New Lounge of Maya Ubud Resort & Spa

As more and more needs emerge from the guests to stay longer in Maya Ubud Resort & Spa after their check-outs, Maya Ubud presents a newly created lounge that offers guests a comfortable air-conditioned area over looking the resort gardens and rice terraces and an outdoor seating area around a fountain area in which cozy enough to loosen up prior to the departure.

Whilst guests are staying, guests may enjoy reading some books, magazines, and newspaper that intently serve for Maya Ubud guests, as well as hearing music, or even playing games.

Tea, coffee, and cookies will be served in any convenience time. In the afternoon at 4 pm to 5 pm a special tea with assorted Balinese sweets will be also served as well. Feeling need more cuisine, in–room dining menu & bar service is available on request. Furthermore for more ease the bathroom facilities is also available which includes the changing area, showers, hairdryers, and fresh towel.

Maya Ubud is also aware the occasion of more late departure, so it makes the lounge available as late as possible until at 11 pm (open from 12 pm – check out time). All the above lounge services will be available for only US$ 15.00 net per person until 6.00 pm, while the departures after 6.00 pm, the additional charge of US $10 net per person will be applied.

Independent, Galungan, and Kuningan days in Bali

Galungan and Kuningan is one of the biggest days for the Balinese whose religion is Hinduism. Galungan is the day of the Dharma (Goodness) is winning over the Adharma (Badness). The days between Galungan and Kuningan are the celebration days filled with the heart of gratitude to Ida Sanghyang Widhi (highest divinity) for the grace that has been given to the human being to conquer the Adharma. Likewise, Kuningan is a symbol of prosperity. In this day, offering has been presented with the heart of gratitude to Ida Sanghyang Widhi for all kindness and love in providing human all natural resources. Penjor (long bamboo pole) is a symbol of this in where all natural resources are attached such as rice, corn, coconut, etc.

In this year, Galungan day fell in the day that was close to the Indonesian Independent day (Galungan and Kuningan lied on August 20 and August 30 whereas independent day was on 17 August). As we may see in the following pictures – taken from my cell phone during my way to Maya Ubud Resort & Spa – the decoration of Indonesian flag (red and white) and Penjor along the street.

Charity program "Yayasan Sosial Putra Putri Bangsa"

Maya Ubud Resort & Spa regularly plays a part for donation and participation in the charity program that has been established by “Yayasan Sosial Putra Putri Bangsa”.

“Yayasan Sosial Putra Putri Bangsa” is a non-profit organization which goals are to bring positive changes to the life of children in Bali, particularly for them in Northern Bali. Why is the Northern Bali ? Most of the tourism businesses are invested and fast growing only in the South of Bali, then the positive impacts mostly enjoyed by the Southern Balinese. Typically, the Northern Balinese still live in and under poverty line. As a consequence, Northern Bali is not well developed as the Southern Bali.

To make realize these goals, “Yayasan Sosial Putra Putri Bangsa” has established many events to gather contributions from the donators. As the charity dinner in 2007 was held at SIR (Selected Indonesian Restaurant) in Holland where the auction of the package of accommodation, tour, antique handicrafts, etc was performed. All benefit from this event would be planned to finance the construction of orphanage house in Jembrana, Bali.

The below pictures were taken from the last project report of “Yayasan Sosial Putra Putri Bangsa” that has been reported to Maya Ubud.

The project takes place in the high school (grades 7 - 9) of SMP PGRI Seraya Timur, Karangasem.

Seraya Timur is the Karangasem regency lies in the North East Cost of Bali Island. It’s located in hill of Amed, which is quite isolated and very dried out area. Direct public transports to the city of Karangasem are not available.

SMP PGRI Seraya Timur, Karangasem is the only high school available in Seraya Timur which is only additional class of the high school (SMP PGRI) in the city of Karangasem. The education is held in the afternoon as in the morning the teachers are also teaching in the high school (SMP PGRI) of the city of Karangasem.

The first physical condition was half finished building, no toilet facility, and the teacher room looked more like storage than the office is, as well as the desks and chairs for students were given with simple service by the high school (SMP PGRI) in the city of Karangasem from their broken stocks. Moreover, the book resource is very limited which is three text books for one class, with no other supporting facilities such as dictionary, reading books, map, etc.

Another issue is that the number of students in each class has been reduced almost 30% in each year. This caused by the several financial problems in which the education fee is no longer affordable for the parents who are mostly farmers and fishermen that depends much on the good whether.

Based on these needs, the project was consisting of finishing school building, building teacher office, building toilet, providing school facilities, and also includes granting scholarship.

To Do Today

During your stay at Maya Ubud, why don't you sample resort's leisure activities by joining daily complimentary To Do Today Program. Leisure team will take you to enjoy the natural surroundings of the resort. The To Do Today program starts from 07.30 - 08.30 for Yoga for beginner, and afternoon session of Nature walk, Introductory pilates or Meditation at 03.00 - 04.00pm.

I reccommend you to register yourself for joining the program one day earlier.

Resort Guide, Arif is taking guest for nature walk to maya ubud riverside garden.

Maya Ubud Leisure Team
Dewa Gede Winana, Komang Gina, Arif Usman and Wayan Murdiarta.

Royal Family Cremation Ceremony

People lives in Ubud and visitors were recently witnessed the royal cremation ceremony took place on July 15, 2008 for Members for Ubud Royal Family.

The cremation was held for the bodies of two prominent of elders of the Ubud Royal Family, Tjokorda Gde Agung Suyasa and Tjokorda Gede Raka. The effigy of Desak Raka whose body was cremated in a similar ceremony in December 2007 soon after she passed away, will also give a full cremation ceremony. On the same day, 68 other people from villages in Ubud also received full cremation ceremonies.

I was very lucky to be able to witness this spectacular moment which rarely held in Bali, the previous one was in 1979. Here are few pictures I took during the cremation day. There were two big bulls statue and two cremation towers or Bade, one of the tower has 28 meters height.

People in Ubud lives with unique culture and traditions blend in harmony with Hindu religion.

Tree Planting

Collaborate with FNPF (Friends of National Parks Foundation – non profit organization working to preserve Indonesia’s wildlife and its habitat for her people and for the world), Maya Ubud Resort & Spa initiates a program to support the environment’s preservation and protection.

This program welcomes all Maya Ubud guests to take part by planting tree(s) along the resort’s riverside nature walk. Variety of threes are available from the resort’s nursery such as mango, coconut, clove, guava, jackfruit, breadfruit, mangos teen, water apple, coffee, etc. After pick the tree(s)’ preference, guests may also choose the spot of tree(s) will be planted. Moreover, this tree(s) will be tagged with the name, date of planting, and other chosen words guest may consider.

Mr & Mrs. Wolfgang Baermann from Germany have participated in this program. They have tried to grow tropical tress they had from Bali back in their country but had no success. Then they decided to have their own mango tree in Maya Ubud, and will look forward to seeing how it will develop on future visits.

A little fee is charged with the proceeds being donated to FNPF. Guests’ donation will help them to pursue the reforestation of the islands in Indonesia. They will plant about 3 seedlings for each of the contribution.

In my personal observation, being concern of global warming, this program becomes one of my favorites in Maya Ubud. I hope this tree planting may help offsetting the carbon emissions and keenly contribute a temperature decrease. Overall, I think it’s quite a nice feeling just to think becoming part in fighting global warming.

Canang Sari Balinese Offering

One of Maya Ubud Resort & Spa leisure programs is Balinese Offering Creation Lesson. The Resort’s Florist share their experience on how Balinese make their daily offering to present to the temple. The class that is set in informal Balinese style way.

They gathered on traditional carpet called “tikar” made from dried plaited pandan leaf. Some fresh materials are needed on offering making such as young coconut leaves, variety of different colourful flowers including frangipani, cempaka, sandat, mitir, pacah and chopped scented pandan leaf.

The first lesson is making the structure of the base that is made from the banana leaf. The leaves cut in particular shape, chain one piece to another with semat ( bamboo tiny stick functioned as a staple) to make it perfect round form.

The next step is arranging the flowers, this step is much more easier than the banana structure, all you need is to place the flowers on top of the banana leaf base. The flowers will need to arrange so that it look colourful side by side. The chopped pandan leaf will be placed on top of the flowers.

The beautiful offering is now ready to present.



Seen on pictures are step by step and Dr Phillipa Leonard and Ms Deborah Cooke who were participating the offering making very recently with resort florist Kadek Agustini. They will bring the offering to the East Coast Tour the next day as one of the itineraries is visiting temple where the offering will be presented.

Kadek Agustini, Florist