Latest Bali Updates

Om Swastiastu ...


In the final week counting down to the Idul Fitri Holidays, Bali police are deploying 1,700 officers at special posts to keep Bali safe over the biggest travel period of the year. Promising to pose extra challenges to police are weather predictions of nation-wide strong winds, high seas and rain during this peak travel period.

Also from the police blotter: Angry employees at the M-Bargo Disco in Kuta savagely attacked an Australian customer. Police make arrest following a bust at the Blue Eyes Karaoke in Sanur where 4 nude lady dancers were caught on stage. A training aircraft from the Bali International Flight Academy crashes in East Java without significant injury to the instructor or his two students. And, Bali's police chief General Hadiatmoko promises to get tough on uniformed officers reported to be collecting bribes from tourists on motorbikes.

There's the worrying news that the death toll from rabies and suspected rabies cases in Bali now stands at 93.
A Garuda jet parked in Amsterdam and bound for Indonesia is delayed after being struck by a cargo van.

The national House of Representatives has approved a US$229.3 million budget for the ministry of culture and tourism for 2011. Still on the subject of money, Bali needs US$9.53 million over five years to reclaim and rebuild its forested areas and fees collected for visas-on-arrival total US$23 million for H1 2010.

Find out why Bali is calling for an end to new permits for travel agents in Bali.

Plans to build alternative roadways to overcome traffic congestion in Kuta entered yet another new phase of uncertainty last week as Badung regency officials dug in, refusing to approve the project unless underpasses are used instead of overpasses.

There's an interesting story on how job applicants were recently asked to sing, dance and perform for a new resort in Seminyak. There's exciting plans for 10 new luxury pool villas to open soon at the Laguna Luxury Villas at Nusa Dua. And, a bigger, safer fast ferry to soon begin operating between Bali and Gili Air.

Learned tourism commentator A.A. Gde Agung asks if Bali is Over-exploited while in a separte editorial we question the lack of regulatory enforcement in Bali.

There's a contemporary art exhibition opening at The Ganesha Gallery on October 10th and more details, including pictures, of the "must see" Bali Agung performance now showing four times every week at the Taman Safari & Marine Park in Gianyar.

ERRATA: Last week's edition of Bali by the Numbers miscalculated projected total arrivals for 2010. That article, in its corrected form at [Will Bali Hit 2.5 Million Visitors in 2010?]
To all our Moslem Readers – Maaf Lahir Batin – Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1431 H.


Om Çanti Çanti Çanti Om ...

J.M. Daniels - Bali Update
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