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.
Located in the center of Indonesia’s vast archipelago, the island has an area of 5,620 sq. km, only the size of a large metropolis. The land is divided in half east to west by volcanic mountain chain and is scored lengthwise by deep river gorges. White sand beaches line the coast to the east, as well as near Kuta in the most populated area of wider lowlands to the south. Central Ubud is one of the more beautiful spots, with mountainous scenery, lush vegetation, and the Bali’s famed terraced rice farms. The far west is the least developed area of the island, with mountainous terrain mostly given over to national park land.
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.
The sounds of the gamelan – the bright-sounding metal percussion ensembles that accompany just about every celebration and ceremony here- will first turn your head. Music is everywhere in Bali, from the raucous dangdut , or Indonesia pop pouring from restaurants and shops, as well as folk and the refined classical music that accompanies the many staged dance performances and temple worship.
If you have a chance, don’t miss a performance of tradition dance like legong and barong dances, intricate ballets that present scenes from the epic Mahabarata or Ramayana. You can see in most major hotels or in Ubud at the palace. The major example of the traditional music is the Kecak, a very dramatic and visual acappella piece featuring as many as 100 men depicting a saga of monkey king and his warriors.
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