Adventures in Bali

by HERMAN MAULANA

With it's tropical temperatures and lush landscape, the island of Bali is a wonderful place to get in touch with your adventurous side.

Start by taking a Sea Walk. SeaWalker Bali has a special diving system that lets you get a close up view of the Bali ocean life. You actually walk on the ocean floor, to a depth of 15 feet, without getting your hair wet! Unlike traditional SCUBA diving no certification is needed. Your tour will include pickup from your hotel, transport in an air conditioned coach or minivan, professional instruction, safety approved equipment, insurance, refreshments and lunch. All you need to bring is a towel, sunscreen, swimsuit, and money for a video of your sea walk. The cost is just US$69 and instruction is provided in both English and Japanese. During your 30 minute sea walk you can expect to be surrounded by a large variety of colorful fish and sea life.

From the depths of the ocean to the top of a pachyderm. Bali is home to the Elephant Safari Park. Over 20 rescued Sumatra elephants live and play at the park. Here visitors are encouraged to get up close and personal with the elephants. Elephant shows are offered throughout the day, during some the elephants even paint. At the Elephant Safari Park you can touch and feed the elephants. The park is also home to the Elephant museum which houses a wide variety of elephant exhibits and information, including the only mammoth skeleton in Southeast Asia. To top off your trip to the elephant park, take an elephant tour and explore the nearby jungle from the back of a majestic pachyderm. Enjoy the elephant park and know that you are helping save the endangered Indonesian elephants, as a portion of all proceeds goes to relocation and breeding programs for Indonesian elephants.

Now that you've tried the easy adventures, it is time to step it up a bit. There are some fabulous whitewater rafting in Bali. The river scenery is amazing. During your rafting trip you will travel through gorges where cliffs soar high above you. This is interspersed with lush primary rainforests and spectacular waterfalls. The spectacular scenery combined with exciting white water make for a Bali adventure you will not soon forget. Two of the more common rivers to raft on are the Ayung River and the Telaga Waja River. The Ayung River has over 28 class II and III rapids interspersed with calmer areas where you can view waterfalls, lush forests, and steep cliffs. The Telaga Waga River is more of a thrill ride with continuous rapids from start to finish. Experienced guides will make sure you have a fun and safe trip.

So when visiting Bali make sure you do more than just enjoy the beaches. I've touched on just a few of the adventures that can add a little spice and excitement to your trip. In addition to the the adventures mentioned here, Bali also offers bungee jumping, trekking to volcanoes, and mountain biking. So get out there and enjoy the natural beauty of Bali while adding some excitement to your trip.

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Bali Beaches

By Eddie Tobey

Bali is one of the most visited vacation hotspots in the world. Situated in Indonesia, it was once named as the best island destination in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine. It attracts huge number of travelers from all over the world with its fun filled, palm fringed beaches known for having white sand. Bali has a many beaches, all of which are easily reachable from Despansar airport.

The line of beaches on the island of Bali includes Sanur beach, Jimbaran, Soka beach, Nusa Dua, Medewi beach, Lovina beach, Kuta, and Legian beach. Locals and tourists popularly go after Legian beaches, which are famous for their magnificent view of sunset. Surfing is a major activity here and the best waves are a 5 to 10 minute drive from Despansar airport.

Nusa dua beach has a chain of hotels placed on the sandy shores and these hotels provide luxurious swimming experience in protected lagoons, as well as fabulous gourmet food served on site.

Sanur beach is easily reachable from Despansar. Sanur has calm, secluded lagoons, which are favorites for lots of activities like wind surfing, parasailing, and excellent for families.

Between Despansar and Gilimanuk, two wonderful beaches called Soka beach and Mediwi beach are present. Jimbaran attracts many local families and tourists with its beauty and superb seafood restaurants that line along the beaches. Jimbaran is placed on the way from Despansar to Nusa Dua, directly to the south of Despansar airport.

Lovina is the most inspiring beach in Bali that attracts large number of tourists, irrespective of the season. A number of people visit this beach to view schools of dolphins swimming and playing in the waters.

Kuta is home to the whitest beach in Bali, and is just a 5 to 10 minute drive from Despansar. Kuta could be very well called the tourist mecca, because of its shops, pubs, and fully equipped first class hotels. Kuta is famous among skilled swimmers and recognized for its unpredictable underwater currents - novice swimmers should use caution when swimming at this beach.

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A Powerful Celebration in Bali

By Sharon Hornstein

Even though it happened about six years ago, my trip to Bali impacts my life to date. I saw people gather together in a way that I had never seen in the States. Or anywhere else. The man being cremated had died the year before. Because they believe that we are reborn to the same community that we lived in, they believe in throwing a huge party for the people therein. There was much celebration, with music, offerings of colorful clothing and bountiful fruit, and a generous party of food and drink. The reason the ceremony happened a year after the man's death was because the family needed to save enough money to provide this party for the community. An infant was also cremated at that time. The people grieved for both, but in a spirit of celebration at the same time. The bodies were cremated along with the offerings. Two elegant elderly women then sifted through the doused ashes to remove any larger fragments of bone, which were gently wrapped and put aside. The cremains were placed in a large, wide bowl and set atop a tall ornately decorated structure that rode on two long poles. Family members (and friends?) lifted the whole thing onto their shoulders and took off down the road to the river. Because they did not want the deceased to be stuck here or come back too soon, they twirled and swayed as they walked to confuse the deceased. And because they had been enjoying the drinking portion of the ceremony, I was afraid it all was going to come crashing down as their swaying and weaving on the road became more and more exagerated.

Now what I took away from all this was a profound sense of community coming together in support of the family, and the family's joy in providing such a wonderful celebration. They had had time to grieve the man's departure, but also present was the fresh grief for the infant. It was all there. Grief, comraderie, celebration, amidst tears and laughter. All there on one afternoon. I want more of that.

There's oftentimes such a sterility in our funeral services. People not showing much emotion in the services I've been present in in my past...wouldn't it be wonderful to have permission to weep and laugh, sing and cheer, sob and sway?! And without fear of seeming odd or uncouth! Just to let it all hang out. I know other cultures allow this as well. I would love a ceremony where my friends and family and community at large could congragate in such a way as to allow whatever feelings are present to express. What a gift!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Hornstein

Temples in Bali

By Herman Maulana

It would be impossible to visit Bali and not see the temples. Mostly because they are everywhere! Bali has been called the land of a thousand temples, and it is an apt description. Temples large and small are dot the Balinese landscape. In fact, there are tens of thousands of temples in Bali, from the simple to the ornate, from the very large, to the very small. There are so many temples in Bali that the government doesn't even bother counting them. In Bali the word for temple is Pura. Both words are used here.

In Balinese-Hinduism it is believed that the mountains are for the gods, the flat lands are for the people, and the sea is for the demons. (One of the reasons the ancient Balinese did not do much ocean navigation!) It most villages you will find temples for all three. The Pura Puseh is the most important temple, for honoring and worshiping the gods, the Pura Desa will be for the people. This temple is for the spirits that bless and protect the people. The third type of temple, Pura Dalem, is used to appease the demons and to ask for protection from the spirits.

The best time to visit a temple is during it's festival day. This only happens once per year for each temple, however, there are so many temples that it should not be difficult to find a temple festival. When visiting the temples it is important to show respect. Women should not wear shorts or have bare shoulders. There is a prohibition against blood on sacred ground, so anyone who is bleeding, including women during their cycle, should not visit the temples. Never stand directly in front of the priest, or be at a level above the priest's head. No flash photography. Kneel when others kneel and in general, try to blend in and do what others do. Men may be asked to wear a sash. These can be rented, but if you are going to be visiting a lot of temples it might make sense to buy your own.

The one temple you shouldn't miss on your trip to Bali is Besakih. It is often called the Mother Temple and is located high on Mount Agung. It is the most important temple in Bali. There are over 22 structures, some dating back to the 14th century. Located here are shrines to Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu.

One of the oldest temples in Bali is Pura Luhur Batu Karu. It is located 10 km west of Bedugul. It overlooks a lake which has a temple to the goddess of Lake Tamblingan.

If you like bats you'll love Goa Lawah Temple. A sacred site for Brahma, the temple is located in a cave filled with bats. It is said the caves may go all the way to Basakih. If bats are not your style you might prefer the Sangeh Monkey Sanctuary. Watch your belongings as you visit this temple surrounded by tall nutmeg trees. The monkeys are sneaky thieves! They particularly like glasses and keys.

So during your visit to Bali, make sure to enjoy the architecture, the sculpture, the festivities, and the sacredness of the Balinese temples.

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