Bali,
island of the gods, is the best known of Indonesia's many
islands. It is totally serene and despite the interference
of the outside world the island has been preserved in its
culture, distinctive arts and ceremonies. Considering its
relatively small size, Bali is truly an island of great
contrasts.
The idyllic picture of rural life in Bali, a fabled island
of soaring volcanic peaks, lakes and rivers, terraced
rice paddies, palm groves, gigantic banyan trees, and
iridescent waters fringed with alternately roughhewn and
sandy beaches, remains unchanged after generations of
Dutch colonial rule.
In the Land of a Thousand Temples, as the
island is also known, religion or life is impossible to
isolate from each other. The special artistic and cultural
life of the Balinese revolves around the village and its
temple where rituals are a daily occurrence. The devotion
with which Balinese Hindus revere their gods is readily
apparent in the stream of religious holidays and countless
festivals, dance performances, rituals, ceremonies, elegantly
graceful girls and ingenious artists that create Bali's
distinct form of the Hindu religion.
The Balinese culture continues to evolve by incorporating
new influences into a precious heritage, enduring to make
Bali one of the most beautiful and fascinating travel
destinations the world has to offer.