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Bali is one of the
thousands islands that make up the Indonesian
archipelago. Bali has long been known worldwide
as a famous tourist destination, known for its
exotic and vibrant arts and culture, natural
beauties and the hospitality of its people.
Some may travel to Bali for its demanding waves
while others may be here for its bars and
nightclubs and the tourist attractions in Bali
will make you want to return for more.
Bali has an area of
5,653 square kilometers and its capital city is
Denpasar. The island consist mostly of an
East - West string of mountains and their
alluvial plains that are widest on the south
side. About ninety five percent of Bali's three
million people practice a form of Hinduism,
blended with Buddhism, animism and ancestor
worship. For the Balinese people, their religion
is inseparable from everyday life. Nobody misses
an opportunity to worship God in an unending
series of ceremonies that extend from birth to
death and most places of interest in Bali is
related to its religion.
Most Balinese people
are rice farmers. Other important crops include:
coconut, vanilla, cloves and maize (corn), Bali
is also known for its wide variety of tropical
fruits such as: mangoes, mandarin oranges,
bananas, salak (snake skin fruit), grapes and
many others. Tourism and agriculture are not the
only job opportunities. Small scale and home
industries such as handicrafts are also
flourishing. English is widely understood in
major tourist areas. Japanese, French, German
and other foreign languages are also spoken but
spoken less commonly than English.
The Balinese
philosophy of life is called Tri Hita Karana.
Tri Hita Karana dictates that happiness can
only be achieved if there are harmonious
relationships between humans and God, between
humans and their community and between humans
and their environment. This philosophy is part
of every aspect of the daily lives of all
Balinese people.
Bali has a year
round mild and agreeable climate. In coastal
areas the average daily temperatures from May
through July are about 280C. The most
pleasant weather is between May and September.
Some of the activities enjoyed by tourists
include bird watching at famous tourist areas in
Bali such as the Ubud area or Taman Nasional
Bali Barat, diving at Amed, Candidasa,
Nusa Lembongan, Padangbai, Pulau Menjangan or
Tulamben, rafting at Kuta, Nusa Dua, Sanur or
Ubud, snorkeling at Amed, Candidasa, Lovina,
Padangbai or Tulamben, surfing at Bukit
peninsula, Kuta Beach, Padang Padang or Pura
Luhur Ulu Watu and trekking at Gunung Batur
volcano or Gunung Agung.
The Government of
Bali tries to maintain and preserve the Balinese
way of life by developing tourism that is based
on its culture. This culture is based upon
Hinduism interwoven with ancient traditions.
Many nicknames have been given to this small
island, for example - The Island of One Thousand
Temples, The Morning of the World, Paradise
Island, Island of the Gods and many others. The
latest nickname i.e. The Island of Peace was
bestowed upon Bali during the 51st Annual
Conference that met in India in 2002.
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