Bali Wood Craft Supplies – Handmade Products – Wood Product

The island of bali is located at the eastern tip of java,the main island of indonesia. for the most part, balineseartisans are excellent wood carvers and painters.this is evident just by strolling around the island andlooking at the temples, houses and even ceremonial decorations.their craftsmanship developed hand in hand with theirspirituality. the cultural district here is located in ubud,while the main metal handicrafts production is in a placecalled tabanan.The Balinese sculpture with natural media – wood, stone, bone, horn, deadwood, and even gnarled tree roots. Nowadays, souvenir-caliber wood carving is churned out and successful creations are mass produced. Any visitor to Bali is likely to be exposed to wood carving in all forms, be it the traditional ornate carved doors, the carved figures of gods, or the countless carved items in craft shops. Wood carving is a craft practiced all over Bali. Open your ears to the tapping sound of the carver’s mallet and you would know that there is one around. It would be taxing to separate traditional and foreign influences. However, Balinese are intense observers of the outside world, effortlessly incorporating and adapting foreign themes into their work. For quality wood carving, head to Tegallalang, Pujung, and Sebatu, which is north of Ubud. It is a great area to meet woodcarvers; it is best to take note of the artist’s name and visit him at the workshop to negotiate a better price. Bali is a perfect place for western artists to study their crafts. There are wood carving lessons in which you can learn to carve your own mask in about three weeks. if you want to search about bali wood craft, please come to our website http://www.baliartwood.com

Owning a Villa in Bali is your Key to Paradise

The quintessential Bali villas were originally created by the colonial Dutch to take advantage of Bali’s tropical conditions, and were designed to exploit the wind, the sunshine and climate by creating high-ceilinged, open-plan living spaces using local materials to create comfort in what was essentially an alien environment to them. Since that time the Bali villa has evolved with the times incorporating western trends design philosophies, resulting in Bali having become a haven for world-class architecture, comfort and luxury.

There are many diverse locations in Bali so when thinking of where to build or buy a villa you must ask yourself the question: What do I want around me? If you want to live in the thick of all the best restaurants, beaches and endless nightlife then Seminyak is the place. For peace and serenity, Canggu offers a much quieter experience of stunning rice field views, while Ubud to the north is an equally peaceful haven for the arts. Jimbaran and Sanur are well developed and family-friendly locales while the Bukit to the south offers stunning and dramatic cliff top views of the Indian Ocean, and is hotting up to be the place of choice for the most discerning of Bali’s villa owners.

There are many things to look out for however in the search for the perfect villa. The government is cracking down and enforcing a great many rules and regulations designed to control the Bali villa industry so, as with investing in any new home, one must make sure that everything is “squeaky clean” with regards to title, covenants, surveying and above all due diligence. It is therefore vitally important to have expert advice to see you through the entire process. Exotiq have all the right people to guarantee that the process goes smoothly with an absolute minimum of fuss, from choosing your piece of land, right through the building process to finally putting the key in your front door and walking inside your new home.

The benefits of having a villa in Bali are endless: the weather, the culture, the beaches, premier golfing facilities, world-class resorts, an endless array of gourmet eateries, and above all, the opportunity for a watertight investment. The market for Bali villas is reaching fever pitch, prices are at an all time high and returns on investment are better than ever. Whether for investment or retirement there has never been a better time to buy into your own piece of paradise. This is one purchase that will change your life.

The Breath of Villas in Bali

A villa is basically a house where a family can spend their time together. In Bali however, a villa is a breath of nature for the family, for first time honeymooners, or individuals who want to re-encounter the self being. Most Villas in Bali

Luxurious, sometimes superbly luxurious, the architecture of many villas in Bali is breathing in the rhythm of space that plays on the silence of the surrounds and fits effortlessly and discreetly into the small community.

In recent years the island of the Gods has become the site for many villas, or a cluster of villas referred sometimes as a boutique resort. The beginning of the new super luxury trend began at the end of the 1980’s, precisely with the opening of the Amandari, perched on the edge of Ubud’s Sayan Gorge. The mind behind the resort was renowned Australian architect Peter Muller along with owner Adrian Zecher. 

Hotels of that era were built with many rooms. Villas, however, have different approach. It is not simply how many hotel rooms you have, but how wonderful they are. Luxury, too, is not only determined by expensive materials for many of these resorts often use the simplest of local materials. 

The detail of concepts of boutique resorts and villas have developed since the days of Muller and Zecher, who has initiated the rejuvenation of the Balinese traditional village living within their architecture design. “Nowadays, modern touches are an important component in the design of villas in Bali,” said Popo Danes, a reputable Balinese architect who has designed a plenty of villas in some of Bali’s more remote locations.

As a result, according to Popo, the sense of simplicity is becoming stronger.

Initially, simple village living has been blended with a luxurious urban lifestyle. Nowadays, however, the sensation of simplicity has built the luxurious atmosphere. Details of architecture of many Balinese villas have beautifully combined the traditional and modern elements and features.

There is one feature almost always seen: Balinese traditional gate angkul-angkul , which usually gives access to Balinese compounds in many places of the island, has been utilized to strengthen the traditional senses of the villa building.

The presence of angkul-angkul has given a particular atmosphere of village living in many villa resorts. Almost all villa designers’ in Bali, seemingly, consider angkul-angkul as a standard feature for Balinese designed villa. However, the popularity of angkul-angkul has expanded beyond the boundaries of the island. In Jakarta as well as in many places in Java, including in Jogyakarta and in Surabaya, angkul-angkul has gained a particular place in villa design, it is often applied to give access to many private villas even luxurious residences. Perhaps it is to remind them of Bali, to bring about the nuances of Balinese harmony of living.

Once you pass the villa’s angkul-angkul , a serene garden awaits you. A garden is apparently another ‘compulsory zone of beauty’ for Bali-based villa designers. With lines of colorful flowering plants or decorative leaves, tropical gardens bring nature into the villas, each of which with their own details according to the sense of their respective landscape designer. The garden is not merely decorating the villa; it is so much important for the image that some villas in Bali use it as a marketing tool and promote the property as a ‘garden villa’.

Adjacent to the garden, often under the shadow of a frangipani tree, often lays the swimming pool. Private pools have been another luxurious trend in villa design. Nowadays, it seems that a villa is not a ‘real’ villa without a private pool. It can be a small swimming pool or even a plunge pool where you guests spend time relaxing and basking under the sun.

The garden and the pool sometimes (not sometimes, often!) are perfected with a spectacular backdrop of green rice fields, of mountainside, of river flow or beachfront: according to the blessing of the beauty of the villa’s location. This is Bali, where the stunning panorama of nature has long become an important element of beauty.

A villa, by this very definition must be small and limited. Above all, it should have its own recognizable flavor and character. The only similarity between many villas in Bali is the level of luxury and excellence.

If you have the money and want to really relax and enjoy yourself while visiting Bali, make sure that you reward yourself by staying in one or more of the world’s best resorts.

Bali Property Prices Continue to Skyrocket and Show No Sign of Slowing

Demand for land in Bali has been fuelled by the healthy recovery in Tourism that has taken place since the dual tragedies of the past few years. Many more foreigners along with more and more local Indonesian investors have acquired properties in Bali as they feel it is a safe and secure place to settle and invest despite the recent troubles. In fact, even after the attacks, Bali property prices have continued to increase dramatically,

Over the past ten years the world property markets have been going through the roof and Bali property prices have followed suit to keep up with this demand. Cliff-top and beachfront land which, ten years ago was in huge abundance and as cheap as a few hundred dollars per 100 square metres, has all but disappeared from the central areas of South Bali for all but those developers with the deepest of pockets, and are now trading at prices of upwards of 20,000 USD.

Of course, Bali property prices are dependent upon the area that you wish to buy.

Prices variation depends upon three factors: location, location and location. Cliché it may seem but proximity to the ocean, the downtown scene and the ricefield views are paramount to the price of property in Bali.

To give you some idea of the increase in Bali property prices, here are a few specific examples of the land value increases over the past ten years from 1996 to 2006 according to Exotiq’s latest figures. (All prices are quoted in USD for one are of land. One are of land equals100 square metres): –

Oberoi has risen from $2000 per 100 square metres in 1996 to $100,000 in 2006. Cliff-top Bukit from $2000 to $23,500.

Seminyak from $1,500 to $25,000 .

Ubud riverside land from $2,500 to $12,500.

Batu Belig from $2,500 to $22,000.

Jimbaran ocean view from $4000 to $18,500.

Bali property prices by comparison are almost half the price of a comparable villa in Phuket, Thailand, which is less attractive, more expensive and with a longer rainy season than Bali.

The market and the buying public know just how valuable prime Bali land is, so property prices can only continue to rise. Despite these increasing prices, there seems to be no end to the profits to be made on investments in the best Bali property.

Surprise Invitation to Bali

I tidied up after dinner, started the dishwasher and grabbed a freshly brewed coffee from the pot on the counter.  The sweet, creamy coffee was just what I needed on this cold January evening in Calgary,Alberta.  This winter seemed to be colder than the rest and I was getting a little restless.  The wind blew outside and the frost was building on the windows.  We had temperatures that worked their way below -40 degrees and the 7 hours of daylight was just enough to go to work and make your way home.  Spring was a long 2 maybe 3 months away.  Sometimes it made you feel trapped and sometimes it was like a warm blanket, wrapped around you keeping you safe.  My daughter Stevie was in her room playing make believe house with her barbies and my husband was on the phone with his brother-best friend.  I went to our computer room to see if I had an interesting forwarded messages in my email box.  Once I opened up my email box I was given the opportunity to join a dating service, enlarge many body parts, oh, and a nice an email from my sister.  She is always short, sweet and to the point – I love getting her notes.  She wants to know what we are doing for Easter – she is always looking forward and making nice plans.  I send her back an email telling her we should see each other and lets stay in touch to make a plan.  I move on to see if there is anything else in my email box to entertain me and I find an email in my spam box from a girl named Sharon.  Wait! I remember meeting a Sharon at a club thru one of my husbands friends and yes, we did exchange emails.  I open it up and click on the boxes that allow the entire email to be seen – she is in Hawaii and then on her way to Bali.  She had been doing an around the world trip that started in England and was going to finish in Bali before she returned to England.  I met her at a club in Calgary.  She was with one of my husbands friends and she seemed to be around for about 2 weeks before she moved on.  We exchanged email addresses and I thought I would have an email penpal friend, if anything.  There was a message from her!! She was having a blast in Maui with the hiking and swimming of her life time.  She was heading to the Indonesian island of Bali in a couple weeks to finish off her tour before heading home.  She would be going there alone and wondered if I would like to meet her there.  I reread the email again – I could not believe my eyes!  I wondered if she really meant it or just put it in the closure of her email.  My husband came into the computer room………I looked up at him and said “Look at the email I received from Sharon”.  While he was reading I watched his face – he finished reading smiled and said “When are you leaving?”  We had been having some rocky times and he knew a vacation would do me good.  I knew I was very fortunate to have his blessing without any hesitation and my daughter said “have a great time mom, bring me home something cool”. So I knew I was on my way.

I started to scour the internet for a flight and came up with one that got me into Denpasar airport in Bali, just one day before Sharon.  I was so excited and had to make sure I was prepared to go.  I ran and got a passport picture taken – a passport application and the required money order.  I went the the Travel Clinic for some updated shots.  I received my passport and was good to go.  I booked a room at a guest house in Kuta which would be a 15 min taxi ride from the airport and was very reasonable at $12 a night.  I booked 3 nights and we would look for a place after that.  The flight from Calgary took me on a long 35 hour tour of airports in Vancouver, Hong Kong, Singapore, and finally Denpasar, Bali.  I met a girl on the flights, she was from Montreal, and she came with me to my guest house for a room for the night.  I saw her briefly during my stay but she went her own way once we landed.  My room was rustic and smelled of mold and humidity.  All of Bali smelled of mold and humidity.  Most of the stairs and sidewalks were moss/mold covered and all green in colour.  My room was all wood – the floors, the walls, the ceiling, the furniture everything was wood.  It was wonderful and the change from the Canadian winter made me feel like I was on another planet.  I opened the window and noticed a small balcony.  Their was an unusual small double door that opened to the balcony.  It had a built in bench across the front and some trailing flowers growing over the side and hanging down.  The smell of the ocean – the heat and humidity – I was in paradise.

While I waited for Sharon, I walked the lanes.  There were back lanes, side lanes, winding lanes all going somewhere.  I started off and found a more traveled road that lead to some restaurants and shops.  Walking on the raised sidewalk in front of restaurants with chickens and large animals hanging in the windows.  They were making soup and shredded meat dishes and the smells were odd but enticing.  I stepped down into a restaurant stall and took up a table.  A little woman came to me and offered me a menu.  I opened the menu and was pleasantly surprised to see little pictures of dishes with prices beside them. There must have been 50 items – did they really make all of these??  I picked an item that looked like chicken soup as I was getting over some flight sickness and needed something bland.  I was sadden and shocked when the lady came back with a bowl that contained very little broth, a ton of chicken parts and pieces and green veggies that I have never seen before.  Before she could walk away I asked for some crackers or bread to help my tummy situation but her lack of english and my lack of Balinese didn’t help me much.  I was left looking into the bowl of chicken part soup and tried to make the best of it.  That evening I ordered room service and had a clubhouse sandwich – a little different that I am used to but very delicious.  Sharon showed up after my first day in Bali and was very tired and quiet.  We walked the beach and got to know one another – she told me she had become pregnant from the fellow she met in Calgary (my husbands friend) and was terribly confused and unsure what to do.  She wanted to spend the next three week figuring out her next steps as did I.  We decided to have a quiet vacation and not expect each other to accompany on all tours/days.  This allowed me to do some necessary timeout thinking to see what my next steps in life were.We checked out of our guest house in Kuta and headed inland to Ubud.  Getting around in Bali is very easy since there are so many hired drivers just waiting to take you out for the day and they will charge around $20 for the entire day.  The drive to Ubud took about 45 min and the road was terribly windy.  There were many villages and shops along the way and Sharon became motion sick on the way.  We drove rolling green hills covered in rice fields that appeared to be edged with the deep blue ocean.  We passed through villages of artists, museums, temples, kites, and I even witnessed a cremation celebration.  Our driver, Putu, came to pick me up 5 times during our 3 week stay. Once we past his family home and he took me there to meet his parents.  This was not a conventional home – there was one wooden home/shack for sleeping, one for eating and one for the washroom.  I met his mother and father and took a tour of the homes.   Putu took me back to what would be the family common area for tea and cookies and I asked him to collect his mother and father for a picture.  When he arrived he was standing with a different woman than the one he had first introduced me to so I questioned him and he said “This woman is my mother, she is married to my father but she could not bear children so my father also married the first woman you met and had children with her and this woman raised us.  We all live together”  Their form separate family never did separate and had some definite pluses since they all got along and lived under one roof.  When I left the island I felt as if I was leaving my family again and saying good bye to Putu was a sad day.  I will some day return to visit and continue my adventure of this beautiful and magical island of Bali.