http://www.1stopbali.com Everything you need to know about Bali Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:24:14 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/gili-islands/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/local-language/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/festivals-in-bali-2/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/customs-and-behaviour/ 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. ... http://www.1stopbali.com/music-and-dance-in-bali/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/art-in-bali/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/local-culture-bali/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/shopping-for-bali-souvenirs-and-handicrafts/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/bali-markets/ 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 ... http://www.1stopbali.com/shopping-bali/