KINTAMANI : The Volcanic Caldera

Kintamani is a nature tourist resort which offers crater lakes and mountains. What makes Kintamani one of the must visits resort are their mountainous region which centering on the volcanic caldera of Mount Batur with its deep crater lake and bubbling hot springs. Actually Mount Batur is just a small volcano, but its located in the middle of 14 km in diameter huge crater. The crescent-shaped batur lake is adjacented to the volcano. The sheer size of the crater were made by the massive eruption of the Mount Batur that occurred tens thousands years a go. The volcano is still active today, and the last great eruption were occur on 1917. These series of eruption has forced local government to relocated the local population along with their temple. Including one of the main temples in Bali, Pura Ulun Danu. Initially this temple located inside the crater. Nowdays it has been relocated to the top of the ridge.

Pura Ulun Danu is the most important temple after Pura Besakih. Housing more than 90 shrines, its visited at any time by Balinese, especially during the Odalan Festival. Odalan is a festival which is dedicated to the goddes of the crater lake who is believed to control the irrigation system for the entire island. Other thing to see in Kintamani is Trunyan Village. This village are popular for their mortuary tradition. Most Balinese cremated the dead bodies, but the Trunyan leaves the bodies to decompose naturally in a special cemetery located on sheer mountain side.

pictures taken from : traveljournals.com

POPPIES LANE : Accomodations for Backpackers

The Poppies lane is located near Kuta Beach. This lane are lined with budget hostel and guesthouse. Poppies lane I and II are popular among backpackers for its budgeted accommodations. As a cheap hotels, most of them can’t booked in advance online. But it’s not a problem because most of these cheaper places operate mostly on a walk-up business. In a peak holiday season especially in late times, sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to find a places to stay. I suggest you stay at least for your first night at the hotels that does online reservations, then you have enough time to find cheap hostel or guesthouse for the next day. The room rate in poppies lane started from Rp 25,000 ($3) per person per night.

Here is some hostel and guesthouse in Poppies Lane :

AP Inn (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 - 765662

Ayu Beach Inn (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 752091

Fat Yogi Cottages (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 751665

Komala Indah (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 - 751422

LA Inn (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 750616

Mahendra (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 - 0361 – 752371

Masa Inn (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 758507

Poppies Cottage (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 751069

Puri Agung (Poppies I)

Phone : +62 – 0361 – 750054

Taman Ayu Bungalows (Poppies I)

Visa to Indonesia

Reposted from The Indonesian Department of Justice and Human Rights

Visa to Visit Indonesia

The Department of Justice and Human Rights has officially determined that as of August 2005:

Indonesia Government had granted visa on arrival favor to 52 countries to be able to purchase the visa on arrival facility upon their arrival in Indonesia's designed “International Gateway” at 15 airports and 21 seaports.

They are:

1.	Argentina	18.	Hungary	35.	Oman
2.	Australia	19.	Iceland	36.	RRC
3.	Austria	20.	India	37.	Poland
4.	Bahrain	21.	Iran	38.	Portugal
5.	Belgium	22.	Ireland	39.	Qatar
6.	Brazil	23.	Italy	40.	S. Arabia
7.	Bulgaria	24.	Japan	41.	Russia
8.	Cambodia	25.	Kuwait	42.	S. Africa
9.	Canada	26.	Laos	43.	S. Korea
10.	Cyprus	27.	Liechtenstein	44.	Spain
11.	Denmark	28.	Luxembourg	45.	Switzerland
12.	Egypt	29.	Maldives	46.	Sweden
13.	Estonia	30.	Malta	47.	Surinam
14.	Finland	31.	Mexico	48.	Taiwan
15.	France	32.	Monaco	49.	Netherland
16.	Germany	33.	New Zealand	50.	UEA
17.	Greece	34.	Norway	51.	UK
				52.	USA

And started per 28 May 2007, Indonesia will be added its Visa on Arrival (VOA) favors to more 11 countries joined with previous 52 other favored countries according to the Directorate General of Immigration recent released paper.

The 11 countries are Algeria, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Panama, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Tunisia.

Tourists from those selected countries will not oblige to apply abroad for a visa but can purchase a visa on arrival at 15 gates of Indonesia's international airports and seaports. The fee for this visa, payable upon landing, is US$10 for a 7 day visa and US$25 for a 30-day visa.

The official entry requirements for the issuance of a 30 or 7 days day visa-on arrival:

1. Passport must be from one of the countries listed above.
2. Passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 (six) months from the date of entry into Indonesia.
3. Payment of US$10 or US$25 must be paid at the gateway, depending on the length of visa required.
4. Onward or return tickets are compulsory.
5. Visitors must enter and exit through one of the 15 airports or 21 seaports officially approved as an “international gateway” by the Indonesian Immigration department.

11 countries and territories are eligible for a "Visa Free" facility. Those holding valid passports from the following countries will be granted a non-extendable 30-day Visa-Free Short Visit Permit upon arrival at an Indonesian international gateway without charge:

1. Brunei Darussalam
2. Chile
3. Hong Kong SAR
4. Macau SAR
5. Malaysia
6. Morocco
7. Peru
8. Philippines
9. Thailand
10. Vietnam
11. Singapore

Others nationals that not granted with either visa on arrival favor nor visa free favor from Indonesia government may apply for tourist visa at Indonesia embassy abroad.