08.20 Edition 1 | BALIPLUS August 2020 2 | BALIPLUS August 2020 3 | BALIPLUS August 2020 BIMCGroup - Bali Plus - Dec 2019.indd 1 23/12/2019 02:52:44 AUGUST 2020 16 | COVID19 Pre-Flight Screening at BIMC Hospital Nusa Dua 6 Editorial 36 Kid’s Zone 9 Don’t Miss 42 Shop Hop 14 Hot Deals 45 Bali & Beyond 15 Whats New 47 How To Get Around 17 Best Of Bali 48 Hotels & Villas 19 About Bali 61 Spa & Beauty 20 Culture 68 Food, Food, Food 22 Arts & Artists 85 Party Zone 27 Active Bali 90 Essential Info 4 | BALIPLUS August 2020 5 | BALIPLUS August 2020 from the editor Bali Tourists, Travelers, & Adventure-seekers... Om swastiastu. Welcome to our August issue! August may be the best weather month in Bali. It is often one of the driest months with pleasant temperatures to match. Cooler ocean temperatures make for refreshing dips in the ocean. Beaches are officially opened which is welcome news and August is a great month to be outdoors. For those here in Bali, there continue to be many great deals at ho- tels and properties across the island. Many properties are offering a version of a “pay now/ stay later” packages offering bargains and flexibility for savvy travelers. Head over to our Hot Deals section to check out some ideas for stays and activities on the island including Renaissance Bali Resort and the Kayana Resort in Seminyak. Also check out our Come Back to Bali (CBB) website where we bring you the best current hospi- tality offers. Our goal to help stimulate tourism post pandemic by highlighting where the best deals are here on the Island of the Gods. In our Don’t Miss section, read about Indonesian Independence Day, celebrated on August 17 every year. One of the key concepts in the Balinese Hindu religion is to keep nature in balance. Particu- larly appropriate during these times is the Balinese ceremony called Tumpek Uduh, where respect is paid to all trees and plants. With steady winds at this time of year, kite flying is a popular pastime here in Bali. Read about the Bali Kite Festival and how it represents more than meets the eye. If you’ve had a wonderful time here in Bali, or have tried some- thing exciting and new that you would like us to know about, contact us! We always love to hear from you. Reach us on Fa- cebook (Baliplus Magazine) and Instagram (@baliplus). Tag us or send us messages with your favorite Bali photos and stories and we might just share it on our feed. Meanwhile, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter via our website where you’ll find the latest updates, articles and blogs to help you on your visit. ‘Til next time, Om shanti Om, stay safe and welcome to Bali! The Bali Plus Team Photo By Olga Ozik On Pixabay 6 | BALIPLUS August 2020 7 | BALIPLUS August 2020 8 | BALIPLUS August 2020 Indonesian Independence Day August 17, 2020 August 17th is a national holiday celebrating the foun- dation of Indonesia in 1945 as an independent nation, free from Dutch colonial rule. This day is also referred to locally as Hari Merdeka or Tujuh belas Agustus. Prior to 1945, Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands. As Japan began to expand in World War II, Japanese lead- ers decided to support the independence movement in Indonesia in an attempt to drive the Netherlands out of its sphere of influence. Achmed Sukarno and Muhammad Hatta collaborated with the Japanese military to reclaim Indonesia from the Dutch. On August 17, 1945, Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch and Japanese authorities by announcing the Procla- mation of Indonesian Independence, known in Indonesian as Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia or simply Prokla- masi. In 2005, the Netherlands finally recognized August 17, 1945 as Indonesia’s date of independence. Indonesian Independence Day is celebrated to a lesser extent in Bali compared to the rest of Indonesia, though there is a bet- ter chance of larger celebrations in more populated areas. Red and white flags line the streets and flag raising cer- emonies take place in government offices and in schools. Students gather on fields and sing national anthems, pray for late national heroes and recite the proclamation of Independence. While formal ceremonies take place, in local neighbourhoods, the atmosphere is festive with many activities taking place. Krupuk (shrimp chips) eat- ing contests, races and fun games fill the day. Cooking contests are carried out to see who can make the big- gest krupuk or the most delicious nasi tumpeng. One of the most popular games is the panjat pinang. A greased Areca palm trunk is erected in a public area and various prizes such as bikes and TV’s are hung on top of the tree. Whoever makes it to the top wins the prize. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, it is likely that the Bali govern- ment may limit large gatherings this year. Please check ahead of time if you plan on travelling to specific areas. 9 | BALIPLUS August 2020 Bali Kite Festival August 15-18 In southern Bali, kites fly overhead much of the year. In the dry season, specifically June through August, the winds often blow from east to west in most of Indonesia. Balinese adults and children enjoy flying kites in vacant rice paddies and other open spaces during this period. The Bali Kite Festival is an annual international kite fes- tival held in Padang Galak, a coastal area north of Sanur Beach. Giant traditional kites are flown competitively by teams from the villages of Denpasar as well as teams from abroad. The event began as a seasonal festival intended to thank the Hindu Gods for providing abun- dant crops and harvests. The festival has since grown to become one of the most unique events on Bali’s cal- endar. The festival attracts many tourists and interna- tional kite fliers, along with many local spectators. Teams may consist of 10 or more members, each with its own gamelan (traditional orchestra) ensemble, flag bear- ers and kite flyers. A competition for kreasi baru (new creations) kites is also held, which may include detailed three-dimensional figures representing Hindu Gods or sponsorship kites. Bebean (fish-shaped), janggan (bird- shaped) and pecukan (leaf-shaped) are traditional types of kites flown during this festival. The bebean is the larg- est kite, and looks like a wide-mouthed, split-tailed fish. The janggan kite has a broad flowing cloth tail that can reach more than 100 meters in length. The pecukan kite requires the most skill to fly, as it can be unstable. Tumpek Uduh August 22, 2020 One of the key concepts in the Balinese Hindu religion is to keep nature in balance. Tumpek Uduh is a ceremony performed to pay respect to all trees and plants. Also known as Tumpek Wariga or Tumpek Pengatag, Tum- pek Uduh is devoted to Sang Hyang Sangkara, Lord of all plants. Hindus in Bali commemorate Tumpek Uduh on Saniscara Kliwon (Saturday) every 210 days in the Balinese calendar. This day is an expression of grati- tude for fertility and abundant and healthy crops that produce dense fruit or flowers. Blessing ceremonies are performed by Balinese Hindus at farms and plantations throughout the island. The God Sangkara is honoured for keeping plants and trees alive and fertile as well as protecting them from pests and anything that can harm them. Thus, they will produce abundantly and human life will benefit. To show gratitude, the Balinese offer fruits, flower offerings as well as bubur sumsum (traditional porridge), sprinkled with coconut and liquid brown sug- ar. Tumpek Uduh is also related to protection of the en- vironment, especially preserving trees. This tradition is emphasized particularly in the agricultural areas of Bali. The younger generation are encouraged to produce fruit for themselves as well as for offerings. If they do not plant trees, they will not produce fruit in the gardens. 10 | BALIPLUS August 2020 11 | BALIPLUS August 2020 12 | BALIPLUS August 2020 13 | BALIPLUS August 2020 HotDeals DAY-CATION AT MASÉ KITCHEN & WINE BAR Indulge in some relaxing pool time at Masé Kitchen & Wine Bar at Maca Villas & Spa. Spend some relaxing time by the pool while enjoying sips of cocktails or floating meals for your Instagram pics. Masé Kitchen & Wine Bar is also available for delivery if you feel too lazy to walk down the road. Enjoy your Day-cation at Masé starting at just IDR 40K net/ person. This includes unlimited access to our swimming pool, your choice of a meal at Masé Kitchen & Wine Bar, free Wifi and complimentary pool towels. Jalan Lebak Sari No 7, Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali | P: +62 361 739-090 E: [email protected] | W: www.macavillas.com EAT, SIP & SLIDE AT THE King’s Feast BALI DYNASTY RESORT! AT THE INDIAN QUEEN! Enjoy a special “Day Pass” at the The Indian Queen is back! Estab- #1 Best Family Resort in Indonesia, lished in 1986, Queen’s Tandoor Bali Dynasty Resort! Restaurant is Bali and Indonesia’s longest serving Indian Restau- Dine at any of Bali Dynasty Resort’s rant. Come and enjoy the King’s restaurants with a minimum spend Feast - our incredible value of- of just IDR 125k/ person and enjoy fering that allows you to try sev- all the resort pools, water slides and eral of our most popular dishes Kids Water Fun Zone! over 3 courses.⁠ Available for a minimum of 2 guests for dine- This promo is valid until August 31, in only.