If you have just arrived at the Ngurah Rai Airport then here are some Bali travel tips that might come in handy. Especially if there is nobody from your hotel waiting for you at the arrivals hall. Because then there is only one option left for you: the airport taxi.

Unlike other airports throughout Indonesia, you won’t be approached or followed by dozens of taxi drivers asking you if you need a taxi. Instead at Nugurah Rai Airport all the taxi drivers are waiting for their customers at a taxi booth, indicated by a big blue sign.

Behind the counter you can see a list of all the major Bali travel destinations with the exact price behind it. After you tell the person where you want to go (hotel name, street name or village) you have to pay immediately. (more…)

Bali’s varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides provide a picturesque backdrop to the colorful and deeply spiritual culture of this \”Island of The Gods.\” Below are a few questions that are commonly asked plus tips on the do’s and don’ts of Bali Travel.

1/ Do you need a visa for travel to bali?
In general you don’t need to get a visa before you to Bali from most countries. A visa costs approximately US$10 for 7 days/US$25 for 30 days. If you have a Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passport, then you will get a free visa.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia, and you must have proof of onward passage (either return or through tickets). If you cannot fulfill both of these requirements, you may not be allowed to enter the country.
The Visa on Arrival is non-extendable and cannot be converted into a different visa. Once you disembark, you will come to an area where you buy your visa. (Do not miss this section). AFTER you have paid for and received your visa you THEN to proceed to Immigration where your visa will be processed. (more…)

Balinese Castes

The Balinese Hindu religion regards a traditional caste system though it has never been as divisive as its Indian ascendent. This is for the most part due to the fact that over 90% of Balinese belong to the lowest ‘Sudra’ caste, and in India would have been considered ‘untouchable’. Given their dominance such mental attitudes in Bali would not be realistic. Notwithstanding these facts, inter-marriage persists to be uncommon and discouraged.

The three upper castes are together recognized as the ‘Triwangsa’ (’three peoples’) constituting Brahmana, Kesayatria and Wesia. Caste is specified by birth but is rarely reflected in a person’s occupation, although only a Brahmana can be suited to be a Pedanda high priest, and only Brahmana may take the task of recreating masks from the ‘Barong’ dance as they harbour the ability to protect themselves from the evil spirits.

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Bali Introduction: The Geography

Bali is a small volcanic island covering around 5000 square kilometers, just south of the equator. Central Bali is dominated by the island’s major volcanic peaks, from which the land steadily descends all the way down to sea level on the northern and eastern coasts; the southern Bali peninsula is largely flat. There are four major volcanoes in Bali, the highest being Mt Agung at 3124m. Agung erupted violently in 1963 and although many people died in the eruption it has since been a blessing to the Balinese in providing some of the richest soil in Indonesia. The next four highest mountains are no longer alive but the smaller Mt Batur (1717m) is one of the most active volcanoes in the region, puffing regular clouds of ash into the air. Bali, being such a small island, has little space to create rivers of any notable size. Rather it is riddled with small creeks that are channeled into the intricate irrigation system that feeds Balinese rice paddies. Nevertheless, some major rivers do flow, namely the Sungai Pakrisan (”Kris River”), the Sungai Petanu (”Cursed River”) and the Ayung, Bali’s longest river.

Bali Introduction : The History

Many years ago Bali was divided into eight Hindu kingdoms. These small kingdoms were powerful but prone to fighting each other, which weakened their resistance to foreign invasion. As early as the sixth century, Javanese kings conquered parts of Bali although Balinese princes often continued to rule as puppets with Javanese sovereignty pulling their strings. Nevertheless power continued to bounce between various kingdoms of Bali and Java. As links with Java strengthened, Javanese script, sculpture and temples began to appear on the island. Late in the tenth century, ties between the islands were solidified with the marital union of a Balinese Prince and a Javanese Princess. The Javanese Majapahit kingdom conquered Bali in the thirteenth century by vanquishing the semi-demonic king of Bali at the time, ‘Dalem Bedulu’, and attempting to eradicate the ‘vile’ Balinese princes and their ‘barbaric’ customs. Ironically, the supreme Majapahit ruler gave a Balinese the position of ‘King of Bali’, a position that gained little respect from the majority of Balinese who continued to refuse to recognize Javanese sovereignty. The Majapahit presence in Bali turned out to be short and turbulent and during the ensuing centuries, much of the unique Balinese Hindu culture and traditions that we see in Bali today were created. This was possibly a result of a community determined to protect their individuality and not be overcome by imported Javanese culture.

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