Bali Animal Husbandry Agency has requested a further 50,000 doses of rabies vaccines from the Health Ministry, as it prepares for skyrocketing demand for the drug. “We’ve had already requested 50,000 more rabies vaccines to anticipate any possible scarcity,” agency head Ida Bagus Alit said Thursday in Denpasar. He added Bali still needed “a lot more” vaccines because there were still many unvaccinated dogs on the island. Continue reading »

The next time you walk along the Kuta strip in Bali, “Big Brother” will hopefully be watching you. Badung district has been pushed into action by locals who fear that the area could once again become a target for terrorism. It will mount 50 CCTV units in the popular tourist areas of Legian, Seminyak and Kuta, with the Bali Police monitoring them, presumably on a 24-hour basis. Continue reading »

Eight-year-old Manik Manu Harani likes studying on the floor of the Dharmayana Kongco temple hall in Kuta. “It is just more relaxing to study here” she said Thursday. Manik is one of the 25 third-grade students from the state elementary school SDN 1 in Kuta studying at the hall on Thursday afternoons. They all agree that this hall has become a favorite spot for after-school lessons. Continue reading »

Bali provincial government is to scrap school fees for elementary and junior high school students starting in the 2010 academic year. Ketut Wija, head of Bali education office, confirmed on Thursday that the province would still abide by the newly-issued ministerial decree which implied that school operation costs (Dana BOS) would be increased by 50 percent from January 2009. However, Wija said that if the allocation fund taken from the central budget was inadequate to cover the education cost, the provincial government would set aside additional funds. Continue reading »

The number of American tourists to Bali has been increasing since the Indonesian government had lifted its travel warning, classifying the number of American tourists coming to the island resort as one of the big-ten. Continue reading »

The Bali provincial administration plans to install 1,000 CCTVs over the next five years to increase security on the island. Head of the Bali Nationhood, Political and Community Protection Office, Made Denayasa, said Thursday his office would begin installing the CCTVs in the island’s main gateways such as the Gilimanuk ferry crossing and Benoa Port. Continue reading »

For some people, Kintamani coffee is an enjoyable delicacy worth traveling to Bali for. But for Kintamani farmers, it is a serious business. Coffee farmers in Kintamani go to great lengths to ensure their brand of Arabica coffee reaches an international standard, including penalizing farmers who use chemicals or who fail to abide by the strict regulations for Kintamani coffee bean farming. Continue reading »

The mantle of royalty sits lightly on the shoulders of Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa. Born into Ubud’s royal family, the blood of ancient kings runs through his veins in a line dating back to the Majapahit Empire: a line broken last century when Dutch colonization reduced kingdoms to regencies. Continue reading »

Karangasem Regent I Wayan Geredeg has allocated Rp 35 billion (US$3.2 million) to install water pipes, build reservoirs and improve the overall infrastructure of water delivery in the regency to solve its shortage problems. Geredeg told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the plan would help the regency solve the problems by 2010. Continue reading »

Rilly steps back, pauses, and then takes a deep breath. In his head, he has already visualized a joyful, adventurous trip. “Rilly, come on, we have to leave now,” a female voice behind him cries. “Otherwise we won’t get there by dawn.” Rilly sets his eyes firmly on the distant horizon and begins moving his legs, lifting his wings, pounding them faster and faster. The combined momentum of wings and feet catapults him high above the ground. The little duck has just taken off for his first big journey. Continue reading »