Bali : The Island of God

Bali needs no introduction, artists and tourists have been coming to this island since the 1920s, when air travel was in its infancy and sea travel was considered an extravagance. If you are seeking beauty and peace of mind, and the enjoyment of virgin palm-fringed beaches, a landscaped tapestry of green paddies and towering mountains, Bali is the place to be. 

Bali is located just off the eastern tip of Java, from which it is separated by the Bali Strait. Immediately to its east is the island of Lombok, across the Lombok Strait. On its north and south side, the island is flanked by the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean, respectively. The island of Bali occupies an area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers and lies on a latitude of 8° south of the equator.

The southern part of the island is covered by wide and fertile lowlands and mountain foothills. Many small rivers, which have their headwaters in the mountains in the center of the island, flow through those plains and empty into the Indian Ocean. 

The southern part of the island is the most populous, with the most important towns and cities located in this area: Gilimanuk, Negara, Jembrana, Tabanan, Denpasar, Gianyar, Bangli, Klungkung, and Amlapura. 

Along the narrow coastal lowland strip in the north are Singaraja and its port, Buleleng. The city of Denpasar is the provincial capital of Bali; the island of Bali constitutes a province of Indonesia, and is administered by a governor. 

The province of Bali consists of eight regencies, each administered by a regent. They are Badung (capital, Denpasar), Buleleng (Singaraja), Gianyar (Gianyar), Bangli (Bangli), Klungkung (Klungkung), Karangasem (Amlapura), Jembrana (Negara), and Tabanan (Tabanan).

Hills and mountains fill the central part of the island, running along an east-west axis. The highest are the mountains Agung (3,142 m), Abang (2,150 m), Bratan (2,270 m), Merbuk (1,386m), and Patas (1,474 m). 

Mount Batur, Gunung and Agung are still active. Agung, whose last eruption in 1963 devastated vast areas in its vicinity. Cool and beautiful lakes are found in these central highlands, such as Lake Bratan and Lake Batur. 

Rivers, such as the Badung and the Kelandis, flow from these mountains, both of them through Denpasar. The Agung river originates in Mount Penulisan and empties into the Badung Strait. The Burus and Banyumala rivers flank the town Singaraja in the north and empty into the Bali Sea.

Like most other regions in Indonesia, Bali has two seasons: a dry season, lasting from April to September, and a rainy season, lasting from October to March. Those two seasons are separated by a transition period of unpredictable weather. The dry season is hot during the day, but cool during the night. 

The average daily temperature in Bali ranges from 28°-30° centigrade in the lowlands. In the towns and villages in the mountains it is about 10° centigrade. The most pleasant time of the year is between May and September.

One other element that has since the beginning contributed to the island's great popularity among visitors is the apparently inborn friendliness of its people, and the ease with which they communicate with others. 

With a population of approximately three million people and a total land surface of 6,000 square kilometers, Bali is one of the most densely populated territories of Indonesia. Bali's plains are very fertile and about two thirds of the people of Bali are engaged in agriculture. 

Irrigated rice fields, often laid out in neat terraces carved out of the mountain slopes, and other seasonal crops are found from the highlands down to the lowlands. In the north of the island, the people plant coffee, coconut and fruits. The forests throughout the island are well preserved, and cover most of the mountaintops.

The people also rear cattle and pigs and Bali's beef is said to be first-rate. In the coastal regions an important source of income is fishing whether it be in the sea or fish farm ponds. Tourism is another important source of income for this island paradise. 

Crafts, painting and sculpting in particular, are another source of revenue in which many Balinese are engaged. Art pervades the daily life of the Balinese. Almost every village has its artists, many of whom have achieved worldwide acclaim. 

Bali is one of the few places in the world where one can see a cowherd boy sculpting a piece of wood or coconut shell while watching his herd. Bali's music and dances have fascinated discriminating audiences in prominent art centers in many countries around the world.

Before the arrival of Hinduism in Indonesia, the people of Bali, like others in Indonesia, adhered to the ancient Indonesian animist belief, which holds that many objects in nature are inhabited by spirits, either good ones or bad. 

It does not seem exaggerated to say that Bali today, constitutes a museum of the Hindu culture in Indonesia, because it is the only place in which the creed is still actively practiced, albeit in a form that is strongly infused with local elements, as it must have been in Java and elsewhere too, in the past. 

The Hindu Balinese faith still touches every aspect of life on the island. This can be seen every day, in ceremonies as well as in the outlook and attitudes of people. From birth through childhood, adulthood, to old age and the moment of death, the Balinese marks the passage of his life with rituals and ceremonies. 

In its various expressions, all this can be observed daily in Bali, sometimes in colorful ceremonies, but often in little details such as the presence of flower offerings in tiny baskets in taxis, or in the burning of joss sticks in hotel lobbies.

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