Beautiful Bali
offers such a diverse and colourful experience. It is a humble and friendly
island offering warm interactions, epic adventures, spiritualism and scenic
surroundings. Bali is far more than just an inexpensive escape for Aussies.
Bali is referred
to as ‘The Island of the Gods’ and it is certainly worthy of the title. The
beautiful island is full of spectacular scenery ranging from majestic Mount
Batur, a volcano in the north that rumbles into life occasionally surprising
visitors, to the wide sandy surf beaches of the south. In between areas of
forest and terraced rice fields provide a lush landscape.
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| Mount Batur, Bali, Indonesia |
Culture
Dance plays a
significant part in Balinese storytelling. The costumes and the bewitching
movements that feature in traditional dance performances are fascinating to
watch. A popular dance explaining Bali’s respect for both good and bad spirits
is the Barong dance. Click here to read more about it.
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| Barong Dance, Bali, Indonesia |
Temples
Bali is unique in
Indonesia for having a population that is predominantly Hindu rather than
Muslim. Apparently there are over 20,000 temples on Bali, which gives an indication
of their significance to the Balinese. Some temples are open to be visited by
the public if respectable dress is worn. Offerings are given to the gods each
morning and are often seen adorning the feet of statues and on the thresholds
of dwellings and shops.
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| Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia |
Ubud
Considered the
artistic heart of the island, Ubud has attracted many artists, writers and
other creative types over the years. It also rose to fame with the release of
the book, and later the movie, Eat, Pray, Love. Along with museums and art
galleries Ubud also boasts a monkey forest and a large market.
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| Shopkeeper in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia |
Yoga
Many yoga
retreats operate in Bali, especially around Ubud as it is about an hour inland
and far from the chaos of the resort towns. Ubud offers a serene environment in
which to stretch and reconnect with yourself.
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| Yoga, Bali, Indonesia |
Beaches and
Surfing
The south of Bali
has fantastic wide sand beaches, some of which offer perfect conditions to
surf, or learn to surf, in. Several surf schools operate along this coastline.
If surfing is not your thing there are plenty of lounging opportunities too.
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| Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia |
Food
Balinese cuisine
is diverse and interesting. Rice and noodle dishes are staples, as in much of
Asia, but they are presented with a Balinese twist. Nasi Goreng is the national
dish usually eaten as breakfast or lunch by locals. It combines fried rice with
omelette and is often offered to visitors with chicken satay. If you’re more of
a noodle person try the noodle-based equivalent mie goreng. Read more about Nasi Goreng here.
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| Nasi Goreng with a view, Bali, Indonesia |
Wildlife
Bali is not
especially well known for the animal encounters on offer. The Monkey Forest in
Ubud offers close-up experiences with cheeky Macaque monkeys. Anywhere tourists
go there is likely to be someone keen to wrap them in snakes. The island also
has a healthy population of bats.
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| Snake wrangling, Bali, Indonesia |
Shopping
There are some
great treasures to be found in Bali for those keen on shopping and the friendliness of the Balinese shopkeepers makes shopping a pleasure. Everything from
statues of Buddha to intricate jewellery and beautiful fabrics is on sale
somewhere and oat a price to suit everyone. Highlights include Ubud Market and some of the street-side shops in
Legian. Read more about shopping in Bali here.
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| Ubud Market, Bali, Indonesia |
Massage
After a hard day
making the most of all the other things on offer in Bali a massage is the
perfect way to wind down. Massages of varying degrees of intensity and method
are available in Bali. Ask to see the facility and take a moment to discuss
what sort of massage you want before surrendering yourself is my suggestion!
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| Massage with a smile, Bali, Indonesia |
Have you been to Bali? What do you consider to be the best bits?
Photo credits: Rhys Vandersnyde, Lululemon athletica, Eoin Finn
