Miss World – comes to Bali

Yes, beautiful Bali will be hosting the Miss World beauty contest this year.

I recommend watching it on TV on 28 Sept 2013 – if only to get a glimpse of Bali.

However, from what I can gather, the event will be taking place over the whole month of Sept.

It will mainly be held in the south of Bali which has many top 5 star hotels and great beaches, probably in the Nusa Dua and Jimbaran areas,.

This is the 63rd Miss World and its the first time it has come to Indonesia.  In fact it’s never been anywhere in S.E. Asia before.

Image from Miss World website

Image from Miss World website

There is another ‘first’ too… instead of wearing bikinis, this year’s contestants will use sarongs which they are calling ‘Balinese beach fabric’.

This is because, although the small island of Bali is Hindu, the country of Indonesia is Muslim.

You can easily see nice pictures of beaches anytime, so I wanted to show you the area around Jati Luwih which, the grapevine has it, will be used for part of the contest (and I’ve just heard they will go to Besakih, The Mother Temple, on the slopes on Mount Agung too).

Valley floor... awash with rice

Valley floor… awash with rice

Jati Luwih was granted the UNESCO Heritage Award last year.

It received the award not for its outstanding natural beauty, but because of the ancient subak organisational system that runs through the sawah/rice fields.  The subak is fundamentally connected to the living culture within Bali.

Stunning rice terrace view

Dreamy rice terrace view

This system dates back to circa 9th century.

It ensures that water runs from the mountains down through the valleys in a maze of channels which irrigate the life blood of Bali i.e. the rice paddies (sawah).

Rice - as far as the eye can see

Rice – as far as the eye can see

I’m was inspired to write this poem about the rice paddies.

The Ricefields of my Being

The shape of my heart
is like Bali

Blood flows like water
through the ricefields
of my being

My soul channels
my life’s energy

And like the subak
its essential work
goes unseen

All through the sawah
of my existence

Seeds grow
then ripen
before fading away

I can watch
detached

As my
inner rice trees
are harvested

Giving me enough sustenance
for yet another day

For more info and pics of Jati Luwih click here.

If you want to come and stay in Bali while Miss World is here, then I currently still have some availability during Sept at Rumah Jepun, Ubud

Honeymoon at Rumah Jepun

We welcomed a honeymoon couple to Rumah Jepun recently and so Gede gave their room a special flower make-over:

A heart of flowers

A heart of flowers

He usually puts fresh flowers in the rooms of our guest house, but this was obviously more than normal!

River View Room turned into Honeymoon Room

River View Room turned into Honeymoon Room

These particular honeymooners were travelling around Indonesia and so they only stayed 1 night in Ubud before whizzing off to the romantic Gili islands.

Decorate the ceiling

Decorate the ceiling with flowers

For future honeymooners who stay at Rumah Jepun’s bed and breakfast a little longer than just 1 night, I can recommend some particularly romantic ideas… (and we can arrange these options for our guests, giving them more time for relaxation together).

A decorative archway made for honeymooners

A decorative archway – made for honeymooners

How about a couples massage treatment in a lovely spa room with its own private garden surrounded by a bamboo fence.

These rooms even have a bathtub made for two – complete with more flowers, of course!

A couples room - a couples bath

A couples room – a couples bath

The chocolate, coffee, sea salt or perhaps hot spicy massage (there are many flavours of massage available) will relax your muscles.  And your taste buds will be woken up by sipping the freshly made ginger tea (with real pieces of ginger) that the spa serves alongside a platter of tropical fruit.

Even Sedona Spa’s entrance is perfect for couples to walk through.

Through the archways of flowers to your spa room

Through the archways of flowers to your spa room

Then we can book you a table at one of the most romantic of restaurants.

Inside the romantic bridges restaurant

Inside the romantic bridges restaurant

Exquisite food, cooked to perfection and served by immaculately dressed and well trained staff, yet with an light, friendly and informal approach.

And what a setting.  Bridges restaurant overlooks a jungle ravine and the bridge at Campuhan too – which is extra pretty when lit up at night.

Bridges - taken from the bridge

Bridges – taken from the bridge

Couples may like the idea of a sunset walk through the rice paddies out towards a restaurant without walls where, weather permitting, you can see Mount Agung looming large in the distance.

Yaniq singing to us in the rice fields

Maybe Yaniq will sing you a love song

And then there are the hot springs at 43 degrees celsius – what hotter place is there for relaxing with your partner.

You might want to cool down with a heartfelt cocktail after that

A romantic cocktail served at Maha

A romantic cocktail served at Maha

Of course, there are many private tours you can do with a driver taking you wherever you wish to go – to the volcano, diving a shipwreck, visiting spectacular cliff top temples, leisurely strolls through the Unesco Heritage Award Winning rice terraces, treks through the jungle or a day on golden sands.

Jungle tipped rice terraces

Imagine yourselves in the thick of these jungle tipped and deliciously green rice terraces

If you are particularly adventurous couple, you might even climb the volcano together for sunrise – it really is like being on top of the world! Or ride an elephant together, trot along a sandy beach on horseback or go white water rafting.

We can even arrange a Balinese wedding style photoshoot, complete with traditional dress!

These are just a few of the many options available for honeymooners, or couples or singles for that matter (and they are all at a reasonable price).

We look forward to welcoming you to Rumah Jepun soon (click the link for more info or contact us directly: rumahjepun@outlook.com ).