The original Banjar Kuta is approximately the current beach road from Natour Kuta Hotel northward to Jalan Melasti. As a Desa settlement unit, Kuta covers the neighboring traditional Banjars such as Tuban, Legian, and Seminyak. The first Banjar to have been developed was Kuta itself.

Now all these areas are known as Kuta city. All these areas within Desa Kuta have been developing beyond their capacity. There has been rampant construction of hotels, restaurants, shops, and various business activities among Kuta’s narrow streets and gangs (alleys). We will refer each area of Kuta. Central Kuta refers to the area surrounding the beach road. Other areas are: Tuban for south Kuta city, Legian for Legian area, and Seminyak for Northern Kuta city. Kerobokan is northernmost of Kecamatan Kuta. All of these areas have developed tourism facilities such as hotels, villas, restaurants, shops and spas.

Our focus here is central Kuta, where the first hotel was built in 1930 at the current location of Inna Kuta Beach. Central Kuta has some good hotels such as Hard Rock Hotel, Mercure Kuta, Grand Istana Rama, Harris Kuta, Alam Kul Kul Resort, and Pullman Hotels & Resorts.

Tourist class facilities are available along the Poppies lane I and II, where various inexpensive restaurants and hotels are situated within the narrow alleys. Kuta Mall shopping center is in the Tuban area, on the border of Banjar Kuta. Compared to other areas of Indonesia, the development of Kuta has been spectacular. There are well over 100 hotels in every price range and class. The development in Kuta of so many hotels has made the already narrow space overly crowded. Local government has not, unfortunately, been able to plan or control the use of land for the construction of Kuta hotels and other various tourism facilities. This congestion can have a negative effect on Kuta city itself, as it involves the security and comfort of travelers. We anticipate that the local Banjars will be disappointed with this excessive density of traffic and business. However, it cannot be denied that this intense business setting does provide employment for the people.

Kuta Beach is famous for its surf, although it is not recommended for swimming. Kuta offers beautiful sunsets. The beach and its surroundings are ideal for meeting and mixing with locals as well as visitors from abroad. Often dubbed as the centre of nightlife activities in the Southern Bali, Kuta is also famous as a shopping. Inexpensive souvenirs can be found in the street markets. Clothes are on offer all around, with a strong bias towards surf gear and hippie wear. Great silver jewelry is another specialty that can be found easily in Kuta’s shops, boutiques and galleries.

Tuban is one of Banjar settlements group located at the south end and the closest to the airport. The area of Tuban includes the span from the airport northward to Jalan Bakung Sari, near Kuta Mall. The main streets of Tuban Jalan Kartika Plaza, in west Tuban, Jalan Raya Tuban in central Tuban, and Jalan Ngurah Rai,in east Tuban. These three roads lead from south to north, passing through the Tuban area. The most crowded street is Jalan Kartika Plaza where many accommodations, restaurants, and other tourism facilities are located. Some hotels in Tuban have private beaches. One can read our description of hotels to determine if the hotel has a beach. Popular Tuban hotels are located in west and central Tuban areas. There are hotels of various price ranges and class such as Discovery Kartika Plaza Beach Hotel, Ramada Bintang Bali Hotel, Santika Premier Beach Hotel, Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali and The Patra Bali Resort. Medium class Tuban hotels are plentiful such as The Vira Bali Hotel, Bali Dynasty Resort, Bali Rani & The Rani Hotel, Aston Kuta Hotel and Rama Beach Resort. Tuban hotels are located close to the international airport, Ngurah Rai. And this is one advantage that they have. Most of Tuban hotels are within the walking distance of the famous white sand beaches of Kuta.

Discovery Mall in the main street of Tuban, Jalan Kartika Plaza, is one of the biggest and most complex malls in the soutern Bali. It provides a wide selection of shops selling luxury goods ranging from surf wear, to watches and electronic goods.

Over the past few years, Tuban has become a prime resort area and favorite among families with young children. Kids will love playing at Waterbom Park, with its popular waterslides and pools. Nightlife in Tuban features sport bars, the Musro Cabaret Show and various other places with live music.

Just south of Cangu, and to the north of Seminyak, this is another area being developed by resort companies to attract visitors from the overflowing Kuta / Legian strip. Like Cangu, it’s a bit too far from the nightlife scene but would suit those who wish to spend some quiet days relaxing by the pool or on the beach.

Kerobokan also known as expatriates community area that lived and making business in Bali. From kerobokan is only 5 minutes drive to Batu Belig and Legian Beach or to finest Italian restaurant “La luciola”.

Batu Belig, Kerobokan is a short distance from the centre of Kuta, Legian and Denpasar a tranquil expanse of golden sand beach on the south west coast of Bali.

A few years ago Legian was a small village situated a short distance from Kuta, b ut has spread out so much that Legian is now part of the greater Kuta Area. Legian is a quieter alternative and has a mire sophisticated nightlife scene focusing on dining-out and socializing rather than full-on partying.

A little more sophisticated than Kuta , the pace is slower although there is everything the visitor could wish for shop, galore, restaurants, night clubs, bars, boutique hotels, hotels as wel as villas and private homes. Legian becomes a little more residential with many expatriates also living in the area.

Legian stretches from Legian Beach Hotel to Jayakarta Hotel on what is still known as Jalan Rum Jungle. All types of accommodation, including villas, hotels and home-stays, are available along with some good eating and few interesting bars, most of which close by midnight. Most of the popular hotels such as: Bali Mandira and Padma Bali Resort at Legian, are on the beach along here

There is no proper road in front of the hotels, but there is paved pathway between the hotels and the beach which is only open for authorized vehicles when a ceremony is being held. This pathway acts like a boulevard and gives guest in this area the advantage of being able to stroll along this stretch to a number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs at the end of Jalan Double Six. Many of the bars and restaurants found along this stretch of the beach are foreign owned, but locally run. Due in part to this fusion there is a great choice of culinary diversion from which to choose.

While nightlife is not so frantic, Legian does have its own entertainment scene. Close to the action but far enough away for some down time, Legian still retains something of its village atmosphere and is easy to walk around with good shopping scattered everywhere, tempting you to come.

Beachside, Legian have more laid back beach style-less hustle, fewer vendors, but good facilities. Surfing is popular with surf schools to help those in need, as well as volleyball, Frisbee, Bungee Jumping, and racquetball. Here you can also try to hop on boogie boards and surfboards hired from the beach. Have manicure, pedicure or braid your hair while relaxing under your umbrella.

Seminyak area has more traffic outlets than Legian with the opening of two wide short-cuts from Denpasar to northern Seminyak. Seminyak has the best hotels and villas-many five and four star hotels and exclusive villas- as well as an active night life and fine dining.

The beach is a lot more peaceful, and many of the top end hotels, and boutique hotels area found in this area, as well as some amazing private expatriate homes. It is for very reason that it has most expensive real estate of the island, with now, very little land left to develop.

This is the place to relax and chill, but with higher budget in mind. There is virtually no backpacker accommodation in this area. The main choices are villas and star-rated hotels.

World-class boutiques, restaurants, bars and clubs make this a place to be seen, and when night falls it is Jalan Laksmana, also known as Eat Street, that attracts the crowds looking for varied cuisine. This is a scene of open bars and night clubs, where a relaxed, unassuming crowd moves from one place to the other as the night passes. The loud bars get frenetic in summer, when European tourists pack as much fun as they can in this inexpensive, tropical alternative to Ibiza. The bars are more sophisticated with Ku De Ta now becoming legendary, Laluciola the classic beachfront restaurant eatery serves modern Italian food, Hu’u Bar for the vibes, Metis and Living Room.

Whether you’re an experienced or a novice Asia traveler, you’ll find Bali a bewildering array of color and sound.

The days when Bali was off the beaten path are long gone. Just a few hours by plane from northern Australia, it has been an Aussie playground for years. The wild popularity of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir “Eat Pray Love” and the film adaptation that opened Aug. 13 are likely to make it a U.S. playground as well.

In some ways, there are two Balis.

The 20-somethings flock to the beaches near Denpasar, Bali’s capital. The best-known beaches are Kuta and Seminyak, the latter being the more upscale. Kuta feels a bit like Rocky Point or Cancun at spring break. Lots of young people, lots of booze, lots of surf. U.S. chain restaurants and hotels are present in great numbers. You can grab a McDonald’s burger or KFC bucket or eat at the Hard Rock.

Art, culture

We headed inland to Ubud, a small town surrounded by rice fields in the countryside about 25 miles north of Denpasar’s international airport. Ubud is considered Bali’s cultural and artistic capital. Its streets are lined with galleries and restaurants, and music fills the air.

It was a great choice. Our hotel, the Sri Bungalows, was in the middle of a rice paddy on Monkey Forest Road, one of the main streets. It cuts through a sacred monkey forest and is lined with hotels, galleries and restaurants. Some travelers have reported monkeys slipping into rooms and stealing food or shiny objects, but we didn’t have any problems.

The setting was serene – each morning the sun rose over the paddy, and in the evening we watched the farmer harvest his rice and wrangle his ducks.

One of the wonderful things about traveling around Ubud is the number of religious festivals. There are Hindu temples on every street and in most family compounds. Every 210 days, people hold a festival to honor their temple’s “birthday.” With so many temples, there are lots of birthdays and lots of festivals to attend.

Travelers who have visited Buddhist nations in Southeast Asia might find the temples on Bali a little underwhelming. They are not as grand or ornate as temples in Thailand or Laos but they are just as important, so it’s important to show respect. Appropriate dress consists of proper Balinese attire: sarongs. Larger temples will have sarongs available for rent; smaller, less visited ones do not. You will have to rely on the kindness of strangers or your tour guide to make sure you do not offend local sensibilities.

A resourceful guide

We hired a local guide and driver, which was a great decision. He took us around the island, found festivals and ceremonies (including a wedding and a funeral) and gave us a view of the island that self-guided travelers wouldn’t get.

Our guide, Sang Made Merta , charged 600,000 rupiah per day (about $65). It was a little above the norm, but worth it. Sang’s English is perfect, and he understands the needs of photographers. If you want to spend less, the streets of Ubud, especially Monkey Forest Road, are lined with men holding signs that say “Transport” and offering taxi or guide services. They can be hired for $40-$50 per day (depending on your bargaining skills), but their English may be lacking.

From Ubud we traveled across much of southern Bali. We told Sang what we wanted to do, and he made it happen.

One day I wanted to photograph rice farmers and Sang found some, harvesting rice in their paddies. (Rice is grown year round in Bali, so if they aren’t harvesting or planting on one part of the island, chances are good that they are busy in the next valley over or just down the road.)

There’s something captivating about Bali rice fields. They are iridescently green. The volcanic soil, nearly constant rain and light combine to create an intensity you don’t see in many places. Farmers use ducks to help grow rice. Their guano is used as fertilizer, their webbed feet help till the fields and they eat the pests. Many farmers keep large flocks. Every morning they turn the ducks out and then round them up in the evening.

Another day we told Sang we wanted to visit a market, but not one of the many tourist markets. We set off well before dawn for the small town of Payangan to visit the “wet” market. (A “wet” market is one that sells fresh foods; a “dry” market has dry goods and clothes.) In a courtyard behind the market building, people were selling fresh piglets and fowl (fresh as in still alive), local fruits and vegetables and some clothes. Inside, using kerosene torches for light, old women sold shallots and spices. There was not another tourist in sight.

A cremation

When we made plans to visit Bali, one of our goals was to attend a cremation. Balinese cremations are very formal and cost thousands of dollars, but they are not somber events. They are a celebration of the deceased’s life, and a great street party. They are rarer than religious festivals and ceremonies, because not every family is wealthy enough to afford a full cremation event.

Cokorde Gede Raka, a member of Ubud’s royal family, died a few weeks before our arrival and was cremated while we were in Ubud. (Indonesia is a multiparty democracy. Royal families in Bali have no official power but a lot of influence in local civil affairs. The royals in Ubud are especially well-regarded and influential.)

Thousands of Balinese and tourists lined the street. The cortege was led by about 50 men carrying a huge hollow bull built on a bamboo frame and wrapped in black velvet. This was followed by a funeral tower bearing the body, then priests, musicians and members of the royal family wound through the streets accompanied by a Balinese orchestra and lots of merrymaking. The closest comparison I could make would be to a New Orleans jazz funeral, only with gamelan music and fire instead of jazz and po’boys.

At the cemetery, an orchestra played while the body was moved from the tower to the hollow bull, offerings were placed into the bull with the body, and the whole thing was set ablaze. Soft-drink and souvenir vendors worked the crowd while people stared, transfixed, as the flames consumed the deceased.

Because cremations in Bali are so expensive but vital to giving the decease a proper farewell (followers believe without cremation, the deceased’s route to reincarnation is cut off), they usually are scheduled collectively. A village or community will have one cremation every four or five years, and all the people who died during that period will be cremated at the same time.

In between the time of their death and cremation, people are buried in cemeteries. They are exhumed (or a part of the body is exhumed) for the cremation.

It’s not unusual to have 40 or 50 people cremated at the same time, in a ceremony similar to the one we attended, only much bigger. The exact date of the mass cremations is something of a moving target, but they generally happen across the island in the same year. The last ones were in 2009, so the next ones should be in 2014.

Let’s talk about rain first. We have two seasons in Bali, the dry season and the wet season. The dry season is “scheduled” from April to October, while wet season starts from October to April. So, if you don’t fancy rain in your holiday, best time to come is between April to October when the dry season is “on”.

The wet season, however, is not really really that wet. If you think rain is pouring down on our island for six months every day, that’s not quite the fact. It only starts to rain, usually in December, and January. And occasionally we’ll get a little bit of rain on February, March and it vanishes into thin air in April.

So, it is more chance through out the year you will see sun shine compared to rain.
But the number of visitors visiting Bali is also determined by other things, i.e. public holidays. That’s why July and August is the peak season here since it is school holidays. Many families with their children spend their holidays in Bali during this time.

When there is a holy celebration throughout Indonesia, such as end of Ramadhan, the Bali island will be full of domestics tourists from other parts of the country. Mostly they come from Java. During the holidays, there many tour groups from Java which come to Bali on 40 seat busses. They go will go to the popular tourist spots such as Kintamani and Tanah Lot Temple. This is the time when Bali can be a little bit crowded.

Besides tour groups, there are also families traveling with private cars from Java flocking in tourists are, mostly Seminyak. They also want a piece of sun set in Kuta, and that’s why Kuta beach is full with people who eagerly staring at the reddish sky in the afternoon. Cars are parked along the way, I know they shouldn’t, but they do. (Note: If you stay out from Kuta at these peak times, you’ll be able to enjoy your quality time holiday, if you stay, for instance, in Sanur, or Nusa Dua and even Ubud.)

So, those are only things you need to pay attention when visiting Bali. Conclusion?? When is the best time to visit Bali? Should you avoid wet season? Should you avoid peak season? I am sure that there will be also other considerations you will have to make. And the decision is yours.

There’s a thousands choice that you can have even you’re just searching for it on the net! For example, if you are looking for cheap hotels in the most famous beach in Bali, The Kuta Beach, you can easily find it by just walking around there, there’s hundreds of cheap hotels lies in Kuta Region, such as The Poppies Lane I, II, and III.. Price? Don’t be surprised, it’s only between US$ 10,- to US$ 100,- per night.. Very cheap right? And you must know that your money don’t lie, the price will always describe what you will get, it depends on your budget.

But hey? maybe you can get a comfortable place to stay with just small amount of money to spent if you are lucky and willing to spend some time to walk around. So why don’t you have your fun holiday by walking around and see the unique life of Balinese People meanwhile you try to find the hotels you want.. Remember to keep the hotel’s number if you already find one that suit you, so you won’t be difficult to find another one on your next holiday in Bali.

In Seminyak Region, including Petitenget Region, you will find a lot of villas which offering you a new experience of staying for your holiday where you will get a complete house that you can rent and mostly it’s designed with beautiful Balinese artwork. Seminyak and Petitenget is a region near Kuta Beach which has some beautiful surfing spots and and lots of restaurants. It’s also close to the capital of Bali province, Denpasar City, so you won’t be difficult to have some walk around the city. Most tourist won’t do this, because you don’t want to see a crowded city life aren’t you? Of course you don’t, now you’re on a holiday!

There’s also some expensive choice which offering you many luxury and exotic experiences of holiday in Bali, as it have very good locations, luxury rooms, some exotic views of Bali nature, free traditional dancing and music shows every night, and other first class facilities. Mostly this kind of hotels lies in Nusa Dua Region, and some of them in Tanah Lot Region. Nusa Dua and Tanah Lot are two place that have so many tourism objects and surf spots which will suit you who wants a quite holiday with a marvelous nature view. One more time should I remind you that your money will never lie to you, so if you are having more budget for your holiday, why don’t you try to stay in some sophisticated hotels in Bali, comfortable place are guaranteed.

Then if you are looking for a traditional Balinese culture, you should stay in Ubud Village, where you can find a lot of hotels and villas, from cheap to expensive, a lots of Balinese paintings, carvings, jewelries, and art shops, live performance of Balinese traditional music, and some unique traditional Balinese dancing, and outbond activities to explore the Bali Island’s nature such as Elephant Riding, Bycicling, Rafting, and many other fun activites.

Secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations

There are thousands of hotels and resorts out there promising you to offer a once in a lifetime  secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations. But how many resorts offer you the perfect secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations? Surely you wouldn’t want to spend thousands of pounds on planning and booking your secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations only to discover that your secluded romantic island honeymoon vacation is far from secluded and romantic.
Secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations in the bali

Secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations accommodationOne of the resorts offering you a secluded romantic island honeymoon vacations in the bali

It is just the two of you in perfect bliss in this romantic resort offering sophisticated barefoot luxury, reached by a magical seaplane flight. You are now a million miles from the nine-to-five. You awaken to the sounds of the ocean caressing your doorstep, and watch the sun as it slowly rises over the horizon.

Relax in your private Jacuzzi, or go for a dip in your villa’s pool and enjoy the glorious tropical paradise. Relax in one of the resort’s 2 spas and indulge in a soothing aromatherapy massage. In the evening, enjoy a private barbecue on the beach, or savour the finesse of fine wines and tantalising cuisine in any of the 7 world-class restaurants. Spend time unwinding in the over-water Spa Retreat, a secluded ‘resort within a resort’ with spa, water villas and restaurant.

A secluded romantic island honeymoon vacation in the bali is perfect for the couple who has a bit more money to spend and really wants to be alone. If you really want to be alone with your loved one and are willing to pay extra for it, spending your honeymoon or wedding anniversary in one of these exotic island resorts in the bali can be just the honeymoon you are looking for.

Raja Gardens bungalows are set in a large, lush, tropical garden with large trees and large grass court. The bungalows sit in the back just by the 18-meter long swimming pool. The six bungalows, two of them, are in a two-story house are simply furnished with wood furniture. A half-opened shower set like a small garden with cold water. There is no nearby restaurant but it is only a few minutes walk to the Seminyak Beach. The right place for those who love garden and plants.

Far from the buzz of tourist center, Raja Gardens bungalows are set in a large, lush, tropical garden with large trees and large grass court. The bungalows sit in the back just by the 18-meter long swimming pool.

The six bungalows, two of them, are in a two-story house are simply furnished with wood furniture. A half-opened shower set like a small garden with cold water. There is no nearby restaurant but it is only a few minutes walk to the Seminyak Beach. The right place for those who love garden and plants.

Bali Police

To make it worse, many villas do not have standard security systems, including employing security guards, CCTV and other security equipment to guarantee guest safety.

“We have applied security certification standards in star hotels. We expect to do it with villas in 2010,” Sutisna said.

In the last few months, crime rates in Bali, especially in famous tourist destinations such as Kuta, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, have significantly increased.

Cases of theft, murder and rape have occurred in these areas.

Sutisna complained that numerous villas were not equipped with building and operation permits.

“This makes it more difficult to control security in these villas,” he added.

The constructions of private and commercial villas in Bali, particularly in Badung regency and Denpasar mayoralty have caused concern among hotel operators, the police and regional governments.

Many private villas are now operated as commercial accommodation for local and foreign tourists. They operate their business without necessary permits.

In Badung regency, covering the areas from Kuta, Canggu, Seminyak to Jimbaran and Nusa Dua, there are 750 villas of which 250 do not have permits.

Bali Police office, he said, received many reports of crime occurring in such villas.

Last weekend, a British woman lost her purse containing cash valued at dozens of million of rupiah, credit cards and other valuable items, while she was staying at a villa in the Canggu area.

“The suspects entered the villa and took the woman’s belongings without any notice from the operator because of poor security,” said a policeman from Kuta Police precinct.

Many cases of crime have also occurred in villas across Bali due to a lack of security awareness among villa owners and operators.

“Poor security systems will damage a villa’s image. No one would like to be robbed while he or she is holidaying in Bali,” Sutisna added.

Gusti Kade Sutawa, head of the Kuta Executive Club, responded positively to the Bali Police plan saying it would increase people’s confidence in Bali.

“Bali is a world-class tourist destination. Security is a prime issue.

“Everybody has to work together to create a safe Bali for its residents and guests,” Sutawa said.

He admitted that many villas and even hotels still paid little attention to security issues.

-JP/Ni Komang Erviani

article source – http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/30/bali-police-certify-security-island039s-villas.html