Owner: Bali Tour Guide Blog URL:http://balitourguide.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:49:46 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Travel tips, tours, life style, and places of interests in Bali. Site statistics:Click here
Enjoying Down Hill Cycling in Bali 2008-01-28 01:02:31 Do you like bike riding? You can enjoy Bali riding mountain bike in rural areas or in the villages thus you can experience "the real Bali".Some tour operators provide cycling tour. Sobek, for example, is known for their mountain cycling which started at Kintamani village overlooking mount Batur and Lake Batur. The route for this cycling tour is down hill that you don't need to paddle hard. That's the basic idea actually. To have more times enjoying beautiful scenery along the way without having to worry about the route. At certain points, the tour guide will stop and explain interestings stuff that you see in the villages, so you can take photos or just have little drinks.At the end of your cycling tour you will stop at a restaurant for lunch.Other tour operators even combine cycling activ Read more:Cycling
How To Say No To Street Vendors 2008-01-16 09:13:33 How do you say no to the street vendors offering you goods they sell? Easy. Just say No, Thank You.Right, but often it is not as easy as it seems. The reason? They don't take no for an answer. They keep offering you post cards, chess set, T-Shirt, wooden statue, beach sarong, bone statue, a pack of chop sticks (we don't use them here) and a lot more. So, how do you "handle this situation"?When you are in Bali, especially in tourists area you will meet many street vendors. You will meet them at tourist objects like Kintamani, Tegalalang, Goa Gajah, Kertha Gosa, Bat Cave, Ulun Danu Batur, Lake Batur, Seribatu village, Lovina Beach or in the street outside your hotel.The street vendors are just the Balinese people who work to earn a living. They don't have stall, or capital to start their own Read more:Street
, Vendors
Wayang Kulit: The Bali Puppet Show 2008-01-16 09:07:05 To my astonishment, a reader wrote me an email asking where she can watch a "Wayang Kulit" or shadow puppet show in Bali. I never thought shadow puppets show can also be interesting for tourists, so I decided to write a little note about this matter (not a comprehensive article).Shadow puppet show, despite all these bombardment of movies with computerized special effects, still alive in the heart of the Balinese people. Thanks to the great puppet masters in Bali that Wayang Kulit is till watched by many Balinese, even the youngsters.Shadow puppet which can be a part of sacred ceremonies are prepared very carefully. Not any Balinese can be puppet master because it requires special skill for example in changing voices when talking as different character. A puppet master must also be knowledg
When Is The Best Time to Visit Bali? 2008-01-16 09:00:22 "When is the best time to visit Bali?" I often got this question asked to me. Not just once, but a lot of time. When you ask this question, I know what you mean is more than this simple question. You want to know when to visit Bali so you can have great times in Bali without any disturbance, for instance, rain or peak season.Rain seems to be the main concern for the visitors. I can understand that because rain can "ruin" your holiday. It is hard to enjoy Bali when rain pour from one morning to the next morning.Let's talk about rain first. We have two seasons in Bali, the dry season and the wet season. The dry season is "scheduled" from April to October, while wet season starts from October to April. So, if you don't fancy rain in your holiday, best time to come is between April to October
Barong And Rangda: Two Eternal Enemies 2008-01-16 08:22:51 The problem of goodness versus evil is never really finish in this world. Many stories, legends, even the Hollywood movies set this theme as their focus in their stories.In Bali there are also many stories about good and bad. Barong
story which is presented in the Barong Dance performed daily in Batu Bulan village is no different. It tells the story is about fight between good and bad, only this time the good does not win...Barong is a an animal which looks like a lion. Since no one has seen it in reality, it is safe to assume that Barong is a mythical character just like the leprechaun.Where do you see the original Barong? If you tour around with your tour guide or driver, you might have a chance to see a religious procession. You will probably the local Balinese who dances Barong dance o Read more:Eternal
, Enemies
Bali Traffic “Road Rules”: The Revealation 2008-01-10 13:00:09 As you step your feet in our island, you'll soon notice that we have different traffic "road rules" with those European or American countries. Some of the rules may appear strange to you. And here are some of the "rules" you will observe in the tiny streets in Bali.Beeping "rules". People seems to beep a lot more here. A driver beeps when asking other driver to give way to him, so he can drive through. A driver also beeps when saying hello to a friend he meets in the street or offers transport service to tourists.Hazard lamp "rule" for cross road. The hazard lamps are lit when going straight in a cross road. Maybe the logic is that when turning right or left, we have to light either right or left sign lamp. So, if going straight, both lamp; left and right, should be lit."Rules
" for crossin
Why You Should Not Shout to Monkeys in Bali 2008-01-10 00:29:58 A friend of mine, Dar, a Bali tour guide, thought he could "summon" the monkeys at monkey forests any time he needed just by shouting loudly. Well, he is surely right about calling the monkey but he forgot something else. He was no Tarzan. And the monkeys didn't like people shouting at them disturbing their privacy.So, Dar was going to get a surprise he would never forget for all his mortal life.This is a story about my friend who took a client to a monkey forest somewhere north Denpasar, Bali on one afternoon. Dar's client was a very important client because he owned a travel agent in US. Therefore, my friend was on special mission to give the best service in order to impress this VIP client. "Make the client happy," his boss reminded,"we count on you."The client was happy touring around Read more:Monkeys
Bali Shanti Shanti Shanti; The Brand New Bali 2007-12-03 03:53:16 For centuries, the number three is very important in Bali'nese Hindu in Bali island. For example, the number 3 can be clearly seen in the brand new logo of Bali introduced in June 2007.First, the shape is a triangle. The triangle actually means stability and harmony. Besides, it also represent the three manifestation of God, Brahma (the creator), Wisnu (the preserver) and Siva (the sin destroyer). The Balinese belief in the existence of 3 worlds, called Bhur, Bwah, and Swah which is also indicated by the triangel. There is three stages of life, birth, life and death.Next, the popular concept of Tri Hita Karana (three that causes happiness) does underlie the idea of the new logo of Bali. It is the THK that actually is believed to be responsible to the peaceful feeling and harmony the visito Read more:Brand
Finding A Bali Tour Guide and Driver 2007-11-24 18:26:22 Since having this blog, I have received many emails asking for a tour guide who is also a driver in Bali. I always try to reply as quick as I can, but since I am usually on tour and far away from my computer, then I have to wait before I can write back.But I also would like to say thank you to you all who have sent me emails and using my service as a tour guide or driver. Since there are many people that come to Bali wanting tour guide and driver, and I can not handle it by myself, then I decided to organize all friends that I know who works in tourism business. So, if you have plan coming to Bali, and would like to hire a tour guide and driver you can do it through me. My friends and I will be ready to take you around the island. You can decide where you want to go, or you can consult me Read more:Driver
, Guide
Meet My Friend, Beni: The Spanish Speaking Tour Guide 2007-11-12 04:14:45 I'd like to introduce my friend, Nyoman Beni. Also a tour guide like me, but he is also fluent in Spanish
. He speaks both English and Spanish and currently learning Russian, as many Russian tourists are now visiting Bali. Especially on December and January.If you need a spanish tour guide or get in touch with one, you can contact me through my email address. He'd be happy to drive you around and show you great places in Bali. You can also tell him where to go if you already have plan in your mind where you'd like to go.Having more than 10 years experience tour guiding both english and Spanish tourist, he is ready to take you around. He also has great knowledge of Bali, its culture, temples, geography and beautiful places to go in Bali.So, no need to say more, contact me to get in touch wit Read more:Guide
, Speaking
The Good Guys and The Bad Guys 2007-11-07 19:03:27 This is a photo of a Dwarapala statue. "Dwarapala" is derived from Sanskrit language meaning "door guardian". As it name suggests, you will find a lot of this kind of statues in front of temple gates in Bali. Besides temple, you can find this in all traditional building such as the village hall, puri (palace) and houses.At a quick glance, it may look scary, but they are the good characters (or the good guys). Being a visitor, sometimes you don't know which is good guy and which is bad guy because it looks similar.On the big holiday, those statues are wrapped in yellow and white fabric or black and white checkered cloth. The main purpose of this wrapping is to show respect to the spirits that guard the temple. You can see also there are offerings presented for the spirits made of coconut
Finding Ketut Cantik (The Beautiful Ketut) 2007-10-25 19:14:17 I have several emails coming because of this blog. One of them is very unique. It was from a guy in Western Australia. He came through Google searching for "Balinese phrase" or maybe "Indonesian phrase" and ended up in my blog. And he eventually decided to write this strange email to me. (Later I knew he looked up at Google for this phrases to write a letter to a balinese girl)In his email, Ted (not actually his real name) asked if it was possible for me to find a girl named Ketut who live some where in Legian (Legian is located north of Kuta) or got somebody to find this girl if I did not want to do it. Hmm, for a start there are at least 500,000 Ketuts in Bali, but if she live in Legian that would narrow down the search. I replied his email saying,"I'll take the job." After all, I have b Read more:Beautiful
Wireless Internet Connection In Bali 2007-10-24 23:45:10 You can get fast internet connection nowadays in Bali especially in Denpasar and Nusa Dua up to 3.5 Megabit per second. (so, that't what they claimed) This is if you have the so-called HSDPA phone to connect to Internet
for example the Nokia 6120C.You can buy the SIM card in Bali if your plan doesnot include international roaming. The easiest way is to get a IM3 SIM card which has Internet connection active already. All you need is just to configure your phone or your modem so it can connect to the service. This one is no sweat since there is a simple manual you can follow. All you need to do is to send sms to a certain number to activate the 3G feature. The price of the data is 1.1 rupiah per kilo Byte, or USD .0001 or soThere are also many many hotspot area that will give you free intern Read more:Wireless
, Wireless Internet
Sanur Village; A Quiet Tourist Area in The Eastern Coast 2007-10-24 01:08:50 Sanur is a tourist area which was a fisherman village, that you can achieve by driving twenty minutes from the Denpasar air port. What's in Sanur? Well, if you'd like a quiter place than Kuta, Sanur is the right place. There are less shops, traffics, or street vendors compared to Kuta.Along the main street of Sanur, there are shops which sell souvenirs, banks, Hardy's shopping centre, money changers, home stays and hotels which range from budget hotels to the internatioanl chain of the Bali Hyatt. To get taxi is also not a big problem, they are just wandering in the streets. If you prefer you can walk along the pavement along the main street at night time, since probably it is a bit hot during the day.From the main street, it is only a few metres to the beach. Most of the hotels are built Read more:Sanur
, Village
, Quiet
, Eastern
, Coast
A Master Wood Carver from Mas Village 2007-10-14 18:53:05 Mas village is a welknown village for the woodcarver. Many of the famous wood carver come from this village. I was lucky to meet one of the wood carver. His name is Pak Tiru. In the photo that I took from my phone, he was working on his wooden statue.It is going to take six months to accomplish such a statue. It was two meters high and the material is local wood called Suar wood. The statue he is working on now depicts the Goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. Indeed, Mas village and surrounding villages like Kemenuh, Ubud, and Tegalalang has many wood carver artists. If you drive to the Kintamani, you will see a lot of them displaying their works by the street. The statues have many varieties, from the classical statues depicting deities, or contemporary theme like dolphin. The material used a Read more:Village
, Master
, Carver
Lonely Planet Bali and Lombok 2007-10-14 10:14:32 This excellent guide book offers a complete and comprehensive information about touring, activities, and accomodations in Bali and Lombok. Written by two great authors who had conducted a 68 days of in-country research, drawing 51 detailed maps.The book also talks in detail about all new outdoor activites with details of diving and surfing information. It also covers many accomodations ranging from budget hotels to five stars hotel as well as detail prices of staying in those hotels.A complete guide for dining also is presented well. The book lists many restaurants from local stall, local restaurants to international restaurants. There is a special chapter dedicated to talk about food, it is called Food & Drink written by renowned Ubud restaurateur and auther Janet de Neefe. Read more:Lonely
, Lonely Planet
Melanting Temple at North West Bali 2007-10-14 08:58:17 This is another beautiful temple located at North
Bali, somewhere in the Pulaki village. If you travel from Denpasar, you will arrive in three hours. If you go to the west via Negara ( a town in West Bali) you will pass the Bali Barat National Park which is ideal trekking place.Another tourist spot is Labuan Lalang, which located close to Menjangan Island, a popular diving site. The Melanting temple is located further north. You actually need to go away from the normal route to reach the temple. If you stay at Matahari Resort at Pemuteran village, you can tour around in nearby villages such as Pulaki Temple
and Melanting Temple.Many Balinese visit this temple especially traders as the Goddess Melanting is popular among the Balinese traders as the one to turn for good trade. Although it is
Finding The Real Bali 2007-10-11 03:31:03 Bali has changed a lot since tourist booming in 1970-ies. Many hotels, restaurant, and villas are built to accomodate the incoming visitors. Many local leave their villages, and their farm lands to go to get better promising job in tourist area. Some are successful in changing their life to a better standard, others are still trying to survive.Apart from that, many visitors who visited Bali before, let say, twenty or thirty years ago, will commented that Bali has a experienced a lot of change. There were fewer cars in the streets, less buildings, but more rice fields. Last time you still could see farmers walked on the main road when going to the rice fields. You can still do it now, but you have to go to the villages, not in big city like Denpasar or Sanur.Is Bali more beautiful thirty ye
Around Kuta Square and Beyond 2008-03-13 06:09:14 Kuta square is a popular area in Kuta for shopping or just for hanging around and taking a stroll for windows shopping. It is about fourteen kilometres from Denpasar the capital city or five kilometres from the Ngurah Rai Airport (the only airport in Bali.)Many shops selling branded names of varieties of products ranging from clothes, shoes, bags or jewelry. There is a popular shopping centre around Kuta square called Matahari where you can buy all your daily needs and souvenirs. There is also a Timezone to relax.Next to Kuta square there is the traditional market which consists of hundreds of shops selling varieties of products. Mostly they sell T-shirts, pants, sarongs, mats, baby clothes, paintings, cushions, all tagged with Bali. This place you can bargain. (Many Balinese sellers now Read more:Square
Calm pieceful village of Penglipuran 2008-03-15 17:28:14 Traditional Bali VillagePenglipuran Village is located in Bangli regency, about 60 kilometres from Denpasar the capital city. It has about 170 families living in this village, and their house have same layout. All stretched from north to South. The northern part of the village is where the village temple is located. If you go further behind the temple, you will reach the bamboo forest.They use bamboo as tiles for their house roof. They also make other things from bamboo such as walls, wind chimes, chairs or pavilions.At the back of each house, you will see their garden. They plant coffee, snake skin fruit, jack fruit or spices. They also have pig sty with a couple of pigs. When you visit the house, you can see their houses are not a single buildings. But it is divided into several building
Around Kuta Square and Beyond 2008-03-15 17:27:37 Kuta square is a popular area in Kuta for shopping or just for hanging around and taking a stroll for windows shopping. It is about fourteen kilometres from Denpasar the capital city or five kilometres from the Ngurah Rai Airport (the only airport in Bali.)Many shops selling branded names of varieties of products ranging from clothes, shoes, bags or jewelry. There is a popular shopping centre around Kuta square called Matahari where you can buy all your daily needs and souvenirs. There is also a Timezone to relax.Next to Kuta square there is the traditional market which consists of hundreds of shops selling varieties of products. Mostly they sell T-shirts, pants, sarongs, mats, baby clothes, paintings, cushions, all tagged with Bali. This place you can bargain. (Many Balinese sellers now Read more:Square
Stone Carvers At Batu Bulan Village 2008-04-12 01:00:12 If you go tour to Ubud or Kintamani, you will pass a village called Batu Bulan
which located just outside of Denpasar. There is something special you can see along the way in this village; stone carvings.Hundreds of stone statues are displayed in front of studios along the street. These statues are made of different kind of material such as sand stone, lime stone, and volcanic stone. Sand stone is the softest and easiest to carve. It is what mostly also used for building Balinese Hindu Temple. The yellow coloured lime stone is harder than lime stone. While volcanic stone is the hardest.You will see different statues, from traditional theme to modern ones. But most of the time you will see statues of Hindu gods and godesses, temple door guardians (dwarapal), or Buddha statues. There are als Read more:Stone
, Village
Hi Dude, Where is my luggage? 2008-05-04 15:23:08 I met Mr Garcia, from Mexico, who told me about his experience just when he got out of the plane when arriving in Bali. He and his wife was looking for his luggage but coould not see them at the airport.They look for their luggage around the airport for about half an hour but still could not find them. Finally, they see this group of people (porters) standing in circle. They were there all the time, but Mr. Garcia did not pay attention to them, until they saw that their bags were behind those porters."Look, there is our bags." Mrs. Garcia said as they realised that their bags were hidden behind those porters. That's why they could not find their bags all this time.When they try to take their luggage, those porters said, "No, no, no" "We carry your bags.""No, it's okay, we can carry them ou
Meet Evy:The Baby Orangutan 2008-05-23 04:03:06 You can take a picture of yourself holding an orangutan baby nowadays in Bali.Yes, that's right, you don't have to depart to Borneo.There is a Bali Safari Park in Gianyar district you can visit. Here in the park, you will ride a specially designed vehicle and travel through "jungles" and witness numerous different kind of animals.you'll get an opportunity to see lions, tigers (Sumatran tiger and I
Luwak Coffee At Seribatu Village 2008-06-14 21:25:36 Rare may it seem, but you can get the luwak coffee here in Bali.Okay, now what is luwak coffee? Luwak is a kind of nocturnal animal which resembles a cat and consumes fruits like papaya, or banana. But wait, it also eats coffee beans. This coffee beans travel to the animal eschopagus, and passing through intestines, bowels, and finally comes out as droppings.Here is the strange thing. The coffee b Read more:Coffee
, Village
The Bat Cave of East Bali 2008-06-27 17:44:16 Pura Goa Lawah or the Bat cave temple is located in the easte Bali. To travel there you will need to sped two hours from Kuta. This cave usually visited in a package tour to East Bali. But anyway, close your eyes, and imagine that you are in Bali, and lets; go to the Bat Cave temple.Bats, bats, bats, every where. That's probably what you say in your mind. A lot of them are Ange hanging in the wall
An Evening in Ubud 2008-06-27 17:35:43 I went to Ubud one evening with two clients form California (US). The plan was we are going to watch a cultural performance at The Puri Saren or Ubud Palace. Ubud Palace was just situated in the center of Ubud, just opposite of Ubud art market. In one corner, there is this Ibu OKa suckling pig stall, and next to the stall is the village hall where the locals hold meeting.This time the Legong dance
What Would You Like to Drink? Sot Drink or Coconut? 2008-06-27 17:31:22 If you go to tourists place such as Tanah Lot you will notice that there are many little cafes adn restaurant which offer coconut milk or water or milk?? Far from it , it is not the milk, it is just the water of coconut. Fresh coconut, usually the green coconut, are available almost in every corner at Tanah Lot Temple. why green? I think it is the taste is better than the yellow or orange coconut Read more:Drink
Trekking to Waterfall of Gitgit 2008-06-27 17:26:58 On your tour to the north Bali, you will usually stop at this stunning waterafall. Some tour operator prefer to go there before arriving at Lovina, but some others stop after Lovina. I personally like to visit this waterfall after Lovina, on the way back from north Bali.From the picture, you can see it is multi tiered waterfall. And it is such a beautiful view. You just need to be fit to go there. Read more:Waterfall
Recommend Site To A Friend
