E. Java to hold trade expo to attract investors

The East Java branch of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) will stage an East Java Investment Expo on Dec. 5-7 to promote investment opportunities in the province`s 38 districts and municipalities, a spokesman said.

He added the expo would be held in Surabaya and officially opened by East Java Govenor Imam Utomo.

Among the sectors to be offered to investors were plantations, mining, fisheries and marine resources, tourism, packing industry and construction.

Bali Communiqué by 150 global business leaders

The business leaders of 150 global companies have today published a communiqué to world leaders calling for a comprehensive, legally binding United Nations framework to tackle climate change. The initiative represents an unprecedented coming together of the international business community and includes some of the biggest companies and brands from around the world, including the United States, Europe, Australia and China. It has been led by The Prince of Wales’s UK and EU Corporate Leaders Groups on Climate Change, which are developed and run by the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry. The leaders hope that the initiative is likely to have a significant impact on the UN climate negotiations starting next week in Bali, Indonesia.

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Wikimapia Map of Bali

How to use:
Just move the map to find interesting places, click + or - to zoom in or out.
Click on rectangles.

Zoom in to find hotels in Seminyak, Kuta, Jimbaran, Sanur etc.

Give the Earth a Rest! Vote for International Nyepi.

Community Activists Propose that 'Nyepi' – Bali's Official Day of Silence' be Adopted as a Day of Rest for Mother Earth.

(11/25/2007) Numerous political activists with varying political agendas are expected to try to make Bali their stage for protests and street theatre during the U.N. Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) December 3-14, 2007. Included among those wishing their voice to be heard will be a "people's power" group of local residents and Balinese planning a cultural parade to coincide with the conference.

Dubbing themselves the "Bali Civil Society Coalition," a spokesman told Tempo Interaktif that numerous environment and community-action non-governmental organizations have joined forces to ensure the voice of the Balinese people is not lost amidst the din of the important international conference.

A day-long demonstration centered at Denpasar's Lapangan Field is scheduled for the group including the reading of a "Declaration from the People of Bali" calling for the Balinese day of absolute silence Nyepi to be declared an "international moment" to provide the earth a day of much-needed rest from the relentless assault of mankind.

Nyepi - a Balinese word for silence, is the name given to the first day of Balinese lunar calendar when it is the religious obligation of every Balinese Hindu to dedicate an entire day to quiet introspection and spiritual cleansing. During this day, the entire island of Bali comes to a complete standstill; the airport closes, streets resemble ghost towns and visitors are confined to their hotels for a 24 hour period.

Nyepi will take place on March 7, 2008.

The "demonstration" at Bali's largest city park will adopt a celebratory atmosphere with traditional music and dance together with a day-long concert of rock, pop, jazz and reggae music. Dances will also be presented by a special troupe from the Indian Cultural Center in Bali.

The cultural parade, concert and people's bazaar is intended to provide an outlet for the Balinese people who wish to have a voice and be heard during the important climate change conference.

Related Article [In Bali - a Holiday for Ears]

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Indonesians make up Singapore’s largest tourism market

Tourism figures released from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for October 2007 have shown a 6.2% increase from the same time last year, with 911,000 visitors.

This is the highest number of visitors Singapore has ever received in October, with Indonesia making up Singapore’s largest tourism market with 215,000 visitors.

This was believed to be from the Hari Raya festival which saw a boost in the number of Indonesian visitor arrivals between October 10 and 19.

China was the second largest with 84,000 visitors in October while Australia ranked third at 75,000. With India and Malaysia at 60,000 and 58,000 respectively, these five markets made up 54% of total visitors to Singapore in October this year.

Singapore’s hotels were believed to have reached a record high in room revenue at $178.4m, a 37.1% rise from last year.

Chinese tourists visiting Bali up 131 percent

The number of Chinese tourists who visited Bali in the first ten months of 2007 was more than 69,400 or up 131 percent from the same period last year, a tourism operator said.

The figure put China in the sixth place after Japan, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia in terms of foreign tourists visiting the resort island, Tjok Gde Agung said Tuesday.

Tjok said he was pleased with the rising number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali and asked the government and tourism operators to work hard to attract more Chinese tourists.

Bali and Nusa Lembongan - two worlds in the Strait of Badung

Bali is bustling. Thousands of Indonesians and foreign tourists press through Poppies Lane 1 and 2, while Legian Street is clogged with sputtering motorcycles and automobiles. This is Kuta, the island's main resort. Either you love the chaos or you hate it.

When the band in the Espresso Bar begins to play 'Welcome to My Paradise,' the crowd can contain itself no longer. Holidaymakers and locals dance with wild abandon. Giuseppe from Sicily is among them, and Antonia from Britain, and Ashley from Sydney.

The three are going to bed earlier tonight, though, because they have booked an outing for the next day to Nusa Lembongan, a small island near Bali.

In the morning, as the catamaran approaches Nusa Lembongan after an hour-and-a-half's journey, it is immediately clear that its inhabitants do not give a hoot for hubbub and discos. A white beach awaits the visitors, colourful fishing boats rock in the wind, and the only sound is the lapping of the waves.

Nusa Lembongan lies in the Badung Strait about 12 nautical miles from Bali, and is near the islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan. Just 2.5 kilometres wide and 4 kilometres long, it is situated directly on Wallace's Line, which marks the boundary between the Oriental and Australian zoogeographic regions.

The island not only offers splendid snorkelling and diving areas, spotless beaches, and pristine, turquoise-coloured water, but also marvellous views of Gunung Agung, Bali's highest and most sacred mountain.

Most visitors take a day trip to Nusa Lembongan. Their first destination is the mangrove forests, where they glide by boat through dense jungle. It is quiet, hot and humid. The main attraction follows: algae farming, which is the island's chief source of income.

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Related:

• Im Katamaran nach Nusa Lembongan
• Nusa Lembongan Information (with pictures) at Baliwww
• Map of Nusa Lembongan
  
• Flickr photo by ketutsuparta

Deceitful smiles

From the Jakarta Post Editorial:

Nowadays, at any rate, the smiles of Indonesian people leave foreigners, be they first-time tourists or expatriates, guessing.

The problems start for foreign tourists as soon as they arrive at the airport, just because they misinterpret the smiles of tip-hungry airport officers or mischievous taxi drivers. The tourists easily fall prey to hoteliers or souvenir hawkers who look friendly but turn out to be little more than extortionists.

The challenges facing Visit Indonesia Year 2008 may be much more onerous than Minister Jero has imagined. As an official dealing with culture, we assume that he knows it's quite easy to smile without necessarily being friendly, let alone helpful.

Smiles alone will not be enough to boost the tourism industry and other revenue-generating sectors. Foreign tourists and investors need Indonesian people who are eager and willing to help them, as quickly as possible, if necessary. They will stay longer if they feel secure, surrounded by people who are ready to lend a hand at any time it is needed. Smiles in the absence of proper service are worthless.

Foreign investors will commit to long-term involvement if both the Indonesian people and regulations are inviting and generous in terms of incentives.

Neighboring countries offer many facilities to foreigners, particularly those who want to invest, while Indonesia deliberately restricts, if not actually deters, them. This contradicts the claims that Indonesia is tolerant and open to the world.

It will require more than a tourism minister to respond to these challenges.

Earlier: Smile, it's Visit Indonesia Year

Bali's designer revolution

When Sydney designer Kerry Grima first moved to Bali 19 years ago, fashion was defined by the cheap rip-offs, sarongs and Bintang Beer t-shirts favoured by budget travellers who kicked off mass tourism to the Indonesian island.

Today, t-shirts bearing vulgar slogans such as Give Me Head Til I'm Dead still sell for as little as 20,000 rupiah (A$2.40) at Kuta's dusty stalls. But Bali's reinvention as an upmarket destination is giving rise to a new brand of high-street chic.

Just a few kilometres north of Kuta, trendy Seminyak's air-conditioned, fixed-price boutiques act as showrooms for designers like Grima, who take part in international catwalk parades in Hong Kong and London, and export to high-end boutiques in New York, Paris, Sydney and St Tropez.

In the world's top cities, the designers' pieces sell alongside top global labels for thousands of dollars. And now in Bali, prices are reaching new, and previously unthinkable, heights.

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Want to help the kids in Bali?

With significant numbers of Australians returning to Bali, Accor's Bali hotels have launched a programme to assist Bali's underprivileged children in a most practical way.

Spearheaded by Accor's Regional Manager in Bali, Michel Vivier – and co-ordinated by the General Managers at each hotel – the campaign will encourage visitors to Bali to make small donations of clean, good quality clothes as well as toys, school materials, art materials and non-perishable foodstuffs for children aged 3-18, which will then be distributed to orphanages and needy children.

"The thought behind the campaign is for tourists to bring full suitcases of surplus gifts, unload them and either stock up with shopping in Bali – which the island is famous for" said Michel Vivier. "It really has a double benefit because the donations will be greatly welcomed and purchasing goods at local stores, will help revive the local economy".

Aceh invites tourists to see Sharia law in action

Tourism authorities in Indonesia's Aceh province hope that its practice of Sharia or Islamic law will attract visitors.

"We invite international tourists to visit Aceh to observe how an Islamic community lives and how the Islamic code of Sharia is applied," said Cipta Hunai, an Aceh tourism official, in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

Muslim-devout Aceh is the only province in Indonesia allowed to apply Sharia law. However observers say that the application of Sharia in the province has harmed the rights of the poor and women.

Hunai said that Sharia allowed for the development of a peaceful and secure community in Aceh which would be appreciated by tourists. He said that Sharia law in Aceh was a tourist attraction because it allowed foreigners to see a reality, that perhaps, they did not already know.

"Here the tourists can visit many mosques and see how a community lives under laws based on the Koran," he said.

Hunai denied that public canings - which are allowed and used to punish some crimes - could shock and discourage non-Muslim tourists.

"We don't believe that this can scare anyone. In any case, the punishments are carried out to correct Muslims who have made mistakes," he said.

"But one must remember that these punishments are only applied to Muslims and here even the religious minority is respected," he added.

Jakarta Film Festival opens with 'Persepolis'

The ninth Jakarta Film Festival has unveiled 170 movies to unspool at its Dec. 7-16 edition. Pics come from 35 countries.

Fest opens with "Persepolis," the animated portrayal of life in Iran directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud that preemed in Cannes and was set to open the Bangkok festival but was pulled following a protest from the Iranian Embassy.

Event will wrap for the first time with the preem of a local movie, "Chants of Lotus," a controversial omnibus film about marginalized women in modern Indonesia directed by femme filmmakers Nia Dinata, Lasja F. Susatyo, Upi and Fatimah Tobing.

Fest sections include A View From the SEA, dedicated to South East Asian cinema, plus those dedicated to world cinema, documentaries and shorts plus a tribute to legendary Malay thesp P. Ramlee.

International pictures include "No Country for Old Men," "The Namesake," Cannes winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

Fest will also host premieres of Indonesian docu "The Conductors," by Andibachtiar Yusuf, and winners of last year's script development competition "Crescent Moon Over the Sea," by Yuli Andari, and "Boy Meets Girl," by Erik Bachtiar and Utawa Tresno.

Earlier: 9th Jakarta International Film Festival Dec 7 - 16..

9th Jakarta International Film Festival Dec 7 - 16, 2007

A warm welcome to all of you at the 9th Jakarta International Film Festival!

Some say number 9 is a good number, sacred and bringing luck.For JiFFest, the 9th year is a turning point.In the past 3 years, under the direction of Orlow Seunke, JiFFest has grown and developed into a thriving festival, with a record audience of 63,000 last year. Yayasan Masyarakat Mandiri Film Indonesia would like to thank Orlow, who left JiFFest in October, for his invaluable contribution and dedication in further building the festival into what it is today: South East Asia’s most exciting filmfestival!

Official site: Jiffest.org
Schedule
Program Guide

Jakarta Old Town to be car-free this Sunday

Several streets in Central Jakarta's Old Town area will be closed to motorists Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. to reduce air pollution at the tourist destination.

The city administration has announced the Old Town area will be a car-free zone on the fourth Sunday of every month, beginning in November. The move is in accordance with a 2005 bylaw on air pollution control.

The policy will affect Jl. Pintu Besar Utara, Jl. Cengkeh and Jl. Tongkol, which are home to Fatahillah Square, the Jakarta Museum, the Puppet Museum and Red House.

In addition to closing streets, the administration has organized a variety of programs and performances to draw visitors.

"We will collaborate with the Old Town Society to facilitate a mass aerobic exercise, a bazaar of traditional cuisine and traditional attractions such as the Chinese lion dance and performances of the West Java stringed musical instrument kecapi in the courtyard of Fatahillah Museum," he said.

Old Town Society consists of residents and shop owners in the area, which is known for its historic buildings, which date back as far as the 17th century.

The 3rd Internasional Ecotourism Business Forum 2007

ECOTOURBIZ 2007 invites you to attend the conference, which will be held at Wonosobo, Central Java on 30th November to 3rd December 2007, The three-day conference will bring together ecotourism associations and networks from around the world, along with each other interested organizations and individuals. tourism academics, tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, officials of tourism associations, tourism offices, and NGOs.

Third International Eco-Tourism Business Forum

PLANNING, MANAGING & MARKETING ECOTOURISM

TENTATIVE PROGRAM
30 November - 3 December 2007
Gallery Hotel Kresna, Wonosobo, Central Java - Indonesia
Day 0: Friday, 30 November 2007: ARRIVAL

Arrival & Registration
Time Description Remarks

09:00 – 18:00 Arrival of all delegates Venue:
Registration for buyers, Sellers, Speakers Kresna Hotel
Participants & Exhibitors

Day 1: Saturday, 1 December 2007 PRE-TOUR, WELCOME DINNER
Arrival & Registration
09:00 – 18:00 Arrival of all delegates Venue
Registration for Buyers, Sellers, Speakers, Kresna Hotel
Participants, Media & Exhibitors
- Familiarization Tour of Ecotourism Organized by:
Destinations Central Java
- Exhibitors set up booths Province Government
19:00 – 21:30 Welcome Dinner Venue:
Hosted by Governor of the Central Java Tentative Province, Drs H.Ali Mufiz,MPA

Day 2: 2 December 2007 ECOTOURISM FORUM
VENUE: Gallery Hotel Kresna Ballroom
Morning Session: Ecotourism Forum

07:00 – 09:00 Final Registration Venue:
Pringgodani Ballroom Foyer
09:00 Opening Ceremony
09:00 – 09:10 Report Speech by International Promotion
Director, Department of Culture and Tourism,
Tatang Rukhiyat
09:10 – 09:20 Welcome Speech by Head Of Wonosobo Regency, HA Kholiq Arif
09:20 – 09:35 Opening Speech by Director General of Marketing, Department of Culture and Tourism,
Thamrin B. Bachri
09:35 – 10:00 Keynote Speaker:
Joop Ave, Former Indonesian Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication of The Republic Of Indonesia. (confirmed)
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break (Held in Exhibition area) . Venue:
Pringgodani Ballroom Foyer
11.00 – 13.00 PANEL PRESENTATION 1 :
Theme planning: Managing and Marketing ecotourism
Moderator : Prof.Dr.Wiendu Nuryanti, M.Arch
Executive Diretor, Yogyakarta Tourism Development
Board Indonesia
11:00 – 11:15 Speaker 1: Mr Jose Ma Lorenzo (Lory) Tan
Vice-Chairman, World Wide Fund (WWF) Philippines
“Planning Ecotoursm” (tba)
11:15 – 11:30 Speaker 2 : Ari Suhandi
Director INDECON (Indonesia)
“Managing Ecotourism in Indonesia” :
Opportunity & Challenge (tba)
11:30 – 12:45 Speaker 3: I.B Ngurah Wijaya
Head Of Bali Tourism (Indonesia)
Marketing Ecotourism (tba)
11:45 – 12:00 Speaker 4: Dwi Windari Widyastuti
Director of Tlogo Plantation (Indonesia)
“Planning, Managing, Marketing Ecotourism:
Tlogo Plantation Cases (tba)
12:00 – 13:00 Question and Answer/ Discussion Moderator
12:30 – 12:40 Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion Team
12:40 – 12:50 Conference Closing Session by Head Of Banjarnegara Regency,
Drs. H.Djasri, MM
12:50 – 14:00 Lunch Break
Certificate Distribution at Committee Desk Venue :
Maespati Restaurant

AFTERNOON SESSION: ECOTOURISM MART
13:30 – 14:00 Buyers & Sellers briefing in Exhibition area – Venue :
Compulsory session Kendalisdo Room
14:00 – 16:30 TABLE TOP:SELLERS MEET BUYERS Venue
Exhibition area only for Buyers & Sellers Ballroom Free Function
Coffee available in the exhibition room

Evening : Free program to explore Wonosobo

EXHIBITION OPEN FOR PUBLIC: 10 am – 17 pm
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition Open for Public Venue :
Pringgodani Ballroom Foyer

DAY 3: Monday, 3 December 2007 BUSINESS SESSION & DEPARTURE
VENUE : Kresna Hotel

EXHIBTION OPEN FOR PUBLIC: 10:00 am – 17:00 pm Committe

08:00 – 10:00 Follow up Business Session Venue :
(buyers and sellers only) Pringgodani Ballroom Foyer
(Individual optional basis)
10:00 – 17:00 Exhibition Open for Public
All Day Hotel Check Out by 12:00 noon
Departure of Delegates

Contact :
Ecotourbiz - International Ecotourism Business Forum
Jl. Lingkar Utara 234
Yogyakarta - Indonesia 55281
Phone: (62 274) 520 907
Fax: (62 274) 583 783
e-mail: ecotourbiz@gmail.com

Smile, it's Visit Indonesia Year

In addition to the government's efforts to improve safety and infrastructure, ordinary Indonesians can also contribute to the success of Visit Indonesia Year 2008 by doing what they do best -- smiling and being friendly, according to a minister.

Gearing up for the next year's big challenge, the government, as well as improving key infrastructure -- such as road and telecommunications networks -- will also launch a promotional campaign to raise public awareness of the event.

And, according to Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, the success of the program will hinge on the friendliness of ordinary Indonesians.

"Our people must be friendly, show smiling faces, and all concerned must cater to foreign tourists in a friendly way so as to help the country promote its tourism industry next year," Jero said Wednesday.

With the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 campaign, which will be inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Jan. 1, the country hopes to attract seven million foreign tourists and earn US$6.4 billion in foreign exchange.

The number of tourist arrivals is expected to increase to six million this year from 4.8 million in 2006.

Tofu cafe reinvents old favorites

Tofu or soybean cake -- which is gaining popularity in Western culture -- has long been a menu mainstay in Bali.

Kafe Tahu, which is located on Jl. Raya Denpasar in Bedugul, Baturiti, Tabanan, offers a wide variety of tofu dishes. Its owners, Zakaria and Elizabeth, have created a menu that features a wide array of tofu concoctions.

Soft tofu dishes -- ranging from soups to puddings -- are priced at Rp 5,000 (55 US cents) a portion. Tahu petis (sweet tofu) tahu martabak (tofu pancake) and tahu rujak mie (tofu and noodle salad) make very tasty snacks that are a lot more interesting than peanuts or crisps. Their prices range from Rp 5,000-8,500 a portion.

If a customer wants a solid meal they can choose from tahu gimbal (fried tofu cake), bakso kuah (tofu balls in soup), tahu telur (tofu and egg pancake) or tahu gejrot (chunks of tofu in a spicy sauce).

Zakaria said he had not realized his business would grow so fast. He had only really started the cafe with the intention of teaching people to cook tofu. An old caravan was later converted into a shop, with six tables placed outside.

"We never imagined such a thing, but people raved about our cooking. My wife and I have no training as cooks," he said.

Zakaria and Elizabeth spend much of their time on the road in search of new tofu recipes. They have visited West Java for its tahu gejrot, Central Java for its tahu gimbal and East Java for its tahu campur (mixed tofu) and tahu telur.

Also influenced by the cuisines of Japan and China, they might try a recipe 10 times before considering it "mastered".

At present there are 45 items on the Kafe Tahu menu, with two or three additions every month. Zakaria and Elizabeth are also expanding their business to Negara, Kuta and Denpasar under a franchising scheme.

Govt to present medals to foreign tourists frequenting RI

The Indonesian government will present medals to foreign tourists who have visited Indonesia at least 20 times, a minister said.

"We hope that by presenting the medals, we will encourage more foreign tourists to come to Indonesia," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said here on Wednesday.

The medal presentation program for tourists was currently being processed and expected to be implemented in the very near future, the minister said.

According to the minister, Bali`s tourism office had data on the visits of foreign tourists, especially those from Australia who frequently came to Bali Island.

The minister was scheduled to launch a Tourism Awareness Campaign in Bandung, West Java, on November 25, 2007, as part of events to be organized prior to the launching of the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 program.

The campaign would also feature an art and culture parade by 17 art teams from all over Indonesia.

Indonesia is planning to launch a Visit Indonesia Year 2008 and expecting to attract seven million tourists, an increase from the 2007 target of six million.

For domestic tourists, Indonesia has set itself the targets of 118 million in 2008 and 117 million in 2007.

East Nusa Tenggara wins national tourism contest

East Nusa Tenggara emerged as the first winner of the 2nd Indonesian tourism contest 2007 held at the Ksirarnawa Cultural Park in Denpasar, Bali, on Monday.

East Nusa Tenggara was represented by Heidris Donaldo Kiha and Magdalena Louisa Manongga who managed to eliminate 24 other participants in the contest.

General chairman of the foundation of the Indonesian tourism envoy association (ADWINDO) Dr Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna said the activity was a forum to unite all tourism envoys in Indonesia at national events as they had yet to share the same vision.

“We observe that tourism envoys at district, city or provincial levels have different visions and missions on Indonesia`s tourism,” Wedakarna said.

He further said tourism envoys in the country were often not in synergy to promote Indonesia but tended to give priority to exposing their respective areas.

Wedakarna said the 3rd Indonesia tourism contest 2008 was expected to take lace in Bangka Belitung province.

“Next year, Bangka Belitung province will host the Indonesian tourism contest at national level. Thus, we hope the province would make preparations for the upcoming event from now on,” he said.

On the 2007 national tourism contest, East Java and Central Java came up as the second and third winners respectively.

The event also declared representatives from Nangroe Aceh Darussalam as intelligence tourism envoys 2007, representatives from Papua as peace tourism envoys and those from Bangka Belitung as friendship tourism envoys. (*)

Source: ANTARA News

De-stress on the ultimate Balinese Spa holiday for 18 to 35s

With the end of the year fast approaching now is the perfect time for a little R&R.

For a stylish and luxurious holiday without the price tag get your buddies together to experience the best value spa holiday around at Contiki's funky four-star resort located in trendy Seminyak, Bali.

Imagine sipping divine cocktails in a swim-up bar, doing yoga on the beach as the sun rises and rejuvenating your body, mind and spirit in a chic spa where treatments start from around $25 for an hour massage and $40 for a two-hour full body treatment.

The Spa @ Contiki is the place to revitalise your body, mind and spirit - it has seven treatment rooms and offers a complete range of spa and beauty treatments, both for individuals and couples. Plus, it has a range of new treatments on offer including the Spirit of Bali, with a Balinese spice scrub, massage and flower bath.

Here is just a taste of some of the other treatments available:Exotic Balinese Boreh Ritual – an authentic Balinese treat.

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Jakarta welcomes Korean Festival

Thunderous applause rained down as four Koreans performed the traditional Pung-mul-no-ri dance and brought harmony to the stage.

Sin Myung, a folk percussion group from Korea, opened the Korean Festival with color, allowing people a glimpse of Korean culture in Artha Gading Mall, North Jakarta, on Saturday.

According to Daniel Sekeon from PT Kage Dwijaya, which organized the event, folk dance and music groups like Sin Myung can perform for days without getting tired.

On every weekend from Nov. 17 to Dec. 9, visitors will get the chance to taste Korean foods and learn how to cook Korean cuisine. Top Indonesian chief Rudi Choirudin will also share his expertise on Nov. 25.

One of the visitors, Nur from Bogor, said she was interested in buying Korean food products because she wanted to try cooking a Korean menu.

Indonesia organizes national dress festival in Bali

The culture and tourism ministry is organizing a national traditional and contemporary dress festival in Kuta, Bali, on Saturday.

The festival was participated in by 14 designers from several provinces in the country, 24 models of bridge and bridegrooms from 23 regions in Indonesia and the association of bridal services, a press statement of the culture and tourism ministry said here on Saturday.

Indonesia planed to promote its traditional dresses internationally and hoped that the country`s traditional dresses could inspire world-class fashion designer companies such as Klein, Gucci, Louis Vitton, Channel, Ferre, and Escada, the statement said.

Tropical Fruits of Bali

Bali has an abundance of fruits with many varieties that are a lot more interesting than just your average apple or orange. Tropical fruits come in strange colours, shapes and textures, yet each is quite exotic in its own way.

Just about everyone seems to enjoy the mangosteen which has been referred to as the ‘Queen of Fruits’. Slightly smaller than a tennis ball with a deep purple skin, the inside reveals 4-8 pinky-white edible segments that are delicately sweet.

One of the oddest looking tropical fruit in Bali is the rambutan, also known as hairy fruit. This reflects the fruits most unusual skin of soft rubbery spines that are crimson in colour. Inside is a single piece of sweet translucent flesh that surrounds a woody seed. The whole segment is pooped into the mouth and the tangy flesh nibbled off leaving only the inedible seed.

Another unusual fruit is the salak, which is recognized by its teardrop shape and brown scaly snake-like peel. The fruit inside consists of a large segment and one or two smaller lobes that tastes pleasantly crisp with the consistency of a carrot. Salak is not a remarkable tasting fruit, yet it grows abundantly in Bali’s drier regions and is readily available at the local marketplace.

The seasonal fruit called durian is a great favourite within the Asian community and because it is such a delicacy it can be quite expensive. Known for its pungent odour that many Westerners find quite offensive, this controversial fruit is often banned from hotels and restaurants. Durian generally comes in the shape of a coconut, often larger, with a thick pale green outer rind that is covered with sharp thorns. Once cut open with a butcher’s cleaver, the inside reveals sections of creamy pulp that surrounds large seeds.

Banana, mango, papaya, pineapple and coconut are also some of the types of tropical fruits that are plentiful in Bali. A platter of seasonal fresh fruits or a delicious blended juice makes a refreshing holiday breakfast.

This article is reproduced here with the kind permission from blog.baliwww.com

Indonesia to hold biggest trade expo in Europe

Indonesia will organize the first Indonesian Expo of Trade, Tourism, and Investment for East Europe, in Warsaw, Poland, May 8 - 10, 2008.

The exhibition would be held in Poland`s largest Expo-XXI convention covering an area of 10,000 m2, Indonesian Ambassador to Poland Hazairin Pohan said in a press statement received by ANTARA.

Activities during the three-day expo would include an exhibition of Indonesian main products, promotions of tourism packages, traditional cultural performances, business meetings and seminars on investment.

The theme of the first Indonesian Expo for Central and East Europe (IE-CEE) will be "Bridging the Distance".

The expo was initiated by nine Indonesian ambassadors being posted in East European countries, including Serbia, Poland, and Russia.

Unusual Spa Services, Stories From A World Traveler

I've had some crazy and unusual spa treatments around the world in the over 50 countries where I have traveled.

In Indonesia, where I feel I get the best massages, they use the right amount of pressure and gentleness to put me to sleep and leave me feeling as light as air afterward. The airport in Jakarta has a great spa as do most hotels across the country. I love Indonesia.

I love massage and find it always entertaining and most of the time relaxing. You never know when you will learn a new technique to apply to your spouse once home.

Paul F Davis - worldwide speaker who has been to over 50 countries, author of Poems That Propel The Planet

Indonesian adventure … rituals and culture in Tanah Toraja

Tucked away in the mountains on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is the regency of Tanah Toraja. You might want to include Toraja as a three-day or longer side trip from Bali or Jakarta. Here you can get an anthropologist's glimpse of an ancient culture, fantastic building styles, unusual burial customs, and possibly witness a festive funeral.

Only 80 years ago, the Torajan people were untouched by Western influences. Missionaries quickly modified traditional life. Just 15 years ago, lack of lodging and poor roads still kept all but the most intrepid travelers away.

Funerals are social affairs. If you're adventurous, ask your guide to scout out a Funeral. Foreign guests are welcome to attend these affairs; be sure to dress modestly. Wealth in Toraja is expressed in the accumulation of rice, animals (pigs and especially water buffalo), and children; the ultimate expression of status and worth is the ability to stage a big funeral ceremony, which usually lasts three days.

We attended a typical one, wading up muddy paths, past professional mourners and guests bringing gifts (buffalo, pigs, rice, and palm wine) to a village where hundreds of guests sat on mats under houses and on the platforms of rice barns. The buildings were draped in red. Sweets and tea were served.

Balians – Bali's Magical Practitioners

Bali's Modern Medicine and Traditional Healers to Exchange Notes on Community Mental Health.

(11/10/2007) In the daily life of the Balinese the balians, or mystic mediums, play a central role. In fact, the name balian is loosely applied to a wide range of men and women who possess sacred skills or specialized knowledge in the performance of rituals of passage.

Members of the elite circle of balians may be called upon to interpret ancient lontar palm manuscripts, divine messages from the gods or ancestors, decipher "signs" of spiritual import hidden in the natural world, perform midwifery duties, prepare the dead for cremation, massage the sick, set broken bones or determine which family ancestor now inhabits the soul of a newborn child. The natural inclination to humility causes many Balinese who perform balian roles in their community to deny they fill a mystical or sacred function implied by that title; much as many gifted artisans in Bali do not view themselves as artists.

In an effort to understand exactly how widespread the role of the balian is in Balinese society, the Suryani Institute Bali is undertaking pioneering research to catalog the number and variety of balians operating in 20 remote villages in eastern Bali. Preliminary results from Karangasem reveal that at least 152 balians or paranormal practitioners are operating in that region, according to Dr. Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lesmana, the Secretary of the Institute quoted in NusaBali.

Dr. Lesmana, a young Balinese psychiatrist who is also the Son of Indonesia's world-renowned psychiatrist and author Professor Dr. Luh K. Suryani, claims the balian plays a central and very beneficial role in local communities ranging from alternative medical practice to performing rain stopper services.

In surveying balians, the Institute intends to eventually improve cooperation and knowledge-sharing between traditional healers and modern medical practitioners with a particular emphasis on the treatment of mental illness and emotional disorders. In December 2007, the Suryani Institute Bali plans to hold a seminar involving medical and psychiatric experts and balians to discuss means of improving the mental health of local communities and curbing the rising suicide rates in Bali.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Echoes of Indonesia: An Insight on the Five-Noted Instruments Whose Sound Will Fill Murphy Recital Hall

I walked through Hannon yesterday and happened upon a particular sound in front of Tenderich. It had been long since I had heard it, yet, sure enough, there it was, resonating through the hallway: Indonesian gamelan. Yeah I said it, Indonesian Gamelan. For years, LMU's Gamelan orchestra has rocked Murphy Recital Hall with their renditions of Indonesian and American classics, and with a unique familiarity I was able to catch a glimpse at this year's ensemble and sit down with conductor Paul Humphreys.

So what exactly is Indonesian Gamelan? Beyond a name, "it is an orchestra, that is far more prevalent in Indonesia, but still has its place in America," said Humphreys. The Indonesian Gamelan can consist of as little as three members, however LMU boasts a choir of some 25 music students who come to play simple music on simple instruments. So simple that the kantilan,which forms the basis of Gamelan music, has only five notes. These five notes are the notes of the penta-tonic scale - the black keys on the piano to you and I. Several kantilan of different sizes form the melody of Gamelan music, often alternating in rhythm to create the desired effect.

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Indonesian performers wow Chan Centre crowd

Gamelan, Bali's great gift to the world of music, was the feature of a co-presentation between the Chan Centre and Caravan World Rhythms on Monday evening, a one-night-only performance by the spectacular Indonesian performance troupe Çudamani.

The clamorous sounds of gamelan orchestras have captivated composers from Debussy to the post-minimalists; ensembles have sprung up in countless non-Indonesian settings, including several here in Vancouver.

Çudamani is a somewhat revisionist group of just over two dozen singers and dancers, founded in the late 1990s with the express intent not only to preserve performance traditions but to explore new initiatives as well.

Earlier: Sharing a Balinese ritual

Rare butterfly species named after Indonesian first lady

Indonesia’s First Lady Kristiani Herawati received a rare honour Tuesday when she was presented with a specimen of a rare Papuan butterfly species named after her.

The mainly brown and black butterfly was just one of a number of new species discovered in a virtual ‘lost world’ in one of of Asia’s most isolated jungles, located on the Indonesian part of New Guinea island.

Environmental group Conservation International (CI) found the astonishing array—including frogs, butterflies and the first bird found on the island in more than 60 years—during a trip to the Foja Mountains in December 2005.

Herawati was given a ‘Delias Kristianidae’ during a ceremony at a safari garden. She plans to donate it to a museum.

‘The name was first published in a Japanese scientific journal in April 2006, but this is the only time Ibu Ani has been informed about the species,’ CI scientist Budi Iraningrum told AFP, referring to the first lady by her popular name.

Sharing a Balinese ritual

Gamelan Cudamani: Odalan Bali: An Offering of Music and Dance. That's quite the esoteric title, no? Tell your friends that's what you're going to go see tomorrow night and they'll nod, smile wanly and immediately go back to whining about the rain.

Quick translation: Gamelan refers to the music of Indonesia and Cudamani is the troupe of musicians and dancers presenting it. Odalan is the temple ceremony celebrating the beginning of life and Bali is where the troupe and ceremony come from, and where you think you'd like to be right now except this is just the humid prelude to the rainy season. Still, it's 27° C. When they say showers, they quite literally mean a shower.

The Cudamani troupe of 26 traditional dancers and musicians draws on a history going back centuries in Indonesia through influences drawn from trade with China and India while the Dutch were colonizers until right after the Second World War. Now an independent republic, this remains a land of true exotica.

The only colonizing going on these days is from the international tourist trade and the island of Bali is a big draw, particularly the beautiful town of Ubud, a centre of Balinese music and dance. With the fear that tourists were affecting the area's cultural integrity, the Cudamani troupe was formed a decade ago, drawing the best of young performers from throughout Bali. Not to say there's anything wrong with tourists.

More...

Related: A Balinese company transforms a New York stage

Booming world tourism heads to Bali with conundrum

The world's booming tourism industry is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change but it must not be penalised as part of any solution, the head of the World Tourism Organisation said on Monday.

Francesco Frangialli, secretary general of the United Nations body, said tourism was an economic lifeline for many nations and simplistic moves to curb it could spell doom for millions of people.

"Tourism helps poverty alleviation, which is one of the millennium development goals, so tourism must be part of the solution," he told reporters on the eve of a meeting of tourism ministers in London.

It is a message he will take to a meeting of U.N. environment ministers on the Indonesian island of Bali next month to discuss a possible successor to the Kyoto Protocol on cutting climate-warming carbon emissions, which expires in 2012.

"People see tourism as a luxury, a leisure pursuit. They don't see it as a vital economic activity. Our goal is to make sure they see this side of it as well," Frangialli said.

WWF: Preparing Second Home for Javan Rhino

Ujung Kulon National Park is main home for Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sundaicus). In this area, around 50 Javan Rhinos living in the middle of challenges, limitations and fragileness surrounding. This condition serves as trigger to prepare second habitat or second home so that Javan Rhinos can preserved.

"Besides continue to conserve habitat and populationin Ujung Kulon, WWF-Indonesia also prepare program to develop second habitat, this done to ensure Jvan Rhinos livelihood" said Hadi Alikodra, Species Program Director, WWF-Indonesia .

Second Habitat Preparation

Live in a group in one main area, make Javan Rhinos susceptible to endagerment. If there is disease plague or other natual disaster such as tsunami, eruption and tectonic earthquake and in few seconds Javan Rhinos can extinct. In this time, Javan Rhinos face problems and explore range due to invasion and competition with bulls.

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Indonesian festival opens in Melbourne

An Indonesian festival with trade exhibitions, food bazaar and art performances was officially opened in Waterfront City; Dockland area in Melbourne on Saturday morning.

Organized by the Indonesian consulate general (KJRI) in Melbourne for the third time to date, the festival was opened by Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and Vanuatu TH Hamzah Thayeb.

The ambassador said Indonesia and Australia as neighboring countries must continue to develop their friendship and partnership cooperation.

In the meantime, Indonesian Consul General in Melbourne Budiman Bahar said the Indonesian festival was held to build stronger relations in the trade, tourism and investment fields.

`Opera Jawa` to appear in Indonesia and Europe

After winning some awards in international film festivals, `Opera Jawa` (Java Opera) will appear in Indonesian and European theaters in September, its director Garin Nugroho said.

"The film has participated in several international film festivals for a year and it is now time for Indonesians to watch the film," Garin said, adding that among the festivals were the International Film Festival Venetia, Toronto International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Pusan Film Festival, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Tokyo Filmex, London Film Festival, and Gothenburg International Film Festival.

The film has won some awards, including those for the "Best Actress & Best Music Director" category in the Nantes International Film Festival; "Best Music Director" category in the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the "Best Asia Film" in the Singapore International Film Festival, the "Best Screen Play" in the Festival Film Indonesia, and the "Special Mention of The Jury" in the Jakarta International Film Festival 2006.

Earlier: Film Review: Opera Jawa

Indonesia Mulls Building First Casino

Politicians want to build Indonesia's first casino on an island near wealthy Singapore - a potentially lucrative but highly sensitive venture in mostly Muslim Indonesia.

Gambling is prohibited in Islam. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country, with nearly 90 percent of its 235 million people being followers of the Islamic faith.

Other plans to build casinos in Indonesia have faltered due to vocal opposition from Islamic activists. It remains to be seen whether Bintan island's local government will be able to push the plan through.

"We are aware of the controversy," Bintan district's deputy chief Mastur Taher said Friday.

He estimated that the casino could raise the island's annual income tenfold to $132 million.

He said that only foreign tourists and non-Muslims would be allowed into the casino, which is envisioned to be part of a 2,000 hectare (4,942-acre) tourist development.

The 9th Jakarta International Jazz Festival

The 9th Jakarta International Jazz Festival is to be held on Nov 23, 24, and 25 in Jakarta.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, NOV 23, 2007

SPECIAL SHOW: BUGZ IN THE ATTIC (UK)

• SHIONOYA SATORU
  JAPAN
• ELFA’S BIGBAND & VOICES
  INDONESIA
• BELA SZALOKI
  HUNGARY
• SYAHARANI AND THE QUEENFIREWORKS
  INDONESIA
• RIEKA ROESLAN & TROUBADOUR
  INDONESIA
• DANNY & MARLAYNE CONNECTION
  THE NETHERLAND
• JOONA TOIVANEN TRIO
  FINLAND
• CARMEN BRADFORD & RANI SINGAM
  USA - SINGAPORE
• JOHN HONDORP
  THE NETHERLAND
• LUCIANO WITH ZARRO
  BRAZIL - INDONESIA
• DAINIUS PULAUSKAS GROUP
  LITHUANIA
• ALEX SIPIAGIN
  USA
• JEFFREY TAHALELE & FRIENDS WITH BERTHA & EMIL S PRAJA
  INDONESIA
  
• LALA SUWAGES
  INDONESIA
  
• BLUES NEWZ
  INDONESIA
  
• CURTIS KING
  USA
• MALIQ & D'ESSENTIALS
  INDONESIA
  
• JAZZMINT BIG BAND
  INDONESIA
  
• THE PROFESSOR
  INDONESIA
• ZE PAULO BECKER & BERNARDO AGUIAR
  BRAZIL
• BEBEN QUARTET
• DINIRIA HAPSARI
  

SATURDAY, NOV 24, 2007

SPECIAL SHOW: SPYRO GYRA (USA)

• BILL SHARPE (SHAKATAK) and GEOGRAPHY, featuring DON GRUSIN, TETSUO SAKURAI, CARLOS RIOS, MASATO HONDA and HIROYUKI NORITAKE
  USA - UK - JAPAN
• MONDAY MICHIRU
  USA
• THE JEREMY MONTEIRO POWER QUARTET with Special Guest CARMEN BRADFORD
  SINGAPORE - USA - MALAYSIA - UK
  
• JOONA TOIVANEN TRIO
  FINLAND
• LOU G. (GUITAR)
  THE NETHERLAND
• PARK DRIVE
  INDONESIA
• PRA - INDRA LESMANA - GILANG RAMADHAN (PIG)
  INDONESIA
• THE DOCTOR
  INDONESIA
• IRENG MAULANA & FRIENDS WITH ANDIEN - WARNA
  INDONESIA
• DWIKI DHARMAWAN THE NEXT GENERATION
  INDONESIA
• DEWA BUDJANA & TOHPATI
  INDONESIA
• IDANG RASJIDI & THE NEW GENERATIONS
  INDONESIA
  
• JOHN HONDORP
  THE NETHERLANDS
• JILLY LIKUMAHUWA
  INDONESIA
• GLENN FREDLY & BARRY LIKUMAHUWA PROJECT
  INDONESIA
  
• CURTIS KING
  USA
• KIBOUD MAULANA & JACKIE
  INDONESIA
• BELA SZALOKY
  HUNGARY
  
• THE GALAXY BIG BAND
  JAPAN
• BINUS JAZZ SOCIETY
  INDONESIA
• CHLOROPHYL + DJ
  INDONESIA
  

SUNDAY, NOV 25, 2007

SPECIAL SHOW: KOOL AND THE GANG (USA)

• DON GRUSIN and The BAD BOYZ, featuring BILL SHARPE, TETSUO SAKURAI, CARLOS RIOS, MASATO HONDA and HIROYUKE NORITAKE
  USA - UK - JAPAN
  
• TOMPI & GROOVOLOGY
  INDONESIA
• JEREMY MONTEIRO POWER QUARTET with Special Guest RANI SINGAM
  SINGAPORE - USA - Malaysia - UK
  
• JAKJAZZ ALL STARS
  BUBICHEN - ERMY KULLIT - MARGIE SEGERS
  INDONESIA
• ALEX SIPIAGIN
  USA
• MONDAY MICHIRU
  USA
• SURABAYA ALL STARS
• SHERLY O & ABSOLUTE
  INDONESIA
• LUCIANO WITH ZARRO
  BRAZIL - INDONESIA
• BALAWAN TRIO
• PIERRICK PEDRON
  FRANCE
• THE DIPLOMAT
  INDONESIA
  
• THE GALAXY BIG BAND
  JAPAN
• BALI LOUNGE
  MALAYSIA - AUSTRALIA - INDONESIA

Special guest appearance

• SUSAN WONG
  HONGKONG
• HARRY TOLEDO & COMMUNITY
  INDONESIA
• KULKUL
  INDONESIA
• STORYTELLERS
  INDONESIA
• CANZO
  INDONESIA
• NITA AARTSEN QUATRO FEAT. YEPPY ROMERO
  INDONESIA
• JAKARTA DRUM SCHOOL
  INDONESIA

Ticket Prices

TICKET	EARLY BIRD 1 (SEP 10 - OCT 17)	EARLY BIRD 2 (OCT 18 - NOV 11)	NORMAL PRICE (STARTING NOV 12)
DAILY	Rp. 200.000	Rp. 250.000	Rp. 300.000
SPECIAL SHOW			Rp. 250.000
SPECIAL SHOW DAILY PACKAGE •	Rp. 300.000	Rp. 400.000	Rp. 500.000
JAKJAZZ PASSPORT *	Rp. 750.000	Rp. 950.000	Rp. 1.250.000
STUDENT TICKET **	Rp. 150.000	Rp. 150.000

Official Site: http://www.jakjazz.com/

A Balinese company transforms a New York stage

Not many New York dance performances begin with the sound of frogs, stray birdcalls, and the swish of grass brooms against the floor. But the 26 expert musicians and dancers of the Balinese ensemble Gamelan Çudamani want us to see a stage's wooden floor as earth in a temple compound. This group, formed in Pengosekan, Ubud, is touring the U.S. with a program, Odalan Bali, that brings to life a village ritual. The piece—conceived by dance scholar Judy Mitoma and created by the collaborative ensemble led by musician I Dewa Putu Berata (Mitoma's son-in-law), assisted by his wife, dancer Emiko Saraswati Susilo—makes attempts by various other companies to turn a theater into a community seem phony.

The piece's artful combination of naturalism and stylization works magically from the outset. As women decorate the space, a small girl lifts a cloth that covers one of the instrument racks; a musician who's been sleeping underneath emerges grinning. Other drowsy men assemble, chatting amiably. Rhythms (designed by Berata) develop amid unhurried comings and goings with flowers, holy water, and other objects. The women sing, while the men, preparing "food" for the ceremony, chop and shave fat lengths of bamboo. An exhilarating web of sound created by the clack of knives and sticks against wooden disks is augmented by the men's jabbering vocalizations as they break into an impromptu snatch of a kecak, or "monkey chant." Several don hats and collars and strut forward with bent-kneed stride and wide-eyed alertness for the baris gede, a ceremonial warrior's dance. Later, in an ingeniously staged cockfight (minus birds), the crouching bettors convey a vivid, rhythmic drama of anticipation, disappointment, and delight.

(by Deborah Jowitt)

More....

Bintan, Treats in the forest

BINTAN is a small, lesser-known Indonesian island straddling the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea.
Its premier resort, Banyan Tree, is built on a hilly, beach-fringed promontory that overlooks both.

From our villa, perched high among the trees, mighty ships could be seen edging across the pewter sea while the skyscrapers of Singapore shimmered on the horizon like the Emerald City.

It didn't take long to discover that the best place to enjoy this exquisite view was from our private pool, a glass of something medicinal close at hand.

There are half a dozen resorts on Bintan, but Banyan Tree is the only five-star option, though this is soon to change.

The more affordable and family-oriented Angsana Resort and Spa, owned by the same outfit, is located next door and has access to the same 900m beach and many of the recreational activities.
Spending a few nights at Angsana before shifting to Banyan Tree might be a way to stretch your time on the island.

Banyan Tree is an extraordinary experience that's well worth the time and costs involved.

Leuser has volcano named after him

Congers resident aims to document hunt for diamonds on Indonesian volcano.

It may be hard to fathom, but Ted Leuser is basing his life's ambition on a cartoon from Ripley's Believe It or Not.

The drawing indicates that the Leuser Volcano in Sumatra, Indonesia, at one time erupted diamonds.

When the 64-year-old Congers resident got the clipping from his grandfather nearly 50 years ago, he was excited to see that the volcano had his last name attached to it.

"I was astounded to see my name, Leuser, for the first time in print," he said.

Leuser, formerly a self-employed businessman in the graphic arts industry, said he's convinced the volcano was discovered by an ancestor of his. More important, he believes diamonds are hidden in the lava bed.

Leuser said he sold his store so he could devote all of his time to his quest.

He said he has hardly any proof that any of it is true - he hasn't even been to Indonesia - but he's hoping the vision of himself as a diamond hunter traveling through Sumatra with a team of geologists is enough to attract a few investors and an executive producer for a documentary and reality TV show.
"How many people have you ever known in your life that have a volcano named after them?" he said, with the eager pitch and upraised eyebrow of a salesman.

By AMISHA PADNANI
THE JOURNAL NEWS

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The Bali Cookbook

THE Bali Cookbook by Lonny Gerungan, photographs by Warren Bright (Kyle Cathie/Simon & Schuster, $34.95) is a fiesta of retro colours, with pages of teale blue, burnt orange, lime and hot pink interspersed with white. Frangipani, hibiscus and banana leaf or panels of Balinese fabric decorate the pages. The effect is to highlight the vibrancy of the dishes.

In a foreword, the author says his book "paints a picture of the daily life of the Balinese"; a second foreword is by the Governor of Bali, who sees Gerungan as an ambassador (he has made TV programs in The Netherlands and authored other books).

Gerungan refers to the food's religious connections and says recipes have not traditionally been recorded on paper and are in danger of being lost.

Bali artist offers modern wayang performance

A fusion between a traditional wayang (shadow puppet) performance and modern technology has impressed Jakartans during a two-day show at Graha Bhakti Budaya hall in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Cikini, Central Jakarta.

The performance, called Wayang Listrik (electric puppet), amused the audience with its funny and critical dialogue presented by one of Bali's most accomplished puppet masters, I Made Sidia.

The 40-year-old puppeteer kept the audience laughing with his brilliant and innovative jokes in both English and Kawi, an ancient Javanese language.

In his Thursday performance at the hall, Sidia mocked Malaysia over the country's recent dispute with Indonesia through use of the traditional Indonesian song Rasa Sayange, which Malaysia had used in its tourism campaign.

In Sidia's Tualen's Journey story, Tualen, the main character, meets a wild tiger on his travels that he tries to tame by singing the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya.

However, the tiger in the story becomes angry upon hearing Tualen sing the anthem, after which Tualen asks, "You must be a Malaysian tiger then, huh?".

Earlier: Folk song sparks row between Indonesia, Malaysia

FASHION MEETS ART AT THE 7TH ANNUAL BALI FASHION WEEK, NOVEMBER 2007

Now entering its seventh year, Bali Fashion Week07 (BFW07) has grown into one of the island’s foremost arts & culture events. BFW07 distinguishes itself from previous events with a “Fashion Meets Art” theme. The aim is to encourage local artists and designers to draw on the rich cultural and artistic qualities of life in Indonesia and incorporate them into their work in ways that will empower them and help them succeed in international markets. In this sense, “Fashion Meets Art” becomes an interface where creative individuals like designers, artists, musicians, painters, sculptors and dancers can come together, whether through performance or via installations.

BFW07 is taking place between 22 and 25 November and will present Bali’s principal forum for hosting international fashion shows, with local designers like Oka Diputra, Muji Ananta, Putu Aliki and Alik Charisma of Bali joined by the likes of Rajo Laurel and Ivarluvski of the Philippines, Choi Boko of Korea, Henry Lau of Hong Kong, Kerry Grima of Australia and many more.

Rather than focusing solely on fashion shows, BFW07 will divide its activities into two categories – Trade Show and Expo, both of which will take place at the Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel. The aim is to highlight the selected works of Indonesian designers as well available textiles and accessories. These will be made visible to international buyers attending the event, thus creating an important environment for the building of business relationships that in turn encourage Indonesia’s economic growth.

As regards education, BFW07 is conducting a series of focused seminars that look at the key current issues in the realms of design and fashion. Both national and international keynote speakers will attend.
There will also be a competition, divided into three subcategories – Models Competition, Photography Competition and Going Green Handbag Design Competition. These competitions are a useful tool in identifying emerging talent and ideas within the Indonesian fashion industry. The winners will be heavily promoted with a view to involving them in Hong Kong Fashion week in January 2008, as well as receiving prizes from sponsors.

The finale of BFW07 will take place on Sunday, November 25th with a street carnival entitled fashiOnNthestreet. Designers, arts and theatre communities, students, local banjars (village units) and businesses. It will be an opportunity to take the “Fashion Meets Art” theme out onto the streets and into the reality of the public at large. The travelling exhibition will make its way around Kuta and Kuta beach areas. A referee will select three participants to receive the awards in different fashion categories. A genuine community event, fashiONthestreet will bring together the creative people, the public and tourists to Bali. To enrol in the FashionONthestreet competition, visit www.balifashionweek.com

Nine-month tourist arrivals up 13.5 percent to 3.36 million

The number of tourists arriving in Indonesia rose 13.5 percent to 3.36 million in the first nine months, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday.

The increase was driven by a rise of 33.7 percent to 1.29 million arrivals in the resort island of Bali.

Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, the second largest entry point, reported 854,492 arrivals, little changed from 854,323 a year ago.

Batam, an industrial island near Singapore, recorded a 5.1 percent increase to 791,571 arrivals.

In September alone, arrivals via the country's 15 entry points dropped to 382,461 from 405,604 in the preceding month.

Data from the Tourism Ministry showed 4.87 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia in 2006, with total spending of 4.45 billion US dollars.

Harmoni Hotel's Official Website Undergoes Improvement

Harmoni Hotel in Batam, Indonesia continues to bring quality service to its valued guests through the reconstruction of their official website. While guests can still log on to Harmoni Hotel's old website, the hotel management believes that a newly improved website will enhance the guests' experience, especially when making online reservations. Thus, the official website of the hotel will be undergoing a revamp and is expected to be re-launched this November.

Casually elegant accommodations coupled with a wide array of facilities are the trademarks of Harmoni Hotel. This stately hotel in Batam also believes in providing its guests with maximum convenience through speedy service via its website.

Potential guests can choose from the hotel's 246 furnished rooms and suites and view its impressive facilities by logging on to the Harmoni website. What's more, they can check for room availability and rates when they visit the hotel website. Online reservations are also made easy as guests can receive instant confirmation once they book a room online.

For more information about this Batam hotel, visit: http://www.harmonigroup.biz/hotel/Index/index.php.