The area boasts three major tropical water ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove and sea grass beds and the National park itself is divided into two district areas, the north and the south. The five islands of Pulau Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Pulau Nain make up just three percent of the park’s footprint. The remaining watery 97 per cent (covering 90.65 square kilometres) are all yours for the taking.

How To Get There

Enjoy Bunaken Diving over 4 days and 3 nights, starting from IDR 5,097,000.

Itinerary:

- Day 1: Pick up from the airport, transfer to hotel.

- Day 2: After breakfast, pick up from hotel, transfer to Bunaken, two sessions of diving.

- Day 3: After breakfast, pick up from hotel, transfer to Bunaken, two sessions of diving.

- Day 4: Transfer to airport for flight to next destination.

Package includes: Garuda Indonesia economy class return air ticket from origin city to Manado. Cottage accommodation at NDC Resort (double bed), Travel Insurance provided by Jasindo, Airport transfer, Diving Area entrance fees for Manado and Bunaken, 2 – 3 dives/day, GTS, boat, tanks, weight belt; Full Board meals, afternoon snacks.

Seminyak’s ever-rising number of galleries has also rapidly turned the village into becoming a mecca for the art lovers.  There are plenty of famous galleries such as, the Society Gallery, Oxyzen and the Lukisan art galleries etc.

It is a matter of discourse whether Seminyak grew from within and dre in new investors to enter the scene or enterprising people from outside come and develop it into becoming “the most fashionable area in Bali”. Plenty of shoppers and buyers of Balinese furniture are found in the Jalan Raya Seminyak (also referred to as Jalan Legian) bisects the district and acts as its main artery road.

Seminyak is indeed the place to be when you are in Bali and somehow, you just can’t go wrong in Seminyak.

To go there, we have to Cengana village about three kilometers south. Along the way, we can see coconut trees and the green, terraced rice fields which are typical of Bali. There is a big difference between farmers in Java and Bali. In Bali, no women working in the fields or planting rice; this is all done by men, while the women stay at home.

Some villagers  also plant some cacao plants in their gardens. There are two types of cacao. One is maroon and the other is green, turning yellow as it matures. The flesh of the yellow ones taste sweet when sucked. Then, as we enter the village of Pebantenan, we don’t only see cacao plants but also cloves and coffee plants with fragrant white flowers.

As we go downhill, there is a special pond in the valley. It is called Tibu Buana Sari. It is located at the base of the valley. The serene atmosphere and the dense forest make it an ideal place to soak and bathe. The water from this pond flows to a waterfall, called Aling-Aling and then, becomes the Banyumala River. The local people consider this a holy river and use this river and this pond to soak, bathe or just wash their faces. The Banyumala itself means ” water to purify the soul and the body”.

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In this post, I will tell you about Novotel Clarke Quay, Accor’s latest property right in the heart of this historic zone. With 402 rooms, this hotel has been designed for spaciousness, comfort and luxury.

The rooms have modern amenities including the broadband internet and fully computerized bedside controls for lights and air conditioning but it’s in the food and beverage department that Clarke Quay really comes into its own with four excellent choices for your dining pleasure. They are:

1. The Square
2. The Bar and Lounge
3. Mogul Mahal
4. Dragon Phoenix

When you have tried all of these, the temptations of Clarke Quay’s lots of restaurants, clubs and bars await you – a few steps from the front door! And to help you, Novotel Clarke  Quay has arranged outstanding special offers at many outlets in their best offers at Clarke Quay booklet.

So, for your next trip to Singapore, make a change from Orchard Road and Marina, head for the newest – and still oldest – part of town and try this latest offering from Accor.

1. Clothes: When exploring, wear light cotton short sleeved shirts and light long pants. Slip on shoes are best for temples and mosques. Avoid shorts or bikinis if you can, as local people tend to dress more modestly outside of beaches and parks, and may not appreciate the display of too much skin inside places of worship.

2. Bring suitable amounts of water, your camera and a bag for your shopping. Outlets give away too many plastic bags, but try to avoid needlessly taking them.

3. Buy a “top up” MRT card at the first station you visit for ease of travel. You can increase the value on these as you use them. the magnetic strip is swiped at each exit and entrance to the train station, and on buses. Alternatively, pay as you go at any kiosks, by pressing the destination stop you desire. Your green card can be exchanged at the same kiosks at the end, for the return of a $1 deposit.

4. Phone a taxi if you get lost, or end up waiting too long. Expect a booking fee of around $3.20.

5. Avoid rush hours in the morning and evening. Travel after 9:30 am until 4:30 pm. Then, after 7:30, explore the cool enclaves at night. Clarke Quay is best enjoyed at night.

6. Eat small meals regularly. This will help you have more energy to move about, and allow you greater variety.

7. At hot times, explore the cooler museums and heritage centers associated with many of the heritage centers.

8. Learn a little about the taboos of each culture, but don’t be too afraid, people are fairly forgiving of crazy tourists.

9. Enquire to Singapore Tourism Board at one of several visitor center.

Elegant five-star hotels, villas and luxury mansions now stand on its prime areas. They make Ubud the best place to use as a base on your visit to bali looking for culture, comfort, nature and inspiration. Ubud offers panoramic rice fields, small but charming villages, art and craft communities and ancient temples and palaces.

Ubud has a population of about 8,000 – 12, 000 people. It is famous as a source of medicinal herbs and plants. That is how the place gets its name which is the Balinese word for medicine.

Tourism on the island developed fast after the arrival of foreign painters such as Walter Spies Willem Hofker and Rudolf Bonnet to the area. Celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Barbara Hutton and H.G. Wells came to the village and spread the good word when they returned to their western countries.

There are some museums that are worth visiting such as Museum Puri Lukisan, Museum Neka, Rudana Museum and Agung Rai Museum of Art.

The Ubud Atmosphere is perhaps the major attraction. So, enjoy the unique atmosphere in Ubud. There is a saying that you have not been to Bali if you haven’t visited Ubud.

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There are plenty things to do there. You can go sailing, take pictures, sunbathe, go snorkeling, go diving or simply observe the daily life of the 15,600 local residents on several of the islands.

The island nearest the mainland of Jakarta is Pulau Bidadari which can be reached in just 20 minutes by speedboat from the dock at Ancol Marina. The farthest is Pulau Sabira, 126 km north of Jakarta, is over two hours away by speedboat and it may take longer if you take a wooden ship from Muara Angke harbor.

There are so many islands that it’s hard to remember them like Pulau Rambut, Pulau Peteloran, Pulau Tidung and many more. However, there are only several islands that have accommodation and attractive holiday facilities like swimming pool, restaurants, snorkeling and diving equipment. They are Pulau Sepa, Bidadari, Ayer, Kulkul Kotok, Pelangi and Pantara.

The Thousands Islands are surely a place worth visiting during your holiday and moreover, they are close to the capital city, Jakarta.

It also functioned as the Raad Van Justitie (courthouse) with five underground jail cells for those who resisted the Dutch. Pangeran Diponegoro and Untung Surapati are two national heroes once detained here. There is a statue of the God Hermes and a huge canon called “Si Jagur”.

It has full of historical relics – the antique lamps, ceramics, teak furniture (mostly from the 18th century), painting by Raden Saleh and S. Sudjojono and the sword that was used for beheading.

There is also the Ruangan Prasasti, with information on the culture and kingdoms of Indonesia. It contains duplicates of ancient inscriptions and other relics.

The Fatahillah Museum receives many visitors everyday, especially on weekends. It is a great place for many kinds of activities and popular for young people for photography. It is open to the public every day from 09.00 – 17.00.

It also features Gelanggang Samudera. You will be entetained by trained animal performances and sophisticated 4-dimension technology, and many other family recreation venues and facilities, such as Ice World and the Kereta Sato-Sato that will transport you to beautiful Pantai Carnaval. There is also the Gondola where you and your family can enjoy the beauty of the Jakarta Strait and the view of all Taman Impian jaya Ancol from an aerial tramwa, and Sea World Indonesia, an enormous walk-in aquarium.

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol also offers a great variety of food for you who enjoy culinary tourism. Located on the shores of Jakarta in a pleasant atmosphere, some restaurants, such as Jimbaran Resto, Bandar Djakarta and the Back Stage are ready to serve with their delicious foods. After your hard day’s recreation and eating, you can stay at the Putri Duyung Cottages, with luxurious and comfortable accommodation.

For you who like art, you can check out Pasar Seni, the Art Market, where painters, sculptors  and other artists produce their works and offer them at affordable prices. Local band entertain you while you are appreciating their art works.

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The Amanpuri is located on a small hilly peninsula on the west coast of Phuket Island. It has direct access to the white-sand Pansea Beach and Bang Tao Beach on the shores of the Andaman Sea. There are 40 pavilions and 30 bungalows sheltered by tall, beautiful coconut trees. Each pavilion has a bedroom and a separate dining room. Each of the villas, which has two to six bedrooms, has its own private swimming pool. It has bedrooms, dining room, living room and a kitchen in a separate building. Each villa is served by a housekeeper and a cook. There are also tennis courts, spa treatments and gymnasium. There is also another exciting facility for its guests: Amancruises.

There are over 20 cruise ships and sailboats and they are all manned with professional crews. The cruise ships and boats provide day trips and overnight trips for guests who want to explore the island around Phuket, such as Similan Island, Racha Island, Koh Kai Nok, Koh Dok Mai and the island and maritime beauty of the nearby provinces of Phang Nga and Krabi.

In conclusion, spend your holiday at Amanpuri and you will have a great holiday that you will always remember for the rest of your life.