Bali, the famed Island of the Gods

Bali is an island endowed with great natural beauty and rich culture. Soaring majestic volcanoes tower over emerald rice fields that cling on hillsides in sculpted tiers, idyllic beaches, set the stage for fantastic sunset, shrines, and temples provide sanctuary for believers, while five-star resorts are earthly havens for tourists.
Despite overwhelming foreign influences, the balinese have managed to reach a harmonious balance between preserving their culture, their natural environment and accommodating today's changing world. The Hindu Bali religion, ceremonies,festivals, age-old dances and the arts are an inseparable part of the life and culture of the Balinese.

Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colourful, deeply spiritual and unique culture, stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth.
With world-class surfing and diving, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological attractions, and an enormous range of accommodations, this is one of the world's most popular island destinations and one which consistently wins travel awards. Bali has something to offer a very broad market of visitors from young back-packers right through to the super-rich.

• South Bali (Kuta, Bukit Peninsula, Canggu, Denpasar, Jimbaran, Legian, Nusa Dua, Sanur, Seminyak, Tanah Lot)The most visited part of the island by far, with Kuta Beach and chic Seminyak.    
• Central Bali (Ubud, Bedugul, Tabanan)The cultural heart of Bali and the central mountain range.  
• West Bali (Negara, Gilimanuk, Medewi Beach, Pemuteran, West Bali National Park)Ferries to Java and the West Bali National Park. 
• North Bali (Lovina, Singaraja)Quiet black sand beaches and the old capital city. 
• East Bali (Amed, Besakih, Candidasa, Kintamani, Klungkung, Mount Agung, Padang Bai, Tirta Gangga).Laid back coastal villages, an active volcano and the mighty Mount Agung.
• Southeastern Islands (Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan)Quiet offshore islands in the southeast, popular for diving activitie

Bali is one of more than 17,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago and is located just over 2 kilometres (almost 1.5 miles) from the eastern tip of the island of Java and west of the island of Lombok. The island, home to about 4 million people, is approximately 144 kilometres (90 mi.) from east to west and 80 kilometres (50 mi.) north to south.
The word "paradise" is used a lot in Bali and not without reason. The combination of friendly, hospitable people, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality and (not least) spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving have made Bali Indonesia's unrivaled number one tourist attraction. Eighty percent of international visitors to Indonesia visit Bali and Bali alone.
Unlike any other island in largely Muslim Indonesia, Bali is a pocket of Hindu religion and culture. Every aspect of Balinese life is suffused with religion, but the most visible signs are the tiny offerings (canang sari) found in every Balinese house, work place, restaurant, souvenir stall and airport check-in desk. These leaf trays are made daily and can contain an enormous range of offering items: flowers, glutinous rice, cookies, salt, and even cigarettes and coffee! They are set out with burning incense sticks and sprinkled with holy water no less than three times a day, before every meal. Don't worry if you step on one, as they are placed on the ground for this very purpose and will be swept away anyway. (Any ants enjoying the feast may not appreciate your foot quite as much though)
Balinese Hinduism diverged from the mainstream well over 500 years ago and is quite radically different from what you would see in India. The primary deity is Sanghyang Widi Wasa (Acintya), the "all-in-one god" for which other gods like Vishnu (Wisnu) and Shiva (Civa) are merely manifestations, and instead of being shown directly, he is depicted by an empty throne wrapped in the distinctive poleng black-and-white chessboard pattern and protected by a ceremonial tedung umbrella.

Most visitors will arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (IATA: DPS), also known as Denpasar International Airport. Despite this misleading name, the airport is actually located in Tuban between Kuta and Jimbaran, roughly 30 mins away from Denpasar.
Ngurah Rai is Indonesia's 3rd busiest international airport (after Jakarta and Surabaya) and a major hub well-connected to Australia, South-East Asia, and the rest of Indonesia.