The readers of an online travel magazine have named Bali as the top holiday destination in Asia for 2011.
The poll, conducted by Smart Travel Asia, also picked out several Bali resorts as the top places for a relaxing break.
Bali took the top spot from Kerala, India, which was bumped down to No. 4. Phuket, Thailand, and Hong Kong were the runners-up, respectively.
In terms of top places to stay, a number of Bali resorts were included in the top 25 list, including the Bulgari Resort Bali and the Four Seasons Resort Bali at spots 2 and 3, respectively.
The poll also reported on preferred budget airlines, with AirAsia getting the gold star. Indonesia’s own Lion Air failed to chart.
The poll did not specify the number of voters, but the demographics skewed upscale. According to the magazine, voters took an average of 15.75 air trips over the past year and earned an average annual income of $150,000.
The new Sarbagita Bus System commenced operations in mid August 2011. Much much helpfull for backpackers. Easy and cheap. Loved it
• This is the route map showing the route served and the location of bus halts.
• The bus system operates daily from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. covering a route system from Batubulan to Nusa Dua.
• The provincial government of Bali has allocated Rp. 5.5 billion (US$625,000) to cover the operational expenses of the new bus system.
• The cost of a one-way fare for an adult passenger is uniformly Rp. 3,500 (US$0.40) and Rp. 2,500 (US$0.28) for students.
By some reports, only student wearing school uniforms are provided the lower student fare.
Inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, TurkeyYou will notice that most of these destinations are out of the way and rather hard to get to, but they are relatively easy to get to.
These places must have all captured your fancy for some reason or another. Save for the locations in Canada and Australia.
Here are the list of 13 places you would most like to find out :
1. Socotra (Yemen)
If you’ve seen photos from Socotra you’ll understand why this is a very special place. It is an island in the Indian Ocean located about 240km from the coast of Yemen. It is home to species found nowhere else on Earth. Moreover, they look really cool. It has been called the most alien looking place on Earth.
1. Egypt.
King Tut, The Pyramids, The Valley of the Kings. The list is endless. But it’s just not the history and the culture, it’s the people too. Egyptians are some of the kindest and most generous people on the planet. They will welcome you into their homes in a second and even if they have almost nothing, they will share it with you.
An afternoon on the Nile with an Egyptian felucca captain sailing your boat as the sun sets over the Nile in Luxor is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.
2. China.
China is not somewhere people immediately think of when planning a holiday…but they should, and hopefully after the Olympics in Beijing they will. Even if you could only afford 7 to 10 days, an itinerary that takes in Beijing, Xian, a Yangtze River Cruise and Shanghai will be a great introduction.
And for an unforgettable experience, juts visit Guilin. Guilins landscape is amazing and totally unique. It can’t necessarily be called Mountainous as such, but the peaks that do rise, rise almost vertically up into the mist.
If you get a chance take a ski lift up to one of the peaks and just stare in awe at the view, and if you are feeing adventurous, take a kart down a toboggan style run (about 3,000 feet in length) !
3. Jordan.
Handily located, if you plan it right you can visit Egypt and Jordan together to make a real trip to remember. Amman is a great city full of atmosphere, Petra is marvellous, but surely the can’t miss site is the Dead Sea. The only ocean in the world with so much salt in it, you actually float !
This alone makes Jordan a must see country and on top of what I have already mentioned, don’t forget the Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Jerash and the Kings Highway. A week in Jordan is good, but 10 days is better.
4. Hong Kong.
Although there is much more to Hong Kong than just shopping, if you do love to shop, then Hong Kong is the place for you. A stroll along Nathan Road and a visit to the Temple Street market just HAS to be done. And make sure you have your bargaining hat on as haggling is as big a part of the experience as the purchases themselves.
There lots more to Hong Kong too. The great thing is that despite it being a modern city, there is tradition around every corner. Don’t forget to take a trip to Victoria Peak and enjoy the stunning views and remember that even if it’s misty, there are 2 guys at the top who will take your picture and transpose it onto a picture of what you should see if the weather where not so poor ! I also suggest a couple of half day visits out to Lama and Lantau Islands too. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the craziness that is Hong Kong.
5. Thailand.
Thailand suffers a little from it’s reputation of being a very hedonistic destination and while it is true that the is a very wild side to Thaialnd (especially certain areas of Bangkok, Phucket etc) there is also an amazing culture to immerse yourself in.
There really is everything there, adventure, culture and even for the not faint hearted, a place about 1 hour north of Thailand where you can go in, yes go in, with real live tigers. No cages, no chains, just you and around a dozen tigers. For me it was a thrill of a lifetime and without doubt it is just one of the many reasons that Thailand is in my top 5 of places you need to visit in the world
Traveling by air has always given the people of this planet the ability to hop from one continent to another in a matter of hours. There is no doubt whatsoever, airline travel has not only changed the way we travel, but it has also impacted on our daily lives.
Strawberries in the middle of winter, to packages sent the same day from the other side of the world. The aero plane has certainly made a big impact on society.
The airliner and the airlines have been the predominant choice for the majority of business people and holidaymaker’s alike, looking for quick, efficient and nowadays, a cheap way to travel. There are of course alternative ways to travel, but to some, seem a little outdated.
Many years ago, the train was the lifeblood of countries and economies. The train system, certainly in the UK can leave a lot to be desired at times, but this has been due to the continued under investment from successive governments.
Since the opening of the Channel tunnel in the late 90′s, the Eurostar train system linking the UK to mainline Europe has seen progressive growth, despite earlier faltering’s. Now this service seems likely to be the major opposition to the low cost airlines flying from the UK to Europe, especially from airports in the London area.
Typically, a flight from London Heathrow to Paris Charles De Gaul (CDG) airport takes just under 1 hour. That seems really quick especially if you need to be in Paris for a business meeting. Now consider these points. London Heathrow is not actually in the centre of London, nor is Paris (CDG). The distance from London Heathrow to the the centre of London is approximately 15 miles, and is pretty much the same from Paris (CDG) to the centre of Paris. With that said, that 1 hour doesn’t seem so appealing after all.
We arrived at the check in point at London Waterloo International at just after 14:00. The train we were due to travel on departed at 15:11, calling at Calais and Paris Gare de Nord (the north station). We had traveled by tube to get to Waterloo station, which took about 25 minutes, involving 1 change at Leicester square at a cost of £2 per person.
We had taken the opportunity to book the tickets for the Eurostar in good time and received a great deal. For just £59 return, per person, our total spend so far had totaled £120. Two Eurostar tickets at £59, and two underground tickets at £2 each. We had looked at flying from Heathrow with British Airways and their cheapest fare was £69 per person. Not much difference in the price, but the travel to heathrow and also from Paris (CDG) would probably equate to the same again. Not a good choice.
After initial security and passport controls, we took our seats at 14:55. At exactly 15:11 the train glided effortlessly out of the station with the view of the magnificent London Eye visible to our right. So far so good.
The journey out of London takes you through the suburbs of Brixton and then finally out into the countryside. It seems a little dated on the English side as regards the state of the railway, but after about 35 minutes into the journey, we turn off the old victorian railway onto the brand new, recently commissioned UK high speed line and race along the kent countryside at speeds up to 300kmh (186 mph).
It doesn’t seem long before we are going to say goodbye to England and the announcement informs us that the transit time in the Channel Tunnel will be approximately twenty minutes. In no time at all, we exit the tunnel to a glorious blue sky in France.
After making a stop at Calais, we have about an hour and twenty minutes before we reach our final destination. Racing through the French countryside and negotiating the Paris suburbs, we arrive two minutes early. It really was a great journey on Eurostar, and now we are at the very heart of Paris. Those people who had decided to take the plane would now be fighting for taxis or taking the RER train system into city centre. Another 30 to 40 minutes more to add to the journey, not to mention the cost.
The total journey time from the centre of London to the centre of Paris had taken us a measly 2 hours and 40 minutes (approx). This is due to be slashed to around 2 hours and 15 minutes once the remainder of the UK high speed rail link is commissioned in 2007. Once the line is opened, Eurostar will be moving homes and will no longer operate from London Waterloo, transferring to London St.Pancras.
The aero plane laid claim to the king of transportation. After traveling with Eurostar, we say the king is dead, long live the king. Airline domination from London to Paris and Europe has finally had it’s day.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jero Wacik says his ministry is now in the middle of preparing an international yacht festival that will take place in Sabang Island, Aceh, mid this month.
Dubbed the International Regatta Festival, the event is expected to attract yacht owners from the world over.
“So far, 26 yachts from Europe, Asia and Australia have registered to participate in the event,” he said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Jero Wacik said the festival is a joint cooperation between Malaysia’s Langkawi tourism resort and Thailand’s famous Phuket beach. He said the event will begin on Sept. 13 in Phuket and then continue to Langkawi before wrapping up in Sabang.
He said the end of the regatta would be marked with an event honoring Aceh’s tsunami victims.
Most divers surface from the depths with a distinct imprint from their masks — dark red streaks on their faces where the water pressure has raised the blood cells to the surface of the skin. But their temporary brandings quickly fade as the dive boat heads toward dry land.
Nicky Wirawan, however, has the distinct curvature of a dive mask permanently etched in his tanned skin.
Born and bred in Bali, the 41-year-old inherited Bali Marine Sports, the oldest dive shop on the island, from his father, Ketut Wirajaya.
Nicky claims to be nearing his 15,000th dive some time in the next couple of weeks.
Nicky’s name is synonymous with diving in Indonesia — drop it in any dive shop across the archipelago and it’s met with a smile, a pat on the back and a nostalgic story.
“He’s like a mentor,” said Lia Marpaung, a monitor and evaluating officer for the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Economic Governance in Jakarta.
“I’ve been diving with him for three years. I feel safe and comfortable with him. He’s knowledgeable beyond just having dive skills and sensing the currents. He knows how to manage guests. We’re all divers, but we’re also individuals. Nicky knows how to handle our emotions and make us feel calm.”
Lia said that Nicky does not push divers into the water, but has the calming ability to make them feel comfortable in sketchier conditions.
“A while back we were diving around Nusa Penida and there were big waves in the area, so I immediately wanted to cancel the dive,” Lia said. “But Nicky could sense my fear. I feel safe diving with him. Now if I go diving with Bali Marine Sports I always ask, ‘Will Nicky be there?’ ”
Nicky and his crew know all the dive spots in Bali. His father found most of them back in the early 1970s — everything from the deep blue hammerhead shark havens on the west end of Nusa Penida to the wall dives in Menjangan and the wonders of Secret Bay and Jetty Point off the coast of Pemuteran, on the north side of the island.
“I still get excited,” Nicky said. “I like to listen to the guests when they get excited and tell the stories back on the boat. I mean, it’s my job, but it’s a great job.”
Ask any diver around the world about their bucket list and you’re bound to hear one word, twice: mola mola. Every diver headed to Bali this season will be gunning for a glimpse of the elusive sunfish.
Mola mola, the great sunfish that spend most of their lives at depths greater than 200 meters, tend to pop up every year around Nusa Penida’s famous Crystal Bay.
Everyone from diving novices to National Geographic filmmakers flock to see the giant fish during this time as it ascends to a depth of around 30 meters and enjoys a bit of a day spa, allowing reef fish to clean the parasites from its skin.
Sunfish have even been known to bask near the surface of the water and allow seabirds to graze on their nettlesome parasites.
“The season starts in July and runs until October, but in the last two years the mola mola have come earlier. Last year the season ended in September,” Nicky said.
“August has been cold, from 17 to 19 degrees Celsius, so the mola mola have stayed around. I expect them to run until October.”
Back at the shop after a long day of diving, guests gather in the last of the afternoon light outside BMS to share photos, scrawl down details in log books and swap stories from the day’s dives.
Nicky crosses his arms, sips papaya juice and flashes his famous Cheshire smile. His guests recant racing hearts and quickly emptying air tanks as they watched mola mola rise from the depths, or tell about how they forgot to breathe as manta rays gilded just inches above them.
The guests, just back from three dives around Nusa Penida, a 40-minute boat ride from the porch of Nicky’s dive shop, talk with their hands, unintentionally interrupting one another, narrowing their gaze and recounting every detail. Like witnesses to major bank heist, each diver delivers their account differently.
All Nicky can do is smile.
Like most people who wake up every morning and punch the clock at their dream jobs, Nicky never talks about retiring. But he’s aware that the time will come for him to stay on land.
“I’d like to think I’ll still be diving at 60, but I don’t know if I have 5,000 dives left in me,” he says, scratching at his dive-mask markings as he ponders the future.
“All I know is that if I leave this I will have to find something relaxing. Something just as enjoyable as diving.”
Up to the conclusion of Sail Wakatobi Belitong (SWB) 2011 in Wakatobi on Monday, 60 rally participants moored in Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi.
“Since SWB was launched by Coordinating Minister of People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, 60 fancy boats each with an average of five passengers, had moored in Wakatobi,” Wakatobi Regent Hugua said in Kendari on Monday.
Hugua said some of the fancy boats that had entered Wakatobi left Darwin, Australia, on July 23, 2011, while others left from Canbera, Australia.
“In Wakatobi, the 60 fancy boat passengers enjoyed cultural traditions of the people of Wakatobi,” he said.
Hugua added that while SWB in Wakatobi had been officially concluded on Monday (Aug 29), some of the yacht owners were reluctant to leave Wakatobi.
“The fancy boats were supposed to have left Wakatobi for Belitong after calling at several towns in Indonesia like Baubau and Selayar in South Sulawesi,” he said.
But since the passengers of the fancy boats were still wishing to enjoy the beauty of the environment under the sea of Wakatobi and the cordiality and friendliness of the Wakatobi people, some of them stayed put.
“They said nowhere else in the world could one find such satisfaction. And a retired American astronaut even wished to stay in Wakatobi much longer,” he said.
Hugua said while mooring in Wakatobi, the fancy boat passengers had been touring Wakatobi, and some of them were diving in the Hoga Island waters, enjoying the beauty of environment under the sea, the coral reefs and various marine biota in the island.
“The government and people of Wakatobi regency had been holding various cultural attractions for a week like Kabuenga, Posepa and dances. The cultural attractions and performances had really been enjoyed by the fancy boat passengers,” he said.
A special attraction he said was the undersea mass wedding ceremony in Sombu coastal village, Wangi-wangi sub-district joined by 34 newly wed couples.
“The event went down in Museum of Indonesian Records (MURI) as the biggest wedding ceremony in the world. The second biggest involved only eleven couples,” he said.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago and the fourth most populated country in the world. With over 17,000 different islands, Indonesia has just about every different kind of landscape imaginable. Mountains, volcanoes, rice terraces, bustling metropolitan cities, sleepy villages, beautiful beaches and so much more can be found within its borders. For those considering a trip to Indonesia, there are a few places that are must-sees that deserve special recognition.
Bali is one of those must-see places in Indonesia. With gorgeous beaches and pristine water set against a stunning backdrop of rugged coastline, volcanoes, and rice terraces, it’s easy to see why many believe that Bali is paradise on Earth. While many come to the island for its world-class surfing and other water sports, or to simply relax and enjoy one of the many beaches, Bali also has a wealth of cultural opportunities. While Indonesia as a whole is predominantly Muslim, the majority of people in Bali are Hindu, and their religion and culture shines through in their everyday life. Away from the beaches, the cultural heart of Bali is considered to be Ubud. Ubud has a number of historical sites, in addition to museums and galleries. The landscape surrounding Ubud is something to be seen as well, with rice paddies and terraces surrounding the town, enveloping the area in a sea of green.
Another beautiful and interesting cultural place to visit while in Indonesia is Borobudur. An ancient Buddhist stupa and temple complex, Borobudur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in central Java. No one knows for sure as to who exactly built Borobudur, or even why it was built, though it’s thought to have been constructed during the 8th century. Along with the mystery of who built it and why, there’s no clear answer as to why Borobudur was abandoned, although many believe that it may have something to do with the area’s conversion to Islam during the 15th century. Regardless of the reasons, it’s a beautiful, awe-inspiring complex and a fantastic place to visit.
For those visitors who want to experience Batak culture and see the world’s largest volcanic lake, a trip to Danau Toba is in order. Danau Toba is located in Sumatra, and its beauty must be seen to be appreciated. With a backdrop of mountains set against the cool, clear water, it’s a great place to visit. The Batak people are another good reason to visit Danau Toba, as they are friendly, relaxed, and have a rich cultural heritage.
Visitors wanting to experience modern Indonesia should take a few days to explore Jakarta. The capital and largest city in Indonesia, Jakarta is everything one would expect from a city with around 10 million people, complete with shopping, dining, and nightlife options that make it one of Asia’s most exciting cities. Visit museums, parks, mosques, and markets while you shop and eat your way through the city. Jakarta can be chaotic and overwhelming, but it’s never boring, and it’s an interesting window into the lifestyle of urban Indonesians.
