Arak Bali – How is it Made? | The Arak Farmers of Karangasem
Arak. Bali’s traditional spirit, used in both ceremony and celebration across the island. Many know the name or have savoured its distinct taste, but few are able to explain how arak Bali is made or where it really comes from. In October 2021, NOW! Bali released a mini-documentary titled ‘ARAK – Made in Bali’, the
Coming to Terms with Change in Bali (and of Bali)
Listen to this article through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Change is inevitable, and Bali is no stranger to change. It’s no stranger to development and improvement, as well being no stranger to deterioration and damage. What governs whether this inevitable change is positive or negative is those who are part of it, who contribute to
Bali’s Recovery: Who Said It Would Be Easy?
According to the World Bank’s 2021 Report, Indonesia’s economy actually expanded by 3,5% in 2021. Well you could have fooled Bali’s population who believe that Indonesia is on the brink of bankruptcy. It’s not. Only Bali feels like it is. The World Bank Report stated: “The Indonesian economy continued to rebound in 2021 despite some
Paradise on Hold: The Reality of Food Waste and Poverty in Bali
Continuing on-going efforts to provide unemployed Bali residents and vulnerable communities with much needed food donations, the people behind the renowned book, Our Bali Your Bali, are releasing an all-new documentary series called Paradise on Hold to reveal the reality of Bali’s enduring hardships. Our Bali Your Bali When Dean Keddell had to close down
Our Bali Your Bali – A Fundraising Cookbook Like No Other
Article on Our Bali Your Bali Originally Published 2 December 2020, Updated 14 January 2022:When the tourist gates closed back in April 2020, everyone thought that this would be a temporary setback. Like the Bali bombings, or the eruptions of Mount Agung, this was just another hiccup in Bali’s unpredictable tourist game. Now, nearly nine
4 Ways to Be More Sustainable in Bali this 2022
It’s that time again… Yes, the trend of New Year’s resolutions is here, where we make goals and promises for ourselves in the coming year. How many of last year’s resolutions did you manage to achieve? If your answer is ‘very few’, you’re likely in good company. So how can you improve that for 2022?
Bali Social Restrictions to be Increased Over the Festive Season: Is It Really Necessary?
As we head quickly to the time of year when we are planning a break, preparing to add more dining pleasures and maybe even preparing a party at home, the warning bells are already ringing in the government offices… and they don’t need to be! But it looks PPKM (social restrictions) will be increased for
Community Development Project Helps to Uplift Manggis Village Locals in East Bali
Discova, the Flight Centre owned destination management company, launches a community development project aimed to revive the growth and prosperity of Manggis Village locals through educational programmes on agricultural development, land regeneration and women’s empowerment. Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, Bali’s tourism sector has suffered greatly due to the closing of international borders resulting in
The Delights and Dangers of Tourism
You can listen to this article here: I have long been a huge fan and advocate of tourism, promoting it, working on branding ideas and creating programs for cities, islands and countries for years. I’ve handled PR for airlines, published inflight magazines, made post-crisis recovery programs (of which there have been too many in Indonesia-and
The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Endures: An Interview with Janet DeNeefe
Listen to this interview with Janet DeNeefe on the ‘NOW! Indonesia with Alistair Speirs’ Podcast: Publisher Alistair interviews the Founder and Director of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Janet DeNeefe : This is a special interview with a lady who deserves a great deal of attention at the moment, somebody who has been a resident
‘How Would You Improve Policies for Handling the Pandemic?’ Balinese Millennials Share Their Thoughts
Part of their on-going efforts to encourage the continued use of the Balinese language, the foundation BASABali organises regular writing contests inviting Balinese to freely and honestly express themselves across a range of topics. In the latest campaign, they invited Balinese millennials to share their thoughts on the issue currently most affecting their lives: how
Sungai Watch Installs Momentous 100th Trash Barrier Protecting Bali’s Rivers
Whilst the island has been heavily preoccupied with the pandemic, Gary Bencheghib has remained focused on the thing that matters to him the most: protecting Bali from plastic pollution. In under a year, Gary and his organisation ‘Sungai Watch’ (river watch) have successfully installed 100 trash barriers on rivers all over Bali, helping to prevent
Stella’s Child to Build a New Community Centre and They Need Your Help!
Since its inception, Stella’s Child has supported more than a thousand Indonesian youths with skills needed to succeed in life through workshops, skills training and job placement. Now, the Bali-based NGO has launched a crowdfunding campaign to build a brand-new Community Centre that can accommodate the youth’s needs. Founded by Timothy J. Cameron in 2013,