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Guide to Bali, Indonesia

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:45:36 +0000

Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colourful, deeply spiritual and unique culture, stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth.

With world-class surfing and diving, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological attractions, and an enormous range of accommodations, this is one of the world’s most popular island destinations and one which consistently wins travel awards. Bali has something to offer a very broad market of visitors from young back-packers right through to the super-rich.

Cities

Denpasar – a bustling city, the administrative centre and transport hub of the island but not a major tourist destination
Candidasa – a quiet coastal town, the Bali Aga and gateway to the east coast
Kuta – surfer central, by far the most heavily developed area in Bali. Lots of shopping and night-life and the centre of lower-end party culture on Bali
Jimbaran – sea-side resorts, a nice sheltered beach and seafood restaurants south of Kuta
Legian – located between Kuta and Seminyak; also the name of Kuta´s main street
Lovina – beautiful black volcanic sand beaches and coral reefs
Sanur – sea-side resorts and beaches popular with older families
Seminyak – quieter, more upscale beachside resorts and villas just to the north of Legian, with some fashionable upscale restaurants and trendy designer bars and dance clubs
Ubud – the centre of art and dance in the foothills, with several museums, the monkey forest and lots of arts and crafts shops

Other destinations

Amed – an area of peaceful, traditional fishing villages featuring black sand beaches, coral reefs and excellent diving
Bedugul – nice lakes in the mountains, a golf course, the botanical gardens and the famous Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
Bukit Peninsula – the southernmost tip of Bali, with world class surfing, great beaches, and the can’t-miss cliff-hanging Uluwatu Temple
Kintamani – active volcano Mount Batur, great mountain scenery, cooler temperatures and fruit growing
Mount Agung – highest mountain in Bali and the mother temple of Besakih
Nusa Dua – an enclave of high-end resorts and a long, golden sand beach
Nusa Lembongan – good diving, snorkeling and surfing and a great place to relax
Nusa Penida – wild, rugged and untamed and as off-the-beaten-path as you will get in Bali
West Bali National Park – trekking, birdwatching and diving in Bali’s only substantial natural protected area

Festivals
There are an estimated 20,000 temples (pura) on the island, each of which holds festivals (odalan) at least twice yearly. With many other auspicious days throughout the year there are always festivities going on.

The large island-wide festivals are determined by two local calendars. The 210 day wuku or Pawukon calendar is completely out of sync with the western calendar, meaning that it rotates wildly throughout the year. The lunar saka (caka) calendar roughly follows the western year.

Funerals (pitra yadnya) are another occasion of pomp and ceremony, when the deceased (often several at a time) are ritually cremated in extravagantly colorful rituals (ngaben).

Galungan is a 10 day festival which comes around every 210 days and celebrates the death of the tyrant Mayadenawa. Gods and ancestors visit earth and are greeted with gift-laden bamboo poles called penjor lining the streets. The last day of the festival is known as Kuningan.

Nyepi, or the Hindu New Year, also known as the day of absolute silence, is usually in March or April (next held on 5 March 2011). If you are in Bali in the days preceding Nyepi, you will see amazing colorful giants (ogoh ogoh) being created by every banjar. On the eve of Nyepi, the ogoh ogoh are paraded through the streets, an amazing sight which is not to be missed. There are good reasons to avoid Nyepi as well, but for many visitors these will be outweighed by the privilege of experiencing such a unique festival. On Nyepi absolutely everything on the island is shut down between 6AM on the day of the new year and 6AM the following morning. Tourists are confined to their hotels and asked to be as quiet as possible for the day. After dark, light must be kept to a bare minimum. No one is allowed onto the beaches or streets. The only exceptions granted are for real emergency cases. The airport remains closed for the entire day, which means no flights into or out of Bali for 24 hr. Ferry harbours are closed as well. As the precise date of Nyepi changes every year, and isn’t finally set until later in the year before, flights will be booked by airlines for this day in case you book early. When the date is set, and as it gets closer, the airlines will alter their bookings accordingly. This may mean that you have to alter your accommodation bookings if your flight has been bought forward or back to cater for Nyepi day.

Music & Dance

Balinese dance and music are also justly famous and a major attraction for visitors to the island. As on neighbouring Java, the gamelan orchestra and wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre predominate. Dances are extremely visual and dramatic, and the most famous include:

Barong or “lion dance” – a ritual dance depicting the fight between good and evil, with performers wearing fearsome lion-like masks. This dance is often staged specifically for tourists as it is one of the most visually spectacular and the storyline is relatively easy to follow. Barong dance performances are not hard to find.

Calonarang – a spectacular dance which is a tale of combating dark magic and exorcising the evil spirits aligned with the witch-queen Rangda. The story has many variations and rarely are two calonarang plays the same. If you can find an authentic Calonarang performance, then you are in for a truly magical experience.

Kecak or “monkey dance” – actually invented in the 1930s by resident German artist Walter Spies for a movie but a spectacle nonetheless, with up to 250 dancers in concentric circles chanting “kecak kecak”, while a performer in the centre acts out a spiritual dance. An especially popular Kecak dance performance is staged daily at Uluwatu Temple.

Legong Keraton – perhaps the most famous and feted of all Balinese dances. Performed by young girls, this is a dance of divine nymphs hailing from 12th century Java. Try to find an authentic Legong Keraton with a full-length performance. The short dance performances often found in tourist restaurants and hotels are usually extracts from the Legong Keraton.

Water activities
There are many interesting scuba diving sites around Bali. Particularly popular are the wreck of USAT Liberty at Tulamben in the east, the chilled out coral bommies in Padang Bai, the serene reefs around Menjangan Island in the northwest, and dramatic drift diving off Nusa Penida in the south. Bali is a major teaching centre, and there are numerous reputable dive centres around the island.

Warm waters, crowds of young backpackers, cheap living and reliable waves keep Bali near the top of world surfing destinations. The southern coast at Kuta, Legian and Canggu, the Bukit Peninsula and Nusa Lembongan are the primary draws. Expert surfers usually head for the big breaks off the Bukit Peninsula, whilst beginners will find the gentler, sandy areas between Kuta and Legian to be ideal for learning. There are formal surf schools on Legian beach and Kuta beach. The more adventurous might like to to try informal lessons from one of the many local self-styled surf teachers to be found hanging on any beach in South Bali. Regular surf reports are provided by Baliwaves.

There are a number of reputable white-water rafting operators in the Ubud area, and the rafting is of good quality, especially in the wet season.

Sport fishing is an increasingly popular activity with visitors to the island. Trolling, jigging and bottom fishing can all be very rewarding, with large game far from unusual. Charters are available from many coastal areas but the most popular points with a competitive range of options are Benoa Harbour and nearby Serangan close to Kuta, just to the north in Sanur and Padang Bai on the east coast.

Other sports, adventure and family activities
Bali has become a famous destination for golfers and there are 5 Golf Courses: “Bali Handara Kosaido Country Club” in the mountains near Bedugul, the “Bali Golf & Country Club” in Nusa Dua, a 9-hole course at the Grand Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur, the “Nirwana Bali Golf Club” near Tanah Lot, and the New Kuta Golf Course at Pecatu on the Bukit Peninsula.

Visitors can see animals at the Bali Zoo in Singapadu near Ubud, at the Bali Bird Park, at the Taro Elephant Park, and at the Bali Marine and Safari Park located near Gianyar.

Many companies also provide adventure activities such as Paragliding at Nusa Dua, Mountain Cycling in the hills of Ubud or downhill cycling from Bedugul and Kintamani, Jungle Trekking, Bungy Jumping on the beach in Seminyak, Horse Riding in Seminyak and Umalas, and Hikiing in the rice fields near Ubud and many other places in the hills.

Nature can be observed while trekking in West Bali National Park, at the Butterfly Park (Taman Kupu Kupu) in Wanasari, or at the Bali Botanical Gardens in Bedugul. Inside the Botanical Gardens, visitors can also get a bird’s-eye view of nature from the Bali Treetop Adventure Park

Guide to Parga, Greece

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:51:47 +0000

Parga is a small town placed on the northwestern coast of Greece, with approximately 2500 inhabitants. Its main feature is its beautiful surrounding. Parga is ideal for relaxing and strolling around, although it gets a little busier in summer. Its history started many centuries ago.

Due to some archaeological findings, it is believed that Parga has been inhabited since the Neolithic times.However, Parga appears more clearly in the greek history since the Byzantine times. Along its history, the city has been conquered by the Venetians, who built the castle of Parga, and has been destroyed by pirates. It has also been under the rule of the Russians and the British, who finally sold it to Ali Pasha, in the 19th century; the residents moved to the close by island of Corfu to avoid the cruelty of the Turks and returned to their birthplace after the liberation of Greece, in 1819.

However, Parga became part of the Greek state a century later, in 1913. An interesting archaeological site to visit in Parga is its Venetian castle, which lies on top of a hill. This castle has some interesting Venetian and Turkish features and offers a picturesque view of the ceramic rooftops of the houses and the bay of Parga.

Apart from archaeological sites, Parga also has beautiful scenery. A large portion of the greenery surrounding the town consists of huge olive trees, planted by the Venetians in the 16th century. In fact, the olive oil production consists a major income for its inhabitants.

The houses of Parga are amphitheatrically built, scattered along a sheltered bay. Although Parga is not an island, you could say that it does have a certain “island vibe”. Moreover, Parga has developed many tourist facilities,

along these last years. Most restaurants offer traditional, homemade greek food and there are many places to stay, from camping areas and rooms to rent to luxurious hotels.

The local residents are also very friendly. Most tourists are Greek, who want to spend some relaxing days, but Parga also has many Italian visitors, due to its closeness to the Italian coast. Last but not least, the surroundings

of Parga have some picturesque villages and nice beaches to visit. These beaches can be reached on foot or by boat from the harbor and are bound to give you relaxing moments.

Villages of Parga
Location:� In western Greece, prefecture of Preveza
Description: A picturesque town with island vibe, Parga is surrounded by lush greenery and gorgeous beaches. A strong castle overlooks the town from the top of a hill.

Beaches of Parga
Town Beach
Location: In a walking distance from the town centre
Description: The beach of Parga is long and sandy. It has many tourist facilities and the small islet in front creates a picturesque environment to relax.
Sightseeing: Ecclesiastical Museum, Venetian Castle.

Valtos Beach
Location: 2 km from Parga town center.
Description: A long and sandy beach, Valtos is surrounded by luch greenery. This beach resort is well developed in tourism.
Sightseeing: Monastery Of Panagia Vlacherna

Sightseeing in Parga

The town of Parga has a remarkable architecture, affected by the Venetian style due to the long Venetian occupation in the past. Parga is nown for its traditional, narrow streets. The houses are typically Venetian, which means that they are small in size, white-colored and there is little space between one house and the other. Most of them have also two or three storeys, wooden balconies and tiled roofs.

These features certainly aid in the picturesque view of this seaside town. The churches also allow to appreciate the Venetian style in a different framework.

The famous Venetian Castle of Parga, surrounding a rocky hill in the highest point of Parga, is another sample of the Venetian architectural style, although it has had some additions by the Turks. It is an impressive medieval construction with high walls, inscriptions, emblems and secret paths that lead to the sea. From there, you can have a wonderful view of the town and its bay.� Stroll around the narrow streets of Parga and have a look on its valuable remains of its Venetian architectural style!

Another impressive castle in the region is the Castle of Anthoussa, about 5 km from Parga. This castle was built in the early 19th century and remains strong till today. A hiking path connects it with the beach of Valtos.

How to reach Parga

Parga is situated in the NW Greece opposite to the island of Paxi to the south of Corfu. It is 38 km away from the port of Igoumenitsa, 70 km from the airport of Aktio, Prevesa and about 170 km from airport of Ioannina. There are busses running daily to Parga from the bus station of the prefecture of Prevesa in the city of Prevesa, from the bus station of the prefecture of Thesprotia in the city of Igoumenitsa and, in the summer, from the bus station of the prefecture of Ioannina in the city of Ioannina. Few alternatives to travel to Parga are:

By boat from the port of Igoumenitsa
By air from the three airports there are in the region: the airport of Aktio, in Prevesa and then from there by taxi or bus. The airport of Corfu and then with the ferry-boat to Igoumenitsa and from there by car. The airport of Ioannina and then by bus to Prevesa or Igoumenitsa (in both cases you have to change bus) or directly from Ioannina.
By boat from the ports of Italy to Igoumenitsa and then by bus or taxi.
By car or bus from: Athens (by bus from Kifissos station), Thessalonica (by bus from Macedonia station through Prevesa or Igoumenitsa)

Useful telephone numbers:
Prevesa bus station
* Parga 26840-31218
* Prevesa 26820- 22213
* Athens 210-5129252
* Thessalonica 2310-595.406
Thesprotia bus station
* Igoumenitsa 26650-22309
* Athens 210-5125954, 5135379
Ioannina bus station
* Ioannina 26510-26286

Transportation Alternatives
Rent a motorbike or car: the prices are reasonable and there are offers for those who reserve before their arrival or they combine their stay at an accommodation with a car rental.
Taxi: most of the taxi drivers speak English. Some of them speak Italian as well and there are also a few who speak German.
Boats: for your transfer to some of the beaches from the pier of Parga. Daily excursions with the bigger boats are also organised to the islands opposite to Parga.

Finally, you can rent a bike or just walk around. Parga is a wonderful place and there is no better way to get to know it.

Parga Important Phone Numbers
Parga�s Medical Center 26840-32815
Parga�s Police station 26840-31222
Parga�s Port Terminal 26840-31227
Parga�s Fire Brigade 26840-31199
Parga�s Bus Station 26840-31218