By: 4 Old Soles (My Parents)
Bali is an absolutely gorgeous tropical island, located in Indonesia, that is full of rich culture, spectacular landscapes and a lot of incredible things to do.
In the 1930’s, the anthropologist Margaret Mead spent time in Bali to study this magnificent land and its unique people. Her accounts of the island and the Balinese people created a western image of Bali as “an enchanted land of cultural beauty at peace with themselves and nature.” It was a tropical paradise. And that it is!
But Bali is so much more than a tropical paradise with spectacular white sand beaches, resorts and incredible scuba diving. Bali is also a land of people with a rich cultural heritage, fantastic celebrations and intriguing temples. It is an aesthetically beautiful landscape that ranges from picturesque rice fields to active volcanos to pristine monkey-filled jungles. There is no other place in the world like it! And I would love to share with you what we found.
WHERE IS BALI LOCATED?
Bali is a 95-mile wide island located in the Indian Ocean that a province of Indonesia.
WHERE TO FLY INTO BALI?
Ngurah Rai International Airport is the primary airport in Bali. It is located in Denpasar, the capital city of Bali. This airport is also commonly referred to as the Denpasar International Airport. The city of Denpasar is located on the south side of the island.
HOW LONG TO VISIT BALI?
Like any unique place in the world, you could spend weeks immersing yourself in this environment and still not be satisfied. But for most travelers, I would suggest 2 to 3 days with a private guide to see and appreciate the landscape and culture of this island. If you are also wanting to spend time at the beaches and partake in adventures such as their top-rated snorkeling, then more time should be added accordingly.
INFORMATION ABOUT BALI
- Bali is the only Hindu (86%) majority province of Indonesia.
- The total population of Bali is 4.3 million.
- Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country in the world.
- Bali is renowned for its highly developed arts including dance, painting, wood carving, metal works and music.
- The waters off of Bali have an extremely high biodiversity of marine life.
- Bali’s cultural heritage dates back to 2000 BCE
- Bali’s Subak rice irrigation systems are noted as World Heritage sites.
- The island of Bali has many volcanoes. The volcano, Batur is the most active.
10 FANTASTIC THINGS TO DO IN BALI
TAMAN AYUN TEMPLE (THE ROYAL FAMILY TEMPLE)
The Taman Ayun Temple (Royal Family Temple) is the main temple from the Kingdom of Mengwi. It was built in the 17th century and is located approximately 11 miles north of Denpasar.
“Taman Ayun” means “Garden Temple in the Water.” And accordingly this popular landmark is surrounded by a big fishpond and lush gardens. The Taman Ayun Temple is one of Bali’s most visited temples and it is a wonderful example of Balinese architecture.
ULUWATU TEMPLE (TEMPLE BY THE SEA)
Temple by the Sea (Uluwatu Temple) is an incredible Balinese Hindu sea temple, is located just outside Kuta on Bali’s southwestern tip. This temple is uniquely perched atop a 70 meter high seaside cliff that overlooks the Indian Ocean. The Uluwatu Temple was constructed to worship Shiva Rudra. The locals believe that the three Gods: Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva became one at this location.
The Uluwatu Temple is also home to numerous bands of monkeys who sometimes steal from visitors and have been known to try and exchange these items for food. This behavior was studied by scientists and experts who discovered that the monkeys learned this bartering behavior, and then passed this knowledge to their children. Furthermore, when new Macaque monkeys were introduced to this site, they learned this behavior as well and then started using these same bartering skills. So make sure you keep a close eye on your belongings while you visit.
PURA AGUNG BESAKIH
Pura Agung Besakih is the largest Hindu temple complex in Bali. Built in the 8th century, this temple is considered the Mother Temple of Bali. It is the most important temple for the whole of the island.
Pura Agung Besakih is located on Bali’s eastern side, near the town of Besakih and is a unique complex of 23 separate yet related temples set on six levels of terraced slopes. These temples are located almost 1000 meters up the western side of Gunung Agung, an active volcano.
At Pura Agung Besakih, the largest and most important temple in this complex is Pura Penataran Agung (The Great Temple of State). Pura Penataran Agung is the center of the temple complex and it is Bali’s main place of worship. We couldn’t go into this since it is only for Hindus praying, but we were able to look into all of the areas. Pura Penataran Agung also notably has a beautiful split gateway that you might have seen in a lot of photographs of Bali. (see above)
PENGLIPURAN TRADITIONAL VILLAGE
Some Balinese people still live in traditional villages where the extended members of a family live in a compound next to the family’s compound, and they are all part of one village.
The Penglipuran Traditional Village in Bali is a well-preserved example of one of these villages. Here you can get a glimpse of everyday life in a compound where native Balinese people maintain the traditional ways.
When we arrived we noticed that the village had a long central walkway and on each side there were walled compounds for different family groups. As we walked through the village many people came to their doorway to invite us in and wanted to show us around. One compound had 32 family members living there and another had just 12. Each family appears to have their own small house with just a bedroom and then the kitchen is shared with all of the family members. Some families appeared to have shared bathrooms and others had individual bathrooms. Our guide told us that most couples will live in the husband’s family compound, but that this is not required.
CELEBRATIONS ON BALI
During one of our drives with our local guide, we passed many women dressed alike with tall elaborate headgear full of fruit and grains. Our guide got excited and said this was such a privilege to be able to see this – for us and for him.
Twice a year a married woman from each family goes to her local temple to offer fruits and grains as an offering to express gratitude in hopes for protection.
No place on earth seems to celebrate more frequently than the Indonesian island of Bali. With more than 20,000 temples on this island of over 4 million people, it’s no wonder that practically every day is a holiday.
Each village has at least three temples and every 210 days (based upon the Balinese calendar), each of these temples celebrates its birthday with an odalan. Fruit and flower offerings are piled four feet tall on women’s heads and there are feasts fit for royalty. An odalan can last for several days and visitors are heartily welcomed into the festivities.
Bali is not just an island paradise; it is an anomaly. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, which is predominantly Muslim, Bali is a Hindu Island mixed with a healthy dose of animism, the belief that everything, including inanimate objects, contains life.
Galungan is the most important feast for Balinese Hindus, a celebration to honor the creator of the universe (Ida Sang Hyang Widi) and the spirits of the ancestors. This festival symbolizes the victory of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma), and encourages the Balinese to show their gratitude to the creator and sainted ancestors.
BALI’S PICTURESQUE LANDSCAPE
Stunning scenes of rice fields dot the central highlands, which are set in between majestic volcanoes and impressive calderas.
With our local guide we saw many beautiful terraced rice fields and even saw one farmer with his water buffalo plowing the rice field! This was a highlight for me – something that probably won’t be around much longer.
The rice fields were such a brilliant shade of emerald green. It was beautiful. Growing rice is a very labor intensive job. Over time the terraced fields are made, but when there is a lot of rain they can wash down and then they have to be rebuilt. Farmers here use water buffalo or small lawn mower sized machines to till the fields. First, they will start rice plants in containers at home and then they plant them by hand in the fields.
In Bali, there is a lot of water and the water used for the rice fields is all from natural sources. They do not have to dig wells. Here, the fields up high are flooded and the water is directed down to the next level and so forth. Periodically the people have to weed the rice fields by hand. When the green, grassy rice plant grows, it then sends up a shoot which will have some rice grains in tiny husks. The people then cut the rice stalks by hand and shake the bunches up and down to shake the rice off. After that the rice can be sent to be milled. This is a lot of work!
BALI’S INCREDIBLE WOODCARVINGS
Bali woodcarvings are exceptional. No trip to Bali is complete without a trip to a high-end carving factory to marvel at the artistry. These shops represent an artform and not some 3rd world place to buy souvenirs. From furniture to front doors to elaborate decorative carvings, these shops are an attraction unto themselves. Most of the offerings are expensive as you would expect from a skilled craftsman using exotic woods. We bought a couple of smaller items to display in our home and we love them.
You can also go to carving shops where the workmanship and wood type is of a lesser quality, but they will still look beautiful when displayed in your home.
UBUD SACRED MONKEY FOREST SANCTUARY
The Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary was just down the street from our hotel in Ubud. (See more on our hotel below) This sanctuary covers 25 acres, has at least 115 distinct species of trees and is home to approximately 605 Balinese long-tailed monkeys that live in the forest. In this thick forest there are many hills and a deep ravine which runs through the park grounds and contains a rocky stream. Trails allow visitors access to many parts of the park, including the ravine and stream.
These grounds are also home to 3 Hindu temples, which were constructed around 1350.
At the Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest, visitors can observe the monkey’s daily activities – grooming, mating, fighting, and caring for their young – at close range, and you can even sit next to monkeys along the park’s paths.
These monkeys have lost their fear of humans. They will not approach humans who they believe are not offering food, but they invariably will approach human visitors showing food. They will also grab any bags containing food. The monkeys here are not aggressive, but care should be taken.
Note: Please do not attempt to pet these monkeys because they might view it as an aggressive act.
On the other hand, monkeys here will take food from your hands and climb on your shoulders to gain closer access to any food you offer. This is a wonderful experience!
WHERE TO STAY IN BALI
When in Bali, we absolutely loved our stay at Alam Shanti in Ubud.
This is one of our most unique, scenic and exotic experiences in our 50 years of travel. It is not the most expensive place you will ever stay, but it is a place you will tell your friends about, and they will look with envy. And if you do stay here, you’ll want to stay in the premier room – Yamuna
“Two separate luxurious units (Yamuna and Gangga) in one house with spacious verandas offering view to the rice fields and sharing a private pool. Both rooms have spacious garden bathrooms with bathtubs and separate shower. Bedrooms have both air-conditioning and ceiling fans.”
Each room has a queen bed over-looking the rice field. It also has a private pool it shares with the upstairs room (Gangga). These rooms included a large breakfast serviced on your open- air terrace as well. The Alam Shanti also offers pickup from the airport and a discount at their in-town upscale restaurant, which is a short walk into Ubud. The remainder of the hotel is also great, from what I can tell, but the premier room – Yamuna – is truly a memorable experience.
TIPS TO EASILY VISIT BALI – USING A LOCAL GUIDE
Tours by Locals is a fantastic company that works to bring local guides together with travelers for the best experience possible. In Bali, you can easily find and contact local guides on their website. Many of these guides will show that they offer a variety of single day tours. Do not let this confuse you. Just find a guide that offers a good cultural tour or whatever you are looking for. Then easily contact them through the Tours By Local sight and you can begin working with your local guide directly to create your perfect tour, whether it’s a 1, 2, 3 day tour or more. Personally, I’ve found the guides here to be more than willing to happily design a tour that suits specific travel desires.
Here are a few special experiences that we received from our local guide:
- An better understanding of Bali Hinduism. This is uniquely different from Hinduism practiced in India and SE Asia. Our guide helped us to understand how his faith incorporated portions of Christianity that I did not expect.
- We attended a local cremation ceremony at the spur of the moment. We have previously attended an Indian cremation, but this ceremony had a very different feel from the Indian cremation on the Ganges. It was more party-like. And with our guide, we were welcomed as guests.
- We wandered the small roads of the central highlands to visit wonderful vistas of mountain rice fields. Additionally, we got to see the cultivation of various exotic crops – gardens of clove trees, coco trees, Mangosteens, vanilla plants, Salak fruit and even the unique Kopi Luwak Coffee. For Kopi Luwak Coffee, the Asian Palm Civet (see picture below) eats the coffee beans. The bean then passes through the civet’s body, and exits as poop in its whole form. This digested bean is then processed into an extremely expensive coffee ($100 per kilogram!)
In Bali, we had many unique experiences, saw absolutely stunning landscapes and were extremely impressed by the Balinese people and their culture. Our trip to Bali was a wonderful and one that we truly will never forget.
Have an Incredible Time in Bali!
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POPULAR TOURS IN BALI
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