The long trek to the village of Jungutan, East Bali, the site of the Karangasem World Cultural Village Festival was well worth it. I met Miliwanga Wurrben, an Australian aboriginal elder and healer, in a most unlikely place. We came across each other in the remote...
I spotted a small unassuming wooden sign and on the spur of the moment decided to take the tiny dirt track to Jasri Bay Hidden Hideaway. The sign was on the main road, just past the busy little seaside town of Candi Dasa. The track passed a river, wound through a...
—There’s more to Bali than beach clubs and Bintang. Stephanie Brookes gets an intimate glimpse into the elaborate preparations for Galungan, a festival that reminds you of the spiritual charms of the island— Galungan is a wonderful time for the Balinese, Ibu Wayan, an...
There is nothing quite like golfing in Bali. What can be more invigorating than hitting a golf ball over terraced rice paddies, or more satisfying than draining a putt while a soft ocean breeze washes over you? Bali’s southernmost tip, known as the bukit, sits high...
It can take a lot of searching to find a perfect spa in Ubud as there are so many choices. You can seek out the five-star, high-end establishments, set in hanging gardens and on cliff tops, but they often come at a price that is over the top. On the other hand, you...
The Island of Bali is developing fast, in part due to its popularity as a tourist destination. Despite this, there are some villages still occupied by the indigenous people of Bali, where little has changed over the centuries. The rituals of these Bali Aga villages,...
Nusa Penida is a beautiful, rugged island, just a short 30 minutes by boat from Sanur in Bali. Angel Billabong, a natural wonder, is one of the island’s main highlights. It is not easy to find, which makes the discovery even more delightful. An emerald green pool,...
Have you ever wondered why sometimes when you are in Bali you see rows of beautiful bamboo poles lining the streets? Why can they be seen at some times and not at others? Well, the streets get decorated every 210 days for a celebration known as Galungan. Galungan is a...
The Indigenous Celebration was staged at the Arma Museum in Ubud, Bali, on May 11-13, 2018 and brought together a sense of connection between the Indigenous people of Indonesia and seven invited countries from the Pacific and the tribal lands of Odisha and Nagaland,...
Writer Stephanie Brookes shares a heartwarming tale from Bali about a couple of university grads from the Netherlands who are helping special needs children find their voice through photography and art. “I watched a documentary called Born Into Brothels a year ago,...