With the Bali sea to the North and the Indian Ocean to the South lays the island of Bali. The island is part of the strung out archipelago known as the Sunda Islands, which itself is part of Indonesia. Its early inhabitants are thought to date back to around 2000 BC, primitive maritime exploration from other Indonesian islands, Malaysia and the Philippines formed the earliest known settlements on the island.
Bali, as part of Indonesia, has gone through numerous trials and tribulations. Exploited by Portuguese explorers and traders, subjugated by the Dutch and brutally occupied by the Japanese during the second world war, Bali has had a checkered past. Bali, as part of Indonesia, eventually gained independence from Dutch rule in December 1949.
The island of Bali, its people, culture and traditions have been shaped and molded by its past experiences, spanning over 4000 years. Today the Balinese and their island is a collage of all that has gone before and is certainly one of the most fascinating destinations waiting to be explored anywhere in Southeast Asia. On Bali you can go flat out on an energy packed holiday, jump on a cultural learning curve, or go on a journey of relaxation and spiritual self-discovery.
Seeing and Doing in Bali
Yin yoga and reiki, meditation, holistic healing and soul discovery have traditionally been of niche interest, but interest in these ancient practices is growing throughout the world. On Bali these disciplines have been practiced for hundreds of years. Now, Bali’s recognition as a practice and learning center is drawing more and more visitors wishing to be more in touch with themselves.
There are now many centers across the island that help visitors practice these ancient arts, with many courses run at some of the island’s major hotels. There are mountain and beachside retreats, all designed for the individual to be at one with nature. Courses are run to practice and to learn how to teach these spiritual arts, and from around the region, Bali Ferry are bringing more and more visitors to Bali for these specific reasons.
Of course Bali has beaches. Beautiful, white sandy beaches fringed with baying coconut palms. The South and Southwest coastlines are particularly blessed with some of the best beaches in Southeast Asia. Be it lazy days in the sun or action packed water sports, you’ll not be disappointed on the island.
Bali also has what are the almost forgotten beaches in the North, East and West. Lesser known, or visited, are Bali’s black sand beaches. Bali’s evolutionary beginnings are as a result of volcanic activity and its black sand beaches are its legacy. These unusual phenomena must be seen to be appreciated, and they make for great photo opportunities, ask your Bali Ferry consultant for expert advice.
The interior of the island is largely blanketed with lush rainforest which supports a diverse ecosystem of flora and fauna. Organized treks through the forests are the best way to explore these natural wonders. Then there is mount Agung. Indonesia is part of the notorious Pacific Ring of Fire, and can boast 127 active volcanoes. Mount Agung is one of the most famous active volcanos in the world and is an exhilarating experience for any visitor.
Museum lovers won’t be disappointed on Bali. There are many traditional museums exploring the worlds of Balinese art and culture, but there are also the more obscure. There is the 3D museum, the upside down museum and the museum of silver and gold where you can watch local artisans create incredibly intricate pieces of jewelry.
Bali may be a center of diverse holiday activities, but it also does the ubiquitous. Shopping, dining and nightlife is also well catered for. From the many and varied street food vendors to fine restaurants, gastronomes will feel well at home. Traditional Indonesian cuisine rubs shoulders with Korean, Japanese, Chinese and European fare, rest assured, foodies will love it.
Shopping in Bali is perhaps the easiest pastime in which to take part. Every town and village has vendors of local produce, local delicacies and souvenirs are easy to snap up. The larger tourist towns lean towards a more boutique style of shopping which offer local and imported goods from across the region.
Those night owls that enjoy bars and clubbing are well catered for. All the tourist areas, particularly in the South and Southwest, have trendy haunts, beach clubs and bars that come awake when the sun goes down. When darkness falls, many an area morphs into a hedonistic paradise satisfying the more primeval instincts that lay within the young and old alike.
Where ever you are in the region, getting to Bali to enjoy everything it has to offer couldn’t’ be easier. Quite simply it’s as easy as contacting Bali Ferry. They connect Bali to the other islands in the region with ease and efficiency.
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