Beautiful Bali

One of Asia’s most popular destinations continues to draw the crowd, with its fantastic beaches, excellent hospitality, lovely landscapes, intriguing temples, tropical gardens and exotic Balinese culture. Whether you’re coming for a party or some peace and quiet, the island offers all that and more, both in the mountains and beside the sea.

This Bali guide and blog is the pre-cursor to a full travel guide to the island, featuring dozens of pages and images to help you plan your trip and get the most from your visit. From spas to surfing, food to festivals we have it covered here with our expert travel writers. It’s part of a larger series on Southeast Asia travel destinations.

Bali has recovered from it’s terrible bombing and offers a safe and relaxed destination that epitomises the best of tropical Pacific islands. Come on in to this site to see it for yourself before you’ve left home. Before planning your trip consider saving money on flights, travel deals and hotels with discount vouchers offered by some sites.

The Gili Islands are becoming a more mainstream tourist destination than merely the backpacker mecca of yesteryear. Although officially the most popular tourist destination in Lombok, the islands are in fact less than two yours by ferry from Bali, and a popular attraction for tourists to Indonesia’s holiday hotspot.

The islands are characterised by an extremely relaxed vibe where laid-back beachfront shacks serve banana pancakes against the background of mellow reggae tunes. But the upmarket side to the archipelago’s tourism industry is developing fast, with elaborate seafood restaurants adding a luxurious edge to proceedings.

The beaches here are the main draw, and certainly superior to any to be found on Lombok or Bali. Plus without any motorised transport to disturb the peace and quiet, just a few horse-drawn carts bring tourists up and down the main drags. Other than just lazing on the sand, snorkelling and diving are the major draws here, although there are a few waves to catch for surfing fans.

Gili Trawangan (or Gili T) is the main backpacker destination with plenty of inexpensive beach huts and just one luxury resort. Although there are no dogs living on the island, there are around 800 cats. Gili Meno is the quietest and smallest and of the three islands with very simple accommodation options, while Gili Air is the nearest to the Indonesian mainland and the most densely populated.

As there are no airports on the Gili islands, visitors must take a ferry (around two hours) from Bali or alternatively fly to Mataram on the Lombok mainland and take the cheap 20-minute hop-over boat. And although people here are used to the medley of hedonistic backpackers partying on their beach, the local religion is Islam and so care should be taken not to cause offence with inappropriate dress or behaviour outside the beach areas.

Bahasa Indonesia is the language of all of Indonesia and so it is the language of Bali too. The alphabet of Bahasa Indonesia is exactly the same as English but the pronunciation puts emphasis on the second to last syllable and most letters have their own range of pronunciations depending on word use and dialect.

Basic words and phrases include:

Hello – selamat

Good morning – selamat pagi

Good night – selamat malam

Goodbye - selemat tinggal

My name is … – nama saya …

What is your name? – siapa nama anda?

I do not speak Indonesian – saya tidak menerti bahasa

Yes – ya

No – tidak

Thank you – terimah kasih

Please – tolong

Sorry – permisi

Only looking – lihat saja

How much? – berapa?

Expensive – mahal

Can we bargain – boleh kurang harganya

Can I see the menu please – saya mau daftar makanan minta

Water – air

Beer – bir

Check please – tolong bonnya

Is there a room available? – masih ada kamar kosong dinsini?

Fan room – kipas kamar

Where is the beach? – dimana pantai?

Where is the toilet? – dimana kamar kecil?

Hindu Bali thrives on its festivals and festivities and there really isn’t a week of the year that passes where something is celebrated. Because the Balinese tend to split the year in two and celebrate things in six month cycles, most Balinese festivals and celebrations occur at least twice a year.

Bali is a Hindu island so the festival aesthetic here differs from the rest of Buddhist Southeast Asia. An Indian flavour takes hold with giant images of Ganesh and other Hindu deities being floated into the surf and all kinds of dramatic and colourful displays of dancing and self-sacrifice.

Animal lovers should be aware that live animal sacrifice is often a part of Balinese Hindu festivals, but at the other end of the scale is modern Balinese festivals celebrating new works of art, music and dance. These festivals are more commercially oriented and take place via commerce guilds and local groups of shops and businesses.

There is no real festival peak period in Bali since festivals take place all throughout the year. Visitors will usually stumble onto one kind of festival or another no matter what time of the year they visit, and even private family celebrations often spill out onto the streets and beaches of this most festive island.

Bali’s biggest and holiest festival is the Galungan festival. It lasts for 10 days and is celebrated across the whole island. Galungan is a holiday period marked by the fitting of decorated bamboo poles to the outside of houses and feasting and fasting.

The day after the first new moon of the ninth month of the Balinese calendar ushers in the Nyepi festival. Visitors will not have any trouble knowing when the Nyepi is on, as it is traditionally marked by silence across the normally bustling and noisy island.

The festival of Saraswati is a time to pay homage to the deities of knowledge, art and literature, mainly the Dewi Sarawasti. This festival takes place over one day and

Many visitors come away from Bali thinking the island is very liberal and licentious since the bulk of tourists here enjoy drinking lots of alcohol and wearing few clothes, at or away from the beach. While Bali is a tourist island and relaxation is encouraged, there are a few basics that most visitors may like to bear in mind.

The main caution, of course, is drugs. The Indonesian legal system may be beset with persistent allegations of corruption and bribery, but the law in Indonesia including Bali takes any form of drug use or possession very seriously. Tourist brochures and travel agents try not to mention the amount of foreigners languishing in Balinese jails on drug offenses, but the numbers are relatively high and even possession of small quantities of any drug can result in severe sentences.

Drugs are on sale on the streets and in the clubs and bars of Bali. It may seem that they are everywhere and that therefore policing of drugs is lax and even totally absent. This is not the case, and anyone looking to imbibe should be very aware of the potential outcomes if busted.

There are only four first names for each gender in Bali. The first born child will be called Wayan or Putu, the second-born Made or Kadek. Third born children will be called  Nyoman or Komang and a fourth born child will be called Ketut. In the case of more children, the naming cycle starts again, with the fifth born being called Wayan or Putu, a sixth born Made or Kadek, and so on.

Large families are managed by older children being put in managerial charge of younger kids. The Balinese love children and family life, and very large, extended families are common here. Often, several generations along with in-laws will live under the one roof. People living alone are considered sad and suspect.

Village communities are tightly-knit and all members of the local community have a role to play. Privacy is fairly low on the priority scale for most Balinese since in most parts of the island, everyone communicates openly and everyone knows everyone else’s business.

Music and dance in Bali are part of the fabulous tapestry of Balinese art and culture. Traditional dances are primarily based around religion or local culture – such as the harvest dance and trance dance, which are performed when a village or area is suffering from poor crops or pestilence. Performed less seriously and usually at tourist centres and gala events is the Bali-bahan dance, otherwise known as the entertainment dance.

Because Bali is a Hindu island, Indian dancing has a big influence here. Animism too along with provincial folklore and even family histories have informed other traditional dance styles. Most Balinese are instructed in local dance forms while still very young, usually by mimicking a teacher who dances in front of them, or just other adults who are dancing. There are three main types of Balinese dance, but common across all is an expression of the common spirit of the dance – individual expression is unheard of.
The Wali are the Sacred Dances and are only performed in the grounds of a temple. The Rejang is performed by women and features slow and steady processions towards an altar, often with fans twirling dramatically or thrown into the air. The Baris Dances are warrior dances performed by men dressed in gold headdresses accompanied in their dramatic routines by a boisterous orchestra.

The Pendet Dance is performed only by married women and is a quiet dedication to important dieties, like the Sang Hyan Dedari, the famous Trance Dance that is used to appease the spirits in times of local or individual distress. Getting ready to perform a Trance Dance may take months, with visits from priests and long periods of medititation required to induce the correct trance-like state. It is beleived that the gods and goddesses will transmute into the bodies of the dancers if they are deep enough into the trance state. Sometimes, dancers will collapse at the end of extended performance periods, and this reaction is

The Bebali Dances are the Ceremonial Dances, and are also performed inside a temple. The Gambuh Gambuh acts out long stories of Balinese history, usually the tale of a Javanese prince courting a princess.

The Balih-balihan Dances
 are entertaining and not temple based. They are perofrmed all over the island particularly for tourists. The Janger Janger is performed by younger women in peacock shaped crown headdresses and the Kebyar
 Kebyar features two beautiful women dancing with fans.

Art has flourished in Bali since at least the 13th century and the art scene in Bali continues to evolve and expand. While there is no shortage of traditional arts and crafts available for sale, and being produced on a daily basis, it is the modern art scene of Bali that is most electrifying. There are a number of Balinese artists aged in their twenties who are winning deserved acclaim at home and abroad.

Bali’s most recent leap forward, arts-wise, occurred during the 1960s when a number of artists from North America and Europe moved here and established their own schools and programs. The young Artist School was developed by Arie Smit, a dutch artist who came here after WWII.

This school continues to operate today and over the decades has produced some very fine local painters who create along a wide range of styles. Smit originally took his inspiration from local children drawing in the sand, and he encouraged them to transfer their imaginations to canvasses using oil paints. The School’s first major international exhibition took place in Malaysia in 1983.

The galleries and art houses of Ubud thrive with the continuing work of hundreds of local artists. Classes are held, courses are taught and regular openings and exhibitions give the hill town of Ubud a cosmopolitan and international feel. Art overs from anywhere in the world will be enthralled by the activity here, as well as the dynamic sense of enthusiasm and energy,

Elsewhere, the ancient traditions of Balinese art are more than upheld by dedicated artists who paint in the old style. This classical Balinese art concentrates on realistic depictions of the local landscapes and buildings, as well as the activities of the local people. Pastoral paintings of rice paddies, bamboo fields and pastel pagodas should be quickly recognisable as typically Balinese. These are the paintings that are widely copied in prints and t shirts, even, ad decorate Balinese and Indonesian restaurants all over the world.

For an island that has heaved under the weight of international mass tourism for at least four decades now, Bali does a very good job of holding onto its distinctive and idiosyncratic local culture and traditions. Most visitors to Bali are enchanted by the unique vibe here, since Bali is quite different to not only most tourist destinations in the Southeast Asian region, but is quite an anomaly within Indonesia itself.

Bali is a Hindu island and as such is the only non-Islamic part of the Indonesian archipelago. This means that people live differently, look a little different, and celebrate their own festivals according to the local Balinese calendar, which usually splits the year into two six month halves – doubling the opportunity for celebrations!

As a beach island, with high humidity and a crashing wet season, clothing is fairly casual island-wide. Locals are used to seeing scantily clad tourists wearing their beach clothes in town, but most local Balinese wear simple batik wraps over clothes that can survive a dip in the ocean and which transform casually from night into day.

Weddings are a big deal in Bali and family celebrations will go on for several weeks, spilling over onto the neighbourhood and open to all comers. Brides follows centuries of tradition in their dress, preparations and grooming. Similarly, funerals can be spread over a period of many months, with a burial followed sometimes months later by a huge extended family commemoration with guests from all over the world.

The history of art in Bali is an esteemed one and most Balinese will fashion artworks from anything and everything they find. Balinese homes are usually filled with altar spaces for Hindu deities and are decorated with woodwork and stone work that has usually been hand crafted by the family members.

It can be hard for visitors to break into an authentic sense of Balinese culture since so many locals are actively engaged in the tourism industry. This means that hospitality and the money made from it comes first, and so as a result many people can feel like the locals are hiding behind a business like, profit driven mask. Repeat visitors to Bali, however, almost invariably count dozens of locals as friends and promise newcomers that under the swells of tourism is a vibrant and friendly local community that is very open to foreigners.

Though Ubud is the centre of Bali’s handicrafts industries, all kinds of souvenirs and goods are available for sale across the whole island. Everything from wall hangings and surfboards to fake DVDs and very fine quality jewelry is for sale in Bali. Buyers with a keen eye can snare a good bargain in precious stones and works of art, while anyone after a novelty t shirt or Bali themed beachwear will not have to look far to buy something to take with them back home.

Classic Balinese painting is readily available, especially at the galleries in Ubud but there are now so many new and up and coming young Balinese artists that modern art and pop art is increasingly popular. It isn’t only art lovers or the truly knowledgeable that can make a good buy here – most gallery owners and artists are more than happy to invite novice art shoppers into their stores and run them through the history and future of all the work available for sale.

Balinese wood carving is world famous but visitors should be aware that certain countries have very strict customs and quarantine regulations that may prevent the importation of goods made from organic materials – this includes anything made of wood, naturally. Once this hurdle is overcome, however, the range of tribal and festive masks carved rom wood, paper and even some grasses and bamboos are great conversation pieces that will light up any wall. North of Ubud are the towns of Tegallalang, Pujung, and Sebatu, where Balinese woodcarving is at its absolute best.

Jewelry is invariably hand made and justifiably world famous for its distinctive styles and patterns. Belts, bangles, pins, necklaces and rings are embellished with intricate silver work and precious stones including rubies and emeralds are set into fine gold pieces. The town of Celuk is especially well known for its decorative jewelry like rings and earrings and nearby Kamasan continues a several thousand year old tradition of tribal jewelry, made on the spot.

The quintessential Bali souvenir is the batik, which is the decorative fabric used as a wall hanging or mainly, as a sarong. Batik of all sizes, shapes and colours are available for sale in every corner of Bali and the quality is generally sound. Batik are woven from fine cottons and the smaller towns and villages will not only offer a more authentic and wider range but also sell for less that the inferior batik goods and sarongs on offer at the tourist traps in Kuta and Denpasar.

Bali has many market places spread over the island and some are outdoor free for alls while others are located inside multi-storey buildings. As a general rule, Bali markets are a bit of a mixed bag with most markets containing an eccentric range of goods that don’t really relate to each other. There are some exceptions, though, such as the Denpasar Bird Market.

The Kuta Art Market is within a one minute stroll from the beach and sells a great range of Bali batik and traditional beach and hot weather clothing (not western style bikinis and board shorts). Poppies Lane is the most famous concentration of stalls in all of Bali and everything from shoes to lipsticks can be bought here day and night.

Credit cards are not accepted in markets in Bali, on the whole, and bargaining and haggling is essential. The general Southeast Aian rule applies – start with a price about one third of the stated price, and work towards the centre of that. No vendor will ever sell for below cost, so whilever haggling continues the shopper knows they have room to move.

In Denpasar, the Badung Market sells fresh produce including meat and fresh fruits and is an enclosed market place spread over three floors. Opposite Badung Market is Kumbasari Market, which sells mainly gold and silver goods including jewelry and also textiles and handicrafts. Denpasar’s Bird Market sells a wide range of exotic tropical birds.

Markets in Ubud are a little more upscale, and the fake CD and DVD industry doesn’t thrive up in the hills of Ubud as healthily as it does down at Kuta. The Pasar Seni Sukawait Market takes over a two-storey building and vendors line the stairwells and every other available centimetre of space. This market sells textiles and weaving ware such as baskets.

The Ubud Art Market is another crowded Ubud market, this one selling little art, surprisingly, but plenty of chocolates,oils, fragrances and incense, and locally made goods like umbrellas and sarongs.

Bali is a shopper’s paradise, but not in the same way that Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore are havens for shoppers. Anyone after high fashion or electronics will come up short in Bali but on the other hand, the quality of arts and crafts as well as some casual, quirky clothing is very high and prices are low.

The best buys by far in Bali are to be found at the artisans and craftspeople who sell out of shops in Ubud or in official tourist centres in Kuta and Denpasar. Silverware is particularly well made in Bali, and hand crafted gold jewelry is relatively inexpensive and exquisitely detailed.

Still in Ubud, shoppers can invest in art from the latest up and coming Balinese artists, some of whom exhibit and sell their work at art galleries all over the world. No one knows who is going to be the next best thing, so buying art in Bali is a bit of a gamble as far as making as investment goes. Better, perhaps, to just buy what takes the eye.

Down at Kuta, the day and night markets sell the usual Southeast Asian array of pirated CDs and DVDs as well as knock of t-shirts and designer jeans. Quality varies and refunds and exchanges are not the norm. Also, laws on importing pirated merchandise are being tightened the world over so your goods may be confiscated when you return home – buyer beware.

Kuta Square is a nice retail mall where Matahari Department Store has a branch. The shops around here are a great place to stock up on essentials like t shirts, sunscreen, toiletries and other beach basics.

In Tuban, the enormous Kartika Discovery Mall has an underground car park and boutiques including Gucci and Bulgari. There are also plenty of surf wear shops – all the big names.