Balinese voters will find a nice surprise when they open the ballot card in the upcoming 2009 legislative election: a strikingly foreign face among the more familiar Indonesian candidates on show. The face is that of Petra Odebrecht, the first foreign-born candidate in the history of the province’s legislative elections, and a member of the Renewal Democratic Party (PDP). Continue reading »

Bali administration will expand seaweed cultivation by constructing seaweed plantations in the deeper zones of the offshore areas of the island, a senior official said recently. Seaweed cultivation has became a primary source of income for thousands of Balinese living in the island’s coastal region. Traditionally, seaweed is cultivated in plantations that lie not far from the beach line. Continue reading »

After rising from terrorism and natural disaster, Bali tourism faces new threat. The story of Bali in the last six years is one of miraculous comebacks. In the face of Islamic extremism, natural disasters, outbreaks of disease and an airline industry beset by lax safety standards, the tiny island paradise has managed to surpass all its foreign tourist arrival records for the second year in a row. Continue reading »

The St. Regis Bali Resort – located in the pristine complex of Nusa Dua – will be officially opening its doors on February 28th 2009. With an oceanfront location, luxuriously appointed Balinese-style villas and an enviable setting beside Bali’s premier golf course, the St. Regis also has some of the most memorable views on the island. Continue reading »

Aquatic recreation businesses on the island are feeling the pinch of the global financial crisis, an executive disclosed Thursday. “After three years of continuous growth, the water leisure operators now face a possible contraction of their business,” said Yos K Amerta, the head of the Bali chapter of the Indonesia Maritime Tourism Association (Gahawisri). Continue reading »

The landscape of spas on Bali seems to change almost hourly given the recent rapid establishment of new spas and hotels. The Bali Spa and Wellness Association therefore chose the theme “Nurture, Knowledge and Network” for its annual seminar on Thursday, where experts discussed various issues catching the attention of the spa industry, such as how spas can become more environment friendly. Continue reading »

Bali may be one of the main targets for terrorist action in the 21st century, but that does not seem to deter luxurious businesses. Despite two bombings in the past four years, the island still attracts investors for super-luxury hotels for the rich and famous. Following the establishment of hotels like the Conrad and the Ritz-Carlton, Italy’s Bvlgari – famous for watches and jewelery, but now expanding into the luxury accommodation business – has opened a hotel in the hills of Bali’s southwest. Continue reading »