Puri Agung Karangasem was built at the end of the 19th century by Anak Agung Agung Gede Jelantik, King of Karangasem and the first Stedeholder in Bali for the Dutch Regime. It was later renovated by his son, the King Anak Agung Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, the second stedeholder in Bali. The Palace has three major parts. Visitors are received in the first compound, called the ‘Bencingah’, which has rooms reserved for specially invited guests to your right and left. Visitors enter through gates made in the stupa or pagoda-style. Noted for its tripartite structure, the gate houses the spirits that guard and protect both host and guest from any evil wrongdoing.

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Laos is one of the best bargains in Southeast Asia—and that’s saying something, since most countries there are relatively cheap for travelers. Because tourism is only beginning to make inroads in Laos, visitors are not seen as mere revenue streams; locals extend a warm and genuine welcome. You can find an inexpensive guesthouse for less than $20 a night; open-air cafes along the Mekong River offer absurdly cheap French and Lao specialties.

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Pura Agung Pulaki, a large, dramatic temple only 25 meters from the sea, is located 30 km of Seririt (48 km west of Singaraja) near the grape-growing village of Banyupoh. This important temple commemorates the arrival of the Javanese saint-priest Nirartha to Bali in the early 16^th century.

flickr.com/photos/walser/

Cliffs tower behind the temple surrounded by jungle and overrun by hordes of simians. Considered sacred, the macaques are well fed by pilgrims. The monkeys on the hills range have existed before the arrival of Danghyang Nirartha. It is said that when he entered the forest of Pulaki he was escorted by those monkey troops. As his respect to those monkeys Danghyang Nirartha then established the Pulaki Temple and the entire monkeys there came to be its guardian.

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Due to its transient nature, Bali has always been fairly quick to embrace different healing practices. Some treatments have been around for centuries, while others are based on modern wellness beliefs. There is a growing interest globally in alternative therapies that nurture the body, mind and spirit. Most international travellers are familiar with traditional Balinese massage, but now foot massage seems to have made an impact on the island in major tourist areas.

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Ubud, the art center of Bali offers many beautiful and interesting places to visit. Below are some “a must visit place” in Ubud out of dozens interesting places there.

Puri Saren Agung

Puri saren is Ubud’ s main palace, lies on the northeast comer of the town main crossroads facing the market, the exact center of Ubud, 200 m east Pura Saraswasti. This is an elegant palace with cool nuance. Puri Saren Agung is the palace of the Sukawatis dynasty, the ruling family of Ubud since late of 19th century. Visitors are free to roam in inner courtyard of the palace to see the ornate thatched Bale (traditional house), royal heirlooms, and numerous colonial-era photographs.

Pura Saraswati

Pura Saraswati is the royal temple of Ubud. Situated near the Puri Saren Agung, behind the Cafe Lotus. The temple is a masterpiece of I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. The visitors can find a magnificent lotus pond, beautiful garden, numerous of beautifully carved Bale and shrines. This temple is dedicated to the goddess of learning, Dewi Saraswati.

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Taken from Associated Press

Commemoration of the 9/11 terror attacks is bound to lead some travelers to wonder about safety, especially for overseas travel.

Fortunately, traveling around the world is still statistically no more dangerous than traveling across your hometown. Indeed, as at home, most dangers and annoyances on the road revolve around sickness, theft, and accidents — not political violence or terrorism. Thus, the same common-sense precautions that serve you well at home should help keep you safe on the road.

Should political violence or terrorism capture headlines, the secret to avoiding trouble is not to cancel your travel plans, but to keep yourself informed. Just because the evening news shows unrest in Iraq, for instance, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dangerous to visit Jordan or Egypt. By the same token, the evening news might habitually ignore the political situation in Africa, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to visit many parts of Sudan or Somalia.

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