Note: Javascript is disabled in your browser.
To see the gallery in all its glory, you'll need to enable Javascript.
Introducing Bali
Bali may be small in size – you can drive around the entire coast in one long day – but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.
Advertisement
Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed, Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right round the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of Nusa Lembongan.
As you stumble upon the exquisite little offerings left all over the island that materialise as if by magic, you’ll see that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.
And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. There are pleasures of the body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘extra bag’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavours of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurants that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing in Kuta, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.
Travel Alert: High level terrorism-related warnings have been issued by Western governments concerning travel in Bali. Travellers are advised to check their local consular information and monitor the situation in Bali closely before making travel plans. Check out Safe Travel.
Last updated: Jul 20, 2009
Tips & articles
-
Spa aaaah: Bali’s best spas and chill-out spots
24 November 2009
Whether it’s a total wind-down for the mind, body and spirit, or simply the desire for some quick-fix...
-
Essential Bali
21 July 2009
It’s time to take it easy! A trip to Bali puts you on the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia....
Bali
Recommended things to do & see
Our Top Picks For Bali
-
1 Ubud
Foodies make a beeline for Ubud’s many cafes and restaurants. Get your bumbu over to Bumbu Bali Restaurant – hands down the best Balinese food on the island
-
2 Nusa Lembongan
Surf’s up and the living is easy at this car-free, seaweed producing paradise
-
3 Kuta
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. The legendary Double Six Club continues to reinvent itself
-
4 Museum Le Mayeur, Sanur
Belgian artist Adrien Jean Le Mayeur married renowned Legong (classic Balinese dance) dancer Ni Polok when he was 55 and she was 15. His house of antique carvings became a museum
-
5 Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Central Moutains
This picturesque temple, surrounded by lakes and silhouetted against the often misty mountain backdrop, is a true Bali photo cliche
Fast Facts about Bali
- Best way to spot a Bali bogan: him: Bintang t-shirt, her: hair braids
- 1L of petrol: 6000Rp
- Currency: what's the Indonesian Rupiah worth today?
- Average spend: foreign tourists spend an average of US$100 per day in Bali. In comparison, locals in Denpasar spend less than $2 per day
- Visitors per annum: 2 million
- Rubbish tip: Bali produces 150 tons of waste each day as a direct or indirect result of tourism
- Staple dish: rice is revered as a gift of life from God. Anything not served with rice is considered jaja (a snack)
- Percentage of land used for rice production: 20%
Related Groups
Our favourite Bali Blogs (beta)
-
Little Boxes Made of Ticky-Tacky
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 4 February 2010
In 1962, the folk artist Malvina Reynolds wrote a song to describe the suburban development she saw in the communities south of San Francisco. While the hills of San Francisco are about as far away from the hills of Bali, Indonesia, as can be—both literally and metaphorically—these lyrics popped in to my head while driving my motorbike to visit Kiva borrowers last week.
-
Bali—Trouble in Paradise
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 28 January 2010
By Nick Lewis, KF10 Indonesia Ok FREEZE. What’s the first image that pops into your head when I say…….Bali. Chances are it has very little to do with poverty and almost certainly has nothing to do with microfinance or the Kiva Fellows program. In fact, it probably doesn’t even have much to do with local Indonesians. When [...]
-
How to have a cheap holiday or backpacking experience in Bali
Blog: Backpacking on the Cheap - 24 January 2010
In this post I will cover: - How to get to Bali for cheap - Cheap and free accomodation in Bali - Eating Cheaply in Bali and cheap tourist memorabilia - Seeing Bali Cheaply - How to stay long term in Bali or Indonesia - More ways to save money whilst travelling : ) Bali, as most Australians know, is one huge, [...]
