Bali is an island of my past, current and future. Yes, Bali to many is just an island in Indonesia. To others it is a once in a lifetime destination. For me, it is a wonderful place to go and chill. I was told that my first time in Bali was in 1970, I was around 3 years old. I have been to Bali almost every year since then on vacation with my folks until I graduated high school at JIS (Jakarta Selatan, Jakarta) in 1986. Then, I started back to Bali around the year 2000 and have been going back ever since each year.
Bali sure has changed over the years and I prefer “hiding” in the Nusa Dua area or north Bali around Tulamben. I would say Bali is my bookend points when I travel to Indonesia. I love to veg for the first 2-3 days then head over to scuba dive up in northern Bali or to one of the other islands in Indonesia. Then visit friends on the island of Java. Then complete my Indonesian visit with a few more days in Bali.
I counted up all my days in Bali since I was born and it so far came to around 580 days so far. More to come, Lord willing!
Now a new set of tourist is headed to Bali, folks from China. I am glad more of the globe is realizing how awesome Bali is for those wanting to vacation and chill out.
Here is part of the article –
As China’s burgeoning class of affluent travelers seek out more exotic destinations, Indonesia is cashing in.
China is on track to become the biggest tourist market for Indonesia for the first time this year, overtaking Singapore. That’s after a 46 percent surge in visitors from the world’s second-largest economy to 1.4 million in the first eight months of the year.
As part of his sweeping vision for developing the vast Indonesian archipelago, a string of more then 17,000 islands, the president has laid out an ambitious infrastructure agenda, and a plan to make tourism a key part of the country’s future prosperity. He is under pressure to find new sources of growth for an economy that’s expanding about 5 percent, well short of the 7 percent target he set when he came to office three years ago.
Jokowi, as the president is known, has vowed to double tourist numbers to 20 million a year by 2019, when his first term ends, and broaden out the destinations beyond Bali, which drew nearly 4 million visitors in the first eight months of this year, almost half of the 9 million arrivals to Indonesia in the period.
Please head over here for the full article – https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-19/creating-10-new-balis-indonesian-tourism-plan-starts-with-china
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“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton
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