Beautiful people of a beautiful place, Bali

The Indonesian island, the land of clean beaches, peaceful cliff-top temples, coral reefs, rice paddy fields and volcano mountains, Bali is a beautiful paradise that shares art, culture and religious beliefs with India. Who can imagine that Indonesia, a hard core Muslim Nation has an Island Bali, which has 90% Hindu population. I travelled to Bali last October, and who could expect that my favourite part of the trip would become not the food or scenic beauty, but, the People.

I flew to Denpasar, Bali’s capital with my family and as soon as we got out of the airport, we met a driver named Oka Wijaya, who not only became our driver but our tour guide for whole of our stay in Bali. His Indian name left us intrigued in a foreign land. Later, we came to know that he, like most of the Balinese was a Hindu. It would be an understatement to say that he was excited to have us as his clients for next five days, because he was exuberated beyond imagination, to be our travel guide. So happy, forthcoming and exultant he was throughout our stay. He continuously asked questions about the Hindu religion and India. We went from discussing the Mahabharata to how Diwali is celebrated in Bali. He was super pleased and inquisitive, getting to know more about his culture from people belonging to the birthplace of his religion.

We had already planned our itinerary to stay three days in Kuta, which is traditional Indonesia. Kuta beamed with mystical old cliff-top temples, traditional markets, little shops selling Balinese paintings, wooden handicrafts, clothes and not to forget Balinese food outlets. The next two days were spent in Nusa Dua, the comparatively modern Bali, having beautiful beaches, resorts, water-sports, Balinese dance shows and night life and sunset cruises.

Most of the people of Bali can speak English. Not very proper English, but more than enough to communicate, since Tourism is the main occupation for people at Bali. The people literally treat all tourist and guests as someone higher than themselves. The one thing that the world can learn from Bali is their love and respect for nature. Animals are not harmed and all natural landscapes and formations are loved and worshipped. Any and every local whose eyes you meet in Bali will give a pleasant smile and greet you with ‘Selamat’ or ‘Hello’ in Balinese. Being polite, respectful and helpful to everyone is a way of life of the Balinese people. They are simple minded people, majority of whom are employed in the primary sector. Many of them are artisans and farmers. The lifestyle is non-materialistic, laid-back and peaceful. After all, who needs material wealth when peace and prosperity flourish in the minds of all citizens.

Bali is truly a traveller friendly place. Visa is easily available on arrival and currency exchange counters are spread all over the island. The currency is IDR or Indonesian Rupiah, though US$ are quite acceptable too. Most tourism resorts have money changer facilities. Credit cards are also accepted everywhere in the resorts, restaurants and shopping centres.

The best mode of transport is a taxi. Be sure to visit the dormant Kintamani volcano or Mount Batur. It is a popular sightseeing destination in Bali's central highlands. The magnificent views of the 13sqm Batur lake is the main attraction, surrounded by the captivating Mount Batur range. The best views for the perfectly conical shaped volcanic peak can be achieved in the early morning or evening, as clouds cover the peak and keep it hidden during the afternoon. It is also pertinent to mention that the fertile Kintamani area is a top producer of fruits and vegetables in Bali and also houses magnificent bamboo forests, where tourists often go for cycling.

There are picturesquely located temples on hill cliffs, like ‘Besakih’, ‘Tanah Lot’, ‘Tirta Empul’ and ‘Uluwatu’ temple. One must stay back until the sunset at the Uluwatu temple to witness the unique high-energy sunset Kecak fire dance, based on the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ubud is famous for its Barong dance shows and art market. The ancient ‘Goa Gajah’ caves known as ‘Elephant caves’ are an ancient meditation centre where Lord Ganesha is worshipped.

Over all, Bali is one place which can keep you enchanted for ten days or more. It has everything what a traveller looks for while visiting a new place- great food, the best people and a peaceful, natural environment away from the hassles of a city.

Image Credits: Neelakshi Yadav

#bali #exploration #international