Bali is part of the largest Islamic country in the world. Indonesia has varying degrees of Islamic orthodoxy but in Bali, a Hindu island, is the least influenced by the codes and laws related to female dress in Islam. As a beach and tourist island, there has to be a certain laxity to female dress codes too.

Nude or topless bathing is sure to be frowned on and at best will attract unwanted attention. Be sure to be mindful of the fact that topless bathing is offensive and upsetting to locals who have otherwise seen it all. One piece swimsuits or bikinis are accepted but away from the beach t-shirts or scarves are expected.

Otherwise, women travel fairly easily in Bali. The influx of western tourists since the 1930s means that Bali is relatively modern and tolerant. Single women of all ages travel to Bali and in Ubud, where a number of solo women operate art galleries and museums. Many Australian women and girls travel to Bali alone or in groups. All relevant toiletries and medical supplies are readily available in all chemists in places like Kuta and Ubud as well as in Legian and in Seminyak.

Bali is famous all over the world for its fine handicrafts and artworks. People travel here from all corners of the globe to purchase wood carvings, metal ware and paintings not as souvenirs from a well-earned tropical holiday, but as wholesale produce to take back to their galleries and art stores back at home. Balinese arts and crafts are sold in museums and stores the world over.

Balinese woodcrafts are best displayed at the Mas Village, a wood carving centre of the island that is now a large outdoor exhibit, museum and also, shop. All kinds of practical and decorative wood carvings can be found here and you can also see local artisans working with wood as their families have been doing for generations now.

Stone carving is also very popular in Bali. Soapstone and volcanic rock is often favoured by the local stone workers who operate all over the island but who have a thriving centre between Denpasar and Ubud, in the village of Batubulan. Here, thousands of carvings are lined up for display along the roadside and like the woodcraft centre of the Mas Village, visitors can observe artisans plying their trade.

For something lighter and of quick convenience and souvenir value, hit the day or night time markets that are all over Bali, especially in the crowded tourists areas of Kuta and Seminyak. Here, you can buy imitation sunglasses, jeans and leathergoods as well as DVDs and CDs. A lot of the time these goods are of variable quality and some are obviously fake but you may want to consider the legalities of purchasing counterfeit goods.

Depcitions of Hindu epics like the Ramayana or the Mahabhrata were the hallmarks of classical Baliense art in the Kamasan or Wayang styles. Coloured dyes drawn onto rended bark fabrics, these artworks hang in galleries and museums all over the world and some can still be bought today in Bali, especially in the art galleries in Ubud.

Bali’s real art boom came early in the 21st Century with the arrival of artists from Europe, the Americas and Australia. The influence of these artists on local Balinese artists saw a shift away from religious themes and into paintings that depicted – literally or in abstract – scenes of daily or routine life in Bali.

The main focus of new Balinese art during this period – when even Charlie Chaplin visited – was on Ubud, and the smaller Bali towns of Sanur and Batuan, a centre of carving and music. The three towns soon started producing distinctive works of their own emerging styles with the Ubud artists creating agricultural, open scenes of nature and the Batuan artists created more bustling urban scenes.

Balinese woodcarving is possibly the most renowned artisan product and makes for very interesting and potentially quite valuable souvenirs and even investments. Many collectors and curators make regular trips to Bali, particularly Ubud, to purchase woodcraft to take home to their own stores and galleries. If this is your motivation to visit Bali, be sure you are aware of import laws and also, quarantine requirements since the export of any kind of natural fibre or artwork, especially in bulk or in large numbers is subject to restrictions.

Gold and silver jewelry is another good buy and some rings and brooches are intricately carved and polished up to a beautiful gleam. As always, shopping for gold or silver in Bali comes with a buyer beware caveat when it comes to gem stones and precious metals, however vendors are generally trustworthy and the metals are usually the real thing.

High above the hustle and bustle of Kuta and Seminyak are the mist enshrouded spa resorts of Ubud. These wonderful retreats are the main attraction in Bali for many visitors, and they are often heavily booked all year round. It’s a testament to the tranquility and sophisticated sense of sedation of Ubud that despite their popularity, these resorts offer guests a sense of quiet isolation and gentle relaxation.

Some of Ubud’s most popular spa resorts include Milano, near the Monkey Forest. This Ubud retreat is famous for its manicures and pedicures and welcomes many day visitors. The Maya Ubud Resort and Spa offers around three dozen palatial guest rooms with horizon edge lap pool and superior herbal massages. For a splurge, take one of the 20 villas at the Kupu Kupu Barong, possibly Ubud’s most expensive spa resort and certainly one of its fanciest. This marvelous and world famous place treats visitors like royalty and the villas are separate enough to give a sense of being on private holiday in a treehouse, though the sunken marble baths may give the game away. Less deluxe but happily indulgent is the Verona Spa, also near the monkey forest. Famous for its head massages and herbal hair treatments (with complimentary scalp massage) this Ubud resort is also a popular choice of day trippers, passing through town. The Padma Hastaa Spa offers afternoon-long milk baths and all kinds of herbal skin care treatments.

The Ubud Sari Health Resort offers western levels of luxury and service over traditional Balinese health treatments like massage and aromatherapy with hot rocks.

At one of these places, you may forget you’re in Bali all together.

The occasionally aggressive monkeys of Ubud’s world famous monkey forest – official title Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – will go for your bananas without asking first and you should be prepared for this. The vendors out front of the forest will sell them to you, with no advance warning so be prepared. The monkeys won’t bite you, but they will gang up and start hissing before they begin their attack on your food supplies and it can be a scary experience. The monkeys aren’t dangerous but if you are bitten and blood is drawn, you will need to take evasive action in regards to tetanus and hepatitis as with any animal bite.

The Monkey Forest is one of Ubud’s main attractions but only begins the list of must sees in this unmissable part of Bali. It’s the first thing you will see on your left in you arrive in Ubud from Kuta on a motor bike as the Monkey Forest is right there at the southern end of town, just near the rice slopes.

Over 300 monkeys now live here, a huge increase on numbers that had been dwindling in the wild for decades. The sanctuary is also known as The Monkey Forest of Padangtegal and in this incarnation it is a sacred Buddhist site. The Buddhist ecology monks that are active at the site are committed to ecology and conservation and their successes with the flora and fauna of Ubud and Bali is acclaimed around the world.

The surrounding area is home to two thousand people who follow traditional Balinese lifestyles. The Monkey Forest is central to Ubud’s community and culture groups and brings the bulk of tourists and their tourist dollar into the area.

The island of Bali offers a wide range of nightlife options with dance clubs and gay clubs side by side with sleek restaurants and elegant cocktail bars. You can dress up or have your bare toes in the sand while you drink and mingle – this is part of Bali’s great nightlife variety.

The great weather in Bali right now has brought the tourists and the busiest clubs, naturally, are all located in Kuta. All the dining options and bars are around this area of town. For the biggest crowds, head straight for the Hard Rock Café and its twenty-four-hour pool or check out the popular M-Bar-Go or Sky Garden. Nightlife runs all night here, bubt doesn’t start until late – anything before midnight isn’t worth bothering with. Ku De Ta near the Oberoi Hotel is enduringly popular with locals, expats and tourists alike. Keep your eyes open for notices about full moon parties and other one off events in Bali but beware of the island’s notorious drug laws.

In Seminyak, Syndicate, Bacio and Double Six get going much later at night and are the biggest discos in Bali. You can dance and drink the night away in any of these and nearby gay discos like Q Bar are also part of this strip.

Even sleepy Ubud has something to offer – look for Putra Bar and Magic Bar or the clubs and bars opposite the monkey forest that run all night long.

A very popular option is breezing the night away at a casual beer bar, and you should have no trouble finding plenty of those in Bali.

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.