Bali Travel Guide
Introducing Bali
Bali: A Small Island with a Big Personality
Sitting just 8 degrees from the equator and 2 miles east of Java, but separated by the Bali strait, the island of Bali is 95 miles wide and 69 miles long. The highest point on the island is Mount Agung, the island's active volcano. Bali’s center is mountainous and the mountains continue down the eastern side of the island. Mount Agung last eruption was in 1963. Mount Batur, the smaller volcano on the eastern side, is not as high as Mount Agung, but has the power to erupt at any time.
Bali’s beaches have been written about for centuries. The beaches in the south have pure white sand, while the beaches on the west side and the north side are black sand. The capital of Bali, Denpasar, has a population of around 300,000 and the city of Singaraja, on the north coast, is home for 100,000 people. The two other important cities are Kuta and Ubud, which is just north of the capital. Ubud is the cultural center of the island.
Bali is surrounded by a coral reef, which makes the island a popular diving destination. The wildlife, sea life and the variety of plant life on the island like the Hibiscus, poinsettia, jasmine and water lilies, as well as the banana and coconut trees, add a special flavor to this island paradise. Bali is also known for its different varieties of rice, as well as oranges, water spinach and coffee. Two million tourist visit Bali every year to hear the pounding surf, experience the exquisite sunsets, and enjoy the tasteful island cuisine.
Bali is the kind of island that tourist want to call home. There’s an ancient flair about the culture and the residents still express that flair in their everyday lives. The island has it beach towns like Amed, Pemuteran and Lovina where the mellow tone of the island captivates, as well as relaxes you, as you sip a cool drink in the shade of a coconut tree. A bowl of rice is considered a gift from God, so every meal is served with rice except the meal that the islander’s call a snack.
Bali in a Few Words
There are so many words to describe the island of Bali, but none of them due it justice. Trying to frame paradise in a sentence or paragraph is hard to do, especially when paradise keeps changing as the world expands. Bali still gives tourists the feeling that it is the only island in the world that offers crystal clear water, pure white and black sandy beaches, and a mountainous countryside filed with exotic and colorful tropical life. A trip to Bali is a trip back to the beginning of time, where time had no meaning and life was a celebration of appreciation. Bali is a tropical paradise where friendship hangs on the smile of every one of its beautiful residents.
