Bali is Top Asian Holiday Destination

The readers of an online travel magazine have named Bali as the top holiday destination in Asia for 2011.

The poll, conducted by Smart Travel Asia, also picked out several Bali resorts as the top places for a relaxing break.

Bali took the top spot from Kerala, India, which was bumped down to No. 4. Phuket, Thailand, and Hong Kong were the runners-up, respectively. 

In terms of top places to stay, a number of Bali resorts were included in the top 25 list, including the Bulgari Resort Bali and the Four Seasons Resort Bali at spots 2 and 3, respectively.

The poll also reported on preferred budget airlines, with AirAsia getting the gold star. Indonesia’s own Lion Air failed to chart.

The poll did not specify the number of voters, but the demographics skewed upscale. According to the magazine, voters took an average of 15.75 air trips over the past year and earned an average annual income of $150,000

read about our Bali hotels and Bali travel information at http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/bali/bali-information.aspx 

 

Duta Garden Hotel

minutes from the Kraton, and 10 minutes from the train station, Duta Garden Hotel is good bet if you are staying in the Prawirotaman Area. This medium-sized hotel has big and comfortable rooms.

 

The rooms are decorated with vintage styled furniture. With 2 beds in each room, the rooms are almost luxurious. They are air-conditioned, Cable TV and well appointed western toilets. Linen was spotless and complimentary toiletries standard.

 

The Duta has a medium sized pool for lounging and the gardens are pleasant. Ask for coffee to be served at the poolside in the afternoon.

 

The Hotel restaurant served good food but since you are in the Prawirotaman area, there are choices aplenty outside the Duta Hotel. 

Other hotels link of www.itravelindonesia.com:

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Santika%20Premiere%20Jogja

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Melia%20Purosani

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Manohara%20Borobudur

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Istana%20Batik%20Ratna%20Hotel

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Inna%20Garuda%20Hotel

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Duta%20Hotel

http://www.itravelindonesia.com/hotel/viewer.aspx?HotelName=Duta%20Garden%20Hotel

The Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese New Year begins on Feb 4 this year

The Year of the Rabbit conjures images of fluffy bunnies, but fortunetellers in Asia predict that the coming year on the Asian lunar calendar will be anything but cuddly.



Among key predictions for the new year beginning Feb. 3: terrorist threats, continuing tensions between China and the United States, natural disasters around the world and wobbly global markets.

Even Hollywood celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is not immune from the grim predictions. Both were born in Rabbit years, and one fortuneteller sees their longtime relationship coming under increasing strain as the year wears on.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, Asians from Hanoi to Harbin put great stock in the soothsayers' predictions using feng shui - the traditional practice of foretelling events through dates and classical texts.

In feng shui lore, the Year of the Rabbit is associated with the natural elements of metal and wood. This is a likely recipe for conflict, according to Hong Kong-based feng shui consultant Raymond Lo.

Taipei-based colleague Tsai Shang-chi goes even further.

This year the West will suffer from a vicious energy and will be prone to more terrorist attacks," Tsai said. "The East will also be affected by a negative energy, reflected in ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula."

While Tsai and Malaysian prognosticator Rev Yong offer assurances that the problems between North and South Korea won't escalate into all-out war, Yong is less sanguine about the chances for avoiding an onslaught of natural disasters. He foresees severe flooding around the world, a powerful earthquake in Japan and the emergence of a number of worrisome new diseases.

One of the upshots, he says, will be big problems for the global economy and the possibility of a major stock market plunge toward the middle of the year.

"People think the rabbit is very gentle, but it's not going to be a mild year at all," Yong said. "It won't be a good year. There will be a lot of world conflicts."

www.itravelindonesia.com

Duta Garden Hotel

minutes from the Kraton, and 10 minutes from the train station, Duta Garden Hotel is good bet if you are staying in the Prawirotaman Area. This medium-sized hotel has big and comfortable rooms.

 

The rooms are decorated with vintage styled furniture. With 2 beds in each room, the rooms are almost luxurious. They are air-conditioned, Cable TV and well appointed western toilets. Linen was spotless and complimentary toiletries standard.

 

The Duta has a medium sized pool for lounging and the gardens are pleasant. Ask for coffee to be served at the poolside in the afternoon.

 

The Hotel restaurant served good food but since you are in the Prawirotaman area, there are choices aplenty outside the Duta Hotel.