The World’s Cheapest Destinations

1 of 10Laos is one of the best bargains in Southeast Asia—and that’s saying something, since most countries there are relatively cheap for travelers. Because tourism is only beginning to make inroads in Laos, visitors are not seen as mere revenue streams; locals extend a warm and genuine welcome. You can find an inexpensive guesthouse for less than $20 a night; open-air cafes along the Mekong River offer absurdly cheap French and Lao specialties.2...

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The Image of Bali

Over the last seventy years, writers of travel books, books on Bali and the writers for the internet’s pages have given a great contribution to shape the image of Bali, and until now the process of shaping the image of Bali is still on the way. During the period of 1920s and 1930s, the image of Bali as a paradise was first created. On that time, the Dutch government began promoting Bali as a tourism destination. The pioneers of tourism in Bali such...

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Find Bliss in Bali

A holiday on Bali will take your breath away and stimulate all your senses — even some you didn’t know about. Invigorating and calming at the same time you will not want to leave this mystical island. Here’s what I loved about being here.Top Ten Things to do in Bali and Lombok1. Replenish your soul at Uluwatu resort at the south western tip of Bukit Peninsula - you will be lulled to sleep at night by the same waves that rock Dreamland - you will never rest more deeply. This sacred spot is an enchanting jewel - the bungalows cling to a cliffwith...

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Buried in the Fire

Ngaben is always translated into “cremation ceremony” in English, but unfortunately not all cremation ceremonies in Bali can be categorized as ngaben. There are two types of cremation ceremonies in Bali, Ngaben and Mekingsan ring Geni (buried or left in the fire) with the main differences lie on the offerings and paraphernalias which are used and the function of the ceremony.A Ngaben ceremony can be done in a modest to extravagant way, a modest ngaben...

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Nature of Bali

Bali is a part of Indonesian archipelago; lying 3.2 km east of Java and 24 west of Lombok, compare with some of the Indonesian archipelago’s giant islands, Bali is quite small with an area of 5,632 square kilometers The island is approximately 135 km wide east to west and 90 km north to south. The highest point is Mount Agung at 3,142 m (10,308 feet) and the lowest is the beaches all over the island (sea level, 0 m). Located approximately 8 degrees...

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Balinese Culture, Reading The Message From Nature

Balinese culture is always interacting with the surrounding environment. Their way of thinking, in order to fulfill the necessities ofthe physical and spiritual aspects of life, is based on the integration of intuitive intellect with the potential in their immediate environment. For example, if we look at their architecture, the habitat of the population living in the mountain ranges of Kintamani will not be the same as the houses of the Balinese living in the flatlands of Gianyar, or the coastal area of Kuta, even if the climate and weather is...

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Bamboo in Bali

Bamboo is a tree-sized grass that is the fastest growing plant on earth. Some species have a growth rate of up to 1-metre a month and can be harvested every 3 to 5 years. Although bamboo is native to Asia, it grows on every continent and is abundant throughout Indonesia and especially on the island of Bali.Bamboo is often referred to as a source of life for the Balinese as every part of this renewable natural resource is utilized for ritual Hindu...

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