Bali tours & travel

Between the 12th and 20th centuries, Bali has often been treated as a pawn in the games of kings, rajahs and generals. More often than not, it’s fate has been closely tied to neighbouring Lombok with fierce battles between the two islands over the centuries as different rulers vied for regional dominance. This history of varied occupation can be seen in Bali today, with elements of Hinduism and Islam present in modern Balinese society. However there is no historical animosity between the religions, or even between the islands of Lombok and Bali.

One of the defining moments in Bali’s history took place in the 16th century, when the collapse of the Majapahit dynasty encouraged the spread of Islam from the surrounding states into the Javanese kingdom. Rather than live under Islamic rule, many Hindu elite chose to escape to Bali. These elites included many artists, dancers, musicians, actors and court-supported artisans, as well as some more artistically inclined priests. The result was an intense proliferation of cultural arts across Bali, no doubt inspired by rich Balinese folklore featuring epic battles of good and evil, gods and mortals. This reputation persists today, with many travellers falling in love with the island’s intricate temple carvings, dance performances, colourful sarongs and handicrafts.

When you combine a love of arts with world-class beaches and deliciously fiery sambals, it’s no surprise Bali’s tourism industry is soaring. It’s not unusual for someone to ask you whether this is your second, third or fourth visit to the island. Many locals rely on tourism to some extent, either by working as a tour operator or running a hotel, yoga studio, massage parlour, bar, cafe or restaurant.

The destination’s popularity with Australians means there’s a gradual cultural creep in larger cities like Seminyak, where Melbourne-style cafes and international clothing labels are particularly popular. If you escape the resorts and head further north from Denpasar, you’re more likely to encounter traditional warungs (eateries) and villages untouched by tourism sprawl.

One last word of advice: always watch where you put your feet. Locals will traditionally place small offerings on the footpaths outside their homes or businesses up to three times a day. 83.5% of the population identifies as Hindu and religion plays a large part in Balinese life. In fact, there is a small religious ceremony associated with just about every aspect of Balinese culture, whether it’s the beginning of a soccer game, celebrating the full moon or cleaning the house.

At first glance it might seem difficult to pinpoint Bali’s exact culinary identity. The mishmash of Indonesian and pan-Asian influences means you’re likely to come across menus that sometimes feel part Thai, Malaysian, Indian and Vietnamese. But no matter what you order, the food will always be fresh and bursting with flavour. Dishes are typically made fresh each day, with curries and pastes prepared by hand using traditional methods.

Most Balinese cooking involves a heavy reliance on spices and herbs, such as ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, limes, coriander seeds and – of course – chili. Fiery sambals, a paste made of crushed chilli and spices, are one of the best things about Balinese cuisine and most dishes will come with a side of this spicy paste to mix in. If you’re travelling around the islands, be sure to try the local sambal in each village as they’ll usually have their own regional version. On the other hand, if you’re not great with spicy foods, it might be a good idea to let your wait staff know when ordering to dial down the heat or order tanpa sambal (sambal without chilli).

A typical meal in Bali will involve four or five dishes arranged around a central bowl of rice, and a side of sambal. The dishes will often comprise a serving of pork or chicken, fish, tofu or tempeh (fermented soy-bean cake), egg, various vegetable dishes and crunchy krupuk (flavoured rice crackers). Cows are considered sacred among Hindus and beef is not commonly included.

The most authentic food in Bali is usually found street side at eateries called warungs. Warungs are common in every village and city, and a good place for a quick feed on a budget. Many will be specialise in a small menu of popular local dishes.

Eating vegetarian in Bali

Going vegetarian is relatively easy in Bali as many dishes are already meat free. Tofu and tempeh are also a standard part of the local diet. Key vegetarian dishes to look out for include nasi saur (rice flavoured with toasted coconut and accompanied by tofu, tempeh, vegetables and sometimes egg), urap (steamed vegetables mixed with grated coconut and spices), gado gado (tofu and tempeh mixed with steamed vegetables, boiled egg and peanut sauce) and sayur hijau (leafy green vegetables, usually kangkung – water spinach – flavoured with a tomato-chilli sauce).

Drinks

Feeling parched? Luckily you won’t need to walk far to find a bar or beer vendor on the street. The national lager, Bintang, is crisp and clean (just don’t leave it in the sun too long). The abundance of fresh fruits means you can order a wide variety of juices (or fruity cocktails). Those looking for something with a bit more punch should try arak, fermented wine made from rice.

Most coffees and teas are imported from surrounding countries. We generally recommend travellers keep away from one local coffee – kopi luwak. This is a type of coffee harvested from the dung of the catlike civet (luwak), native to the region, whose diet includes coffee cherries. Unfortunately, the popularity of luwak coffee has resulted in abusive farming practices.

Top foods to try in Bali

Babi guling: This is slow cooking Balinese-style. A whole pig is stuffed with chilli, turmeric, ginger, galangal, shallots, garlic, coriander seeds and aromatic leaves and rotated over an open fire. This dish is commonly seen at celebrations.

Satay: Sometimes spelt ‘sate’ on local menus, Indonesia is famous for its tasty meat skewers (usually chicken) cooked over hot coals and slathered in moreish peanut sauce.

Nasi campur: Nasi campur feels like a bit of a buffet. Your plate typically comes with a scoop of nasi putih accompanied by small portions of a number of other dishes, including meats, vegetables, peanuts, eggs, and fried-shrimp krupuk.

Nasi goreng: The old favourite among tertiary students is nothing like the local version. Nasi goreng, literally meaning "fried rice”, is a popular rice dish with pieces of meat and vegetables, and a fried egg added on top.

Sambal: A fiery paste made using a chili base smashed with secondary ingredients like shrimp paste, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, lime juice, and rice vinegar.

Many festivals in the Balinese calendar revolve around religious and spiritual occasions marked by periods of prayer or silence, and followed by lots of festivities and feasting. Some festivals might be inconvenient for travellers, such as the Day of Silence, but they’re also a great opportunity to gain an insight into local life that many don’t get to see.

Multiple surf contests are held throughout the year at different times and in different places. Check with local surfing schools for up to date information.

Some festivals of note include:

Nyepi (Day of Silence): Typically held in March or April, Bali’s major Hindu festival, Nyepi, celebrates the beginning of a new year and is marked by inactivity. Legends say that this is a strategy to convince evil spirits that Bali is uninhabited and therefore not worthy of visiting! Jokes on them. The day involves prayer, meditation and quite reflection.

Bali Arts Festival: For an island with a strong history of cultural arts, it’s no surprise the Bali Arts Festival has pride of place in the annual calendar. Based at the Taman Wedhi Budaya arts centre in Denpasar, travellers can see village-based dance groups competing for local pride across several traditional dance categories. The date changes each year but is typically held between mid-June to mid-July.

Bali Kite Festival: In July and August the skies of southern Bali fill with huge, colourful monsters, critters and imaginative creations. Scores of kites are launched by the locals as part of this special spiritual event. It is believed the kites urge the gods to provide abundant harvests.

Indonesian Independence Day: Held on 17 August each year, this day celebrates Indonesia's independence from the Dutch in 1945. Expect to see legions of marching school children, flags, kites and fireworks. Don’t expect to get anywhere quickly either on the day or the days leading up to it.

Galungan and Kuningan: Galungan celebrates the death of a legendary tyrant called Mayadenawa. The celebrations come to a head with the Kuningan festival, which is when the Balinese say thanks and goodbye to the gods. The exact dates of these two festivals vary as they are planned using the 210-day wuku (or Pawukon) calendar.

Bali is undoubtedly Indonesia’s most popular province thanks to its abundance of beautiful beaches, leafy jungles and impressive mountains. Located just east of Java and west of Lombok, the Bali province includes not only the island of Bali but also a few of the smaller neighbouring islands, such as Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan.

Bali's highest mountain is Mt Agung (3,031 m, 9,944 ft), which is also known as the "mother mountain”. One of the other popular volcanoes on the island is Mt Batur. Both of these volcanoes have contributed to Bali’s incredibly fertile soil, which has allowed the rice crop trade to flourish.

Bali is located just 8 degrees south of the equator, which means it enjoys a fairly even climate year-round. The average year-round temperature hovers around 30 °C (86 °F), with a humidity level of about 85%

Bali is surrounded by coral reefs and is part of the Coral Triangle, an area with the highest biodiversity of marine species. Over 500 reef-building coral species can be found here, which is seven times the entire Caribbean.

Bali’s problems with environmental pollution are well-documented, and it’s fair to say that the nearly 5.7 million tourists who visit annually are contributing their fair share. In late 2017 Indonesian officials declared a “garbage emergency” after a tide of plastic washed up a 5.8 kilometre (3.6 mile) stretch of coastline. We encourage all travellers to carry a reusable plastic bottle with them, a reusable tote bag for carrying items and to try and minimise their use of plastics wherever possible.

While you’ll find many of the main tourism hubs, like Seminyak and Kuta, filled with international fashion labels, there’s also many local boutiques offering a wide variety of hand-made goods. These include traditional wood carvings (and even some famously phallic bottle openers), silver jewellery, colourful sarongs, eco-friendly bags, bamboo satchels, recycled furniture and a near limitless range of body oils and fragrances. Of course, if you’re looking for a traditional ‘I Heart Bali’ t-shirt or Bintang singlet, these are never in short supply either.

Like many parts of south east Asia, bargaining is a big part of the local shopping experience. Getting a good price comes down to how well you can haggle, but it’s important to have fun, bargain in good faith, and remember to smile. You’ll usually find better prices, and more negotiable shop owners, away from the main tourist strips.

Intrepid Travel treats the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:

From Australia? Go to: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

From Canada? Go to: https://travel.gc.ca/

From UK? Go to: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/

From New Zealand? Go to: http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

From USA? Go to: http://travel.state.gov/

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information. Go to: http://www.who.int/en/