The night is balmy. The temple is still, lit only by the Moon and the glow of fire pots and torches. The evocative gongs of the Gamelan ring out, announcing the entrance of the elegat dancers dressed as Dewis, handmaidens of the gods. A timelessness descends… Welcome to Bali, a truly magical island of great beauty, artistic abundance, sensual delights and spiritual presence.
You are invited to join astrologers and metaphysical teachers
Alan Oken and Maggie Kerr for an amazing two-week tour of this exceptional
island of smiles. As frequent and long time visitors to Bali, Alan and
Maggie have arranged a fantastic journey to temples, traditional villages,
art galleries, health spas, and splendid oceanside resorts. We will also
be accompanied along our way by Komang Astawa.
Komang
is a man totally steeped in the spiritual lore of his culture and is himself
an apprentice “Balian” (Balinese shaman). A graceful gentleman,
Komang's knowledge and kindness will be a welcomed addition to our traveling
family. He has arranged a special visit for us to his own village temple
where we shall be hosted for dinner, and where the village men and women
will play the gamelan and dance for us. A rare treat!
**Click here to
view
a slide show of pictures from Bali**
Here is a brief outline of our itinerary:
September 16: You arrive at Denpasar Airport after your international flight and are met by a coach that will take you to the Sanur Beach Hotel. This beautiful and spacious resort is right on the ocean and contains two swimming pools and amazing gardens. Each lovely room either faces the ocean or sits atop lush foliage and wonderful statues. Dinner that night is at the hotel where we will also have our initial group gathering and orientation.
September 17: A wonderful breakfast is served by the ocean followed by a day of rest after your long journey. Swim in the pools or enjoy the beach and any water sports of your choosing. Group lunch is at the incredible hotel buffet. You are free in the evening to walk along the beach, dine in the restaurant of your choice, go to the night market to shop, meet with friends for drinks, or all of the above! Our tour begins in earnest tomorrow!
September 18: After breakfast and checkout, we are picked up by our coach and taken for an hour’s drive to the cultural center of Bali, the town of Ubud. There we are to check-in at the Puri Saraswati, once the royal compound of the King of Ubud. This will be our home base for seven nights. We have arranged an afternoon visit for everyone at Nur Spa. Here you will be treated to a massage, and a bath in flower petals. Lunch is on your own (with recommendations from Alan and Maggie) but be ready by 6.30pm to be taken to Pura (Temple) Dalam where we will be treated to our first performance of traditional Balinese song and dance. Following the music, we are to dine at one of Alan’s favorite restaurants, Ari’s Warung, where jungle, elegance and fine dining meet.
September 19: After breakfast at the hotel, we are picked up by our coach and travel to two temples complexes: Sayan and Mengui. Sayan is a “water temple” with ancient stone fountains while Mengui is the family temple of the Princes of Gelgel. Here we will visit the ancestral alters of this powerful dynasty and wander through the numerous temple complexes. Our group lunch is to be held at the lovely Uma Sari restaurant, after which we are taken to Pura Alas Kedaton. Founded in 1250AD by a Javanese prince, this temple complex is known for its troupes of tame monkeys and the huge bats (nicely asleep during the day) hanging in the trees above us. We then return to Ubud for a group meeting. Your are then on your own for dinner and to wander through gentle Ubud.
September 20: Breakfast is served and then we are on our way to the temple pools of Tampaksiring. Swimming is optional but those who wish to do so, should remember to bring along a towel. We then return to Ubud for lunch at probably its most famous restaurant, the Lotus Café, followed by a trip to the sacred Elephant Cave of Goa Gajah. We then motor back to Ubud where Maggie and Alan will speak about one of our favorite topics—astrology, followed by dinner.September 21: This is a totally free day, one in
which after breakfast you can visit Ubud’s incredible market, return
to Nur for another spa treatment or just rest at our lovely hotel. The
evening is planned for a wonderful night of group activity. We will first
dine at the beautiful Terazo Restaurant and then take a short walk to Ubud’s
Water Palace, where another performance of traditional dance and music
awaits us.
September 22: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and free
morning. At 1:00 pm we are picked up by our coach and taken to Pura Ulun
Banu in the town of Batur. This temple is still in the process of being
constructed with an eventual 285 shrines to be completed. It is situated
in front of a (sometimes active) volcano near lake Batur. As always, Komang
is there to explain Balinese ritual and symbology to us. On our way back
to Ubud, we pass through Penelokan, “the place to look” where
we are told, “the world changes colors.” A brief group meeting
at the hotel and then we are off to dinner at Nomad’s Restaurant
in Ubud.
September 23: After
breakfast we are picked up by our coach and taken to Besakih, “the Mother Temple of
Bali.” Komang’s family caste temple is located there as are
shrines that connect all of the Balinese people to this huge complex. Ceremonies
are always taking place here. It is a busy place of worship, offerings,
and devotion. (Commerce too—as there are numerous souvenir shops
and food stalls.) We will be stopping along the way for lunch before heading
to the village of Celuk, known for its fine gold and silver jewelry. We
return to Ubud where the evening is free for everyone to do (or not do)
as they please.
September 24: This is our final day in Ubud, one that is left free for rest. Those who have not taken their turn at Nur Spa and/or who would like another massage and flower bath, are welcome to take advantage of this time. Walks through the extensive and beautiful terraced rice fields are available as is a visit to the Monkey Forest. We will hold a group meeting at 6.00 pm and Alan and Maggie will give another talk before everyone sets out to their favorite restaurant.
September 25: Breakfast and checkout. At 9.00 AM we are picked up and taken to the village of Bedegul, located on the shores of Lake Bratan. There we shall check into the Lake Bratan Hotel where your afternoon is free to explore the beauty of your surroundings. A group dinner will be served at the Hotel in the evening.
September 26: After breakfast, we leave the hotel for a morning tour of Pura Ulan Danu Bratan. This incredible lakeside temple is literally right outside our door! Lunch will be served at the Hotel and then you are free until 3:00 pm when we are taken to Komang’s village temple for an evening of dining and entertainment offered by the people of his village. This will prove to be an unforgettable day for us all!
September 27: We breakfast at the hotel and then checkout in preparation for our return to a bit of ocean side luxury once again at the Bali Beach Sanur Hotel. On our way back to Sanur, we will stop to visit a beautiful water palace known as Tirta Gangga before a visit to Tenganan, home of the Bali Aga people, the original inhabitants of Bali. The Bali Aga are renowned for their “double ikat” weavings. We will lunch along the shore at Candi Dasa before coming back to Sanur, where we check-in and your evening is free.
September 28: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and lazy afternoon. We will then be picked up around 4.00 pm for a ride to Ulauatu for a breathtaking view of the sunset over the ocean and a group meditation. Dinner will be at the Bonsai Café in Sanur where 1,000 bonsai trees are displayed and wonderful food is on offer.
September 29: Our final day in Bali is a totally free for you to relax at poolside or by the ocean. Our last group dinner will be at the Hotel’s charming restaurant.
September 30: After breakfast and checkout, you
will be taken by coach back to Denpasar Airport for your flight home. Salamat
Jalan!! Bon Voyage!!
Costs: Each person is responsible for his or her round-trip airfare. Depending on the number of travelers from Brisbane and/or Sydney to qualify, we will check into group fare discounts. Australians should therefore contact Maggie about this. All other travelers are welcome to contact Alan about best and least expensive ways to Bali.
Indonesian government fees: You will be required
to obtain a tourist visa upon entering Bali. It is valid for 30 days for
US, Australian and UK citizens, and
the cost to you is US$25. For all other nationalities please check
the immigration laws pertaining to what passport you hold. You
will also have to pay a US$10 exit fee when leaving the country. Both these
fees may be paid with any national currency, including Indonesian rupiahs.
The price of the tour includes: Fees
to guides, entrances to temples, all local transportation, hotels,
two meals a day (breakfast and either lunch or dinner—except
on September 24th when only breakfast will be provided and September
26th when all three meals will be offered). Tips at restaurants are
also included but please tip your baggage handlers. All soft drinks,
teas, juice and coffee with all meals are included but you will be
responsible for any alcoholic beverages you may consume.
Cost per person:
US$1895 / A$2295 (when paid in full prior
to August 1, 2006)
The above prices are for double occupancy. A very limited number of singles
is available for an additional fee of US$500 / A$600.
Although full payment is greatly appreciated, a US$500 / A$600 non-refundable
deposit will reserve your space. All payments must be received in full
prior to August 1, 2006.
Refunds: If after registering, you
are forced to cancel, all money will be repaid in full less the above-mentioned
deposit, if requests for cancellation are received prior to June
1, 2006. Refunds for cancellations received after this date will
be refunded in full (less deposit) if another person is found to
take your place on the journey.
PLEASE NOTE: The Bali Gods and Goddesses Tour is unlimited in terms of the joy, companionship, and beauty of the experience. It is limited however to 35 people, so please register early.
To register: You are welcome to contact Alan Oken to arrange payment and registration. You may pay via Visa, Master Card or American Express. US residents may also pay by personal check if you so choose. Alan can be reached via email at alanoken@att.net; You may also telephone at +505.466.2258 or +505.603.0803. Australian residents are welcome to register and leave your credit card numbers with Maggie Kerr on 07.55.945.959.
Health and climate: Bali is an equatorial, tropical land. Weather in September is quite lovely—definitely warm during the day but not oppressive and absolutely wonderful at night (which at the equator means that the sun sets each evening at about 6.00 pm, rising as it does at around 6.00 am). Do bring along a light evening wrap. Bring along sunscreen, sunglasses and a sun hat—and make sure to drink lots of bottled water (easily and inexpensively available). Malaria is not a problem and for a short visit only to Bali (and not the rest of Indonesia), special shots are not usually required. But you are welcome for your own peace of mind to check with your local physician for his or her recommendations about inoculations.
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your guides...
Maggie Kerr
click for bio
Komang Astawa
Alan Oken