Bali – General info

Geography
Bali is located 8 degrees south of the equator, is 140 km long, 80 km wide and 5620 km² in size. The island of Bali is the westernmost of the Indonesian Lesser Sunda Islands, separated from Java by the Bali Strait, 2.9 million inhabitants, capital: Denpasar.

A mountain range stretches across the island that stretches from west to east, including some still active volcanoes, e.g. the “mother mountain” Gunung Agung (3142m). The volcanic influence contributes to Bali’s exceptional fertility, as the high mountains form a reliable source of rain, which is important for irrigating the rice terraces.

Health
Vaccinations recommended for polio, tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria, hepatitis A.

In many areas of Indonesia there is an increased risk of malaria, but Bali’s tourist centers are almost malaria-free. As a prophylactic measure, an antimalarial drug should be packed.

Intestinal infections must be avoided, if possible only eat and drink what is cooked or peeled. Beware of salmonella in dairy products, eggs, etc.

Usual basic equipment for the first-aid kit, although there are also many pharmacies in Bali where all kinds of things can be bought. But whether it also contains what it says on the tin?

Transportation
In Indonesia and thus also on the island of Bali, left-hand traffic prevails. Motorcyclists are required by law to wear a helmet.

The driving style of the locals takes some getting used to. There are no traffic rules in the European sense or fixed speed limits.

You can fill up at very moderate fixed prices at the state-owned Pertamina petrol stations. You should take precautions, because in the countryside the petrol supply is privately regulated and is indicated, if at all, by a simple sign “Bensin”. Diesel means solar, Super Premig.

You should think carefully about whether you are sitting at the wheel of a rental car or a motorcycle in Bali. In the countryside, the roads are often narrow and confusing, and in the cities the traffic situation is devastating.

In the event of an accident, the driver is always liable, in case of doubt the foreign driver. It is therefore advisable to take out fully comprehensive insurance when renting a vehicle to be on the safe side.

Before signing the rental contract, you should check the condition of the vehicle carefully and, above all, pay attention to the brakes.

A good alternative is to rent a car with a driver and guide.

Another alternative: All short-haul and most medium- and long-haul routes are served by minibuses, called Bemo. They stay on fixed routes and stop at hand signals or shouts wherever the passengers demand it. There is no fixed timetable, and many stop their journeys at nightfall. Bemos, as an inexpensive, local means of transport, are often hopelessly overloaded with people and goods, which makes the journey more of an adventure. Tourists should inquire about the correct fare before starting their journey.

Time
In Bali, Central Indonesian Time applies. Tourists must put their clocks forward 7 hours to CET or 6 hours during European summer time.

Banks – Exchange Offices
Branches of many Indonesian banks can be found in the south of Bali. Opening hours are usually: Mon-Fri 8-12, Sat 8-11 am. However, not every bank changes money or traveller cheques. However, there are countless exchange offices in all tourist centers, which are often open until late at night. Here it is important to compare prices and, if necessary, to calculate the commission charged. The prices of the hotels are often worse than those on the free market. In any case, you should count the rupiahs, because you get large sums. And black sheep among the money changers are not uncommon, especially in the chaotic tourist centers such as Kuta.

Temperatures in Bali are pretty much the same all year round, between 27 -30 degrees Celsius, with humidity often 90 percent.

In the mountains, it is often up to 10 degrees cooler.

The rainy season in Bali is from November to March, although it doesn’t rain all day, the sun peeks out every now and then.

The best time to travel is between April and September, but this is also the time when most tourists travel to Bali.

The first immigrants on the island of Bali were South Indians. They arrived in Bali around 1500 BC. The system of the Banjar, the village community, dates back to this time.

There is written evidence that the complicated irrigation system for wet rice cultivation was mastered in Bali as early as 900 BC.

Hinduism is peacefully imported from India to Java by trading Indians around the birth of Christ. Individual Brahmins migrate to the neighboring island of Bali and bring their religion to the island.

The first Balinese royal dynasty is documented in 991.

Through the marriage of the then Balinese king to a Javanese princess, Bali was sometimes more, sometimes less dependent on Java until the 13th century.

In the 12th century, Bali gained independence for a short time, and the Pejeng dynasty emerged, which lasted until 1343.

In the 14th century, the Majapahit dynasty had taken over the government from Java over a territory that roughly corresponds to the current state borders of the Republic of Indonesia.

Islam made its way to Java via Sumatra in the 15th century, and so the once powerful Majapahit Empire collapsed. Bali became the last retreat of Hinduism.

In 1478, the last Majapahit king killed himself and his son fled to Bali with the entire upper class of Java. He settled on the south coast of Bali in Gelgel and declared himself king of Bali. This is how the Gelgel dynasty came into being. The king called himself Dewa Agung (Dewa = god / Agung = the holy mountain of Bali) and divided the island between relatives and generals.

The headquarters of the Dewa Agung was later moved to Klungkung, where art and culture flourished.

The individual provinces of Bali began to gradually become independent and to escape from subordination. The rulers of the individual territories called themselves Rajas and their respective territories became independent kingdoms.

The Gelgel dynasty, with the Dewa Agung as chairman of the King’s Assembly, lasted for about 400 years until the Holl put an end to this dynasty.

Indonesia has been in contact with other European countries since the 16th century. There were Portuguese and Spaniards, then English and Dutch.

Since the landing of the Dutch in 1597, they committed to bringing Indonesia into their power. Bali was excluded from this development for the time being, as there were no spices or ivory to get and there was no real port.

It was not until 1846 that the Dutch also attacked Bali and took control of the only large port in Singaraja in the north of the island. They were content with that for a while.

The exploitation began on September 20, 1906 with a bombing raid on Denpasar. The rulers of Badung, Klungkung and Tabanan quickly realized that they were outnumbered by the number of enemy soldiers and weapons. Surrender and exile were no alternatives for them, so they decided on the suicidal fight to the death, called Puputan.

The Rajas burned down their palaces themselves, and then, in their finest dress and the most magnificent ornaments, led their royal house and their priests against the modern weapons of the Dutch. In a single day, 4000 Balinese were slaughtered in front of the palaces of Denpasar and Pemecutan. Only the rulers of Gianyar and Karangasem (Amlapura) cooperated with the Dutch, but political power was taken away from them.

Fortunately, the Dutch were only interested in the exploitation of raw materials, so they did not try, like the Spaniards, to Christianize the population.

The culture and religion of the Balinese has thus survived to this day.

However, Dutch control of Bali was short-lived, as all of Indonesia fell into the hands of the Japanese during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, the Japanese replaced the Dutch in the role of occupiers. After the surrender of the Japanese on August 17, 1945, Sukarno, the leader of the Indonesian independence movement, declared the independence of his nation.

But even now the Dutch appeared again to continue the exploitation of the country. Thus, in the Battle of Marga on November 20, 1946, there was a kind of repetition of the Puputan almost half a century later, in which a group of Balinese resistance fighters were wiped out. This bloody resistance struggle lasted until 1949, when the Dutch recognized Indonesia’s independence.

The terrible eruption of Gunung Agung in 1963 killed thousands of people and devastated huge parts of the island.

In 1965, a communist coup attempt on Java was crushed. In terms of population, Bali had the largest following in the Communist Party (PKI) at the time. During the purges that followed, Balinese killed about 100,000 people. How this collective rampage came about, no Balinese can explain to this day. It was probably the almost mystical desire to rid the country of all evil, but probably simple revenge motives were also involved. The murders were probably no more brutal than elsewhere, but they were in stark contrast to the friendly and peace-loving Balinese.

In 1966, General Suharto took power and was officially elected president in 1968. Since he was very interested in the economic power of the West, he virtually pushed ahead with tourism planning. Since the 60s, Bali has been more and more flooded by tourist armies.

The economic crisis in Southeast Asia led to political and social conflicts in 1998. After serious unrest, Suharto had to resign. The new head of state was the former Vice President Habibie, who had to hand over the office to Abdurrahman Wahid of the newly founded Islamic Party of National Awakening (PKB) after only 17 months.

At the beginning of the 21st century, both the efforts to achieve the independence of individual islands and the political and religious conflicts within the multi-ethnic state intensified, endangering the country’s internal order. The leadership of the president, who was accused of incompetence and corruption, met with resistance from parliament. On 23.07.2001, the People’s Consultative Assembly removed Wahid from office. His successor was the former Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Package tourism, with all its negative effects, is slowly changing the independence of Balinese culture, religion and ideology. Western cinema and television are also increasingly influencing the worldview of the Balinese. Globalization is already making itself felt here as well.

Whether the island of gods and demons will remain a dream island depends not insignificantly on the tourists!

Tanah Lot Temple
Fantastic sunsets and dance events, especially impressive are Legong and Kecak performances.

Klungkung
Old court hall with unique ceiling paintings.

Celuk
The center of silversmithing.

Besakih Temple
The “mother temple” and most important sanctuary in Bali.

Ubud
Artists’ village and monkey forest.

Nusa Lembongan
Island east of Bali, good snorkeling opportunities.

Festivals
There are an incredible number of festivals in Bali. The best thing to do is to inquire directly on site and thus get an up-to-date status.
Seaside resorts

Sanur
Kilometre-long, fine sandy beach and a reef that keeps the surf out, but also requires that the beach sections are “dry” at low tide (algae or seagrass alluvial possible at times). In addition, a tourist infrastructure that leaves almost nothing to be desired – Sanur means a holiday without the hustle and bustle of Kuta/Legian.

Tuban
Where exactly the border with Kuta runs is difficult to define. Nightlife, bars and restaurants are definitely within easy walking distance. The beach is narrower and darker here, an outgoing reef protects against the strong surf (limited swimming opportunities at low tide).

Kuta
Popular and busy main tourist resort of the island, life rages here. Nightlife, bars and restaurants in incredible variety, the extensive beach is famous for its sunsets and surfers. Due to (especially in the winter months) strong surf and undercurrent, swimming here is not without danger, always pay attention to the warnings on the beach.

Legian
It is a little quieter here than in neighboring Kuta. Restaurants, bars and shops can also be found here in a large selection.

Seminyak
This stretch of beach (almost always high waves and strong undercurrent) is the northern continuation of Legian. There is a wide range of restaurants and bars in the area of Saphir Bali, Bali Holiday Resort and Royal Seminyak, and this area has become an in-district. The area around Intan and Taman Rosani is dominated by small villages and rice fields. But it is only a 20-25 minute drive to Kuta/Legian, near the Intan Bali Village itself you will find some very good restaurants with a good atmosphere.

Tanjung Benoa
There is a manageable selection of restaurants and shops, but you will look in vain for nocturnal hustle and bustle here. The kilometre-long beach is fine sand and protected from strong surf by an offshore reef. At low tide, you have to hop into the hotel pool to cool off. At times, algae or seagrass alluvial deposits are possible.

Jimbaran
South of the airport (rarely impairments) is one of the most beautiful and swimmable beaches in Bali, a good 4 km long and fine sand. The open-air fish restaurants within walking distance of the InterConti are highly recommended. Nusa Dua or Kuta can be reached in just under 20 minutes by car.

Nusa Dua
Everything is a little more noble here, international hotel chains favor this picturesque beach with its well-kept, park-like surroundings. In the shopping district “Galleria” and the old town center “Bualu” you will find shops and restaurants. The beaches are tidal. At low tide, the water often retreats far back. At high tide, bathing fun is guaranteed. Algae and seagrass alluvial deposits are rare.

Almost 3 million people live in Bali today, of whom only about 5% belong to a religion other than the Hindu Dharma religion. This minority is made up of about 8,000 Chinese and a handful of Arabs, Indians and Europeans. There are not many of the indigenous people, the Bali-Aga, left today. A few hundred live mostly in seclusion in a few villages.

The whole life of the Balinese is characterized by its deep religiosity, which even art, culture and politics of the Balinese are among the most colorful of all.

Life is not, as with many other island peoples, directed towards the sea, but inland to the mountains and the interior. Height, the mountains and the sky are considered sacred, but the depth of the sea belongs to the realm of demons.

The people seem balanced and friendly, patience, tolerance and hospitality are among their virtues.

5 times a day, handmade sacrificial bowls equipped with incense sticks are offered at the in-house family temples.

Handicrafts are of particular importance, because the Balinese have always been particularly artistically inclined. Everything you make is decorated, artistically processed, delicately carved and painted. This also has a religious background, one wants to please the gods.

Two traditional organizations are of particular importance: the banjar, as the people’s representation of a village whose power could not be broken by any government for centuries, and the subak for the rice farmers. Here, all rice farmers work together to keep the irrigation system functional and to provide each member with the required amount of water.

Every married man must belong to the banjar of his village and appear at the regular meeting places to make decisions for his village. In this way, the Banjar regulates village life in order to give the state administration no more influence.

Starting a family in Bali is one of the highest duties of a Balinese. A man can only become a member of a village community (banjar) when he is settled and married.

If you still stick to the tradition, you live in larger communities with mother and father, grandma and grandpa, children and grandchildren on the family homestead.

If you live in a homestay as a tourist, you can watch the hustle and bustle all day long, because almost all of life takes place in the courtyard of the property.

Older people are addressed as Ibu (= mother) and Bapak (= father). This “title” is placed in front of the name. Younger people and people of the same age are addressed as Adik (= younger brother or sister). Tourists are usually referred to as Tuan, which corresponds to our “Lord” and is a remnant of the colonial era.

Almost all Indonesians like to laugh. This may not always convey something about their true feelings. Nevertheless, you should try to smile back.

Outbursts of anger and screaming are not accepted and create incomprehension and distance. Only in small children is uncontrolled behavior tolerated. If you can’t control yourself, you lose face in the eyes of Indonesians.

The main goal of any education is harmony, everything is accompanied by a smile and a certain inner peace.

Embarrassment is avoided as much as possible. It’s embarrassing not to be able to give a suitable answer, so it’s better to give a wrong one. Because then you don’t lose face. As a tourist, you should know this if you need information and, for example, ask for the right way.

The expression of this view is also, as it might seem to the tourist, a certain schadenfreude: If, for example, someone falls on the street, everyone bursts out laughing, because the fallen person is spared the loss of face.

The left hand is unclean, as it traditionally replaces toilet paper, to greet people, to touch or to pass something on, the right hand is always used. Never give your left hand as a substitute.

The feet are the most unclean part of the body, it is rude to point the soles of the feet at a person.

To greet each other, you only shake your right hand with a light touch. Vigorous shaking is not known. Then you bring your hand to your heart.

Shoes should be taken off when entering a house and also a shop. If you don’t want to be considered a barbarian, you should also leave your shoes outside in your own hotel room. For this reason, walking barefoot on the street is frowned upon.

The waving with the hand is done with the back of the hand upwards, which looks more like shooing away to us.

It is considered an arrogant and aggressive gesture to point your finger directly at a person, cross your arms in front of your chest and put your hands on your hips.

On the subject of clothing, it should be said that men should not walk around in public with shorts and should not show an exposed upper body. The same applies to topless bathing for women. However, the gradual westernization is gradually softening the mores here as well, at least the behavior of the tourists is tolerated.

Under no circumstances are you allowed to enter a temple unless you have a sarong or a scarf tied around your waist. But you can get these things very cheaply in the many shops.

The temple walls and walls are considered sacred. It is forbidden to touch them or climb around on them. Blood on the temple floor is also a taboo, for this reason women are not allowed to enter the temple during their menstruation.

Bathing is not allowed in holy springs, if you are caught, it can be very expensive.

Processions always have priority, you will perhaps have this experience if you are traveling by car.

To the frequent question of whether you are married and have children, you should always answer yes, because starting a family is the top priority for the Balinese. Not wanting to have children is met with incomprehension.

Men and women do not hug or kiss each other in public, even holding hands is considered offensive.