Welcome to Bali, Cocktail Capital of Asia!
You think I’m joking, but I’m not. For those of you who have met me or read this column before, you will know I am fanatical about “real Bali,” the protection of the culture and the preservation of nature. So first of all why have an issue of NOW! Bali dedicated to cocktails? Then why
How a-Dory-able!
Located in the small coastal fishing village of Les in north Bali, the LINI Aquaculture and Training Centre is a hive of activity. Although the buildings for the Centre are still in the final stages of construction, marine conservation work at the Centre has already well and truly begun. This is the largest project Yayasan
The Important Things In Life
What are the most important things in life? Money? Fame? Power? A beautiful house? A fast car? Well to some those are important, but to others the more philosophical aspects of life are much more important: belief in God, following one’s principals, looking after your family, doing good for the community. It may not look
Putting Things in Proportion
Did you know that a Balinese house is built directly in proportion to the size of its owner? If you visit an absolutely traditional Balinese house, you will discover a lot of really logical things and many meaningful ones too. (But of course finding a traditional house is getting much harder!). First of all a
One Smile Goes A Long Way
“I think most of us would say that we want to “make a difference”. Whether that “difference” impacts one person or millions of people, it’s still important. If you have advantages, you also have responsibilities. I believe that very much.” Arriving at the humble office in Denpasar, we were warmly welcomed by Mary Northmore-Aziz, the
Still Worthy of Your Bucket List?
Bali used to be pretty close to the top of many people’s “bucket list” along with African safaris, skydiving, whale watching and visiting Macchu Pichu. As it swiftly transforms from cultural destination to western playground, that is changing. The desire to visit just another beach-club-resort-mall-bar-scene is diminishing and those high value, low impact cultural tourists
Indonesian Nationalism, With A Smile
On the 17th of August, Indonesia celebrates Independence Day with a day of parades and revelry. On such patriotic occasions foreigners the world over are usually relegated to being mere outsiders. Perhaps not so in this country, though, as an interesting anecdote taught me… On the 17th of October a few years ago, as I
Bali’s Water Crisis – We Still Have Time Before 2020
A conversation with Ade Andreawan, Executive Officer of Bali Water Protection (BWP) programme, reveals the somewhat shocking truth about Bali’s water supply and how carelessness is depleting our natural stocks. It took me about an hour from Denpasar to reach the IDEP’s Headquarters, Demonstration Garden, and Training Centre which is located in a green and
Celebrating Indonesia’s Independence
It was surely one of the great moments in history when Soekarno and Hatta declared independence from the Dutch in 1945. To be free to govern themselves after kowtowing to the colonial government of some far-off European nation was a magical feeling which spread from end to end of this vast archipelago. But with that
Banned : Building on Beaches
One of my favourite things in life, which I’m sure I share with many of you, is simply walking along a beach. There is something so peaceful about the lapping of the waves when the sea is gentle, and so powerful when the surf is crashing in. Both are reminders that nature is our preferred
For The People, The Environment and The Birds
The Begawan Foundation was born in 2001, founded by a couple Debbie and Bradley Gardner, who were also the creators of Begawan Giri Estate, however their efforts to conserve nature and take care of people’s health and education took place long before the establishment of the foundation. NOW!Bali had a wonderful meeting with Bradley
Devoted Island
Have you ever stopped to think about devotion? It’s an interesting word isn’t it? Not exactly used every day, we talk about how our friend is “devoted” to his mother, or vice versa, but rarely apart from that. Devoted means having a dedication to something or someone, it means putting that objective above our own
Biowear Bali: ‘I AM NOT PLASTIC’
As tourism is Bali’s biggest industry, it’s of utmost importance that it remains a place visitors enjoy coming to. However, with the lack of proper waste management systems and poor environmental education, Bali suffers from littering, overflowing landfills and rivers and beaches lined with rubbish. Plastic is by far the most common material found in
