Bali Indonesia
Year after year, Bali - an island in the Republic of Indonesia - is ranked as "The World's Best Island" destination by the readership of international travel magazines such as Travel & Leisure.
The combination of friendly, hospitable people, the physical beauty of the island, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality, spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving, and the year-round pleasant climate all contribute to Bali's unparalleled designation as the world's best island.
SmartTravelAsia.com voted Bali its favorite Asian holiday destination by saying, "It's an island that has retained its disarmingly honest and simple charm, a peaceful ritual-minded Hindu enclave in a bustling Muslim country."
Bali is located in the eastern and southern hemispheres. It's positioned in Southeast Asia, in central Indonesia, and sits just to the east of the island of Java, and just west of the island of Lombok. Dormant volcanoes (some exceeding 3,000 meters) stretch across the island. Tropical rain forests, crater lakes, vast areas of rice farms, and rivers define the landscape. Bali is surrounded by the Bali Sea and the Indian Ocean and both black and white sand beaches are found on various sections of the coastline.
Coordinates - 8° 39' S, 115° 13' E
Population - 3,325,000
Capital City - Denpasar
Languages - Bahasa Indonesia, English, Dutch and many local dialects
Official Currency - Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Religions - Hindu (majority), Muslim, Buddhist, Christian
Land Area - 5,632 sq km (2,174 sq miles)
Bali is famous for many forms of art, including painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese gamelan music is highly developed and varied. The dances portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, and kecak (the monkey dance).
Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, the majority of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia.
The Hindu new year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. On the preceding day large, colorful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Many other festivals - both societal (being celebrated by everyone) and familial (being celebrated within individual family units) - are celebrated by the Balinese throughout the year so it's very common the see the Balinese dressed in their colorful ceremonial attire.
Activities
in Bali
Bali offers travelers of all ages a wide variety of leisure activities to enjoy - regardless of interests and budget. Whether you want to throw yourself from high altitudes, hurtle down frothing rapids, explore the wonders of the deep or just lie back and take it easy, Bali is the place.
Being an island, the beach is a major factor in any holiday. Bali has a coastline which offers every possible water activity, including surfing some of the best waves in the world, swimming with dolphins, cruises, snorkeling, diving, sailing, bungee jumping and paragliding. Non-beach related outdoor activities include river rafting, mountain cycling, observing local artisans create their arts and crafts, and visiting museums and zoos.
Large portions of Bali's countryside are accessible to visitors in the form of National Parks. Hiking can be as easy or as difficult as you'd like it to be. Waterfalls with spectacular drops as high as 100m, and often pools suitable for swimming at the bottom can be found all over Bali. Some involve a hike to get there, some are conveniently located right along the roadside. You can relax in either hot or cool natural springs to cleanse your mind and soothe away any aches and pains you may have brought with you to Bali.
Have fun!
Being only 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali has a tropical climate with year-round temperatures averaging 31 degrees Celsius. There are two distinct seasons, characterized as Rainy and Dry.
The Rainy Season
High humidity can be expected during the rainy season between the months of October and April when there is often daily rain. The most rainy times are between December and February and the days are hot and steamy - truly tropical. Some people just love Bali in the wet season as there are fewer tourists and the monsoonal weather adds to the sense of exotic escape.
The Dry Season
The dry season falls between the months of May and September. The air feels cooler in the dry season, because it's less humid - so many people consider this the best time to visit Bali. Occasionally rainfall can also be expected during the dry season but usually at night or very early morning. In the months of June to August there is usually a very refreshing cool breeze all day long. The central mountain area is typically cooler than the lower coastal areas especially at night.