Considered the heart of Indonesia, Jakarta is a city known for being the cultural, economic and tourist hub of the country. The city exudes a fast paced, fluid and vibrant culture, incorporating the principles of its western counter parts to grow and retain its advanced stance in the modern world. Alongside the desire to facilitate globalization of the country, the lifestyle of the community too changed drastically with the introduction of western influences. Among which, a sensation that has fast become a globally popular phenomenon, drawing thousands of locals and international viewers to one location is the Jakarta International Jazz Festival, an event founded by a jazz music enthusiast celebrating the universal love for music, specifically jazz among other musical genres. Though the festival venue …

The world famous Full Moon Party originally began when a group of tourists arranged a part on the Haad Rin beach to celebrate the most beautiful Full Moon night they had seen, with the best view of the moon. Since then the crowds at the Full Moon parties has increased from 5,000 to up to 30,000 people. If visiting one of these parties is on your list of attractions when visiting Thailand, look for a hotel in Samui as it is just a short ferry ride to the party. A recommended hotel would be the Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort & Spa, known for its luxury and ambience. The Full Moon party usually begins at dusk, when the full moon makes an appearance and as the night progresses, …

The many intriguing cultures of the very traditional city of Bali extend into the world of the performing arts. Dance makes a very important part of the Balinese lifestyle and is etched with a spiritual aura. There are several occasions where one can enjoy such Balinese performances. In fact, most of these dances make an important part of the religious functions in Bali but since Bali is extremely popular with the tourists, Balinese Dance can be enjoyed as a separate performance itself. One of the most popular Balinese Dance performances is the Kecak Fire and Trance dance. There is something thoroughly captivating about this dance ritual that makes it a must see for those visiting Bali. The best part about this dance is that it …

Dug out of the earth and perfectly moulded into wondrous shapes, the Sri Lankan artists quite aptly manipulate the soil and employ them for various uses. Many of these utensils can be easily seen at Sri Lankan Art Gallery. Be it pots, pans and huge cauldrons for kitchen use, beautiful vases to be filled with tropical flowers from the garden for the living room or little knickknacks to adorn your table tops, Sri Lankan pottery art has evolved to such an extent that never ceases to amaze. Pottery is a unique art in itself. It is a difficult task that requires quite a lot of patience, talent and skill and these artisans have got that in plenty. The way in which they nimbly fashion a mound of earth, …

Music, movement, colour and culture; those are the ingredients that make Balinese dance somewhat hypnotic in its effect as it sweeps you out of this world. Like the lush natural beauty that adorns this quaint and remarkably picturesque island, culture has an almost artistic touch in Bali. Be it song, dance or a mere religious ritual there is so much of essence in each performance. Bali being an island etched with rich culture boasts an array of dance performances. Largely dramatic, these performances give you a taste of authentic Bali like nothing else. The Balinese dance is in fact an ancient tradition that goes way back in time. It is primarily religious in nature, but there are those performed merely for entertainment as well. The …

Starting out in the Mickey Mouse Club as a child and moving onto the hit 90’s boy band N’Sync and thereafter releasing hit singles, Justin Timberlake has managed to rocket to fame in a short period of time for his music and lately for his acting career as well. 2013 saw the 33 year old singer/actor dominate the global charts with his bestselling album 20/20 experience and 20/20 experience 2 of 2. The du Arena at Yas Island Abu Dhabi will feature Timberlake bringing this thrilling album as part of his World Tour to an eagerly awaiting audience on the 23rd of May 2014. Timberlake last visited the UAE in 2007 as part of his Justified Tour which was staged at the Abu Dhabi Emirates …