RICE
Some
of the TOP Hotels in Bali
Bali's
most famous and crowded resort is Kuta beach, a six-kilometre
sweep of golden sand, with plenty of accommodation,
shops and nightlife. Nearby Sanur is much quieter, but
most backpackers prefer the beaches of peaceful east-coast
Candi Dasa and traveller-oriented Lovina on the north
coast. The island's other major destination is the cultural
centre of Ubud , a still charming but undeniably commercialized
overgrown village, where traditional dances are staged
every night of the week and the streets are full of
arts-and-crafts galleries.
Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa : The Nusa Dua
Beach Hotel & Spa is a luxury property strategically
located only 15 kilometers away from the... Nusa Dua
Aston Bali Resort & Spa : The Aston
Bali Resort and Spa is a luxury hotel located on the
waterfront facing golden sandy beaches... Tanjung Benoa
Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel : Sanur
Paradise Plaza Hotel is situated in the coastal village
of Sanur, an ideal location from which to explore...
Sanur
Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites : The Sanur
Paradise Plaza Suites is located in Sanur Village just
two kilometers from the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel....Grand
Bali Beach Hotel also is a nice hotel in Sanur.
Swiss Belhotel Bali Aga : The Swiss
Belhotel Bali Aga is a deluxe property strategically
located only 20 kilometers northeast from the Ngurah
Rai... Nusa Dua
Grand Hyatt Bali Hotels located in
Nusa Dua and The Oberoi Bali located
in Seminyak, Maya Ubud located in Ubud,
The Alilia Ubud, Chedi, Hard
Rock Hotel Bali located in Kuta beach, Melia
Bali located in Nusa Dua and P
Ever
since nomadic Malay hunter-gatherers turned settled
farmers and started cultivating rice in the fertile
ashes of burned forests and on the slopes of volcanoes,
transforming their migratory society some 4500 years
ago, rice has been at the very center of Indonesian
culture. Grown virtually everywhere in Indonesia, it's
considered the tastiest of all grains and is eaten at
least 3 times daily. Rice is always saleable and can
be stored up to 3 years. It's believed that rice has
a soul without which it lacks the power to germinate.
Ani-ani blades are hidden so as not to offend the rice
goddess, Dewi Sri, during the harvest. The structure
and pressure of this intensive form of cultivation has
given rise to very close-knit families all over Indonesia,
particularly on the island which supports the bulk of
the population - rural Java. A family could include
grandparents, grandchildren, father's relatives, mother's
relatives, nieces, nephews, cousins. The nation as a
whole is a family; presidents, bupatis and schoolmasters
are often referred to as Bapak or Pak (father) or else
Bung (brother) by the public. School mistresses are
addressed as ibu (mother) by their pupils. The heart
and soul of Indonesia is the village. 80% of the people
live in 60,000 agricultural communities throughout the
archipelago. Village life has changed only very superficially
over the past thousands of years. The village council
of elders is the foundation on which the Indonesian
version of democracy is based. Village and family loyalties
come before all others. City dwellers, only 15% of the
total population, are the exception. But even the capital
of Indonesia with a population of 5.7 million has all
the habits and manners of a village, or actually, of
hundreds of villages.
Nusa
Lembongan is situated 12 miles south east of Bali. It
is one hour traveling time by boat from Benoa Harbour.
This pear shaped island is around 4km long and 2km wide.
It is surrounded by a beautiful fringing reef, which
hosts a myriad of marine life, The waters are renowned
for their abundance of life and great surf breaks. The
reef has been declared a marine park by the Indonesian
authorities. Not only does the reef support its own
Eco-system, but it supports most of the villagers on
the island as well. The local people farm seaweed. This
seaweed is cultivated, harvested then exported all over
the world for use in cosmetics, food stabilizers and
medicines. Other sources of income include traditional
wooden boat building, farming peanuts, sweet potato,
and fishing.Village life is very slow and enchanting.
Very few cars and motorbikes are seen on the roads.
The people are steeped in tradition, and one could imagine
Bali being like this island, thirty years ago.Although
the island is small there are many things to do. Fishing,
diving, surfing, mangrove exploring, discovering natural
fresh water springs, underground cave house exploring,
cycling around the island. A visit to the bat caves
on a nearby island, or a picnic at dream beach. Try
catching mud cabs in the mangrove area at the back of
the island. There is something for every one at Nusa
Lembongan.
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