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Guest Guide - Villa Canggu South Flipbook PDF

Guest Guide - Villa Canggu South

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GUEST GUIDE – VILLA CANGGU - SOUTH

Dear Guests Welcome to Bali and to Villa Canggu. We wish you a very pleasant stay and hope that you will enjoy all the comforts that our villas have to offer. We are confident that you will also enjoy the personal service of our valued and loyal staff who we know will take good care of you and do all they can to make your holiday special and memorable. For us, modern design is best when it’s simple and practical, and we wanted Villa Canggu to be versatile. We renovated the original Villa Canggu in 2013-2014 with help from renowned architect Sekar Warni and interior designer Nobuyuki Narabayashi and redesigned it to work as one villa or two separate villas. All of our furnishings are bespoke – highlights include the marble dining table, the lamp and the fingerprint rug in Villa Canggu South – and the artworks are by talented contemporary Indonesian artists. When we lived in Japan we fell in love with Kyoto’s rock gardens and managed to track down a Zen garden expert (Yoshioki Kobayashi) to create our own version in Villa Canggu South. This was quite an experience, as it required a crane to haul the rocks into the garden! If you’d like to know more about our artworks or the Zen garden, full descriptions are on our website: www.villacanggu.com. The villas are just 100m from the beach – it’s a treat to listen to the waves from the mezzanine at Villa Canggu South while sipping sunset cocktails. The art bar makes a great spot for socializing and the jacuzzies are cool for recovering! Music is a big part of our lives and living room with high-tech, high-quality Sonos systems. They are easy to operate but please ask our staff should you need assistance. We urge you to try our chef’s Indonesian food – it’s so good! Our favourite dishes are beef rendang and sate lilit (Balinese seafood on lemongrass sticks). If you wish to eat out, there are many restaurants in Canggu – Old Man’s, Betelnut Café and Echo Beach are all good. Deus Ex Machina is interesting as it also has a shop selling amazing bikes, surf boards and beach wear. If you’d like to learn to surf or hire equipment, head to the Canggu Surf School. Our local beach is also great for kite flying and in the mornings it’s a good place to watch the fishing boats return to shore. If you’d like to explore the pretty local rice paddies, we have two bicycles that you can use. The information in this guide is designed to provide answers to most of the questions you may have about the villa and its services and facilities, and also give you some general information about Bali and the many attractions that this beautiful island has to offer. If there is any information you would like to see added, please do let us know; your views and comments are important to us.

Most importantly, we want you to feel relaxed and at home, so if you have any special requests or experience any problems at all, please don’t hesitate to speak to your villa manager. All that’s left for us now is to wish you a fabulous holiday. Best wishes and Terima Kasih

The Villa Canggu team

Table of Contents Villa Staﬀ o o o o o o o o

Villa Manager Chef Butlers Gardeners and Pool Attendants Security Maintenance Cultural sensitivities Tipping

Arrival and Departure Villa Services and Facilities o o o o o o o o o o o o

Dining Transport Communications Children at Villa Canggu South Entertainment Recreation Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Electricity Energy Conservation Safety Deposit Boxes Spa Services Events

About Bali o o o o o o o o

A Brief History Geography Language Religion Festivals and Events Music and dance Cuisine Balinese Names

Bali Do’s, Don’ts and Cultural Etiquette General Information o o o o

Climate Time Zone Banks/ATMs Health

In the Neighbourhood o

Things to do

Telephone Directory About Elite Havens

Villa Staff Our team of experienced staff is here to take care of daily practicalities at the villa, leaving you free to relax and make the most of your holiday. The formality of your relationship with the staff is entirely up to you and they will happily adapt their roles to match your requirements for privacy and level of service. Some of our staff may have limited English, so if you have any difﬁculties communicating, please speak to your villa manager who will be pleased to interpret your wishes.

Villa Manager Your Villa Manager is responsible for the overall operation of the villa and for ensuring guest satisfaction. They will liaise with you every day to make sure you have all you need, coordinate your requirements with the chef and other staff, and assist with tour, restaurant or other bookings. Your villa manager’s hours are 9am to 5pm but they can be contacted at any time through the number on the telephone directory.

Chef Our skilled chef and cook are proﬁcient in Indonesian and several other cuisines. The Chef and team are available to prepare all your meals either according to the villa’s suggested menu or, wherever possible, to special request. The chef will be pleased to discuss any special dietary requirements or food restrictions you may have and will meet with you daily to plan your meals. The Chef and the kitchen team are generally available from breakfast time until dinner is served (approx. 7am to 9pm), but ﬂexible/extra hours can be arranged with prior notice.

Butlers Our team of butlers serve meals, snacks and beverages throughout the day, assist in the kitchen and are responsible for the cleanliness and tidiness of the villa. Your privacy is paramount and room cleaning will be carried out to suit your schedule. The team operates in shifts 24 hours a day.

Gardeners and pool attendants Gardeners and pool attendants will tend to the villa grounds and swimming pool daily. Let the villa manager know if you would like the pool to be available for swimming at a speciﬁc time and maintenance can be adjusted accordingly

Security Our team of security guards operates between 11pm and 7am and is responsible for patrolling the grounds and ensuring the villa is safe and secure.

Maintenance The villa has its own maintenance team on call to ensure that everything is always in working order. If you come across anything not functioning properly do let the Villa Manager know and they will make sure it is attended to.

Cultural sensitivities The Balinese are conservative and sensitive people and don’t always understand the nuances and eccentricities of other cultures so please be considerate at all times in your dealings with villa staff. Ill-mannered behaviour or disrespect will have a detrimental effect on your relationship with the staff, while extreme poor behaviour could result in expulsion from the villa.

Tipping Our staff work hard to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one and, although villa rates are subject to a standard service charge, you may wish to show your personal appreciation by giving staff a gratuity if you have been particularly satisﬁed with their service. Any gratuity is entirely at your discretion, but on average, our guests usually tip between $30 and $100 per member of the team, depending on the length of their stay. We do recommend that this is passed on directly to your villa manager who will distribute it equally amongst all the team, some of whom you may not ordinarily come into contact with.

Arrival and Departure One of the few things you will be required to do when you arrive at Villa Canggu is to register as a temporary resident. Registration is a security measure mandated by the Indonesian government and we are obliged to comply. Upon arrival, we will require your passport and arrival card. We will photocopy the documents and fill out the appropriate forms and then return the documents to you. Please rest assured that your documents will be handled with the utmost care and handed back to you as quickly as possible. As part of your ‘check-in’ at the villa, it will be necessary for you to provide your credit card details against possible damages, beyond normal wear and tear. We will also ask you to sign a waiver of liability, which will be destroyed, along with your credit card details, upon check out. On departure, please check that you have packed all of your belongings and emptied your safety deposit box. Please also allow sufficient time to attend to any outstanding bills. As villa policy is for all food and beverage costs to be covered by guests in advance, with a cash float provided to the chef as required (see Dining), it is expected that there will be little or no costs outstanding at the end of your stay. (Please note: cash is preferred, but payment can also be made by credit card - Visa and MasterCard).

Villa Services and Facilities Dining Villa Canggu features a fully equipped kitchen which you are most welcome to use, but bearing in mind that cooking is not something you may want to do every day – or even at all – while on holiday, we invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy some delicious meals prepared by your private chef and the kitchen team. Our kitchen staff are excellent, but please appreciate that they do not have the capacity of a hotel or restaurant, so meals are generally served ‘family style’, where everyone shares dishes, as opposed to ordering individually. Dishes can be either selected from the villa’s suggested menu or specially requested according to your group’s wishes. Food intolerances, special diets and children’s meals can all be catered for. To make the most of your gastronomic experience at the villa we strongly encourage you to ask the chef or your villa manager about house specialties, local delicacies and what’s in season (do bear in mind that out-of-season and imported items, such as alcohol and meat, as well as some seafood, can be very expensive). To allow the kitchen time to shop and prepare, it’s necessary to order in advance – either the evening before (for special requests) or at breakfast time each day. Grocery shopping will be done by the staff at local markets, supermarkets and delis, and you are welcome to accompany them for a unique Asia market-shopping experience. Villa Canggu operates its food and beverage service on a cash basis (as does most of the island). Staff will request a cash float/deposit when you arrive to cover all your in-villa food and drinks, and ask for top-ups every few days, or when necessary. As a general rule, an initial float of between US$300-500 is recommended, depending on the size of your group. The villa does not make a practice of extending credit to guests as that would necessitate a very large sum (in local terms) of cash being available at all times. All food and beverage provisions are charged at cost price plus 20%++. Prices will depend entirely upon your choice of menu, season and, of course, numbers of diners. Receipts will be kept and presented either on a daily or end-of-stay basis, whichever you prefer.

Beverages The villa does not keep drinks in stock (other than drinking water). Your villa manager will be happy to purchase beverages (soft drinks and alcohol) on your behalf or, if you prefer, accompany you to one of the island’s reputable wine stores where you can make your own selection. Please note that, due to import taxes, wine and spirits in Bali are expensive and the selection is not always the best.

Drinking water Tap water is not safe to drink in Bali and bottled water is freely supplied at the villa. A fresh supply will be left in your room daily, but please ask a member of staff if you require more water.

Transport We don’t recommend self-drive in Bali (car or motorbike). Driving is erratic and roads are often crowded, poorly signed and in bad repair. The services of an experienced driver and reliable transportation are invaluable if you wish to explore the island and visit its many attractions.

Private car and driver If you would like to hire a car and driver during your stay at Villa Canggu, your villa manager or your travel agent will be pleased to assist with arrangements. Hire charges are very reasonable in Bali and hire period can be for a few hours or for your entire holiday. As well as your own personal driver, rates generally exclude fuel and insurance. Please note: Additional hours will incur an extra charge per hour (please discuss payment preferences with your villa manager or driver – options can include cash payment to the driver or a tally kept and payment settled – preferably also in cash - at the end of your stay) and guests are responsible for all fuel costs.

Taxis Taxis can be ordered for pick-ups at the villa as and when you need (half an hour’s notice is usually sufﬁcient unless you are very much off the beaten tourist track). It is useful to have directions for your return journey (ask your Villa manager for villa contact details and location map) when you go out. Metered taxis are readily available within populated areas of the island but can be difﬁcult to obtain in more rural districts. The light-blue coloured Bali Blue Bird Taxis (Tel: +62 361 701 111) are considered the most reliable operators. Taxis usually stop running on meters in the late night/ early morning hours, so in this case it is best to agree a price with the driver upfront (bravely negotiate the rate by ‘going local’ and starting at a ﬁfth of the offered price!) and ensure the driver knows exactly where you’re going – many addresses are very vague in Bali. At all other times, please make sure that you demand the meter be used. If a driver refuses, they may be from an unlicensed taxi company or worse, not a real taxi driver at all. Stick with Bali Blue Bird Taxis as much as possible or those recommended by your villa manager.

Self-drive If, despite the above cautions, you do wish to hire your own transport, cars, jeeps, motorbikes, scooters and bicycles are all available and your villa manager may be able to provide you with self-drive vehicle hire information. Do please note, however, that villa staff cannot hire the vehicles on your behalf and villa policy prohibits staff from participating in rental arrangements for motorcycles and scooters. Please do take care, adhere to trafﬁc laws, and always wear a helmet on motorbikes.

Communications Telephone Mobile phone coverage in Bali is generally good, although both landlines and mobile connections can be erratic at times. Even if a line seems to be working perfectly and a dial tone is heard, it may still not connect. The best option is just to keep trying until the call is answered or you reach an answer machine!

If you tend to use your mobile phone a lot whilst on holiday, it is worth considering purchasing a local pre-paid rechargeable SIM card for making and receiving local and international calls at much lower rates; our staff can easily obtain these for you, upon request. If you wish to receive calls at Villa Canggu, you can do so from the villa manager’s ofﬁce. The number is: +62 81 338 701 533. See the telephone directory later in this guide for information on local and international calling codes and other useful numbers. Note that the Balinese are not renowned for their message-taking, so do try to keep any messages (phone or otherwise) as simple as possible – or make sure you pass them through your villa manager rather than a member of the team whose English may not be so good.

Internet Those used to high-speed Internet may ﬁnd Bali’s slower connectivity speeds a little frustrating. Your favourite apps may struggle and downloading ﬁles may take a signiﬁcantly longer length of time. Whilst patience is a virtue, if you are unable to connect to the internet at all, please notify the villa manager and they will do what they can to resolve. The following communications facilities are available at Villa Canggu. Emergency and useful telephone numbers can be found in the directory at the back of this guide. • • • •

WiFi internet Telephone Computer (on request) Printer (on request)

Post Post Ofﬁces (kantor pos) are open every day except Sunday. If you’d like to send a postcard, letter or parcel, you could visit one of the local post ofﬁces (usually open in the mornings only) or leave your mail with the Villa manager who will send it on your behalf. Allow between ﬁve and 15 days for international delivery.

Children at Villa Canggu South Villa Canggu is equipped with the following children’s facilities, shared between the two villas and available on request. Many other items are available for hire including pool safety fences. Please chat with your villa manager about costs and delivery should there be anything else you need. • • • • • •

Baby bath Baby cot Children’s DVDs Plastic cutlery/plates Kids pool (Canggu South only) Toys

Children’s meals Although the villa’s equipped kitchen enables you to prepare food for fussy eaters or babies yourself should you prefer, the chef and the kitchen team are familiar with all the usual children’s favourites and will happily cater for them as part of their service. If children’s mealtimes differ from those of the adults, just let the kitchen staff know your schedule and they will take care of it.

Babysitting Babysitters (either full time or on occasion) and nannies can be arranged with notice (typically a day in advance) and at an extra charge, giving you the ﬂexibility and freedom to do your own exploring beyond the villa grounds. Please speak with your villa manager about your speciﬁc requirements and current rates.

Entertainment Villa Canggu features the following entertainment facilities. If you need any help operating the equipment the staff will be happy to assist. We would also ask that you are considerate of the neighbours when watching movies or listening to music, and keep sound levels at reasonable volumes, particularly at night. •

Satellite TV

• • • • •

DVD player CD player Movie hard drive iPod docks Sonos sound system

Recreation The following recreational facilities are available at Villa Canggu: • • • •

8m swimming pool Bicycles Body boards Badminton

The swimming pool is available for your use 24 hours a day, but since there are no lifeguards on duty at the villa please take care when swimming and ensure that children are supervised at all times. The pool is cleaned and sanitised every morning, however should you wish to amend this schedule please speak with your villa manager to agree on a mutually convenient time. Pool towels are provided so please refrain from using your bathroom towels outdoors.

Laundry and dry cleaning At Villa Canggu, all personal laundry and dry cleaning is outsourced, with charges applied to guest account (please ask your villa manager for rates). Typically, laundered and dry cleaned items will be returned to you within 24 hours, although an express dry cleaning service may be available for a surcharge. Please ensure that you relay any special instructions as to the care of your garments directly to the staff or villa manager, particularly if they are made of silk or other delicate fabrics (it is recommended not to have delicate or valuable items washed in Bali as equipment and/or training may not be up to expected standards). Ensure the staff are aware of what you would like laundered, and what you would like dry cleaned to avoid any misunderstandings.

Electricity Electricity in Bali operates at 220V/50Hz and uses a round two-pin plug, similar in style to those in many European countries. If you need an adaptor, please ask the villa staff. Travel adaptors are also readily available in the shops. Unfortunately, power outages do occur in Bali where demand often exceeds supply. The problem is national, and not just at Villa Canggu. Power surges are also quite common, so do take precautions with delicate electrical equipment and do not leave switched on unless necessary. Villa Canggu is equipped with a back-up generator, which will automatically switch on when the power drops. In order to minimise the stress on the generator, the staff may switch off some machines/lights that require a lot of electricity. Should the generator not automatically start, please alert one of our staff who will investigate the problem and restore service as soon as possible.

Energy conservation Upon your arrival, the air conditioning units will have been switched on to cool your room. Units can be easily operated by the in-room remote controls. If you leave your room for a long period of time, housekeeping will typically turn off the air conditioning in the interests of energy conservation. With the same interests in mind, we would kindly request that you are considerate in your re-use of towels and also in your water consumption.

Safety deposit boxes Bali is generally very safe, but as a note of caution, and to prevent temptation, we recommend you always to be mindful of your belongings. Whilst we make every effort to safeguard your possessions at the villa, and trust our staff implicitly, we cannot accept any responsibility for theft. Safety deposit boxes are provided in the villa and we strongly recommend you keep your airline tickets, passports and money plus mobile phones, laptops, cameras and other valuable items in the safe, for your own peace of mind.

Spa services Feel like a body scrub or massage? Just ask our staff to bring the spa to you! We can arrange for fully trained spa therapists to carry out a range of deluxe treatments (extra charges apply) in the privacy of the villa – some examples of the treatments available are:

Balinese massage Release built up tension with a traditional Balinese massage. Using a combination of gentle stretches, acupressure and aromatherapy oils to stimulate the ﬂow of blood, oxygen and energy around your body, you will feel totally relaxed in no time.

Foot reﬂexology Foot reﬂexology is a natural healing art based on the principle that there are reﬂexes in the feet which correspond to every part of the body. Through application of pressure on these reﬂexes tension is relieved and circulation improved leaving you feeling balanced.

Body scrub A full body scrub will exfoliate and hydrate your skin leaving it soft and smooth. A rejuvenating scrub combines an abrasive material such as salt, coffee, rice bran or pecan hulls with essential oils to remove any impurities and make your skin glow.

Manicure/pedicure Our hands and feet work hard for us every day but rarely get the attention they deserve. Treat them to a manicure or pedicure, which usually comes with the added bonus of a quick hand or foot massage.

There are also some wonderful spas to visit in Bali and we will be happy to make recommendations. Whether you wish for spa treatments at the villa or elsewhere, please contact your villa manager to make an appointment and be aware that 24 hours notice may be required.

Yoga teachers can also come to the villa. Please speak to your villa manager for more details.

Events Special events, for up to 40 people, can be held at Villa Canggu South. However, formal permission from the villa owner or agent and, in many cases, the village banjar (local authority) must be obtained before an event can be confirmed, and special event charges, terms and conditions will usually apply. It is therefore expected that any arrangements for events would be agreed at the time of booking the villa (note that occupancy over one and a half times the villa’s normal capacity constitutes an ‘event’), which will also allow time for the appointment of an event manager to coordinate caterers, music, entertainment, car parking, etc. If you would like to hold a small party, barbecue or special dinner at the villa, please discuss your requirements with your villa manager, giving as much notice as possible.

About Bali A Brief History Bali has been inhabited since early prehistoric times, although the oldest evidence of human population - stone tools and earthenware vessels from the western village of Cekik – date back only 3,000 years. Little is known about exactly when Indian traders ﬁrst brought Hinduism to the Indonesian archipelago, however stone inscriptions dating back to the 9th century are the earliest written records found. By this time, rice was already being grown under the complex irrigation system known as subak, which remains very much in evidence today. For centuries, Bali was a collection of independent kingdoms governed by a collection of ruling rajas, however the whole island was eventually wrested under the control of the Dutch in the early twentieth century and incorporated into what was then the Dutch East Indies. This was achieved only after much warring and bloodshed; the term puputan (suicidal ﬁghting) was coined during this period to describe the proud Balinese warriors who bravely chose death over disgrace by battling en-masse to the bitter end.

In 1945, shortly after World War Two, Bali, along with the rest of Indonesia, attained her independence from the Dutch, although it took another four years for the Europeans to formerly recognise their loss. Gunung Agung, Bali’s highest volcano, erupted almost two decades later in 1963, killing thousands and devastating parts of the island, which resulted in many Balinese transmigrating to other parts of Indonesia. Tourism took off in the 1970’s and helped pave the way for improvements in roads, telecommunications, education and health. It sees no signs of abating, but despite the growing pace of development over the years, Bali’s unique culture remains remarkably resilient.

Geography The island of Bali is located at the centre of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, a 5,200km necklace of over 13,000 islands that sweep between Malaysia and Australia. Measuring approximately 5,600 square kilometres, Bali’s diversity is breathtaking, and ranges from towering cloud-ﬂecked volcanoes to a rugged sand-swept coastline washed by world-class surf. Areas of untouched beauty are plentiful, and traditional villages still reﬂect Bali in its purest form. The rich fertile soil encourages abundant growth, and Bali’s lush rice terraces are an iconic legacy that endures. Although Bali’s economy is boosted by ﬁshing and tourism, it remains a deﬁantly agrarian society at heart.

Language Most Balinese are bilingual, and many, trilingual. Bahasa Indonesia is the most widely spoken language on the island – and the medium in which children are taught in schools – followed by modern Balinese. Even where Balinese is spoken, it is often peppered with Indonesian words. English is the most common third language owing to the obvious demands of the tourism industry. Sentences in Bahasa Indonesia are written in the Roman script and are pronounced much like they are written. In comparison to European languages, the grammar structure is very simple so it is a relatively easy language to learn. Here are some words and phrases you may ﬁnd useful during your stay:

Selamat dating Apa kabar? Selamat pagi Selamat siang

Welcome! How are you? Good morning Good day

Selamat sore Selamat malam Selamat tinggal Tolong Terima kasih (banyak) Sama sama Tidak apa apa Enak! Ya! Tidak Bisa bicara bahasa Inggris? Dimana…? Bank Pantai Pasar Apotik Berapa harganya? Mahal! Murah! Boleh tawar Harga pas berapa? Saya mau Tidak mau

Good afternoon Good evening Goodbye Please Thank you (very much) You’re welcome No worries/never mind Delicious! Yes No Do you speak English? Where is the…? Bank Beach Market Pharmacy How much? Expensive! Cheap! Can I bargain? What is your fixed price? I want/would like I don’t want it/no thanks

Religion Over 90 percent of Bali’s 3.9 million population subscribe to a particular offshoot of the Hindu religion. Although Hindus, and even Buddhists, are known to have inhabited Bali since 100BC, it was the Majapahits of Java in the fourteenth century who spawned the unique form of Hindu religious culture found in Bali today, which differentiates the island quite dramatically from the rest of Islamic Indonesia. Religion plays a major role in the daily life of the Balinese. Colourful religious ceremonies spill from temples onto streets, and ﬂamboyant festivals often bring trafﬁc, and even the whole island, to a standstill. Homes (and villas) contain a small temple for devotions, doors are covered in intricate carvings and offerings to the gods (woven palm leaf packages ﬁlled with ﬂowers, sweets, food and coins) are visible wherever you go, including within the villa grounds.

Festivals and events Bali’s spirituality is reﬂected in the dozens of festivals that take place over the year, and in the intimate ceremonies that mark the social rites of passage throughout a person’s life. Since the occasions of these festivals do not follow the Gregorian calendar (but the island’s own ancient calendars dictated by the moon) their exact occurrences vary from year to year. Of Bali’s island festivals, Galungan is the most important. Signifying the victory of virtue over evil, it lasts for 10 days. Celebratory food is prepared and special bamboo poles or penjors are elaborately crafted and fastened to the sides of houses. Decorated with woven coconut leaves ﬁlled with cakes, fruits and ﬂowers, these penjors act as offerings to the supreme gods, who are believed to descend to earth during this time. Nyepi is another important and very unique island festival that usually takes place in March. In celebration of the Balinese New Year, the day itself is marked by an eerie silence as everything in Bali – including the airport – shuts down. No lights are turned on at night, no trafﬁc allowed to roam the streets and everyone must stay in their houses (Note: these same rules apply to villa guests and are taken very seriously). This is a complete contrast to the night before Nyepi when villagers all over the island construct elaborate efﬁgies of spirits (ogoh ogoh), which they parade colourfully and noisily through villages, and ﬁnally burn in cleansing exorcism ceremonies. Secular events include the June/July Arts Festival in Denpasar and the October Writers and Readers Festival in Ubud. The latter event was established in 2004 and has emerged as one of Bali’s most celebrated cultural events. The four days of workshops, readings, discussions and cultural activities have welcomed such literary luminaries as Michael Ondaatje, Amitav Ghosh and Thomas Keneally in the recent past.

Music and dance Traditional Balinese music is complex, yet vibrant. Often used to bring dance, wayang puppet performances, theatrical productions, rites and rituals vividly to life, the traditional Balinese orchestra is known as the gamelan. Comprised of an ensemble of cross-legged percussionists ranging from just a few members to well over 50, there are over 20 varieties of gamelan ensembles on the island. Playing instruments such as bamboo ﬂutes, gongs, cymbals and xylophones in a jangly clashing of syncopated sounds, these unique musical troupes are led by a drummer holding a double-ended cylindrical drum who rhythmically controls the tempo of each piece. Multiple levels of articulations in the face, eyes, hands, arms, hips and feet are coordinated to reﬂect layers of percussive sounds.

Balinese dancers learn their unique craft from an early age, and are often taught with their hands before they can even walk. Dances are typically spiritual or artistic in nature, and the movements of the dancers are closely associated with the rhythms of the gamelan. Famous dances include that of Barong and Rangda, a battle between the good (Barong – a symbol of virtue) and the bad (Rangda, the queen of death); Legong, which traditionally sees young pre-pubescent girls perform elaborate enactments of classical tales; and the Kecak, inspired by the famous Sanskrit poem, the Ramayana. The Kecak is unusual in that instead of having a gamelan orchestra to accompany the dancing, the background is provided by a choir of men chanting ‘chak-a-chak-a-chak’. Excerpts from these dances, plus many more, are performed in tourist shows across Bali; ask your villa manager for more information on when and where they occur.

Cuisine To really get to the roots of Bali, sampling some of its delicious local cuisine is a must. Although the island’s dishes are inﬂuenced heavily by Indonesian cuisine, Balinese food is characterised by its own individual ﬂavours. Rice is the main staple, served alongside spice-marinated meats (particularly chicken and pork) and vegetables, often mixed with chilli. Dishes are typically hot and spicy, although the grated or ﬂaked coconut integral to Balinese cooking is a wonderful coolant. When creamed, coconut greatly enriches the ﬂavour of a dish. Owing to Bali’s extensive coastline, seafood and ﬁsh are abundant and exquisitely fresh. Marinated with local herbs and spices, and served with zesty lime and chilli dressings, they are excellent when toasted over a BBQ. Fresh fruit is widely available. Papaya (pepaya), banana (pisang), pineapple (nanas) and passionfruit are available alongside lesser-known offerings such as mangosteen, rambutan, salak, duku and kelengkeng. Here is a selection of the island’s most well-known dishes: Ayam Pelalah - shredded chicken with chilli and lime Babi Guling - spit-roasted suckling pig Cap cay - mixed fried vegetables Dadar Gulung - crepes ﬁlled with coconut and palm sugar Mie Goreng - fried noodles

Nasi Campur - rice served with vegetables, meat or ﬁsh, plus egg, tofu, and fried soybean cakes Nasi Goreng - fried rice Rendang Daging - beef stewed in coconut cream and spices; a local speciality Sate Campur - mixed kebabs with a spicy peanut sauce Soto Ayam - spicy chicken soup Tipat cantok - rolled rice with peanuts, lime and chilli Uraban - mixed vegetables with grated coconut, fried shallot and chilli

Balinese Names The Balinese naming system is fascinating and deserves a little explanation. After meeting only a handful Balinese, you’re likely to discover that the same names are cropping up again and again, irrespective of the person’s gender. Every second person in Bali seems either to be called Wayan, Made or Ketut, and there’s a very good reason for this. In Bali, families traditionally select a child’s ﬁrst name according to his or her order of birth, followed by one or two given names which customarily relate to an event at their time of birth. Family or surnames are not used (women keep the same names throughout their lives, even when married) but preﬁxes are, and these not only distinguish between males and females (‘I’, pronounced ‘ee’, for a male and ‘Ni’, pronounced ‘nee,’ for a female), but also identify a person’s caste. As such, Balinese names not only indicate a person’s position within the family, but also within a socio-economic framework, often giving a clue to when they were born as well. First born names are Wayan, Putu, Gede (for Male) or Ni Luh Wayan, Ni Luh Putu, Ni Luh Gede (for a female), second arrivals are Made, Kadek and Nengah, third to the brood are known as Nyoman or Komang, and the fourth child is called Ketut. If a family has more than four children, the cycle is repeated again with each name followed by ‘balik’ (again). Thus, a typical Balinese name may read I Wayan Pedjeng (ﬁrst born male from the Sudra caste whose given name is Pedjeng). ‘Pedjeng’ means ‘moon’ and relates to his time of birth – perhaps at the full moon.

Bali Do’s, Don’ts and Cultural Etiquette Do … • • • • • • • •

Drink bottled water. Tap water is not safe to drink in Bali. Dress modestly when out and about, especially in less tourist-populated rural areas. Cover your legs, shoulders and upper arms when visiting a temple. Having a sarong handy helps. Wear a sash when visiting a temple, which along with sarongs, can usually be hired from kiosks outside temples for a few thousand Rupiah. Haggle when shopping for souvenirs, if there are no prices displayed, but don’t go overboard. Calculate your own rate of exchange in advance – all those zeros can be very confusing! Ask before taking photographs of people and inside religious buildings. Remain calm and gracious, even in times of difﬁculty!

Don’t … • • • • • • • • • • •

Get involved with drugs. Drugs are illegal, penalties are severe and the authorities pursue drug enforcement vigorously. Drugs will not be tolerated in the villa. Walk in front of a kneeling congregation or remain standing when people kneel to pray. Visit a temple if you are menstruating or if you have any open wounds! Shake hands with your left hand. Using your left hand for eating is also taboo. Point with your index ﬁnger or toes. Use the thumb of your right hand. Raise your voice. Aggressive behavior is simply not tolerated and won’t get you anywhere. Touch people’s heads, including those of babies and children. Step on the little woven palm leaf baskets (canang sari) in doorways, in gardens, in shops and on the streets. These are offerings to the gods. Interrupt religious processions or get in the way of them Smoke in public areas – since November 2011 it is illegal. Swim if a red ﬂag is showing on the beach. Bali’s rip tides can be vicious!

General Information Climate Bali is positioned just south of the equator and is tropical with balmy conditions year-round. The average temperature is 29 C, although in the mountainous regions, the temperature may often plummet to 10 C before dawn. The island has just two seasons; wet and dry. The wet season normally extends from November to April (with January and February being wettest), and the dry season between May and October. Despite its terminology, the wet season rarely incurs long days of rain. Dramatic monsoonal showers typically break out in the afternoons and last no more than a couple of hours.

Time zone The sprawling archipelago of Indonesia extends across three time zones. Bali is in the middle (Central Indonesia) zone, eight hours ahead of GMT, which is equal to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Western Australia. Jakarta lags one hour behind. Daylight saving time is not practiced in Indonesia.

Banks/ATMs Bali’s currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). All major currencies and traveller’s checks can be exchanged in Bali, as well as at authorised currency exchange centres in banks. Moneychangers are numerous, however many have rigged calculators, so if you must use them, make your own estimate and count your money carefully in front of the teller before putting it away. The US dollar is Bali’s preferred foreign currency, and the higher the denomination of bill you are exchanging (US$ 100, for instance), the better rate you will get. It is strongly recommended you carry only newer (post-2009), unmarked US banknotes. If you would like some foreign currency exchange, your villa manager can take care of this on your behalf and present you with receipts. ATM machines dispensing Indonesian Rupiah are widespread in urban areas and issue notes either in 50,000 (roughly US $4) or 100,000 denominations. If you need a large sum of cash the machines will usually let you withdraw multiple times, but this is not universally

the case and will depend on the issuing bank. Please plan ahead and note that at weekends and on public holidays ATMs are renowned for running out of cash – so you may need to try more than one machine. Credit cards are accepted in up-market stores, hotels and restaurants, but beyond that most transactions (including taxi fares) are cash-based. It helps to keep a range of notes, in various denominations, handy – taxis, for example, are notorious for never having small change!

Health •

Safety in the sun The sun in Bali is very powerful, especially between 11am and 3pm. Wear a high factor sunscreen, even on cloudy days, and also a hat and/or sunglass. Remember to keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of bottled water. Sun cream can be purchased from the larger pharmacies and supermarkets.

•

Mosquitoes Mosquitoes are unavoidable, however the risk of malaria, dengue fever and Japanese Encephalitis in southern Bali is extremely low. To minimise their presence, the villa grounds are regularly ‘fogged’ or sprayed with insecticide, and rooms are supplied with electric repellents along with mosquito coils, which are lit every evening by the staff. Particularly at dawn and dusk, we recommend you apply insect repellent to exposed areas of the skin and wear light coloured cover-ups such as long-sleeved shirts and trousers.

•

Bali belly/gastro-intestinal upsets Stomach upsets occur from time to time. If you suffer a mild bout of diarrhea, drink plenty of ﬂuids to ﬂush out your system and prevent the onset of dehydration. If symptoms persist or worsen, please inform your villa manager who will arrange for a doctor to come and see you at the villa.

•

Medical assistance Should you require a doctor, please inform your villa manager who will make the necessary arrangements. Bali’s clinics (please see below) are not set up to deal with serious medical situations, particularly head or spinal injuries, which require medical evacuation to ﬁrst class facilities in Singapore or Australia.

Doctors & clinics Recommended medical clinics in Bali include: •

Siloam Hospital (24hr) - Jalan Sunset Road No. 818, Kuta, Badung. Tel: +62 361 779 900

•

BIMC Hospital - Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai No. 100X, Kuta. Tel: +62 361 761 263 - Nusa Dua. Tel: +62 361 3000 911

•

SOS - Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai No. 505x, Denpasar - 24hr emergency +62 361 710 505 - Appointments +62 361 720 100

•

Surya Husadha Hospital - Emergency call +62 361 265 083 - Jalan Pulau Serangan No. 7, Bali. Tel: +62 361 233 787 - Jalan Raya Cokroaminoto No. 356, Ubung, Denpasar. Tel: +62 361 425 744 - Jalan Raya Siligita Blok I No. 14, Nusa Dua, Badung. Tel: +62 361 771 388

•

Sanglah Hospital International Wing - Jalan Pulau Nias, Denpasar, Bali 80114. Tel: +62 361 227 911

•

Bali Dental Clinic 911 2nd Floor No. 2C-58/59, Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, Kuta. Tel: +62 361 766 254

•

Kasih Ibu Hospital: - Jalan Teuku Umar 120 Denpasar. Tel: +62 361 300 3030 - Jalan Uluwatu No. 69A, Kedonganan, Kuta Selatan, Badung. Tel: +62 361 703 270/+628113886688 - Jalan Flamboyan No. 9 (Kampung Kodok), Tabanan. Tel: +62 361 300 5757/+628113886668 - Jalan Raya Pantai Saba No. 9, Blahbatuh, Kabupaten Gianyar

•

Dr. Sucipto (Dentist) - Jalan Diponegoro No. 150, Denpasar. Tel: +62 361 222 541

•

Toya Medica Clinic - Jalan Raya Pengosekan, Mas, Ubud. Tel: +62 361 978 078

•

Ubud Clinic Jalan Raya Campuhan No. 36, Kedewatan, Ubud. Tel: +62 361 974 911

These clinics offer the nearest there is in Bali to western standards of healthcare and have agreements with many international insurers. They can also provide emergency air services to better-equipped hospitals overseas.

In the Neighbourhood Villa Canggu sits 100 meters from the coast in a local village neighborhood. A few hundred meters in either direction along the beach will bring you to some popular beach bars and small restaurants, especially popular around sunset time. Check out Old Man’s restaurant, bar and live music venue a short walk up the beach to the south-west, as well as the wellknown Echo Beach for daily barbecues and Sunday-night live music. If you are interested in learning to surf, High Tide Surf School (for kids and adults) is situated just five minutes’ walk up the beach at Batu Bolong, or you could drop by the Canggu Surf School. Nelayan Beach immediately in front of the villa is also popular with surfers.

Things to do Your villa manager will typically have a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will help arrange transport and make any tour bookings for you. Do ask other members of staff about the local area too. Invariably some of them will live nearby and will be able to give an interesting insight into some of the fascinating aspects of Bali life. In the meantime, here is a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within easy reach of the villa. •

Villa Canggu is close to the famous temple at Tanah Lot, although in peak season a few too many tourists may transform a sunset visit into more of a heaving photo opportunity than a moving experience. Visiting early in the morning (8-9am) provides a better idea of the power of the location and the chance to see it undisturbed apart from perhaps an offering ceremony.

•

A nice sunset alternative is to head down to Echo Beach where a number of cafes offer good sunset views and cold beer. Note that the beach here is dark sand and the waters are better suited to surfing, having a pronounced swell and rip, rather than children’s swimming. Hotel Tugu, a very stylish and eclectic boutique hotel on the coast, a few minutes closer to the villa, is also a good sunset spot.

•

Fashionistas, trendies and shop-a-holics should hot-foot it down to Seminyak, Bali’s most cosmopolitan enclave. Here, you can indulge for hours in the glut of stylish, chic boutiques. There is a wide choice of fine dining, mid-range, and cheap ‘n cheerful restaurants in Seminyak too.

•

Drive westwards to explore the charming Tabanan regency, revealing terraced rice fields of emerald green, volcanic mountains and black-sand beaches dotted with fishing communities. Or head north to explore the volcanic lakes near the mountain town of Bedugul, including Lake Bratan with its photogenic and stunningly positioned Pura Ulun Danu – one of Bali’s most important temples.

•

Covering 3.8 hectares of tropical parkland in Kuta, Waterbom Bali has 16 water slides (including The Climax with its 360-degree loop) to entertain the young and the young at heart. A great family day out but go early to beat the crowds.

•

Bali Treetop Adventure Park is near the town of Bedugul in northern central Bali (next to Lake Bratan). Five adventure circuits, with heights ranging from two to 20 meters, challenge all level and ages on suspended bridges, spider nets, Tarzan jumps and 12 flying foxes.

•

Explore the scenic rice-field landscape and rural villages; a great way to get under the skin of the ‘real’ Bali. Stop off at a local warung (café) to sample some basic Balinese fare or cool off with a cold drink.

•

Have a go at riding the local ponies at Bali Equestrian Center. See the beaches and beautiful landscapes of Bali from a different perspective.

Telephone Directory Villa operations Villa Manager

+62 81 338 701 533

Elite Havens Management

+62 361 737 498

Emergency contacts Police

112 or 110 +62 361 110 or +62 361 112

Fire brigade

113 or +62 361 113

Ambulance

118 or +62 361 118

Search and Rescue

115 or +62 361 703300

Information (telecoms centre)

108 or +62 361 108

Dialling codes for Bali Indonesia country code:

+62

Local area codes: Southern and central Bali

+361

Northern Bali

+362

Eastern Bali

+363

Western Bali

+365

Airport and airlines Ngurah Rai International Airport: +62 361 935 1011 If your airline is not listed here, please ask your Butler for assistance

Air Asia

+62 361 847 7430 or 755 799

Cathay Pacific

+62 361 286 001

China Airlines

+62 361 935 7298

Eva Airways

+62 361 759 773

Garuda

+62 361 254 747 or 770 747

Jetstar

+62 361 761 299 or 768 297

KLM

+62 361 756 126 or 21 2927 2222

Malaysia Airlines

+62 361 935 6132

Qantas Airways

+62 361 289 280

Qatar Airways

+62 361 752 222

Singapore Airlines

+62 361 9368 388

Thai Airways

+62 361 288 141

Embassies and consulates Australia

+62 361 241 118

Brazil

62 361 757 775

Chile

+62 361 281 503

Czech Republic

+62 361 286 465

Denmark & Norway

+62 361 701 070

France

+62 361 285 485

Germany

+62 361 288 535

Hungary

+62 361 287 701

Italy

+62 361 701 005

Japan

+62 361 227 628

Malaysia

+62 361 752 520

Mexico

+62 361 223 266

Netherlands

+62 361 761 502

Slovakia

+62 361 426 171

Spain

+62 361 769 286

Sweden & Finland

+62 361 282 223

Switzerland & Austria

+62 361 751 735

Thailand

+62 361 263 310

East Timor

+62 361 235 093

UK

+62 361 270 601

US

+62 361 233 605

Hospitals and medical clinics (all 24 hours) Bali Dental Clinic 911

+62 361 766 254

Dr. Sucipto

+62 361 222 541

Kasih Ibu Hospital

+62 361 300 3030

SOS

+62 361 710 505 / 0361 720 100

Toya Medica Clinic

+62 361 978 078

Ubud Clinic

+62 361 974 911

Taxis Blue Bird Taxis:

+62 361 701 111

About Elite Havens Established in 1998, Elite Havens features a spectacular hand-picked portfolio of more than 300 private luxury havens in Bali, Lombok, Nusa Lembongan, Phuket, Koh Samui, Sri Lanka, Japan, India and the Maldives. The principles of consistency, personalized service, attention to detail and secure bookings are the foundations of our long-term success. Asia is renowned for its warm hospitality and exceptional service standards. As market leaders in the region, we imbibe the same ethos, ensuring that each guest leaves with lasting memories. More than 2000 in-villa staff and over 30 reservation specialists go out of their way, offering personalized service that makes every stay with us an unforgettable holiday. Holidays at our stunning havens are the ultimate in luxury and comfort. The best locations, hand-picked for their idyllic outlook or for being close to the action; unfaltering service standards; professional, highly trained villa staff, and services of the Elite Concierge make each vacation memorable. We look forward to welcoming you and your guests at an elite haven soon. www.elitehavens.com