The Hard Rock Hotel Bali is giving support to the Bali Street Dog Foundation (Yayasan Yudisthira Swarga) and their program to assist and relieve the suffering of unhealthy and neglected street dogs living in Bali.
Over 90% of street dogs in Bali suffer from a variety of painful and debilitating ailments including skin parasites and fungus, internal parasites, distemper, malnutrition, infected wounds and broken limbs. Bali Street Dog Foundation is committed to reducing the number of street dogs in Bali and significantly improving the health of the existing dogs.
The Bali Street Dog Spay / Neuter Program, established by Yudhistira approximately five years ago, has directly and indirectly reduced the street dog population growth in Bali. With the use of mobile veterinary clinics, the program can sterilize up to 100 street dogs per day. In addition, the dogs are provided with basic veterinary care for skin infections, wounds and parasites.
Bali Street Dog Foundation, a non profit animal welfare organization, is selling T-shirts to raise funds to support the operation of this program. The stall is located in-front of Hard Rock Hotel Bali’s Megastore, Jalan Pantai Kuta, Bali, every Wednesday and Thursday, from 1.00pm - 7.00pm.
Lonely Planet puts out a book called the Blue List, listing the new ‘hot spots around the world’, that offer the most tantalizing opportunities for adventure. Indonesia features, with good reason, thoguh perhaps Bali has passed the point where one could call it the ‘next hot place’.
If we were to draw up a Blue List for Bali what would be on it? Here’s a start.
Top 5 beaches: Pasir Putih (Prasi), Biastugal / Pantai Kecil (Padangbai), Dreamland (Bukit), Pura Masuka (Bukit), Balangan (Bukit).
Top 5 restaurants: Warisan, Ultimo, Kori Restaurant, KuDeTa, Living Room
Top 5 nightspots: Double Six, MBarGo, DeJaVu, Paddy’s, Santa Fe
Top 5 overnight trips: Ubud, Balian, Candi Dasa, Cliff top on Bukit, Amed
What other categories are there and what are your choices?
Paradise beaches on the Bukit BaliSouthern Bali is where 95% of tourists come to and spend their time. The most southerly tip of mainland Bali is the Bukit Peninsula. The Bukit is way behind Kuta / Legian / Seminyak / Sanur as far as development, but is getting popular, with people outside of the surfing industry.
The Bukit is a limestone plateau and the beaches are a pale yellow / white sand. The largest beaches on the Bukit are in Nusa Dua, Dreamland has the largest beach on the western side.
One of the best Bali beaches, is at the very southern end of the Bukit. Looking at a map, you ride up the hill from Jimbaran, heading to Uluwatu. Instead of turning west, you keep going stright south, towards Pura Masuka. This temple is tiny and is perched on a clifftop, overlooking the ocean. Directly in front of it is a hiking trail that leads you down to the beach, which is usually empty. The hike takes about 15 minutes.
A French guy told me once that along the coast to the west, is another empty beach. With even less access, you are assured of privacy. The Bukit is only 15 minutes from Kuta, so if Kuta beach isn’t what you’re looking for, get adventurous and check out the Bukit.
Aussie woman in hot water with Bali drug cops
Tonight’s Bali news mentions another Australian, who has been caught ( or entrapped), by the Balinese police for drug possession. Michelle Dawn Condon, from Melbourne, was caught near the Poppies Lane area in Kuta, with a tiny amount of methamphetamine. Sounds like a set-up to me.
In civilized countries, there are rules of engagement for police. I’ll give you an example. When I drove Yellow cab in California, in the late 80’s, one of our drivers got busted for selling coke out of his cab. Naught boy, you might say. Fact was, he picked 2 women up at the airport, who without encouragement, badgered him to get them some ‘blow’. He said he wasn’t into that stuff, but they said they’d make it worth his while, if he could hook them up. He made some calls, did the deal, and was arrested on the spot. In the US, that is called entrapment. In Bali its called ‘kasihan deh luh, you’re screwed, give me money’.
There are drug dealing monkeys hanging around Jl. Legian, most nightclubs, Pantai Kuta and Melasti, in full view of the police, who are probably their cousins. When a deal is made, the cops swoop, and its ‘naughty tourist , bad tourist, how dare you bring down the name of Bali by taking drugs’. The latest person to fall into this trap is Michelle Condon.
This stuff is no good for business, no good for Bali, no good for tourism. For every Michelle Condon that gets caught, 100 tourists make alternate holiday plans. No point in being serious on drugs, if its only the users who get hammered.
Sunday afternoon in Bali, a quiet time of the week, to spend with family and friends. Ika, Jevon and I took off to Pantai Geger, in Nusa Dua, for a quick dip and a snack.
Sunday afternoon turned out partially cloudy, which was no stress for me, but did mean Pantai Geger was about 30% of what you’d expect on a Sunday. I took Jevon into the shallow water which he loved. The gradient is gentle and there are only occasional ripples to worry about. Jevon held my hand and wading through the water, fell over several times. He didn’t panic or complain though, and after coughing up the water, carried on having a good time.
Ika loves smoothies and has always said the best place in Bali is the Nusa Dua Beach Grill, at Pantai Geger. She got a banana, yoghurt, peanut butter, dates, coco cream, honey smoothie, which lived up to expectations. Ika and Jevon also shared a spaghetti carbonara which was plentiful and good. I enjoyed 2 lovely arak madu’s, which were indeed, better than 90% of the other places that serve them. So thumbs up to the Nusa Dua Beach Grill. Great location, great food / drinks.
Getting to Pantai Geger, using the route from Bypass Nusa, taking the intersection before the main gate, over the hill, we went straight through the first small intersection, right at the second, follwed the raod up the long hill, looking for the sign ‘Nusa Dua Beach Grill’. That route from Seminyak takes about 30 minutes.
Lifeguards:
I did not see any obvious lifeguard facilities at Pantai Geger.
Shops:
There are no shop here. Bring your own sunscreen, newspaper, sunhat, chewing gum.
Sunshades:
Sunshades are available, you can negotiate a price.
Food Drinks:
Food & drinks are available at the popular Nusa Dua Beach Grill. Their food menu is western friendly and the drinks menu includes very good smoothies and arak madu’s.
Who is Pantai Geger good for?
Pantai Geger is good for people who don’t like surfing, or big waves. Families with young kids, who want a clean beach, with east access and a restaurant. This beach attracts a lot of Europeans and expats. Topless sunbathnig is popular here.
Who is Pantai Geger not good for?
Pantai Geger is not good for people who want a more traditional Balinese beach experience. This place really feels more like the South of France. If you don’t like to be around oiled up Euro’s with kids, this beach is not good for you.
Best time to go to Pantai Geger?
The most popular time to visit Pantai Geger is weekends. If you want a quieter scene, go during the week. Located on the eastern side of the Bukit, both wet season and dry season are okay for this beach.
Review:
Pantai Geger has clean yellow sand, decent clean water and small ripples rather than large waves. It is same for families with young kids and can be a pleasant change from Kuta/Legian/Semiyak Beach. The restaurant makes all the diffence and you can grab decent food and drinks while enjoying a sunny afternoon.