Get the Best From Bali

Nestled amidst a scattering of islands that makes up Indonesia, Bali is a green jewel rich in flora and fauna. With an area of only 5,632 square kilometres, you can drive around the edge of Bali in a day, but the multitude of delights that await within its borders mean you can stay for weeks and never feel bored. Bali's unique landscape is made up of a chain of six volcanoes that straddle the island. These volcanoes measure from 1,350 metres up to an astonishing 3,014 and are responsible for creating the oddly intriguing black sands that swathe parts of the islands coastline. The Batur volcano is the most active on the island and has had a number of small eruptions over the years. The lush forests of Bali are home to a plethora of flora and fauna, though some of the island's native animals such as leopards, elephants and the Bali tiger can no longer be found, and in the tigers case is extinct. However, there is still plenty to see for the avid nature explorer with various types of monkey, deer and over 300 species of birds to be found on the island, including the extremely rare Bali starling. Bali is also surrounded by warm waters that are home to a whole host of aquatic life. Dolphins, fish, sponges and whale sharks are just a few of the species that inhabit the coasts of Bali making it perfect for divers. A variety of tropical plants coats the island in rich green and creates welcoming pools of shade to escape the midday sun. Great banyan trees feature in most villages and temples, joined by tamarind trees in the North, clove trees in the highlands and acacia trees and mangroves in the South. A wash of colour covers the ground beneath these great trees, flowers are a big part of Bali and you'll find them tucked behind ears, through button holes and used to decorate temples, statues and as adornments during traditional dance. The air is sweet in Bali, with the scents of frangipani, jasmine, hibiscus and bougainvillea drifting lazily on gentle sea breezes. The island's cultural heritage is visible everywhere, from the stunning temples scattered throughout the island, to the many festivals and ceremonies. Some notable events in the Bali calendar include Pagerwesi in August, which is a day put aside for special meditation to enhance the balance of the world, and the Indonesia Independence Day on the 17th of August. Art and dance play a big part in traditional Balinese festivities, with masks and decorative costumes used to re-tell folklore and are a true visual spectacle. Bali holidays are perfect for those who want a varied holiday filled with memorable experiences, including lounging on black beaches, exploring lush forest and gazing up at awe-inspiring volcanoes with a handful of other Indonesian island hovering on the horizon.

Bali Packages: The Cheapest Way to the Island!

If you are an adventurous person who's fond of traveling around, you might be interested in visiting Bali. It is one of Southeast Asia's best affordable tourist destinations that will surely fit your budget. Packed with great deals of various cheap Bali accommodations from different travel agencies, your Bali vacation will surely be unforgettable. The Island offers a broad market from young backpackers to a family group. Bali packages are the best offers you can get even if it's your last-minute vacation holiday decision. Bali is widely sought after by travelers not just because of cheap Bali packages but because of its unique art-culture and preserved traditions. The city of Ubud in particular is widely known around the world as the cultural and artistic center of this small, unique island. Bali is also known as the island of a thousand temples and the island of the Gods, just a short drive through its lush countryside will show you that it is aptly named. Bali packages however are available in many varieties of offers like honeymoon packages, family vacation packages, group packages and many endless option packages to choose from. These offers are available in many travels and tourism websites at the convenient of your swivel chair, as company's marketing tactics nowadays revolving around the internet. Although this kind of convenience is so favorable to us, it is mere necessary to be cautious all the time. Internet scams and fake websites are millions and the possibility of being a victim is 80 to 100%. Be very careful in choosing a legitimate tour and travel agency. You should always read the company's profile and policies before grabbing some of their best offers. A legitimate company will surely give you confidence and peace of mind on your adventure holidays. If you are looking for something different on your travel adventure, Bali will make your escapade a memorable one. With its exotic beach location, you will love to swim in its crystal blue clear water. Underwater adventure is so famous on this friendly island, snorkeling, scuba diving and all those adrenaline-pumping water sports could be a part of you Bali packages. Do also try the river rafting on Ayung River amidst a wild tropical forest. If you are just beginning to learn the basics of these water sports, you do not have to worry because there are special learner's courses by qualified professional instructors for someone like you. Availing these cheap Bali packages should not give you any trouble on anything you have in mind, from foods, hotels and places to visit on a right timing schedule. From airport pick-up up to a mind-blowing adventures are all arranged for you without any inconvenience. If you're up to an exotic animal watching to an unusual nature sightseeing, there are guide experts to accompany you. You must visit the cool mountain of Kintamani with its green lush rice paddies. The Gunung Batur volcano is also very famous, so better grab your camera and get the best shots you can. Bali is also famous for Spa treatment and massages at a reasonable price. Being smart enough to avail Bali packages, all these services are available for you at your most convenient time. If you really want a hassle free and cheap exciting travel, always book for Bali packages offer.

Enjoy Ubud's Arts, Crafts and Culture on Bali Holidays

If you're considering a holiday in Bali but want to do more than soak up some rays, a trip to Ubud should be a priority when it comes to your itinerary. Bali is famed for its beach holiday offerings, but if you head a little further inland you'll find a cultural hotspot in the form of the town of Ubud. This particular area is home to some fascinating ruins dating back to the ancient Bali kingdom and should therefore be visited by anyone with a passing interest in the island's history. Here you can see the Tirta Empul temple, as well as the temples and museum in Pejeng, which is situated a few kilometres away. The Goa Gajah cave - whose name translates into Elephant Cave - has an unusual demon-shaped opening and legend says that the rocky attraction was created from a fingernail belonging to a giant. If you want to indulge your interest in historical attractions further, a trip to nearby Bedulu might be worthwhile as it is home to numerous archaeological sites. Meanwhile, if all you want to do is relax, look into the various spas offering all manner of treatments and services that are located in the Ubud area. Conversely, if you're the active type, why not try a spot of white water rafting or another adrenaline-pumping pursuit? Bali is a particularly scenic island, so there's plenty of scope for long hikes taking in some spectacular views. If you're interested in the local culture, make sure you check out the various dance performances on offer in Ubud. Weekly Kecak, Legong and Barong dance shows are a fixture in Ubud, as are the Ramayana and Mahabharata ballets and concerts by the local orchestra, which uses traditional instruments. For a wildlife-themed day trip, it might be a good idea to head to the Ubud Monkey Forest, which is a temple complex and nature reserve that houses hundreds of long-tailed macaque monkeys. Ubud is a unique destination when it comes to Bali holidays, so make sure you don't miss this hotbed of arts, history and culture on your trip to the Indonesian island.

The Main Attractions in the Beautiful Island of Bali

The ultimate holiday destination can be truly justified by the beautiful island of Bali. It is located in Indonesia and is one of the wealthiest regions of the country owing to its huge tourist attraction feature that sees an influx of foreign visitors into the island all throughout the year. It is an unsurpassable and ultimate holiday destination island. Each year thousands of tourists flock in this island to experience the paradise on earth. It is the most enchanting island with an exotic view of the magnificent bounties of nature. The exotic beaches and the beautiful landscapes never fail to sweep you off your feet. Apart from the obvious beach attractions present in this embodiment of heaven on earth, you also get to witness the tropical lush green landscapes and erupted volcanoes. Animal lovers can also embellish the vast wildlife presence in the island. Following are some of the major attractions of Bali: - Kuta Beach: Located in south Bali, Kuta is an elongated sandy beach initially discovered by travelling Asians and Australians. Affordable bars and clubs make it a party centre. It also features a memorial statue carved in stone and marble and temples. - Legian Beach: It is one of the famous beaches in Bali. It is flanked with comparatively less number of tourists and the tides are low in intensity, which makes the beach the perfect place to laze around in peace. - Sanur Beach: It is the perfect place to roam about in your feet because it's characterized by the presence of numerous historical architecture in the form of temples and museums like the Le Mayeur Musuem, Seiki Torige's Open Space Gallery, Griya Santrian Gallery and Darga Gallery, the ancient Blanjong temple, Sekenan Temple of Serangan Island and Padang Galak Memorial Monument. - Ubud: It is the centre for Balinese culture, arts and crafts and marks the presence of a number of palaces, ancient temples, museums and art galleries. - Seminyak Beach: After Ubud, Seminyak is the second largest attraction for art lovers since it houses a lot of art galleries, one amongst which is Biasa Art Space, a temple called Pura Petitenget Temple, and many beaches like Berawa beach, Semniyak beach, Petitenget beach, Canggu beach and Echo beach. - Candidasa Beach: This village is sandwiched between the Lombok strait in the east and the mountains in the west. It is known for its amazing white sandy beaches. Another major attraction in here is the Bat cave temple. - Bali's zoo and animal parks: Bali is also famous for its amazing wildlife amongst the lush and green of the tropical island. The island has breathtaking butterfly parks, elephant safaris, Sangeh monkey forest, Ubud monkey forest, bird parks and a town called Negara that features a unique bullock race. - Other tourist attractions: Located to the south of Singaraja is the cascading Gitgit waterfalls, the place near Lovina has the Daybreak waterfall, Blahmantung waterfalls near Pupuan, Banjar hot springs and the only Buddhist monastery in Bali-The Brahmavihara Arama also located in Banjar and Yeh Sanih freshwater springs with explicit garden background. Also is famous the Taman Nasional Bali Barat, a national park surrounded with open savannah, dense rainforest, mangrove swamps, colorful coral reefs and Pulau Menjangan, the famous deer island. The author of this article has great knowledge about the Bali honeymoon. He has helped many people out there to get the best Bali villa deal at affordable prices. He well knows the fact that there are several things to be considered while choosing the Bali villa. He has written many articles on choosing the Bali holiday villa.

The Grandeur and Intrigue of the Traditional Balinese Theater State

Miguel Covarrubias, the famous Mexican amateur anthropologist and intrepid traveller, wrote in 1937 in his classic work Island of Bali that "it seems difficult to reconcile the soft-mannered, peace-loving Balinese we know with the intrigue and violence of their turbulent past." And indeed the historians of Bali's past thousand years tell tales that would put any modern soap opera to shame: stories of the rise and fall of kingdoms, of bloody battles waged and beautiful maidens won, of princes gifted with magical powers warding off evil demons disguised as fierce, fanged monkeys and vicious, razor-beaked birds. Bali's written history begins in the 8th century, when Java's Indianized kingdoms turned an eye toward the island's bounty. The Javanese, who had already been introduced to the Buddhist and Hindu religions by South Asian traders, spread these teachings to Bali, along with the knowledge of writing in the Old Javanese language - known in Bali as Kawi - which soon became the medium of communication for Bali's elites. By the 10th century, Balinese art, religion and culture had taken on a decidedly Indian appearance. One important relic of this era can be found today in the midst of modern Sanur: the Prasasti Belanjong, an inscribed monument dated 913 A.D. - making it Bali's earliest dated artifact - that tells the tale of a Javanese king and his journey to Bali. The 11th century saw the birth of one of Bali's most influential historical figures: Airlangga, son of the Balinese Prince Udayana and the Javanese Princess Mahendratta. Airlangga journeyed to Java, where he ascended the throne of a dynasty that would rule on that island for the next 300 years. During Airlangga's lifetime, contacts between Java and Bali grew increasingly close. Out of this cross-fertilization of cultures came a number of social features that would mark the face of Bali for centuries to come: rituals presided over by Hindu priests chanting holy mantras, temples devoted to the worship of gods and divine ancestors, and the means to effect magic, both good and evil, to harm one's enemies or heal one's friends. This period of Bali's history also gave rise to the mythic tale of good and evil that continues to enthrall visitors with its fearsome power: the story of Rangda and Barong. Legend has it that Airlangga's mother, Mahendratta, possessed among her many queenly accomplishments a command of the dark forces of transformation that enabled her to change from a beautiful woman into a horrific witch able to rain disease and death upon her enemies. When her husband found her dabbling in these dangerous arts, he banished her to the forest, where she remained, nurturing her evil powers, until her daughter reached the age of marriage. Fearing Mahendratta's black magic, no one dared to marry the young princess, despite her esteemed status and her lovely looks. Wild with anger and driven to revenge, Mahendratta shifted her shape into that of a hideous witch, armed with spiked teeth, a tongue of fire and heavy, hanging breasts, to spread plague and pestilence across the land. Today the story is reenacted in the drama of Calonarang, where a mythological beast, the lion-like Barong, protects the suffering villagers from the demonic powers of the witch, known as Rangda. In the performance, traditionally held in the dead of night in the village graveyard, the followers of the Barong attack Rangda, who uses her magic to send them into trance and make them turn their daggers against themselves. The Barong's power protects them from the blades and helps them push the witch back into the cemetery, restoring the balance between good and evil until the next encounter. The most critical turning point in Bali's history came in the 14th century, when the Javanese kingdom of Majapahit sent an army led by the revered general Gajah Mada to colonize Bali. Different versions of the tale of Majapahit's conquest exist, but the basic story goes something like this: At that time, Bali was ruled by a cruel and greedy king named Bedaulu. Although he possessed great magical powers, he angered the gods by forbidding his subjects to worship them, requiring instead that they make their offerings to him. Bedaulu was so arrogant that he once removed his head and sent it up to heaven to show the gods what awesome spiritual skills he commanded. Annoyed by this boastful display, the god Siwa replaced Bedaulu's head with that of a pig. Embarrassed by his new animal appearance, the king ordered that none of his courtiers was to look at him, and he had them build a high tower where he would sit, presiding over his subjects free from their curious stares. But Bedaulu still had not learned his lesson. His evil grew to the point where he demanded that all his food be spiced with human blood. Finally, his desperate people sent word to Java, asking for aid from Majapahit. Gajah Mada promised to help if the king did indeed have a pig's head, and he sent one of his soldiers to investigate. In order to catch a glimpse of Bedaulu, the cunning Javanese tricked the king by requesting the food known as paku, a long, stringy green that is eaten by lowering it from above into one's mouth. Facing upwards toward the tasty morsel, he was able to verify Bedaulu's beastly countenance, and called for Gajah Mada and his troops, who conquered Bali and set in place a new king who ruled from Samprangan, near Klungkung. With the arrival of the Majapahit empire came vast changes in the cultural, religious and political landscape of Bali. Only the people known as the Bali Aga, who kept themselves distant by retreating to their isolated mountain villages, escaped encompassment by the new social order. As the Javanese installed their own nobles to preside over Bali, the island's population became drawn into a hierarchical system controlled by warrior kings and learned priests and divided into castes. Today, Balinese speak of history in terms of the pre-Majapahit and post-Majapahit eras, and those who can trace their genealogies back to the mighty rules and sages of that time still claim high social status in the present. When the Hindu Majapahit empire finally fell in the 16th century, brought down by the rise of Islam across the Indonesian archipelago, a new wave of priests, scholars, nobles and artists sought refuge on Bali, which would remain the last Hindu island in the land. Over the next four hundred years Balinese culture flourished around the royal courts. Elaborate rituals were staged, and Bali's famous cremation ceremonies came into existence as a means of showing honor and loyalty to the ruling lords. Art, dance and music prospered, not as purely aesthetic activities but as service on behalf of gods and kings. This era saw the rise of what later anthropologists would describe as the Balinese "theater state": a complex combination of extravagant art and ceremony designed to celebrate the power and majesty of the royal families and to express the humble deference of their followers. But this period was hardly a peaceful one. The seat of the kingdom of Bali moved to Gelgel, and the king who presided over it was given the title of Dewa Agung, or "Great Lord," a reference to both his worldly and spiritual powers. One of these kings even managed to bring parts of neighboring East Java and Lombok under Balinese control. But the kingdom soon became fragmented by family feuds, and Gelgel splintered off into a number of smaller principalities, which remained in a state of constant war and intrigue until the turn of the 20th century.

Arts And Entertainment For The Whole Family

There are times that due to our busy schedules and different careers in life, we tend to forget to spend some time with our family which is really bad. We must always remember that in order to get closer and have a better relationship with our dearest love ones, we must able to give some of our time to them. Lets all enjoy time together as long as we can still have it. It is very essential because we can never bring back the time that we've already lost so no matter how busy you are, you are still obliged to find ways on how you can let them feel your love for them. By simply meeting them and spend quality time doing activities together, you can able to make them happy. And one thing that you can do to make your time with your family the best ones is through arts and entertainment. The most popular way of spending time with family is to stay at home and enjoy each and everyone's presence. You can choose some good movies and go with a movie marathon with your siblings. In this way, you can also check them out and ask them what's going onto their lives. You can open up with them while watching your favorite movies of all time. You can scream, be scared, laugh and be happy together. Just make sure that in choosing the movies go for those that everyone from the oldest to the youngest ones will surely enjoy. You can also ask your parents to make some delicious foods for a more exciting movie experience. The next activity that you can try out is to sing and dance with your family. Do you still remember how happy it was when all of you used to sing and dance with your favorite song in the karaoke machine? Do you want to see your parents sing their favorite love song again? If yes, then making a simple and small song and dance party in the comfort of your own home is the best way to spend your free time. You can ask your siblings to sing and dance under Jason Derulo album songs and the one that will make the best performance will get a prize from you. You can also showcase your talents to them by singing your own favorite Jason Derulo songs and inspire them by letting them see your glamorous song and dance number. If your family is a creative one, then maybe you can also pursue with some art crafts that you can all do together. Choose those that can be displayed in your house so all of you will always see that wonderful moments of spending time with your family. This activity will surely make the family even closer and will also help build and develop your skills and abilities in the line of arts. Just make sure that the young ones will be guided accordingly so we can avoid them from being hurt or from any accident that may happen.

Art and Entertainment Then and Now

What is art and entertainment? Art and Entertainment is a medium which is liked by say by every person both are two sides of the same coin. The only difference it the materials for entertainment have a popular or mass appeal, it can be understood easily by commoners whereas art involves are fined sense of understanding. The, difference between Van Gogh's paintings and a James Bond movie. One is art the other is entertainment. But the purpose of both is relaxing the mind and generating a pleasurable feeling. Difference between art and entertainment. Art includes paintings, poems, sculptures, installations in studios and museums. Entertainment includes Hollywood movies, television serials, theaters, circuses. Nowadays artists are trying to do more of interactive art so that there creation can reach to all, poems are taking the form of rap songs. Contemporary art is very much interfused with everyday issues, the problems or situations a person goes through. Aphrodite is a classical Greek art. Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci is renaissance art done on poplar paper and oil paint. Pablo Picasso and Vincent Vangogh contribute to modern art. Postmodern art or contemporary art consists of Installations, Intermedia, Multimedia and Conceptual art. Brian Andreas, Allan Graham are artist of this age. Postmodern Installations. Installation art is a very new concept in postmodern art it is space specific three dimensional designed to transform the perception of space. Marcell Duchamp, Kurt Schwiters are father of installation arts. The Three dimensional affect of this art makes them unique from other art forms. Passing phases of entertainment. Man indulged in entertainment with stage plays the topics of Kings and queens, medieval dramas and folk songs. Entertainment resources shows the ways and nature of entertainment changed with time according to the changing demand of the public. Movies gain popularity with the invention of the camera. First was the silent era, only moving pictures without sound. The invention of sound recorder brought in the Talkies, movies with sound and dialogue. Latest technology is High Definition 3D movie Avatar. Entertainment is no longer limited to movies but have moved on to video gaming, internet gaming. Entertainment is an institution itself and has a business market of its own which is expanding rapidly.

Calgary, Alberta - Arts and Entertainment

The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium is located in Calgary, is an installation of 113 000 m³ designed for performing arts. The auditorium is one of two twin auditoriums in the province, the other being located in Edmonton, and the two are nicknamed "The Jube" by local residents. The auditorium seats 700 and it was opened in 1957 and has hosted hundreds of musicals, plays and other productions by local and international companies. On an annual basis, more than 850 000 visitors visit the place. The Jube is home to the Alberta Ballet, Calgary Opera, the Kiwanis Music Festival held annually on Remembrance Day. The two auditoriums are open 365 days a year and are managed by a community non-profit organization. In September 2005, the two auditoriums have benefited from a renovation of a value of $ 91 million each on the occasion of the centenary of the province. Calgary hosts many festivals that take place during the year, for example FunnyFest the Calgary Comedy Festival and the Folk Music Festival, which attracts participants from around the world. Calgary also has a number of theater companies, among others, One Yellow Rabbit, which shares the EPCOR Center for the Performing Arts with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Theater Calgary, Alberta and Theater Projects. There are also a lot of theater companies and performing arts in the smaller city, like the Vertigo Mystery Theater. The International Film Festival takes place annually in Calgary as well as the International Festival of Animated Objects.

Architectural Divines of Indian Arts and Entertainment

Arts and entertainment refers to the values which an individual or a nation bears in terms of architecture, painting, sculpture, trends of fashion and cinema. Historic world of Indian Architecture resembles to be into heavens. The old monuments and carved stones tell the stores on their own. The monuments always bears the influence of the rulers and his respective religion, their life style, types of weapons they used for war and much more. The archeological surveys starts story from the Indus Valley Civilization and prove us of a civilized city of Mohanjodaro long back ago at 7000 B.C. which is now a days a part of Pakistan. The surveys corresponds to a well developed city with all facilities relate regarding water, sevage, entertainment, clothing and the estates. The Caves of Ajanta and Ellora represent great 'fine arts' flourished under the patronage of various rules. The rulers spend a lot for the entertainment. There were great musicians and singers who enlighten the big domes and palaces with their arts. The stone carvings and paintings at various temples and worship places show the great impact of religion within the minds of rulers. Some of them bear the complete religious books carved at the boundaries of temples. Southern India is full of such examples. We can find a presence of a great scientific knowledge at that time if we go for Jantar Mantar at New Delhi. It goes over the mind when we see 1600 years old iron towers standing open-air without getting rusted. Before English, the latest Indian Rulers were the Mughals, and hence we can visualize a big impact of their architecture. The Big tomb of Emperor is in itself a big great monument. The Taj Mahal, in Agra (Uttar Pradesh), which is amongst the seven wonders of world, was build up of pure white marble in more than 15 years, in memory of her late queen Mumtaj Mahal. It is a great example of architecture of those times. At those times, the rulers get immense entertaining happiness and joy building great architectures using best of there engineering and fine arts. After Mughals, next were the British. The British monuments give a resemblance to the roman Architecture. Apart from the regions which were in completely hold of English, the left areas were 'Princely States' which were ruled by respective rulers with partial influence of British. These princely states hold within the special arts and entertainment but still remain affected by the new culture. The Princes are educated along the Englishmen and get into the European Culture and introduced to west which put an impact over the architecture of these states too. The places of these states got a change of western style furniture and few moved into western dancing and singing trends. The big dining rooms of the paces were introduced with the fireplaces and fountains. To develop a new India and to keep a hold on the long established powers, the princes always remain into good relations with British. Some of them were really were found successful. The good examples are new towns of Jaipur, Beekaner and Mysore which are among the most fortunate in getting rid of this divide.