A major power outage swept across the island of Bali on Friday afternoon local time and lasted for approximately two hours with lingering effects still felt in several areas According to state utility company PLN Bali the outage was triggered by a failure in the undersea power cable that connects Java and Bali The disruption caused all power plants on the island to shut down simultaneously resulting in a sudden and widespread blackout PLN said the system is still undergoing stabilization and recovery while some areas continue to report partial outages and equipment damage leaving tourists and staff in difficult situations who works at a beachfront restaurant in Peninsula Nusa Dua said operations halted completely due to the outage from cooking equipment to point-of-sale systems so it really disrupted our service," he explained He also noted that some appliances were damaged when the power returned where the lack of working traffic lights caused gridlock Many digital payment systems also went offline leaving tourists unable to pay with credit cards or mobile wallets Residents and visitors alike expressed frustration as the blackout made routine activities nearly impossible and the roads were jammed,” said Reza The blackout affected various aspects of Bali’s tourism infrastructure Tourists struggled to book transport via ride-hailing apps like Grab and Gojek due to the loss of mobile connectivity. Cultural shows and nighttime attractions were postponed or canceled leaving visitors disappointed and confused PLN officials have yet to confirm when the Java-Bali cable issue will be permanently resolved. Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) BUT DIFFERENTClose at the top of the women's Lead competition but there will be no repeat of Wujiang shared-gold drama in Indonesia Looking at the finals start lists for the last act of the IFSC World Cup Bali 2025 the two names at the top of the list seem very familiar Great Britain’s Erin McNeice and South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun shared the top step of the podium and in Bali they are again at the top of the standings Both McNeice and Seo topped the semi-final route to progress to another Lead final but this time its advantage McNeice who had the better qualification round It means the British climber is in first and the South Korean in second so no chance of what surely would have been an historic moment with a double-double gold After her climb Seo said: “I’m super happy to reach the top After falling on the first route in qualis I was quite nervous today because it looked a bit hard and a super pumpy route Mori fell just short of the top on that dyno move Seo was worried about but still did enough for a final place in third Also coming up just shy of the dyno was Laura Rogora The Italian had done more than enough though on hold 48+ for a final spot sitting fourth Despite only just making the semi-final in a four-way tie for 23rd position young Flora Oblasser of Austria put it out of her mind and climbed to hold 38 early on in the round the Austrian then had the long and agonising task of sitting and watching her climb was enough for fifth position and another final appearance the final eight was confirmed with Slovenian duo Rosa Rekar and Mia Krampl joined by Australia’s Oce Mackenzie Finishing in 21st position was Japan’s Kuzuu Mashiro who made the semi-final for the first time which meant a personal best score don’t be surprised to see her in a lot more Full women's Lead results can be found here Japan’s Yoshida Satone topped the qualification standings and kept up that form also topping the semi-final His 36+ was the high point on the men’s route and the Japanese climber is looking good for a Bali podium place Germany’s Yannick Flohé was next best on hold 35+ and is feeling a lot better in Bali than he did last week in Wujiang: “I think I did what I could even though I slipped in the end I’m happy I’m safe into the final and I didn’t have to suffer and wait for people to fall like last time Talking about the semi-final route Flohé said: “We all thought it was relatively easy until the head wall it looked quite juggy but turned out to be quite cruxy with some rest “There was a few uncomfortable moves to deal with and the pockets section below the head wall was way harder to deal with than we expected as there were some little jibs inside which made the pockets way worse.” Fresh off the Lead podium in Wujiang are Spain’s Alberto Ginés López and Japan’s Neo Suzuki and both stay in with another medal opportunity progressing in third and fourth position Japan once again has multiple finalists with Omata Shion moving into the final in sixth with South Korea’s Lee Dohyun splitting the Japanese teammates in fifth the home crowd of Indonesia love supporting their climbers and they will have something to make some noise about in the men’s final when Muhammad Rizky Syahrafli Simatupang steps out onto the stage The Indo climber made it into the final in seventh position one place above France’s Max Bertone who again makes a Lead final Positions three to seven all hit hold 33+ with Bertone making hold 31+ which gave him a final place thanks to countback to qualification with Italy’s Filip Schenk just missing out on the same hold Another climber to miss out was the only 2025 World Cup golden winner so far in Boulder or Lead Olympic champion Toby Roberts missed finals in China South Korea’s Noh Hyunseung finished in 12th Indonesia’s Putra Tri Ramadani finished in 17th and France’s Victor Guillermin was 19th Full men's Lead results can be found here Francis in Bali: 'When you leave the hotel, it’s a poor show' TV presenter and all-round national treasure Francis Brennan has been everywhere from the foothills of the Himalayas to the streets of San Francisco As co-host of long-running RTÉ series At Your Service (he’s currently filming season 14) and former proprietor of the famed Park Hotel Kenmare Francis brings a seasoned traveller’s eye to the world and why a world cruise is still on his wish list My father was a grocer working seven days a week We’d take a half-day on a Monday and go to the seaside But the one I always remember was going down to Courtown and staying in a caravan with my cousins and it was the first time we were properly away from mam and dad I’ll never forget the chips we used to get from the chipper in Courtown with the salt and vinegar I’ve never had chips that tasted like that since I’ve been there three times over the years and it’s just a shake for the senses and then again about five years ago filming At Your Service The economic transformation in that time was incredible the Taj Mahal was quiet — a few Indian families and mostly foreign tourists it looked like Croke Park on All-Ireland day It was very encouraging to see so many Indian people now able to holiday It was brilliant to see the economic life of India rising They say it will be the biggest market for all of us in time All I ever heard about was how beautiful Bali was But when I went there on the way back from Australia Méridien and others — went in 35 years ago and built luxury resorts People go there and think everything is magnificent because the hotels keep their beachfront pristine Chewton GlenMy favourite hotel is Chewton Glen in the New Forest It was run by a couple called the Skinners and they were the first people to have a proper country house hotel in England They had 104 staff — with four painters on staff full-time just to fix scuffs from suitcases with huge displays of flowers and a beautiful driveway The weather in that part of southern England is lovely and everything about the place was just perfect You can take the vaporetto out to Murano and watch them make glass and maybe bring some home in 77 different colours I was there once for a small luxury hotel conference and we had the most magnificent dinner in a noble house along the canal Honolulu is my favourite place for a holiday which makes it feel even more special when you get there I even went scuba diving in a cave and saw fin sharks and electric eels I still remember feeling a tail flick against my toes I think it’s the best way to orient yourself in a new place I use companies like GuruWalk or Travel by Locals like walking tours of the tiled steps in San Francisco or Grand Central Station in New York I always do the hop-on and hop-off bus to see everything and decide where to go back to The cruises are long —180 days or more — and I can’t commit because At Your Service might need me From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in more me and my travels articles © Examiner Echo Group Limited, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. The blackout comes just days after Spain and Portugal were brought to a standstill I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Power on Indonesia's resort island of Bali has been fully restored as of early Saturday morning after an hours-long blackout that started on Friday president director of state electricity firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said early indications were that a disruption in subsea cables was the cause of outage A power outage hit a number of regions of Bali on Friday from 4pm local time (0800 GMT). The tropical island was plunged into a blackout that brought much of the province to a standstill just days after the mass power outage affecting Spain and Portugal The island's airport was also impacted but inbound and outbound flight traffic continued using backup generators the airport's general manager Ahmad Syaugi Shahab said in a statement although several departures had experienced delays for which we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused” And other areas are currently still in the process of normalisation “We thank all customers for their patience in dealing with this disruption.” Initial indications of the outage occurred at the Celukan Bawang PLTU Unit #2 which caused the power supply to stop in parts of Bali.” The company said it had managed to restore 43 per cent of power supply with PLN offering to provide regular updates Local media reported traffic lights were unable to function businesses were unable to trade due to payment systems being down Images shared on social media showed road traffic holdups as a result of the outage and long lines at the airport check-in counters The blackout occurred just days after the Iberian peninsula outage left millions of people in the dark on Monday badly affecting domestic and international transport and stranding travellers The Spanish government has launched multiple investigations to determine the precise cause of the blackout and address the underlying vulnerabilities in the power grid. If you have affected by the blackout in Bali, email bryony.gooch.ind@independent.co.uk to share your story with The Independent. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"iStock-1143289696.jpg","description":"Canggu, Bali, Indonesia - January 11, 2019: Rent surfboard on the beach near the ocean","caption":"Bali is a popular destination for British travellers Bali is a popular destination for British travellers Power has started returning in most areas affected by an outage in Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Friday and efforts were continuing to fully restore services A power outage hit a number of regions of Bali on Friday from 4pm local time (8pm NZ) said state utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara Images shared on social media showed road traffic holdups in Bali as a result of the outage and long lines at the airport check-in counters Power began to return a few hours after the blackout "State utility PLN managed to restore most of the electricity supply in Bali," the spokesperson of President Prabowo Subianto Prasetyo Hadi said in a statement after calling PLN's CEO power connection in Bali will be fully restored tonight (Friday night)," he said PLN prioritised restoring electricity to key infrastructure such as government offices The outage was caused by disruption in the subsea cables which connect the electricity system in Bali with Java island triggering blackouts in a number of areas in Bali with 6.3 million foreign visitors last year according to the island's statistics bureau The island is a popular destination for New Zealanders According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs some 57,500 New Zealanders travelled to Indonesia in the year to March 2024 - principally to Bali Continued high winds have seen new and repeat outages The leading risk of damage is from accidents or natural disasters but nothing in official online guidance allows for deliberate sabotage Disruptions to transport services are expected to stretch into a second day as questions mount over what caused a massive blackout A wave of remote workers – including many not on official visas - has led to skyrocketing property prices and other disamenities Daria Ivanova (right) discusses ideas to develop her Russia-based consulting firm with her husband and business partner Roman from a co-working space in Denpasar Bali: As snow began to thicken and cripple the day-to-day life of her friends and family back in Moscow Daria Ivanova was packing her suitcase with sandals the 23-year-old social media consultant has been spending her nights at a rented room just minutes away from the beaches of Bali and her days running a small consultancy firm from a nearby co-working space “There’s a growing community of digital nomads and remote workers here (in Bali) So being here has been good for building a network and picking up new ideas,” Ivanova told CNA adding that she also welcomes the change of pace and setting from her hometown in Russia I can stroll around the beaches and every weekend I can travel and explore other parts of Bali.” The idea of moving to Bali permanently has been on her mind for the last two-and-a-half years famed for its stunning landscape and unique culture “I have worked from seven different countries but none of them comes close to beating Bali,” she said Remote working is becoming increasingly popular in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world with more and more people aspiring to travel and become digital nomads like Ivanova According to a 2023 study by remote working consultancy firm there were 35 million digital nomads around the world a 131 per cent increase compared to before the pandemic But experts and activists have blamed the influx of digital nomads for over-tourism and soaring property prices in many places around the world Southeast Asian hotspots like Thailand’s Phuket or Malaysia’s Langkawi saw an average of 8 per cent and 4 per cent hikes in property values respectively in 2024 But even they pale in comparison to Bali’s capital Denpasar which according to several brokerage firms saw a 15.1 per cent rise in property values last year Property is in such high demand that sleepy agricultural villages are being transformed into boom towns filled with upscale restaurants and modern-looking villas The steep hike is partly why Ivanova is still hesitant about calling Bali her second home I spend almost the same amount of money as I do in Moscow,” she said And as the influx of digital nomads drives prices up fuelling friction between the locals and remote-working expats “Houses have become out of reach for us Balinese,” said Bali resident Nyoman Denny Bali saw a 40 per cent increase in the number of digital nomads residing on the island compared to 2023 It is estimated that over 3,000 digital nomads now live there according to the number of digital nomad visas granted annually While these numbers might not seem overwhelming for an island around eight times the size of Singapore with a population of around 4.4 million it is possible that this is a gross-underestimation as it is possible to enter for a month on a tourist visa which can then be renewed for an additional 30 days Some nationalities are exempt and do not require a visa at all The first wave of digital nomads came to Bali in the 2010s as high-speed internet was no longer confined to the downtown areas of major cities and began to penetrate smaller towns and suburbs it is a lot cheaper to achieve the lifestyle that they want in Bali compared to where they come from,” Hansen Tandiyanto the owner of Bali-based co-working space chain “Another reason is that Bali already had strong expat communities It is easy for them to find someone who comes from the same country speaks the same language and shares the same culture The early wave of digital nomads was dominated by people in the technology industry and stock brokers “Then the (COVID-19) pandemic happened and everyone realised that they can work from anywhere,” he said Bali – an island where 80 per cent of its economy is linked to the tourism sector – was completely devastated at least 78,000 people lost their livelihoods at the height of the pandemic as hundreds of hotels restaurants and shops had to stop operating temporarily or permanently hotel and villa owners began offering significant discounts in a bid to generate what little income they could “I was seeing villas which would have cost two million rupiah (US$119) a night being offered at two million rupiah per week or even per 15 days,” Febby Ayu a 34-year-old accountant who moved to Bali from Jakarta told CNA made between 2020 and 2021 when countries around the world were still closing their borders managed to convince hundreds of people from other Indonesian cities to temporarily reside in Bali “My office understood that where I work did not affect my productivity,” Febby said “Although I have to admit that sometimes when I was at work all I could think about was ‘when can I hit the beach?’.” But the massive price cut did not last long prices started rising in January 2022 when Indonesia began to loosen its borders and offered a special visa for digital nomads Known formally as the C1 special visit visa the pass allows foreigners to stay in the country for up to 60 days Applicants must among other criteria prove that they are employed at a company based outside of Indonesia and pay a one million rupiah application fee Holders of the visa are barred from making a living in Indonesia although they can still earn a salary by working remotely for businesses and clients based outside the country other visas available include the tourist visa which allows for multiple entries and a stay of up to 12 months for employees of non-Indonesian companies earning at least US$60,000 a year rent became three to four times what they were during the pandemic,” Febby said adding that over the last four years she had to move three times because she could no longer afford to live in her property the same cannot be said for locals in Bali “We have to rent houses in the suburbs or another town altogether because we cannot afford to live in Denpasar anymore,” hotel clerk Ni Wayan Laksmi told CNA “How are we supposed to compete with foreigners who are paid in dollars?” Skyrocketing prices are not the only problem rice fields used to stretch as far as the eye can see there are only small patches of rice fields left which are completely surrounded by houses and buildings,” Bali resident Wayan Aditya tourists largely stuck to hotels and hostels But most remote workers prefer the privacy and spaciousness offered by rented villas With the prospect of earning thousands of dollars each month wealthy landowners began converting their rice fields into villas for rent Those without capital to build rental homes are selling their vacant plots of land to investors from overseas or other parts of Indonesia The COVID-19 pandemic added fuel to the fire “People were selling their land because they had no choice Bali is so reliant on tourism we had no other income,” Aditya continued According to property monitoring company AirDNA there are currently 83,500 properties available for rent in Bali and the number has been growing by between 20 and 27 per cent every year public infrastructure such as roads and drainage systems are struggling to keep up with this massive scale of development leading to worsening traffic congestion and flooding “Bali is getting more crowded but the roads are not getting any bigger sometimes it takes two hours just to cover a distance of less than 10km,” transportation expert Djoko Setijowarno told CNA public transportation in Bali is virtually non-existent forcing tourists to take taxis or rent a vehicle.” Bali is trying to address its crippling traffic by building a 33km light rail transit (LRT) network which will connect Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai Airport with Cemagi beach in the north and Nusa Dua in the south flooding is worsening as more and more land is being converted into settlements and buildings several streets and neighbourhoods in the greater Denpasar area were inundated by waist-high water Dozens of foreigners were trapped inside their villas and had to be evacuated using life rafts “I have seen a lot of development in Bali which is not sustainable they are slowly going away or being spoiled by pollution and waste,” Moser who has lived intermittently in Bali as a digital nomad for the last two years As more foreigners decide to live in Bali as digital nomads eight months after Indonesia introduced the digital nomad visa an online petition emerged to repeal the policy The petitioners argued that some nomads have been disrespectful towards local customs and traditions driving under the influence of alcohol and getting into brawls with locals or other foreigners “The problem is not everyone who claims to be digital nomads are actually professionals working remotely Many are just influencers looking to create tasteless content,” tourism expert Azril Azhari said “The government needs to be more selective in issuing the digital nomad visa.” chief of the Bali tourism agency admitted that “the regulation must be strengthened” so that the visa is issued to those who deserve it The island is currently in talks with the Immigration Ministry in Jakarta to work out the details of the planned amendment Pemayun disagreed with the petitioners that the policy should be repealed entirely “Bali needs long-staying tourists with money to spend They were the reasons why our economy stayed afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he told CNA “The government also feels that working remotely is now becoming the norm Working while holidaying is no longer the privilege of a few people in certain sectors Pemayun admitted that the policy has contributed to the over-development of some areas in Bali “Which is why we are trying to develop areas which are under-developed so there won’t be an over-concentration of tourism in one part of Bali,” he said Experts said Indonesia should also look at other areas outside of Bali and see if they too can become hubs for digital nomads “Other countries have multiple tourism hubs most tourists only know Bali and care little about visiting other places,” tourism expert Azril said “This is why the impact of digital nomads on over-tourism is felt more in Bali compared to places like Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.” some media outlets and research firms estimated that there could be tens of thousands of digital nomads in Thailand making it one of the world’s most popular destinations for remote workers These nomads are spread among several popular tourist destinations in the country like Bangkok Malaysia attracted some 1,500 digital nomads last year 73 per cent of whom chose to stay close to the country’s bustling capital there is a growing number of remote workers choosing to stay in tourist favourites like Penang and Langkawi tourists only know Bali because Indonesia is not doing enough to promote other destinations,” tourism expert Azril said Of the almost 14 million international tourists who came to Indonesia last year 5.5 million arrived via Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta Airport last year welcomed 2.1 million international travellers Indonesia has been trying to develop and promote 10 tourism destinations which it hopes will become “the new Bali” the focus narrowed to five “super priority destinations”: North Sumatra’s Lake Toba; Central Java’s Borobudur; West Nusa Tenggara’s Mandalika; East Nusa Tenggara’s Labuan Bajo; and North Sulawesi’s Likupang their infrastructure and tourism ecosystems are nowhere as developed as Bali While it is possible to have high-speed internet access in even the remotest part of the globe using technology such as Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite-based network some nomads still find it hard to stay away from Bali and move to these five destinations an Indian-born digital marketing consultant has been travelling all over the world as a digital nomad for the past 10 years he kept coming back to Bali over and over again until eventually he decided a few years ago to permanently make the island his home you can find quiet beaches and bustling city centres just a few minutes drive from where you live You will meet some of the friendliest people and have the best food,” the 35-year-old said people complain about the traffic and how expensive everything is Bali will capture your heart and then you can never leave.” Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us ower has started returning in most areas affected by an outage in Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Friday A power outage hit a number of regions of Bali on Friday from 4 p.m The island's airport was also impacted but inbound and outbound flight traffic continued using backup generators the airport's general manager Ahmad Syaugi Shahab said in a statement "State utility PLN managed to restore most of the electricity supply in Bali," the spokesperson of President Prabowo Subianto Prasetyo Hadi said in a statement after calling PLN's CEO Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society Please check your email for your newsletter subscription power connection in Bali will be fully restored tonight (Friday night)," he said Bali is Indonesia's main tourist hotspot according to the island's statistics bureau Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small or large—find what’s most comfortable for you USA’s Samuel Watson will be the talk of the island as he smashed his own Speed world record on two occasions at the IFSC World Cup Bali and Olympic champion Aleksandra Miroslaw returned to winning ways Watson hadn’t stepped on top of the men’s Speed podium since Chamonix last year but he returned with a bang and a new world’s best time The American had set the world record at Paris 2024 but won bronze there in Bali he made it a world record-gold medal double Coming through a semi-final against Indonesia’s Raharjati Nursamsa Watson lowered his world record to an astonishing 4.67s – but he wasn’t done there In the final he came up against Japan’s Omasa Ryo who was fighting for his best ever World Cup finish and maybe the occasion got to him as he made a false start but it also meant he could have called it a day with a world record and a gold medal “NFL players do the two-minute drill where they do a simulation of going through processes,” explained Watson “and if I want to break a PB in practice I will do the same and I just want to give the crowd one more run and an unexpected one at that: “The qualifiers and practice were boiling I came back and put an ice pack on my head But I am a competitor and the conditions affect everybody I was lucky we got a bit of overcast so there was a little bit of shade After his gold there is a little down time to digest what he has just done in Bali but then it’s back to business for Watson: “I will be going down to the beach and hanging out for about a day and enjoying this backdrop I’ll relax for a bit and enjoy this beautiful city The World Cup Series overall is one of my goals and I am not going to let it go I will keep pushing and not let it go to my head.” he was having a quiet and confident World Cup He beat Ukraine’s Hryhorii Ilchyshyn who was fresh of a Wujiang medal he posted a personal best time of 4.90s and beat home favourite and a former world record holder Kiromal Katibin in the semi-final Just by making the gold medal race Omasa had secured his highest finish with two bronze medals in his career but still an impressive competition and run of form The beaten semi-finalists Katibin and Nursamsa had to battle for the bronze it did mean however that Indonesia were guaranteed a podium spot It was Katibin who came out on top with a 4.81s time compared to his teammates 6.64s Full men’s Speed results can be found here Poland’s Miroslaw has at time-to-time battled with her own mind That was the case in Wujiang last week where she missed out on a podium but the Olympic champion has learned how to refocus and fight back “I had to do some hard work after last week with my mindset Now I just enjoyed the competition and did everything I could to come back stronger.” but her composure ensured her passage to the gold medal race Indonesia’s Desak Dewi slipped in the quarter-final South Korea’s Jeong Jimin slipped in the semi-final Miroslaw kept her nerve to move through the rounds In the gold medal race she came up against China’s Zhou Yafei who had dashed home hopes by beating Adi Asih Kadek in the semi-final in a nail-biting race The gold medal race wasn’t as close with Miroslaw posting a 6.37s and Zhou an 8.12s for silver Kadek was in her very first World Cup and was impressing along the way Making it to semi-finals she was in with a medal shot Kadek made it a debut to remember as the Bali crowd cheered and supported her all the way to bronze when she beat Jeong in the bronze medal race Full women’s Speed results can be found here With the Speed climbers now taking some time to enjoy Bali before moving on to Denver at the end of May the Lead climbers continue to prepare for the semi-finals and finals on the last day of the competition tomorrow Electricity across the Indonesian island of Bali has been fully restored following a major blackout that began late Friday afternoon and the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport State-owned utility PLN confirmed that power was completely restored by 3:30 a.m less than 12 hours after the outage started around 4:00 p.m PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo led the recovery operation on the ground and said hundreds of personnel were immediately deployed to address the disruption Teams remain on standby to ensure a stable power supply to critical locations such as hospitals “All of our personnel are still on high alert to ensure reliability across Bali,” Darmawan said in a statement “We are committed to strengthening the system and ensuring uninterrupted power supply for all customers.” He apologized for the widespread disruption and appreciated the patience and understanding of affected residents and businesses Preliminary findings indicate the blackout was triggered by a malfunction in the undersea transmission cable connecting Java and Bali PLN has ruled out cyberattacks or other external threats as causes The blackout caused significant disruption across Bali particularly in tourism-heavy areas like Nusa Dua were forced to shut down operations temporarily with traffic snarled due to non-functioning signals and digital payment systems rendered unusable At I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport power supply from PLN was restored by 5:12 p.m According to the airport’s General Manager Ahmad Syaugi Shahab emergency generators functioned optimally during the blackout allowing flight operations to continue with minimal disruption power supply from PLN at the airport has returned to normal and is functioning well," Ahmad said in a statement from Denpasar all flight arrivals and departures at the airport were operating as usual PLN is continuing to stabilize the power grid and assess any lasting impacts from the blackout When Veddriq Leonardo stood on top of the Speed Climbing podium at Paris 2024 a nation rejoiced – fitting then that an IFSC Speed World Cup would take place in Indonesia so soon after that historic moment In Bali the Speed climbers got underway with qualification ready for an evening of finals racing Another Paris 2024 gold medallist is safely through with Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw trying to right a Wujiang wrong: “The conditions were different than a week ago My personal feeling is that I feel better than a week ago I was struggling inside and fighting all the time and now I feel ok and on point and I am enjoying this competition.” attention can get turned from the job at hand but Miroslaw feels she has things under control in that respect: “You need to find a balance between holiday and work Miroslaw's time of 6.34s was the best time of the day while 7.36 was needed to make the final 16 USA’s Isis Rothfork and France’s Capucine Viglione made the cut For Rothfork it was a new competition benchmark but she feels she can get even lower: “I have a new competition PB my actually PB is 6.80 so there is still a big difference between my competition and in practice PB and hopefully I can get closer in this event.” That time came despite a big difference in environment for the American: “My qualification was fun The heat and humidity was challenging for me as I’m from a very dry place so it’s a different climbing environment.” The home crowd will have four to cheer in the women’s finals with world champion Dewi Desak joined by teammates Adi Asih Kadek Kadek had the quickest time of 7.00s for sixth placed among the team In the men’s Kiromal Katibin led the way with a 4.87s run which he needs to avoid inn the finals if he is to go all the way to a Bali gold Katibin is focusing on the positive sides of his racing*: “I feel good I felt I had a good time; I enjoyed it and got a fast time under five seconds I’m really excited for the finals; I have my brother here watching me.”* There were another two sub-5 runs with USA’s Sam Watson and another home climber meaning both made it through in the top three for a finals place Olympic champion Leonardo also made the cut in sixth Winning a first World Cup medal in Wujiang last time out Ukraine’s Hryhorii Ilchyshyn is joined in the finals by teammates Yaroslav Tkach and Kostianyn Pavelnko The time to qualify for finals for the men was 5.26s and that was posted by France’s Pierre Rebreyend the Singapore Speed climbers continue their progression with Andre Ho Jin Rui setting a national record and Ezell Qing Wei Low dropping his competitive times after only a short time in the sport Low said: “My first World Cup was in Wujiang and I slipped both runs I only started Speed climbing last year so to be here is crazy.” Talking about Speed climbing in Singapore Low said: “There’s only two of us which is still better than some countries though.” Keep an eye out for Singapore on the Speed world stage in the future “I was very confident after getting first place in the semi-final and I went into the final very positive even when I chalked up a lot it was so sweaty and I sometimes struggled “I can’t quite believe I got the gold medal yet I looked down at the clock and saw I had quite a lot of time and the top hold was quite good but there is quite a lot of drag at the top of the wall doing a shoulder press after a hard route." I could have slipped so I was just happy I was able to execute.” so it was stressful to come out and get the top “I think I did what I could even though I slipped in the end “We all thought it was relatively easy until the head wall There was a few uncomfortable moves to deal with and the pockets section below the head wall was way harder to deal with than we expected as there were some little jibs inside which made the pockets way worse.” “NFL players do the two-minute drill where they do a simulation of going through processes and if I want to break a PB in practice I will do the same “I will be going down to the beach and hanging out for about a day and enjoying this backdrop Aleksandra MIROSLAW (POL )- gold medallist I had to do some hard work after last week with my mindset I’m really excited for the finals; I have my brother here watching me.” “My first World Cup was in Wujiang and I slipped both runs “The conditions were different than a week ago “You need to find a balance between holiday and work and I was struggling with the temperature.” It’s the first time we’ve had an event in like a resort so I’m excited for the competition and it is definitely a place you can relax it’s all part of the road to being a World Cup champion.” The first route I think I could have done a bit better but it is different because it is so hot and humid here We did a training session here in Bali before to try and get used to the conditions It’s a really nice place here with the water so close to the wall but the most important thing is to focus on the competition and then enjoy everything when we are finished.” Climbing returned to Indonesia for the second IFSC Lead World Cup of the year as the stunning Peninsula Island welcomed 55 men and 51 women for qualification it was a first World Cup start of the year for Japan’s Mori Ai who once again showed her Lead strength by topping both routes for a joint first-place in the standings with Great Britain’s Erin McNeice McNeice already has two World Cup medals from her two events in Keqiao and Wujiang and the Brit is hoping that form continues It does certainly look that way as she was the only other climber to top the two qualification routes with Mori South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun and Italy’s Laura Rogora both progress to Sunday’s semi-final Sitting in fifth was Slovenia’s Rosa Rekar who is taking some learnings from her previous event but also trying to battle the elements: “I feel a bit better than Wujiang “It’s a really nice place here with the water so close to the wall Talking about her qualification round Rekar said: “I really enjoyed the qualification Rekar is joined in the semi-final by teammates Mia Krampl Lukan was one of five climbers in joint 23rd place meaning there will be a 27-climber semi-final The others joining Lukan in the 23rd spot were Czechia’s Tereza Siruckova Austria’s Flora Oblasser and Ukraine’s Anastasiia Kobets France’s Hélène Janicot progressed into the semi-final in tenth position in her 75th Lead World Cup – a number that gives her ninth position on the all-time appearance list The only two climbers to top a route in the men’s competition were Japanese teammates Anraku Sorato and Yoshida Satone With both reaching hold 32+ for their other attempt means the pair share first position After climbing Yoshida said: “I’m happy I could send the second route Yoshida is liking his time in the new World Cup venue: “It’s very nice here Yoshida has his sights set firmly on the road ahead in Bali: “I’m ready for the semi-final and final Team Japan will have all six climbers in the semi-final with the likes of Wujiang silver medallist Suzuki Neo also making it through but they aren’t the only team with multiple climbers – there will be lots to cheer for the home crowd also Indonesia will have three representatives in the semi-final as Putra Tri Ramadani was eighth Raviandi Ramadhan was 12th and Muhammad Rizky Syahrafli Simatupang was in the 24th and final position Another country with three to progress was Switzerland who had Jonas Utelli Sascha Lehmann and Nuno Grünenfelder all inside the top ten while Spain’s Alberto Ginés López continued his good start to the season moving through in third Twentieth on the all-time men’s appearance list Germany’s Sebastian Halenke progressed in 23rd position in his 61st Lead World Cup Are you looking for the latest crypto news today This is your go-to page if you want to know what’s happening in crypto from breaking news and major developments to the latest trends breaking down what the news means to the market The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have booked the owner of a Mumbai-based travel company for allegedly defrauding 16 Pune tourists of ₹10.88 lakh under the pretext of organizing a tour to Bali The accused has been identified as the owner of a private tourist agency Kurkure collected advance payments from several individuals promising a complete travel package that included hotel stays she failed to make any bookings or organize the trip who along with 15 others had paid ₹10.88 lakh in total for the tour When no arrangements were made and the money was not refunded The police are investigating the matter further and have assured strict action against those involved in the alleged fraud The subsea cables connect the electricity system in Bali with Java island The power outage hit a number of regions in Bali on Friday from 4 p.m. The island's airport was also impacted but inbound and outbound flights continued using backup generators It was named Asia's most beautiful island at this year's annual Reader's Choice Awards by DestinAsian magazine the island was honored with the same recognition by readers of Condé Nast Traveler in its Readers' Choice Awards Email: evne@vnexpress.netTel: 028 7300 9999 - Ext 8556 FPT Tower, 10 Pham Van Bach Street, Dich Vong Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam © Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved. The IFSC provides the photos on this website royalty-free for editorial use only The sale or licencing of these images is strictly prohibited without prior written consent from the IFSC All rights are reserved. For licencing, footage, and photo requests please get in touch with communications@ifsc-climbing.org. Alice PenwillPublished: Invalid Date but its neighbour could soon become the next big holiday hotspot And with swimming horses and one of the best hotels in the world Sumba Island should be on your bucket list With the success of Bali, it's said that other neighbouring islands are 'prime targets' to be turned into tourist hotspots, according to Robb Report One of those places is Sumba Island in Indonesia which receives about 25,000 tourists annually Meanwhile, the popular island of Bali saw 5.27 million international tourists during 2023 This was a 144.61 per cent increase compared to 2022 Maikel Pare, who grew up in one of the local villages before moving to Bali to work for a hotel previously told The Sun: "Sumba offers so many things on one island. You’ll see beautiful waterfalls, beautiful hills, beautiful people and beautiful animals at the same time. “It’s still undiscovered and not that many people go there. It’s slowly growing, but it’s untouched and still so pretty. “We Sumbanese love tourists, and we celebrate them in our lives. If a foreign visitor talks to a local kid, they will be in awe all day. our culture and traditions – we are so proud of them all.” Sumba is known for having horses which are called the Sandalwood ponies They are a small breed with ancient Mongolian and Arabian bloodlines and are very important to the culture and economy of the Indonesian island The island is also home to the exclusive NIHI Sumba eco-resort which has been twice been named the best hotel in the world The hotel has been recognised by Travel + Leisure as the World's Best Hotel in 2016 and 2017. In 2024, it was ranked number ten in the world by The World's 50 Best Hotels the hotel received a Global Recognition Award for its sustainable luxury approach and community impact The hotel has 28 villas with ocean views, plunge pools and infinity pools as well as culinary delights from seafood feasts and open fire cooking With the hotel you can do a spa safari, which is a trek around the island, horse riding, swimming with horses, surfing, padel as well as wellness activities The resort features a spa where you can have open-air treatments with ocean views There's also a chocolate factory and an organic garden that supplies much of the produce for Nihi Sumba’s three restaurants The resort is also renowned for its horse-riding and it has a herd of horses that are brought to the beach for a swim every morning The hotel is a popular holiday destination for celebrities too Heidi Klum, Christian Bale, Cindy Crawford and the Beckhams have all journeyed there for a holiday And Jennifer Lawrence is said to have splashed out tens of thousands of pounds a night to stay for her honeymoon in 2019 You can reach Sumba Island by air from Bali or Kupang There are daily flights from Bali to Waingapu You can also take a ferry from Bali or Kupang Read more Bali's plans for a massive £15billion underground train network And head to Lombok to relax and find instant zen in a tropical paradise Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ schedule and how to watch liveThe 2025 IFSC World Cup heads to Indonesia for the first time as the world’s best lead and speed climbers take on a unique tropical challenge Picture by 2024 Getty ImagesBy William ImboThe 2025 IFSC Sport Climbing World Cup continues its Asian tour with a historic debut in Bali This event marks the first time the World Cup visits the island following previous Indonesian stops in Jakarta in 2022 and 2023 Set against the picturesque backdrop of Nusa Dua's Peninsula Island the competition will feature both lead and speed disciplines Bali's inaugural World Cup event promises a unique setting thanks to climbing walls installed near the ocean offering athletes and spectators a scenic competition environment The event concludes the Asian leg of the 2025 season following competitions in Keqiao and Wujiang Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now The competition will feature a strong international lineup which includes a formidable Indonesian contingent ready to shine on home turf Paris 2024 Olympic speed champion Veddriq Leonardo and reigning women's speed world champion Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi will lead the host nation's charge will be joined by the USA's Annie Sanders aiming for her third consecutive podium finish after a bronze in Wujiang and gold in Keqia (for Boulder) ExclusiveIndonesia's Veddriq Leonardo becomes first Olympic champion in men's speed climbing | Paris 2024 HighlightsIndonesia's Veddriq Leonardo won the first-ever gold medal in men's sport climbing speed against world number two Wu Peng of the People's Republic of China with a fantastic time of 4.75 seconds USA's Sam Watson clocked a time of 4.74 seconds to create a world record and win the bronze medal Watch Paris 2024 live here: https://olympics.app.link/7K8KpfMN8Kb who secured bronze behind the Japanese pair last weekend Fans will also get to watch Paris 2024 Boulder & lead and 2024 overall lead World Cup champion Toby Roberts win in Bali with the Briton seeking an improved performance after placing 15th in Wujiang who came agonisingly close to lowering his own mark of 4.74 seconds (set in his bronze-medal race at Paris 2024) in Bali will look to better her showing in the season's opener after falling to the USA's Emma Hunt in the quarter-finals ExclusiveHighlightsPoland's Aleksandra Miroslaw wins the first gold in women's speed climbing | Paris 2024 HighlightsPoland's Aleksandra Miroslaw wins the first ever gold at Paris 2024 in sport climbing women's speed against People's Republic of China's Deng Lijuan with a splendid time of 6.10 seconds Poland's Aleksandra Kalucka picked up bronze in the small final Riri Rahayu TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Director of PT PLN (Persero) stated that disturbances in the undersea cable distribution system were indicated as the cause of the blackout in Bali on Friday this issue is still a preliminary indication "The certainty of the cause is still being investigated and not due to a cyber attack or other factors," Darmawan said in a written statement on Saturday Darmawan conveyed that electricity has now been restored in Bali He said all PLN customers in Bali have been able to enjoy electricity normally since early this morning at 03:00 WITA (Central Indonesia Time) "We apologize for the inconvenience that occurred," he said Although the electricity has been restored Darmawan mentioned that PLN personnel continue to be on standby in the field to ensure that the electricity supply in Bali is fully recovered by 100 percent "We are making maximum efforts while evaluating and strengthening the electricity system to ensure that all customers can continue to enjoy reliable electricity as usual," Darmawan said The mass blackout in Bali occurred yesterday around 16:00 WITA This incident also impacted flight services at Ngurah Rai Airport said there were several flight delays due to the transition of power sources from PLN to the genset which affected the system transition time for restarting airport services continued to operate with a backup power supply from the genset Editor's Choice: Power Outage Disrupts Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport, Causes Flight Delays Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News West Java's Dedi Mulyadi Prepares Rp6bn to Send Troubled Teens to Military Barracks Bareskrim Arrests 4 LPG Agents for Subsidy Fraud, Rp5.6bn in State Losses Prabowo Subianto Plans to Establish 100 People's Schools Soon Prabowo Plans to Build Emergency Bulog Warehouses in Aceh, West Nusa Tenggara Prabowo's Reason for Involving the Military in Food Matters Prabowo Open to Meeting Retired Military Forum Urging Gibran's Impeachment Free Meal Poisoning Case, Prabowo Alludes to Students Eating Without Spoons Learn About the Outsourcing Practices Prabowo Intends to Scrap Prabowo: Bill Gates to Support Free Nutritious Meal Program in Indonesia Prabowo Rejects 'Puppet President' Label, Denies Jokowi's Control First Balinese Hindu Temple in Netherlands Officially Inaugurated Power Outage Disrupts Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport List of Countries That Experienced Massive Blackouts Spain-Portugal Reeling from Massive Blackout: Impact Unfolds Bali's Semarapura Festival Expected to Draw 20,000 Tourists Spain-Portugal Massive Blackout: 5 Facts You Need to Know Induced Atmospheric Vibration: Potential Cause of Spain and Europe Blackout Balinese Hindu Temple to Open in the Netherlands 10 Best Places to Visit in Southeast Asia for Adventure Seekers Trip.Best 2025: Bali and Jakarta Among World's Top Destinations Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock Reunite After 30 Years for New Film Project Indonesia's Mount Semeru Erupts 3 Times This Morning, Sends Ash 700 Meters High Prabowo Praises Jokowi's Inflation Control in Cabinet Session, Denies Link to Gibran's Presence BGN Chief Aims for Zero Accidents in Free Nutritious Meal Program Exposing Trump's Move on Mike Waltz Dismissal List of Baeksang Arts Awards 2025 Winners Inside Sistine Chapel: 5 Key Facts About the Conclave's Iconic Venue Today's Top 3 News: 7 Most Beautiful Banknotes in the World, Penetration of Visa, Mastercard vs QRIS in Indonesia Jokowi Responds to Calls for VP Gibran's Impeachment Wikipedia: AI Will Not Replace Human Volunteers Bill Gates Announces New Gates Foundation Office in Singapore 6 Birth Control Methods Covered by BPJS Health: Injections, Vasectomy, IUDs, and More Hun Sen Shares Cambodia's Strategies on Post-Conflict Economic Recovery Retina Scanning for Crypto? Cyber Law Expert Warns of Worldcoin's Biometric Dangers Samsung to Open Galaxy AI-Driven Pop-Up Restaurant in Portugal BMKG Reports M5.4 Earthquake Striking Tomini Bay; No Tsunami Threats The mere mention of Bali evokes thoughts of a paradise. It's more than a place; it's a mood, an aspiration, a tropical state of mind. Bali Back to topAttractionsMust-see attractionsAgung Rai Museum of Art Founder Agung Rai built his fortune selling Balinese artwork to foreigners in the 1970s Sekumpul Waterfall some six or seven separate waterfalls – all fed by upland streams – pour up to 80m over cliffs in a verdant bamboo… Pura Besakih Perched nearly 1000m up the side of Gunung Agung this is Bali's most important Hindu temple The site encompasses 23 separate but related temples Pura Luhur Ulu Watu This important temple is perched precipitously on the southwestern tip of the peninsula atop sheer cliffs that drop straight into the ceaseless surf… Neka Art Museum Offering an excellent introduction to Balinese art the top-notch collection is displayed in a series of pavilions and halls Pura Taman Ayun Don't miss one of the top temples on Bali The huge royal water temple of Pura Taman Ayun Puri Agung Semarapura Built when the Dewa Agung dynasty moved here in 1710 this palace compound was laid out as a large square Jimbaran Fish Market A popular morning stop on a Bukit peninsula amble lively and frenetic – watch where you step View more attractionsPlanning ToolsExpert guidance to help you plan your tripBest Things to Do With its unique culture, tropical landscapes and delightful hospitality, Bali is one of the most alluring destinations on the planet. With beautiful scenery, rich culture and balmy temperatures, Bali could be the perfect Southeast Asian destination. Here are the best times to visit. Bali appeals to all travelers. With this advice on health, safety and etiquette, you can expect the most out of your trip. Bali is relatively small, but it can take a long time to travel around. Here are our top transportation tips. From admiring the sunset to seeing traditional artisans in action, many of Bali's most amazing experiences are free of charge. Here's our pick of the best. Bali on the cheap? Most would struggle to spend a lottery jackpot here. If you do need to save some money, here's how. A growing number of travelers are booking family holidays on the island of Bali. Here are the best things to do there with kids. Driving in Bali is not for the faint-hearted, but it offers ample rewards. Try these top road trips for a taste of Bali's beaches, jungles and mountains. ArticlesLatest stories from BaliRead more articlesFilter by interest: tropical landscapes and delightful hospitality Bali is one of the most alluring destinations on the planet Read more articlesBuild a memorable collectionGet to the heart of Bali with one of our in-depth Visit in ShopBali Visit in ShopPocket Bali $14.99 Go to checkout (0 items)in partnership with getyourguide No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission Sometimes, the best act of self-love we can do for ourselves is take an extended break from the pressures and expectations of life, and that’s precisely what celebrated actress, Taraji P. Henson decided to do when she ventured to the spiritual Ubud, Bali to receive some much-needed restoration and healing Years of nonstop work left her feeling overwhelmed so she decided to escape as far away as she could Henson came to Bali based on a friend’s recommendation and spent six weeks connecting with the island and herself For Henson, Bali served as much more than an escape from Hollywood; it ultimately became her second home. Within CNN’s star-studded travel series My Happy Place premiering Sunday she returns to Bali to give viewers and inside look into her world there while narrating each activity and spiritual practice she once participated in exploring local markets with natives and Balinese tour guides and their mother Tredesna who take Taraji through local markets or doing a traditional Balinese dance class with famous instructor the audience will have an opportunity to see Bali through Henson’s eyes that is an immersive excursion across the world anchored by an all-star cast of hosts including Alan Cumming each host reflects on why these meaningful sites have become their escape revealing a previously unseen side of both the person and the destination doesn’t just touch on Bali’s beautiful culture and sites As she’s an advocate for mental health through her foundation she understands the importance of maintaining both her mental and physical health She shared with ESSENCE how easy it was to get back to herself due to the peaceful nature of her environment I don’t have to be inundated with shopping like shopping for labels and stuff like that where I stayed at the center of the island which is the most spiritual part of the island In addition to spiritually healing through prayer Henson also leaned into her adventurous side by trying fun activities such as a ‘swing dress’ shoot set in a picturesque valley which completely challenged her fear of heights “I had to learn to trust myself,” Henson shares “Life is more exciting when you step outside of your comfort zone You’re used to doing what you do every day that can suck the life out of you but I just didn’t know how far I would go You learn a lot from yourself when you step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself in ways that you weren’t before.” Henson was also able to tap back into her spiritual side during her trip and revealed the prayers she said to help rebalance herself for God to continue to guide me down the path where peace lives to get rid of any energy in my life that wasn’t serving me to keep my energy and space clean and clear People who have any ill intent towards me or anybody that I love so I asked God to keep my aura protected,” she shares. she’s encouraging Black women to visit “Mamma Bali” because of her humanistic experience and the valuable lessons she learned No one cares if you’re Black; they just care if you have a good heart and that’s what I love about the place I didn’t feel like the stresses that we have to deal with,” she states she can be seen hanging out with her “expat crew,” a group of Black women from the United States: Erica and her daughter you can find her living in a state of gratitude ‘Thank you.’ I’m thanking God throughout the day for simple things Thank you for the love and the people in my life I’m always saying thank you all day long,” she says It’s the little things that bring Henson peace often like spending time with her son and new puppy and going to the gym “Going to the gym is great for my mental health it’s more about my mental health going to the gym now than opposed to aesthetics now that I’m pouring into and taking care of myself,” she states while Great Britain's McNeice secured the women's title in Bali The 20-year-old climber from Japan completed a superb win in the men’s lead final at the 2025 IFSC Climbing World Cup in Bali topping the table with 42 points on the last run of the evening who squeezed through the semi-finals to claim the last spot in the final secured a first World Cup podium and just missed out on top spot with 41 points Bertone got off to a fantastic start and set a score of 41, just shy of the top of the course. His closest challenger in the first half of the final was the Republic of Korea's Lee Dohyun though a late fall left him 11 points shy and in second the same position he reached at the Keqiao World Cup in April The Olympic gold medallist Gines Lopez stepped up next The Spaniard took his time to pick his moments and produced a calculated climb though he fell before reaching Bertone's mark As Germany’s Yannick Flohe finished behind Gines Lopez the Frenchman had his career's first World Cup podium secured – Yoshida would decide where he stood on that podium The Japanese climber needed to stay composed early on as Yoshida edged ahead and took the World Cup title in Bali by one point It is a maiden World Cup triumph for Yoshida and a first in any competition since his Asian Youth Championships success in 2019 just missing out on the top of the course while getting on the board with an encouraging score of 39+ points While two of the next three climbers managed to get within five points of her leading score no-one could dethrone the Australian climber going into the second half of the contest but pushed to the limits in the final 30 seconds to surpass Mackenzie into the lead but fell with 10 seconds left on the clock The Japanese climber had to retrieve her clip from below and ran out of time to clip on at the top of the course her spirited performance was enough to secure consecutive World Cup lead podiums leaving it to McNeice to match her stellar run clipping her lead at the top and basking in the emotions of a maiden World Cup triumph Picture by Nakajima Kazushige/IFSCErin McNeice's victory at the IFSC World Cup Sport Climbing Bali 2025 was the first of her career The IFSC World Cup Series 2025 has landed in Bali scheduled from 2 to 4 May and featuring Lead and Speed competitions Throughout the entire Series, semi-final and final rounds of all Boulder and Lead competitions are going to be live streamed on the YouTube channel of the Federation with geo blocking applied to selected countries and territories Speed qualifications and finals will also be live streamed on the IFSC YouTube channel with geo restrictions only applied to the latter The list of rightsholder for the IFSC Climbing World Cup Bali 2025 is as follows: The schedule of the event in Bali is as follows: one of most scenic locations in the renowned island The Asian tour that opened this year’s IFSC World Cup Series is about to conclude in Bali where the third event of 2025 is scheduled to take place from 2 to 4 May With both Lead and Speed being part of the programme a pair of EP Climbing walls have been recently set up in Peninsula Island “It’s really exciting and such an honor to have a World Cup event here in Bali,” said Indonesian Lead climber Sukma Lintang Cahyani I’m really proud that Indonesia can host an event like this.” Cahyani has recently set her new personal best result at a Lead World Cup – an 18th place in Wujiang but also many things I know I can still improve I see Bali as a great opportunity to perform better and I’m really motivated to show my progress here,” added the 20-year-old from Yogyakarta The three women’s medallists from Wujiang 2025 are all expected to compete in Bali, with Great Britain’s Erin McNeice and South Korea’s Seo Chaehyun coming from a shared gold medal and USA’s Annie Sanders trying to secure her third podium at three consecutive World Cup events An up-and-coming climber from a developing team Cahyani has many athletes she can look up to in the circuit but one in particular hold a special place in her heart: “There are many athletes I admire but she also climbs with so much focus and calmness That really inspires me to keep pushing and enjoy the process.” Japan’s two medallists at Wujiang 2025 – Anraku Sorato and Suzuki Neo – will headline the list of climbers competing in the men’s Lead event Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Alberto Ginés López – who took bronze in Wujiang – is also registered to compete The schedule of Lead medal events in Bali is as follows: a luxury lifestyle website that delivers a colorful and passionate telling of neighboring events One of the many islands in Indonesia’s vast archipelago Bali is known as “The Island of the Gods” as it is the most temple-dense area on earth—boasting more temples per square mile than anywhere else on the planet A haven of Hinduism in a predominantly Muslim country Bali is steeped in spirituality and the belief that balance equals harmony; a philosophy revealed in the kindness of her people.Made famous by the movie Eat Love starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem Millions of travelers are drawn to the culture I explored both Bali’s stunning coastline and its lush interior rainforest just a short drive apart on this relatively small island of 2,200 square miles.After flying from Chicago to Hong Kong our group took a direct flight into Bali’s capital It is a 15-hour flight to Hong Kong and a 5 1/2-hour flight to Bali After enjoying a delicious meal (Cathay prides itself on using the finest ingredients in dishes inspired by the flight’s destination) business-class accommodations and arrived refreshed despite the 14-hour time difference Uluwatu is a lively surfer town where tourists zip around on motorbikes down busy the commotion fell away as we entered the Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort.Perched high on a limestone cliff the resort overlooks the Indian Ocean and the “Impossible Surf,” which provides some of the best surfing in the world the resort offers a boutique feel that ensures privacy and relaxation while beckoning travelers to slow down Cascading down the cliffside toward the ocean a living room outfitted with an enormous couch that could have seated 15 of my closest friends and a bedroom with a king-size bed topped with a darling towel sculpture of a Hindi priest and framed by a wall of woven Balinese wood an expansive patio with a hot tub and garden over-looked the ocean’s turquoise waters dotted with expert surfers (note the “Impossible Surf ” lives up to its name and is only suitable for the advanced surfer) we indulged in a barbecue feast at the resort’s oceanfront Botol Biru Grill devouring platter after platter of perfectly seasoned grilled meats and delicacies from the ocean while sipping glasses of Two Islands wine crafted in Bali’s northern vineyards.For a more theatrical dining experience don’t miss the hotel’s Sono Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant an 11th-century seaside sanctuary on the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula One of six temples believed to be Bali’s spiritual pillars it was built to protect the island from evil spirits Darling but mischievous monkeys (tip: hold on tight to your phones and glasses) played amongst the stunning architecture.We left the temple and traveled a short distance to the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park A highlight of the park is the magnificent statue of the Garuda deity which towers nearly 400 feet.Culturally sated we headed to Jendela Bali Restaurant for Balinese-style delicacies and a spectacular panoramic view of the city while my friends raved about the kare ayam I washed it all down with coconut water sipped from an enormous coconut.That evening secured us special access to the Savaya Bali Club—an incredibly sexy cliffside venue pulsating with light and bare-chested Australian men dancing against a backdrop of moonlit pools we scurried home for a few hours of sleep because our itinerary would take us deep into the jungle As we left the coast and ventured into the island’s interior twisty roads bordered by a stunning patchwork of bamboo forests No trip to Ubud would be complete without visiting the Tegallalang Rice Terrace—famous for its beautiful Be sure to take a photo in one of the photo op pods—it was my favorite snapshot of the trip!En route to the resort we stopped at the renowned John Hardy design compound a breathtaking space showcasing his iconic jewelry participated in a hands-on Masterclass workshop and browsed the beautifully crafted pieces.A short drive thereafter we arrived at the premium eco-friendly Anantara Ubud Bali Resort Nestled in the serene hillside village of Payangan just 35 minutes from the cultural center of Ubud and 1.5 hours from Bali’s international airport the resort offers Anantara’s signature luxury in the heart of the rainforest Surrounded by 360-degree views of the jungle and Mount Agung—an active volcano revered as the divine palace of the gods—the setting is mesmerizing.The resort’s 85 elegantly furnished suites and pool villas adorned in neutral color palettes with subtle Balinese influences blend seamlessly with the lush surroundings My two-bedroom villa featured a living room and a patio edged with a 33-foot-long infinity pool that seemed to float above an emerald sea of trees Floor-to-ceiling windows and bathroom walls that opened to the jungle created a harmonious connection with nature “Kirana” originates from the Sanskrit word meaning “beam of light,” a name inspired by the venue’s radiant views Sitting outside beneath a canopy of twinkling lights we dined on a feast of lawargedang (young papaya salad bathed in traditional Balinese flavors) served on a betel leaf with tamarind dipping sauce) and bebek taliwang (grilled duck marinated in taliwang spices Several of us decided to end the evening with a visit to Sulang Bar where the master mixologist whipped up signature cocktails Against a backdrop of the mist-shrouded Mount Agung we toasted our great fortune of being together we chose the five-course degustation menu at Amerta an open-fire restaurant inspired by the jungles of Payangan the restaurant offers a wonderful view of lush rice terraces The resort’s executive chef—who worked with multi-Michelin-starred restaurants around the world before joining the Anantara team—presented the meal with artistic flair Gilled Tokusen Wagyu Sirloin (melt in your mouth and served with charred onion and peppers Red Dragon Fruit with vanilla creme and a Chocolate & Kluak Cremieux (caramelized popcorn and salted caramel sauce) sustainable produce blending the jungle’s essence into every dish SpaThe resort’s tranquil spa offers an array of treatments I entered to find a wall of windows open to the rainforest a traditional ritual combining techniques of Japanese shiatsu bodywork It was a combination of forest bathing and massage with birdsong in the distance Cultural activities in UbudEverywhere we went These are banten or daily offerings to the gods given as tokens of gratitude The resort hosted a hands-on class where we learned the art of banten each symbolizing a different philosophy and each placed in a specific direction who manifests in the form of a man with a third eye on his forehead we walked to the resort’s temple dressed in kambens brightly colored hip cloths that are proper temple attire we added an incense stick—the Balinese believe that the incense smoke acts as a bridge to the gods.One afternoon we headed off campus for a Melukat a water ritual that is an integral part of Balinese spiritual culture Bali is home to more than 1,000 water temples and Balinese Hinduism considers water to be a sacred element that serves as a medium to purify the mind We initially planned to visit the popular 9th-century Mengening Temple in the Saresada Village so we ventured instead to the 11th-century Gunung Kawi Sebatu Temple a less crowded site nestled amidst the teeming greenery of the Tegallalang region The area is a complex of structures and small carved statues—all cloaked in soft green moss Fed by a volcanic spring believed to hold healing and cleansing powers the temple features two small bathing pools Each pool contains five intricately carved stone spouts with water cascading from each “mouth.” The ritual began with a quiet moment of intention-setting and prayer and said a prayer with my hands joined in the traditional Hindu posture and finally bent so that the water stream hit the crown of my head (for a count of three) This is repeated at each of the five spouts I then proceeded to the second pool and repeated the process The purpose of Melukat is to wash away negative energy and welcome good energy Standing in the sacred waters surrounded by the Tegallalang jungle I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.Another unforgettable immersion into Balinese culture was the Agni Yajna—a sacred fire ceremony honoring Agni which is believed to purify the surroundings and invite divine blessings into one’s life during a visit to a local Hindu priest’s family temple The priest clad in a black sarong with a top knot crowning his head sat serenely with other family members around a fire on the temple’s raised platform Each family member wielded a different instrument—seashells a symphony of sound and rhythm filled the air Chanting and singing accompanied the offerings and we intuitively joined in— chanting and singing along understanding when it was our turn to feed the fire with handfuls of rice I felt a profound connection to the family throughout the ceremony—ages and backgrounds faded away around the fire The hours-long ceremony felt fleeting and was a joyous lounging belly-up behind the priest’s mother swimming laps was a favorite and meditative activity Each time I paused overlooking the infinity pool’s edge I was captivated by the foliage so dense that the jungle floor remained completely hidden—only the distant sound of a river hinted to its existence swallows darted gracefully through the air while butterflies drifted from flower to flower I couldn’t help but reflect on how fortunate I was to visit this beautiful island From Uluwatu’s cliffside shores to Ubud’s mystical jungles Bali whispers tales of adventure and serenity to those willing to listen and book a flight—a spiritual and earthly paradise awaits