Hotels in Ubud Bali

Ubud is a good place for tourists who want to know more about Bali's art, carving and painting, traditional dances and some of the typical activities of the Balinese people. This tourist area has been known since a long time, when some of the famous painters such as Antonio Blanko who had traveled to Bali and staying in Ubud to learn about various aspects of art. Some hotels or lodging have been built to serve the tourists.

Here, are some hotels that you can visit in Ubud.

Ubud Village Hotel Ubud Bali

Ubud Village Hotel is one of the three-star standard boutique hotels in Ubud. Located on Jalan Hanoman Padang Tegal, Ubud Bali, or approximately 50 minutes from Ngurah Rai. Ubud Village Hotel has 3 different types of rooms: Superior rooms, Deluxe rooms, and Super Deluxe rooms with private facilities garden, private dining area, Verandah, a private entrance gate, rooms with views of forests, television, separated head and hand showers with hot and cold running water, sliding doors, Balinese style decorated rooms and all rooms provide only double bed type.

Sahadewa Resort Ubud Bali

Sahadewa Ubud Resort is located at Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud. These villas are categorized into three star hotel because the facility is equivalent to the ranks of the same hotel located in Kuta and Nusa Dua area. The hotel has two different room types namely Deluxe Garden View rooms offer views of the plantation, as well as the Deluxe Pool View that shows the view of the pool.

Barong Resort and Spa Ubud Bali

Barong Resort and Spa is a stylist resort located on the Jalan Monkey Forest Ubud Bali, approximately 50 minutes drive from Ngurah Rai airport. The resort has four different room types include Standard Bungalow, Deluxe Bungalow, Deluxe Villa, Villa and Suite.

Coffee and Fog at Lake Toba

Need to take some days to enjoy the exotic of Lake Toba. The tourist sites that has become the wonder of the world, which surrounds by seven districts of North Sumatra: Simalungun District, Tanah Karo, North Tapanuli, Samosir, Toba Samosir, Dairi, and Humbang Hasundutan.

It is very common when the Parapat City, the banks of Lake Toba which is included as an administrative of Simalungun district, is very crowded by the domestic and foreign tourists. Parapat is the main route to Lake Toba. The attraction of Lake Toba its not only about the Parapat City. You also can visit other corner of Lake Toba, for example Tuk Tuk Siadong in Samosir District.

Last September, I departed from the city of Medan to the Parapat City. Travel time is 4 hours at a distance of 175 kilometers. That day, we took an hour longer because the road is winding when we got out the Siantar city.

Is relatively narrow roads with steep sides and the volume of traffic passing from the various types of vehicles cause the vehicle speed can not be maximal.

Hilly roads, uphill and down is certainly tedious and worrisome. The warning signs and the green panorama of line of pine trees has become the sedative of the trip. The face is always turned to the left and right, picking its natural beauty.

The last two curves finally drove us toward to the front of the Parapat City. Derivatives path has described the natural beauty of the blue water of Lake Toba. Vehicle that carries us stopped at the side of a bend, right in front of the shop. Some friends have been out from the car, perpetuate the corner bend of the edge of this Parapat City. Others treat unwind with refreshments, and peanut in the Land of Batak.

Lake breeze has made us become lulled. The time is getting close to evening. Initially we intend to immediately extend the trip to Tuk Tuk Siadong. Upon arrival at Port Ajibata, the Parapat's Port, we cancel the intention after seeing the long queue of vehicles are waiting for the ferry crossing to the Regency Samosir. To enjoy this night, we decided a rest at the hotel on Parapat.

Luckily our hotel, offering room discounts, the decision was taken without hesitation. From lodging in the area of ​​this plateau, the view of Lake Toba is so widely viewed. Unfortunately, that night, the hotel management is eliminating events for hotel guests. So that night we just sat looking at the black lake.

Morning in Prapat City

Morning dew has not dried up at the time we left the hotel to the Port of Ajibata. Our expectations, this morning, crossing toward to Tomok, the Naidoo District, will be easy. Again, our assumption were almost wrong.

Ferry crossings has anchored in the Port Ajibata. Luckily our vehicles and four other vehicles behind us are allowed to enter the ferry, of course after buying a ticket for crossing a price Rp.95 or about USD $10. We crossed over to Tomok.

Ferry began to leave the harbor. Stretch of Lake Toba and the hills have been a familiar sight along the journey. To eliminate the boredom in the course, enjoy coffee on the second floor of the ferry is one of the ways that are often carried by passengers.

The crossed takes 60 minutes. The atmosphere of Port Tomok, Samosir District, not much different at the Ajibata Port conditions. After passing the door of the harbor, lined shops and souvenir stalls are lined up lengthwise.

Our arrival at the port was greeted by the rain. We continue the journey immediately without taking the time to enjoy the the nuances of the harbor. Taking the right direction, our vehicle racing through the streets.

Pine trees, plants typical of the region of Lake Toba, the flanking side of the road. After traveling 30 minutes, we entered the village of Tuk Tuk Siadong, the Simanindo District, which is characterized by the village gate.

Tuk Tuk Siadong, a village with a growing tourism industry. In this area, a number of the hotel stands majestically. The residents also provide the rented house, the majority are occupied by foreign tourists.

Of information from friends, we headed to the end of Tuk Tuk Siadong to find hotels with cheap rate and beautiful scenery. A dozen vehicles have been parked in the hotel. Some tourists enjoy the nature walk on the middle of the village.

Most hotels in this area turned out to have a means of transport crossing of Ajibata and Tomok, which anchored in the area of ​​the hotel, mostly standing on the edge of the lake. We arrived at Hotel Carolina. The area is so beautiful, with a large banyan tree and a sturdy stand of coconut trees, makes this place is really the purpose of exciting trips and a rest.

The rain that accompanied our journey has subsided, but the sun was still shrouded in fog. Waiting for dusk, enjoy the scenery of the lake, playing in the cold lake water and also fishing, alternative activities are quite entertaining.

Towards evening, the hotel cafeteria is an option to relax while sipping coffee.

The National Park Takabonerate

The National Park Takabonerate, Selayar Islands regency, South Sulawesi, stretching atolls or the world's third largest coral islands after Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands and the Maldives Islands Suvadiva. If you have a plan to visit the pinisi boat center in Bulukumba, please to cross into these Islands.

Atoll is one type of coral islands, which formed the framework of microscopic sea creatures, with the broad reach 220,000 hectares, atoll in the Flores Sea is like a strand lapislazuli and emeralds, which is embeddable in the expanse of ocean.
In fact, the photographs that have been scattered in various internet pages were not able to compete the sensation when you looking at this atoll directly.

As an illustration, look at the map. From Makassar move 240 kilometers to the southeast or five-hour overland journey to Bulukumba. From there, you can wade through from the Bira Port to Pamatata Port, Selayar Islands, a distance is 80 kilometers or about two hours away by fast boat.

On arriving at Pamatata, continue the journey overland to the the Benteng, as far as 60 kilometers or an hour trip, the district capital Selayar Islands. Then, from Pier Pattumbukang at Benteng, visitors can go back across to Takabonerate. Two islands that could be an option is Jinato and Tinabo Besar, which must be carried out through an eight-hour cruise with a timber ship.

Weather and waves that can not be predicted is one of the challenges to get to this location.

As the name implies, Takabonerate means coral island on the sand. Coral species in this area is the barrier reef, fringing reef, and atoll.

The three types of reefs are composed by biodiversity, ranging from live coral, dead coral, algae, seagrass beds, up to a mound of sand or sand dunes. Coral is home to at least 362 species of reef fish, such as from family Chaetodontidae, Labridae, Scaridae, and 261 types of coral.

Coming to Takabonerate means preparing for a challenging marine tourism. In addition to the atoll, in the national park there are 21 group of islands that seven of them uninhabited. To explore it, the only option is certainly wooden boats.
Clear water and soft corals that we can enjoy with your eyes. No wonder Piotr Kordas was immediately tempted to try snorkeling in this place.

If you want a memorable vacation, stay at the resident's house, to explore the daily life of the Bugis and Bajoe who settled on the island. Some islands are usually visited by tourists that are the Jinato Island and Rajuni Island.

Watch Pacu Jawi on Mount Marapi

Biting the tail of the live cow? Is disgusting. That was my response when I heard a story from a friend who has ever watched Pacu Jawi (Cow Race). I can not imagine anyone would to bite the tail of the muddy live cow that hairy and smelly.

This unique spectacle can be seen in the Pacu Jawi on the slopes of Mount Marapi, Tanah Datar regency, West Sumatra, which is often held after the rice harvest.

In the arena the jockey will bite hard cow's tail so that the cows run fast. Minang people named the cow as a Jawi, so the show called "Pacu Jawi", Cow Race.

My curiosity want to watch Pacu Jawi finally accomplished. Apparently there are attractions Pacu Jawi, in the Nagari River Tarab. Now people are avid making Jawi Pacu event at once after planting rice because more and more viewed for entertainment.

The place is far in the middle of the terraces rice field area at the foot of Mount Marapi. Need to work extra hard to reach the site because they have to walk on the rice field and puddles. Tarab River, Mount Marapi look more towering than usual because some ridge covered with fog.
In front of it is stretched rice terraces, and there is one field that is quite wide with a length of about 60 meters to be used for Pacu Jawi. The ground was muddy and quite smooth in the four weeks because it was tested by dozens of cows who participated Pacu Jawi. In this Jawi Pacu no longer smelled the smell of cow manure, but that there is the smell of fresh mud fields.

Saluang puffs merrily playing with the accompaniment of drums. Mother brings a tray of snacks, which contain carved hood. Dozens of cows that will be racing also seen the owner is ready to compete in the field.
Apparently this is due to the closing of a dozen bulls already made-up like a bride. Starting from his head decorated plastic flower arrangements, horns wrapped in embroidered velvet, and the whole body fitted with colorful fabric. That cow sign host of River Tarab. The next morning they were paraded around the village which marks the closure of Pacu Jawi event that has lasted four weeks every Saturday.

There are four districts that have a tradition of Pacu Jawi in Tanah Datar, namely Sungai Tarab, Pariangan, propagation, and Five People. The fourth area is at the slopes of Mount Marapi. Jawi Pacu was carried out after the rice harvest and place rotated every district that implemented for four weeks every Saturday.
To increase the stamina of the cow, before being taken to race, cows are not given the grass, but eat eggs and honey mixed with energy drinks.

Finally, the long-awaited event arrived. I took a spot near the starting line. Want to see the important moments when the jockey biting the cow's tail. The rule, each cows were given kala, or a wooden plow, which would be crushed at jockey' right leg and left. Jockey to control the cow by pulling both of his cows. Cow racing only two.

Which is considered a champion is a pair of cows running straight, not turned into rice fields, and the jockey did not fall. There are no winners because spectators who witnessed the cow who is the most whiz. Of course after that the price of the hero becomes cheapher.

Pacu Jawi began with shouts of "Heyahhh ..!" of the race leader. Shouts that made the second calf gallop. This is where the unique and funny thing is, there are splashes of mud everywhere, face and body drenched in muddy fields jockey.

There is a jockey who immediately bounced down because cow ran very fast. There is a jockey who fell off because only one cow gallop. And this is what I've been waiting for, in between rain splashes of mud seemingly a jockey who tried to control the cow by pulling the tail and biting one of the cows. Finally, two cows and a successful jockey to the end that greeted the audience cheers.

Enjoy Ubud in Just 4 Days

Ubud is a part of Bali, which has been increasingly recognized as an effect of the famous film "Eat, Pray, Love". Although already released over a year ago, the movie audiences were still interested to visit Ubud.

Most movie goers want to retrace the journey of love from Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character, who wrote the story into a novel with a same title. This Eat Pray Love managed to bring travelers to find a peace in Ubud.

If you only have a little time on vacation, you can try the following tips in order to enjoy Ubud efficiently. In just 4 days you can explore the main attractions in Ubud.

Be sure to choose a taxi from the official agency to carry from the airport straight to Ubud. Taxis from authorized agents will help you to choose a hotel or rented house. Renting a house is suitable for those who want more privacy than staying in hotels.

Monkey Forest is an object that can not be missed in Ubud. Dense forest of beautiful will spoil your eyes with hundreds of wild monkeys. But to watch out for the souvenir traders, who likes to act nosy when hawking their wares. If you refuse politely, they will stop following. Remember, do not trigger squander buy many souvenirs on the first day.

The second day, go try the Balinese food stalls and restaurants. For culinary enthusiasts, don't worry because Ubud is a place for good food. Go Indus or Casa Luna restaurant that owned by Janet de Neefe, an Australian citizen who specialties serves Western and Balinese.

Another alternative is Pure Cafes, the first restaurants that established in Ubud. This place opened in 1974 by a woman named Pure, and popular today. With the building of four levels and river scenery around, this place provides traditional menus.

Ubud is known as a place of relaxation. However you can also choose to adrenaline activities. The third day, try something more challenging by visiting the tour agencies that provide biking facilities, kayaking, Kanu, and rafting. Try also go to the elephant breeding that located at 16 kilometers north of Ubud.

After adrenaline, is the relaxation time at various spas in Ubud. Traditional Balinese massage is the ultimate choice.

Options for the last day is a gift shop and everything Balinese. Also a time to eat lunch in the stalls are located near the rice fields.

Enjoy Balinese food, sipping cool air with the rural atmosphere is the perfect time to cover your holiday in Ubud.

Playing With Snakes at Nisa Kapa Island

Bima is not just a stopover city for tourists who want to visit the Komodo National Park. Bima also has many attractions. Not only Asi Mbojo museum as a place of goods to the royal heritage. In the east of Nusa Tenggara Barat, there is Nisa Kapa Island which is many sea snakes live in there.

Generally, the tourists are cruise boat starting from from Benoa Bali and then to Gili Trawangan, Meno, Air in Lombok to Moyo Island in Sumbawa, Satonda in Dompu, and Gili Banta for diving or snorkeling to observe the natural beauty of the sea.

Lately there are many tourists from the United States, France, and Australia who were on a boat tour to come to Nisa Kapa Island.

Each ship carrying ten tourists. In Nisa Kapa Island, they stay up to four hours. In this Nisa Kapa Island, there are many sea snakes live in there. They are so many even until thousand snakes. The snakes were on the sidelines of the rock on the coast of the island. You can hold them easily and they are not wild snake. Every body can hold that snakes. Sometimes worn around the neck, tucked into pants (not pocket). The characteristics of the snake's head is oval and the tail like a fin.
Nisa Kapa as in Bima language mean Boat Island. No one know exactly how the history of this name.

Nisa Kapa Island is within 77 kilometers at east of Bima city of the south line passing through the City District of Sape. Can be reached by about two hours drive by car up to Pai which is located 35 kilometers. When departing from Bima City, nearby destinations and the course is relatively better in the south path through the Sape. If through the northern path, is more far because the travel time from Bima to Wera is two hours and then about an hour to Pai. But the number of buses at the northern path is more than the southern path.

We had to cross from Pai village. Distance to Nisa Kapa Island is about 400 meters from the beach village of Pai. About 10 minutes to reach Nisa Kapa. When sea water is tide, do not expect to reach Nisa Kapa.