Tag: Bali
If you’re in Ubud, Bali, go to 9 Angels
No one noticed when the music stopped.
The evening rain splattering on the tarpaulin above and through the leafy canopy on the tables set outside had its own music.
By the side of the piano, purple lights reflecting on the dried grass mound reminded me of the film Avatar. As the minutes passed, scores of the bugs we call Ui Poka in Bengali — a flying insect of the termite family — flew to the lights under the tarpaulin and outside. In ten minutes, there were hundreds of them at both the places. Continue reading If you’re in Ubud, Bali, go to 9 Angels
Michi resort near Ubud in Bali is a weird place
The two of us had hired a scooter and were headed to Michi Retreat Village situated a few kilometres from Ubud, by far my favourite among the places I have been to in Bali.
Esther, a Dutch solo traveller I’d met on the road, was riding pillion and checking directions on the phone and telling me which way to go. Between her not-too-confident English and my non-existent Dutch skills, communication was often a problem, but we managed somehow. Finally, after one or two wrong turns, we found a sign saying “Michi” with an arrow pointing to an alley to the left of the road. Continue reading Michi resort near Ubud in Bali is a weird place
Bali is set to become the next Bangkok for Indians
Of all Indians who have been outside the country for travel — not work but travel — a very large percentage has been to Thailand.
The reasons for this are not hard to understand. Bangkok is only a few hours away — almost always a direct flight — and the country is not that costly and this works well for India’s middle class looking to travel abroad.
I believe there’s a second Bangkok waiting for Indians to explore, and that, for better or for worse, is Bali. Continue reading Bali is set to become the next Bangkok for Indians
Bali: I’m going on my first unplanned trip!
The original plan was to go to the UK.
I have never been to the UK and I have a few friends there I was looking forward to meet. Unfortunately, between the time I applied for my leave at work and got it, the plane ticket I was eyeing had gone up by INR15000.
A couple of cheaper options were available but they took more time. Also two of the friends I was supposed to meet told me they would not be available when I’d be visiting. I decided these were the universe’s way of telling me not to go to the UK just yet. Continue reading Bali: I’m going on my first unplanned trip!
Nusa Dua fest begins in Bali from Nov 16
November 14 (TravelAndy): Indonesia’s popular tourist destination Bali is going to host Nusa Dua Fiesta during November 16-20.
Australia issues travel advisory against Bali
June 23 (TravelAndy): Australia has issued a latest travel advisory that urges its citizens to exercise caution before travelling to Indonesia’s Bali, which has recently been designated as a Zika prone area.
The government advisory says, “Indonesia is experiencing sporadic transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. We advise all travellers to protect themselves from mosquito bites”.
“Given the possibility that Zika virus can cause severe malformations in unborn babies, and taking a very cautious approach, pregnant women should discuss any travel plans with the travel doctor and consider postponing travel to Indonesia,” added the advisory. Continue reading Australia issues travel advisory against Bali
Do not forget your travel insurance
Budget travel is awesome and we go to no ends to ensure we save that extra buck. Admit it, it does feel great when you come back from an awesome trip and realise you’ve spent just about half of what someone else did for the same trip.
But there are downsides to budget travel too. Non-refundable flights and non-refundable pre-booked tours are two of them. Plus, there are always the incredibly high booking change costs.
Consequently, you always need to have a Plan B in mind. And your Plan B, in most cases, can be your travel insurance. Continue reading Do not forget your travel insurance
Volcanic eruption hits Bali tourism
July 11 (TravelAndy): A volcanic eruption in Indonesia forced the authorities to close four airports, including Bali’s Denpasar airport, on Friday causing chaos among tourists visiting the popular beach destination.
As Mount Raung in the island of Java kept belching ash, flight services remained suspended in and out of Bali.
A number of vacationers were stalled in Bali airport and several Bali-bound tourists were stranded in Jakarta airport due to cancellation of flights. Continue reading Volcanic eruption hits Bali tourism