Walter Spies says Balinese dance is essential to ceremonies and personal interests. Where is Bali ?
Bali is Indonesia, one of the most famous island in the Indonesian archipelago. The island’s home to an ancient culture that’s known for its warm hospitality.
Over the years, the grace and charm of Bali and its people have earned this tiny Indonesian island numerous sobriquets of praise and homage including Island of the Gods, The Last Paradise, Land of a Thousand Temples, and Morning of the World.
Its diverse landscape—hills and mountains, rough coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic slopes—sets the stage for its colorful, intensely spiritual, and unique culture, claiming paradise on earth.
Bali’s world-class surfing, diving, cultural, historical, and palace attractions, and stunning natural beauty make it the world’s top destination.
Bali has something to offer a very broad market of visitors from young back-packers right through to the super-rich.
Amazing beach resorts and luxury resorts in any of Bali’s famous areas. Most beachfront hotels and villas are in Kuta, Jimbaran, Seminyak, Tanjung Benoa, Candidasa, Lovina, Sanur, and Nusa Dua.
Bali also offers plenty for adventure-seekers. From white water rafting, diving, volcano hiking, jungle trekking, water sports, cycling, and much more.
There are many more off-the-beaten-track spots around this magical island worth discovering.
We’ll cover Bali Indonesia’s history, culture, geography, language, food, visa, religion, lifestyle, tourism, and more.
Bali Province
Indonesian province, is 153km broad, 112km high, and 5,780 square km (2,231 square miles).
Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan make up the province.
is Bali’s largest and capital city and is located in the south of Bali, which situated 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the island of Java, separated by the narrow Bali Strait. Area province, 2,232 square miles (5,780 square km).
Bali Location & Map
Even though Bali is a well-known tourist destination, some individuals may still wonder “where is Bali?”
The Indonesian island of Bali sits in the Java Sea, just 8 degrees north of the equator.
Bali’s location is 4,555 km (2,830 miles) from Australia and is situated between Indonesia’s islands of Lombok and Java.
Bali is a province of Indonesia
and is approximately 153km wide and 112km high with a total land area of approximately 5,780 square km (2,231 square miles).
And Denpasar is Bali’s largest and capital city and is located in the south of Bali.
Bali is located to the north of Australia, the south of Malaysia, the south east of Singapore and the south west of Indonesia.
Bali has a population of approximately 4.22 million with the majority of people following the religion of Balinese Hinduism and the remainder following a mostly Islamic religion although there are also other religions observed on the island including Christianity.
Bali’s main ethnic groups include Balinese, Javanese, Madurese and Baliaga.
Bali is Indonesia’s largest and most popular tourist destination and continues to attract thousands of tourists each year with its highly developed art, culture and leisure scenes.
The main regions of Bali include Ubud, Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Nusa Dua and Sanur. Close to the centre of Bali, Ubud is considered the island’s cultural hub while Kuta in the south is Bali’s party destination.
Seminyak is a southern coastal destination that is a major tourist hub, as is Legian a little further south.
Nusa Dua is located on the south east coast and offers a high end atmosphere while Sanur boasts absolute peace and luxury just outside of Denpasar.
With such a wealth of history, art, culture and spectacular natural attractions, the important question to ask is not ‘where is Bali?’ but rather, ‘when can I go to Bali?’
Bali Geography
Among 17,500 islands across the Indonesian archipelago, Bali is one of the 33 provinces of the Republic of Indonesia.
The largest archipelagic country in the world, made up of 2,000,000 km2 of land with a chain of islands stretching over 500,000 km from Sumatra to Papua, and covers territorial waters of more than 5,000,000 km2.
Situated between Java and Lombok
the island of Bali is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator with the Java Sea to the north, the Indian Ocean to the south.
Bali’s covers an area of 5,636 km2 or 0.29% of Indonesia, measuring just 90km long the north-south axis and less than about 140km from west to east.
Divided into three areas of water, the North Bali Sea is about 3,168km2, the East about 3.350km2, and the West about 2,982km2.
Bali Sea covers an area of 9,500km2. The North Bali sea runs along the coastline of Buleleng, the East Bali Sea runs along the coastline of Karangasem.
Klungkung and Gianyar
and the West Bali Sea include the coastline of Badung Tabanan and Jembrana.
The island of Bali lies 3.2 km (2.0 mi) east of Java, and is approximately 8 degrees south of the equator. Bali and Java are separated by the Bali Strait.
East to west, the island is approximately 153 km (95 mi) wide and spans approximately 112 km (70 mi) north to south; administratively it covers 5,780 km2 (2,230 sq mi).
Or 5,577 km2 (2,153 sq mi) without Nusa Penida District, its population density is roughly 750 people/km2 (1,900 people/sq mi).
Bali’s central mountains include several peaks over 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) in elevation and active volcanoes such as Mount Batur.
The highest is Mount Agung (3,031 m, 9,944 ft), known as the “mother mountain”, which is an active volcano rated as one of the world’s most likely sites for a massive eruption within the next 100 years.
As of late 2017 Mount Agung has started erupting and large numbers of people have been evacuated, the airport in Bali has been closed. The extent of the eruption is as of November 2017 impossible to predict.
Mountains range from centre to the eastern side, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak.
(Mount Agung Viewpoint, Bali, Indonesia)
Bali’s volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector.
South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali’s large rice crop is grown.
The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle.
The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand.
Bali has no major waterways, although the Ho River is navigable by small sampan boats.
Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, they are not yet used for significant tourism.
(Tanah Lot Temple, Bali, Indonesia)
The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 491,500 (2002).
Bali’s second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people.
Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar’s urban area, and Ubud, situated at the north of Denpasar, is the island’s cultural centre.
Three small islands lie to the immediate south east and all are administratively part of the Klungkung regency of Bali: Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. These islands are separated from Bali by the Badung Strait.
To the east, the Lombok Strait separates Bali from Lombok and marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia.
Alfred Russel Wallace postulated the Wallace Line, a transition zone between these two major biomes.Bali was connected to Java, Sumatra, and Asia during the Pleistocene ice age, sharing Asian fauna.
But the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok Island and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.
Bali Climate
Being just 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali has a fairly even climate all year round.
Average year-round temperature stands at around 30 °C (86 °F) with a humidity level of about 85%.
Day time temperatures at low elevations vary between 20 to 33 °C (68 to 91 °F), but the temperatures decrease significantly with increasing elevation.
The west monsoon is in place from approximately October to April, and this can bring significant rain, particularly from December to March.
Rainy season starts from October to March
when the West monsoon brings heavy showers and high humidity.
The driest season, June to September, is great for outdoor activities due to low humidity and cool evenings.
Bali climate is unique. Even when it rains most times in the most parts of Bali you can often enjoy sunny days on the “Bukit”, the hill south of Jimbaran.
On the other hand, you may expect cloudy skies and drips throughout the year in Ubud and the mountainous areas.
Most interestingly perhaps, the international weather reports for “Denpasar” or “Bali” mention showers and rain storms all times of the year.
In higher regions such as in Bedugul or Kintamani you’ll expect to wear either a sweater or jacket when evening falls.
Bali Culture
Balinese culture is a mix of Balinese Hindu-Buddhist religion and Balinese customs. It is perhaps most known for its dance, drama and sculpture.
The food of Bali is also very unique.
Gamelan music is clever and varied.
Balinese theater performs Ramayana
(Ramayana Dance in Bali)
Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance).
Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.
Balinese craftsmen can replicate Chinese deity carvings and foreign magazine vehicle embellishments.
event-specific music.
Weddings, Ngaben, Melasti, piodalan, and metatah rituals have different music.
Bali ceremonies and music use gamelans.
Event-specific music exists.
Weddings, Ngaben (cremation of the deceased ceremony), Melasti (purification ritual), piodalan (birthday celebration), and metatah (teeth grinding) ceremonies all have different music
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The diverse types of gamelan are also specified according to the different types of dance in Bali.
According to Walter Spies, the art of dancing is an integral part of Balinese life as well as an endless critical element in a series of ceremonies or for personal interests.
Breasts are not impolite.
Balinese women regularly show their chests, but thigh displays are impolite.
However, visitors to Balinese temples should cover their legs
Bali Life Style
Bali has over 3,000,000 people, including those on Nusa Penida, Ceningan, Lembongan, Serangan, and Menjangan Islands
Most Balinese are Hindu, but more non-Hindus are migrating from nearby Java and Lombok
Over 370,000 people work in Denpasar’s coastal areas
Farming has been the primary way of living in Balinese life. Where else fishing, trading and craftsmanship are also in fashion from generation to generation.
With tourism developing rapidly in recent decades, young people are adding a new touch to their culture.
Life Style in Bali is very communal under the organization of villages. The “Banjar” community institution decides temple rituals, marriage, cremation, farming, and creative art festivals
Unlike the Maldives and Bahamas, tourism operators have not produced “expected shocks” for guests.
The local government manages schools, health centers, hospitals, and roads, while Banjar handles everything else.
There is another association exists in the banjar named “Subak” that concerns to the production of rice and organizes the complex irrigation system.
Every family with a rice field must join their local Subak, which distributes water equally.
It is not like the Maldives or Bahamas, where Tourism Managers have created “anticipated shocks” for tourists
What to Expect from Bali – Indonesia
Whatever your expectations and desires, they all can be more than fulfilled. It is not like the Maldives or Bahamas, where Tourism Managers have created “anticipated shocks” for tourists.
However, Bali is not straight forward. It is diverse, complex and sometimes unpredictable and fall short on your expectations if you don’t know some basic rules.
(Ulun Danu Bratan Temple in Bali, Indonesia)
Weather and high/low season, which impacts lodging prices, determine the ideal time to visit Bali
Bali is a “real place”, with real people. Although one can find the most luxurious resorts, pristine beaches, best cuisines, and coconut trees on Bali.
It is not like the Maldives or Bahamas, where tourism managers have created “anticipated shocks” for visitors.
Best Time to visit Bali – Indonesia
The best time to visit Bali depends mostly on weather and high and low season, which affects lodging prices
July, August, Easter, and Christmas/New Year are peak seasons (December till 1st week of January). This is the time Bali is the busiest.
(Atuh Beach in Nusa Penida Bali, Indonesia)
However, April, May, June, and September are the finest times to visit Bali.
It’s dry, less humid, and room and villa rates are 30–50% cheaper than in high season
In mid-season, shops have sales, restaurants are less busy, and Bali is more relaxed
October is not too bad either, still much less rain than November (usually, check the rainfall chart).
(Water Sports in Bali, Indonesia)
Those months are also the best time for water sport activities such as scuba diving, surfing, snorkeling, etc.
Waters are clear, crowd not too bad etc. Also major activities and attractions such as the family parks and fun things to do (Bali Zoo, Bali Bird Park, Marine & Safari Park,
Waterbom, White Water Rafting, Monkey Forest, etc) have less visitors which can make the experience far more enjoyable.
Those months are ideal for exploring the island, visiting temples, scenic locations, and day trips
And not to forget, in general the traffic and hustle bustle on the roads is more bearable.
At certain times, Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak’s tiny streets are congested with automobiles and motorcycles.
If you want peace, Kuta and Legian during high season may not be for you.
How to Get to Bali
Bali is easier to reach with more direct flights from other countries
International flights arrive at an airport near the Indonesian island’s capital, Denpasar.
US airlines to Bali usually stop at hub airports like Hong Kong, Changi, Singapore, or Narita, Tokyo.
From Bali, flight to Jakarta is about 1.5 hours, to Singapore and Perth (Australia) 2.5 and 3 hours, to Hong Kong about 4.5 hours, and to Sydney/Melbourne about 5.5 to 6 hours, with various airlines offering their services.
Please check at “airline info” for more information about flight schedules. Just make sure you look for “Denpasar (DPS)” instead of “Bali” in airline time tables.
Lombok, Gili Islands, and other adjacent islands offer ferries to Bali for adventurous travelers.
