Paradise beneath the surface

Most visitors to Indonesia’s Komodo National Park think only of its famed giant lizards but an equally fascinating wonderland lies beneath its aquamarine waves.

YOU may have read my column last week when I wrote about photographing “dragons” in Indonesia’s famed Komodo National Park. The trip was not just about the giant lizards since scuba diving is another highlight of the region.

This area is rich not just in terrestrial flora and fauna but its marine life is equally fabulous.

In most places, it is pristine and virtually untouched, thanks to the remoteness of the area.

The Komodo National Park is situated in West Flores of the Indonesian Province of Nusa Tenggara Barat. It consists of the three main islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar.

The park was established in 1980 to protect the unique Komodo Dragon that is found only here and nowhere else.

In 1986, the park was also declared a Unesco World Heritage Site as well as a Man and Biosphere Reserve. These declarations are indications of the unique and sensitive biodiversity found here.

Full article by Lai Voon Long

Bali tourism at record levels

Bali is enjoying a resurgence in tourism, thanks partly to an increasing number of Australians rediscovering the Island of the Gods.

Australians are flocking to the resort island in droves, despite the Australian government maintaining its travel advisory warning tourists against visiting Indonesia.

The US government recently lifted its travel warning for Indonesia, saying the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning.

The number of Australians visiting Bali has continued to grow this year, after a big jump in 2007, prompting Garuda Indonesia to add extra flights from Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney.

The airline also expects to boost capacity from Perth.

It says the number of Australians travelling to Bali rose by more than 57% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to last year.

Australia is Bali's second biggest source of tourists, with the 78,500 Aussie visitors making up more than 13% of the island's foreign tourists in that period, slightly closing the gap on Japan on close to 20%.

Little Bali Hotel & Resort Company (LBHRC) founder Mike Parker-Brown says Bali is now receiving more Australian visitors than at any other time with hoteliers anticipating their best year ever, building on the boost in Australian business last year.

Alila Hotels and Resorts Sets its Sights on Bintan

PT. Nusa Pacific Island Investment has announced that boutique hotel and resort operator, Alila Hotels & Resorts, will be appointed to operate its new luxury resort and villas to be constructed on Bintan Island, Indonesia.

Alila Hotels and Resorts, which currently manages hotels & resorts in Bali, Jakarta, Laos, Thailand and a medical and wellness centre in Philippines, will be introducing its innovative, luxury, eco-driven design brand to the growing Bintan destination. Its close proximity to Singapore will attract visitors looking for a natural break after enjoying the fast-paced urban attractions of Singapore which continues to attract increasing numbers of visitors.

The property at Lagoi Bay will follow imminent openings of Alila's new Alila Villas luxury brand in Bali, Maldives, Vietnam and Oman.

The Lagoi Bay site borders on a natural forest reserve and a secluded beachfront yet accessible within 20 minutes from the ferry terminal. Visitors arrive at a cliff side setting with panoramic 240 degree sea views harnessing both sunrise and sunset on a promontory 30 m above sea level.

In Indonesia, Alila Hotels & Resorts currently manages popular resorts Alila Ubud, and Alila Manggis in Bali. Alila Villas Uluwatu is expected to open by year-end in Bali introducing the first of the new ultra-chic Alila Villas brand. Additionally, Alila manages the Alila Jakarta and Kemang Icon by Alila in Jakarta.

Indonesia May tourist arrivals up 10.9 percent from April

The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in May rose 10.85 percent from April to 509,000 and was up 13.9 percent from a year ago, according to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics released on Tuesday.

In the first five months of this year, 2.37 million foreign tourists visited the country compared to 2.1 million a year earlier .

Resort island Bali remained the biggest entry point, with 789,005 tourists arriving via its Ngurah Rai airport during the first five months, up 25 percent from a year ago.

Last year, 5.51 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia, up from 4.87 million in 2006.