BALI IS A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION, WHICH HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN TOURISTS SINCE THE 1980S. IT IS RENOWNED FOR ITS HIGHLY DEVELOPED ARTS, INCLUDING TRADITIONAL AND MODERN DANCE, SCULPTURE, PAINTING, LEATHER, METALWORKING, AND MUSIC. THE INDONESIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IS HELD EVERY YEAR IN BALI.

Bali was the host of the 2011 ASEAN Summit, 2013 APEC and Miss World 2013. The tourism industry is primarily focused in the south, while significant in the other parts of the island as well. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak (which were once independent townships), the east coast town of Sanur (once the only tourist hub), in the center of the island Ubud, to the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran, and the newer development of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.

Bali received the Best Island award from Travel and Leisure in 2010.^[41] The island of Bali won because of its attractive surroundings (both mountain and coastal areas), diverse tourist attractions, excellent international and local restaurants, and the friendliness of the local people. According to BBC Travel released in 2011, Bali is one of the World’s Best Islands, ranking second after Santorini, Greece.^[42]

In August 2010, the film Eat Pray Love was released in theatres. The movie was based on Elizabeth Gilbert‘s best-selling memoir Eat, Pray, Love. It took place at Ubud and Padang-Padang Beach at Bali. The 2006 book, which spent 57 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the New York Times paperback nonfiction best-seller list, had already fuelled a boom in Eat, Pray, Love-related tourism in Ubud, the hill town and cultural and tourist center that was the focus of Gilbert’s quest for balance through traditional spirituality and healing that leads to love.^[43]

Since 2011, China has displaced Japan as the second-largest supplier of tourists to Bali, while Australia still tops the list. Chinese tourists increased by 17% from last year due to the impact of ACFTA and new direct flights to Bali.^[45] In January 2012, Chinese tourists year on year (yoy) increased by 222.18% compared to January 2011, while Japanese tourists declined by 23.54% yoy.^[46]

Bali reported that it has 2.88 million foreign tourists and 5 million domestic tourists in 2012, marginally surpassing the expectations of 2.8 million foreign tourists. Forecasts for 2013 are at 3.1 million.^[47] The population of Bali was 3,890,757 as of the 2010 Census; the latest estimate (for January 2014) is 4,225,384. There are an estimated 30,000 expatriates living in Bali.^[65]

WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

ABOUT BALI ISLAND

BALI IS A SMALL TINY ISLANDS AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TOURIST SPOT IN ASIA

BALINESE OFFERING

Hindu Offering, In Hinduism, food plays an important role in rituals and worship, and the food offered to the gods is called “prasada”. The Sanskrit word “prasada” means “mercy,” or the divine grace of God. we can offer our food to God with devotion before eating it, not only are we not implicated in the karma involved in acquiring the food.

BALINESE TEMPLE

Balinese Temple, Unlike temples in Java, temples in Bali (called pura), become parts of the life of Balinese who mostly are Hindu religion. Balinese temple is a place of worship for Hindu. Each Hindu family has family temple at their house to worship Hyang Widhi and their ancestors. Each village generally has three main temples called Tiga Kahyangan.

KECAK DANCE

Kecak dance performance presents the dance as an introduction to the story, vital music to accompany the dancers movements, the music generated from a combination sounds of members “cak” which were about 50-70 people all of them will make music in akapela. The story is a fragment from the Ramayana.

BARONG DANCE

Barong is a character in the mythology of Bali. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda in the mythological traditions of Bali. The fight between Barong and Rangda is also the topic of traditional narratives, usually performed in the temple of the dead. The most famous is the story of Calonarang.

NYEPI (SILENT DAY)

Nyepi, Every religion or culture all over the world has their own way to define and celebrate their new year. The same thing also occurs in Bali, however the Balinese use different calendar systems to define a new year of the Saka Hindu, Westerners open the New Year in revelry, however, in contrast, the Balinese open their New Year in silence.

GALUNGAN CEREMONY

Galungan is a sacred ceremony that gives spiritual strength to be able to distinguish between life force coming from adharma and which budhi atma is the voice of truth (dharma). It also gives the ability to discern giant orientation and orientation of God . It must be realized that life is happy or emo life has the ability to master the giant orientation.

PERANG PANDAN

Perang Pandan is specific to Tenganan village only. The word ” perang pandan” is a two words noun in Indonesian language, This war dance in Tenganan village is called ” makare-karean ” This event is carried out during the ceremony of the temple called ” Ngusaba ” It is strange because this kind of ceremony is also known by the rest of Balinese.

WEDDING CEREMONY

Balinese Wedding is unforgettable momentum for the human being where the procession is followed by Hindu rituals, custom regulation and the perfect day based on Balinese Hindu Calendar. A marriage couple will use the beautiful uniforms during the procession. A couple’s marriage will not be acknowledged in the society if it is carried out without a traditional sacred ceremony.

OGOH-OGOH

The name ogoh-ogoh is taken from Balinese “ogah-ogah” which means something which is shaken. Ogoh-ogoh is made in form of Bhuta Kala or evil spirits and creatures who like to disturb human’s life. Bhuta Kala is usually symbolized as a giant creature / Rakshasa with scary and ferocious appearance, also often symbolized in other forms such as mythological creature like Garuda, dragon etc.

NGABEN

Ngaben or Cremation Ceremony is the ritual performed in Bali islands by Balinese people to send the deceased to the next life. The body of the deceased will be placed as if sleeping, and the family will continue to treat the deceased as sleeping. No tears are shed, because the deceased is only temporarily not present and will reincarnate or find his final rest in Moksha (freeing from the reincarnation and death cycle).

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