Each years Bali' leading life style magazine covering tourism, fashion, sports, interior design, real estate, health and spirituality, food and wine, art and photography runs a poll on their website [www.theyakmag.com] asking their readers and the general public' help to recognize establishments and individuals of note.

This year' winners and nominees were announced at a champagne reception held on the beach at Ku Dé Ta restaurant on Saturday, July 12, 2008. Live music and dance performances formed a part of the evening together with Moet Champagne, Belvedere Vodka, New Zealand wines by Gravitas and cocktails by Bar Solutions. Delicious canapés were supplied from six of Bali' best culinary venues including The Bvlgari, Bali Catering Company, Marinelli Shellfish Company, Ku Dé Ta, Sarong, The Samaya, Wah Burgers and The Bale. Also evening was also enlivened by an appearance by world musician Anello Capuano and Bali's internationally acclaimed contemporary dancer I Nyoman Sura.



The List of Winners

This year's 19 winners were:

● Best Advertising Campaign - Biasa

● Best Retail Space - Jenggala Ceramics, Jimbaran

● Best Fashion Designer - Lulu, from Lulu Boutiques

● Best Resort - The Bvlgalri

● Best Villa - Aqua Villa

● Best Chef - Nicolas Doudou at Kafé Warisan

● Best Bar - Ku Dé Ta

● Man of the Year - Bruno Vaillant of E-Wines Asia

● Woman of the Year - Jocelyn Cunningham of Ku Dé Ta

● Best Newcomer - Anantara Resort

● Best Ubud Hotel - Four Seasons Resort at Sayan

● Best Ubud Restaurant - Mozaic

● Ubudian of the Year - Komang Wahyu Sutedja Neka (resort and gallery owner) and Victor Mason (author and Ubud icon)

● Best Event - Ubud Readers & Writers Festival

● Best Community Service Award - John Fawcett Eye Clinic

● Outstanding Achievement Award - John "Jack" Daniels of Bali Discovery Tours (www.balidiscovery.com) and Bali Update

● Best Spa - Maya Ubud

● DJ of the Year - Kevin K

● Best Sunset Venue - Breeze at The Samaya

Printed on a quarterly basis, The Yak and The Bud are distributed in Bali, Asia, Europe and the U.S.A..

A large explosion in Kuta on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, fueled incorrect initial reports on several national news channels that Bali had, once again, fell victim to another terrorist attack.

Police have ruled out any terrorist or criminal connections to the incident. The explosion was traced by police forensic experts to a faulty LPG cylinder and a short circuit in the wiring at a travel kiosk located on Jalan Setiabudi, near the Simpang Siur turnabout.

As reported in DenPost, some members of the local Bali community have strongly disparaged the rush to judgment by several national TV stations who were overly quick to air news of the "terrorist attack" featured as breaking news on their broadcasts. Also voiced as a criticism by some Bali residents was the apparent lack of equal vigor from the same television stations in airing clarification of their earlier dramatic announcements.

Several employees at the travel shop who sustained minor injuries in the blast were treated as outpatients at local medical facilities.

Radar Bali predicts that Bali's governor elect, Made Mangku Pastika, will inherit the thorny problem of how to deal with the highly controversial problems of villas constructed within the 5 km "no-build" zone surrounding the sacred Pura Uluwatu and villas violating set back rules from Bali's coastline.

Pastika’s inauguration as Bali's Chief executive will take place on August 1, 2008.

The Coordinator of the Alliance of Concern for Bali's Homeland (APPB), Mandiranatha, said they hope that Bali’s current governor Dewa Beratha would address this problem before he leaves office, "We still have a great hope the Dewa Beratha will issue a firm policy to deal with the encroachments on the sacred area of Uluwatu."

Mandiranatha admits, however, that it is increasingly unlikely that Beratha will deal with the problem in his time remaining as Bali's governor. Mandiranatha, who is also a member of the local House of Representatives, said "we hope that Mangku Pastika will have the courage to make a firm and correct ruling, especially as it relates to sacred areas." Adding: "I still remember hearing Pak Mangku saying (during his campaign) that he will apply the rules in place. Hopefully, local regulations that have been trampled over by the Badung administration will now become regulations applied without favor or prejudice."

Mandiranatha said he was confident that Mangku Pastika has a moral commitment to protect Bali's culture and the Hindu faith. He feels that the new governor will protect palaces and sacred areas with rules that favor the island of Bali. Adding: "If the current situation is allowed to continue, don’t say that Bali is still safe. If the sacredness of our temples is up for sale, I am sure that Pak Mangku Pastika understands the implications of this problem."

In the meantime, the People's Democratic Party for Struggle (PDIP) faction in the Bandung House of Representatives are again turning their attention to the problems of illegal building in Uluwatu. The Chairman of the PDIP faction, Nyoman Giriprasta said that one of the pieces of "homework" remaining for the legislature is to finally resolve the issue of the sacred radius surrounding Pura Uluwatu.

Explained Giriprasta, "In accordance with our plan. We will soon schedule the summoning of villa owners." Among the first owners to be called will be the owner of Villa Suluban, generally considered to have flagrantly violated setback rules by constructing too close to the ocean's edge and failing to meet local licensing and permit requirements for commercial accommodation.

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[A Bali Demolition Derby – Part IV ]

[A Bali Demolition Derby – Part III ]

[A Bali Demolition Derby – Part II ]

[A Bali Demolition Derby]

[Crackdown on Construction Near Uluwatu]

[Editorial: Cry, the Beloved Country]

Local press reports estimate 300,000 local residents and tourists will flock to Ubud over the coming days leading up to the grand cremation of 3 members of the Puri Ubud royal household on Tuesday, July 15, 2008. In all, more than 68 traditional villages will play a formal role in the multi-day celebration.

The Puri Ubud ceremony will bid farewell to Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa the head of the royal household and leader of Ubud's traditional community since 1976; Tjokorda Gede Raka a retired Denpasar police officer; and Gung Niang Raka. Tjokorda Agung Suyasa was born on July 14, 1941, the third child of Tjokorda Gde Ngurah and Tjokorda Istri Muter. The oldest son of 10 children from Ubud’s last Raja, Suyasa died on March 28, 2008. Tjokorda Gde Raka died one week prior to Suyasa, while Desak Raka died on December 23, 2007. The current ceremony is the "final" and grand cremation for the three deceased.

A spokesperson for the Puri Ubud. Tjokorda Raka Kerthyasa, told the press that the current ceremony is biggest event of its kind since 1979. Royal households in Bali represent the focus of Bali's religous and cultural life, the Ubud cremation will involve the active participation of more than 68 villages. In addition to the three members of the royal household, 68 corpses from four Banjars will also be added to the funeral pyre.

Explaining the role of cremations in Bali, Kerthyasa told the press: "A cremation is not program of mourning but an organized program of entertainment for the souls of the dead to ensure they are not distracted by the tears of those left behind. On another level, a cremation is a shared enterprise of in which the deceased's family and the local community each play a role in order to share the burden and expense of the event.

The highlight of the event will take place on Tuesday, July 15th when all the human remains will be gathered on a purpose-built bade or portable platform standing 28.5 meters high and borne on the shoulders of the men of Ubud over a distance of 2 kilometers. The funereal procession will travel from the Puri Ubud complex to the Pura Dalem Puri Peliatan.

After a prolonged debate spanning several months, the regional government of Bangli has formally withdrawn the appointment of the Bintang Danu Foundation (YBD) as the official manager of the Kintamani tourism area.

As reported in the Bali Post, the Vice-Regent of Bangli, I Made Gianyar said the decision to revoke the appointment of YBD to oversee tourism activities at Kintamani came after it was legally determined that Indonesian law does not allow foundations to engage in business activities.

During the transition period the day-to-day management of the Kintamani tourism area is in the hands of the regional tourism office for Bangli pending the appointment of a formal tourism authority for Kintamani. Gianyar pledged that his office would maintain communications with the unseated YBD to ensure the aspirations of the local population are always considered in every development at Kintamani.

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[Dear Tourists: Please Sneak a Peek at our Peak!]

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Tempo Interaktif reports that the National Power Board (PLN) has admitted it is overwhelmed by the rapid increase in electrical power demand nation-wide and, in response, has established a special energy conservation team to audit the consumption of electricity in Jakarta's commercial buildings.

The President Director of PLN, Fahmi Mochtar, said the growth in consumer electrical demand is high at 6.8 %.

Fahmi said that conservation steps must be introduced to ensure subsidies for fuel supplies needed to generate electricity do not increase. He also warned that power supplies for the Java-Bali power grid were at a critical level for the month of July due to low power reserves and interrupted supplies of coal supplies.

According to Tempo Interaktif the rising cost of diesel oil has caused many factories to shut down their on-site generators and tap into more affordable PLN power supplies.

The 6.8% growth in electrical demand, a sudden increase in power requirements from the industrial sector no longer prepared to generate their own power, and a shut down at the major steam-generating power plant at Cilacap have combined to result in a 700 MW power deficit in the Java-Bali power grid. The Cilacap plant has reportedly ceased operations due unpaid bills for essential coal supplies.

In an effort to minimize the number of rotating black-outs now being introduced in Jakarta PLN has issued a request to industrial customers to change their hours of production to reduce peak hour demand. Among the steps being undertaken by PLN are requests for manufacturers to shift their production schedules to weekends when power demands are less.

Brazil's Global TV will shoot episodes of the primetime telenovela Três Irmàs on location in Bali.

The Portuguese language romantic comedy television series chose Bali's Uluwatu peninsula to act as a fictitious beach resort of Caramirin together with the island's capital of Denpasar.

The Bali story line will center around surfing, necessitating the casting of Brazilian surfing talent together with Brazilian heartthrobs Dudu Azevedo, Pablo Vilhena, Landmarks Palm, Marcello Novaes, Kayky Brito, and Rodrigo Hilbert.

The programs directors Deniis Carvalho and José Luis Villamarim spent four days scouting the location for the Indonesian segments. Vilamarin said: : "Indonesia is a fascinating country. When we arrived in Ulumwatu, one of the loveliest places in Bali for surfing, I was impressed by the scenery. The light is wonderful."

The Brazilian telenovela will premier in Brazil in September 2008.

During a visit to Bali to address an international crime and money-laundering conference, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Cameron Hume, said on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, that Indonesia is "safe" but that the recent arrest of 10 terror suspects in South Sumatra demonstrates that a genuine threat of terror remains.

In May of 2008, the U.S. government lifted travel warning unfavorable to Indonesia that had been in place since 2000. [See: U.S. Lifts Travel Warning on Indonesia]

Ambassador Hume's comments were reported by the National News Agency Antara..

Hume told the press: "We believe the threat of terrorism in Indonesia has in the past few years been reduced and the country is now safe . . . But the arrest of several terror suspects in Palembang, South Sumatra, recently proves the threat of terrorism still exists in Indonesia."

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It is painfully apparent that something is seriously wrong with the way Bali's administrators issue licenses and permits for new hotel and villa projects. Beyond the poor enforcement of existing rules and regulations on green belts, setbacks from rivers and waterfronts, and open-space ratios; the pay-as-you-go laissez-faire approach to granting permits for new projects is putting the Island's infrastructure under serious strain.

Time to Freeze New Permits for Hotels and Villas

Current regulations require all new villas and hotel projects to submit an amdal or environmental impact statement prior to the issuance of operating licenses and permits. Well intentioned in its initial conceptualization, the amdal are intended to require project developers to demonstrate no damage will result to the local environment from their proposed development.

On the assumption that each amdal is faithfully executed, recent developments have rendered this procedural step in its current form wholly inadequate to challenging task of protecting the environment of Bali and the island's future sustainability as a world-class tourism destination.

Bali's carrying capacity has reached its limits. The island's airport, without viable options for expansion, is operating near its upward limits. A local cultural antipathy to underpasses and elevated highways means traffic jams, heretofore unknown in Bali, are becoming increasingly commonplace and unlikely to improve in the forseeable future. Bali's agricultural lands and the foundation of its unique culture are disappearing at an estimated rate of 2% each year replaced by strip malls and ostentatious villas. Over development and overbuilding also mean that Bali's forests are no longer able to capture sufficient moisture to replenish the island's water reserves. Golf courses, swimming pools and manicured lawns have exacerbated the island's already severe water deficit, made worse by the encroachment of salt water into underground reservoirs once filled with sparkling fresh water.

Now, adding to this long list of troubling signs that something is seriously amiss in Paradise is the problem of the world-wide energy crisis and reports that Java and Bali will continue to face a severe electrical power shortage until 2010 or 2012.

Something’s Got to Give

Bali's newly elected Governor Made Pastika has many challenges before him, not the least of which is to take urgent steps to preserve the Island's international reputation by preserving and protecting its existing tourism infrastructure. What possible purpose can be served in allowing new villas and hotels to be built in Bali when it seems highly uncertain that sufficient power is available to even power existing tourism businesses over the coming 5 years? Will holidays spent in candlelit, non-air-conditioned rooms with guests taking baths in rationed quantities of cold water help sustain Bali's tourism industry or its reputation?

Our plea is neither "pro" or "anti" development in Bali. We're not talking rocket science here; but, rather, the simple application of common sense. The island's reputation will surely plummet if, in an over-eager search for "new investments," we cripple the ability of existing ventures to deliver a satisfying experience to Bali's visitors.

Because of this, we believe Bali's administration has a moral obligation to protect the financial and business interests of its current investor base and its tourist visitors by "closing the tap" on new investments until such a time that the Island's infrastructure has the demonstrable carrying capacity to sustain the burden of more villas and hotels.

The warning signs are undeniable. Bali's is at an impasse in its struggle to sustain its current rate of development; a failure to acknowledge this fact puts the future reputation of Bali at fundamental risk.

While national tourism officials may point to pride at growing tourism numbers for Indonesia, the discomforting fact remains that against the objective measure of "market share" of all foreign tourism arrivals among the 10 countries comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Indonesia's tourism marketing results are truly nothing to crow about.

● From 2002 to 2007 ASEAN arrivals as a whole increased +41.9%, while Indonesian arrivals improved by a much more modest +9.5%.

● Indonesia's market share of all ASEAN arrivals decreased by 22.8% from 2002 (11.44% market share) to 2007(8.83% market share).

● Among the 5 ASEAN countries who lost market share between 2002 and 2007, Indonesia’s loss was only exceeded by Brunei's share which dropped - 85.6%.

Shown on balidiscovery.com are foreign tourist arrivals and market share of those arrivals for the ten member countries of ASEAN from 2002 to 2007.

Tourist Arrivals Statistic

click image to enlarge