1) Beach & Surf
Bali is well known for its pristine white beaches and secluded coves, the most famous beaches being in Nusa Dua where long stretches of soft white sand will soothe and comfort the soles of your feet. Many hotels have their own private stretch of beach with a Beach club or restaurant along. Kuta and Uluwatu are areas in South Bali well known for their good surf which makes Bali one of the most popular surf destinations in the world.

2) Padi fields
The beautiful terraced green padi fields are another must see for a visitor to the island of Bali. Many tourists will automatically head to Ubud, about 45 minutes from Bali Airport to stay in a hotel and villa overlooking the padi fields. The best padi field scenery is at Jatih Luwih and Tegallalang which are not far from Ubud.

3) Galleries and Museums
Beautiful paintings can be found in Ubud, home of many of Bali’s well known and aspiring artists. The peaceful scenery and tranquility of the area must be an inspiration for the remarkably detailed paintings these artists create and whose works are displayed in the numerous art galleries and museums found in Ubud village. Some of the more well known galleries are The Agung Rai Museum of Art, Neka Museum, Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum, Komaneka Gallery and Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women just to name a few.

4) Dance and Music
Dance and music plays a very important part of the life of a Balinese. Every ceremony and festival is almost always accompanied by traditional dance and the soothing sounds of the Gamelan. You will find many locations in and near Ubud where you can watch these dance performances. Dancers wear glittery and colourful costumes, executing to perfection elaborate hand movements and facial expressions to convey stories of the Ramanaya. You can watch the elegant Legong Dance at the Ubud Palace in central Ubud, or see other entertaining performances such as the Warrior Dance and Kecak Dance at other locations within the town. Wayang Kulit, or Shadow Play performances are also a common evening entertainment for the local Balinese and tourists alike.

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Being experienced on the Bangkok to Malaysia Train heading to the Penang side, seemed mellower compared to the Perhentian islands side. The train was scheduled to leave Bangkok in the early afternoon and it is a good idea to be there on time, as my experience with Thai trains is that they run on schedule out of the main Bangkok station. A good bit of advice is to stock up on munchies before you get to the train station especially if you like fresh fruit. The train does have a restaurant car that serves mostly Thai dish’s that if you like Thai food are ok. The restaurant car can get a little rowdy at night as all of the train police, employees and regular riders all sit around and drink Mekong & Chang and unwind after a hard day at the office, which for many travelers is part of the charm and excitement of the trip, as you can be a fly on the wall and observe the locals with out feeling out of place or intruding.

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Bali is one of the provinces of Indonesia. With an area of 5,632,86 sq. km and majority of the population involved in farming, the government has taken several steps to improve agriculture and tourism industry.

The early government that existed in Bali had more Indian influences to it. A hierarchical system was prominent in Bali, whereby in running the government, the king was assisted by a central advisory board called Panglapuan, which was later called Pakiran. The board of advisories included several commanders, senapatis, and Buddhist priests.

Bali has eight districts collectively called Kabupatens, which comprise of Badung, Bangli, Buleleng, Gianyar, Jembrana, Karangasem, Klungkung, and Tabanan. Among all these districts, Badung is the most famous and highly populated one, with Despansar as its capital.

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