Bali, Indonesia is home to spectacular beaches and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Tourists and locals alike have made vacationing with the sand, sea and surf a yearly endeavor. In the scenic Bali Barat National Park, a comfortable getaway has been providing weary travelers ultimate relaxation and a memorable rendezvous all throughout the year. This hotspot is called the Waka Shorea Laketown Hotel and has been known to provide quality accommodations and great hospitality at surprisingly low rates.
This month, until the15th of December 2008, rates get amazingly lower as Waka Shorea treats its guests to packages that will be hard to resist now that the holidays are getting closer. For starters, there is the “Romantic Escape Honeymoon Package,” which only costs USD 743.00 and is chock full of pampering activities. This package can accommodate two adults in a room with an ocean view and is good for a maximum of three nights. This great deal is tailor-made for couples wanting to go on vacation and seeking quality time together without the hustle and bustle of city life.
For those who want a longer stay in their tropic paradise, Waka Shorea offers long-stay rates, which is valid for a minimum of five nights. This is called the “Hideaway Package,” only USD 105.00 a night. The package also includes a hearty American breakfast and complete pampering facilities that are sure to recharge and pep up any world-weary guest.
All rooms are subject to availability, so secure your reservation online now at http://www.wakashorearesort-bali.com/ppc/
Sitting in a torrent of activity where the Pacific pours into the Indian Ocean, Komodo Island is home to a multitude of marine life. Simon Rogerson dips his fins in two worlds. Amazing things happen when two oceans meet. At Komodo National Park in Indonesia - a relatively small stretch of sea around the famous ‘dragon island’ - cool upwellings from the Pacific are forced into relatively shallow water and then flood into the Indian Ocean. The area which sees this massive movement of water is marked by a few volcanic islands which conspire to create some of the most powerful and unpredictable currents on the planet.
It’s a remarkable place - a hothouse for evolution and home to an incredible array of marine life. Of the 500 or so coral species found in the Indo-Pacific, Komodo has 260. It harbours more than 1,000 species of fish and 70 species of sponge. Acre for acre, it is one of the most diverse coral reef environments in the world.
My journey began on the 42m Kararu, a traditional rigged sailing vessel which serves as an extremely spacious liveaboard. It operates from Bali, 160 miles to the west, but the journey to and from Komodo is punctuated by dive sites which are fascinating in their own right, and serve as a build-up to the world-class diving at Komodo and its neighbouring island, Rinca. My host was the boat’s co-owner, Tony Rhodes, a Brit with an easy manner and a knack for spotting near-microscopic animals.
On an early dive at a site called Mentjang Wall, we were finning along in mid-water when Tony suddenly swooped down to the reef. I followed, squinting at the scrappy patch of coral to which he was pointing. At first nothing, then I could make out a tiny brownish nudibranch (of the Flabellinidae family). He had seen it from 10m away! Suspicious, I wondered if he had sneakily placed it there when I wasn′t looking, possibly inspired by Donald Pleasence’s similar trick in The Great Escape. As I was to discover, his spotting skills were quite genuine. While there are plenty of sizeable creatures to marvel at in Indonesia, the area does tend to attract divers with a penchant for the diminutive. These are rich seas, and there is a perpetual battle for space on the reefs. After just a few days, your eyes become familiar with the environment, so that semi-camouflaged critters begin to reveal themselves. Professional dive guides become finely attuned to this sort of diving.
Komodo National Park comprises the seas around the islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and some smaller islands. It’s a two-wetsuit trip: on the northern side of the islands, the water is warm, and most people dive comfortably with the thinnest of skins. Cool, nutrient-rich upwellings prevail on the southern side, where 5mm suits, hoods and gloves are the order of the day.
These islands act like a dam, holding back the warmer Pacific waters, which are then forced through various straits, creating a pressure void along the park’s southern side. This allows cold water from the Sumba Sea to rise up, effectively replacing the water removed by the currents at the surface. With the cold water comes a bloom in phytoplankton, forming the basis of Komodo’s super-charged food chain. It is a very, very special place indeed.
The results of these crazy upwellings are best experienced at Horseshoe Bay on Rinca’s southern side. These are the most crowded reefs I have ever seen, but the payoff is low visibility caused by all those nutrients suspended in the water. Horseshoe Bay’s famous site is a pinnacle known as Cannibal Rock (named after a monstrous Komodo dragon seen eating one of its own kind nearby), where dense swathes of black, yellow and red crinoids jostle for space.
It’s a great place to test buoyancy skills, because crinoids stick to neoprene like glue; any contact whatsoever and you’ve got yourself a hitchhiker. Once, after taking head-on photographs of an implacable lizardfish, I looked down to find I had picked up two featherstars complete with clingfish and crinoid shrimps - a whole ecosystem! I guiltily set them back on the reef.
Just outside Horseshoe Bay is a fascinating site known as the Great Yellow Wall of Texas, renowned for its soft corals. Visibility here was reminiscent of British shore-diving standards, and the coral polyps were all retracted, so I hardly saw the reef in all its glory. Still, I could appreciate the sheer intensity of the place. Nestling among the crinoid forest were some fascinating animals, including brightly coloured sea apples, a spectacular member of the sea slug family. Tiny hawkfish nestled between the fronds of soft corals, while gobies darted around their tiny territories.
Night dives were even more atmospheric. The currents sweeping over Cannibal Rock were too much to cope with after dark, so we searched for night creatures in the shallows. At first glance, the sandy expanses were devoid of life, but a closer inspection revealed a wealth of nocturnal drama. Octopus each the size of a child’s fist moved over the sand, extending their tentacles into tiny holes as they hunted for suitably small prey. Every now and then, they would retract their foraging limbs in pain, having received a nip from some hidden sand-dweller.
Inshore sites often serve as nurseries. I saw lots of tiny fish, including juvenile oriental sweetlips (flapping wildly like some out-of-control bumblebee) and a rockmover wrasse complete with protruding unicorn’s horn. Photographers found the night dives to be the most productive of all, and some would sacrifice an afternoon dive to be alert for the evening.
The best night dive took place beyond Horseshoe Bay on a sandy slope near Banta Island. The site has a particularly cheesy name - ‘It’s a Small World′ - which nevertheless hints at the macro wonders which have made it their home. I dropped in and descended 10m to what looked to be a lunar landscape, devoid of life. The gritty sand billowed briefly into the water column as I landed on the sea bed and looked down to see a skeletal face leering back with utter contempt.
It was a stargazer, a voracious lunge-predator whose stealth is rivalled only by its monumental ugliness. It buries itself in sand right up to its eyes, then waits for a suitable morsel to happen along. Ambush predators don’t like being seen, and this one looked up at me with undisguised disgust as I gently fanned the sand away from its fearsome features. Eventually, the indignity of being exposed in this way proved too much; it launched itself off the sand and sped off into the darkness.
I enjoy watching other divers at night. Despite the best intentions of the buddy system, there is something about the combination of shallow, current-free sites and diving by torchlight which internalizes the diving experience. Divers retreat into themselves, their attention focused chiefly on the thin column illuminated by their lights. I hovered behind a professional videographer, Roger Munns of Scubazoo (the film-making outfit based in Southeast Asia) fame, who had found a handsome red frogfish - okay, ‘handsome’ isn’t a word often associated with frogfish, but we’re talking ‘eye of the beholder’ here, okay?
As he trained his video lights on the frogfish, the brightness attracted a small food chain. Driven by some inexplicable urge, tiny worms massed around the lights in writhing density. They in turn attracted the attention of some cardinalfish, which foolishly took the frogfish to be a lump of coral. They were soon disabused of this notion as the predator extended its jaws and sucked a hapless cardinalfish into its maw.
This super-gulp is too fast to see. Later, watching Roger’s footage on an iBook laptop, we studied the lunge frame by frame. You see the frogfish give a dainty little leap, and there is a slight blur around its mouth as it takes the fish, but the movement itself is too fast even for a professional-quality video recording in slow motion mode. Viewed at normal speed, the frogfish twitches slightly and the cardinalfish simply disappears.
In addition to illustrating the efficiency of the frogfish’s feeding mechanism, this episode revealed to me the depth of the cardinalfish’s stupidity. The ‘not exactly quick on the uptake’ survivors kept returning to the lights, and the frogfish enjoyed a further six courses while the cardinalfish doubtless wondered where all their companions had gone. By the time I had sidled in to photograph the frogfish, it was noticeably bulkier and appeared to have a case of the hiccups.
Providing a contrast to Komodo’s macro dives is a great manta site off the island of Langkoi, a busy little channel where the graceful rays can be seen feeding on plankton-loaded water. Langkoi’s mantas are among the biggest I have ever seen, some even approaching the legendary 6m mark.
It was a pleasure to dispense with the hood and gloves when our boat Kararu returned to the balmy sites of the north. Here, I was presented with dizzyingly clear water and some classically beautiful reefs. There were plenty of reef fish, but I saw little in the blue, despite the preternatural clarity of the water. Occasionally, schools of barracuda, jacks or bannerfish would appear, but there were no sharks or tuna. This is the case across much of these islands, where shark-finning has decimated reef shark populations over the past decade. Illegal shark fishing and even dynamite bombing still takes place in Komodo National Park, despite its protected status. Still, conservation efforts at Komodo - reinforced by the presence of tourism - have succeeded in preserving vast tracts of reef. These reefs have an additional importance which transcends the pleasure they give divers. The coral here is especially resilient to the effects of coral bleaching caused by factors such as global warming and El Niño. This is due to the upwelling effect of cooling water from the depths of the Sumba Sea.
Marine biologists believe that as coral reef systems continue to be lost, it is places such as Komodo that will replenish and re-colonize devastated habitats elsewhere in Indonesia and the wider Indo-Pacific. The same currents which make life so difficult (if entertaining) for divers, carry coral larvae beyond the national park to places where reef space is available. In this sense, Komodo is a mother among coral reefs, and one we should all cherish.
• Simon Rogerson dived with Kararu Dive Voyages. Charters are available for trips of different duration, but the standard Komodo tour takes 11 days. Trips to the remote reefs of Alor and Rajah Empat are also available. For further information, contact UK agents Divequest on 01254 826322 or check out Kararu’s website, http://www.kararu.com.
The world’s easiest wreck dive? No diver should visit Bali without diving the wreck of the Liberty, a First World War-era cargo ship which lies off the beach at the village of Tulamben on the nortwest coast. The Liberty grounded itself on this beach after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, and stayed there until 1963 when the Agung volcano exploded, pushing her into the water and splitting the hull in two.
Today, the wreckage sits on black volcanic sand at a diver-friendly 27m, providing a home for a prodigious amount of marine life. It pained me not to include the Liberty in DIVE’s recent rundown of the world′s best wrecks, but the truth is that this is a wreck dive for divers who don’t like wrecks.
The structure of the wreck is undeniably impressive, but the resident marine life steals the show. There is a school of jacks which regularly form the classic spiral shoaling formation, and tame reef fish abound (they’ve been fed, and approach divers with feverish enthusiasm).
The wreck is coated in coral, and sought-after macro subjects such as the pygmy seahorse can be reliably found. It has to be one of the world’s best shore dives, but what makes it so ludicrously easy is the presence of a local co-operative which charges a small amount for access to the shore, then carries your BC and cylinder to the entry point.
What makes all this slightly shameful is the fact that the co-operative is made up of local women, most of whom are slightly built and less than five feet tall! They can carry two sets of kit at a time for the ten-minute walk over the pebble beach! On their heads!
I couldn′t bring myself to let them carry my gear, but my guide warned me that it would be seen as unforgivably patronizing not to let them do their job. So, I hobbled over the beach behind my petite kit-bearer praying to the Balinese gods that no one would recognize me.
Want diving, cruising and liveaboard in komodo?
Located 200 nautical miles east of Bali, Komodo National Park nestles between the large islands of Sumbawa and Flores, all of which are part of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tenggara on current maps).
It transgress some islands when cruising to Komodo. Diving liveaboard komodo with Sea Safari Cruise start from Bali and will layover in Moyo Island, Tora Longkoy Rinca, Satonda and Nusa Kode. All of island s have amazing underwater habitat. Komodo Island and national park reserve offers just about every type of tropical diving imaginable - from calm and colourful shallow reefs alive with hundreds of colourful reef fishes and crammed with invertebrates, to current-swept deep water sea mounts, walls and pinnacles patrolled by sharks, tuna and other big fish. The variety of marine life for scuba diving in Komodo rivals the world’s best dive destinations. This is the world’s epicentre for marine diversity and you’ll see loads of stuff here on a diving cruise that you just won’t see anywhere else in the world - From whale sharks, sunfish, mantas and eagle rays to pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, clown frogfish, nudibranchs and blue-ringed octopus - all at home amongst a spectacular range of colourful sponges, sea squirts, tunicates and corals - a macro enthusiast’s heaven.
Geologically, Komodo and Rinca are part of Flores, separated from Sumbawa to the west by the Sape Strait. In the middle of the strait, the bottom drops to almost 300 metres. The many islands and relatively shallow seas between Flores and Komodo’s west coast mean very fast currents at tidal changes, especially when the higher tidal waters of the Pacific in the north flow through into the Indian Ocean to the south. The upwellings from the deep surrounding seas bring nutrients and plankton to keep the Komodo waters rich and well-fed. Unlike other parts of Indonesia, the reefs around the south of the islands have suffered relatively little damage from dynamite fishing. Much of the area now lies within the protection of the national park. The shallow reefs between Flores and the northern region however, were bombed in the past but are now recovering their former splendour. The affected area covers around 15% of the archipelago, and even here steep drop-offs and current-swept points offer excellent Komodo diving. The island is also famous for its Komodo dragon monitor lizard, the largest lizards in the world. An alert and agile predator and scavenger that can reach 2.5 metres in length and 125 kg, they are known locally as ‘Ora’ and now about 1,100 inhabit the island and about half that live on nearby Rinca Island.
Bali is one island of Indonesia which has about 13,000 islands in all. Bali is located just 2 kilometers away from the eastern tip of the Java Island and Lombok Island. The island is home of approximately 4 million people. It is approximately 144 kilometers from east to west and 80 kilometers north to south. There are varied landscapes of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides which provide a picturesque backdrop to the colorful and deeply spiritual culture of this ‘Island of The Gods’.
The word “paradise” is used a lot in Bali. Eighty percent of international visitors to Indonesia visit Bali or visit Bali specially. The popularity is not without reason. The first Hindus arrived at Bali as early as 100 BC. So it is easy to understand why the island has such a long time to develop its own culture. But the current chapter for Bali’s history begins in the seventies when intrepid hippies and surfers discovered Bali’s beaches and waves. Tourism soon became the main resource of income. Despite the shocks of the terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005, the magical island continues to draw crowds. Bali’s culture remains as spectacular as ever.
There are an estimated 20,000 temples (pura) on the island, each of which holds festivals (odalan) at least twice a year and there are many other auspicious days throughout the year. There are always festivities going on. There are some large festivals that are celebrated island wide, but their dates are determined by two local calendars. The 210-day wuku or Pawukon calendar is completely out of sync with the Western calendar while the lunar saka (caka) calendar roughly follows the Western year.
For more information about traveling, please have a look at http://www.affordablecruisestours.com
Travel and tourism has gained a never-before momentum over the last decade. And India, except for some areas to be heeded, has been keeping pace to the money-making and development drive. Initiatives taken up by India through various measures including public-private partnership are much visible now. 2007 witnessed over five million tourists to India and the trend continues in 2008 with 12% growth in foreign traffic and 29% growth in forex earning in the first four months of the year. Setting up of a tourism office in Beijing gave forth a new avenue as far as tour to India is concerned. But, India still has miles to wade through in terms of offering better tourism products and world-class infrastructure. âIncredible Indiaâ campaign has been a major success of the past few years. But it doesnât cause us to be poised enough for our neighbor china boasts of 50 millions foreign visitors and we have the required potential.
The campaign has been triumphant in capturing high-end tourists spending more time in India. And even though countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore have larger number of tourists arrivals, the foreign exchange earned per foreign tourist of India is much higher - which is $1,920 compare to Indonesia ($905), Singapore ($835) and Malaysia ($520). This is because India is able to provide quality products, better service and improved infrastructure. Ambika Soni, Minister of Tourism and Culture in a recent interview highlighted many areas that are being taken care of for us to be hopeful of Indiaâs economic growth. The minister said Medical Tourism has got a boost and over one lakh fifty thousand patients arrived in India in 2004 from across the globe for medical treatment. E-commerce platform has been put on the portal of Incredible India. This service has got many online companies like yatra.com, makemytrip.com, etc. together thus enabling the customers to avail competitive price.
In an effort to put India on the global tourism map, we have witnessed BBC and CNN to have produced number of TV commercials for âIncredible Indiaâ campaign both in domestic and international markets. This time around, the world MICE market is estimated to be around $280 billion of which Asiaâs share is $30 billion. Initiatives are also being taken to develop 127 rural sites into tourist destination to flaunt their local culture, heritage, cuisine and art. This is how things have started to take off.
Herein lies the rub. As of now, efforts being taken are more of branding exercises than working for the ground realities. Unless India makes it to offer quality tourism products and world-class infrastructure, branding exercise alone canât turn up returns. In a country like India, tourism is largely a regional phenomenon, while some areas are flourishing with activities; some are unexplored yet even as they have potential. Tourists still gather at the conventional sites of some prominent cities of India like Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, etc. Given the range of diversity; and heritage pool, we could have adopted measures to disburse foreign tourists to each corner of the country.
Our land is already a tourists-savvy one. All we need is a strategy involving public and private participation. There is acute shortage of hotels and manpower to deal with escalating number of tourists. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in many cities is still inadequate. France has little to flaunt in terms of cuisine, geography and culture; and a country six times smaller than India, can attract 20 times number of tourist that India did.
India is insecure. The cases of tourist murder are being reported every month, the tragic murder of scarlet recently has added to the woes of foreigners. Foreigners are fleeced everywhere. Many hotspots in India are connected unacceptably. It is high time for India to embark on a mission to develop the unexplored sites across India, connect them properly; increase the number of hotels; provide infrastructure offer security to foreigners and finally to wake up Indians to work jointly to make our country the best travel getaway of the world. Mere branding efforts wouldnât work.
About Samoa
Samoa, or the Independent State of Samoa, to give the country its official name, is a country located off the North West coast of Australia. It is a part of the Samoan Islands archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean.
With a population of just over 180,000, you are not likely to bump into anyone real soon. In spite of such a small population and a secluded existence however Samoa is a picturesque surfing spot where you can enjoy a perfect surfing holiday.
Important
Due to the effect of tides and wind on the surf, conditions in Samoa usually makes impossible to surf all day. If your main holiday objective is to surf all day every day then Samoa may not be the destination for you. On most days a 3-5 hour surf trip departs early morning and returns before lunch, then there is the possibility of surfing directly out front of the resort later in the day.
If you are planning a surfing holiday now, plan it through World Surfaris. They are the experts in surf travel. The respected leaders with over 20 years surf experience, they can arrange the best surf trips to the Maldives, Indonesia, Mentawais, Sumatra, PNG, Caroline Islands, South Pacific and heaps more regions where the surf is pumping. They have surf trips to perfect uncrowded reef-breaks with just you and your mates. World Surfaris represent a diverse range of “Unique Surf Adventures” catering to all standards of surfers and their budgets. A major ingredient for success hav been maintaining the highest customer service standards whilst selling at very competitive prices.
A team of highly experienced travel consultants ensures that travel arrangements are handled with the maximum professionalism. The motto “Get the hell out of Here” is an apt way to describe the company philosophy. World Surfaris have the largest range of surf boats and surf resorts available for all budgets. If you need maximum surfing time with minimum hassle then they will have the surf trip for you. For any further information please visit www.worldsurfaris.com.
While the main aim of any holiday is to relax and have fun, it is important to take due precautions if you are going for a holiday involving an adventure holiday such as surfing. Listed below are a few pointers that will be quite helpful in staying safe while extracting the maximum fun from your surfing holiday. • The right equipment – The surfboard is only a piece of equipment, but it is essential to choose a good surfboard while going surfing. While choosing a surfboard, make sure that you can lie on it comfortably and there is no tipping to any side. If you are just starting to surf, always wear a leash or leg rope tied to their surfboard. • The right technique – There are three parts to surfing. Doing all three of them right is essential in order to surf right and avoid injuries. 1. Paddling: Always paddle with the crawl stroke, i.e. alternatively with both hands. Do not use both hands together as it becomes difficult to maintain a constant speed. 2. Sitting: Be calm; be still. You will obviously wobble the first few times you try to sit on a surfboard. Remember, the less movement you make, the easier it will be to maintain control. 3. Standing: The final step. Remember high school science; stay low and you will have less changes of falling down. Make sure to use the stringer as a mark to know where to stand. It will help you balance your weight. And lastly, be confident and enjoy yourself. If you are planning a surfing holiday now, plan it through World Surfaris. They are the experts in surf travel. The respected leaders with over 20 years surf experience, they can arrange the best surf trips to the Maldives, Indonesia, Mentawais, Sumatra, PNG, Carolines Islands, South Pacific and heaps more regions where the surf is pumping. They have surf trips to perfect uncrowded reef-breaks with just you and your mates. World Surfaris represent a diverse range of “Unique Surf Adventures” catering to all standards of surfers and their budgets. A major ingredient for success has been maintaining the highest customer service standards whilst selling at very competitive prices. A team of highly experienced travel consultants ensures that travel arrangements are handled with the maximum professionalism. The motto “Get the hell out of Here” is an apt way to describe the company philosophy. World Surfaris have the largest range of surf boats and surf resorts available for all budgets. If you need maximum surfing time with minimum hassle then they will have the surf trip for you. For any further information please visit www.worldsurfaris.com
1) Donsol, Philippines
In this little town in southern Luzon just off the coast in a spot where Whale Sharks – the largest fish in the sea come to feed. From here you can go out for a day with a boat and swim with the sharks. As they only feed on plankton they swim close to the surface and swim fairly slowly so you are able to keep up with them. You are only allowed to snorkel with the sharks but it is just an amazing experience to be so close to a shark of this size.
2) Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia
In this town in northern Sumatra there is miles of forest which is inhabited with many orangutans, the treks here are great with some of the best guides I have ever used. After only 4 hours into the trek I had seen 8 orangutans and that included a 6 month old baby one.
3) Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The site of Angkor in Cambodia is a must on anyone’s trip to South East Asia. Angkor Way is the largest temple in the world and seeing the sunrise over it is just a view you cannot view anywhere else in this world. You can spend so much time here looking and the vast amount of temples here and never get bored.
4) Full moon party, Koh Pan gan, Thailand
The legendary full moon party has been going on for years starting with only a few people now with a minimum of 10,000 people a month. This party is just a rite of passage for anyone who comes to Thailand to travel. You meet up with so many people and dance the till morning.
5) Motorbike tour round Vietnam
Riding your own motorbike (or if you can’t you can hire a driver) round Vietnam going to villages and towns where no tourists go is one of the highlights of this trip. Do the tour to Dalat on the scenic roads for a truly spectacular view which you can only find in Vietnam.
6) Palawan, Philippines
This Island which is the South West of the Philippines is a hidden gem of all of South East Asia. At any point you will not find more than 50 backpackers on the island and it’s a large island. The locals are the friendliest I have ever met and the beaches are I think the best in the world. Image a cross between the islands around Krabi, Thailand and mix it with Ha Long bay, Vietnam and this makes the coast line of the town of El Nido. There is some of the best diving and snorkeling to be done at the many coral reefs off the many white sand beaches or swim in lagoons with tiny sharks or just relax and soak up the sun. Also the island has the one of the longest underground rivers in the world.
7) Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
This is a must for anyone in the area as it is UNESCO heritage site and is for a good reason.The bay has close to 2000 limestone islands with of caves to explore and a few lagoons to go kayaking in. When you go out to the bay you go out on a traditional junk ship where you will get your own room and dinner and breakfast served.
Vang Vieng, Laos
This place is just one big drunken haze but is a right of passage for anyone coming to SE Asia. You get a tractor inner tube and float down a river and stop off at bars on route and get free shots of lao lao whiskey and then drink buckets of more lao lao whiskey and coke until 6pm then when you think you have enough you go over to an island which is just bars (smile is the best) until middnight when the curfew kicks in. Try the rope swings at each of the bars. The first bar has the biggest whatever other bars may claim.
9) Gili Islands, Indonesia
The Gilis is made up of three islands, with Gili Trawangan the biggest of all. When I say big it will take you ten minutes to walk the entire length of the main beach. There are no cars on this these islands with only horse and cart to get you around. You come here to relax on the beaches and go diving with sharks and manta ray at some on the best site on Earth.
10) Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is located on the coast and has a pretty decent beach. It is the also the place to come for tailor-made clothes. There are too many tailors to mention here with the main road pretty much consisting of them. You can get literally anything made here all you need to do is take a photo of the item you want and they will make it for you. A good quality suit will cost around $50-$100.
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Kalimantan is an Indonesian territory and makes up for the 2/3rd part of this island. Borneo is well-known for its′ tropical forests, rich biodiversity, a variety of animals and friendly people.Borneo is very rich in biodiversity and is also called as the center of evolution and radiation of many endemic species of plants and animals. The island historically had extensive rainforest cover, but the area shrank rapidly due to heavy logging for the needs of the Malaysian plywood industry. Half of the annual global tropical timber acquisition comes from Borneo. Borneo is also famous for its palm oil plantations, swamp forests and numerous rivers.Kalimantan occupies about 2/3rd territory of Borneo and is a fantastic place to explore. It is divided into four parts: South, West, East and Central Kalimantan. East Kalimantan is the second largest province in Indonesia and is heavily dependent upon earth resources activity such as oilfield exploration, natural gas, as well as coal and gold mining. Central Kalimantan comprises of thick jungles and represents the island’s largest province. It consists of plenty of mountains, rivers and swamps.All the visitors to Borneo must be in possession of valid passports and visas. International certificates of small pox, cholera and yellow fever vaccinations are required only from travelers coming form infected areas. The air mail service between Borneo and other countries is quite efficient and the charge depends on letter weight.You can find a lot of adventure in tropical forests and enjoy the sights of some rare species of plants and animals. All in all Borneo is a wonderful place to visit. I am sure that if you visit this place once, you will come back wanting for more!
For me, arriving at Bali was a travellers′ delight. Nothing could beat travel fatigue better than the friendly, smiling Balinese faces at the Customs and Immigrations at the Denpasar airport and the ‘ Visa on arrival’ stamped on my passport for 10 USD in 15 minutes flat!
I had heard that Bali was an island of temples, dances, and age-old rituals; with over 95 per cent of the 3 million people practice a form of Hinduism. But nothing prepared me for the spot-on recital of ‘Gayatri Mantra’ by my taxi driver, followed by a song from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the same breath. I was amazed by the Bollywood craze in this Far East city, so much so, that I was instantly labelled ‘from Shah Rukh Khan’s country’ by every taxi driver and local I met!
Arriving at the airport, most tourists head straight for the beach areas of Kuta, Sanur, Jimbaran or Nusa Dua, I chose Kuta simply because it is still arguably the centre of night life activities along with an array of shops, boutiques, and galleries- what more could I ask for!
Bali offers a vast section of hotels for all budgets, right from simple and cheap accommodation for backpackers to five star hotels with indulgent spas for those seeking pure luxury. I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel, a stone’s throw away from the Kuta beach.
At sunset, the Kuta beach comes alive, with people wanting to enjoy the stunning panorama. Teeming tourist, locals selling the colourful sarongs and batiks and a Balinese dance performance somewhere on endless stretch of the beach…and if you want to dance away into the wee hours of the morning, you wont be disappointed- pubbing is amazing in Kuta, with a wide choice of with pubs and discos that offer a vibrant nightlife.
The best way to enjoy Kuta is by simply asking the locals, who are very friendly an always ready to help you. I was lucky to have a very successful Indian friend in Indonesia- Kishore Pridhnani, who along with his wife Radha took me for a night tour of all the chic places in Kuta. The one that left a lasting impression on my mind was Ku De Ta, a fancy restaurant overlooking the beach. I absolutely loved the ambience in the night and would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
However, if your kind of vacation is to relax and chill out, head to the southern peninsula, with world-class, self-contained luxury hotels set on quiet stretches of beach of Sanur and Nusa Dua, as well as in Jimbaran Bay. (which is also very popular for very reasonable Sea food) These white sand beaches dotted by thousands of mangrove and coconut trees and sheltered by coral reefs, create an ideal haven for honeymooners or those preferring solitude.
To take a break from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, I headed for Ubud, which I must say has retained the feel of a cosy village retreat, despite of the growing tourism industry. Ubud is the arts and crafts capital of Bali, so in addition to streets lined with lined with shops and workshops specialising in traditional crafts, there are a number of different art galleries and museums to visit.
The next I headed for a day-trip cruise from Benoa Harbor that took me to the Lembongan Island, a popular spot for surfers and scuba divers. (at approx. USD 60 onwards for the day-cruise inclusive of lunch, I think it’s a worth a visit). Arriving on the white sandy beaches of Lembongan Bay, you can take the guided snorkelling trips and glass-bottom boat cruise or simply walk amidst the native Balinese villages
If you want to take a break from the beach scenario, I suggest a trip into the cool mountains of Kintamani with its green rice fields, the placid Lake Batur that rests in a huge crater and the impressive Gunung Batur volcano that dominates the landscape. The evenings tend to get cooler, so carry a warm pullover or a shawl and make sure you have camera with you to capture the spectacular view of Mt Batur.
Bali is one of the Spa Capitals of the world where you can indulge yourself in a spa treatment at very reasonable prices. If you want to spoil yourself then you can sample from an elaborate menu of lulur massages, rice-paste exfoliations, flower petal aroma baths and indulgent cream baths. I would suggest you check some of the local spas that work spa therapies into your holiday schedule on a daily basis. And don′t forget the traditional drinks made of herbs and roots- ‘jamu’, a local Balinese remedy for fatigue, headaches, aching bones or chills.
For the adventurous and sporty, Bali offers a host of adrenaline-pumping water-sports, both below and above water. Surfing, scuba diving, banana boats, snorkelling, parasailing, Jet Ski, Bungee Jumping, Bali offers it all.
Do try the river rafting on the Ayung River amidst a wild tropical forest. Ride the fast-flowing Ayung river as it carves its way with numerous hairpin curves and swirling rapids. A full day programme would only cost you about USD 35 onwards and I found the experience thoroughly stimulating.
For those who love underwater world and always wanted to dive, there is spectacular scuba diving and snorkelling off the unspoiled coral reefs around the island, with the most amazing and colourful underwater life. There are even learner’s courses by qualified professional instructors for the amateurs (you can take a day′s course for less than USD 100)
And while you are on the beach enjoying the water sports, do indulge in the locals who cajole you into trying hair braiding, getting tattoo done or even have a relaxing massage.
If you are travelling with your kids, be sure to take them to the Waterboom Park. My kids and I enjoyed a day of waterslides and pools in all sizes with restaurants and snack bars within arms reach…good family fun for kids of all ages!
When you feel like venturing outside for a meal, there are lots of breezy open sided bamboo cafes serving authentic Balinese food as well as an array of sumptuous international cuisine. But for those who miss Indian food, I suggest you try out a delicious meal at the Queen’s Tandoor in Seminyak, where the owners Puneet and Neeta Malhotra go out of the way to pamper you with personal attention.
Another big pastime here is shopping!
For those who do not want to wander too far from the beach, Sanur, Kuta and Ubud have more than enough to appease any shopper, from sarongs and sandals to wooden statues, stone carvings and iron and bronze works. But if you are keen on shopping, you can buy branded stuff from malls like Mahatari or also look for Factory Sales of branded clothes.
You’ll find the ultimate in open-air market browsing in southern Bali, where traditional Asian-style shopping still thrives. Do check out the local painting styles. I suggest, you always go in at less than a third of the price and even walk away, until you get the price you want. .
And before you leave Bali don′t forget to buy their chilly sauce called Sambal (its one of it’s kind and you can even pick it up at the duty free at Bali Airport.)
From the locals raving over Shah Rukh Khan to the colourful Balinese-Hindu culture, this tropical paradise lures Indians, not just by its natural exquisiteness but more importantly by its culture and the warmth of the Balinese people.
With Bali becoming more accessible and affordable, with cheap extension packages from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and great deals from Garuda Indonesia Airlines that have daily flights connecting the Island for as little as USD 160 for a round trip ticket, I would defiantly recommend this island getaway as your next travel itinerary!