Bali Gracious

Bali is also known as the Land of the Gods, Bali appeals through its sheer natural beauty of looming volcanoes and lush terraced rice fields that exude peace and serenity. It is also famous for surfers’ paradise!

Geography

Most of Bali is mountainous (essentially an extension of the central mountain chain in Java), the highest point being Mount Agung, or Bali Peak, 10,308 feet (3,142 metres) in height and known locally as the “navel of the world.” It proved to be an active volcano, erupting in 1963 (after a dormancy of 120 years), killing more than 1,500 persons and leaving thousands homeless. The main lowland is south of the central mountains. The period of the southeast monsoon (May to November) is the dry season. Bali’s flora (mostly hilly tropical rain forest) and fauna resemble those of Java. Some teak grows on Bali, and the giant banyan (waringin) trees are held sacred by the Balinese. Tigers are found in the west, and deer and wild pigs are numerous.

History

Visited by Chinese traders and Indian literati, the Balinese had embraced Hinduism by the 7th century CE. Mahendradatta, the mother of Airlangga (who ruled Java from 1019 to c. 1049), married Udayana, the Balinese king, and many Javanese Hindus immigrated to Bali. In 1284 Kertanagara, last king of Tumapel (Singhasari) in Java, captured Bali; upon his death in 1292, the island regained its independence. Bali came under the rule of the Majapahit empire of eastern Java in 1343 and continued under the Majapahits until the empire was overthrown in 1478 by Muslims. The Dutch first visited Bali in 1597, when the island was divided among a number of warring Muslim states. The Dutch annexed the northern Balinese states of Buleleng and Jembrana in 1882, and, in the 1894 Dutch invasion of nearby Lombok Island, the Balinese prince, Anak Agung Ktut, was killed. In 1906 the Dutch attacked Denpasar, massacred about 3,600 Balinese, and captured the whole island.

Interesting Facts about Bali

Bali is one of the few places around the world where you can buy authentic Kopi Luwak – one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Kopi Luwak is collected from the droppings of the Luwak, a shy forest animal that prowls around coffee plantations eating coffee beans. As the Luwak cannot digest the beans, they are collected in their droppings, having picked up a unique taste as a result of their journey through the Luwaks digestive system. Bali has two different calendar systems – the saka calendar, based on lunar cycles, and the 210-day pawukon calendar, said to originate from rice growing cycles. Each year, to mark the start of the Saka year, the Balinese enjoy Nyepi, a public holiday encompassing total silence, meditation and fasting. The entire island shuts down for the day, and no travelling, work or noise of any kind is permitted. Balinese people will usually possess one of 4 first names: Wayan, Made, Nyoman or Ketut. Translated, these mean ‘first born’, ‘second born’, ‘third born’ and ‘fourth born’. The same names are given to both males and females. Balinese babies are not allowed to touch the ground until they are three months old. Until that point, their parents will carry them everywhere. Bali has eight regencies: Badung, Bangli, Buleleng, Gianyar, Jembrana, Karangasem, Klungkung, and Tabanan.

Climate

Daytime temperatures are pleasant, varying between 20-33⁰ C (68-93⁰ F) year-round. From December to March, the west monsoon can bring heavy showers and high humidity, but days are still often sunny with the rains starting in the late afternoon or evening and passing quickly. From June to September, the humidity is low and it can be quite cool in the evenings. At this time of the year, there is hardly any rain in the lowland coastal areas. But be aware of floods along the beach from Tuban to Melasti (Kuta) because the drainage is not sufficient anymore in line with the development of occupying the land. The flood does not occur every year, but please don’t stay on the ground floor, because the one to two hours flood can reach your knee on the road in front of your hotel. Even when it is raining across most of Bali, you can often enjoy sunny, dry days on the Bukit Peninsula which receives far less rain than any other part of the island. On the other hand, in central Bali and in the mountains, you should not be surprised by cloudy skies and showers at any time of the year. North Bali is also drier than other parts of the island.