So Many Developments in Bali . . . Banyan Tree Ungasan
The Banyan Tree Ungasan, down on the Bukit not far from the Bulgari resort is going to be a big, big one.
The Banyan Tree Ungasan, down on the Bukit not far from the Bulgari resort is going to be a big, big one.
La Vie villas will be conveniently located in Seminyak. They look more like townhouses than villas, though, but what’s in a word?
Already under construction, the Batubelig Residences is strategically located near the beach on the shortcut road that connects Seminyak and Canggu. These residences designed by Fredo Taffin are expected to sell at well over a million dollars each. Location location location.
Not many units, but lots of design (by Gary Fell) and special features will attract buyers to the Wabi Umalas Villas.
The Sing Ken Ken apartment block soon to rise high in Seminyak. “Sing ken ken,” in Balinese means, “No worries, mate.”
And here’s an aerial rendering of a villa development by Paradise Property out in Tabanan.
And here’s the Ramachandra villa development, pretty dense, I must say. What happens if they all flush their toilets at the same time?
So many developments it makes my head spin! Here’s the Novotel apartments in Nusa Dua. Multi-story, high-density, full-service. The above image is only half of the whole project. There are several more blocks south of the lake!
Here’s a glimpse of a development underway in the sacred east of Bali, on a beach in Karangasem.
There are so many villa and apartment developments going on in Bali it makes my head spin. Here’s one. The multi-use development at Dreamland Beach (formerly much beloved of bohemians and surfers) in the Bukit Jimbaran area. Construction already begun. Locally-owned cafes already demolished, cement and steel rising fast. The … Continue reading →
From a bali news website written in Indonesian, called Berita Bali, comes this little item about traffic and parking problems in Ubud, Bali’s most famous hill town. (The translation is mine.) Parking Chaos in Ubud: Never a Day Without a Traffic Jam Although it is one of Bali’s most popular destinations … Continue reading →
The Sydney Morning Herald has published a sizeable feature story on the impacts of overdevelopment in Bali, with the scathing headline: “Island paradise sucked dry by tourists”. I consider this piece to be required reading for anyone who is interested in Bali in any way, shape or form. The article … Continue reading →
I promised to give occasional digests of the local newspaper, the Bali Post. Not to renege on a promise, here is a digest of Tuesday’s paper, by no means a more distressing one than usual. The headlines that drew my attention most were: Struggle for Ramadan Gifts Leaves 21 Dead … Continue reading →
Architectural Digest (which normally makes me wince), has done it again – – not made me wince hard, two months in a row. The October issue features in its “Open Auditions” section on upcoming designers, a modern house in Arizona by Tennen Studio. OMG! It’s not white! It’s a hot … Continue reading →
After yesterday’s post, here’s another glimpse into the future of residential and hospitality design in Bali. (Lots more pictures after the jump.) The first proposed project (below) is a series of villas on a slope facing the sea, with the challenge being how to give every house views without sacrificing privacy. … Continue reading →
Several interesting and unusual developments are sprouting in the greater Ubud area. Is this really the dawning of the age of Aquarius, or am I dreaming? Yet I kid you not, these developments are under way in a river valley near you. More images after the jump. Have a look … Continue reading →
I blogged last week about W Retreat & Spa Bali, which is a major work in progress on the site of the old Intan Hotel in Seminyak, slated to open September 2009. Starwood Group’s W Hotels division has been very tight-lipped about the whole project, as I mentioned previously. W’s … Continue reading →
Nothing to do but quote the New York Dolls in this review. Personality Crisis. That characterises as well as anything could, Jakarta Fashion Week 2008, which ran from 20 to 24 August. That’s not to say it was a “bad” fashion week. Not at all. Genius, and talent (and utter … Continue reading →
Finally, here are photos from the Ugo Untoro/Filippo Sciascia vernissage at Biasa Artspace (which I posted about a couple weeks ago). Your patience has been rewarded. Sorry, no photos of Ugo. He’s kind of shy. The tense reciprocity of Ugo and Filippo’s collaborative works is visually arresting, and crackles with static electricity. Viewers were … Continue reading →
In case you hadn’t noticed, W Hotels is creating a huge luxury resort on the beach in Seminyak. It’s in Petitenget, to be precise, and the site entrance is directly next door to Bali Catering Company (best take-away gourmet shop in Bali). W Hotels is the hip luxury brand of … Continue reading →
As promised, here’s a digest of interesting items from the last issue of the Bali Post. Headline on the health page: Don’t Send Your Kids to Buy Your Cigarettes. 37% of all children in Indonesia smoke. The writer ventured that sending the kids to buy smokes might encourage them to try … Continue reading →
On Tuesday I wrote about the past weekend’s wicked exploits. But no photos, so I had to illustrate the post with a painting by Davina Stephens, whose birthday party on the Bukit was the main event of the weekend. Now I have a few snapshots thanks to Carolyn Tyler, celebrated … Continue reading →
I have been intending to write more about Bali from the inside-outsider’s point of view. Being inside and outside often makes me feel inside-out and often alienates me from the many non-Balinese people here (expats) and sometimes from the Balinese, too. Its a tricky tightrope. I intend to share periodically, … Continue reading →
It’s kite season in Bali, when strong trade winds from the east bring dry weather. Kite season means two things. It means crazy colourful skies. And it means crazy colourful parties. The good weather brings global party-goers and party-makers in droves. The Sleeping Tiger has had little sleep of late, … Continue reading →
“Self-fashioning through shopping is a perfect pastime for the modern control society – non-threatening and solipsistic.” (Hari Kunzru for The Guardian) Kunzru just wrote a piece for The Drawbridge (also excerpted in The Guardian) on the vacuousness of “luxury”. This is not an earth-shaking article and most of its points are self-evident to … Continue reading →
Residential architecture, particularly for the tropics, is a matter of great importance to the Sleeping Tiger on the Island of Bali. Here is a simple, efficient, affordable home design which has been getting a great deal of buzz. Built in the non-tropical region of Santiago, Chile, the Biehl House by … Continue reading →
How did we miss this? John Hardy, who is adored for his earnest eccentricity, wacky warm heart, and acute eye for great Indonesian textiles, was featured in Destinasian way back in February in an article entitled “Much Ado About Bamboo”. And we missed it. How? The article delved into some … Continue reading →
Vincent Sung, a Korean photographer whose career has ranged across the globe is now offering photography lessons at all levels at his newly-established Visual Sponge Institute in Ubud, Bali. Handsome, charming, fluent in numerous languages including French and English, Vincent has extensive experience teaching photography around the world. He delights … Continue reading →
Last night we had our neighbours Alistair and Melissa Scott for sunset drinks at our almost-finished house in Pererenan, then had dinner with them at their home, Villa Mako. When they arrived at our place, Bruno was in a hot debate with our Javanese carpenter about upcharges on the cabinetry. … Continue reading →
About a week ago, I posted my report on the re-opening party at Quarzia, a designer batik boutique around the corner from my office and almost-built gallery in Seminyak. I promised to post photos if Marco and Simonetta, the Quarzians themselves, would send me some pics to post. Well, I … Continue reading →