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Aston Bali Resort & Spa

2009-12-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

Discerning travelers who seek a carefree escape can enjpy the cozy ambience of our large rooms & suites.All rooms are equipped with a separate bathroom, private balcony and modern amenities, including flat screen TV and broedband Internet Access. A contemporary resort and spa located on one of the most stunning private beaches of Benoa Peninsula overlooking the Indian Ocean

Set within a beautiful landscape of exotica garden and sorrounded by an impressive 700M2 swimming pool, the Resort is synonymous with casual elegance and typical Balinese hospitally. Exciting "All Inclusive" formulas as well as unforgettable wedding packages are among some of our exclusive offers...visit website and discover our amazing offers at : www.astonbali.com

Freshest seafood, casual BBQ, themed nights, Balinese Dinner & dance , healthy Spa cuisine or candlelight dinner on the beach. Indulge in a pure gastronomic journey and treat yourself

Bali Villas Offers Privacy and Security

2009-12-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Bali - The Island of Gods Bali has now become one of the top WORLD destinations for its white sand beaches, blue sky, magnificent waves, tropical weather and friendly locals. For several years, the International Travel Magazine awarded Bali as the world's best island. There were more than 1.4 million tourists to Bali in 2008. Bali being a popular holiday destination has a lot of hotels, resorts, villas to spend ones holidays but one of the most attractive places to stay in is Bali villas.

Moreover with the existence of the newest bomb in the area of Kuningan, Jakarta where the target was the J.W. Marriot Hotel and The Ritz Carlton Hotel, which was the chain of famous hotel all over the world. The guests after the bomb incident in Kuningan, Jakarta who spent the night in several famous hotels in Bali immediately moved to the hotel which was not from famous hotel chain. But the interesting matter is apart from moving to small and not chain hotel, they chose to spend the night in a Bali villa spread in several areas in Bali.
Staying in a Villa is a fantastic holiday option, especially for a group of friends or family. It's probably cheaper than you think and offers the privacy and security for you and your family or friends and where All Day Breakfast means All Day Breakfast. Villas are symbolic of comfort and luxury. Luxury villas are always fun to stay in as they provide all the possible comforts just like famous chain hotel, even more.
If you are looking at Bali as your next holiday destination, then you should look beyond the typical resort hotels and consider renting a luxury 5-star Villa. The ability to relax by your own pool, have fresh fruit brought to your hammock at no charge, or simply wander around in your dressing gown all day. Many Villas offer any time check in and check out, so you can really make the most of your holiday. Try asking for that at a 5-star resort.

Tips to Reduce Your Holiday Expenses to bali

2009-12-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

While we mainly aim this article at visitors to our part of the world in Bali, Indonesia, you can apply a lot of the advice to holidays anywhere in the world.

One of the great attractions of bali is that it is cheap. The Tourism Authority of bali can carry on pushing their vision of bali as a millionaire's playground for as long as they want but still the majority of visitors will be people who have a limited budget
.

Its simple tips to help you make your money go further. We are not talking about the sort of penny-pinching measures that backpackers use to make their tiny budget stretch a year. We are not going to suggest you eat noodles every day. After all, you are on holiday and holidays are meant to be enjoyed. However, most people have worked hard for their two-week holiday in the land of smiles and there is no reason why they should not get the best from their money. Here are a few simple tips to make the money go a bit further.

Accommodation

If you want budget accommodation then usually you can find good deals
just by walking in off the street. Walk around the side streets of any of Kuta's beach resorts and you will find guesthouses. During peak high-season (Xmas & January) it is better to book in advance as there may not be any rooms available. Whatever you do, do not ask a tuk-tuk driver for a recommendation. They will just take you somewhere that pays them commission.

If you want mid to high range accommodation then you should book in advance. If you walk in off the street, you will pay more for your room. It may seem strange but it is cheaper to book in advance through a travel agent or internet-booking site. The internet booking sites have the best rates. An excellent tool for finding the best rates is Get Bali villas. This Bali based website does a price comparison across 30 internet-booking sites and finds the cheapest available offline rates.

Money Exchange

Do not change money in your home country before coming to Bali. You will get a much better rate of exchange in Bali. Bring an ATM card or travelers cheques. In fact, it is nice to have two sources of money in case of problems so why not bring both.

Do not exchange your money at hotels. They give bad rates. Exchange booths at airports also give poor rates. The best way to get money when you first arrive is to use an ATM at the airport

Tours

The tour prices in Kuta are generally very competitive. These organised tours are a convenient and reasonably priced way to see Kuta's tourist attractions. There are many tour shops and lots of tours so the competition keeps the prices down. Just go to any tour shop and you are likely to find some good deals.

The only problem with booking tours is you do not know the quality of the tour service. The price may be competitive but if the experience is poor then you will still be disappointed. Most of the tour organisers provide a good service but there are also a few stinkers.

Tipping

Tipping was never really a part of Bali culture. It is a custom that we visiting westerners have introduced and which Bali customers have now taken up. Most western visitors over-tip.

The normal tip in Bali at restaurants or bars is USD 1. That may seem like a derisory sum to leave by western standards but in Bali they do not expect any more. You are not being tightfisted by leaving so little. In fact, some claim that westerners who come here and tip big are actually causing problems for everybody else. They are creating an expectancy of big tips from westerners that never used to exist.

Bali - What is The Best Area to Stay?

2009-11-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

Seeing the sights of Bali is easy once you are here, but how do you decide on the best area to stay. There are so many options available, and each one of them very different to the next.

Kuta is probably the best know area of Bali and is the entertainment capital of the island. Close to the airport you will find wall to wall restaurants, shops, bars, clubs, and hotels. Kuta is a great place to be if you like to party hard at night and relax during the day by the pool or on the famous Kuta Beach.

Legian and Seminyak are really an extension of Kuta, but a little quieter. Still a vibrant place to stay, with lots hotels and restaurants, and things to do, they are a little more relaxed. It is the same stretch of beach, but there is a less chaotic feeling here.

Jimbaran is on the southern side of the airport, and very well known for its seafood restaurants on the beach. There a many accommodation choices here including some fabulous 5 star resorts.

Nusa Dua is a great choice if you are looking for a bit more seclusion on your Bali holiday. About 20 minutes from the airport you will find many of Bali’s best hotels.

Sanur is also a popular area, about 20 minutes north of the airport. Much quieter than Kuta, its location is very central to many Bali sights, and has a reputation for many great restaurants, and good hotels.

Ubud is the largest tourist destination of Bali that is not on the beach. It is about 90 minutes north of the airport in the hills. At 200 metres above sea level the temperature is much cooler, and the pace somewhat slower. If you want to get a closer look at the culture and arts of Bali, this is the best place to do it.

Lovina on the north coast and Candi Dasa on the east coast are also popular destinations if you want to experience a more natural and quieter piece of Bali.

Whatever your choice, make sure you get out and discover as many of the fantastic sights that Bali has to offer.

source : www.thebalidriver.net
www.articlecity.com

Bali Tour Guide – What to Look For to Find the Right One

2009-11-26T18:57:00.000-08:00

Finding the right Bali Tour Guide can make the difference between a good holiday and a great one.

There are many good guides in Bali. But for every good one, there is a dud. When you are planning your trip to Bali, you obviously want to get the best value for your money, and will want someone who can help you make the most of your visit.

Finding a good guide can make an amazing impression on your holiday. A bad guide could certainly leave you wondering what might have been.

Some guides will have bomb cars, while others have late model cars. The difference between sitting in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle for 8 hours versus one without A/C and a broken seat is obvious. Pick someone with a good car.

It is important that your Bali Tour Guide has a good knowledge of the Island. That is fairly obvious. It is fair to assume that someone who is driving for a living would know Bali, but don’t take it for granted. It is the hidden treasures of Bali that are sometimes the best. Only experience will find those special places.

Your guide should have a good grasp on your spoken language. Communication is the key. I am assuming that you will want someone who speaks English if you are reading this. They don’t have to be fluent, but you need to easily understand each other. Trying to tell your guide that you need a toilet stop by sign language could be embarrassing.

You definitely don’t want someone who is receiving “kick backs” from manufacturers or retailers. Most Balinese are honest hard working people, but a rare few are unethical. You do not want to be going to the most expensive silver manufacturer in Teluk, and being told they are the cheapest, only to discover your guide is pocketing 20% of the sale. Or similarly being taken to a “great restaurant” where the food was very ordinary, but the driver receives a commission.

The last quality of a good Tour Guide is his character. The last thing you will need on a long day trip is a driver who wants to talk all day, and thinks he is a comedian. Almost as bad is someone with no personality that only mumbles seven words for the entire day. A guide who can communicate on an intelligent level is ideal.

Check out the guide you intend to use carefully, and then sit back and enjoy the ride.

soure : www.thebalidriver.net
www.articlecity.com

Getting the Best Hotel

2009-11-24T23:28:00.000-08:00

When visiting out of town, in general, the targeted residence is a hotel, compared to the inn or motel. But, whether you choose hotels that are most suited to their wishes, or just sleep it ride? Follow these tips to make a hotel reservation.

• Call your Travel Agent. Travel Agent must have a price or an interesting promotion for a hotel. Ask for explanations about the condition of hotels and hotel suggestions other better.

• Travel Agent has complete data about hotels and other accommodation and most importantly the status of the room. You do not want to come and rejected for the full room right?

• Buy a guidebook about the city, especially if you're not too familiar territory. Read the inn and surrounding area lodging accommodations choices.

• Plan your arrival and departure dates. If possible, choose a time 'non-holiday', because the high season, the inn often raise prices, and not a few who add a special surcharge for high season.

• More area lodging usually depends on the activity you want to do, be it for business or just a jolly picnic or to explore the arts and culture.

• Search and select two or three hotels are included in your budget.

Call the hotel each clan clan inform the date of arrival your departure, and the requirements of the room you want. Check room rates and packages for families, such as price or special programs for children, as well as other deals.

• Ask what services you get from the price of the room. Is breakfast included? Afternoon tea? Shuttle to the airport from the clan?

• Ask about extra perangkatperangkat that may be important to you, such as: refrigerator, hair dryer, iron, gym, restaurant in the hotel area, pool, video or DVD player, movie rentals, wheelchair access and accommodation petfriendly.

• Provide information to the operator of discount hotels or bonus that may be obtained from the room price. This could include membership of a particular club, or bank customers, frequent flyer members of other airlines and so on. Make sure the bonuses are already included in the final calculation of the price of the room.

• Make a list of comparisons between price and service from the hotel choices you've prepared. And remember to ask for a non-smoking room or not.

• Record the reservation code to then be given to front office staff at check-in.

• Find out about the cancellation policy of the hotel. Each hotel has different rules. And if you cancel without notifying the hotel within the specified time, you will be charged for one night.

Enjoy the next holiday at your dream hotel!

Source: LBI

Bali Deals & Resort Hotels

2009-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Island Bali is one of the best holiday destinations in Asia and this is because there tourists can enjoy the splendid natural beauty of the land, friendly people, ancient temples, exotic foods, and great accommodations. Resort hotels of Bali, most of them settled on the beach or very close to it, belong to the most luxurious ones from the entire world! Holiday deals to Bali are so abundant that sometimes vacationers can not decide which package to choose! Actually, all hotels and resorts of Bali are into an harsh competition to offer comfortable accommodations, luxurious amenities, excellent services, interesting activities and relaxing atmosphere.

The entire island is well developed for tourism, but the best resort hotels are located in the southern part in Ubud, Nusa Dua, Candidasa, Sanur, Kuta, Jinbaran and Denpasar (the capital city). Most of them are 4 and 5 star hotels, so it offer a high level of luxury and services. Some of the best are Hotel Ayodya Resort, Hotel Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, Hotel Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, Hotel Pita Maha Resort & Spa, Hotel Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort and others. In Bali are also available many villa style hotels, most of them having one or more pools and this ones compete with the resort hotels in offering the best deals to Bali. Just a few of the best 5 star villas on Bali are Hotel Kupu Kupu Barong Villas & Tree Spa and Hotel Ubud Hanging Gardens, but there are also many 4 star villas that offer excellent holiday deals.

Many tourists, especially from Australia and UK, travel to Bali to enjoy relaxing beach holidays. There are countless white sand beaches shadowed by palm trees where people can soak in the sun, tasting exotic cocktails in the cooling breeze or enjoying different vacation activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and many others. For the vacationers interested in cultural tours there are a number of interesting temples worth for a visit: temple Uluwatu, temple Tanah Lot, temple Besakih, and temple Bratan, the last two built in the heights of the mountains. By the way, Bali is a mountainous island having a few very tall peaks, such as Mount Agung (3142 meters) or Mount Batukaru (2271 meters). A very interesting activity is to visit different villages and to observe the natural way of life of the people from Bali. People of this island is very friendly and welcome its visitors always smiling!

A tropical holiday destination like Bali attracts many vacationers, so package deals offered by resort hotels and villas of Bali are also abundant. There are tailored packages for all pockets, so tourists can choose one that fit at best their needs and budget. But irrespectively of the chosen deals, vacations on island Bali, considered by many the most valuable tourist "jewel" of Indonesia, are amazing beautiful, extremely relaxing and will offer ever lasting memories...

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Bali Deals is a web site owned and developed by Conqueror Web Design & SEO Romania Outsourcing. The content of this article and of the entire site belongs to Conqueror Web Design.

Bali Holiday: Hotels in Seminyak

2009-11-23T19:06:00.001-08:00

Island of Bali, one of the main holiday destinations of Indonesia and probably one of the most visited vacation spots in entire Asia, has an incontestable magic, felt by most tourists who spent there longer or shorter getaways. Indonesia is considered by many western people as an exotic travel destination, where everything is different as at their home. Indeed, there all things have a specific charm, from culture to architecture, from weather and climate to vegetation, from food to traditions, from spoken languages to philosophical concepts...

Bali is lying between island of Java to the west and Lombok to the east, the capital city is Denpasar and it has and area of only 5,632 squad km (2,175 sq mi), but a population of over 3 millions of people. The entire island is a holiday resort, with many great accommodation units settled on beautiful beaches or in the high of the mountains, almost all surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and with unforgettable sea views! Everywhere on the island can be found well developed tourist centers dotted with luxurious hotels. A few destinations where are located the best hotels in Bali are Seminyak, Candi Dasa, Ubud, Jimbaran, Tuban, Nusa Dua, Kuta (with one of the most famous beaches in Bali named the Legian Beach), Sanur, Lovina Beach, Pemuteran, Lembogan Island and Tanjung Benoa. Most resorts in Bali are built with a specific Balinese architectural style, feature very luxurious amenities and offer high level services, being categorized as 4 and 5 star hotels. Majority of them don't comprise big size buildings, but have several villas or bungalows spread out around a wider area and offering a better chance to holiday makers to relax and enjoy a quite vacation. Of course, most hotels in Bali have one or more pools, spa centers, and a wide range of vacation facilities such as golf courses, scuba diving equipments, and others.

Seminyak is a famous tourist destination, located on the western side of Bali, just north of Kuta and Legian, being practically a suburb of town of Kuta. It is considered one of the most luxurious areas in Bali, so prices are pretty high, but even so there book accommodation a lot of tourists and also may expatriates bought houses and villas. Most hotels in Seminyak are 4 and 5 star resorts, featuring spa centers, more swimming pools, tennis courts, golf clubs, restaurants with local and international cuisine, shops with local products, all designed to offer vacationers a pleasant stay and splendid memories about Indonesia. Accommodation units as "Apartments Disini Luxury Spa Villas", "Hotel Villa Lumbung", "Hotel Kayana Seminyak", "Hotel Anantara Seminyak", "Hotel The Oberoi Bali", "Hotel The Villas Bali and Spa", "Hotel The Samaya Bali", "Apartments C151 Smart Villas", and "Hotel Bali Rich Luxury Villa" belong to the most luxurious resorts in Bali, but there are also a few 3 star hotels in Seinyak which offer excellent accommodation, one of them being "Hotel Pelangi Bali".

Bali attracts holiday makers looking to spend relaxing beach vacations, but also tourists interested in learning about new cultures and peoples. The last ones have chance to take visits to different temples (which are in fact main tourist attractions for all vacationers) and villages to see how live the locals, to meet them and to buy handicraft products. Island of Bali is a very mountainous one, especially in its central side, the tallest peaks being mount Agung (3142 meters) and mount Batukaru (2271 meters), so the more active tourists and hiking fans can enjoy there great moments too.

Spending a holiday in Bali is great on any region of it, but Seminyak is in the top of the most exquisite resorts of the island. Beside great accommodation offered by luxury hotels in Seminyak and splendid beaches from surroundings where tourists can enjoy at first hand the tropical nature, in the area can be found also a few entertaining zones with lively restaurants, bars, and shops.

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Bali Holiday is a web site owned and developed by Conqueror Web Design & SEO Outsourcing. The content of this article and of the entire site belongs to Conqueror Web Design.

Nikko Resort Nusa Dua

2009-11-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

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Bali: A Musical Inspiration

2009-11-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

For music lovers, Bali holidays can be an enlightening experience, with Balinese performances being rich, unique and rhythmic. Though it is little known, Balinese musical tradition has been influential on western music and throughout the world, and a number of well known composers have incorporated elements of Balinese influence into their works. Traditional Balinese music is as much about spiritual worship as it is about the musical notes. This gives the music a distinctly soulful feel, as the very heart of the melody lies in religious worship.

If you want to experience the interesting, traditional music of Bali, a holiday there offers the opportunity to be entertained by the village orchestras, or ‘gamelan,' as they are locally called. A gamelan is made up of a number of band members, ranging from only a few to several dozen. The central focus of the gamelan is on percussion, and most of the instrumentalists play instruments such as the xylophone, glockenspiel, metallophones and gongs. But the gamelan is made up of other instruments too, with woodwind and strings incorporated into the compositions.

Bela Bartok and Balinese Music

The famous composer Bela Bartok took an interest in collecting folk music from around Europe, and he was interested in incorporating other musical traditions into western compositions. On hearing a gamelan perform, he was inspired to incorporate Balinese music into his own works, and he wanted to bring this musical form to western audiences. His Bali holiday inspired the composition of his piece No. 109, which was entitled ‘From the Island of Bali.'

Through Bartok, Balinese music became better known throughout Western Europe, and an interest was sparked in western music lovers. This has inspired many to take holidays to Bali, where the combination of staying in a Bali luxury hotel, and enjoying the spiritual performances of the gamelans, results in an exceptional experience.

Colin McPhee and Bali's Tabuh-Tabuhan: Toccata

Colin McPhee's chance encounter with a Balinese gamelan in New York sparked his interest in Bali, and his subsequent Bali holiday led him to dedicate a significant amount of time to exploring Balinese music. He lived there for a long period of time and even wrote a book detailing his life in Bali. He has also compiled a Bali holiday guide, detailing everything from hotels in Bali to its vibrant traditional music. While living in Bali, McPhee conducted an ethno-musicological study of the local music, and went on to complete his Tabuh-tabuhan: Toccata, a composition for which he received the Pulitzer Prize.

This unique Balinese work is divided into three movements: Ostinatos, Nocturne and Finale. To perform this work McPhee assembled his own gamelan, which was made up of two pianos and percussion instruments. The work is unique in that it fuses Balinese and western music together, with Balinese motifs in a typically western symphonic work. You will likely recognise these tunes at some point on your Bali holiday, in the music resounding from the temples and in the local village gamelan performances.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Peter Vasiliou is a Bali holiday, specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering Bali holidays as well as holidays to other destinations in the Far East; the Indian Ocean, Cuba and the Caribbean, Egypt, Southern Africa, Italy & the Mediterranean, Canada, Australia and the Pacific. key2holidays has a dedicated team of experienced travel consultants to share their knowledge and help you to plan and book your ideal holiday.

The Colours of Bali

2009-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

Bali holidays are full of colour. Bali is a visually stimulating island of traditional costumes, brightly painted canoes and sailing boats on the shore, craft markets, and decorated dragons in the temples. In this article we explore the vibrant colours you can experience during your stay at the hotels in Bali.

Red Bali

Red is for chillis. Sambals are Balinese relishes made from red chilli, which are served with coconut rice. The food you'll enjoy on Bali holidays is a regional take on Indonesian cuisine, with simple and tasty dishes like fried rice (nasi goreng) or fried chicken, Indonesian style.

Look out for the rosy glaze of Balinese roast pork during your meals. Called Babi Guling, this is probably the most popular dish of the Balinese people. It is prepared with chilli, coriander, garlic and lime leaves or lemon grass, and it's spit-roasted until the meat is tender. Sometimes in Bali, pork is steamed in banana leaves; in either recipe and you are likely to see the see the pork presented on the table as a whole, shiny red pig.

Green Bali

Bali is a lush green island of rich forests and tropical gardens. In the forests around Ubud you can spot the playful monkeys, and there are elephants on the island too. One green haven often visited on Bali holidays are the waterfalls at Gitgit. Here, you can see clear water falling between the trees, hammering down from a height of forty metres as you float in the deep plunge pool below. Taman Burung is another attraction; the gardens are home to hundreds of bird species, including the rare and endangered Mynah bird. There are also magnificent colours to see at the Bali butterfly park, the largest butterfly sanctuary in Asia.

But you won't have to travel far from your sun lounger to appreciate the verdant natural character of the island because the hotels in Bali have sophisticated, tropical and well-tended gardens, many with lively with hot pink and purple blossoms.

Yellow Bali

As well as the hot equatorial sun and the golden sandy beaches, yellow is the shade of the intricate decorative costumes worn by Bali's dancers during graceful oriental performances of fan and butterfly dances.

The island has a number of diverse traditional performances: some are graceful ceremonial dances; others tell stories with masked characters representing mythical demons. Some shows are slapstick and comical, where the characters interact with the audience. You can enjoy dance shows daily on Bali holidays, and the town of Ubud is especially famous for this.

Blue Bali

The colour that brings most pleasure on Bali holidays is the beautiful blue of the ocean.

Looking out from the beach, the clear water takes on a bright turquoise colour under the clear blue skies. Exploring the ocean will introduce you to an array of tropical fish with the variety of colours of a rainbow. You can take PADI Scuba diving courses in the warm ocean waters, made available by hotels in Bali such as the Legian Beach Hotel or The Oberoi Bali.

All these colours combine to make a Bali holiday a vivid and rich experience.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Peter Vasiliou is a Bali holiday specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering Bali holidays as well as holidays to other destinations in the Far East; the Indian Ocean, Cuba and the Caribbean, Egypt, Southern Africa, Italy & the Mediterranean, Canada, Australia and the Pacific. key2holidays has a dedicated team of experienced travel consultants to share their knowledge and help you to plan and book your ideal holiday.

The Top 5 Bali Beach Luxury Experiences

2009-11-23T18:53:00.000-08:00

Exotic black sand beaches stretching away in both directions. Some of the world's best surf coming to lap your toes as you face the sea's horizon. Bali is often called that cliché phrase "a tropical paradise" - and you can see why, with all of the glory of a Bali beach before you. Indeed, it is tempting to call it quits and park yourself on these sandy shores for your entire holiday at a Bali beach resort, watching the waves peak and crash out at sea, while lush jungle rustles behind you.

Yet there is much to tempt even the most dedicated beach bum away from the surf here on the Island of the Gods. And for the beach bum who likes a touch of luxury, Bali is sure not to disappoint. Here is a list of the top five luxury experiences and adventures in Bali - from accommodation to expeditions, from journeys of the body to journeys of the soul, find it all on this one island sanctuary.

5. Private Villas: Indulge in your ultimate holiday fantasy. More than a mere ‘home away from home', a private villa is better than your normal home. Situated on your own stretch of Bali beach or tucked away into the verdant hills of the interior, these villas often come with a full staff and exhibit luxurious design. You can find these villas through individual owners, though many Bali beach resorts also operate luxury private villas on their properties.

4. Cultural and shopping tours: One of the most exciting things about visiting Bali is the chance to experience the island's fascinating and unique culture. As one of the only remaining pockets of Hinduism in predominantly Muslim Indonesia, Bali is filled to bursting with exquisite Hindu temples, such as the famous Tanah Lot, situated on a cliff overlooking a Bali beach and horizon. Journey deeper into central Bali to Ubud to discover a shopper's delight of artisanal crafts and handiwork. Many of the Bali beach resorts and villas provide cultural and shopping tours around the island with private drivers and tour guides.

3. Chartered yacht and helicopter expeditions: Nothing says luxury like private transportation that makes the journey as special as the destination. See Bali from a new perspective when you charter a yacht or helicopter. Explore hidden coves and take a picnic to stretches of deserted Bali beach from your yacht, or else glimpse the fish scale patterns of rice paddies on the hillside from a helicopter. Discover a whole new side of Bali that few ever see.

2. Spa: Bali remains one of Asia's premier destinations for spa retreats, and many of the best will be in or nearby your Bali beach resort. Spas are often set next to idyllic shorelines or nestled in luscious jungle hideaways. Whether you experience a famous Balinese massage, a soothing body wrap made from local ingredients, or any number of healing and relaxing treatments, you are sure to leave feeling restored and rejuvenated.

1. Sunset: There is no experience in this world like a Balinese sunset. Whether you are travelling as a couple, family, group of friends, or solo, this is the one luxury Bali beach experience that cannot be missed. Several Bali beach resorts offer prime viewing spots, come early evening.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com

About The Author:

Maddox G. Raphoya is a travel writer based in Thailand and writing about luxury resorts, hotels and travel worldwide.

How To Rent Out A Holiday Home

2009-11-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

The important steps involved are described in this article; if the advice given is taken and you do the necessary work (some effort is necessary for what is, after all, a major investment), there will be no problems and you will maximise your marketing potential. However - and this cannot be emphasised too strongly - if you are lazy and think that good renters are going to rush to book your beautiful villa while you sit waiting for the phone to ring, you will be left with an expensive, empty investment.

The property obviously needs to meet local health and safety regulations, to be clean, well-maintained and furnished/decorated to a standard that fits what you expect to receive in rent (simple and neutral respectively is normally appropriate). It should not be cluttered by lots of personalised artifacts, such as family photos and all kitchen/bathroom utensils, etc, should be out of sight. If when guests first arrive they are welcomed by a basket of essentials (tea, coffee, milk, rolls, butter and mineral water, etc) and fresh flowers they are more likely to relax and come again next year. You should also make sure there is an up-to-date and complete file of useful local information for each new visitor.

You need to decide what dates you want to rent it out to holidaymakers and then what are the seasonally-based rental prices you should set to attract renters - based on researching prices asked for similar properties in similar locations.

Positive consideration of how the property will be maintained is necessary - if you are there, this can be controlled by yourself (covering such things as meeting guests to hand over and collect keys and formally agree the condition/contents of the property before and after and listing who to call on when the air conditioning or plumbing fails), otherwise you need an agent or a reliable person (make it a business, not an informal, arrangement) to take care of these things.

It should go without saying that you need to find out about legal and tax issues in the country where your property is located and, indeed, with your own country's taxes associated with overseas rental income. This means consulting the appropriate departments or professionals.

Then possibly the most challenging job is that of advertising. There are many ways to do this, such as in newspapers, magazines, local agents, your own website, through relatives and friends and of course via reccommendation. None of these ways are likely to generate enough bookings to make it worth your while. They would cost you a lot of time and money to control and the option of having your own website is a non-starter, because it will cost you from £500 to £1500 for a designer and your website will not be found by searchers.

On the other hand, there are many well-organised holiday rental search type websites, that have other properties on their books and that attract many visitors via the search engines (importantly, they have already made the investments needed to develop a website and promote it using various search engine optimisation, ie SEO, techniques). Some of these websites offer free advertising, some are free to advertise but take a percentage of any rentals and some simply ask for an annual fee, which varies widely but is usually proportional to how big they are. Many in each category charge extras, eg for highlighting an advert or for entering advert details. It is suggested that the free ones do not offer a very professional service, in which properties are presented too simply in advert-bound and cluttered pages. It is further suggested that the very big ones are expensive and are simply overwhelming for searchers (with thousands of options that can quickly lose a visitor).

The best option is undoubtedly to use any and all professional-looking websites with a nominal annual fee, eg £30, noting that some offer a free period (which should be grabbed with both hands!). Some work is necessary to enter details and upload photos, etc; but that's all part of the work needed to promote your property rental. Some websites do that work for you for a price, if you already have your own website to extract details from or you provide them details in some other way.

One website that you must use is http://www.solapartments.co.uk, who are free up to 1/1/2010 (then £29.99/year). Importantly, this is a very professional website that is uncluttered and provides a clean, full-featured property advert page with 16 photos in a distinctive Flash gallery, an interactive map, an availability calendar and direct owner contact details. It also features a wide variety of travel aids via seperate menu selections (not mixed up with property search and property advert pages!). They do not make you pay extra for anything, even if they have to enter your details for you.

On the website(s) you enter your property details, it makes sense to 'sell' your property in the most effective way you can imagine, to attract bookings in what is a very competitive market - good, clear photos of every room, every outside feature and interesting local attractions such as the beach or golf course; a pricing structure; complete and grammatically-correct details of the property and its surrounding areas, including all facilities (air conditioning, TV, broadband internet, kitchen appliances, etc) in the property; what there is to do in the area (horse-riding, sailing, sightseing - you name it).

You can outline terms and conditions in your advert, but you should have a rental agreement already prepared, so that this can be emailed to a renter. The agreement needs to clearly define the deposit required and when it is due, when the balance is due (before they arrive), what the refund and cancellation policy is, what additional costs there are such as for cleaning after they leave, if smoking or pets are allowed and how the condition of the property will be established before and after the rental (to decide if any damages or losses need to be paid for out of the deposit).

Most importantly, when you receive an enquiry you should respond promptly and in a professional and friendly manner (they won't wait more than 1 day - they're anxious to plan their holiday somewhere now not next week and they will be keen to establish a rapport with the owner - they need to feel they can trust you when they send you a deposit) and be prepared to be flexible and helpful with such things as the price, times of arrival and departure, minimum stays, help with airport transfers, etc - just make sure you get that booking!