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...
Sitting between Timor and Flores, Lembata is the largest island in the Solor Archipelago. Small villages dot the landscape, and tourism is still very low-key. The island has a rich tradition of weaving using natural dyes. Village life often seems to move to the gentle...
The Marian has a history which dates back 130 years. It was initially built as a family mansion and then became an all-girls boarding house. I loved the black and white theme throughout the hotel and the original timber floors made from thick belian, ironwood of...
I loved my stay at the Ranee – a charming boutique hotel with elegant fittings and furnishings in keeping with the colonial era and its history. The property dates back to the 19th century and reflects Sarawak’s rich colonial past, while also showcasing lovingly...
The crocodile appeared on the stage in the form of a human. The dancer writhed and slithered, accompanied by the deep tones of the didgeridoo. This opening dance at the 2018 Gawai Festival was received with loud cheers from the crowd.The Gawai festival committee had...
Belitung Island emerges gracefully from the Java Sea inviting exploration. It does not disappoint. It is unquestionably a place of extraordinary and untouched beauty. The beaches, with their chalky white sand, are some of the most exquisite in South East Asia. Granite...
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...
Looking down from a rise on the outskirts of the Crow Agency, I stood in awe of the 1,500 teepees stretched out below a wide blue Montana sky. Troupes of dancers gathered in tight circles making last minute adjustments to their ornate feathers, colorful tassels, and...
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,...
When my young daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of ten, I had to learn all about gluten. The test to diagnose the disease was in itself a major undertaking. She was hospitalised and diagnosed via an endoscopic biopsy. A small camera was sent down a...
Every year at the Bau Nyale Festival in Kuta, Lombok, jockeys come together to compete in a horse racing event unique to Indonesia. Jockeys are always light, but these jockeys are different. They are children who start their training when they are four or five years...
When I arrived at the Hotel Tugu in Blitar, a three-hour drive from Malang, I felt like I was taking a journey back in time. The pages of history opened before me as I sat in the late afternoon sun at Waroeng Jawa, an open-air lounge where guests gather around oil...
I had the honour of meeting Rohani, a wise, proud man, on the front porch of his home in Kabalutan Village, in the Togean Islands. He is a Bajau, a man of the sea, and has been a fisherman all his life, or as he likes to say, a hunter. Armed with just a simple wooden...
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,...
When I arrived at the Bulgari Resort Bali, I was immediately greeted by a vista which took my breath away. Located on the southern Uluwatu cliffs, the resort offers dramatic unbroken views of the Indian Ocean. A refreshing crushed basil, mint and honey drink magically...
Rote Island, on the Southern most tip of Indonesia, is a remote outer island with a charm all of its own. It’s a timeless place. The roads are basic, with hardly any cars and very few traffic lights. The beaches seem endless, and have very few people on them. In other...
Ever wonder where your organic food products are grown or made, distributed or sold? Stephanie Brookes looks into the local farming practices and organic trade in Bali. There is a growing trend in Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia to seek locally sourced sustainable...
I have always fancied the notion of “glamping” – camping in a glamorous 5-star tent. From the moment I arrived at Menjangan Dynasty Resort in the far west of Bali, I was not disappointed. A team of enthusiastic safari gear clad “bush dwellers” greeted me, decked...
