Empty Asian beaches

Sun, sea, sand and space as coronavirus empties Asia's beaches

Just weeks ago, some visitors were complaining that Bali's famous sand and surf spot of Kuta Beach was way too busy.

Now it is deserted, with access banned as part of measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, which has killed nearly 100,000 people around the world and infected more than 1.5 million.

The picture in Bali is similar at other top Asia Pacific destinations such as Sydney's Bondi Beach and Thailand's Phuket.

"To stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the beaches in Kuta area closed for public," reads a sign in Bali, Indonesia, the country with the highest coronavirus death toll in Asia after China, where the virus emerged.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus, which emerged in central China late last year.

The virus has killed 306 people in Indonesia out of 3,512 cases, but more limited testing than in neighboring countries means the figures are widely believed to be higher.

The long Easter weekend would normally be a busy time in Bali, but not this year.

"Business is down almost 95 percent," said souvenir shop owner Ruju, who like many Indonesians uses only one name. "I have to borrow money just to buy food."

Not everyone agreed with the restrictions on the beaches.

Among them was Australian Daniel Baker, who said it would be better to just enforce social distancing of up to two meters to prevent the virus spreading.

"I should be able to swim or surf, it's important for mental health and exercise to stay healthy to fight COVID."

Bondi shut

Bans on public gatherings larger than two also forced Sydney's Bondi Beach to close over the Easter holiday. On Manly Beach, people were allowed to exercise but not swim.

Australians have been told to stay home or face dire consequences in the crackdown against the coronavirus, even as its spread slows. Australia had 6,152 infections by Friday with 53 virus-related deaths.

The co-owner of Bondi Surf Seafoods, George Dimitrios said 2020 was the worst year in his family's 47-year-old business and Good Friday sales had been disastrous.

"We've had the bushfires, we've had the rain and now we've got this," he said.

Bondi made headlines in March when thousands of people were seen ignoring social distancing rules at its world-famous beach. Authorities have since opened up a pop-up clinic.

On the Thai resort island of Phuket, coronavirus has largely eliminated the tourist industry on which it has survived. It is now on a partial lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, which has killed 33 people in Thailand and infected at least 2,473.

The usually busy Walking Street in the Old Phuket Town was almost empty.

"The impact is so severe because most of our customers are tourists," said Ittipat Klomkliang, owner of the Roast Coffee Cafe.

"From China and now Europe, a lot of the tourists have gone to zero."

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia - Bali named eighth 'most Instagrammable place' in world

Travel publication Big 7 Travel released its 2020 list of the "most Instagrammable places in the world", with Bali ranking eighth.

The destinations are ranked in order of their visual allure and popularity on social media.

To compile the list, Big 7 Travel selected the winners by analyzing the amount of hashtags per destination, surveying the publication's 1.5 million readers and conducting a vote among a panel of travel experts.

“These are the places where you'll find sweeping stretches of coastline, historical monuments, kitsch cocktail bars and more street art than you can possibly imagine,” said Sarah Clayton-Lea, Big 7 Travel’s head of content, in a statement.

Bali was ranked at number eight, being described as "paradise" with white sandy beaches, waterfalls, cute swings and floating breakfast.

The Edge villa resort in Uluwatu was mentioned by the publication for its famous infinity pools.

This year’s most Instagrammable destination is Australia's Sydney, which received the honor thanks to the city’s vibrant and beautiful scenery.

Cities that also made it into the top 20 include Croatia's Dubrovnik and Paris. These cities received high scores due to their pastel-colored streets, lively markets and photo spots.

“Other Instagrammable places in the Top 50 to add to your ‘must-visit’ include Istanbul in Turkey and Cusco in Peru,” Sarah added.

Source - TheJakartaPost

 Below is the top 10 list of most Instragrammable places in 2020 according to Big 7 Travel:

1. Sydney, Australia

2. Hong Kong

3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

4. New York City, United States

5. Singapore

6. Tokyo, Japan

7. Lisbon, Portugal

8. Bali, Indonesia

9. London, England

10. Jaipur, India

#Indonesia - Nusa Penida named best destination for backpackers to visit in 2020

Nusa Penida in Klungkung regency, Bali, has topped the list of 20 best destinations for backpackers to visit in 2020 released by Dublin-based online hostel reservation platform Hostelworld.

In the past 12 months, the number of bookings made by British tourists for accommodation in Nusa Penida increased by up to 610 percent, according to the company, confirming the region as the most popular destination among UK citizens during the period.

Located in the southeast part of Bali, Nusa Penida's Banjar Nyuh Port is reachable by speed boat from Sanur Port in Bali. Domestic and foreign tourists can be found enjoying a day trip there or spending at least one night on the island, which is especially famous for its Kelingking Beach, which boasts a Tyrannosaurus Rex-shaped cliff and is home to manta rays and Bali starlings, locally known as jalak Bali.

Regarding accommodation, Hostelworld said the island does not disappoint. "It’s a boutique hostel with gorgeous bungalows, a beautiful Bali-esque pool and outdoor social spaces where you can enjoy your free daily breakfast," reads the description on its website.

 

During their stay, holidaymakers can rent motorcycles or cars to explore the island, as reported by kompas.com

Following behind Nusa Penida on the best backpacker destination list based on the biggest growth in bookings were Surat Thani in Thailand and Maribor in Slovenia. 

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Bangkok top destination for Vietnam National Day holiday

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace in Thailand's Bangkok

  Thailand's capital is the most popular destination for Vietnamese choosing to travel abroad during the three-day national holiday that starts this Saturday.

Agoda, the world's leading online accommodation reservations provider, has used bookings data for travel between August 31 and September 3 to assess the 10 most popular overseas destinations for Vietnamese travelers for the National Day (September 2) holiday.

Bangkok tops the list, followed by Singapore and Bali in Indonesia. Bali is one of the world's most popular travel destinations, dubbed the Island of Gods and a paradise on earth with its beautiful beaches, ancient Hindu culture and vibrant nightlife.

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 The resort island of Bali in Indonesia.

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 Around one million Vietnamese came to Thailand in 2018, putting Vietnam among the kingdom's top 10 tourism markets, according to a recent report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Bangkok’s high popularity among Vietnamese holiday goers is reflected in the fact that 30 airlines have direct routes connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with the city.

Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur came in fourth while Taiwan’s Taipei stood in the fifth position.

The rest of the top 10 included South Korea’s Seoul, Japan’s Tokyo, France’s Paris, Thailand’s Pattaya and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh.

Citizens of ASEAN member nations can travel within the region without applying for a visa and stay as a tourist for a maximum of 30 days.

 Increasing numbers of Vietnamese have been going abroad in recent years. Last year, 8.6 million traveled overseas, up 15 percent from a year ago.

Vietnamese tourists spend an estimated $7-8 billion per year overseas, said Vu The Binh, vice chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. "Vietnamese traveling abroad is a growing trend," he added.

Industry insiders said that as more Vietnamese join the middle class, they are increasingly looking outward for travel destinations. A World Bank report in 2017 said the country is seeing an increasing number of people, estimated at 1.5 million each year, join the ranks of the middle and upper classes.

"As Vietnam’s economy grows, and an increasing number of citizens join the ranks of the global middle and upper classes, more people are going to take an interest in traveling the world," said Sean Preston, Visa's country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

According to Mastercard, Vietnam has the second fastest growing outbound market in the Asia Pacific region after Myanmar, with projected annual growth of 9.5 percent between 2016 and 2021. The firm has forecast that some 7.5 million Vietnamese travelers will venture outside the country in 2021.

Source - VN Express

#Indonesia - Things you should know before visiting temples in #Bali

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, a Hindu temple on Lake Bratan, a famous tourist attraction in Bali

 Visiting places of worship is a popular activity for tourists from around the world, with foreign and local tourists alike regularly flocking to Bali’s Hindu pura (temples).

However, as holy sites, there are certain rules one must obey when visiting. Being respectful is one rule recently violated by Czech national Zdenek Slouka, who was caught on video using holy water flowing from a pelinggih (altar) at Ubud's Pura Beji, also known as the Holy Bathing Temple, to splash the bottom of his girlfriend, also a Czech tourist, Sabina Dolezalova. 

Planning a visit to Bali’s pura any time soon? Here are two key things you should be aware of, as shared by I Gede Pitana, a professor at Bali's Udayana University, to KompasTravel:

1. Temples are divided into three parts

The first part is Hutama Mandala, also known as the middle part or yard. Only those who want to pray are allowed to visit this section, which also hosts a variety of sacred artworks, statues and symbols of Hindu deities that are a manifestation of God in Balinese Hinduism.

The next section is Madya Mandala, where semi-sacred art is kept, such as puppets, masks and barong (lion). Cooking for temple purposes is usually done in this area as well. Similar to Hutama Mandala, only those who want to pray are allowed to enter Madya Mandala.

Next is the outermost part of the temple, namely Nista Mandala. Everyone can visit this section, including those who do not intend to pray, such as tourists. 

 However, there are still some special rules that apply to people visiting Nista Mandala.

2. Special rules for temple visitors

According to Pitana, the first rule for those who want to visit a pura is they must not be “dirty”, known as cuntaka in the Balinese language. 

Cuntaka refers to women who are on their period, people who have recently had a family member pass away or people who are bleeding because of childbirth or wounds.

Another rule is to wear modest, non-revealing clothing and to style your hair properly to not be considered as disheveled.

"Actually, at every temple in Bali you can rent Balinese cloth and a shawl. For men, as long as you are wearing trousers it's okay to only wear a shawl," Pitana said.

Another important rule is to maintain proper manners and conversation, as pura are places of worship.

 “Cultural heritage must be preserved physically and spiritually; there are ethical guidelines for cultural tourism compiled by the UNWTO. There needs to be a shared awareness to protect it,"

Source - TheJakartaPost

Indonesia - Seven fun things to do in Munduk, Bali

Pura Ulun Danu Beratan temple in Bali

Bali has long been one of the world’s dreamiest travel destinations, romanticized as a place where the beaches are pristine and life is simple. Yet, visitors to the Island of the Gods are often shocked by the amount of garbage, traffic and congestion that plague much of it.

Bali has become almost synonymous with concerns about overtourism, from the strain on resources to the degradation of local culture to an overwhelming amount of trash. Some even say the responsible thing for travelers to do is to boycott the island.

If you do decide to go to Bali then getting off the beaten track to places such as Munduk can be a great way to combat the problems of overtourism. It will also help distribute the revenue generated from tourism more evenly throughout the island. However, before leaving your home country you may want to research Bali packing lists to get an idea of some travel items that can help keep you safe and make your trip more enjoyable.

Munduk is a fascinating place because it is so different from much of the island. Situated up in the mountains of Bali’s interior, there is no surfing, diving, or nightlife here. Instead, it is a place to bask in the quiet, witness more traditional culture, and enjoy the cooler temperatures. Even though Munduk is small, travelers will find plenty do in town and the surrounding areas.

 Red Coral waterfall in Munduk, Bali


The interior of Bali seems to be filled with waterfalls -- people plan whole trips around seeing as many of them as possible -- and the area around Munduk has several to choose from. The best part? You don’t need a guide or transportation to get there; instead, you can walk straight from your hotel in town to a few different falls. Or string them together for a nice half-day hike that starts and ends in the middle of town.

There’s a lot of confusion about the names of the different waterfalls in the area, which is not helped by the lack of signage. But paths just outside of town connect three falls, and the trail begins right on the main road in Munduk. From there, you can follow Google Maps to get to each waterfall. There are even some tiny coffee shops along the way where you can take a break to sample the famed Munduk coffee. The paths are relatively flat so the hike generally isn’t too strenuous, but be prepared to climb steep steps up and down to the falls. If this DIY hike doesn’t give you your fill of waterfalls, you can reach many others in the area by car or motorbike or on a guided trek.
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Munduk is situated near two twin lakes, Tamblingan and Buyan, the ends of which nearly touch. Rainforest-covered slopes rise straight up from the edges of the water of both lakes, and there are great views to be had from above them. The main road runs up the west side of Lake Tamblingan and then along the north edge of Lake Buyan. It makes for a nice motorbike ride, or you can park and get off to stroll around. There are also several restaurants overlooking the water near where the lakes almost touch, and it’s well worth stopping for a meal or coffee to give yourself more time to enjoy the view.

Lake Tamblingan in Bedugul, Bali

Next to Lake Tamblingan is Tamblingan Nature Recreation Park, where you can organize a canoe ride (they also run guided hikes in the surrounding area). Local women paddle the unique dugout canoes, which are made up of two outriggers attached to each other, so all you have to do is float along and take in your surroundings. The trip takes you past the lake’s forested edges and right by Pura Hulun Danu Tamblingan, a beautiful temple that sits on the water. For such a stunning place, very few tourists seem to come here, so it’s also incredibly tranquil.

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Bora Bora tops list of trendiest millennial destinations in 2019

It should come as no surprise to Instagram users to see Bora Bora head up a list of top-trending destinations for millennials in 2019.

After looking at the most popular destinations being followed or “watched” by its millennial users, flight tracker and booking app Hopper found that Bora Bora experienced the biggest spike in interest for 2019 (24 percent increase from last year), followed by St. Martin and Aspen Colorado.

Hopper users can set trip “watches” up to one year in advance. The average Hopper user sets up watches up to 90 days in advance of when they would typically begin seriously doing their travel homework.

With more than 1.2 million posts tagged with the hashtag #borabora, and Instagram feeds of beautiful, young influencers posing against palm-fringed beaches and overwater villas, French Polynesia has become a trendy bucket-list destination for globetrotting millennials.

Meanwhile, if you've got a trip coming up, Hopper's data suggests booking a flight now in January while domestic round-trip airfares are at their lowest, before rising back up in February.

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 According to their data, domestic US destinations like San Antonio, Miami and Tampa are most likely to drop in price this month. International destinations most likely to dip in January include Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, Oranjestad, Aruba and Delhi, India.

These are the trendiest millennial destinations of 2019, according to Hopper:

1. Bora Bora
2. St. Martin
3. Aspen Colorado
4. Denpasar, Indonesia
5. Kahului, Hawaii
6. Dublin, Ireland
7. St. Lucia
8. Tokyo, Japan
9. Palm Springs, California
10. Anchorage, Alaska

Source - TheJakartaPost

Bali's beaches are the top attraction on the resort island

Indonesia remains an attractive destination for Chinese tourists to visit during the year-end holiday season, according to a survey, despite the series of disasters hitting the archipelago throughout the year. 

As reported by news agency Antara, a survey conducted by Chinese travel portal tuniu.com reveals that the most attractive countries for tourists from mainland China during the current year-end holidays are Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, France, Italy, Switzerland, Indonesia and Germany.

Countries in Europe are the preferred destinations for Christmas, but those who want the warmth of the sun and pristine beaches choose Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Thailand, especially since these countries allow visa-free entry.

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 Indonesia remains an attractive destination for Chinese tourists, according to the survey, which shows that a series of natural disasters and a fatal airplane accident in 2018 did not deter tourists.

The Tourism Ministry, however, has fallen short of its targeted 2.6 million tourist visits from China during the period of January to October, with only 1.87 million having visited.

According to Tuniu’s survey, conducted among respondents between 19 and 35 years of age, young Chinese travelers mostly opt for holidays in the northern hemisphere, such as Finland, Norway, Iceland or Denmark. Yet some prefer to fly to the southern hemisphere for some warmth, including to Australia, New Zealand or Mauritius.

The survey also shows that 70 percent of the respondents spend only three days on their year-end vacation, typically from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1. About 64 percent of the respondents were women, most of whom said they would go on vacation with their friends or parents.

Ticket sales for the holiday season rose 30 percent in China, according to the survey, with fast trains still the main choice for domestic tourists.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Top destinations to welcome 2019, according to Agoda

Big cities like Tokyo, Paris and New York have been named the top destinations for a New Year's vacation among travelers from all over the world, according to online travel agent Agoda. 

Japan's capital city of Tokyo is among to top 10 New Year's Eve celebration destinations for many market segments. For the Chinese and Singaporean market, Tokyo is the first choice to ring in the New Year, as reported by kompas.com. 

During New Year celebrations, Tokyo is enlivened with music concerts, parades and lights, making it the perfect destination to celebrate the start of 2019.

Meanwhile, Paris is often filled with numerous parties to welcome the New Year. There are many countdown celebrations in popular places across the city, which are also suitable for some family fun. 

The lively atmosphere among the classic French architecture makes Paris the most popular destination in Europe for New Year's Eve celebrations.

For tourists from Britain, Israel, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, Paris is ranked first in their choice to celebrate the New Year.

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The ball drop in New York’s Times Square in the United States is one of the most iconic celebrations in the world. So, it is no wonder that New York is included in the popular list as the top destination in North America for global tourists.

In a separate list of destinations in Asia, Indonesia's resort island of Bali ranked ninth for global tourists.

Meanwhile, in a separate list compiled by Indonesian travelers, Tokyo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are the most popular Asian choices for New Year's Eve celebrations. For travelers from Jakarta, Bali is the most popular destination to celebrate the changing year.

Notably, top global favorite Tokyo is also one of the most popular destinations among Indonesian tourists for celebrating New Year's. Tokyo rose to fifth place among Indonesian tourists, climbing three places from 2018.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Indonesia - Bali airport records 5.2 million foreign tourists

I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, welcomed 5.2 million foreign tourists from January to October, a 6.5 percent increase from 4.9 million visitors recorded in the same period last year.

Airport general manager Yanus Suprayogi said in a press statement made publicly available on Friday that the increase was out of the ordinary because October was a low tourist season.

“The main contributors to the increase were [last month’s] 2018 International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings and the 2018 Our Ocean Conference,” he said.

The seven-day IMF-WB meetings, which ended on Oct. 14, attracted more than 34,000 foreign delegates, while the two-day Our Ocean Conference, which ended on Oct. 30, attracted over 2,200 delegates.

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Airport data shows that, in terms of origin countries, the three biggest contributors to the figure were tourists from China (23.47 percent), Australia (19 percent) and India (5.6 percent).

Meanwhile, American tourists saw the highest growth at 50.83 percent to 6,653 visitors, up from 3,271 visitors in the same period last year. 

 

Source - TheJakartaPost 

 

Bali remains top destination among Indonesian travelers

Bali has once again nabbed the top spot as the favorite mid-year destination among Indonesian travelers, according to the latest data compiled by Agoda. 

The online booking platform said in a statement recently that Bali's lineup of mid-year festivals was among the reasons tourists were attracted to the area.

"From the 40^th annual Bali Arts Festival (June to July), which celebrates local culture and art, to the Bali Kites Festival (July to October), which dots the sky with hundreds of colorful kite creations, the Makepung Buffalo Races (July to November) featuring a series of buffalo racing competitions and the Ubud Writers Festival, travelers have plenty of reasons to keep returning to Bali," the statement said. 

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 West Java's provincial capital of Bandung came in second place, according to the list, which featured the top 10 mid-year destinations for Indonesian travelers. In addition to being a sought-after weekend getaway for those in neighboring cities like Jakarta, Bandung is also famous as a shopping and culinary destination. 

Other top spots domestically include Yogyakarta, sixth, Jakarta, eighth, and Malang, 10^th.

Indonesian travelers also evidently favor Japan, as two cities in the East Asian country made the list, with the country's capital Tokyo placing third and Osaka ninth.

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 Tokyo's Ueno Summer Festival, which runs through July and August, is expected to draw huge crowds with its charming toro nagashi (flowing lantern) ceremonies, outdoor ice sculpture exhibitions and live performances at the Suijo Ongakudo open-air theater.

Meanwhile, tourists can enjoy Osaka's summertime festivals such as Tenjin and Gion Matsuri, as well as enjoying the local beaches and water parks. 

Neighboring Southeast Asian cities also made the list, such as Singapore, sitting in fourth spot, Kuala Lumpur, fifth, and Bangkok, seventh.

 

 

Indonesia - Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2018 explores tourism potential

The 2018 Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) is currently being held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Nusa Dua from June 26-30.

Organized by the Bali branch of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA), the fair will focus on "Exploring the Colors of Indonesia".

The fifth BBTF has invited experts to discuss tourism opportunities and trends, as well as the diversity of Indonesia’s cultures.

As a business-to-business event, the fair acts as a meeting place for sellers and buyers alike. It represents tourism at all levels, including hotels, tour operators, travel technology companies, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) players and representatives from travel companies. 

“Our biggest challenge is to create a harmonious synergy among all entities,” said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya on Wednesday, as reported by kompas.com. 

He said that problems should be solved by considering the Penta helix model, involving all tourism stakeholders, namely businesspeople, government, the community, academics and the media.

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“The success of the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair since its first staging is proof of the Penta helix. It has motivated us to fully support the BBTF, which has proven itself to be an acclaimed travel fair with an incredible track record,” Arief added.

Meanwhile, BBTF head I Ketut Ardana said it was proud to be a part of the development of Indonesian tourism.

“We chose 'Exploring the Colors of Indonesia' as the theme as we believe in the country’s potential, and how Bali can function as a market place,” he said.

According to Ardana, this year’s BBTF will be attended by 320 buyers from 41 countries, 68 trade buyers, 241 sellers, as well as 36 international media organizations. 

Foreign tourists’ growing interest in living among the locals in Bali also encouraged the BBTF organizers to feature nine tourist villages in Bali for the first time in the fair.

This is designed to introduce the villages’ potential, with homestay facilities that are almost parallel to three- and four-star hotels.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Southeast Asia's idyllic islands buckle under tourism strain

Airports have become chaotic, hotels are being thrown up with little regard for safety and sanitation, beaches are strewn with garbage and coral reefs are dying.

The six-month closure of the Philippine tourism island of Boracay for a revamp after the country's president branded it a "cesspool" reflects the growing pressures on beach resorts across Southeast Asia as visitor numbers surge.

Tourism experts say the region's infrastructure is buckling under record visitor numbers, especially as more Chinese holiday abroad, and expect more drastic measures to come.

Airports have become chaotic, hotels are being thrown up hastily with little regard for safety and sanitation, tropical beaches are strewn with garbage and coral reefs are dying.

Thailand already has plans to shut its famous Maya Bay in the Phi Phi islands for four months this summer, while an environmental group is calling for urgent government action to tackle a "crisis" on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.

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 "Many out-of-control destinations across Asia will need clean-ups," said Brian King, associate dean of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. "These may come from government, or industry or from NGO-driven community action. The danger is that little happens until the crisis point is reached."

He added: "Boracay is not the first and won't be the last closure."

Airlines have already started to cut back flights to Boracay, which had 2 million visitors last year, with the largest foreign contingents coming from China and South Korea, ahead of its closure on April 26.

The Philippines, which had record visitor numbers last year after three years of double-digit growth, estimates the Boracay closure could reduce full-year GDP by 0.1 percent.

It is also planning to inspect the beach resort of Puerto Galera, on the island of Mindoro, and is already looking at the resorts of El Nido and Coron, in Palawan province, where an influx oftourism and rapid development has put infrastructure under strain.

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 But rival tourist hotspots around the region are not all rubbing their hands at the prospect of the extra revenue from the redirected tourist traffic.

 

Kanokkittika Kritwutikon, the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Phuket office, said the island was at "stretching point", particularly its airport, which has undergone a number of upgrades in recent years to try to cope with overcapacity.

"Our policy is to try to spread tourism around" from Phuket to "secondary destinations that are less well-known," said Kanokkittika. "Apart from guests arriving by plane to Phuket we also have boats coming in, including cruises, so you can imagine how many tourists come through Phuket."

The shutdown of Maya Bay in an attempt to salvage the area's coral reefs - which have been damaged by crowds of tourists and warmer temperatures - follows the closure of 10 popular Thai diving sites in 2016 after a National Parks survey found bleaching on up to 80 percent of some reefs.

Pattaya, south of Bangkok, serves as another cautionary tale.

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 An influx of western tourists from as far back as the 1960s, when American soldiers came on leave from the Vietnam war, and a construction boom in the 1990s transformed it from a picturesque fishing village to a town known for its seedy nightlife and high crime rate.

Thailand's tourism ministry expects 37.55 million tourists this year, up from a record 35 million in 2017, of which 9.8 million were from China.

Shutdowns "too late" 

Benjamin Cassim, a tourism lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic School of Business in Singapore, said the closures of Boracay and Maya Beach could become "test cases" and will be closely monitored by other countries with popular beach resorts.

A non-profit group in Indonesia has been calling on the government to tackle what it calls an "environmental crisis" in Bali, the country's most popular tourist island, which saw more than 5.5 million visitors last year.

Source -  e.vnexpress.net/

 

 

#Indonesia - Lombok records increase in tourist visits ahead of Nyepi

The number of domestic and foreign tourists in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has significantly increased ahead of Nyepi, the Day of Silence in Bali, which falls on Saturday.

“Since yesterday [Wednesday], we’ve seen an increase in the flow of foreign tourists to Lombok. 

They want to spend the holiday in a relaxed atmosphere, as Bali and Lombok have really different atmospheres during Nyepi,” said the chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association's (PHRI) NTB chapter, Lalu Abdul Hadi Faisal, in Mataram on Thursday.

He said the trend could be seen in the spike in occupancy rates of hotels in Lombok.

Currently, the average occupancy rate stands at 60 to 65 percent in Mataram and its surrounding areas and it can reach up to 75 percent in tourist resort areas such as Gili Trawangan in North Lombok and Senggigi, West Lombok.

Apart from Nyepi in Bali, Hadi said, the increase in visitors to Lombok also had to do with a string of conferences and research activities that would be conducted in the area over the weekend.

“Around 300 students of Muhammadiyah University from Sidoarjo, East Java, for example, will come to Lombok. Because of Nyepi in Bali, they have decided to stay in hotels in Lombok for their meeting,” he said.

Lombok International Airport (LIA) general manager I Gusti Ngurah Ardita said that on Nyepi, eight flights from Ngurah Rai International Airport to LIA and vice versa would be halted until Sunday.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia - Bali Marathon 2018 to welcome runners in March

The annual Maybank Bali Marathon is set to return on Sept. 9.

Runners who seek to participate in the competition can enroll via online registration from March 1 until April 15.

Entering its seventh year, the race’s categories consist of a marathon (42,197 kilometers), half-marathon (21,097-km), 10k run and children sprint.

Prior to the competition, the committee will hold an exhibition on sports and health, RUNXHIBITION, on Feb. 24-25 at Sentral Senayan Building III in Senayan, South Jakarta.

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 “Through RUNXHIBITION, we encourage runners and sports enthusiasts to gain knowledge about running from an expert and sports apparel suppliers,” said Effendi Hengki, Maybank Bali Marathon 2018 project director, in a press release. 

 

Established in 2012, Maybank Bali Marathon is an international competition that has been included among the "Remarkable Races in the World that One Must Participate before You Die" by The Active and "The 52 Best Races on Earth 2016" by Runnersworld. 

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

#Indonesia - Bali welcomes more American tourists

A path leading to the top of a lush, green hill in Ubud, Bali.

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 The number of American tourists arriving in Bali is said to have increased by 18.39 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 164,338 visitors between January and October 2017.

“Most of these US citizens entered through Ngurah Rai International Airport using direct flights; only 3,130 people came via cruise ship,” said Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) statistics distribution department head I Gede Nyoman Subadri in Denpasar on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Based on the number, the US ranked sixth among the top 10 countries that contributed the largest number of tourists to Bali, behind China, Australia, Japan, India and United Kingdom.

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Subadri said the US contributed up to 3.27 percent of the total foreign tourists to Bali, which reached 5.02 million during the January-October period. The figure represented a 23.30 percent increase from last year, which means the Island of the Gods welcomed an additional 948,917 foreign visitors this year.

“More Americans traveled to Bali after former US president Barack Obama and his family vacationed here for five days back in June,” Subadri said.

During their vacation, the Obamas visited several tourist attractions on the island, such as the Ubud arts village, Jati Luwih in Tabanan regency and Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring village, Gianyar regency.

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#Indonesia - Ubud listed among 'world's top 15 cities'

American travel publication Travel+Leisure recently made a list of the "World’s Top 15 Cities".

“Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines and more. Readers rated cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value,” as quoted from the article.

Taking the 9th spot with the score of 90.13 is Ubud in Bali, right after Cape Town in South Africa that has the score of 90.24. Meanwhile, topping the list is San Miguel de Allende in Mexico that scores 92.12.

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 In a separate article from Travel+Leisure titled "The Top 10 Cities in Asia", Ubud takes the 4th spot with the same score, coming after Hoi An in Vietnam that takes the 3rd spot with the score of 90.31. The 1st winner is awarded to Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the score of 91.40.

 

“High up in the interior of the island of Bali, Ubud continues to draw those who favor the arts and reflection—rather than beaches and parties. ‘I loved everything about Ubud,’ said one reader. ‘I was spoiled by the kind and thoughtful people I met everywhere I went,’” the article wrote.

Ubud has arguably become more famous after being shown in the popular movie Eat Pray Love that featured Julia Roberts, where it showcases the beauty of Ubud Monkey Forest. These days however, Ubud is known as the best place for yoga.

Read also: Six glamping sites in Indonesia for adventure seekers

Other attractions that you can visit while going to Ubud include Campuhan Hill, Nyuh Kuning Village, Tegalalang, Ubud Temple, Sarawati Temple and Apung river where you can do rafting.

Just like other Balinese, Ubud residents adopt the traditional philosophy of tri hita karana that epitomizes the balance and harmony between the three sources of life: humans, nature and God

Below is the list of the World’s Top 15 Cities according to Travel+Leisure:

1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2. Charleston, United States
3. Chiang Mai, Thailand
4. Kyoto, Japan
5. Florence, Italy
6. Oaxaca, Mexico
7. Hoi An, Vietnam
8. Cape Town, South Africa
9. Ubud, Indonesia
10. Luang Prabang, Laos
11. Santa Fe, United States
12. Roma, Italy
13. Siem Reap, Cambodia
14. Udaipur, India
15. Barcelona, Spain

Top 10 Cities in Asia according to Travel+Leisure:

1. Chiang Mai, Thailand
2. Kyoto, Japan
3. Hoi An, Vietnam
4. Ubud, Indonesia
5. Luang Prabang, Laos
6. Siem Reap, Cambodia
7. Udaipur, India
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Tokyo, Japan
10. Thimphu, Bhutan
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#Indonesia - Penglipuran: Cleanliness through conservation.

 

 In order: Rows of neat and tidy houses in Penglipuran traditional village, Bangli, Bali, which has become a tourist attraction teem with local and foreign visitors.

Clean and tidy houses can be found in neat rows in Penglipuran, a traditional village located at an altitude of 700 meters in Kubu sub-district in Bangli, Bali.

Penglipuran was declared one of the world’s cleanest villages in 2016 along with Giethoorn floating village in the Netherlands and Mawlynnong village in India.
Previously in 1995, the village community of Penglipuran also received the Indonesian government’s Kalpataru Award for environmental sustainability for raising and maintaining 75 hectares of bamboo forest as well as preserving its traditional spatial layout and buildings based on ancestral designs.
The village has also been a tourist attraction since 1993. In the last five years, Penglipuran has been one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in Bali alongside the regions of Ubud, Kuta and Nusa Dua.
Penglipuran is among Bali’s oldest villages, having existed since the 18th century, during the period of the Bangli Kingdom. 
The name of the village is derived from the words pengeling or eling, which means “to remember” and pura, which means “ancestral land.”

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 The name Penglipuran, therefore, implies that residents keep the land of their ancestors in mind.

Along with Trunyan village, Penglipuran has been designtated a Bali Aga village, or original Balinese village, for preserving its ancestral traditions.

Visiting Penglipuran is like taking a trip in a time machine back to Bali’s more traditional times.

“Amid the intense forces of modernization, Penglipuran continues to retain its ancestral traditions. I think this has attracted many tourists to our village,” chairman of the Penglipuran Village Tourism Awareness Group, I Nengah Moneng, said.

Moneng revealed that before becoming a tourist destination in 1993, the locals had conducted conservation works through the village’s participation in the settlement and environment reordering project formulated by the Public Works Office in the late 1980s.

The efforts, Moneng said, were meant to preserve the village’s ancestral traditions in the interests of future generations.

In 1990, villagers along with students on rural service assignments, also developed parks by utilizing portions of the village road to the front and side of house yards. 

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#Bali boasts creativity, culture as economy backbone

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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said during a limited evaluation meeting on national strategic projects (PSN) and priority programs in Bali on Wednesday that he wanted to maintain the growth of foreign tourists coming to the famous resort island.

Jokowi described Bali as unique in that its economy is not based on natural resources, but rather the tourism sector and creative industry, which rely on creativity and culture.

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“With culture and creativity, Bali province has presented a positive image for Indonesia to the entire world, which is why foreign tourists know more about Bali than Indonesia,” Jokowi said.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya called Bali the tourism icon of Indonesia, just like Thailand is the tourism icon of Southeast Asia.

“It’s true what President Jokowi said, Bali is not affected by natural resource commodities such as oil and gas, coal and CPO [Crude Palm Oil]; Bali’s economy is purely driven by tourism and the creative economy,” Arief said.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Read also: Environmental concerns take center stage at Bali Arts Festival

Bali regency of Klungkung launches app for #tourists

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To commemorate the 109^th anniversary of Puputan Klungkung, Klungkung regency in Bali has launched a smartphone app for tourists.

The Android-based app, called Klungkung Tourism, features information on tourist destinations, accommodation, places to eat and public services that may help tourists during their trip.

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 On the homepage of the app, users find some listicles on places to go, as well as category options like Beach & Nature, Art & Culture, Temple, Museum and Event & Festival; each accompanied by photos and details about the place and GPS navigation. “Tourists can comment on and give likes to destinations featured on the app, which we will evaluate later,” said Klungkung Regent I Nyoman Suwirta.
The app also acts as a platform for locals to market their businesses, “The local people can use it to promote their businesses, whether they are related to the tourism industry or micro, small and medium enterprises located in Klungkung,” added Suwirta.

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Source - TheJakartapost