Such a memorable & wonderful trip ever !

“Such a memorable & wonderful trip ever !” 5 of 5 starsReviewed October 20, 2014 we had been there for 5 days 4 nights. Gede was our trip driver + tour guide + private photographer. He is a super nice man & he always give us useful information & advisor as well. His car is very clean and comfortable. we had really awesome experiences & best services in Bali ! Appreciated that gave us so much unforgettable memories & 100 % will find you again once we visit to Bali again !! Thanks Gede ^.^ Visited October 2014

Trip to Bali

A trip to Bali is not really complete without visiting at least one temple. The island has over 20,000 pura (temples in Balinese) and even though it’s impossible to visit them all, a few of them are really worth the time and effort. Plus, many of them are close to each other, so you can visit several in one day. I visited these five temples over two days and managed to see rice terraces, a butterfly farm and other Bali sights, too. How to dress : Remember to bring a sarong if you visit a temple. Most temple guards will ask that you cover up your shoulders and ankles, but if you’re wearing pants and a tee, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you don’t have a sarong, you can borrow one for free at most temples. At Besakih, it’s included in your entrance fee so don’t let anyone there convince you otherwise. Unfortunately, the place is crammed with people trying to rip you off! Prices : Visiting a Balinese temple is cheap (cost is between $1-3), but there are different prices for foreigners and locals. You can find the prices below. How to get there : There are three main ways to see the temples. You either sign up for a group tour, you rent a driver (what I did) or you rent a scooter. The latter is definitely the cheapest, but sitting on a scooter all day is probably not the most comfortable way to enjoy Bali’s temples. Remember, if you bring a few friends, you can split the costs which makes it a lot cheaper.

Monkey forest

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a Balinese Hindu site at the bottom of Monkey Forest Road and populated by cheeky long-tailed macaques. It's a popular site with visitors to Ubud who come to see the monkeys and the temples within the sanctuary. There are hundreds of monkeys living in and around the monkey forest. You can purchase food for them at the entrance gate but be warned that the monkeys are aggresive opportunists - particularly in their pursuit of food. They will think nothing of climbing on you or raking through your bag in search of something edible. There are 3 temples within the forest, Pura Dalem (death temple), the Holy Bathing Temple and Pura Prajapati (funerary or cremation temple). All 3 of these temples are sacred, as is the forest and the monkeys, who are believed to protect the area from evil spirits.

Great Tour Guide

“Great tour guide ” 5 of 5 starsReviewed August 18, 2014 NEW Gede is not just a driver, but a great tour guide. My experience with him was wonderful and very informational. He not only takes you on day trips throughout Bali, but teaches you about the history of the Balinese people. Gede is very trustworthy, dependable, humble, and very pleasant to be around. He speaks English very well and will recommend different places for you to visit. The itinerary depends on the places you want to visit and he will ensure you get adequate time to do everything on the trip. I had Gede for a two day trip, which was extraordinary! If you are looking for someone to show you Bali on your own terms, look no further because Gede is your tour guide!

Gede enriched our Balinese experience

“Gede enriched our Balinese experience” 5 of 5 starsReviewed August 19, 2014 NEW We recently spent two weeks in Bali and again used Gede Suyasa as our driver and guide. Before the trip, Gede helped us develop our itinerary and choose hotels/resorts to stay. Gede is absolutely prompt, dependable, honest, patient and helpful. He offers good advice, but also listens to what we want to do, what interests us, and then helped us achieve those things. For example, we like real Indonesian food rather than the watered down variety you get in most tourist places, so Gede took us to, or recommended warungs or restaurants we could find what we wanted. We stayed in three different places, and our trips between were fascinating tours through towns, sites of interest, and countryside, where possible on back roads that could avoid traffic. Where we couldn't avoid traffic, we still had an insight into Balinese life and could talk about all kinds of issues. Our one-day tours were enjoyable. We really like Gede and always recommend him to our friends.

Creamation

Within Hinduism, cremation (utilizing fire to reduce a dead body to ashes) is a process that is believed to set an individual's soul free from the body and allow that soul to take part in the reincarnation process. Historically, Balinese Hindu cremation ceremonies have been conducted in such as way as to provide a deceased individual with an elaborate tribute and send off. Many Balinese families have traditionally not been able to afford to cremate the body of a deceased relative immediately after that person's death (today, it is not uncommon for a Balinese Hindu cremation ceremony to cost a family the equivalent of a years income). Therefore, many Balinese families opt to bury the body of their relative (in a cemetery like the one found within the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal), work for several years in order to save up enough money for a cremation ceremony, and have the body of their relative exhumed just prior to his or her cremation. Historically, most Balinese Hindu cemetery and cremation sites were located in remote areas (areas that were not within or immediately next to a village). An exception to this rule is cemetery sites utilized by upper caste Balinese (which have traditionally been located within family compounds). Today, although bodies are still buried within the Sacred Monkey Forest's cemetery, bodies are not cremated within the Sacred Monkey Forest. Instead, bodies are exhumed and prepared for cremation. Cremation preparation has traditionally involved the washing and wrapping a body in cloth (after being buried, most bodies have decomposed to the point that only bones remain). After a body is prepared for cremation, it is brought to another location where it is placed upon a cremation pyre. On the day of the cremation ceremony, village members carry the cremation pyre (and other pyres containing belongings of the deceased person) to the cremation site. However, cremation processions do not go directly to the cremation site and the cremation pyre, as the procession moves along , is turned around in circles. This is to insure that once a soul is released from a person's body, that soul will not be able to find its way back to the village. After a body is cremated, ashes and any remaining bones (after being washed) are placed in urns and distributed to family members. Some of the ashes and bones, as an aspect of Ancestor Worship, are placed in family temples (which are located in family compounds). Remaining ashes and bones are both caste into the sea and placed at several major Balinese Hindu temple sites.

Relieable Driver

“If you are looking for a reliable, honest and safe driver to drive you around Bali, Gede is the man!” 5 of 5 starsReviewed July 29, 2014 NEW As any prudent 1st time tourist will do, I scanned the Trip Advisor looking for reliable and proven driver/guide to drive my family around Bali during our week long vacation in June 14. The myraid of choices were indeed mind boggling! After reading through pages after pages of reviews, I finally selected Mr Gede as my driver/guide. And I think that was one of the best decision I made for the trip! The price charged by Mr Gede might not be the cheapest nor the most expensive, they were reasonable and worth every cent! I booked 3 full days tour (up to 10 hours per day) with Mr Gede and he kindly threw in a free airport to hotel transfer. How nice! On arrival at the Bali airport, Mr Gede stood among hundreds of other drivers who held up name cards at the arrival meeters hall, and the experience was quite overwhelming as we need to look for our name on a tiny A4 size paper! It could be Mr Gede's experience, he quickly identified my family and ushered us to his brand new Suzuki APV. During the short 5 mins drive from the airport to my hotel at Kuta, I felt more assured of my choice as through our conversation, I could tell that Mr Gede is really a typical down to earth and friendly Balinese family man! During the 3 days tour, Mr Gede was always punctual, friendly, and along with his keen sense of direction (as if he had swallowed a mobile GPS), he traversed the narrow roads in Bali like a pro! When asked how can he drive in such a chaotic environment, he told us in a very 'Zen' like manner 'to drive in Bali, you must flow with the traffic like water flowing in a river' Wow! During one of the days, my daughter ran a high fever and we have no choice but to call Mr Gede to cancel our day tour. As we were only an hour from the pick up time, he could have charged me for the day's fare or maybe half instead he did none of that and expressed his concern for my daughter. My wife and I were really touched by Mr Gede's kindness! In short, Mr Gede showed us the true meaning of Balinese style hospitality and I have no qualms recommending him to any 1st time tourists or returning tourists to Bali and did I also said that he is also very good with young children!

“Awesome Service, highly reccomended”

“Awesome Service, highly reccomended” 5 of 5 starsReviewed June 26, 2014 NEW Thanks heaps again for the two days spent with you, your help and understanding was highly appreciated. Gede driving skills were also a plus, a smooth and comfortable ride, bali roads are crazy so it made our experience a lot better than previous tours we had been on. Gedes knowledge and honesty of Bali was both helpful and informative. We have recommended you to our friends and hope you hear from them next month. Also we were able to get the buffalo head into Australia through customs with out any problems so we were over the moon. We have since found them on eBay selling for approx $600 au so over the moon on our purchase. Visited June 2014

Tanah Lot The Most Favorite Tourist Destination

Tanah Lot The Most Favorite Tourist DestinationTanah Lot located in Beraban village, Tabanan regency, 18 kilometer to the west from Denpasar, is the most favorite location in Bali both for the domestic and foreign tourists. The tourists love to see the two temples built on the big rock and the other one on the cliff. Tanah Lot Temple is a part of Sad Kahyangan Temple, one of big temples on the island. Tanah Lot location managed professionally so that tourist would love to visit the place as the road is good, the parking lot is wide and its environment arranged beautifully. Out of many tourism objects in Bali, Tanah Lot gets high demand from both domestic and foreign tourists and it is the most crowded place visited by tourists. Tourism Department of Bali Province recorded that the number of tourists both from Indonesia and overseas visited Tanah Lot in the last five years is still the highest. The number of tourists coming to Tanah Lot in 2012 was 2.577. 299 people consist of 1,649,655 domestic tourists and 927.644 foreigners and in 2013 was 2.842.281 people consist of 1.805.193 domestic tourists and 1.037.088 foreigners, it increased at 10.28 percent. It is reasonable that Tanah Lot gets the most visited tourist attraction, said Made Sudiana, a local guide, besides its location is near from the tourism center in Kuta and Nusa Dua, in here the tourists could enjoy the beach view and temple, which none in the world could compete. Moreover, this tourist attraction offers arts performance in the form of ‘kecak’ for tourists with the background of ocean and temple view. (BTN/015)

Tumpek Landep A moment for Purification of Ancestral Heritages

Tumpek LandepTumpek Landep is celebrated every Saniscara (Saturday) Kliwon Wuku Landep. The phrase Tumpek Landep is derived from the word tumpek meaning close and landep meaning sharp. So, in the philosophical context, Tumpek Landep poses a milestone of sharpening the citta, buddhi and manas (mind). Therefore, people always behave according to clarity of mind with the foundation of religious values. With a pure mind, devotees will be able to pick and choose what is good and bad. Tumpek Landep poses veneration to Lord Shiva Pasupati as the god of taksu or divine inspiration. So, after celebrating the Sarasvati Day as the coming down of science, people invoke in order the science will be auspicious or gives sharpness of mind and heart. On the Tumpek Landep is also performed a cleansing and purification ritual to different ancestral heritages such as keris dagger, spears and so forth. Layman often considers it the anniversary of iron or metal. However, over the period, the meaning of Tumpek Landep increasingly deviates from the true meaning. Now, the community even tends to interpret the Tumpek Landep as a ceremony for motorcycles, cars and equipment made from the iron works. Indeed, this is very much distorted. It is okay to perform a ritual on Tumpek Landep to motorcycles, cars and working equipment, but do not forget the core of implementation of Tumpek Landep itself so that people always remember to sharpen their mind (manas), buddhi and citta. By doing so, people are expected to fight against ignorance, darkness and misery. Ritual of Tumpek Landep actually reminds people of always sharpening the mind so as to suppress the evil behavior within the self. In terms of the meaning of feast day, the ritual to motorcycles, cars or working equipment is more appropriately carried out on Tumpek Kuningan, namely as a thanksgiving for the facility gift of Supreme God. Hopefully, the facilities can help the activities and function well and safely. Tumpek Landep poses a milestone for introspection to improve the character pursuant to religious teachings. On Tumpek Landep, devotees should do worship in family shrine as well as in temple to invoke the blessing of Lord Shiva Pasupati to be given the sharpness of mind so that we can become a useful person to society. It is also resumed with the cleaning and purification of the ancestral heritages. For the artists, Tumpek Landep is celebrated as a worship to invoke divine inspiration so the art becomes more developed, gains an appreciation from the community and ability to convey a moral and intellectual messages to educate people. Again, it is affirmed that Tumpek Landep is not ritual for motorcycles, cars, furniture or iron, but it is more about the awareness of always sharpening the mind for the welfare of mankind. It’s okay to give ritual to motorcycles, cars and so forth as a form of gratitude, but it is only the additional value. Do not let the celebration focuses on the added values, but forget the basic core of the celebration. (BTN/ist/015)

Top tips to avoid methanol poisoning.

It can ruin holidays, and end lives - but being armed with a few simple tips can help travellers minimise the risk of methanol poisoning. Beware: If the cocktails seem ridiculously cheap, you’re probably better to steer clear. Beware: If the cocktails seem ridiculously cheap, you’re probably better to steer clear. Source: ThinkStock Top tips to avoid methanol poisoning But the risk of methanol poisoning isn’t confined to Bali, a travel expert has warned. It’s also common in other parts of the world, including Eastern Europe, travel safety specialist Phil Sylvester from Travel Insurance Direct says. But in Bali, arak - or Balinese moonshine - is the most well known source of methanol poisoning. Just a small amount of methanol could send you blind, and a decent shot could kill you, Mr Sylvester says. In 2009, 25 people were killed by one single batch. The symptoms of methanol poisoning can start immediately, with headaches, dizziness, amnesia and drowsiness. The next symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, blurred vision, hallucinations, seeing skin over your eyes, snowstorms, dancing spots and flashes of light. When it comes to avoiding the risk the obvious answer is to steer clear of drinking altogether, but Mr Sylvester admits that’s not practical advice. “We recognise that people are on holidays and are going to have a few drinks. We’re not wowsers about that,” he said. He recommends avoiding drinks labelled as arak, but being aware of other drinks that may be laced with the cheaper spirit. “A bar owner concerned only about profit will lace the drinks with the cheaper stuff,” he says. “It’s hard to say don’t drink crazy cocktails in Bali, but good rule of thumb is if the drinks seem ludicrously cheap, even for Bali, it’s not a good idea.” Mr Sylvester warns that from a travel insurance perspective, intentionally drinking to excess can leave you in the lurch when it comes to claiming. “When something goes wrong when you’re on holidays - if it’s as a direct result of being drunk, you’re probably not going to be covered,” he said. “But methanol poisoning can affect you with just one drink - so it’s very likely you would be covered.” The new observational-documentary series What Really Happens In Bali gives a no-holds-barred look at what really goes down in Australia's favourite tourist destination. The series is narrated by Corinne Grant. Courtesy Channel Seven. Phil Sylvester’s top tips to avoid methanol poisoning: 1. Don’t drink arak. Even the official stuff can be adulterated. 2. Don’t drink spirits (including cocktails). While this is hard, it is the only way to be certain no local substitutes have been used. If you are going to drink spirits buy the whole bottle of a brand you know, make sure it’s sealed and open it yourself to share with friends. Or, drink beer! 3. If you start to feeling any symptoms get yourself to hospital as soon as possible. 4. Know and understand the signs of methanol poisoning for yourself and any friends: - Difficulty breathing - Blurred vision - Agitation - Dizziness - Stomach pain 5. Be aware of methanol drink spiking across the globe. It is not unique to Bali, but also pretty common in Eastern Europe. Recent incidents involving Australian tourists in Bali: • Tess Mettam, from Perth, became ill and went blind for two days after drinking two cocktails at a Kuta Bar in December. • Perth teenager Liam Davies, 19, died after drinking a methanol-laced cocktail on the Island of Lombok on New Year’s Day, 2013. • Two 18-year-old Australians, a male and a female, were blinded after drinking cocktails during separate schoolies trips to Bali in November and December 2012.

“Gede - best driver in Bali”

“Gede - best driver in Bali” 5 of 5 starsReviewed June 4, 2014 NEW Gede is a great driver, reliable and he knows what he is doing. He drove us around, he shown us the Balinese culture and provide us interesting conversations. Thank you very much for your service. Our vacation in Bali is very impressive. we will definitely return to Bali. and we do not hesitate to inform your service to our friends...

Great Holiday

We have just returned from a 10 day family holiday in Bali - based in Kuta (wanna go back!!!). We had six adults to co-ordinate transfers and day trips with ... and Gede was fabulous in helping and confirming airport transfers and day excursions. When we required more than one vehicle (i.e. all the suitcases with shopping!!!) ... he bought in extra members of his team - we had Nyoman (Norman) ... who was also terrific. I loved the flexibility of being able to change our mind and head back to Kuta when the kids decided they had enough of sightseeing - and had no problem with communication. They were reliable, reasonably priced, responded same day to emails (which was hugely appreciated Gede - so thank you), and we would all use their services again when travelling to Bali. Cheers :-)

Bucket List trip - Amazing Cultural Experience- Best driver rate”

“Bucket List trip - Amazing Cultural Experience- Best driver rate” 5 of 5 starsReviewed May 4, 2014 NEW I'm 21 and Gede was my mom's and my driver for my senior spring break . It was an amazing cultural experience and a wonderful way to end my collegiate years. I'm so thankful to have spent the week with my mom and Gede Driving, exploring one of the most beautiful places in the world. Gede was the best thing that could've happened to us during that trip! His rates were very fair and he worked so hard to make sure we had the most enjoyable experience possible. If you're planning on making a trip to Bali, make sure to hire him! From jungles to hidden beaches to temples to hot springs, Gede was ready to take us anywhere! One of my favorite experiences was the Ulu Watu temple, pictured above. This is a Hindu temple located atop gorgeous cliffs and it's filled with monkeys! At the entrance you can buy bananas, which the monkeys will eagerly chow down on right in front of you. They are the most adorable little things ever and I really want a baby monkey. At the temple we witnessed the Kecak dance, which uses only the sounds made by a large group of men while other characters perform a dance. No instruments or singing, just sound. The performance occurs in a stadium overlooking these stunning cliffs just as the bright sun sets into smoldering shades of orange, pink and yellow. The thing I love most about traveling is learning about the different cultures around the world. There are so many things we take forgranted, especially in America. In Bali, they are undeniably the nicest people I've ever met and they ALWAYS have a smile on their face. Sellers will bug you to death and make a bargain that's hard to deny, but never once did they ask for something without giving you something in return. That really impressed me and I think it truly speaks to the amazing character of these people and their religion. I know this will be a trip that I never forget and I'm so blessed to have had the privilege to take this vacation "

Saving the Bali starling

Saving the Bali starling Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Gilimanuk, Bali | Environment | Tue, April 22 2014, 12:43 PM The jalak bali is a beautiful white bird with blue decorative skin around the eyes.

As an endemic species of Bali symbolizing purity and chastity, it is also called the Bali mynah, the Bali starling, Rothschild’s mynah and the Rothschild starling. Scientifically named Leucopsar rothschildi Stresemann, the Balinese call it curik bali or jalak bali. The bird was first discovered in 1911 by German ornithologist Erwin Stresemann in the northwestern part of Bali. As monitored by a team of the Association of Bali Mynah Conservationist (APCB) and Ecosystem Control officers at Brumbun Bay Resort, West Bali National Park (TNBB), the birds like to flock together with sri gunting (ashy drongo), because these song birds are more aggressive toward eagles, which are the natural enemies of curik bali. Curik bali’s presence in the forest attracts attention, with its white feathers making it easy to spot. To avoid detection by eagles, they often perch on branches of pilang (Acacia trees), which have white bark that can camouflage them. For the protection of curik bali in nature, in 2004 the APCB, whose members comprise executives of zoos in Indonesia, the Forestry Ministry, bird researchers from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and members of the Indonesian Wildlife Conservation Forum (Foksi), conducted a survey in the TNBB to ascertain the causes of world agencies’ failure in curik bali conservation. It turned out that the failure was due to illegal logging and curik bali poaching, while the park itself was under threat and unable to optimally support the threatened species. “Since 2004, we’ve been trying to encourage the captive breeding of this endangered species by involving local people in conservation activities, which is backed by a Forestry Ministry decree permitting the public, particularly the community around the TNBB, to keep and breed curik bali,” said the head of the APCB, Tony Sumampau, when monitoring the birds in the park in Gilimanuk, Bali. In 2007, captive breeding activities in the TNBB area spread. The price of a curik bali was initially about Rp 15 million (US$1,310), which later decreased to Rp 6 million. The birds bred under such conditions are not considered ideal due to having been inbred. For better genetic quality, the APCB has sought new stock and collected 96 bird samples tested by LIPI specialists. LIPI curik bali researcher Noerdjito said the birds could be genetically improved in captive breeding. Fledglings should be selected for cross breeding to obtain the best offspring. However, the birds are generally released without this happening. “I’ve repeatedly notified the TNBB of the need to select the young curik bali, but the message may not have been properly received due to frequent post transfers, while the birds kept in several zoos in Indonesia should also be cross-bred for their best broods,” explained Noerdjito. Besides the Ainun Yaqqin Foundation being located some 4 kilometers from the TNBB, 17 curik bali breeders also live in Sumber Kalmpok village, Buleleng regency. They belong to the Curik Bali Conservationists Group (KPCB) of Manuk Jegeg. Based on a consensus between the breeders and the APCB, 10 percent of the birds bred are released. However, the breeders are disappointed by the difficulty in securing a license to sell curik bali. “We breed curik bali the same way we raise our cattle. We appeal for distribution license facilitation to enable us to sell the birds and buy insects and fruit for the young broods. We applied for a license from the Natural Resources Conservation Agency [BKSDA] a year ago but have had no response,” said Gusti, a breeder from Sumber Klampok.