Balifornian Tours Photo of the Day 12/20/2010

Here is our Bali tour bus- enjoy!  Just kidding!  We have all deluxe new very comfortable busses and vans.

 

Want to submit your photo for the Bali Tour Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Copyright © 2010 Mikaku ~ Michael Doliveck

A true surfers paradise. Bali's new luxury vacation trips

Riding Bali's new wave of luxury

Balifornian Tours can include an epic surfing adventure and depending on what level of accomodations, we can arrainge anything from the ultimate deluxe luxury on down.  Let us help you design the ultimate surfing trip.  Other passions?  We can do that too!

• Peter Hall National Features The Hearald Sun Australia

 

The oceanfront pool villa at Bali's Alila Villas Soori resort. Source: Supplied

AN exclusive new Bali resort creates a surf trip of liquid gold, writes Peter Hall.

For a surfer this is the ultimate "if my friends could see me now" moment.

You emerge elated and exhausted after riding the longest, smoothest and most exotic waves of your life and there stands your beach butler.

Impeccably dressed in white linen, silver tongs in hand, he presents you with a citrus-infused refresher towel.

"How was your surf, Mr Peter?" he inquires. "Would you care for some fresh fruit and then perhaps we can explore another location?"

Bali may be renowned as a budget beach paradise but it also can deliver a surf experience that makes you feel like chairman of the board.

We are at Medewi on the Indonesian island's west coast, having been chauffeured here in a four-wheel-drive provided by our host, Alila Villas Soori.

The tiny fishing village is home to Bali's longest left-hand point break, where dreamy double overhead walls peel endlessly for up to 400m over smooth boulders and black sand.

Astoundingly, there are only a dozen surfers in the line-up a mixture of Japanese, American, Australian and a beaming New Zealand longboarder fleeing the icy waters of Gisborne.

We are three hours' drive from the madness of Kuta and two from our resort, Alila Villas Soori, an exclusive new property that overlooks the azure Indian Ocean in the Tabanan Regency, near the famous Tanah Lot Temple.

It is not a surf resort, but one that creates unique experiences for guests. In Alila Villas Soori speak, these tailored adventures of mind, body and spirit are called journeys.

Of course, you are free to laze about in a private Eden, sip cocktails, tantalise your tastebuds with authentic and continental cuisine, watch fishing boats chug past, or be pampered in one of the best spas in Bali. But if it's cultural exploration you're after, this is the place.

MasterChef fans won't be able to resist a Journey of Culinary Delight, where you visit village markets accompanied by the resort's chef, select fresh ingredients and join in a Balinese kitchen masterclass.

There's something for all the family. Spend a day learning from an artisan, go temple-hopping on a Journey of the Gods, or saddle up for an unforgettable horseriding experience on the Journey of the Balinese Knights.

And if you want to mix all of this with some of the best waves on the planet, they are not too far away. Just south of Alila Villas Soori is Canggu. It's a regional classic that many of Bali's hottest surfers head to when other spots are too small and crowded.

The rocky reef break offers a solid, winding left that presents a series of power changes and leaves the best to last with a sand-spitting barrel close to shore.

A right-hander that spills into deeper water is a much mellower proposition.

In the resort's comfortable vehicle, it's also a breeze to shoot down to world-famous Uluwatu for the morning and when arms become paddle-weary you can drop into Kuta for some fun, easy-access peaks.

There are waves most of the year in Bali, but the west coast captures the southerly swells of the Indonesian dry season from April to October.

There is much to love about this tranquil island and it's only about a six-hour flight away.

Pacific Blue flies direct from most Australian capitals to Denpasar.

Seating is comfortable, the service cheery and all passengers have their own TV/DVD screens.

The 5-star accommodation at Alila Villas Soori is breathtaking. There are 47 spacious and luxurious villas, each with a private pool, dedicated hosts, gourmet bar, espresso coffee machine, 24-hour in-villa dining and LCD televisions.

The property is an inspired expression of contemporary Asian architecture and there is a wonderful flow from interior to exterior spaces. It is so well designed you rarely see other guests and the only sounds are the waves thundering on the beach or friendly greetings of staff.

Food is another highlight and visitors can enjoy the many flavours of the region served on their own private deck, in casually elegant Cotta restaurant or at a Japanese-inspired beachfront grill called Coast, where seafood sizzles through the evening and wine and beer glasses clink to celebrate another day in paradise.

>>The writer was a guest of Alila Villas Soori and Pacific Blue.

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Wish you were here

Getting there: Pacific Blue flies direct to Denpasar (Bali) from Sydney. Flying time is six hours and 25 minutes. Upgrade to premium economy for 50 per cent more room and a fully inclusive food, beverage and entertainment package.

Staying there: Alila Villas Soori is a luxury beachfront property in the Tabanan Regency in West Bali, about an hour's drive north of the airport. A Pool Villa Indulgence package costs $500 a person a night, including daily breakfast, signature spa treatments and round-trip transport (minimum three-night stay).

See www.alilahotels.com/soori/rates

Doing there: Surf Bali's name breaks, immerse yourself in culture by taking a Journey by Alila, including Journey of Culinary Delight, The Gods (temple tour), Discovery (all-terrain-vehicle ride, whitewater rafting), Balinese Knights (equestrian), Dance or Art.

Tips: There are always waves somewhere in Bali but the west coast works best from April to October. If tackling Canggu, Balian or Medewi, get up early for the cleanest conditions.



Balifornian Tours Photo of the Day 12/18/2010

Huge surf crashes below as a king long-tailed macaque protects sacred Uluwatu Temple.

Monkeys are held sacred by the Balinese.  They help generate the forest and protect temples such as Uluwatu Temple.  There are thousands of long-tailed macaques dwelling in the dry forest near Uluwatu Temple. They are divided into three groups of monkeys that cover three separate regions of the temple. Each territory is lead by king monkey that monitors their area and protects it from outsider monkeys.
Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia 2010. Balifornian Tours

Want to submit your photo for the Bali Tour Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Copyright © 2010 Mikaku ~ Michael Doliveck

Balifornian Tours Photo of the Day

Hello Balifornians!

In honor of the launch of the new Komodo Dragon Photo Safari Boat Trip, we have this wonderful shot of our friend Varanus Komodoensis (The Komodo Dragon).  Details on the tour can be found here - Komodo Photo Safari Tour

Want to submit your photo for the Bali Tour Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Have a great weekend!

In Bali you can be Green AND be pampered in Luxurious Paradise

Balifornian Tours can take you to some of the most forward thinking, eco-conscious spots in all of Asia.  Our Bali tours work with many amazing and green companies, hotels, restaurants and many others.

Some eco-conscious entrepreneurs on Indonesia's Island of the Gods are working to build a future in tune with nature

By Tannia Vera & Robert Michael Poole from CNNgo 

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Idyllic green tourism at The Springs

The Springs features a cluster of three bedrooms and one reading hut.

While the Green Village offers a permanent greener life in Bali, if you wish simply to step with ecologically friendly footsteps while traveling, Bali also has alternatives offering idyllic and green luxury at affordable prices.

Situated in a valley facing Ubud, the green heart of Bali, The Springs offers lodgings made out of natural materials: coconut wood and bamboo with thatch roofs.

The views are astonishing. There's Mt Agung, Mt Batur and Mt. Abang, rice paddies, a river gorge, all right in front of the private villa cluster which is itself a dirt-track drive from the main streets.

Self-grown menus

Bedrooms in The Springs are natural but luxurious.

“We have tried to maintain a pristine environment here that would be conducive to people's well-being and inner peace,” says owner Farah Kimball, who recently returned from Iran where she sat on a panel titled "A Culture of Peace" for World Philosophy Day. 

“With that in mind we have developed a restorative and healthy live food menu, have organic vegetables and fruits growing on the property, use natural materials and environmentally friendly buildings,” says Kimball.

The Springs outdoor lights are all solar powered and Kimball is planning to generate all electricity from solar. They have their own well for water usage and created two waste water gardens to ensure no waste pollutes ground or river water.

Ranging from US$275-375 per night, the cluster includes three bedrooms, one reading room, and an expansive deck with open-aired dining table, benches and hammocks.

According to Kimball, "Most people come here to be in the natural paradise setting and for rest from the hustle and bustle of their travels. Some people are of a spiritual bent and find the energy here very powerful."

A private natural pool

A private pool with natural water faces a waterfall.

Down through fields, guests can enjoy a private plunge pool filled with water flowing from a natural spring.

Cut into the rock-side, the pool overlooks the river Wos and is placed directly across from a waterfall.

"We use almost all natural materials for building and very little cement. We use coconut wood, bamboo, recycled teak, river stones for steps, lava stones in the bathrooms, and local woods (lychee and suar) for counters. Our roofing material is thatch (alang-alang) which we grow and harvest on the property a few times a year," says Kimball.

Located 10 minutes away from Ubud center, The Springs makes sure that even in the natural atmosphere you are still connected to the world with free Wi-Fi and loan of a local mobile phone.

It also makes a convenient base to explore Bali's other green projects, including The Sari Organic and Bali Buddha restaurants, and the protected mangrove park.

Other organizations have also begun tackling local pollution, such as Eco Bali Recycling. Established in 2005 in response to the urgency of waste management problems, it has a team of professionals experienced in environmental and educational programs, and has teamed up with drinks packaging giant Tetra Pak to increase recycling.

Despite the growth of green projects though, Kimball feels there is much yet to improve.

"There is very little trash pick-up so people throw trash by the side of hills or into the river. Pesticides are heavily used in almost all rice growing. Septics are polluting the ground water so people get sick from drinking polluted well water even," says Kimball.

"I applaud the good work of those doing [these projects] but there is still more momentum through education needed to get everyone on the bandwagon," says Kimball.

The Springs is the perfect green place to put your feet up and enjoy the view.

Tags:

• green living
• Indonesia
• Bali