Bali: The Traveler's Dream Destination

Bali in Indonesia has long been a popular tourist destination. Benefiting from a warm climate, clear blue seas and long golden beaches, it has attracted travelers from around the world. 

Having fun on the beautiful beaches of Bali. Boys greet us happily on Sanur Beach

Indonesia

Bali is a province of the country of Indonesia. An archipelago of thousands of islands spreading either side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea and Philippine Sea. The world's fourth most populous country, Indonesia is renowned for it welcoming atmosphere. The culture developed with generation of seventeenth and eighteenth century traders and Dutch colonialists. A central tenet of life in Indonesia is a sense of community and consensus, making it a relaxed place to take a holiday.

The Best of Bali

Bali

Most international travelers will fly into Ngurah Rai airport. Many transnational air companies operate flights into and out of this airport, and it is positioned ideally in the south of the country to access some of the most interesting places for travellers to visit.

Kuta

Kuta, on the south coast of the island, is renowned for its long sweeping beach. Water sports, diving and beach sports are popular pastimes and there are many bars and restaurants set back from the sand. It is also well-known as a place to dance the night away, including at beach parties.

Ubud

Ubud is another popular area with travellers. It is a small town set among the volcanic mountains and rice paddies of the central lands. Popular for its food and arts scenes, it is also the perfect base for hiking in the spectacular countryside. Arguably the most popular place to hike in is the Monkey Forest, a sanctuary home to hundreds of Macaques. More fearless animal-lovers may wish to hike among the volcanoes for the chance to meet a komodo dragon.

Nusa Lembongan

A small island just off the coast, Nusa Lembongan is a laid-back place popular with surfers. With no cars and crystal clear waters it is a great place for a few days of dedicated rest and relaxation, helped in part by its reputation as a place to practice yoga and get an expert massage.

With year-round sunshine, a great food scene based on fresh produce and a fascinating mix of cultures and histories, Bali is an enticing place for all travelers looking for a tropical paradise.

Bali Photo of the Day ~ Beach Boys Loving Life in Sanur ~ Balifornian Villas and Tours

Our Art and Culture Tour stopped by beautiful Sanur Beach yesterday to photograph the fisherman, the colorful painted catamarans and the many photographic opportunities avalible on one of Bali's best beaches. Thats all the encouragement this fun-loving group of young boys needed to willingly pose for some fun shots.

Beach boys loving life on Sanur Beach in BaliIf you like photography and want to learn to take better images what better way to do it then in paradise on our newly released Culture and Photography tour

Bali~ Deep Culture Photography Tour. October 19th-26th, 2012

The September tour is already sold out but spots are still avalible for the October tour. Click here for more information.
Deep cultural submersion, professional guidance and instruction, and personal enrichment. Not only will you be exposed to exquisite natural beauty and ancient culture unlike any other on the planet, you will be lead by experienced guides in well-appointed accommodations. This unique tour is far from a generic tourist trip to a paradise island. Each location has been carefully selected for its photographic challenges and rewards. It has taken decades of experience to create this tour and we welcome you to join us for eight days in Bali’s fascinating and vibrant culture, its majestic natural landscape and the warmth and generosity of its people.
For full information please go to
www.balifornian.com/bali-photography-tour-intensiv/
and sign up today to reserve your spot.

These small custom tours only allow 12 people so you get more instruction and the locations YOU want.

Happy travels!

Balifornian Photo of the Day ~ Handsome Young Fella

While attending a sacred ceremony at Pura Besakih, Bali's Mother Temple, this handsome young fella flashed us his beautiful smile and huge bright eyes.  Thousands of Balinese Hindus flock to temples on Gunung Agung, The holy volcano and the highest point on the island of Bali, for the week long celebration. Mount Agung is the most sacred spot on the island and rises 3142 metres above sea level. Its a trek to get here especially when thousands of others are attemtping to navigate the small winding roads to give their offerings to the Gods, but its well worth it.

Just one of thousands of worshipers at Pura Besakih- Bali's Holy Mother Temple Have a great photo of Bali or Indonesia? Just send us an email with the image and details and your photography can be selected as The Balifornian Photo of the Day.

Ask us how we can create the perfect custom tour of Bali for you and your group! just click here!

A great travel tip in honor of Bob Marley’s Birthday.

A great travel tip in honor of Bob Marley’s Birthday.

A helpful travel tip for those long journeys
Here is a great little tip to make the rough part of adventuring just a little bit easier.  All of us who have traveled and adventured have found ourselves on some ridiculously long, crowded, and uncomfortable bus trip to get to a new destination. Sure you can look out the window and take in the countryside (if it’s a daytime journey).  You can try to sleep, write in your journal, fine-tune your travel plan, etc. But after 7 or 8 hours in a crowded bus sitting next to a goat and a guy who smells even worse, you need a little help.

I always travel with Bob Marley music.  I used to bring along a cassette, then a CD and now I have my iPhone.  I have been on so many long trips where the bus driver has some incredibly annoying, poorly recorded, ‘music’ on repeat. The first few times is kind of nice and maybe gives you some local flavor but after eight or nine times, you want to strangle the poor guy (please do not touch or strangle the driver while the bus is in motion).  This is where I approach the driver and gesture to my cassette or CD in an effort to get him to play a little Bob.  
Bob Marley’s universal appeal is mind blowing. The impact he had, and continues to have, on people all over the world, is simple astounding.  There have been rides where everyone starts smiling, singing and really makes for a fun remainder of the journey.  I have made great friends doing this and with Bob’s inspiring music, it’s hard to go wrong with this tip.

Happy birthday Brother Bob.  You continue to brighten the world, open minds and provide joy the world over.

A brief history of Bali ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Written by Ghulam Mohsin.  Image by Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Bali is a tropical island, eight degrees south of the Equator, in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago. Because of its rich history, culture and arts - dances, sculptures and paintings - beautiful beaches, nature and tropical climate, Bali is thought to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Due to its many temples and pagodas it's also known as "The Island of the thousand temples". Its capital is Denpasar and its moto "Bali Dwipa Jaya" - "The Island of success Bali".

The island is 153 kilometers long and 112 km wide, giving a total area of 5633 km2. Its highest point is Mount Agung (3 142 m), which is actually an active volcano; last known to erupt in March 1963. The main cities on the island are Singaradja - a port in the west part and of course the capital Denpasar. The city of Ubud, west of Denpasar, is considered as the cultural center of Bali with its many art shops, museums and galleries.

As compared to the Islamic Indonesia, Bali stands out with its ethnos, culture and religion. The population of the island is around three million, ninety three percent of which are Hindi and the rest are Muslim. The interesting fact is that, unlike India, the cow is not a sacred animal here. The most important economic feature in Bali is the agriculture and rice in particular but a substantial number of the people are also fishermen. The cities of Kuta, Sanur, Djibaran, Seminiak and the renovated Nusa Dua are important tourist attractions.

The people of Bali are descendants of tribes, which come to the Indonesian archipelago from Asia around 25th century BC. Around the 1st century BC the Hindi come from India and mark the end of the prehistoric era. In 5th century AC an independent Buddhist kingdom is established on the island until the 11th century AC when Bali is conquered by the Hindi kingdom of Madjapahit from the island of Java through a royal marriage between the king of Bali Udajana and the princess of east Java Mahendradata. This union joined Hinduism and Budhism, mixing in the primitive animistic beliefs and personifications of ancestors by deities.

Europeans first discover Bali in 1597 when the Portuguese ship of the Dutch adventurer Cornelius de Houtman anchored on the shores of Bukit. After several consecutive wars (1846-1849) the Dutch finally conquer the island. During World War II it's invaded by Japan and becomes part of the Republic of East Indonesia, later known as United Indonesia. In 1965 the supporters of the communist party are brutally murdered after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the government. On October 12th 2002 a terrorist attack kills 202 people, mostly tourists in the town of Kuta.

Today, Bali is known for its Bali dances, scluptures, paintings and wood carving. The Hindu New Year, curiously, is in the spring, and is called "Nyepi". It's marked with silence and everyone, including tourists, remain at their homes or hotels. The Bali people believe that the left hand is impure so they use only their right for major things like eating, waving or giving/receiving things. The most widely used languages on the island are Bali and Indonesian, although most of sculpturestion speaks English because of the many tourists. After all, Bali received the Best Island Travel and Leisure award for 2010 given out by the US magazine Travel and Leisure

Bali Travel Blog