July - September 2016

☛ IN THIS ISSUE KIDS HOLIDAY F UN / INDIAN OCEAN RITUAL / RELIGI US CELEBRATION

FAMILY TIME WITH USIt’s family vacation time and here at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali we have lots of family-centric activities for you to enjoy. With a focus on family bonding and fun, Ritz Kids can help your children learn to make Balinese kites, palm leaf offerings and perform traditional dances, learn to make sushi with the whole family at Raku or join our conservation program to release the baby sea turtles to the ocean.

At this time of year, we will also celebrate the Moslem holy days of Idul Fitri in July and the Hindu holy time of Galungan in September. It’s an amazing time to experience the unique religious and cultural traditions upheld by the residents of Bali, as well as to see the vibrant decorations that cover the whole island. So be sure to pack your camera!

ENJOY BALI WITH GREAT SAVINGS Have an unforgettable beach resort vacation with us here in Bali, where you can be pampered in our Spa, dine on incredible cuisine and explore our fascinating cultural offerings. Reserve our “Enjoy Bali with Great Savings” package to receive up to 20% savings for a minimum of two nights stay, and enjoy local treats prepared to embrace this remarkable luxurious experience, between July 1 and December 31, 2016.

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Located on the Southern Coast of Bali, the pristine white beach at the resort is the natural location of choice for nesting sea turtles, who flocked to lay their eggs. Dedicated to preserve the environment, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali is committed to protect and conserve these incredible creatures for years to come. After several sucessfull releases on the first year of opening, the resort plans to help safeguard hatching sea turtles for many seasons to come.

The first few minutes after hatching are among the most dangerous of a young turtle’s life, as they must cross the beach, avoiding predators and heat, to find safety in the waves. It is at this crucial moment that the resort and its guests step in to assist these sea creatures. As soon as the eggs are first laid, the resort erects a fence around the nest for security and once hatched, then transfers the baby turtles to a safe “temporary home” where they are guarded from predators around the clock.

During the hatch season, guests are invited to join the release together with the resort’s Ladies & Gentlemen. Start earky morning on the beach, guests are welcomed to learn more about nature conservation and walk with the turtles as they make their way to the water. Children have the unique privilege of being the first to go, each receiving a Ritz Kids T-shirt identifying themselves as the ambassadors of the environment, and ‘racing’ to the ocean alongside the young turtles.

Adults then follow in the children’s footsteps as the remaining turtles splash safely into the Indian Ocean. To witness and participate in this incredible natural wonder is truly inspiring, especially for young guests who come from cities, allowing them to learn about animals, conservation and the environment via inspiring firsthand experiences.

Sea Turtle hatching season in Bali falls between March to October each year, and guests are invited to participate whenever there is an active hatch.

Contact our Ritz Kids for more information on joining the program.

Sea Turtle Preservation

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KITE RUNNERSoar to new heights at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali with the resort’s new cultural offering – the Balinese Kite Experience.

Flying kites is an integral part of Balinese culture and as long as there is wind, kites will be dotting the skies of the island. Get your whole family involved under the expertise of the resort’s specialists, who created this program with a local expert. Bond with your children as you help them create their own custom masterpiece from the materials and framework provided and write personal wishes on the tail of the kite, as the locals do.

From the resort’s white-sand beach, families can watch their children pilot kites in the sky while dressed in traditional Balinese attire and follow this with a delighted brunch at Beach Grill.

Additionally, a selection of the kites will be displayed as a special art exhibit at the resort. Families will also have exclusive access to the renowned Bali Kite Festival in nearby Sanur to witness firsthand the thrilling aerial art show.

NIGHT SAFARI ADVENTURELet your kids enjoy the unforgettable adventure of travel with the Ritz Kids new offering – the Night Safari.

Inspire your little adventurers with their own check-in complete with miniature counters and a welcome lion backpack filled with all the goodies little ones dream of, from a passport, discovery map and exciting stickers, to cool caps and accessories and bracelets for free ice-cream. They will also be treated to chocolates every morning and evening.

In your room, they can go glamping (glam camping) in a tent with luxurious Ritz-Carlton comfort and bedding and a different traditional Balinese story every bedtime, `while outside your suite, a host of activities offer entertainment. Tap into your child’s inquisitiveness and creative spirit with Super Little Chef cooking classes, Polaroid camera rental for Little Photographers and local arts in Art of the Craft.

There’s no better time to make indelible one-of-a-kind memories with the Ritz Kids Night Safari Adventure package with in-room tent experience, complimentary breakfast for two

adults and complimentary meals for all kids ages 6 and under.

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A Cultural DiscoveryThis school holiday, let your children explore and learn with the wonderfully fun cultural activities at Ritz Kids. Our programs are designed to educate, entertain and amaze our young guests, creating shared stories and memories that last long after check out.

All Balinese children, boys and girls, are involved with arts and crafts from an early age, making offerings, kites and learning to dance. While on vacation, get your kids involved too! We have distinctive offerings unique to the island and love to introduce these local customs to your children.

BALINESE DANCE ACADEMYBalinese children learn to dance from as young as 4 years old! For the dancers in your life, Ritz Kids offers a short course in Balinese dance and teaches kids some of the basic movements and gestures that are used in many of the stunning dances that Bali is so famous for.

While you enjoy some quiet time, perhaps at our wonderful Spa, our teachers will show your little ones how to move their hands, hips, feet and eyes for those dramatic, expressive gestures and graceful movements. Putting all this together into a dance, and dressed in traditional Balinese attire, the kids then put on a special performance for their parents on graduation day. Imagine the stunning photographs they can share with their friends and family as a reminder of this special time!

JANUR MAKING

Janur are traditional Balinese decorations made from young palm leaves. As you travel around the island, you are sure to see them – from tiny, simple crafts to large, elaborate creations, they are found at every Balinese celebration. Our talented team will guide your children, helping them as they learn how to make the most popular, simple pieces by folding, plaiting, weaving and bringing together these pale ribbon-shaped leaves into gorgeous handicrafts to show off to their friends.

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Indian Ocean Ritual

A spa treatment truly inspired by the beach and Balinese tradition.

When you’re staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, why not take full advantage of our stunning white-sand beaches? Delight your body, mind and soul with a spa treatment in one of our beach gazebos for an indulgent experience that makes the most of your proximity to the Indian Ocean and its natural bounty.

Your therapist will use Relaxing oil for a Lomi-Lomi massage, followed by a gentle scrub using sand directly from the beach, before the time-honored Balinese tradition of covering your body in the warm sands to gently ease muscle tension, bringing you a world of relaxation.

Finally, stand in the shallows of the Indian Ocean and absorb the rhythm of the waves while your therapist rinses the sand from your body with the ocean water. A perfect way to bring you close to nature and make a great Ritz-Carlton memory.

SPa IndulgenceOur highly trained and skilled Spa team has carefully designed the treatments on our Spa menu with your wellbeing in mind. Here we highlight two delightful, very Balinese, treatments for your perfect indulgence. Make the most of our signature spa treatments while you stay with us.

Sea Coconut Secret The Balinese revere the coconut for its many uses and water for its l i fe-giving properties.

Benefit from these local secrets with a 2-hour treatment that starts with a unique water ritual in our exotic multi-station hydro-vital pool and continues in a treatment room with a foot wash using coconut coir to remove dead skin and then full body exfoliation with fragrant toasted coconut combined with pure coconut oil to nourish, soften and soothe the skin.

Now that your skin is si lky smooth and fragrant, continue with a tension-releasing Balinese Ocean Dream massage and then relax in a coconut milk bath that feeds the skin while indulging in a l ight snack of fresh young coconut with ice-cream.

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COCKTAIL DELIGHTEmbrace the local flavors with Balinese inspired drinks from our award winning mixologist.

We asked Pande, a Balinese mixologist at Bejana our signature Indonesian restaurant, to suggest a unique cocktail for our guests. His answer – the Kedondong Sour, his personal creation for the 2016 Diageo World Class bartending competition.

Pande is keen to introduce local ingredients to the international market, so he juiced ambarella, a tart and slightly sour Indonesian fruit known locally as kedondong, then created a homemade syrup from salak, also known in Bali as snake fruit because of its scaly skin, and mixed these with Bulleit Bourbon.

The rich oak aromas of the bourbon meld seamlessly with the tart fruit and are highlighted by the wonderful hints of Indonesian spices infused in the salak syrup. This delightful concoction is topped with foam flavored with the fabulous TWG Grand Wedding tea.

Take advantage of being in Bali and ask our bartenders for some local inspirations. You’ll be amazed at the range of ingredients they suggest, from cinnamon to star anise, and even chili!

FAMILY SUSHI CLASSOur talented chefs at Raku join the holiday fun and share their skill in rolling sushi with the whole family. Learn how to create this highly popular, Japanese dish and show off your skills when you get back home.

Making sure you all look and feel the part, everyone in the class gets a chef’s hat and apron before the chefs divulge the secrets behind those beautiful, healthy Japanese rolls.

Teaching by doing is the best way to master any new skill, so the ingredients and process are explained, then you get hands on with your rolling mat, nori sheets, sushi rice and colorful fillings. Put just the right amount of rice on the nori, place a tasty selection of fillings on the rice so they look great when cut, get your bamboo mat and carefully roll and squeeze for an attractive, tasty sushi roll.

Available every Monday and Saturday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., taste this healthy Japanese treat with your family member.

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SNACKS FOR THE YOUNGSTERSYour little ones, even the pickiest eaters, will love discovering what new turndown snacks have been put together for them by our skilled culinary team each day.

These fresh and sweet treats are carefully prepared with specially selected ingredients that are both nutritious and attractive, with many featuring a unique series of tropical fruits. These gorgeously presented turndown treats are sure to tempt even the choosiest taste buds and fill that gap before dinner.

From chocolate crab, delicious sea turtle cookies, pinguin-shaped chocolate coated bananas, candies and M&Ms, to a tropical fish made out of mandarin slices decorated with blueberries and apple slices, put together the ingenuity of our chefs knows no bounds.

There is sure to be something that brings gasps of delight to your children gives you the comfort of knowing that they are eating nutricous food.

Kid’s Buffet CornerThere’s no need for your little ones to feel overwhelmed at the buffet anymore, because here, at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, we have created a special Kids’ Corner at our wonderful all-day dining venue, Senses. Children can help themselves from their own attractive section of the buffet, which has lower tables and is set out to be easily accessible for children.

The kids’ buffet is laden with their favorites, which our chefs have created especially for growing kids and enquiring minds, so you can be sure all the food is full to the brim of nutritious ingredients for breakfast. Kids can pick food to their own taste, from cereal, yoghurt, pancake, pastries and tropical fruit, as well as numerous other delicious bites.

This special section is dedicated for our young guests to enjoy their healthy and nutritious breakfast every day while holidaying in Bali.

The Ritz-Carlton, BaliJalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan Lot III, SawanganNusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia

RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION IN INDONESIAIndonesia is a vast, multi-religious and multi-cultural country that celebrates the religious holidays of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. In July, the majority of the country will be celebrating the end of the Islamic month of fasting with Idul Fitri. Meanwhile, in September, the country’s Hindus will celebrate Galungan, which is especially important in Bali.

GALUNGAN

The most important celebration for Hindus across the country is Galungan, which is viewed as the victory of Dharma (good) over Adharma (vice). This is a very colorful time of year to vacation in Bali as official preparations for Galungan start three days before D-day and festivities continue for 10 days, until Kuningan day.

At this time of year, the Balinese believe that all their ancestral spirits return to the living world to visit. This requires the living to honor them with prayer and offerings.

The island is awash in bright colors, traditionally clad Balinese rush between their homes and temples, elaborate offerings are carried atop heads, prayers and rituals take place, the scent of incense fills the air and streets are lined with Penjor – elaborate towering bamboo poles decorated with ears of rice, palm leaf decorations, fruits and colored paper.

Visit our Concierge to find out more about seeing these celebrations, perhaps by visiting a local family and or a temple, and experience Bali’s living culture.

IDUL FITRI

Idul Fitri is a two-day celebration of the end of Ramadhan, the Moslem fasting month. In Indonesia, this is a hugely festive and social time to be spent with family and friends, breaking the fast together and taking evening prayers at the mosque.

Uniquely to Indonesia, the country’s many Moslems head to their home villages for Idul Fitri. Extra flights, ferries and buses have to be laid on for the millions of people traveling, predominantly within Java and Sumatra. This is the time for those working far from home to be with their families sharing stories and giving gifts.

Idul Fitri morning starts with mass prayer gatherings in mosques or parks, with devotees dressed in traditional Moslem prayer attire, after which, they make visits to close family and friends to ask for forgiveness.