, up from around 13 million currently.

"The establishment of MPA (Marine Protected Area) is a concrete step taken by the government to implement the plan of action under the Coral Triangle Initiative," he said.

The Coral Triangle Initiative, which was formed in 2007, calls for stronger international cooperation to combat illegal fishing and environmental destruction in an area half the size of the United States and home to half the world's coral reefs.

© 2010 AFP

Ultimate Romance on the Island of the Gods

- By Raquel Baldelomar

Before I woke, a breeze sprinkled frangipani blossoms onto the still surface of my villa's private plunge pool. I stepped onto the terrace just as the sun was rising in Bali and entered the serene water with a statue of a Hindu god watching over me.

I arrived in Bali curious about the island's spirituality and healing powers and I'm already becoming a believer. For me, this sensual island is love at first sight.

Our first stop on an exploration of Bali is the Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, located on a cliff top along the island's southern coast. Here 147 thatched-roof villas exude romance. Bali is all about villas: the privacy, the lush gardens, and spur-of-the moment intimacy. If you can tear yourself away from the heavenly villas, there is also a long, white-sand beach and a spa offering authentic Balinese treatments.

A stay in a villa allows you to enjoy the pleasures of the outdoors privately. Our courtyard was complete with an outdoor sofa and dining room and after an indulgent 90-minute massage at the spa, returning to our outdoor shower overlooking the Indian Ocean was a transcendent experience.

At sunset, we ventured to Uluwatu Temple, one of the most spiritual places on the island. Perched 230 feet above the Indian Ocean, this temple is dedicated to the spirits of the sea. Here we learned our first lesson in local customs: knees must be covered to enter a temple. Ceremonial sarongs were given to anyone with exposed knees. We were here to see the Kecak Dance, a performance featuring fifteen men wearing only loincloths. These rituals make it is easy to see why Bali has a reputation for sensuality.

If the traditional dance at the temple doesn't send sparks flying, then a dinner at Beds on the Beach will certainly do the trick. Private beds with canopies serve as tables for a five-course dinner. Lanterns in the sand glow as the meal begins with a mini-tasting: lobster avocado maki and lemongrass prawn kebab. Flavors sizzled as much as the atmosphere, including a lobster papaya salad with pink champagne ginger sorbet. After the meal, there was no rush back to the villa as we lounged underneath the stars listening to the surf.

People in Bali believe strongly in balance, so to get the total Bali experience, we left the coast behind for the lush jungle interior where you can absorb the island's spirituality. A 45-minute drive connects the two Four Seasons properties in Bali.

We crossed a wooden bridge and a lily pond came into view. This pond sits on the roof of the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, camouflaging it into the jungle. We were welcomed by Balinese staff dressed in traditional clothing with refreshing guava drinks and cool towels.

With 42 villas and 18 suites set among five temple shrines on the sacred Ayung River, this was the first boutique property developed by Four Seasons. Our riverfront villa, surrounded by lush jungle, couldn't have been more soothing.

Bali brings together a tradition of healing with the perfect environment for a spa. Ponds brimming with lilies and courtyards filled with bougainvillea are calming before a treatment even begins. Our couple's experience was called Chakra Dhara, a treatment that works to rebalance the body's chakras, or energy points, by strategically dripping herbal oil on the body. Two therapists massage the back, hands, and feet to complete the healing treatment. Afterwards, we soaked in a bath filled with fragrant frangipani petals while sipping champagne.

The interior of Bali is full of adventure. We hired a driver to bring us to the Elephant Safari Park to satisfy my curiosity about local wildlife. Before I knew it, I was holding a baby monkey and then sitting on the back of a native Sumatra elephant. Next, our driver Nyoman brought us to see Bali's famous active volcanoes. A private picnic lunch on the edge of a cliff overlooking Mount Batur added a romantic touch to our adventurous day. These moments reminded me why so many newlyweds choose Bali as their honeymoon destination.

We enjoyed dinner at Sarong Restaurant, where the scent of the food was intoxicating from the moment we walked in. This glamorous restaurant was founded on the idea of Asian street food, reinvented. I loved the northern Thai spicy tom yum soup with shredded chicken, bamboo, dill, and coriander. Chef Will Meyrick hasn't written a cookbook yet, but when he does I will be sure to buy a copy just for this recipe.

The next day, we set out on a bike tour through the exotic Balinese landscape. We got acquainted with our guide Bagi, before our four hour ride, over an organic breakfast atop of towering Mount Agung with stunning views -- a mighty volcano revered as the seat of the gods. During our ride, we explored several of the exotic temples and observed farmers wearing cone-shaped rice hats and water buffalo in the emerald fields harvesting rice. We learned about local traditions and that ninety percent of the population in Bali are Hindu, the world's third largest religion which is also practiced in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Mauritius.

Returning to the Four Seasons Sayan, shrouded in a mountain mist, I finished the day with ginger tea and honey before a restful sleep listening to the river flowing. From the moment I left the 'Island of the Gods' I have been longing to return. It is like a love that ended too soon. With a return trip, I am sure that love will be rekindled.

IF YOU GO:

WHEN TO GO: The dry season is from April to September.

Americans are eligible for a visa on arrival for a stay of up to 30 days. These cost $25 per person and your passport must be valid for at least six months after arrival.

WHERE TO STAY:

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay Jimbaran, Bali, Indonesia.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

WHERE TO DINE:

Sarong - Drawing inspiration from the street food of Southeast Asia, Sarong is a local favorite.
Ku De Ta - This buzzing bar is the place to see and be seen for pre-dinner drinks in Seminyak.
Mozaic - French cuisine laced with Indonesian flavors. http://www.mozaic-bali.com/
Beds on the Beach It's all in the name.

WHERE TO SHOP
Bali is a shoppers paradise -- Local art, handmade mosaic glass, and fine jewelry will all be mementos of your travels to Bali. For upscale shopping, check out the following shops in Seminyak:

Maru - Be tempted by jewels from Indonesia at this shop.
Paul Ropp - Unique clothing with an ethnic touch.
Quarzia - Handpainted silk separates in this shop are works of art.

Raquel Baldelomar has been a contributing writer for Luxury Travel Magazine since 2008. She provides readers with unique, insider information about destinations, hotels and travel experiences.



Bali is ready for Obama Visit

The Jakarta Post  

DENPASAR: Despite uncertain schedules, the Bali provincial administration is still ready to welcome US President Barack Obama during his visit to Indonesia next week.

Bali underwent huge preparations before Obama’s two canceled visits.

Hundreds of police and military troops were trained to secure the island from terrorist threats and to protect the US president. — JP



Hear what the new Lonely Planet has to say about Bali

Travel > International Trips  This is an edited extract from 'Bali Encounter', by Ryan Ver Berkmoes, at al. Lonely Planet 2010.

Bali - High

The culture, scenery and people make it so much more than just a typical tropical island destination

Bali packs a lot into a little island. A single day can bring more sights, adventures and discoveries than a week's worth of travel elsewhere.

A religious procession brings the tourist-thronged streets of Seminyak to a stop, a dancer displays trance-like artistry at an Ubud cultural pavilion, a diver is transfixed by an untouched reef, a surfer finds the perfect break, a walker rubs her eyes trying to cope with the lush green beauty of the surrounding rice paddies, a jaded tourist is charmed by an unexpected act of kindness by a local _ all of these things are part of a typical day in Bali. This is a destination that rises far above a typical tropical island destination by virtue of its culture, scenery and people.

Where else will you find intricate little offerings to the gods placed in serene little niches at world-class resorts? Or see a dance show with movements and music performed by a village dance troupe that has been perfecting their act for generations? And amid myriad palms and other lush growth, where else can you find sinuous ribbons of rice growing on green terraces wrapping around the hills?

REGIONS

Who knew you could fit so much into such a small place? Bali has an amazing diversity of regions crowded across the island, like so many offerings at a temple festival. Bali is insanely convenient for visitors. Tired of one area? Something completely different is close by, often just a short walk away on the beach. Kuta is the original tourist hub. Its very name causes some to shudder with delight and others to shudder with horror. Yet a quick stroll along the iconic beach and you're in Seminyak, which couldn't be any more different thanks to its posh hotels and dozens of designer shops. Its greatest similarities to Kuta are two _ it has that beach and people either love or hate it.

BALI ENCOUNTER: Available from all good bookshops for 450 baht.

South of the airport, the Bukit Peninsula is the barren alternative to that Balinese vision of endless green rice fields. Again, there's a sharp divide in just one little peninsula. In the west are the legendary surf breaks around Ulu Watu. Funky guesthouses cling to the cliffs while surfers enjoy epic rides below. Go east to Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa and you find tiny waves lapping at reef-protected beaches, fronted by a string of huge hotels, while package tourists zip past in banana boats.

Across the channel and up the coast, Sanur serenely steers the middle ground, offering a little bit of everything. The bustling capital Denpasar offers entry into the best food and shopping experiences. Move up the hillside and you discover the heart of Balinese culture in Ubud. The magical notes of gamelans echo through the quiet streets at night, while those seeking something special browse around art galleries by day. Head east and you can almost lose yourself in sinuous roads wandering through lush valleys, palm-topped hills and an often wild and untamed coast.

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Within a drive of an hour or two you can enjoy several Balis. Choose your favourites, but enjoy several.

This is an edited extract from 'Bali Encounter', by Ryan Ver Berkmoes, at al. Lonely Planet 2010.