The US government recently lifted its travel warning for Indonesia, saying the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning.

Balinese tourism operators say the time has come for Australia to follow suit.

The three-star-plus Parigata Resort and Spa is a small, intimate hotel hidden amidst tropical gardens on the fringe of Sanur Beach in bali.

Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis (based on two people sharing) and the price includes return flights, private transfers and UK departure tax. You must book by June 30th 2008.

Kathleen Mitchinson, Charlotte Allin and James Manning have not been seen since they went to explore the waters off Komodo national park. Two other divers, one French, one Swedish, are also missing.

According to diving experts, the area where they were last spotted is among the most unpredictable and dangerous in the tropics, with fast currents capable of carrying divers far away from their boats.

Hundreds of Islamic militants have been convicted and imprisoned as part of efforts by local authorities to weaken the regional network Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for at least four deadly suicide bombings in Indonesia since 2002.

The last one was carried out on bali island in late 2005, killing 20 people.

U.S. Ambassador to Jakarta Cameron Hume said Sunday the warning was lifted because of “improvements made by Indonesia in its current security situation.”

Riad Maison Bleue in Fez, Morocco and Kuta Seaview Hotel in bali were singled out by travel site boo.com as two of the globe’s best.

Commended as a “romantic” spa featuring “spectacular Arab architecture and rejuvenating, age-old spa treatments”, the Riad Maison received the thumbs up for its orange blossom water massages and satin banquettes.

Of all the great vacation destinations in the world, what sane person would even consider bali after this warning? bali, however, is where my wife and I and our three-year old daughter took our February vacation. Our destination: a Balinese villa in the Seminyak region.

We left Vancouver in the snow for the long ride across the Pacific. It was a trip we faced with apprehension. How would our three-year-old handle the 16-hour flight?

The warning follows a police investigation into a New Zealand-based company selling return tickets to bali online - for flights that do not actually exist.

Orewa Police, who are investigating, say at least ten people have paid a thousand dollars by credit card.

And that meant some tourists had their trips well and truly disrupted. With bus drivers unable to drive their empty-tanked buses, some travelers got stranded while others were ferried around in smaller cars that still had some gas.

bali Tourism officials were quite concerned–especially as it’s supposed to be Visit Indonesia Year–but perhaps it’s just a strong shove from fate to remind people about the idea of green travel. Who knows where the fuel might run out next? We’d better start learning to walk again.

The predominantly Hindu island of bali, which accounted for about 40 percent of total foreign arrivals, has seen tourist numbers rebound after a slow recovery from the impact of suicide bomb attacks by Islamic militants in 2002 and 2005.

The number of foreign tourists in Indonesia was 446,425 in February, up from 385,400 a year ago. Tourist arrivals in bali rose 29.59 percent to 197,700 in February from a year ago.

“It’s a positive start compared to last year when the industry, as in 2005-2006, was still affected by low arrivals caused by the bali bombing,” said Yessy Hidajat, a communication manager at Alila Hotels and Resort bali.

If that kind of growth continues, then 2008 will beat the 2004 record of 267,500.

But while Australian tourists have confidence in bali, our Government does not and this is causing angst among a group of Australians involved in the tourism industry there.

I need travel authors from bali to help me coverage the bali tourism news.

Please send email if you like to participated in this effort. Thanks !

tamtree@gmail.com

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