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Asia, Indonesia, Travel Tips

A Healthy Guide for Your Holiday in Bali

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A Healthy Guide for Your Holiday in Bali

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Exotic, alluring, romantic and appealing: These, and many other adjectives over the decades have been used to describe the island paradise that is Bali. Laying in the Indian Ocean, one of the thousands of islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago, the island has an allure, charm, and lifestyle that draws millions of visitors to its shores every year.

Bali holidays have also become increasingly popular with visitors seeking healthy holiday options. Fine dining restaurants, relaxing spas, or a stay at a Yoga or fitness retreat are becoming increasingly popular. The following are a few ideas on how to make the most of your first visit, and how to avoid the dreaded Bali-belly.

1. Bali Health Retreat Packages

A stay in a fitness retreat in Bali can provide all the attractions of a hotel holiday and more. Stunning white-sand beaches trips to visit the many attractions, and organized hiking and biking outings, are combined with fitness rooms, health clubs, saunas, Pilates and Yoga classes, and healthy dining. All designed to improve the wellbeing of mind and body.

2. Consider a Spa Hotel Break

If you’ve enjoyed one of those short spa breaks at home, you’ll have an idea of what to expect. Bali spa treatments include hot-stone massages, deep-tissue massages, sports injury massages, and the famous Thai massage. Other therapies include Ayurveda (a traditional Hindu massage using oils), mud baths, a sauna, steam room, and reflexology and hydrotherapy treatments.

3. Fasting and Detox Retreats

If you’re looking to give your spiritual and emotional well-being a bit of a boost, consider a holiday in one of Bali’s growing numbers of fasting and detox retreats. Although fasting and detoxing have become increasingly popular in the West during the last two decades, it is an Asian culture based on nature, which has been a part of Eastern life for hundreds of years. Fasting is not just about food. It can mean abstinence from smoking, alcohol, sex, speaking, and company, as well as food.

If you have recently given up overindulgence in alcohol, tobacco or other stimulants, but are struggling with the after-effects, a visit to a detox retreat will help cleanse the body of those stubborn hangers-on. A properly monitored detox fast can help reduce acidity and inflammation and remove chemical residues, contaminants, and cravings. It is a great way to reset the clock for a fitter, healthier, more active you in the future.

4. Happy Holidays

Not everyone is inclined to spa hotels and health retreats. Many just want an enjoyable holiday exploring everything Bali has to offer, free of any of those health issues that can be waiting to strike. Stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea are the most prevalent health problems travelers the world over suffer when visiting holiday destinations. For some, just a change of diet can bring on a period of ‘the trots’, which usually disappears in a day or two. For others, hospital stays and intravenous drips can ruin that holiday of a lifetime. Here are a few things to consider when you are out and about.

5. Choosing Where You Eat

Whether in your hotel, out sightseeing, or on the beach, only ever drink bottled water. While dining in your hotel is usually trouble-free, when out and about take care where you eat. The high temperatures mean raw fish and meat sitting in trays for long periods waiting to be cooked, are open to attack from bugs and flies. When visiting the loo, make sure hands are scrupulously washed for the same reason. Choose local cafes, bars, and restaurants that are busy. It indicates a high turnover of products and a popular eatery. Look around and note what other patrons are eating, and what dishes seem most popular. If you want to sample local dishes, do it in your hotel’s restaurant, or a local restaurant that has been recommended.

6. Steer Clear of Arak

Acting the seasoned traveler, and insisting on sampling the local cuisine, wines, spirits and, beers is fine when you’re absolutely sure what you’re doing. In Bali, the local rice wine is a case in point. Available everywhere, some Arak, poorly distilled by local businesses, has claimed the lives of tens of tourists due to contamination by methanol. If you must try it, ask for a glass in your hotel, but never in local bars or restaurants.

7. Care When Visiting Macaque Monkeys

They may look cute, cuddly and friendly, but they are wild animals. Keep your distance, their claws are sharp and teeth strong, and you are likely to get scratched or bitten if they can’t get what they want. In that event, a trip to the nearest doctor to get the wound treated and disinfected is a must, if you don’t want to risk very real health problems.

The Little Things to Take Note

Make sure your travel insurance covers you for motorcycle or scooter hire, and extreme sports such as paragliding or jet-skiing.

If you want to get a tattoo, ask around for recommendations. Finally, don’t forget to use the sunblock, and go home refreshed, relaxed and healthy, from your Bali experience.

Editor's Picks, Indonesia

A First Time Traveler’s Guide To Indonesia

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Indonesia is known to be one of the most beautiful and diverse places on earth. Although it has many features worthy of visiting, the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Indonesia as a travel destination is Bali. Bali is an island that has everything: sandy beaches, mighty volcanoes, rainforests, beautiful rice terraces, amazing culture and friendly, smiling people that are truly happy to have you as their guests. Yes, Bali is the perfect destination to visit. But there are some things you need to know before you pack your things and go.

Choose your season carefully

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There are two seasons on Bali – dry season from April till October and a rainy season from November till March. The dry season is when most tourists visit Bali. The most crowded months are Jun, July and August (and most expensive). The rainy season has its charm as well. Although it would rain heavily most of the days it can also be perfect for enjoying the beauty of waterfalls which are exceptionally breathtaking this time of the year.

Be careful what you pay for

Although your staying in Bali will prove to be rather cheap there are still some things you have to pay attention to. Your first encounter with Bali upon arrival at the airport would be finding transportation to your residence. There will be many taxi drivers offering their services but do resist. They can charge you twice as much as normal price for the ride. Instead, go to the official taxi counter. You can pay upfront the official price at the counter. It goes for everything in Bali. Always try to use public transportation (whether it is a bus or a boat) as they have official rates and are almost twice cheaper than others.

Choosing a residence

Bali offers you a great variety of places to stay. From classy hotels, luxurious villas, cheaper hostels to private residences. A hotel can offer you many contents, but if you are more for a quiet luxury of your own place it is better to rent a villa. There are many beautiful Bali accommodation to rent that is suited at the beachfront with breathtaking swimming pools and wonderfully arranged spaces for your leisure and enjoyment. You will have an advantage of making your own plans, prepare your own food, and many other things. You can always find accommodation with your own standards in Bali.

Food

One thing is for sure – you won’t starve in Bali. There is a great choice of restaurants and variety of food you can choose from. Local cuisine is exquisite, but if you are in for something less exotic you can find great choice of western dishes, vegetarian or vegan food. Do bear in mind that all places have a certain dress code and you can’t go to a restaurant wearing only your swimming suit, your shoulders and knees have to be covered (especially if you are a woman).

Culture

Culture is everywhere in Bali, where ever you look. Religion is a very big part of the culture here and you need to be respectful when religion is in question. Be quiet bystander during ceremonies and obey rules when visiting temples. Also be careful not to step on prayer offerings to gods that can be found anywhere in form of woven baskets with flowers or banana leaves squares with small portions of rice on them. Make sure your shoulders and knees are always covered.

If you prepare your travel to Bali upfront and do your homework right, you will find your stay there an adventure of a lifetime and you may find yourself returning there many times to explore Bali some more.

Destinations, Editor's Picks, Indonesia

Bali Tourism from China to Rise in 2015

Bali Tourism
Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal

Hoping to increase tourism to Bali in the coming year, Ctrip, a Chinese online tourism company, named Bali the best tourist destination. At an award ceremony on January 13th, the online company also doled out two more awards to Bali. They also received the Best Island Tourist Destination Award and the Best Overseas Tourism City Award.

Many Chinese officers and business people attend the event each year. This year the awards ceremony was held in Lijiang city in Yunnan province, China.

Bali Tourism
Bali Dancers

Ctrip is an online marketing company, where tourists can book their vacations. The website offers cheap flights, hotels, train tickets, vacation packages and corporate travel. The site maintains over half of China’s tourism market online. They account for over 60,000,000 members and have over 30,000,000 user reviews. They are one of the biggest networks in China with over 70,000 hotels in China and 1,600 flight routes in the country. Internationally, they serve over 9,000 flight routes and 400,000 hotels in almost 200 countries.

“We hope these awards increase the number of tourists, particularly those from China, visiting Indonesia this year and in the years to come,” Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said.

To focus on drawing more tourism from China, Arief Yaha stated that Bali will use online tools, like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to attract more tourism to the island. The country will also begin to utilize platforms such as blogs to educate tourists on the benefits of travelling to Bali, like Bali’s amazing beaches and rich culture. The country will also use these platforms to broadcast travel deals and travel information to Chinese tourists.

Bali Tourism
Karma Jimbaran Lounge

“As much as 70 percent of Chinese tourists get their information on Indonesia through the Internet. It is a challenge for the ministry to boost promotion strategies through digital media,” Yahya said after the awards ceremony.

Currently, almost 884,000 tourists from China visited Indonesia in 2014, between January and December. Chinese travelers spent on average around four to five days in Bali, and spent approximately $100 USD to $110 UDS per day for each day they spent there.

Soon, direct flights will be offered to Bali from China and Indonesia, making the island more accessible to the countries and more attractive for tourists. Both the ministry and the China National Tourism Administration will be attempting to get more tourists to both Indonesia and China by 2015. Their goal is to increase tourism to 2 million people by this time, more than doubling the number of Chinese tourists who visit Bali in a year. Bali is sure to become one Indonesia’s top tourism destination.

The Chinese tourism market has grown substantially in the past few years as living standards and personal incomes have risen in the country. Both outbound and inbound tourism has seen a significant rise in the past year. Chinese tourists have begun heading to overseas travel destination such as Australia, France, the United States and the Maldives. They have also been exploring Asian countries, like Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Travel throughout China has also increased substantially by Chinese residents, and local tourism has grown by 10% each year.

Chinese tourists accounted for 109 million people in 2014, an increase of 11%. Chinese residents can now visit 151 countries overseas and that number is expected to increase within the next year.

Popular Chinese travel destination include cities like Beijing, Xian Guilin, Hong Kong, Lijiang and Shanghai. China will see 43 million more tourists flocking to their cities within the next 20 years, and by 2030, officials expect to see 1.8 billion tourists breaching their borders. With so many tourists coming in and out of the country, it’s no wonder both Bali and China have increased efforts to see more travel between their two countries, making both a prime tourism destination.