Indonesia Overview

Indonesia Overview

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, stretching 3,200 miles (5.120 kin) from east to west, it straddles the equator between the Australian and Asian Continents.Indonesia is almost unimaginably vast: 18 110 islands providing 108 000 kilometres of beaches, and the distance between Aceh and Papua is more than 4 000 kilometres (2500 miles), comparable to the distance between New York and San Francisco. There are more than 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, 130 of them being considered active, and many undersea volcanoes. The island of New Guinea (on which the Indonesian province of Papua is located) is the second largest island in the world.

Welcome to the largest archipelago of the world; Indonesia.
Indonesia consist of over 13,000 islands. Be sure to enjoy a great time in the islands where adventure is a part and parcel of the daily life. The steamy archipelago constitutes of numerous adventurous activities along with the best of entertainment and other tourists attractions.
A vacation in Indonesia is truly a memorable one with all that lies around.
The enticing flavors of the exotic spices, the frenzied atmosphere, the vivid colors in the culture and the dramatic landscapes make Indonesia a paradise for the travelers.
The country offers unmatched natural beauty which is vivid and rare. The colorful culture of the place leaves every mind thoughtful.
The country is clearly divided into the rural and the urban world with the cities in the country is in a state of constant change and urban development. The cities present a fine blend of dense population, modern construction and developing technology with the age old traditional; way of living.
However the beauty of the country lives in its archipelago which is massive in numbers and most of them are still unexplored. So it is true fact that Indonesia still provides the travelers to explore the virgin Islands and discover the secrets of nature that are hidden in the trails of the islands.
The archipelago is so big and is so many in numbers that out of the 13,000 islands only 1500 have been named. The biggest and the most important of the islands is Java.
The capital city og Jakarta is situated in Java and is also centrally located.
Java also is home to the maximum population among the other islands in the archipelago.
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world after China, India and the United States of America. Largely a Muslim state, Indonesia is also home to 100 odd ethnic groups scattered around the different islands.

Indonesian Culture

The culture of Indonesia has took its current shape molded by several influences that have been prevalent in the land, as a result of the long process of interaction and acculturation between original indigenous customs and a multitude of foreign influences.
Nestled between the ancient sea trading routes between Far East and Middle East, Indonesian culture, too a large extent has imbibed much of its daily practices and art forms from the Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianism and Islamic influences. These connections are clearly evident mostly in its many trading cities.
The kaleidoscopic cultural hue of Indonesia is largely cosmopolitan and need to be distinguished from the original.
The complex nature of this culture can be easily gazed by various lines of faiths adopted by people here, for example: Agama Hindu Dharma, a denomination of Hinduism is now practiced by 93% of Balinese. Other examples are the fusion of Islam with Hindu in Javanese Abangan belief, the fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism and animism in Budha, the fusion of Hinduism and animism in Kaharingan, and many others.
With the diverse influences, shaping up the perspective of the Indonesian people, their lifestyle and values, the impact of the cultural fusion is also noticeable in Indonesian art forms.
For instances, wayang- a traditional form of theatre show performed with puppets was used to spread Hinduism and Islam among villagers in Java. Similarly, in various Javanese and Balinese dances, often stories about old Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms are told. In Sumatra, especially in its Minangkabau and Aceh regions, one can see direct architectural inspiration from the Islamic art forms and architectures.
As far as the westernization of culture of Indonesia is concerned, an imprint of it though cannot be ruled out, but it is mostly limited to modern entertainment, such as television shows, movies and songs. One of the major influences in this sphere are the Bollywood songs and movies.

Social Life
There are about 583 languages and dialects spoken in the Indonesia. They normally belong to the different ethnic groups of the population. Some of the distinctly different local languages are: Acehnese, Batak, Sundanese, Javanese, Sasak, Tetum of Timor, Dayak, Minahasa, Torajanese, Buginese, Halmahera, Ambonese, and several Irianese languages. To make the picture even more complex and colorful, these languages are also spoken in different dialects.
Before embarking on a trip to Indonesia, it will be helpful to browse through some information on Indonesian Etiquette, so that you do not hurt the sensibilities of the people, even by mistake, while on a trip there. Further more learning about the Indonesian Etiquette will help you blend in better with the locals and even surprise your host with some pleasant gestures.
Like other place in the world, when visiting Indonesia, visitors should observe the local customs and practices, which are held very dear by the Indonesian people. Although handshakes are generally acceptable for both men and women, some Muslim women may acknowledge introductions to gentlemen by merely nodding and smiling. A handshake should only be initiated by ladies. There is no grasping in Salam, in this form of greeting, the man offers both hands, lightly touches his friends outstretched hands, and then brings his hands to his chest to mean, "I greet you from my heart".
The visitor should reciprocate the salam. It is considered polite to call before visiting a home. Unannounced visits are not expected. Always remove your shoes before entering someone’s home. It is a common practice to offer drinks to guests, so if offered it is polite to accept. Always remove your shoes before entering places of worship such as mosques and temples. Some mosques provide robes and scarves for female visitors to cover there heads before entering the place of worship.
As over 85% of the Indonesian population is Muslim, drinking is not a common practice and hence toasting is not a common practice in here.

Since independence, many people have developed and maintained a strong sense of national pride and traditions of dance, painting, woodcarving and stone carvingremain alive today.

* Social courtesies are often formal. When food or drink is served, it should not be touched until the host invites the guest to do so
* Never accept or pass anything with the left hand.
* Displays of affection in public between men and women are frowned upon and kissing in public will attract a great deal of unnecessary attention.
* Touching a stranger of the same sex while in conversation is usual.
* Pointing is impolite and patting children on the head is discouraged.
* Indonesians are polite and present endless courtesies to visitors whom they trust and like.
* Smiling is a cultural tradition and Indonesians smile frequently, even when in an uncomfortable or complex situation.
* Visitors should prevent losing their temper.
* When invited to someone's home, a gift is appreciated (as long as it is given with the right hand).
* Informality is normal, but a some smart establishments encourage guests to dress for dinner.
* Safari suits are acceptable for business wear and on formal occasions.
* Muslim customs, particularly concerning female clothes, should be observed.

Time Zones
Indonesia has the second longest coastline in the whole world .certain time zones are followed by Indonesia. Basically Indonesia uses three time zones.
They are as follows.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat (WIB)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat is officially known as West Indonesia Time in Indonesia. In Indonesia "Waktu" means time, "Bagian" stands for part and "Barat" stands for west. The Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat means the time which is prevalent in the western part of Indonesia. Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat or the West Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +7 hours.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Tengah (WIT)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Tengah is known as the Central Indonesia Time in Indonesia Tengah stands for central in Indonesia. Central Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +8 hours.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur (WIT)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur is known as the East Indonesia Time in Indonesia. Timur means east in Indonesian language. Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur or the East Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +9 hours.

The electricity
Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz, but 110 volts AC, 50Hz, in some rural areas.

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Jakarta

Welcome to Jakarta

Jakarta as the metropolitan which occupied more than 9 million people population, which are exhibit incredible in a unique diversity of tribes, language, culture and traditions. Jakarta as the nation capital is truly a “Melting Pot” of representatives from throughout the archipelago.

Jakarta has extraordinarily developed and would be at the tourism forefront in Asia over the next few decades.
The amusement park, skyscrapers forest, high fashion shopping center, finest culinary dining, nightlife and entertainment place, luxurious housing, hotels and apartment, research institutions, well education facilities and cultural organizations certainly made Jakarta as the one of the demanding tourism city.
The Capital City is the prominent gateway to the rest of Indonesia.
From Jakarta, sophisticated land, air and sea transport is available to the rest of the country.

JAKARTA Is a City with thousands of opportunities

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia, an archipelago country consisting of about 13,000 islands and 200 million people. Indonesia ha s a unique diversity of tribes, language, culture, customs and religion. The diversity was mirrored in the capital city of Jakarta.
Jakarta whose population has grown approaching to 10 million people is one of the cities in Asia, which is much often talked about with the certain reasons. Jakarta has extraordinarily developed and would be at the forefront in Asia over the next few decades.
Jakarta is very unique with its status as the capital city of Indonesia and the center of the city administration. Jakarta is also a center of social, cultural and health activities. Jakarta is the prominent gateway of Indonesia. As of its geographical condition, land, air and sea transportations are also available.


JAKARTA is the city of administration
Based on its territory and number of population, Jakarta stands a province equal to the other provinces in Indonesia. As a province Jakarta is led by a governor who is held to take direct responsibility to the president of the Republic of Indonesia through the minister of home affairs.
With the double status as province and capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta has got the status of the local capital city of provincial administration.
Local Development Planning Board (BAPPEDA) sets the guidelines for the local administration and help governor to determine the strategic policies on developments and finance to the five mayoralties in Jakarta and an administrative regency.

East, West, North, South Jakarta are of mayoralties and Seribu Island is an administrative regency.
Each mayoralty has mayor as its leader who helps prepare its respective plans, while Seribu Island is under a regent who is responsible for its finance. Each mayoralty consists of some sub-districts and villages.
There are 43 sub-districts and 256 villages in Jakarta. There are also social organizations as of neighborhood units: Rukun Tetangga (RT) and Rukun Warga (RW), which are under jurisdiction of a sub-district.

History of JAKARTA city

The history of Jakarta dates back from around 500 years ago in a small downstream of Ciliwung River. For centuries, the city port develops into a bustling international trade center.
The story of Jakarta at the earlier phase emanates from the diverse ancient inscriptions found in the nearby port. The untold stories of Jakarta up until the earlier arrival of European colonialists were very scarce.

The trade city
Jakarta is the main center of Indonesian economy.
Either national or international investors are interested in participating in the Indonesian economy activities. The central government recently has determined a set of policy in order to trigger the growth of the Jakarta economy, to perfect the export and investment rules and to simplify the banking rule. The government fully support the private sectors such as the financial support for social and cultural activities. Therefore the private sectors play an important role in the national government.

JAKARTA (tourism and cultural city)

Jakarta's reputation is rapidly developed as the "tourism city" as there are many new tourism infrastructures, entertainment centers, and international-class hotels and restaurants.
Jakarta also possesses many historical places and cultural heritage. Tourism, one of the service industry,is developed rapidly and owns many opportunities to get developed all the time. Jakarta has a new, elegant Convention Center which can house 3000 people.
Jakarta keeps on developing the infrastructures in order to attract the world's attention to hold some international events. It is obvious that the government is trying to develop Jakarta equal to other big cities in the world.

JAKARTA as a Developing city

The success of five Pelita (The five-year development) concluded in the long-term development (PJP) keeps Jakarta developing. In the Pelita VI marks the PJP II, Jakarta keeps strengthening the country and the city development bases so that the Indonesian people can grow as the prosperous and fair people.

One of the exciting aspects in the housing sector is the Kampong Development, a project to enhance the people' living and a better environment with low cost. After the government's first step, this program becomes the effective motivator to encourage the people's role and the private sectors' contribution in supporting the people's enhancement. Not only the physical sector, the social and economic sectors are also the main target of the development.

Some world organizations once granted the rewards for the Kampong Development Program. The integrated highlight policy of Jakarta is fully included in Jakarta Main Plan. The Plan belonging to the Jakarta City Administration encompasses the Jakarta development from 1985 - 2002.

RENSTRA explains the special duties and goals that must be carried out by the governor .The City Administration proves the high self-managing in financing the long-term, the middle-term and the short-term plans as most of the Regional Budget are from the local sources. Many city infrastructures are under constructions , such as the constructions of toll roads, fly over, etc. This construction really facilitates the city land traffic. The public facilities like the clean water supply and the thousands of new phone networks are constructed as well

The international airport Soekarno-Hatta in Cengkareng functions as the national and international air transportation.
And the Tanjung Priok, the Sunda Kelapa and the Kali Baru ports provide the sea transportation service.
Tanjung Priok port now is under construction for better service.
Due to the dynamic growth, the social, economic and cultural atmospheres in Jakarta are prepared to lead to the National Development.

Art & Cultural Centers

SETU BABAKAN
Setu Babakan is a great visage of the traditional life in Jakarta which is located in Srengseng Sawah district of South Jakarta.

A colourful kaleidoscope of tradition await every bisitor at this 66-hectare area known as Perkampungan Budaya Betawi or the Betawi Culture Preservation Village. Setu itself means a small lake used by the Betawis.
As the name suggests, Setu Babakan is surrounded by an 18-hectare area of water which provides the tranquil setting for a meaningful and nuanced cultural exploration.
Be prepared to get an awesome insight into the Betawi culture such as the lenong ( a traditional Betawi comedy play), topeng dance, Betawi traditional wedding and of course the iconic Ondel-ondel, a giant puppet dressed in a traditional Betawi costume with a colorful tinsel crown.
In addition, explore a traditional Betawi house built back in the 1920s. Rent a duck boat to ride on the lake to complete your visit.

The people still speak the unique Betawi dialect, which is a conflation of Malay dialect influenced by the Balinese language for the grammar and Hokien Chinese for the vocabulary.
Interact with the friendly Betawis and get up close and personal with their notable blend of music such as the Rebana, Keroncong and Samroh which are largely influenced by the Portuguese and Arabic.

The best time to visit is between June and July where special festivals are organised to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary.

Bundaran HI Fountain

Istana Merdeka

Ondel-ondel Betawi

Monas

Dunia Fantasi

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Lombok

Lovely Lombok

Lombokis often described by outsiders as a smaller, slower version of Bali. However, Lombok recidents, say that "you can see Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali".

One of two major islands on the province of West Nusa Tenggara stretches 80km from north to south and 70km from east to west. The circular island is devided into three districts-West, East and Central.

Getting There
Flight by airplane from bali, and it takes only 15 mintes.

The Economy
The island's main crop is rice, but the rich soil also supports cotton, tobacco, soyabean, chilli peppers, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and coffee.

Lombok's main exports are pumice and frog's legs. Seewed and sea cucumber are harvested for the Asia market and tourism is rapidly becoming an important money spinner.

The island's population explotion has had a drastic effect on the surrounding environment. Forest are dying, and erotion is rampant. To arrest the declining fortunes of agriculture, the government has introduced a diversification progamme.

PEOPLE AND THE RELIGION
The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks, are predominantly Moeslims. A significant number practise the uniquely Sasak from of Islam known as Islam Waktu Telu. There is also a significant population of Hindu Balinese, as well as small population of Chinese, Buginese Makassarese and Sumbawanese.

HISTORY
In 1740, the Balinese established a stronghold in West Lombok. They monopolised important posts and confiscated the lands of any Sasak man who died without leaving a male heir. The Sasak rebelled often, and even asked the Dutch to come to their aid.

In 1894, the Dutch invaded Lombok, landing their troops on the South coat. With their Sasak allies, the Dutch attacked and looted every village in South Lombok. Mataram and the palce at Cakranegara were destroyed.
Under Dutch rule, the natives endured immense hardship and suffering-caused mainly by the heavy taxes the Dutch imposed. Ultimately, many villagers were forced to contribute their harvests to the Dutch coffers, while they and their families starved.
Even after Dutch rule ended, life in Lombok remained hard. Famines continued to plague the people, and in 1966 thousands starved to death. The government's solution was to move some of the people out of Lombok.

SIGHTS and SITES
Mataram, the province's capital, has merged with Ampenan, the port, and Cakranegara to become Nusa Tenggara's biggest urban complex. The royal palace built in the 18th century, no longer exists, but many of the old temples and pleasure gardens has survived.
Perhaps the best example of one such pleasure garden is the Taman Narmada, located 11km east of Mataram. Various spring-fed pools make the garden a popular picnic spot among the locals. The gardens are a miniature of Mount Rinjani, including a replica of the holy crater lake, Segara Anak. King Anak Gede Karangasem of Mataram had it build in 1767 when he was too old to climb the real thing.
Approximately 7km west of Narmada is the Waktu Telu Temple, or Pura Langsar. Built in 1714, and rebuild in 1878, Pura Lingsar is probably the only shrine in the world where Hindus and Moslems worship.
Lombok's biggest Balinese temple in the Pura Meru in Cakranegara. Three pagoda-like places of worship are dedicated to three different Hindu Gods: Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. All three pagodas are marked by multi-tiered roofs.
Nearby is Taman Mayura. Once part of the royal palace, it is now a lovely park. In the middle of a large pond is a structure called Balai Kambang which once served as a legal courtroom and ritual ground for religious ceremonies.
Lombok's principle beach resort, Senggigi, lies 12 km north of Mataram on the island's west coast. Coral gardens grow in the sea just off shore.
Two kilometers of Senggigi is the Batubolong Temple (Batubolong means Hollow Rock). It over looks the famous Lombok Strait. On a clear day, the majestic Mount Agung on Bali can be seen shimmering in the distance.

The Gilis:
These 3 tropical island paradises are 20-45 minutes by boat from Bangsal

= Gili Air is closest to Bangsal. It is a quaint, peaceful village.
= Gili Meno, in the middle, is the smallest and least developed.
= Gili Trawangan is furthest west from Bangsal-is the largest of the three islands.

The snorkelling off the islands is thrilling, with sightings of race blue coral making many snorkeller's day.
Accomodation on all three islands is basic.

Mount Rinjani (3,726 m) is the third highest mountain in Indonesia and the highesr peak in Indonesia outside Irian Jaya. The land surrounding the peak is a national park.

Mount Rinjani is believed by locals to be the seat of the Gods, and during the annual Pakelem ceremony, gold offerings are carried up to the mountain to tossed into the lake. Sasak priests also make pilgrimages to the summit on fullmoons.

There are two routes up Mountain Rinjani. The tougher route is up the eastern slope, via Sembalun Lawang, Sembalun Bumbung or Sapit. Accommodation and guides are available here, but not equipment. The easier route begins 2 km to the west of the village of Bayan. The track leads to BAtu Koq and from there to another settlement, Senaru. Tents, equipment and guides or porters can be hired in both settlements. From Senaru, the trek to the summit takes about 10 exhausting hours. The rim of the crater is a good place to catch your breath and take in stunning views of the beuatiful blue-green Segara Anak lake. ( Child of the Sea).

On the east side of the lake is Mount Baru (New Mountain), an active volcano formed in 1942. It cab be reached by boet. Along the foot of the crater are numerous hot springs like Goa Susu (Milk Cave) which are reputed to have magical healing powers. They certainly work wonders at easing muscle aches and revitalising one's energy.

Kuta Beach is situated amongst the most spectacular coastal scenery on the south coast of Lombok. The 5km stretch of beautiful white sand consists of three beaches: Putri Nyale, Seger and Tanjung Aan. Beaches to the west of Kuta are good for sufing and windsurfing.


Still a quiet resort, with basic accommodation and a poor road linking it with Mataram, Kuta is expected to become a major tourist destination.
Development plans: luxury hotels, two golf courses, lagoons, craft villages and an international airport.

A strange annual festival, called the Bau Nyale, attracts hundreds of locals to witness thousands of seaworms surfacing from the sea. The peculiar sight is also beginning to draw curious tourists.

Penujak is a pottery-making village 5km south of Praya on the oad to Kuta. The New Zealand government has been providing aid to support and develop the craft since 1988. Traditional pottery are well crafted and make lovely souvenirs.
Lombok shares many of Bali's beauty and charms. But it has enough of its own magic to justify its residents' claim that "you can se Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali.

Mount Rinjani

Mount Rinjani

Senggigi Beach

Gili island

The Gili Islands

The three islands of Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan are rapidly becoming one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Bali and Lombok (Located just off the northwest coast of Lombok).
They are now easily accessible direct from Bali with the new Fast Boat service, or by plane and local boat from Lombok.

The three islands feature superb, white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, spectacular coral reefs, and the best snorkeling and diving to be found anywhere on Bali and Lombok.
Visitors from all over the world are attracted to the simple pleasures of sun, snorkeling, diving, beautiful beaches, and socializing.
The absence of cars, motorcycles, and hawkers adds greatly to the leisure of staying on the Gilis – although there is now a wide range of accommodation available, the islands have maintained the lazy rustic charms of a tropical paradise.

Getting There
Highly recommend visitors to use a Private Transfer Service to avoid hussle and bustle at Bangsal (public harbour to gili islands). Local street vendors who try to sells things with pushing and pressure, or those who grab your luggage and ask too much for a porter service could be annoying.
Paying a little extra for a comfort and easy settlement for a wonderful holiday break is worth it, especially those who travel with kids.

The private Transfer Service includes pick up, meeting and greeting service at the airport/seaport/hotel, land transportation with fully air-con deluxe coaches, private boat charter, and check in assistances at the hotel.
To get around the isle, the only means of transport are Cidomos, horse drawn carriages.
Bicycle rentals are available too. Expect higher prices for most things there since all food and goods must be brought over from the mainland.

Island's hopping
Traveling between the islands requires either catching the infrequent shuttle boats or chartering one to take you across.
The distances between the islands may seem swimmable, but do not attempt it — the currents can be fierce and several backpackers have died trying.

The Natives & History
Few years ago, sailors from Bugis, Mandar and Makassar (Sulawesi) occupied Gili Air and establish coconuts plantation and expand the fishing activities.

As visitors started to visit Lombok and some came to the Gilis on day trips and then began to stay for longer periods in local homes. The islands have become enormously popular. Their popularity may be a problem, as numbers sometime exceed the available rooms and put pressure on the island environment, especially the supply of fresh water and the capacity of septic system to cope with waste and there is always pressure to build more and better facilities.

Big business interests are trying to cash in on the popularity of the Gilis and the local government is keen to promote upmarket tourist development.

Gili Air and Gili Meno retained much of their unspoilt quality, but Gili Trawangan has become more touristy and pricy.
The islanders are majority Muslims and visitors should respect their sensibilities.
Away from Beach, it is polite for women to cover their shoulders and thighs.
A lot of visitors are appallingly insensitive to local standards and so many of them walk around in skimpy clothing that it's easy to get impression that the local people don't mind anymore. In fact, they do.

The development for the last five years has change the island's look, especially Gili Trawangan.
Accommodation tariffs on today's range for a simple room with fan are from between Rp. 90,000 (equivalent to USD 9.00) to 150,000 (USD 15.00) per night , to an air-con bungalows style with hot water, in comfortable resort-style settings at up to USD 200.00 per night and everything in between, depending on the seasonal price fluctuations. Demand often outstrips supply, so prices tend to be noticeably higher than on Bali or Lombok. Accommodation On Gili Islands, Private Villas, Boutique Resort, Budget Hotels

While the island is busiest from May through August, the quieter off-season from January to April provides a better opportunity to enjoy all the islet has to offer.

Electricity and Communication
The electricity supply are now available on all the three Gilis. The electrical voltage in Indonesia is 220 Volt, if you bring any devices which require recharged at lower voltage (110 Volt) bring an electrical voltage converter or ask the hotel where you stay for STAVOLT.

The islands have no supplies of fresh water and very spotty electricity supply; it's not uncommon for power to be off for hours at a time. Most upmarket hotels, restaurants and dive shops have generators for the back up.

Mobile phone towers ensure you're never out of touch, and there are several Internet cafes on Trawangan for feeding your Internet addiction, although connection speeds tend to be painfully slow. Printing is possible in a few Internet cafés and you can even hook up your laptop in some.

MONEY
There is now a Bank Mandiri ATM on Gili Trawangan, in front of the Vila Ombak Hotel, but it's not always working so it's better to bring along enough rupiah to tide you over. The rates offered by moneychangers are noticeably poorer than on the mainland. Credit cards are accepted by some of the more upmarket places and all dive shops; some will also arrange credit card advances, but with hefty fees on the order of 7-10%. For your own safety, deposit valuable items at the reception where you're staying at. Carry only small cash and necessary items.

Health and Medical
The sanitation has improved on the islands. There are two health centers on Gili Trawangan;
1) located near the soccer fields for locals and
2) located in Villa Ombak with better facilities for Tourist.

Gili Meno also have a health centre which funded by local's businesses.
Gili Air also have a health centre located near the main village.

The health centre is known locally as "Puskesmas". To stay fit and healthy, always drink from bottled water or boiled water and avoid eating raw foods or salads from small non-reputable restaurants, because the water might not be sterilized.
True to the hippie vibe, magic mushrooms are widely available and openly advertised. Their legality is questionable, as are any physical and psychological effects.
Small but annoying jellyfish are common in the waters around the Gilis during August only, so wearing a full-length wetsuit or surf skin in the water is advisable.

Security
There are no Police Station or Military Post on the islands, but there is a small police station in Bangsal harbor. The Islands funded non-uniformed community policing group, SATGAS, ensures visitor's security and safety. In the rare event of someone breaking the law or disturbing tourists, perpetrators are handed over to Police on Lombok and face banishment from the island for up to five years.

Activities
There are many options for an enjoyable holiday on the islands. You can rent snorkeling equipment, join a diving course, rent a kayak, go fishing, or take a glass bottom boat to see the magnificent coral reefs and fishes. There are no sights as such on the islands themselves, but the snorkeling and diving all around is a major draw.
The locals living on the island are pretty interesting. If you walk behind the main road you will see how the locals live which is much different then the beautiful bungalows the tourists stay in.

Scuba Diving
There are lots of quality scuba diving operations on all the islands. The coral around the islands is good for snorkeling, which can be reach from the shore. See rays and giant clams. A must see: Turtles Point, Meno Wall, Shark (harmless) Point. Dive Schools available on all the islands with many dive programs to choose, from beginners to advanced technical dives.

Snorkeling
While divers are able to regularly swim with black tip, those who prefer to just drifts in the currents with a snorkel, fins and mask are never left disappointed by the more than 6,000 species of marine life living just off-shore.

Fishing
Fishing is one of the highlight activities on the islands. Deep/bottom fishing remain the best on north west of Gili Trawangan. Carry your own equipment if you're not familiar with the traditional-style of fishing.

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Lake Toba

Lake Toba, North Sumatra

Lake Toba surrounded by tall mountains

Lake Toba

The Exotic Destinations in Indonesia

The adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.

Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok.
However so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s cities are in a constant state of urban evolution, where dense populations, technology and construction live in hectic symbiosis.
However most of the archipelago’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a wealth of cultures and a myriad of landscapes. Oceanic rice fields and ancient sultanates in Java are humbled by haunting volcanic cones.
Maluku’s alabaster beaches and desert islands remain pristine while the tourist trail heads elsewhere.
The jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are zoological wonders, revealing impish monkeys, stoic sun bears, leopards, orang-utans and remarkable marsupials.

Uniqueness of Lake Toba:

Unlike any other lake, you will realize that there is something strange about the lake. Most large lakes were formed by glaciers; large lakes close to the equator are sometimes formed by the damming of a large river. But there is no large river flowing into Lake Toba. The lake has a different and more dramatic origin.

The Lake Toba marks the site of the largest volcanic eruption in the last 2 million years. It is, like Yellowstone, a “resurgent caldera”, or as geologists David Alt and Daniel Hyndman call this type of volcano, a “perfect horror”. Alt and Hyndman call resurgent calderas “perfect horrors” because they are both violent and enormous.

The size of Lake Toba may be a little difficult to grasp from the picture, so to give you some comparisons.

In Washington state, if the lake were aligned north to south in the Puget Sound area, it would stretch from Everett to Tacoma. In the Chicago area, it would stretch from Waukegan to Gary.
In New York, it would stretch from West Point to the Statue of Liberty. This is one enormous volcano.

And its most recent eruption, about 75,000 years ago, was in Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8

The Young Toba Tuff has an estimated volume of 2,800 cubic kilometers (km) and was erupted about 74,000 years ago. The Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 2.2 million years ago, has a volume of 2,500 cubic km. The Lava Creek Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 600,000 years ago, has a volume of 1,000 cubic km. The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced 1 cubic km of ash. Not shown in the diagram, is the Fish Canyon Tuff of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The Fish Canyon Tuff was erupted 27.8 million years ago and has an estimated volume of 3,000 cubic km.

The volume of the youngest eruption is estimated at 2,800 cubic km, making the eruption the largest in the Quaternary. Pyroclastic flows covered an area of at least 20,000 square km. Up to 1200 feet (400 m) of Young Toba Tuff is exposed in the walls of the caldera. On Samosir Island the tuff is more than 1800 feet (600 m) thick. Ash fall from the eruption covers an area of at least 4 million square km (about half the size on the continental United States).

That eruption would not have been pleasant for our ancestors. In fact, some scientists believe that the eruption, and the volcanic winter that followed, almost wiped out homo sapiens, cutting our population down to as few as 3,000, or even as few as 1,000. (That population bottleneck, as geneticists call it, would explain why humans vary less genetically that one would expect from the age of our species.)

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Sulawesi

Makassar, Manado

Makassar is the largest city in Indonesia and the eastern gateway to the eastern part of indonesia, will now be more famous in the world because in Makasssar was build trans studios world theme park, the first indoor theme park in Indonesia and the biggest in Asia.

Trans Studio Resort is the area of integrated tourism in Makassar, Indonesia. Trans Studio was built of 12,7 hectares with investment of IDR 1 trillion more. Facilities built in the shopping center which includes the Trans Walk and Rodeo Drive, and Studio Trans, Trans Hotel, office of Bank Mega. Trans Studio building was built around 22,000 m² with 20 meters high which is the largest indoor amusement park in and the biggest indoor theme park in the Asia at this time.

Bunaken (Manado)

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Bali

Uluwatu

Tanah Lot

Mount Agung

Motto: Bali Dwipa Jaya ("Glorious Bali Island")

Map showing Bali within Indonesia
Capital Denpasar
Area 5,632.86 km2 (2,175 sq mi)
Population 3,551,000 (2009)
Density 630.4 /km2 (1,633 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Balinese (89%), Javanese (7%), Baliaga (1%), Madurese (1%)[1]
Religion Hindu (93.19%), Muslim (4.79%), Christian (1.38%), Buddhist (0.64%)
Languages Indonesian (official), Balinese
Time zone UTC+8

Bali is an Indonesian island located at Coordinates: 8°25'23?S 115°14'55?E? / ?8.42306°S 115.24861°E? / -8.42306; 115.24861the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.

With a population recorded as 3,551,000 in 2009[2], the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.

What You Can See & Do in Bali, Indonesia

Bali's natural attractions include miles of sandy beaches (many are well-known amongst surfers), picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 3,000 meters (10,000 ft.) high, fast flowing rivers, deep ravines, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves, and lush tropical forests full of exotic wildlife.

The island's rich cultural heritage is visible everywhere - in over 20,000 temples and palaces, in many colorful festivals and ceremonies (including tooth filings and cremations), in drama, music, and dance.

You can experience Bali on many different excursions and guided tours by coach, private car or "Big Bike", by boat or by air plane: seeing Bali's beaches and rice terraces, the famous Besakih Temple on the slopes of holy Mount Agung, Lake Batur and it's active volcano, Ubud, Legian, Kuta, Nusa Dua, and the temples of Tanah Lot and Ulu Watu from a helicopter is a really special experience. For helicopter tours and private charters (3 to 6 passengers) please contact the Balivillas.com Service Center at 703-060 as soon as you arrive.

Most full day tours by car (about 8 to 10 hours, min 2 persons) be warned that those who offer very low prices tend to waste your time by showing you hardly any more than those shops which pay them a commission on your purchases.

History of Bali
The Blanjong (Belanjong) pillar inscription in Sanur dates to 914 CE, and testifies to the contacts between Bali and the Indian subcontinent.

Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BC who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia. Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania. Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong pillar inscription written by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and mentioning "Walidwipa". It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.
Balinese bodies at Denpasar during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906).

The first European contact with Bali is thought to have been made by Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman who arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585 and left a few Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.[6] Dutch colonial control expanded across the Indonesian archipelago in the nineteenth century (see Dutch East Indies). Their political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast by pitting various distrustful Balinese realms against each other. In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control.

The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who fought against the superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender. Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 1,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders.[8] In the Dutch intervention in Bali (1908), a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise administrative control over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained intact. Dutch rule over Bali had come later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.

In 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature", and western tourism first developed on the island.

The imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. The lack of institutional changes from the time of Dutch rule however, and the harshness of war requisitions made Japanese rule little better than the Dutch one.[10] Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, by then 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.

The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting these traditional values.

The transportation
The Airport: The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus joining the southernmost part of the island to the main part of the island. Lt.Col. Wisnu Airfield is found in north-west Bali.

A coastal road surrounds the island, and three major two-lane arteries cross the central mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar and enables cars to travel quickly in the heavily populated south. Bali has no railway lines.

Demographics
The population of Bali is 3,151,000 (as of 2005). There are an estimated 30,000 expatriates living in Bali.

Religion
Acintya is the Supreme God in Balinese Hinduism.
The Mother Temple of Besakih one of Bali's most significant Hindu temples.
Cremation procession

Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (4.79%), Christianity (1.38%), and Buddhism (0.64%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.

When Islam triumphed over Hinduism in Java (16th century), Bali became a refuge for many Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is an amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist heroes, the spirits of ancestors, indigenous agricultural deities and sacred places. Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Caste is observed, though less strictly than in India. With an estimated 20,000 temples and shrines, Bali is known as the "Island of the Gods".

Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, and adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual, and is less preoccupied with scripture, law, and belief than Islam in Indonesia. Ritualizing states of self-control are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and decorous behavior.

Apart from the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions have melded with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese not only embrace their original religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, but also find a way to harmonise it with the local traditions. Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese during the local temple's odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese. Nevertheless, the Sino-Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such as their Identity Cards.

Language
Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual. There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan membership, but this tradition is diminishing.
English is a common third language (and the primary foreign language) of many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry.

Culture
Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.

The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. But the day before that large, colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

The celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the specific and general social context. Many of the ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the performance to the current situation. Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Oftentimes two or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other in order to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the liveliness typical of ramé.
Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the island’s largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.

Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of classification was standardized in 1971 by a committee of Balinese officials and artists in order to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.

Tourism, Bali’s chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930’s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is only used for sacred performances.
The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things with their left hand and would not wave at anyone with their left hand.

The Ecology
Bali Island is situated on the border of the Wallace Line, where transition from the Asian wildlife and flora is made into the Pacific Islands biotope. Bali is virtually the southernmost island with specific Asian fauna and flora and with very few influences from the Pacific Islands like the Yellow-crested Cockatoo and other bird species occur. Bali has around 280 species of birds, including the critically endangered Bali Starling, one of the rarest birds in the world. Others are: Barn Swallow, Black-naped Oriole, Black Racket-tailed Treepie, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested Treeswift, Dollarbird, Java Sparrow, Lesser Adjutant, Long-tailed Shrike, Milky Stork, Pacific Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sacred Kingfisher, Sea Eagle, Woodswallow, Savanna Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Yellow-vented Bulbul, White Heron, Great Egret.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Bali was home to some large animals such as the wild Banteng, Leopard and even the Bali tiger. The first still occurs in its domestic form, while leopards only in neighboring Java, but the Bali Tiger has completely disappeared, with last recorded one in 1937, when last known specimen was shot. Due to the relative small size of the island and clashes with humans, along with poaching and habitat reduction has driven this unique feline to extinction. It was the smallest and rarest of all tiger species and never caught on film or displayed in zoos, few skins and bones remain in museums around the world as a testimony of its undisputed existence. Today, the largest animals remain the Javan Rusa deer and the Wild Boar. The water monitor can grow to an impressive size and move surprisingly quickly. Two species of deer occur in the island the smaller Muntjak and the larger Javan Rusa deer.
The Bali Tiger was declared extinct in 1937 due to hunting and habitat loss.

Snakes are represented by green snakes and occasional king and pythons occurring around areas where mice and rats are present. Squirrels are quite commonly encountered, more rare the Asian Palm Civet grown also in coffee farms to produce the expensive and controversial Kopi Luwak. Chiropteras are well represented, perhaps the most famous place to encounter them remains the Goa Lawah (Temple of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals and also constitute a tourist attraction, and other cave temples like Gangga Beach ones. Two species of primates occur in the island: the Crab-eating Macaque, known locally as “kera” quite common around human settlements or temples, where they became accustomed to people feeding them, particularly in any of the three so called “monkey forest” temples, with the most popular one in Ubud area. They are also quite often being kept as pets by locals. The second primate, far more rare and elusive is the Silver Leaf Monkey known locally as “lutung”. They occur virtually only in Bali Barat National Park, though in decent numbers. Other, rarer mammals include the Leopard Cat, Sunda Pangolin and Black Giant Squirrel.

The rich coral reef around the coast Bali particularly around popular diving spots like Tulamben, Amed, Menjangan or neighboring Nusa Penida host a large amount of marine life, like Hawksbill Turtle, Giant Sunfish, Giant Manta Ray, Giant Moray Eel, Bumphead Parrotfish, Hammerhead Sharks, Reef Sharks, Barracudas, Sea Snakes and so on. Dolphins are commonly encountered on the north coast near Singaraja and Lovina.

Plant life is also fairly diverse and rich giving its excellent climate fairly hot and humid. Due to human influence many plants have been introduced by humans within the last centuries, particularly since 20th century, making it sometimes hard to distinguish what plants are really native. From the larger trees most common are: Banyan trees, Jackfruit, coconuts, bamboo species, acacia trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen: Hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, roses, begonias, orchids and hydrangeas exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, like around Kintamani, certain species of fern trees, mushrooms and even pine trees thrive well. Rice comes in many varieties. Other plants with agricultural value include: salak, mangosteen, corn, Kintamani orange, coffee and water spinach.

BALI HOLIDAYS FOR FAMILIES
Bali is a perfect place to take your kids. They'll love the natural surroundings, and there is no problem whatsoever to find a baby-sitter or somebody to take care of them wherever you go. All Balinese adore kids !

Here you will find information about everything that you need to know about a Bali holiday for your family: where to stay, what to do and where to eat.

WHERE TO STAY IN BALI, INDONESIA, FOR FAMILIES
A Bali holiday for families begins and ends with suitable accommodation. There are variety of Bali hotels, resorts and villas to choose from, when planning your Bali holiday.Things to consider in selecting your Bali accommodation for a family group are:

= Location - try to choose a location that is popular and close to family oriented attractions i.e. near the beach, shops, restaurants and amusements.

= Facilities - make sure your accommodation choice is suitable for kids, it has a children's pool, connecting doors, play ground etc. Some venues are unsuitable for family groups.

= Pricing - does your accommodation choice offer discounts for children under a certain age?

= Transport - when you travel with a family in Bali, it will be much more convenient if you use private transport. Check with your accommodation venue if they provide private transport as part of the holiday package.

= Private Vacation Villas in Bali
Many families choose to spend a Bali holiday in a private villa. You can rent a private villa with two to seven bedrooms, tropical garden and swimming pool, all amenities, private car and driver and trained house staff. This is an attractive alternative to spending your vacation in a hotel or resort for many families.

WHAT YOU CAN SEE AND DO IN BALI
Bali is a paradise for children. Just about every attraction on the island is children "friendly" - which makes Bali an ideal destination for parents as well.

Children's attractions in Bali vary from surf, sand and beach activities; cultural activities such as dancing, temple visits, and traditional Balinese life style experiences; adventure activities such as rafting, cycling, bungee jumping and elephant rides; and theme parks such as Bali Bird Park, Waterbom, Butterfly Park, etc.

Balinese Dances
Balinese Dances are vivid and stylized performances. Most Balinese dances are dramatizations of stories and legends from the Hindu "Ramayana" and "Mahabaratha" or Balinese historical events.

Balinese culture is almost ready made for kids, especially the traditional dances with their colorful costumes and lively music. Girls tend to like the graceful movements of the Legong, which is often performed by young Balinese dancers. Boys are attracted to the Ramayana epic, with its dashing warriors or the famous Barong & Kris dance that features a mortal duel between the forces of good and evil.

Most of the big hotels feature dance performances each evening, often on outdoor stages adjacent to the pool. The new Galleria Nusa Dua shopping center features a different dance performance each night. Farther afield is the village of Batubulan, where the Barong & Kris dance is performed several times each day in an outdoor venue reminiscent of a Balinese temple."

If you wish your family to experience any of the above dances during your Bali holiday, find the full listing of all the above Balinese dances, and many more, with locations and times, by clicking here.

= Popular Bali Activities
Every popular family activity you can imagine can be found in Bali; from the water to the sky, there is something for everyone.

EATING OUT IN BALI
One of the greatest experiences of a Bali holiday for many families is eating out. Bali is simply like no other place in the world for the many different restaurants and cuisines on offer, the low cost for meals, the quality of food, and the exotic or romantic settings.

You should note that Hotel Restaurants are more expensive than local restaurants. The standard of hygiene is usually high, but always tell the restaurant staff to not make the food spicy hot when ordering for children.

What you should know about eating in Bali
There is a lot to know about eating out in Bali for families. There is a wide variety of cuisines to choose from with many restaurants specializing in simple dishes suitable for children. Also find out where the most popular Western fast food outlets are in case your children experience withdrawal symptoms.

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