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award-winninghotels
and resorts, exquisite food, and vibrant nightlife, complimented
perfectly by unforgettable scenery and genuinely friendly
and hospitable people who practise an authentic age-old
culture. Add to this, almost unlimited recreational and
cultural options and you have a superb MICE venue.
Bali’s skilled culinary providers and entertainment professionals
have the expertise and the state-of-the-art meeting and
convention facilities to support innovative planners in
tailoring an event to suit a variety of purposes and budgets.
Whatever the size or aim of your group, you can be rest
assured that Bali’s imaginative and knowledgeable event
organizers have a positive can-do attitude and an infrastructure
to handle any MICE option.
Friendly
and Welcoming People
The locals of Bali are exceedingly hospitable and will
greet you with an everready smile. In fact, you will quickly
make friends with the Balinese, who, with their super-relaxed
nature, always have time to proudly tell you something
about their beautiful island.
Initially a magnet for artists, anthropologists and bohemians,
Bali today attracts more than a million overseas visitors
per year, curious about its fabled beauty and the welcoming
nature of its inhabitants.
In fact, perhaps more than anything else it is the peaceful
energy of the Balinese that keeps people wanting to come
back. Inseparable from their colourful Hindu religion
which tastefully blends devotion with artistic endeavour,
a Balinese life is a never-ending cycle of lively ceremonies
and rituals, all in an effort to attain a harmonious balance
between the unseen forces of good and evil.
A Colourful Cultural Haven
Bali is home to a rich and vibrant cultural tradition,
rooted in ancient rites and Hindu beliefs. Every day is
an eye-opener in Bali, and even during a short stay chances
are you will be lucky enough to witness a magnificent
religious ceremony or festival, perhaps right near where
you are staying.
The Balinese are infinitely creative, and it would be
fair to say that there are more artists and artisans on
this small tropical island than in any concentrated area
on the planet. In one family, there will be at least a
handful of people who can dance, paint, carve, play music,
craft or forge.
Balinese dances are famous the world over for their beauty
and intricacy, and then there’s the shimmering sounds
of the gamelan orchestra, the largest ensemble in the
Eastern world - undulating melodies and complicated rhythms,
all committed to memory. Music and dance performances
are a daily occurrence, particularly at ceremony time
and add a special exotic touch to any MICE event.
Bali is both interactive and educational. In the island’s
arts and crafts centres, visitors are not only welcome
to observe working artisans, but are also encouraged to
join a class in traditional dance, gamelan playing, mask
carving, batik painting, and more.
This creative Balinese culture has given birth to some
of the finest art works in the world, full of detail and
inspiration, with new and interesting pieces coming to
life even as we speak. For the art lover, studios of the
old masters, collectives of women and child painters and
actors, as well as young conceptual artists are all well
represented. Many of these venues make delightfully unique
venues for meetings.
There are numerous art galleries featuring traditional
and modern collections, but don’t forget to visit the
source: the village areas, where you can witness skilled
artisans working on fascinating art works and charming
handicraft pieces ready to take home as souvenirs.
A Natural Get-away
Boasting stunning terraced rice fields, vast volcanic
craters, white sand beaches, awesome wave breaks and much
more,Bali is simply a nature-lover’s niche. A large part
of the island is still covered in watery rice paddies
which sparkle in the sun and lend a refreshing breeze
to the lowlands at night.
Exploring the island’s inland areas will take you through
abrupt changes of ecosystems that inevitably lead to active
volcanoes, crater lakes, waterfalls, a farmer’s market
or a remote village where you’ll get an inside look at
the enormously resilient community life of the Balinese.
Visitors can enjoy scenic nature walks across varied and
breathtaking landscapes. Scenic East Bali is a photographer’s
dream and in the west are primeval rainforests and stunning
river valleys. Travel one of the mountainous roads that
traverse the island from south to north and at every turn
you’ll catch superb views of cascading rice terraces.
Outdoor Activities
Whether you’re an adventure freak or a yoga fanatic, the
landscapes of Bali have something special in store for
you. Challenging treks, bike trails, dive spots and surf
breaks contrast with the secluded retreats of the mountain
areas where one can meditate in tranquillity.
A wide choice of outdoor adventure and sports activities
enhances any meeting and in this regard Bali will not
be found wanting. Over the last few decades, Bali has
developed into a premier soft-adventure destination for
mountain cycling, horseback riding, elephant safaris,
paintball competitions, self-drive touring, as well as
explorations with a personal driver and guide.
Also available are thrilling action sports, such as surfing,
paragliding, bungee jumping, class II and III white water
rafting, helicopter rides into the island’s hinterlands,
or climbing a smoking volcano in the pre-dawn hours.
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volleyball game;
fly a kite; go body surfing, running, throw a Frisbee;
or simply build sand castles.
Underwater revellers may choose to dive or snorkel the
splendid drop-offs and isolated reefs of Amed, Tulamben
and Menjangan, earning a PADI certificate in the process.
Bali also serves as a convenient jumping-off point for
some of the world’s premier dive locales off Flores and
Komodo in this watery nation’s southeast islands.
For the laidback sports fan, try your hand at one of the
island’s number of world-class golf courses. You can’t
go wrong with such a perfect mix of clear weather, courteous
caddies, and breathtaking scenery.
Pre- and post-convention group activities can be arranged
aboard a sleek catamaran or traditional sailing schooner
to Bali’s offshore islands for a romantic sunset dinner,
group party or a variety of other sea-borne excursions.
Or you can put the wind in your sails by embarking on
a maritime adventure organised to Indonesia’s fabled outer
islands.
There’s a luxury of choices of programmes and tours to
all the principle highlights of Bali, as well as further
a field to the neighbouring island of Lombok, the Javanese
royal palace city of Yogyakarta, and to one of the wonders
of the ancient world - the inimitable Borobudur Temple
of Central Java.
Time to relax
While meetings and gala dinners have their place, a MICE
destination must also be somewhere one can kick back and
take it easy.
Bali is synonymous with relaxation, and its retreats,
spas and relaxation centres are among the best in the
world. Treat yourself to a flower petal bath, an aromatic
massage or a rice-paste skin exfoliation at one of the
many reputable spas, where you’ll be pampered by professional
staff, especially trained to make you feel at bliss.
Bali’s beautiful beaches are so famous that their mention
is almost redundant.With perfect weather nearly all year
round and white sand and blue water as far as the eye
can see, you can spend simply hours stretched out on the
long-chairs soaking up some rays. In the volcanic regions,
soothing hot springs abound - the perfect spots for relaxing
with MICE colleagues or for simply putting work on the
back burner for a few hours.
Mouth-watering Cuisine
Bali offers a spectacular array of authentic cuisine from
all over the world and excels in combining exquisite taste
with genuine hospitality, all at extremely affordable
prices.
Whether you wish to savour the finest indigenous cuisine
Bali has to offer, or you crave Japanese, Indian, Italian,
Mediterranean or even Irish specialities, it’s all here.
Bali now boasts its own vineyard and wine making facilities,
so be sure to try the local international-award-winning
vintages when you dine.
At Bali’s sophisticated hotel and stand-alone restaurants
- many boasting banquet and reception facilities - the
range of venues includes a recreated raja’s court, restaurants
perched on breathtaking cliffs over the Indian Ocean,
lively all-day seafood cafes, as well as hotel open-air
food courts that emulate the festive lantern-lit atmosphere
of an Indonesian night market in full swing.
A Shopper’s Dream
The island’s tourist areas are highly conducive to strolling,
browsing and shopping - favourite activities both for
participants and their partners. With literally kilometres
upon kilometres of shops selling handicrafts, clothes,
antiques, house wares, textiles, and originally designed
jewellery, Bali offers the seasoned shopper a giddy selection
at bargain prices.
Skilled craftsmen; internationally recognised native and
foreign artists; weavers and tie-dyers; bone, stone and
wood carvers; potters and ceramicists; and fashion COURTESY
TIRTHA ULUWATU and home ware designers have all made Bali
a treasure trove for shoppers and collectors.
Unique Events and State-of-the-art Facilities
To make your event or convention all the more memorable,
you can choose from endless themes and settings. Whether
it’s traditional or modern, the Balinese have the skills
and resources to meet almost any entertainment demand.
The most impressive of all, of course, are the exotic
traditional performances of Balinese music and dance,
dazzling you with stunning dancers lit by flaming torches
and the exciting rhythms of the energetic gamelan orchestra.
Bali may be traditional, but today the ancient is charmingly
blended with the new, and modern facilities and amenities
are widely available in most parts of the island, particularly
in the developed tourist areas. At purpose-built convention
centres you can expect the best in technology, incorporating
the latest equipment operated by expert technicians. Broadband
internet and wireless connections are now accessible in
all major tourist spots, meaning that your correspondence
is up-to-date and you’re connected globally at any waking
moment. International teleconferencing plays an ever-increasing
role in modern conferences – a service readily provided
through local telecommunication supplies. As a MICE destination,
the relaxed atmosphere of balmy Bali is guaranteed to
remove any inhibitions between participants, breaking
down barriers and potentially strengthening business relationships.
Glorious Bali has so much to offer - a perfect setting
for a convention, meeting, exhibition or incentive holiday.
There are few places in the world which can boast such
a pleasant and unique combination of cultural effervescence,
natural beauty, reliable weather and genuine hospitality.
The possibilities for your MICE programme are overwhelmingly
limitless. In fact, many say that it would take several
lifetimes to truly explore and appreciate the wonder that
is known the world over as the ‘Island of the Gods’.
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