Team Talk

On Your March Get Set...

'Om Swastiastu...'

Welcome to the Indonesian archipelago and welcome to our March 2010 edition of Bali & Beyond!

To start off with, this month's Craft & Culture coincides with the second international yoga event to be held in Bali from March 3-10. It starts from the viewpoint of how yoga classes have rapidly flourished in recent times, and different forms have also been adopted in daily life by the Balinese, not only from a philosophical standpoint as a way to connect with the Divine, but also from a ritualistic standpoint.

People visiting Bali are often young, energetic and enthusiastic. Eager to experience and learn more about life in a new environment, they come to Bali to surf, have fun and enjoy the sun. A large portion of them are students taking a break from studying in the form of a short vacation or a longer trip. The latter choice is often a tempting one, but most students find it impossible to justify a long absence from their studies in the name of merely a longer vacation. But what if the two could be combined? Mikael Kiuru of Asia Exchange Ltd. recently sent us some hints through this month's Pondering Point.

In Profile & Portraits, it's a well-known persona from Ubud, the place that had just been hailed as "The Best City in Asia" by readers of Conde Nest Traveller. We sat down with Murni, owner of Murni's Warung, one of the restaurants hailing from the early days of Ubud's tourism growth that has endured and progressed until now, to talk about her recollections on the place's development.

Michelin Stars have been the keyword lately in the island's dining scene, where Michelin Star Chefs from the world over have descended upon Bali to treat foodies to the best dining experiences. Recently, an acclaimed restaurant in Ubud inaugurated its International Star Guest Chef Promotion Series when former chef-owner of Au Crocodile, 3-Star Michelin Chef Emile Jung, visited Mozaic Restaurant Gastronomique in Bali for two nights of culinary festivities. Find out about it through Invite & Indulge.

In this month's Beyond Bali, we present to you a tale from islands on the rim. The island of Sawu is located between Timor and the island of Sumba, right in the Sawu Sea in the East Nusa Tenggara province. Overall, it is at the southernmost region of the Indonesian archipelago, bordering directly with Australia in the south. One of the attractions of Sawu and Raijua (its west neighboring island) actually lies in the scarcely available information on the island itself. You would hardly find writings of it, from brochures or photography. Its remote position lures the adventurous to venture and discover.

Capital Corner this month covers a different aspect, a pause from the highly modern lifestyle and the hubbub of the metropolis. Our team of contributors presents to you the Baduy people, living only a 5 hours drive from Jakarta, hidden at the feet of the Kendeng Mountain. They are one of the few remaining traditional tribes who are still very much in tune with nature. Their unique customs and religious beliefs do not allow modernity to infiltrate in any way. Today, they are still living the way their ancestors used to live hundreds of years ago, as if trapped in a time capsule. A fact made even more remarkable by their actual proximity to Jakarta, the capital of excess and everything modern.

Come and see the beauty, taste the flavors and witness the diverse highlights and colorful attractions for yourself!

Happy reading and keep safe!

'Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om...'

— The Team