Top Must Do in Bali

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For many tourists, being in Bali is like being all the time in the midst of art and cultural show. Over 93% of Bali's population adhere to Balinese Hinduism believing that gods and goddesses are present in all things. Thus, the interweaving of art and rituals in their everyday life.

But the Balinese regular trips to the temples and offerings to their house gods make not only a colourful attraction to tourists but also a meaningful connection to the metaphysical. The sound of water and gamelan with the gong giving its impact once in a while in a setting of never ending fertile green rice terraces somehow awaken one's inner connection to nature and life.

Thus, the claim by many that it is Bali's healing and nurturing environment as well as its mysticism that engulfs one to experience and love this Hindu enclave in a largely Muslim country.

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Life in Bali centers on the Hindu philosophy, Tri Hita Karana, which believes that the three causes of happiness are good relations with the gods (Parhyangan), other people (Pawongan) and the environment (Pelemahan). These three concepts are central to Balinese culture and is at the core of what makes Bali unique.

In all aspects of life, harmony and balance have to be maintained. This is maybe the reason why visitors feel spiritually rejuvenated when in Bali. My husband and I, jaded travelers that we are, certainly enjoyed Bali.

When we went to Bali, we had friends who had been there before so they gave us a good list of what we must do in Bali. But change keeps happening so get yourself a more current guide book to explore Bali today.

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Go to one of Bali's temples and have a sense of Bali's mysticism.

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Visiting the temples in Bali is a spiritual experience. Savour the deep belief the Balinese have in their gods and imbibe the spirit with which they do this.

Gamelan Dancer...
Paul Kennedy
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In Bali, there are various rituals and ceremonies celebrating things such as the ascension of the ancestral spirits, praying for strength to face the temptations of the world, strengthening brotherhood and understanding among the youth, purification, celebrating new year, cleansing and so on.

As you drive through the island, you will see symbols of these celebrations in the front of houses, bamboo poles decorated with coconut leaves, flowers, cakes and fruits.

There are also ceremonies in the temples that people perform as well as dances which are part of these rituals. When visiting the temples, it is always good to be respectful when the locals perform their rituals.

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March 11-13 of this year, the Balinese celebrated Nyepi. At this time, the Balinese refrain from using electronic devices, no loud noise or even going around the streets. The international airport is closed and even the Muslims in Bali turn off their loud speakers calling for prayer in respect for the days of silence and meditation that Nyepi requires.

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On its five hectare facility, the Agung Rai Museum of Art offers workshops on Balinese painting, music, wood carving, dance, cooking, astrology and numerology, traditional architecture, batik, making of offerings to the gods, and hinduism. There are accompanied walks to observe some ceremonies, group walks to view collections, and actual application such as playing musical instruments, carving a simple object, or preparing an actual meal. Experiences such as these usually add meaning and substance to your stay in Bali.

The place is in itself an oasis. When we stayed in the place, my husband and I woke up to a very calming sight: farmers tilling their fields. Then, we had a dip in our own pool right in our own villa and enjoyed a breakfast in our gazebo. It was just like being in our own home.

Theatre Display...
Philip Kramer
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Aside from the Agung Rai Museum of Art, there are many other museums in Bali. One worth visiting is the Museum Antonio Blanco. Born a Filipino, Blanco married a Balinese and made Bali his home and the home of his works of art with his own peculiar flair, Spanish heritage and Balinese influence. Housed in a 3-story building in a 20,000 sq.m. property, Blanco's works have found just the right home and to go around and look at his works is an experience.

There is also Neka Museum housing some of the 16th century Kamasan painting as well as works of modern Balinese and foreign artists. It is chronologically displayed so it gives you a good history of Balinese art.

Museum Puri Lukisan, the first Balinese museum of fine arts, has about 150paintings and over 60 pieces of sculptures so for turn of the century Balinese fine arts, this is the place to go.

Museum Le Mayeur, a memorial dedicated to the love of Le Mayeur and Ni Polok but the collections are all the works of Le Mayeur.

Museum Gedong Kirtya houses ancient writings in a 1928 building including writings on palm leaves and Balinese poetry.

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Ubud artisans are famous for their craftmanship. Their designs have decorated many homes all over the world. They have wood carvings, baskets, masks, furniture as well as batik and ikat cloth all displayed in various museums and galleries all over Ubud. You can watch the artisans do their work or even enrol to learn the craft.

For many years now, collectors all over the world visit Ubud to find artistic treasures they can add to their collections. I still treasure the wooden carvings my in-laws brought back when they went on holiday here. Some of these collectors and artists have decided to stay giving the art scene even a more international flavour. There are now hundreds of expat artists calling this place home because of the beauty of nature and the spiritual rejuvenation the place offers. The well heeled readers of Conde Nast voted this the best city in 2009 taking the seat Bangkok has occupied for years and beating other worthy contenders as well. I strongly support this vote for Ubud. Time for the village to beat the big cities.

When you're in Ubud, take a peek just behind those beautifully carved archways, painted masks and shadow puppets. There are hidden treasures there like the Jean Francois Fichot which carries jewelry encrusted with gems and other one-of-a-kind treasures. Nusantara Gallery beside it carries rare primitive art, finely woven fabrics and wooden statues. Ubud has certainly evolved from its backpacker's past to become the art and spiritual center of Bali.

Ubud is not just an arts center. It has also some of the best restaurantsin Bali. For an exquisite taste, eat at the Indus Restaurant, a gourmet place perched on the edge of a scenic gorge. Sample a bowl of steaming rice, curry and sambal made only from the finest ingredients available. Or go to Warung Bebek Bengil for crispy deep fried duck with sambal. After this sumptuos meal, you might just want to take a walk through the Monkey Forest and watch the monkeys do their tricks. Or if monkeys are far from your interest, go check out more shops.

If you're an early riser, head to Ubud market and watch the locals buy their fruits and other daily religious offerings. Taste some of the local food on offer in some of the market stalls.

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Located in Kintamani, Mt. Batur has been in the travel news recently, March 2010, when a 25 year old Swedish fell into its crater. This volcano has an elevation of about 5,633 ft. It has been active since its first recorded eruption in 1804. Danau Batur is the largest crater lake in Bali and feeds the population with abundance of fish. For the Balinese, it is a holy place. They go there to offer to the gods.

You can climb to Mt. Batur and enjoy the scenic view and smell the sulfur close to the crater. This is better done early so you can be there for sunrise which people claim is just magnificent. Some camp there, too. Arrange your tours with highly recommended operators, not just do this on a spur of the moment right there as you will be charged much. Make sure you are properly outfitted, hiking boots, hat, long pants, long sleeve shirt and gloves.

But for those who are less fit or just not interested in those climbs and camps, you can also drive down into the crater to look at the black lava flows. Or, just go to the view point, Penelokan, and enjoy the view. The peddlers are a bit aggressive here and the restaurant is poor of service and culinary delight. Ask your hotel to pack you a picnic or buy some provisions from the local grocery and keep your hunger for the best seafood at Jimbaran Bay.

Woman Leaving an...
Margie Politzer
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Considered the birthplace of Balinese culture, it was here that Javanese Hindus relocated after the end of the Majapahit kingdom 700 years ago, continuing the practice of Hinduism on the island.

The historic landmark here is the Taman Kertha Gosa, first erected in 1710. Spend time in the Kertha Gosa, or the Hall of Justice and the Bale Kambang, the Floating Pavilion, and the Museum Semarajaya. The ceilings of the Hall of Justice and the Floating Pavilion are each decorated with very interesting paintings done in the Kamasan style.

Kamasan is a small village a little southeast of Semarapura where this very early and distinctive style of painting adopted by the Royal Court originated. Get a guide to explain the meaning and significance of these ceiling paintings. Much of the ceiling is devoted to the life of Bima, and of particular note are his visits to the after-life where he witnessed the gruesome torture and torments of evil persons. Other panels show Garuda's quest for the elixir of life, the Balinese calendar and other aspects of Balinese culture.

A new performing and visual arts center and contemporary art museum is being constructed by a team of 40 craftsmen on four hectares of land adjacent to the decade-old Nyoman Gunarsa Museum including the Museum of Classical Balinese Painting. When completed, it will be the largest arts center in the regency, and one of the biggest in Bali.

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Tenganan Pegeringsingan in one of the ancient villages, the Bali-Aga as the locals call it. The word "tengah" refers to moving to the inner area. Pegeringsingan comes from the word "geringsing", a traditional woven product unique to the village. The village may have derived this name as their people have moved from the coast to the inner area and practice this traditional weaving.

The other story is that the people of Tenganan came from Peneges village close to Bedahulu which at that time was ruled by a powerful king. One day, the king lost his favourite horse. He ordered his people to look for it. It was found dead by Ki Patih Tunjung Biru, the King's right hand. For this, the king gave Ki Patih Tunjung Biru authority over the land as far as the smell of the horse's carrion. Being an intelligent man, Ki Patih cut the carrion into pieces and spread it far giving him a big parcel of land where he settled with his clan.

The village is quite organized. You can easily interact with the village people as the stores are right in their beautifully kept homes. There are village guides to bring you around and show you the important aspects of the village. Most people here weave "ikat" and there is a loom in almost every house. One interesting ikat design is their village map. Of course, the traditional woven baskets and mats are there to be found, too.

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Yes, in Bali, it is easy to go from one beach to the other. You can go to the east, north or south. There is Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Kuta, Seminyak or cross over to Gili and Lombok. You can just have a beach holiday. Pick your favorite, white sand or black sand. You can go snorkeling and diving. Or, maybe, fishing or surfing. My choice is just reading my favorite book on a shady spot under a tree enjoying coconut and pineapple ice cream. Of course, I go once in a while for a swim in the ocean to cut the monotony of this lounge.

You can also go and catch the sunset at Sanur Beach, more laid back and uncluttered yet alive with its cafes and restaurants.

If what you want is action, a busy beach life, splashing neon lights and souvenir shops all over the place, go to Kuta-Legian area. But if you want the quiet pampering as you enjoy the sound of the ocean, Nusa Dua and the Bukit Peninsula are the places to stay.

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We did stay in two hotels when we were in Bali even if we were there only a few days. Given that we did not have much luggage with us, we decided to book a hotel right on the beach for a few days of rest. Then, we moved on to Ubud and did all the cultural must do in Bali. We enjoyed this experience so much that when we go to a place another time, we will again book two hotels to try out many of these newly designed resorts.

Another fabulous stay in Bali our friends rave about is staying at private villas. We visited one and were really impresse. If we're going with family next time, we will certainly do this. Here are some sites you can visit.

Seminyak is a nice place to stay so here is the link to Seminyak villas you can rent.

If you want to stay in cheaper options, check out Bali villas.

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Bali has highly trained instructors who have exceptional knowledge not only of the dive sites in the island but also of the requirements of international certification such as PADI and SSI. They offer introductory certification courses as well as the divemaster certification course.

Bali's east coast offers the most stunning diving with excellent visibility, rocky walls, wrecks, canyons and reefs teeming with schools of colourful fish. Gilli Tepekong and Mimpang, Padang Bai, Tulamben, Seraya, Amed, Nusa Penida and Lembongon and Crystal Bay are some of the frequented sites by divers. Tulamben is the place to go for those who enjoy wreck diving. You can, of course, go on a safari and enjoy several of these sites.

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In our last visit, Ubud was the place we often went to for food. Cocktail places abound but try out Cafe Havana where photos of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro adorn the place and salsa bands play. There is Naughty Nuri's if you are a rib fan. I like Japanese food so I was happy when Miho Oshiro opened Minami. If you want vegetarian fare, go to Kafe run by Meghan Pappenheim, an ex-New Yorker and sample Meg's Big Salad Bowl.

To catch a view of Bali's spectacular sunset, perch yourself at the outdoor lounge of the newly opened Ayana Resort and Spa. For me, a sea food lover, Jimbaran Bay is the place to be. Tables after tables are set right on the beach and you can have the catch of the day.

Recent news brought chocolate. With cacao in abundance in Bali, it attracts the chocolate connoisseurs of the world. The latest is David Wolfe, the author of Superfoods:The Food of the Future and Naked Chocolate.

It seems Fivelements Puri Ahimsa has a vegan multi-level bamboo restaurant, Sakti, on the Ayung River. Set in-between fishponds, Sakti is presided by Made Runatha, a Balinese chef who graduated from the world's top raw vegan cuisine school, Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in California.

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Bali is one of Indonesia's wealthy islands with tourism as its major earner. However, the biggest employer is still agriculture mainly rice production, coffee plantation with its famous Arabica coffee, salak plantation which you must see while there and fishing. Of course, one can't discount the contribution of its artisans in batik and ikat weaving as well as wood carving. Visits to artisan centers while there is a must.

Real Estate is making its mark in Bali as well. There are now real estate companies operating mainly to attract foreigners to settle in Bali. We have Canadian friends whose villa we just visited and lately informed us that they are packing their things. Someone just came and offered for their villa a price they could not say no to.

If this is of interest, check out Bali Luxury Private Villas. Try staying in one of their villas and find out if that is what you want. Many are now retiring in Asia and finding the experience very satisfactory.

In our stay in Bali, one of the hotels we used was in the middle of these farms and it was very refreshing to watch the farmers tend to their fields and yonder is a group in procession to the temple.

Riziere, Bali
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Bali is so picturesque that you want to take plenty of pictures. This camera connection kit for your iPad will make it easy for you to download your pictures and take more.

You will also need to have more storage as well as back ups for these pictures. Surely, you will hate losing these pictures. It's not often that you go to Bali.

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