There’s a reason they call it the “Island of the Gods”
Most travelers who visit Bali fall deeply in love with it. There’s a spiritual and exotic allure that is distinctive from other tropical paradises. Sure, it has beautiful beaches, scenic landscapes and luxurious resorts galore, but there’s so much more to draw you in. The Indonesian island’s rich cultural heritage infuses everything from the food, architecture, temples, music, art, crafts, dance and festivals (of which there are many – there’s always some ceremony or procession going on). It captivates all your senses and touches your soul, even if you’re not the New Age type. Surfers, hikers, beach bums and yoga aficionados are all embraced here. Perhaps the island’s most appealing feature is the warm and welcoming Balinese people themselves. Come see what we mean in a nutshell by viewing this sixty second video about this legendary island. Groove along to the gamelan music and pretend you’re there, just for a minute.
Want to Know More About Bali?
Here are a couple of interesting facts about this exotic destination.
- 80 per cent of Bali’s economy is derived from tourism.
- Balinese people are named for their birth order. You’ll meet many people called Wayan, Made, Nyoman or Ketut, which indicates they were first, second, third or fourth born. What if you have a fifth child or more? Then they just start back at Wayan and go down the line.
- There are more than 3,000 species of fish in the waters around Bali and Indonesia. That’s more than the Great Barrier Reef can claim.
- Bali is famous for its pristine white sand beaches, but Lovina Beach in the north has rich black lava sand made the nearby Mt. Agung volcano.
- Balinese babies are carried for the first couple of months and are not allowed to touch the ground. It is believed they are angels not yet ready to touch the earth. When they are ready, the occasion is marked by an elaborate ceremony.
- Kopi Luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee, hails from Bali and other parts of Indonesia. It can go for $50 a cup! What’s so special about it? Well, it’s beans are collected from civet poop (a nocturnal mammal), and somehow that makes it taste really special.
- Nyepi Day is a day of silence in Bali, where nobody talks, works or makes a sound. It’s how they welcome the new year. There calendar is 210 days long, so visitors never really know when that Balinese new year will fall.
- Balinese people are primarily Hindu, whereas the rest of Indonesia is primarily Muslim.
Have you been to Bali, or is it on your wishlist?
Let us know in the comments below.