Bali – an island of 1000 Gods, Temples …..and Spas!

12Jul
by Kamila Pala

BALI- THE ISLAND of thousand Gods and Temples (there are over 20.000 temples and shrines in Bali) is one of numerous Indonesian islands. It is an island with the largest Hindu minority in Indonesia. Among the 4 million population, about 83% are Hindus. To me Bali is an island with almost MAGIC AURA and very RELAXED ATMOSPHERE!

Even though the island is pretty small, around 153km long and 112km wide, it yearly welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists (tourism and agriculture are main sources of income), especially coming for its beautiful natural landscapes, beaches and atmosphere.

“Earn just enough for what you need. Too much money means too much troubles” is what our guide reminded us several times.

It is 6 AM in Ubud and we are getting ready to explore jungle and small villages on a walking tour with our local guide. Going around so early is the best time to see local life and meet people working on fields. And also walking around so early one avoids high temperatures with almost 100% humidity. We are taking tiny paths between the rice fields, on which local “farmers” work already. By hands and barefoot… In the forest we meet a woman crooked under the weight of the grass bundle on her back. “She’s on her way to feed her cow.” Next to the small crops are wooden huts. Here, a cow represents a fortune! “But Hindus don’t eat cows, do they?” I am surprised. “It’s business. We sell them to other islands (Muslim ones) and bring back pork meat instead..” explained our guide.

There are a lot of interesting spots on the island apart of endless number of amazing temples that are pretty much everywhere. From a safe distance, we observed stunning highest Mountain Agung (3.031m), which can be climbed. This still active volcano has killed over thousand people from nearby villages when in last erupted in 1963. The most famous of all temples is probably the MOTHER TEMPLE. We were lucky enough to see it partially covered with clouds that gave it very mysterious look. But our favorite spot on the island is Ubud, a village where we stayed for couple of days. Great center point on the island to travel from and village with unmistakable atmosphere. The MONKEY FOREST where “cute monkeys” steal whatever they like from tourists’ pockets is also nice place to visit. Going to the south part of the island (most touristic) we enjoyed watching unforgettable Kecak show, traditional Balinese dance and music drama.

And Balinese CUISINE? YUMMY! Is one of the most complex in the world (vegetables, meat and fish). My favorite was Bali Saté Lilit.

How to end the day? Of course in SPA! I personally love traditional Balinese massage with relaxation music played on the background and smell of aroma oils… Is Bali a good tip for your next trip?

55 thoughts on “Bali – an island of 1000 Gods, Temples …..and Spas!”

  6. Kamila Pala

    Thank you Sue! Really specific place with some kind of aura…for me! And about the humidity? I felt all days like in “Turkish spa”, still remember everything. 🙂 Lovely weekend. Kamila

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  9. Kamila Pala

    Hi, thanks! Really appreciate if you like this post from such un exotic destination! 🙂
    About the like, thank you for info, no problem…for me is more important when my readers enjoy photos and text! Have a nice summer weekend. Kamila

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  10. elle

    My gosh, this is so incredible as always! I study ancient India, but one of my profs focuses on Indonesia and he is forever talking about Bali, so I’ve lately been really interested in what it’s like over there. Looks unbelievable 🙂

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    1. Kamila Pala

      You are right, thats the plan when I return. Would you have any suggestion for some other island(s) around that must not be missed? I guess Lombok must be nice as well…

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    1. Kamila Pala

      Oh yes, that is true! I prefered small places for relaxation in special part of island…some places around the beaches are little bit more turistic… 🙂 Have a nice summer Kamila.

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  28. Dalo 2013

    Great series of photos…relaxing, but so full of life, that I do not know if I’d ever want to sleep. Truly my kind of place ~ and Bali is so close to HK that I should go there often 🙂 Cheers, enjoy your summer!

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  32. Bama

    Beautiful photos, Kamila! Ubud is also my favorite spot to stay in Bali, not only because of its charming ambiance, but also its central location on the island, making day trips possible to most parts of Bali.

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