Compass Point

INDONESIA . BALI

2008-02-08T23:59:00.001+08:00

Bali

Land of the Gods

Bali is an Indonesian island located at the western most of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. The island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.

Bali has been inhabited since early prehistoric times firstly by descendants of a prehistoric race who migrated through mainland Asia to the Indonesian archipelago, thought to have first settled in Bali around 3000 BC. Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian, and particularly Sanskrit, culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Balidwipa has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 913 AD and mentioning Walidwipa. It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.

The First European contact with Bali is thought to have been when Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585. Dutch rule over Bali came later, was more aggressively fought for, and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.

Bali lies 3.2 km east of Java and approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. East to west, the island is approximately 153 km wide and 112 km north to south (95 by 69 miles, respectively), with a surface area of 5,632 km². The highest point is Mount Agung at 3,142 m (10,308 feet) high, an active volcano that last erupted in March 1963. Mountains cover centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Mount Batur (1,717 m) is also still active. About 30,000 years ago it experienced a catastrophic eruption — one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth.

In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain. The principal cities are the northern port of Singaraja, the former colonial capital of Bali, and the present provincial capital and largest city, Denpasar, near the southern coast. The town of Ubud (north of Denpasar), with its art market, museums and galleries, is arguably the cultural center of Bali.

There are major coastal roads and roads that cross the island mainly north-south. Due to the mountainous terrain in the island's center, the roads tend to follow the crests of the ridges across the mountains. There are no railway lines.

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both: the main beach and the secret beach have white sand and the south beach and the blue lagoon have much darker sand. Pasut Beach, near Ho River and Pura Segara, is a quiet beach 14 km southwest of Tabanan. The Ho River is navigable by small sampan. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, this is not yet a tourist area.

To the east, the Lombok Strait that separates Bali from Lombok marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia that is known as the Wallace Line, for Alfred Russel Wallace, who first remarked upon the distinction between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.

(Source: Wikipedia)

BALI ~ VIDEOCLIPS

2008-02-08T12:00:00.004+08:00

"Ulin Villa Outdoors" by Monad
Monad: Ulin Villa (Exterior View)

"Ulin Villa Indoors" by Monad
Monad: Ulin Villa (Interior View)

"Ulin Villa Bath" by Monad
Monad: Ulin Villa (Bath View)

"Ulin Villa Pool" by Monad
Monad: Ulin Villa (Pool View)

"Temple by the Cliffs" by Monad
Monad: A scenic view on a the temple that was built on the cliffs by the sea

CHINA . HONG KONG

2007-05-28T23:59:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong
Pearl of the Orient

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region , commonly known as Hong Kong (香港), is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China (PRC); the other being nearby Macau. Hong Kong is located on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east, west and south. Hong Kong is one of the world's largest and most economically important cities, considered one of the Eastern hemisphere's vital financial centers. Today it stands as a citadel for modern lifestyle, teenage culture, media entertainment, and towering architecture.

Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while Hong Kong maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.

(Source: Wikipedia)

HONG KONG ~ VIDEOCLIPS

2007-05-28T00:00:00.000+08:00

Monad: My "Hong Kong" Travelblog Project is still in progress...
Here are some *preview* videoclips

"Mine Train" by Monad
Monad: This is how the "Mine Train" ride at Hong Kong Ocean Park goes...

"Abyss" by Monad
Monad: This is the way "Abyss" ride zooms downwards at Hong Kong Ocean Park...

"Jellyfish Dance" by Monad
Monad: A graceful jellyfish dance performance in the aquarium at Hong Kong Ocean Park...

"Colourful Jellyfishes" by Monad
Monad: Clusters of colourful jellyfishes in their natural motion at Hong Kong Ocean Park...

"Ride-By-Wire" by Monad
Monad: A glimpse of the scenic view on a cable car ride at Hong Kong's Ngong Ping 360

"Munchy Takoyaki" by Monad
Monad: This is among the best Takoyaki outlets by Gindaco at Hong Kong's Causeway Bay

THAILAND . PHUKET

2006-12-03T23:59:00.000+08:00

Phuket
Pearl of the South in the Land of Smiles

Phuket (Thai: ภูเก็ต; formerly known as Tha-Laang or Talang) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries. The island is served by Phuket International Airport, located in the north of the island. The ph of "Phuket" is an aspirated "p", so the name is pronounced (roughly) "Poock-get". The name Phuket is apparently derived from the word bukit in Malay which means mountain or hill, as this is what the island appears like from a distance.

Before that its old name was Ta-lang, derived from the old Malay "Telong" which means "Cape". The northern district of the province, which was the location of the old capital, still uses this name.

History

The most significant event in the history of Phuket was the attack by the Burmese in 1785. Sir Francis Light, a British East India Company captain passing by the island, sent word to the local administration that he had observed Burmese forces preparing to attack. Khunying Jan, the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook then assembled what forces they could. After a month-long siege, the Burmese were forced to retreat March 13, 1785. The two women became local heroines, receiving the honorary titles Thao Thep Kasatri and Thao Sri Sunthon from King Rama I.

During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), Phuket became the administrative center of the tin-producing southern provinces. In 1933 Monthon Phuket was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself. Old names of the island include Koh Thalang.

The 20th century saw the rise of rubber farming in Phuket, and the continued diversification of the island's ethnic make-up. From the late 1800s, an increasing number of Chinese immigrants arrived to work in the tin and rubber industries, while the coastal fishing population remained predominantly traditional Southern Thai Muslim. From the arrival of the first rubber tree in 1901, Thailand has gone on to become the largest exporter of rubber in the world.

Development on Phuket has been influenced by the fact that it is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and so it receives much more vehicular traffic than any other island in the country. Combined with the opening of the Phuket Airport in 1976, this has aided in establishing Phuket as one of the most visited holiday destinations in all southeast Asia.

Phuket's high per-capita wealth means there's plenty of money available for investment. While much of the island remains beautiful and unspoilt, the general growth of commercialism seen along the island's main roads detracts from Phuket's appeal: there seems to be a snake farm, bungee-jumping operation, billboard, half-built condo project, travel agency or craft shop every two minutes in the southern half of the island.

A turning point in tourism demographics occurred when a Club Méditerranée (Club Med) was established at Kata Beach, followed by the construction of the more lavish Phuket Yacht Club on Hat Nai Han and Le Meridien on Ao Karon Noi (Relax Bay). This marked an end to the decade-long cheap bungalow era, which started in the early 1970s when a 10-baht guesthouse was attached to a laundry on Hat Patong. The cheapies have long since been bought out and replaced by all manner of hotel and bungalow developments, some ill-conceived, others quite appealing and stylish. Indeed, Phuket is a mixed bag, combining everything from Irish pubs and tailor shops to chic lunch spots brimming with Gucci-clad clientele.

The 2004 tsunami wreaked havoc along the island's western and southwestern coast, and took nearly 900 lives. Beaches at Kamala, Bang Thao and Khao Lak incurred the heaviest damage, followed by Patong. Karon and Kata were moderately affected, and Surin hardly at all. Most beaches were more or less back to normal within eight months, but traveller numbers were slower to recover.

At a Glance

Dubbed 'Pearl of the South' by the tourist industry, Phuket is Thailand's largest, most populous and most visited island. A whirl of colour and cosmopolitanism, Thailand's only island province revolves around and thrives on tourism, but still retains a spark of the real Thailand.

There are a hundred and one ways to pass the day in Phuket. There are also more tourists here than on any other Thai island - it certainly knows how to cater to tourists' every whim. Most flock to the beaches on the southwestern side, which are loaded with amenities and entertainment options.

When to Go

The best time for visiting the islands of the Andaman Sea, including Phuket, is when the rest of Thailand is suffering from the heat (January to May). From May onwards, the rains arrive and the water becomes cloudy and unpredictable - but the crowds disappear and prices plummet! The weather takes a turn for the better near the end of the year - just in time for high season for airfares and hotels (December-April).

Weather

Phuket's idyllic tropical weather pattern makes it a favourite with beach-lovers. There are, broadly speaking, two seasons: the dry and the wet. The dry season begins in December and lasts until April, when rainfall starts to pick up again. Wet or dry, temperatures remain remarkably consistent, nestling around 30°C (86°F), with an ever-present dash of humidity thrown in for good measure.

(Source: Wikipedia, Lonely Planet)

PHUKET ~ STARS

2006-12-03T12:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Stars Guide

(Places of Interest)

> Koh Phi Phi
> Patong Beach
> Phuket Town
> Phuket Fantasea
> Phang Nga Bay

PHUKET ~ ACCOMMODATION

2006-12-03T11:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Accommodation Guide

(Location: Patong Beach)

My Top 5 Selection:

> [1] Baan Yin Dee

Location: 5/10
Service: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Facilities: 7/10
Costs: 10/10

> [2] Burasari*

Location: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Quality: 7/10
Facilities: 7/10
Costs: 6/10

> [3] Holiday Inn Resort

Location: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Quality: 8/10

Facilities: 8/10

Costs: 8/10

> [4] Diamond Cliff Resort

Location: 5/10

Service: 8/10

Quality: 8/10

Facilities: 8/10

Costs: 8/10

> [5] Deevana Patong Resort & Spa

Location: 5/10

Service: 8/10

Quality: 8/10

Facilities: 8/10

Costs: 8/10

Compass Feature ~ Burasari

Burasari Patong Beach Phuket is a unique boutique resort providing an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of Patong Beach, Phuket most popular holiday destination with a 3-km pristine white sand beach, fine restaurants, vibrant nightlife and fun shopping. Burasari is one of the Special Hotels of the World. A specially designed boutique hotel featuring a unique, tropical lush and enchanting garden filled with natural mild fragrances and calming sounds of flowing water embracing 186 well-appointed guest rooms. The very best in elegant, traditional and contemporary Thai design of architecture and interior have brought style, sophistication and comfort to the exclusive Burasari - feel at home experience which has attracted the discerning travellers and honeymooners from around the world to come back again and again.

PHUKET ~ DINING

2006-12-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Dining Guide

> Baan Rim Pa
> Phuja Nirvana
> The Pizza Company

PHUKET ~ SHOPPING

2006-12-03T09:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Shopping Guide

> Patong Beach
> Phuket Town
> Central Festival

PHUKET ~ ENTERTAINMENT

2006-12-03T08:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Entertainment Guide

> Bangla Road

PHUKET ~ RECREATION

2006-12-03T07:00:00.000+08:00

Compass Recreation Guide

> Blooming Spa "Let's Relax"
> Snorkelling
> Para-sailing
> Swimming

PHUKET ~ TRAVELKIT

2006-12-03T06:00:00.000+08:00

Compass TravelKit

> Location Maps
> General Info
> Emergency Contacts
> Local Land Tour Agencies
> Travel Checklist

PHUKET ~ FEATURE: "MONAD DAY"

2006-12-03T01:00:00.000+08:00

Monad Day ~ 2nd Dec 2006

A Birthday Card From Dearest Chumani

A Birthday Message She Wrote

A Special Birthday Celebration as a Couple

PHUKET ~ VIDEOCLIPS

2006-12-03T00:50:00.000+08:00

"Thank You from the Elephants" by Monad
Monad: This is a Elephant performance at a safari camp in Phuket.

"Street Performance" by Monad
Monad: We recorded this 'live' street acrobatic performance at Phuket Fantasea

"Cabaret Extravaganza" by Monad
Monad: This is a cabaret dinner performance at Baan Yin Dee

PHUKET ~ SNAPSHOTS

2006-12-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

Travel SnapShots