Spas and Meditation Retreats in Ubud

Indonesia domestic flight ticket with www.itravelindonesia.com

Spas and Meditation Retreats in Ubud

Spas and Meditation Retreats in Ubud 

Here is an updated list of spa and meditation retreats in Ubud by a TA contributor.
You can book your Ubud hotels at www.itravelindonesia.com

Check out these Bali yoga and Meditation studios:

Yoga Barn in Ubud
Desa Seni in Canggu
Intuitive Flow in Ubud
Taman Hati in Ubud (Balinese meditation)
Ketut Arsana at ashrammunivara.org in Ubud

Taksu Spa (many classes now) in Ubud
bali-yogashala.com in Seminyak
beyond-the-asana.com Olop's Iyengar classes in Seminyak rock!

Trainings:

Denise P. at Yoga Barn
Kat Kabira at Yoga Barn

Retreats

highvibeyoga.com,7 day high vibe yoga immersions by 2 of Ubud's coolest yoga teachers 
oneworldretreats.com 
balispirit.com - all retreat listings

Massage

Sara Spa in Ubud
Cantika in Ubud (all organic)
BodyWorks in Ubud
Body n Soul in Ubud

Have a healthy time and Heal.

www.itravelindonesia.com

The Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese New Year begins on Feb 4 this year

The Year of the Rabbit conjures images of fluffy bunnies, but fortunetellers in Asia predict that the coming year on the Asian lunar calendar will be anything but cuddly.



Among key predictions for the new year beginning Feb. 3: terrorist threats, continuing tensions between China and the United States, natural disasters around the world and wobbly global markets.

Even Hollywood celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is not immune from the grim predictions. Both were born in Rabbit years, and one fortuneteller sees their longtime relationship coming under increasing strain as the year wears on.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Asians from Hanoi to Harbin put great stock in the soothsayers' predictions using feng shui - the traditional practice of foretelling events through dates and classical texts.

In feng shui lore, the Year of the Rabbit is associated with the natural elements of metal and wood. This is a likely recipe for conflict, according to Hong Kong-based feng shui consultant Raymond Lo.

Taipei-based colleague Tsai Shang-chi goes even further.

This year the West will suffer from a vicious energy and will be prone to more terrorist attacks," Tsai said. "The East will also be affected by a negative energy, reflected in ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula."

While Tsai and Malaysian prognosticator Rev Yong offer assurances that the problems between North and South Korea won't escalate into all-out war, Yong is less sanguine about the chances for avoiding an onslaught of natural disasters. He foresees severe flooding around the world, a powerful earthquake in Japan and the emergence of a number of worrisome new diseases.

One of the upshots, he says, will be big problems for the global economy and the possibility of a major stock market plunge toward the middle of the year.

"People think the rabbit is very gentle, but it's not going to be a mild year at all," Yong said. "It won't be a good year. There will be a lot of world conflicts."

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Chinese New Year in Bandung with www.itravelindonesia.com

We offer special price for your accommodation in Amaroossa Hotel, Aston Tropicana Hotel, Grand Serela Hotel, Kedaton Hotel, Anggrek Shopping Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, Scarlet Dago Hotel Bandung. For your reviews about Bandung please visit www.itravelindonesia.com

Batam, A little Cowboy Town on the Edge of a Nation

Indonesia domestic flight ticket

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Batam Information and Batam Hotels
Batam, Indonesia was a quiet coastal backwater, far from central Jakarta, at the forgotten edge of Indonesia. This dramatically changed in 1989, when the duty free and export zone was established. Although Batam has lost some of its economic luster to the Chinese and Vietnamese in the 2000s, the 80s and 90s was a period of dramatic transformation. The new Hang Nadim Airport, good class hotels, restaurants and entertainment complexes mushroomed all over Batam island. Batam became the Singaporeans’ playground. The golf courses are busy on every weekend, and the huge hawker centre at Pujasera teems with fresh seafood and Singaporeans alike.

Batam has a deserved reputation for its seafood restaurants. Prawns, lobsters, green clams, and the local specialty “Gong Gong” are on offer at many restaurants. Gong Gong is a conch-shaped mollusc, boiled, extracted on a toothpick, and dipped into spicy hot sambal sauce.

Nights are usually spent at a discotheque or a karaoke bar. Alternatively, take time out from eating, shopping and your massage. You might find an interesting cultural performance at “Desa Seni” in Sekupang.

Most travelers to Batam stay around either Nagoya or Waterfront City. Sekupang is the usual port of entry if you are arriving by the ferries from Singapore’s WTC. Ferries to other domestic destinations leave from the pier next door. It is a 30min taxi ride to downtown Nagoya.

Nagoya (yes, it is named after the Japanese city), is the effective centre for the Batam traveler. You will find the best hotels in town, the inimitable Pujasera Hawker Centre, and of course numerous Spas offering sports massage.

Waterfront City on the west coast of Batam, south of Sekupang, is a magnet for thrill seekers. Thrills include bungee-jumping, and even indoor skiing. By night, the area comes alive with more than a handful discos and karaoke pubs. Not suitable for the faint hearted. Batam is a duty free zone. Alcohol and cigarettes are ridiculously cheap.

Overall, there is a distinct cowboy vibe to the whole Batam experience. Still, it’s a fun stopover for your Visa Run to and from Singapore.



Batam is also a busy port and industrial centre. Consequently, there are several good midpriced hotels in the city. Far better than you would find anywhere else in Sumatra.

It is also a great place to swing your golf clubs. Several fine courses are available at a fraction of Singapore prices. Do note that beach lovers will be disappointed. Swimming here is best done in the hotel pools.

The illegal casinos run by the syndicates have also shut down.

Warmest greetings by itravelindonesia editor

FROM THE EDITOR :

  

We are proud to bring you the Inaugural issue of itravelindonesia. The young team felt that it was time to go beyond just booking your discounted hotels and Indonesian domestic flights. So here we are.

In this Animal issue, we take a close look at my favourite destination in Indonesia, the Seminyak district in Bali. For our funky jilbabbers, Islamic fashion makes waves in London’s fashion week.

For the hordes of Indonesians flying to Singapore to shop and visit the doctors, we say there is more to Singapore than just Takashimaya and Mount Elizabeth.

Indonesians are the happiest people in the world. We look at a recent Norwegian survey that tells us that Indonesians smile more than anyone else on the Planet.

It is a modest start for us. In the next year, we will bring together articles that we hope will entertain, inform and bring you back. We hope that you will be a frequent visitor to itravelindonesia. As always, send us your feedback, kudos, and brickbats to cs@itravelindonesia.com.

Happy holidays.
Delis Elias

Indonesia Domestic Flight Ticket

The age of no-frill, cheap air travel has taken Indonesia by storm. There are usually more than one airlines flying between two cities. On more popular routes like Jakarta- Bali, one can expect up to twenty flights a day on five different carriers. This has been a boon for travelers. In a country this vast, most travelers choose to take at least one domestic flight to avoid backtracking by land. The major airlines include Garuda Citilink, Merpati, Lion Air, Sriwijaya and Mandala. Each airline is strong in a particular sector. Trigana and Bouroq are giving the major players a run for their money. Popular air hubs are Jakarta ( for flights throughout Indonesia), Denpasar ( to Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores), Makkassar ( Sulawesi) and Medan. There are three daily flights from Jakarta to Batam, for those doing a visa run to Singapore. Airport departure tax varies, depending on the size of the airport.
Your ticket price will vary according to the airlines, exchange rate and bank charges, day of travel, and even whether you fly in the morning or afternoon.You may wish to check prices directly at the Airline's website. We charge a nominal USD $ 10 per booking (Regardless of the number of tickets booked per leg). Your ticket usually does not include on board meals that you can pay for, on board. Do remember to get to the airport at least one hour before departure. or visit our site for the reviews at
Feel free to send us an e-mail: cs@itravelindonesia.com or reserve your Electronic air ticket at www.itravelindonesia.com/indonesia domestic flight ticket