Important Visa, Currency and
Travel information
and a little bit about Bali culture....
Passports:
MUST have AT LEAST 6 months
remaining validity upon entry to Indonesia.
Visa
on Arrival:
Not all nationalities are
eligible for Visa on Arrival.
Visa on Arrival (
length of stay max. 30 days) will be issued to citizens of:
Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Laos, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Peoples Republic of China,
Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, United States.
Please note the above list is subject to change.
No photos are required
at the airport.
30 day visa cost is US$ 25.
7 day visa cost is : US$ 10.
The Visa on arrival is non extendable. Your day of arrival is
counted as your first day!
A Visa free facility
with a max.30-day entry stamp will be issued upon arrival to
citizens of:
Brunei,
Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Morocco, Chile, Peru.
60-day
tourist visas may be
issued at some Indonesian Embassies.
Citizens of countries not stated above should check to see if application
for visa in advance is required at an Indonesian Embassy/Consulate.
Currency:
Indonesian Rupiah rate of
exchange is approx Rp 9000 to 1 US Dollar.
Money Changers
and ATM’s can be easily found in tourist centres.
ATM machines will give you cash in Rupiah only.
US Dollar Notes:
Currently
Indonesia Money Changers are no longer accepting US Dollar notes issued
prior to 2000, nor any US Dollar bills beginning with Number Series: CB
Any foreign currency notes that are soiled or torn are not accepted, so
best be prepared.
Airport departure tax:
Rp 150,000 for international flights per person, so keep
this amount in Rupiah.
Rp 30.000 for domestic flights departing Denpasar.
Climate
Located approx 5 degrees
south of the equator, Bali enjoys a tropical climate without the pressures
of strong typhoons or cyclones further north or south.
Travel to Bali at any time is nice. Weather patterns are becoming more
unpredictable these years, but the rainier season is usually between
December and February. Often rains are refreshing showers not lasting all
day and can occur any time of year. The drier time is between
June-September.
A
little introduction to Bali…
Just one of
18,000 islands in the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia. ( give or
take 1000 depending on the tides!) Less than 4,000 islands are actually
inhabited.
Culture
Indonesia
comprises of over 300 different ethnic groups and the foundation of its
various cultures lie in animist beliefs that everything has a soul and
spirit. Beginning in the first centuries AD, Indian traders brought with
them influences of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Gradually Hindu gods became manifested into the Balinese spirit belief and
in the elements of nature.
The religion of Bali was known as Agama Tirta, or the religion of
water. Agama Siwa Buda is the blending of Shivaism and Buddhism
along with its conceptions of the cosmos or universe.
In the 14th century, the Javanese Majapahit Empire
took control of Bali
reinforcing the concept of Bali Hinduism as it is practiced today.
Embracing the Hindu triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, the Balinese honor
the cycle of life daily in ceremonial offerings to the gods, ancestors and
spirits. The Balinese recognize and believe in the co-existence of forces
both good and evil and strive to maintain a balance in their world. You
will often see statues of protective deities draped in the black and white
(yin-yang) checkered cloth called poleng. The traditional village
communities known as banjar celebrate their ongoing ceremonies,
festivals and rite of passage rituals according to the Bali 210-day
Pawukon calendar. With thousands of temples on the island, a visitor
is bound to come across some anniversary celebration of a temple called an
Odalan.
Full and dark moon days are often auspicious times for rituals.
The most important festival to the Balinese is Galungan, a
10-day celebration when the gods and ancestors descend to visit family
temples. Bamboo poles called penjor are put up in front of each
Balinese home beautifully lining the roads.
The
Balinese New Year Day of Nyepi
usually falls on the dark or new moon of March and is a day of silence and
renewal. The evening prior it’s great fun to watch the procession of
Ogoh
Ogohs- colorful evil
effigies in all shapes and sizes. The village streets are all festive with
offerings and prayers at the temples. A few days prior to Nyepi, sacred
temple images are brought to the sea for purification. The actual day of
Nyepi becomes silent when no traffic is allowed at all, no one is allowed
on the roads. Airport and ports are closed. No one works and no fires are
lit. It’s a wonderful day to
simply be quiet, reflect and renew.
We wish the whole world could join in such an event once a year.
Nyepi in 2009 will be on 26 March.
Dress when visiting
Balinese temples
Please remember
to respect local customs. When entering any temple, traditional dress of
sarong and sash (selendang) is required for both men and women.
Ubud's Monkey Forest website
has lots more information on Bali culture and rituals with links to the Bali
ceremonial calendar:
www.monkeyforestubud.com
The
Arts
Balinese
traditional painting, dance and wayang shadow plays depict stories,
morals and myths of battles between good and evil such as in the Hindu
epic Ramayana which tells the story of the good King Rama rescuing
his wife Sita from the evil King Rahwana with the help of the white monkey
Hanoman and his army.
Beautiful batiks come from Java and traditional weaving arts are very rich
throughout Indonesia.
Ikat is an Indonesian word meaning to tie.
The ikat tie and dye technique is used in the textiles of Bali and
throughout the eastern islands of Indonesia. Textiles are very much a part
of rituals and offerings. In the Bali Aga (aboriginal Bali) village of
Tenganan, double ikat cloth called geringsing are still being
woven.
Bali is also known for its exquisite craftwork with silver and in wood and
stone carving.
These traditional arts have also given way to a thriving contemporary art
scene.
Ubud is bustling with new galleries and shops. Music and dance groups
perform each evening.
Daily Bali life is an art form in itself which visitors cannot help but
notice in the beauty of daily offerings prepared.
With its strong culture and traditions, we have always felt Bali to be a
model for life devoted to peace and tolerance. Over the years, millions of
visitors have come to Bali,
many returning again and again, including our own repeat guests who enjoy
our oasis of tranquility.
Travel remains an important means of uniting people together, contributing
to cultural exchange, understanding and friendships.
More than ever we
hope for all peace loving friends in the world to remain united together.
We look forward to seeing you here in Bali!
