World's largest all-bamboo factory goes online in Bali

With a tensile strength higher than mild steel and greater compressive strength than many mixtures of concrete it is no wonder than bamboo continues to be the construction material of choice for many longstanding building projects. Few are quite as ambitious with the material as Big Tree Farms however, who have recently completed the largest bamboo structure in Southeast Asia in Sibang, Bali.

Also being referred to as the largest commercial structure in existence, the new 26,500 sq ft headquarters of this proudly sustainable food company (which boasts close working relationships with over 9,000 farmers) is now in full use as an office facility and working chocolate factory.

Images of the factory

World's largest bamboo building in Bali Youtube Video:

Ubud Undercover: Where Bali Comes to Life

“If you haven’t been to Ubud, then you haven’t been to Bali,” says the bespectacled middle-aged woman sitting next to me on the flight from Jakarta. She’s my aunt. Half- awake, I watch Mount Merapi poke its nose through the clouds, snorting steam at the rising sun. “Ubud is to Bali what Yogyakarta is to Java, the cultural heart of the island,” she says.

As I catch a taxi, I call up my cross-cultural expert in Jakarta, Ali Syarief. He gives me a number and tells me Ubud might look like a town, but it is really 14 villages, each run by its own committee. “If it’s party time you want, Ubud is strictly a no-go zone,” he says.

Instead, we might chance on a Barong ritual, a dance-drama with tales of battles between the mythical witch Rangda (representing evil) and Barong the lion or dragon (representing good).

“The performers fall into a trance, and attempt to stab themselves with sharp knives,” he tells me.

The billboards, advertising rafting, Safari World and fine silver never really fade during the hour and a half it takes to drive the 25 kilometers from Ngurah Rai airport to Ubud. The driver points out where we can buy batik, silver and even where to turn off to the volcano. We jump out of the taxi when we see eco-shops.

The manager of our family-run homestay makes us Balinese coffee and proudly shows us his fighting cocks.

A Balinese temple is a pura, and unlike the towering indoor Indian Hindu temples, the Hindu temples of Bali are designed as open-air places of worship within enclosed walls, compounds connected with intricately decorated gates. Some temples are associated with the family house compound (also called banjar in Bali), others are associated with rice fields and still others with key geographical sites.

Read the full article here

Parigata Spa Villas

Parigata Spa Villas is an excellent choice for those who long for a quiet and
peaceful villa but still in the heart of tourism and entertainment area of
Sanur. Parigata Spa Villas is just few-minute walk from the white sand beach
of Sanur and its beautiful sunset and has easy access to various entertainment
venues in Sanur area. Parigata Spa Villas not just offers quiet and strategic
location but also cozy and luxurious accommodation with modern and complete
facilities as well as impeccable and friendly services.

Parigata Spa Villas boasts of 8 Deluxe Suite Villa with garden view and come
with either king size or twin bed. The villa has a private garden and pool,
balcony/terrace, Jacuzzi, bathrobes, hair dryer, air conditioning, fan,
bathroom with bathtub shower, hot & cold water, mini bar, fridge, safety box,
IDD telephone, TV with wide range of channels, wireless internet access, free
daily mineral water, in room safe, coffee and tea making facilities. The
guests of the villa also enjoy free daily breakfast for 2 persons, free
welcome drink on arrival, free fruit & flower arrangements in room on arrival,
free assorted cookies/candies on plate in room on arrival and complimentary 2
bottle mineral water daily.

Parigata Spa Villas provides facilities and services including Lantana Spa,
restaurant, bar/pub, 24hr room services, bicycle rental, disabled facilities,
meeting facilities, smoking room, Wi Fi, baby sitting, car park, concierge,
laundry service/dry cleaning, room service, library, facsimile, lobby,
reception, swimming pool, luggage storage, safe-deposit box at front desk,
indoor pool, massage, Jacuzzi, water sport (non-motorized), pool (kids) and
cots/cribs.

Indonesia AirAsia eyes 6.2m customers next year

Budget airline Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) aims to increase its customers to 6.2 million passengers in 2012, a 24-percent increase from this year’s 5 million passengers, a top official says.
“Seventy-five percent will be coming from regional routes, while the other 25 percent will be from domestic routes,” IAA president director Dharmadi said on Tuesday at AirAsia’s new product launch in South Jakarta.
He said the company would organize more flights from five existing hubs in Jakarta, Denpasar, Bandung, Medan and Surabaya to other countries such as seven flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, also two flights to Bangkok, Thailand, and Penang, Malaysia.
“We have connected to almost all ASEAN countries,” he said.
Dharmadi said IAA would add five new Airbus A320s in 2012 and would add five more new Airbus aircraft per year until 2016

Indonesia to triple foreign tourist arrivals by 2025

The Indonesian government is optimistic to raise the number of foreign tourists coming into the country by nearly triple by 2025 due to acceleration of development, a minister said here on Monday.

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa said that the nation's long-term development master plan program, which is partly aimed at speeding up infrastructure development, was expected to raise the number of foreign tourist arrival to over 20 million people by 2025 from this year's target of 7.7 million people. "With a good connectivity development, we can advance our tourism sector and raise our foreign tourist arrivals to 20 million by 2025 from 7.7 this year target," he said.

To reach the goal, the minister encouraged private sectors to take part in the master plan program. "We must speed up infrastructure development. We will invite all businessmen and we expect them to be able to involve in building airports and other facilities," said Hatta.

Indonesia has relied much on Asian tourists rather than European or American tourists, former tourism minister Jero Wacik has said. Rapid growing economy in the emerging Asia is also expected to boost the rise of foreign tourist arrival in Indonesia in coming years.

The number of foreign holidaymakers visiting Indonesia rose by 8.26 percent to 5.61 million people in the first nine months, the Statistic Bureau has announced.

Indonesia targets 8 million foreign holidaymakers coming into the country next year as the government boost infrastructure development and marketing, Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu has said.

The visitors from countries that have emerged relatively unscathed from the credit crisis including China, India and Australia have been the main target of the Indonesian tourism industry, she said.

Over 7 million foreign tourists coming into the country last year, according to the tourism ministry.

The government expects a spending of 8.4 billion U.S. dollars from tourists this year, up from 7.6 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Indonesian Government to develop 50 tourist destinations

The government says it will develop 50 national tourism destinations before 2025.
“This was established on Dec. 2 through a government regulation,” Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said on Monday as quoted by Antara news agency.
She said the government had formulated a national tourism plan that contained a framework and systemic approach to develop the 50 tourism destinations.
Mari added that the plan would task local governments to take short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to develop the tourism destinations in their regions.
The tourism destinations include Nias and Simeluen in Aceh, Medan and Lake Toba in North Sumatera, Lombok and Moyo in West Nusa Tenggara and Komodo, Ruteng and Kelimutu in East Nusa Tenggara.

Komaneka Resort at Tanggayuda

“Perfection in Service and Care” is the key that makes Komaneka at Tanggayuda consistently chosen as the winner for Traveler’s Choice Award apart from
stunningly beautiful surrounding view, cozy and spacious room and modern facilities. Komaneka at Tanggayuda offers top class services, friendly yet
professional staff will always ready to assist you right when you need it and “disappear” when you need privacy. Nothing is too much for you.

Komaneka at Tanggayuda pampers you with daily replenished cookies and fruit in the room, free daily flower in the room, free daily tea and traditional
delicacies in the afternoon, free daily tasty American breakfast, free welcome drink & cool towel on arrival, free daily Neka Art Museum tour includes
free entrance ticket., free 24hours limited speed wireless internet connection and free gym facilities. However, Komaneka at Tanggayuda does not stop
there, there are also free on Scheduled Free Guest Activities: Appetitive Class (Sunday & Wednesday), Yoga Class (Monday & Thursday), Coconut leaves
Craft (Monday & Friday), Petulu Tour/White Herons (Tuesday & Friday), Traditional Fashion & Dance Lessons (Wednesday & Saturday) and Wood Carving
Lesson (Thursday).

Komaneka at Tanggayuda is situated on the outskirt of Ubud, overlooking beautiful Oos River, around 15-minute drive to the center of
Ubud. This scenic Ubud resort provides free 9 times shuttle service to the center of Ubud.

Germany to shorten visa processing for Indonesians

Visiting German President Christian Wulff met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta on Thursday, as Germany plans to shorten the Schengen visa processing time for Indonesians wanting to visit the country and eurozone countries.

The German Embassy in Jakarta has announced its plan to cut its visa processing period from 12 to 3 days for Indonesians.

German Ambassador to Indonesia Norbert Baas said the policy to reduce the visa processing period would be implemented before Christmas this year.

The reason behind the policy was inseparable from the security and stability of Indonesia, which in the ambassador’s view had shown positive progress, especially in terms of reduced threats of terrorism.

After attending the meeting between the two leaders at the State Palace, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said that Indonesia had long since asked Germany for a reduced visa processing time.

According to Marty, the meeting between Yudhoyono and Wulff was concentrated on the future of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Germany and Indonesia have had a close relationship for 60 years.

In a joint press conference, Yu-dhoyono told reporters that Indonesia suggested five strategic cooperations with Germany, namely investment and trade, health, education, research and technology.

“In investment and trade cooperation, Indonesia has MP3EI [the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia’s Economic Development], and Indonesia invites Germany to be a strategic partner,” he said.

According to Yudhoyono, the volume of German trade in Indonesia is US$6 billion, an increase by 22 percent from last year.

Wulff said that Indonesia was a country that was consistent in maintaining its economic system.

“Next year, there will be many people from Germany coming to Indonesia to invest,” Wulff said.

He added that he was impressed with how Indonesia made its democracy and economy grow together.

Indonesia has enjoyed a close relationship with Germany in the past, when B.J. Habibie was a Cabinet minister, vice president and president.

Wulff’s visit was expected to revitalize the relationship between the two countries, although perhaps not to the levels seen during Habibie’s presidency.

“The Habibie era was a combination of what had been built up before. The fact that he studied in Germany and spoke German like a native German was really a boost,” Baas said on Wednesday.

Sativa Sanur Cottages

Sativa Sanur Cottages is situated in the heart of Bali’s first tourism resort,
Sanur, just 20-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, 5 minute
walk to white-sand Sanur Beach that is well known for its beautiful sunset and
within easy walking distance to restaurants, shops and other entertainment
facilities. Sativa Sanur Cottages is right on beachfront area affording
beautiful sunrise combines with cozy cottages, warm and friendly staff as well
as complete modern facilities.

Sativa Sanur Cottages offers ten two-storey cottages, each with two rooms. The
upstairs room has a private balcony with a pool or garden view while the
downstairs room that is suitable for those who come with the children, has a
wide verandah with the pool or garden view. Each room is furnished with
handcrafted woodcut furniture, decorated with Balinese artwork and equipped
with air conditioning, mini refrigerator, coffeemaker and television with
international channel.

Sativa Sanur Cottages provides facilities and services including 24 hours
reception, room services, safety deposit boxes, money changer, telex/fax
service, drugstore, swimming pool with poolside bar, kids pool, safe deposit
boxes, wifi, baby sitting services, The Rose Restaurant, William Bar, car park,
concierge, laundry service/dry cleaning, facsimile, chemist/drugstore, lobby,
massage and spa.

Foreign visitors up 8 percent in Jan-Oct period

A total of 6.27 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia from January to October this year, an increase of 8.27 percent compared with the same period last year, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported on Thursday.
The figure, however, represents only 81 percent of the targeted number of foreign tourist visits in the country as of year-end, which is 7.7 million people, meaning it might be difficult to meet the target, BPS deputy head for distribution and service statistics Djamal said during a press conference in Jakarta.
“There are only two months left. We'll see if we can reach the target,” he said, as quoted by kontan.co.id.
BPS reported that 656,000 foreign tourists visited Indonesia in October alone, up 10.32 percent from the same month last year.
Bali remains the top tourist destination, with 244,421 of the October visitors entering the country through Bali's main gateway, Ngurah Rai International Airport.
BPS added, however, that the figure was lower by 6.43 percent compared with that in September, although it was in contrast with the star-rate hotel occupancy rate, which rose slightly to 54.87 percent with tourists spending an average of 2.01 days at hotel.
“This increase was recorded in almost all tourist destination provinces. The biggest increase was recorded in North Sulawesi,” Djamal said.