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.

Bali Wins Again!!– Spa Capital of Asia

Bali – Spa Capital of Asia

Bali and its Spa Operations Dominate Honors at Asia Spa Awards in Hong Kong.

 Asia Spa Magazine held its annual awards ceremony in Hong Kong on Thursday, November 11, 2010, honoring the Asian Spa Industry's top spa personalities, destinations and products. Themed "Emerald Green," more than 400 of the spa industry's top professionals attended the gala award ceremony held in Hong Kong.

Balifornian Tours - Bali – Spa Capital of Asia

Susan Stein - Asia Spa Personality of the Year

Bali garnered the largest block of awards, with each of the following bringing back to the island a coveted award trophy custom designed by Baccarat Jewellery.

• Eco-Spa of the Year: Spa Alila, Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

• Asian Spa Capital of the Year: Bali, Indonesia

• Spa Personality of the Year: Susan Stein, Jari Menari, Bali Indonesia

• Spa Design of the Year: Oazia Spa, Oazia Spa Villas, Bali, Indonesia

• Spa's Therapist Team of the Year: Jari Menari, Bali, Indonesia

• Most Innovative Spa of the Year: The Spa at The edge, Bali, Indonesia

Susan Stein – Jari Menari Spa

The star of this year's Asia Spa Magazine Awards was Jari Menari and its founder-technical advisor Susan Stein – won secured accolades at the event that also saw Bali named the Best Spa Capital in Asia.

With some shock and disbelief, Stein told Balidiscovery.com "I am, of course, flattered at the recognition from the International Spa Community. Competition included big time spa players like spa directors for Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Shangri-la Hotels, Four Seasons, Mandara Spas, ESPA and more . . . and me - I won!

Stein, justifiably proud the team who operate the two busy Jari Menari branches in Seminyak and Tanjung Benoa, gave full marks to General Manager, I Gde Nyoman Indra Prabawa, whose teams pamper guests each day of the year.

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11 Essential Bali Travel Tips

by Anastasia Fiatmita

I live in england and im trying to contact my dad in indonesia, but i dont no how, can you help?This are helpful tips, thank u.What I want to know is what if you drop her of from a first date and she kisses u in ur cheek?should I kiss her back on the cheek?Pls can you help with question- guide to investment portfolio management and associated riskI'm trying to reach Pat Hunter, my former travel agent. I haven't booked a trip in quite a while, but could use her expert help. -csandbox@aol.com
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11 Bali Travel Tips for a Bali holiday:


1.Seasonal and weather change actually makes little difference so any period of the year is a perfect time to visit Bali, although it’s useful to check out the public holidays in Indonesia. On the month of Ramadan - Muslim fasting period, Bali gets busy and crowded as locals from neigbouring cities, fill resorts up and prices for accomodations escalate.

2.Bali can be really cheap with superb value, especially for budget accommodation and budget flights. Do book in advance to get a great deal for your accomodation and flights. Air Asia is well-known to provide cheap flights to Bali if you book early in advance. Do search through all the online travel agents for the best hotel prices before you book your accomodation online. For example, you can compare the prices of Bali Hotels here - Cheapest Bali Hotel Rates & Reviews of Bali Hotels

3. If you’re planning to surf, do check out Bali Surfing Report. It has useful information on surf camps, cheap boat charters, and surfers package deals to remote beaches in Bali with great waves such as Nusa Lembongan.

4.Treat your tastebuds for something different and try eating in a warung (small traditional roadside eateries). Although they may look unhygiene, trust me, they are safe to eat. They are REALLY cheap, no-frills hangouts all serving unique and different foods. The food is often displayed in glass cabinets out in front. Grab a seat, make a selection and get the real flavour of Bali and Balinese food real cheap.

5.To understand Balinese culture and life, visit Murni’s in Ubud, which have everything regarding Bali and Balinese, from explanations of Balinese names to what one wears to a ceremony.

6.If you're staying in luxury hotels, do consider staying in a Homestay where native Balinese families host you. It'll really make your trip more enjoyable and eye-awakening.

7.A little knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia will definitely take you a long way. "Selamat pagi" - good morning -, "tolong" -help or please-, and terima kasih -thank you-, for starters. Also, try memorising, "way say" which means toilet, "mana" means where, and "gimana caranya" which refers to "how to". For a fun introduction to the language, check out Bahasa Indonesia in 7 Days.

8.The best way to see Bali and travel around is with your own transport. Get a map or GPS and drive, hire a guide driver or rent a Bike.

9.Getting tired of hawkers bugging you to buy something? Do you know that there is an invisible line on the beach of Kuta that hawkers are not allowed to cross? Be a lil' bit cheeky and park yourself closer to the sea. You won’t be hassled anymore.

10.Bargaining while shopping is a MUST. It is part of the whole shopping experience so don't be shy and BARGAIN. Get into the swing of things and test your "Bargaining Art". However don’t get too carried away until you've made a fool of yourself. If you do so, suddenly you'll find out that you've spent the past 10 minutes quibbling over 50 cents. Use your instincts and logic.

11.To really ensure that you enjoy your holiday, do read "Bali Travel Guide For First-Timers" which is really useful and essential.

Do comment if you have any ideas to contribute or if you have any questions.. Happy Bali-ing!

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Anastasia Fiatmita - About the Author:
Anastasia Fiatmita was crowned Miss Bali 2003 and Miss Indonesia Tourism 2004. Born and bred in Bali, she now blogs regularly at Bali Holiday where she gives free guides and insights on Bali for tourists and travelers. She also gives unbiased reviews of hotels in Bali at Bali Hotel Reviews.