BALI, LOMBO E GILI

About the destination: Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. Promoted as an arts and culture centre, it has developed a large tourism industry. Ubud has a population of about 30,000 people. It can be difficult for visitors to distinguish the town itself from the 13 villages that surround it. The area surrounding the town is made up of small farms, rice paddies, and dense forest.

About the destination: Lombok, also called the little sister of Balis, offers the traveler unique picture-book beaches, a majestic volcano in the interior of the island and extremely hospitable and tradition-conscious inhabitants. The scenic island is about 50 km or 20 minutes by plane east of Bali (so ideal for island combinations), alternatively the journey can also be directly from Singapore. The number of hotels is manageable, from mass tourism is still far away. The fact that the inhabitants of the island - the Sasak - still largely live according to old traditions, contributes to the leisurely way of life. In the small tourist town of Senggigi there is a selection of country-style restaurants, bars and shops. A popular excursion destination is the 3 Gili Islands with their white beaches. The months of April to November are the best time to travel. In the off-season it is quieter, the sea can be disturbed and possibly not swimming.

About the destination: The 3 Gili Islands Air, Meno and Trawangan (west of Lombok) lure with white sand beaches, turquoise waters and diving and snorkeling grounds. In particular, Gili Trawangan is well-developed for tourism, divers, day trips, backpackers and "co-workers" share the beaches, resorts, restaurants, bars and chill-out spots. Arriving from Lombok airport: transfer to Gili Trawangan takes about 20 minutes (transfer is possible). The months of April to November are the best time to travel. In the off-season it is quieter, the sea can be disturbed and possibly not swimming.

About the destination: Seminyak is a mixed tourist / residential area on the west coast of Bali just north of Kuta and Legian. Originally a separate township, this is now just another suburb of Kuta. This area is very popular with resident expatriates and land and accommodation prices are amongst the highest in Bali. Plenty of luxury spas and hotels abound. Owing to its high density of high-end shopping, combined with the clustering of many fine eating establishments, it has rapidly become one of the most well-known tourist areas on the island. In addition to a few commercial strips with popular and lively restaurants, bars, villas, and good crafts/furniture shops, there are a few notable establishments: Ku Dé Ta, which is a bar/restaurant with a cult following based on its beach side/semi-resort atmosphere that has earned it the title of number one party spot in various magazines, and Oberoi, which is an expensive hotel with a worldwide reputation. La Lucciola is a restaurant located in the north of Seminyak on the beach and has been in existence for over a decade. Jalan Raya Seminyak (more often referred to as Jalan Legian), runs parallel with the beach, bisecting the district and acts as its main road artery.