The most interesting stories about Bali. Bali: interesting facts

World of travel

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29.07.16 11:38

Are you going to visit Bali? Interesting facts about this island will help you better navigate and save you from mistakes. Everything in Bali - beaches, tropical climate, chic exotic vegetation, a large number of entertainment venues, amazing cuisine, and culture - is worthy of your attention. This is an oasis of Hinduism in a Muslim country, and although the Balinese are friendly and love tourists, it is better to stick to the established rules and honor the customs of the island.

About tasty and very tasty food

As you know, Muslims do not eat pork, but Bali is mostly Hindu, and pork dishes can be found on every corner. The Balinese consider the pig to be the personification of laziness, and when they feast and eat a pig, they imagine that they are getting rid of laziness in themselves. Sweet pork, poached pork in coconut milk, roasted whole suckling pig - all served with rice, chips and sautéed vegetables. It should be noted this fact: Bali is a real kaleidoscope of cuisines of different peoples of the world, there is a very high food culture. You can get everything from juicy meat to fresh seafood, from traditional buffet to a five-star restaurant.

How many namesakes!

When you chat with the locals, you will find that many of them have the same first name. Here is the second interesting fact about Bali - there is a system for naming children here. The first-born is usually called Putu, Wayan, Gede (we cannot vouch for the correct pronunciation! - ed.). The second child is named Kadek, Made or Nengah. The third will be called Command or Nioman, and the fourth - Ketut. If the parents have more than four children, everything is repeated in a circle (Putu, Wayan, and so on).

Not taller than a palm tree

If you explore the whole island, you will not find a single skyscraper. And this is not a consequence of a weak economy, there are first-class hotels occupying buildings no higher than four floors. Why? The answer is simple: the Balinese authorities forbid building houses above 15 meters (the average height of a coconut tree). This tree on the island symbolizes wisdom, and the buildings built by people symbolize power. The Balinese do not want to have a power greater than the wisdom of life.

About nightlife and transport

But this fact about Bali will appeal to those who are used to spending time on the dance floor and love noisy parties. The Indonesian resort of Kuta, located in Bali, offers entertainment 24 hours a day. Legian Street is teeming with nightclubs, cafes and pubs.

But with public transport in Bali - "tension"! It is practically non-existent. The local population travels on bicycles, motorcycles and motor scooters, and only taxis and a few shuttle buses, which is not enough for everyone. So you have to walk.

Under the protection of the pelang

A terrorist act with a bomb explosion more than ten years ago stirred up the entire island, but now it is calm here. Despite that long-standing tragedy, Bali remains one of the safest places in Indonesia. The crime rate is extremely low, people believe in karma and do not want to anger the gods. Therefore, they avoid conflicts and are very hospitable. And, by the way, although there is nominally a police force on the island, local authorities called pecalang protect the order. Its representatives are easy to distinguish from the rest of the population by special headbands.

Gifts to the gods

You will walk the streets and wonder how many plates of food and coconut leaves are around with sweets, flowers, incense or rice. These are offerings to the gods, which are an important part of Hinduism. For daily basic prayers, one gift the size of a human palm is enough. Most often, offerings (kanang) are placed on shrines, and also on crossroads, pillars, at the entrances to houses and just on the streets. If you accidentally stepped on one of them, it does not matter, the main thing is not to interrupt the ritual.

Not a moment of silence, but a day of silence

Another interesting fact about Bali that may also come in handy. One day a year is declared a day of silence (niepi), usually it falls on March (it is better to know the date in advance). Because on this day, everyone - both locals and tourists, should not leave their homes, the streets seem to die out. at home (or hotel room) you need to sit quietly, do not turn on the lights and TV (there is no broadcast on this day anyway).

Do you want a villa for a million?

Real estate prices in Bali are considered the most expensive in Indonesia. Most villas are rented to tourists, not for sale. Of course, there are excellent hotels here, the rooms in which are quite tolerable. But, if you want to rent a luxury villa with ocean views and a private beach, get ready to shell out. One of the most luxurious villas is located in the Canggu area - a mansion with seven bedrooms and a plot of land on the waterfront of 1.63 hectares. In just one day of stay in this villa, you will pay more than 6 thousand dollars. You can buy such luxury for about 1 million dollars.

Visiting the monkeys

They say that you can easily meet a celebrity in Bali - Paris Hilton, Vanessa Hudgens and other stars like to visit here. But much more often than celebrities you will come across ... monkeys. They are cute, but still remain wild animals, so be careful with them. In the Uluwatu temple, there were cases when the monkeys dragged the things of tourists. They don't need your shoes, wallet or glasses. But cunning primates will only give them to you in exchange for a treat. If you want to watch the monkeys romp longer, here is the last interesting fact about Bali: go to Ubud, there is a Monkey Forest, admire the macaques all you want!

Bali is surfing and diving, religious, ecological and beach tourism. Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations all over the world, but despite this, a lot of the life of the local population is not known to the general public. Interesting facts about Bali will help you discover and learn something new and even useful. Bali is part of the Islamic State of Indonesia. Bali on the world map is located here.

Bali is Island of the Godswith a very diverse landscape: hills and mountains, beautiful coasts and sandy beaches, curvy rice terraces and bare volcanic slopes. Surfing and diving, unique cuisine, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological sites - Bali has a lot to offer the tourist market, and the market really likes this offer. Bali boasts a large number of places of interest from a tourist point of view. A variety of excursions are waiting for you: sightseeing and thematic, exciting walks, yacht tours, and even cooking courses. Current prices for excursions to Bali, as well as a list of private Russian-speaking guides, can be found on the website of the special project for tourists "Experts.Tourister.Ru" - experts.tourister.ru.

• It is believed that the very first settlers in Bali emigrated from China in 2500 BC.
• It is noteworthy that in Indonesia, more than 88% of the population professes Islam, while on the island of Bali, which is part of this state, 83.5% of the population professes a special kind of Hinduism. That is why pork dishes can only be tasted in Bali, in Indonesia, pork is not eaten, since this food is prohibited in Islam.
• Subak is an irrigation system rice fields in Bali, was developed over 1000 years ago. Considered an objectUNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Bali is just one of over 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia.
• One of the most expensive coffees, Kopi Luwak, is produced in Bali.
• The Balinese believe that a newborn baby is the reincarnation of one of the family ancestors, and therefore the child should not touch the ground until 3 months old.
• A child, regardless of gender, is usually given one of these four names: Wayan, Made, Nyoman, or Ketut. This can be translated as: born first, born second, and so on. If you have more than four children, you simply start over with Wayan. Descriptive nicknames help avoid confusion. This rule is true for the lowest caste. Yes, there are 4 castes in Bali, similar to those in India.
  
• Bali was the host of the competition Miss World 2013 . This was the first time that an International Beauty Contest was held in Indonesia.
• The climate on the island is tropical, and is divided into two seasons.The dry season lasts from April to October and the rainy season from October to April. best time the dry season is considered to be visited, it is also more crowded. For inspiration and peace, many go during the rainy season, when the tourist flow is negligible.
• The Balinese menu consists of white rice, pork, spicy vegetables and exotic fruits.
• One of the most sacred temples in Bali - Pura Ulu Watu, p located high in the rocks on the southwestern tip of the island.
  
• Seminyak - center luxurious life on Bali. Hereyou will find boutiques, restaurants, cafes and fashion shows.
• Ubud is the artistic heart of Bali, the center of spiritual life.The streets are filled with galleries where artists of different generations do their work. Here is an indescribable viewto the rice terraces. Thisgreen landscape is often chosen as best place for yoga and meditation.

The small island of Bali, which is part of Indonesia, is well known throughout the world as a first-class resort. Every year it is visited by millions of tourists, and they strive to return here for positive emotions in the future. The island impresses with its excellent nature, the most beautiful beaches and numerous entertainments.

Each Balinese simultaneously exists in a pair of worlds. Sekala is the visible environment around a person. The invisible world of Niskala can only be felt while performing national rituals that have a long history.

There is no time to work on the island, as there are 230 days off every year.

Religion local residents called "Agama Hindu Dharma" and is an amazing mixture of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs, mixed with pagan ideas about the world and belief in various spirits.

Bali law allows polygamy, with a maximum of four wives. It is curious that a man can remarry only after receiving written permission from the first of his wives.

One of the local traditions involves filing teeth. They make it to young people who have reached the age of 16-18. It is believed that such a procedure allows you to calm the six major spiritual sins in a person (lust, greed, and so on). By the way, if you are interested in this and other traditions in Bali, then the Gidnabali.ru company conducts excursions on the island with Russian speaking guide and also organizes wedding ceremonies. Wedding ceremonies from GidNaBali.ru will become an unforgettable moment in your life together. Trust me it's worth it.

The home of the Balinese is a full-fledged living being. The role of the head is played by the temple, necessarily turned towards the Agung volcano. In place of the hands are living quarters, and the kitchen and outbuildings are located instead of legs.

There are three calendars in Bali. The first is accepted all over the world and used in everyday life. The second is called Pavukon and is the calendar of the Javanese-Balinese peoples. The third is called Saka and is common to all Hindus.

If we proceed from the chronology of the Saka calendar, then today the island of Bali lives in 1936.

For any Balinese, the right hand is sacred. Only she can transfer any thing to each other.

The linguistic features of the island provide for the division into three castes, the indication of which is mandatory when referring to a person.

Gunung Agung Volcano - highest point Bali, its peak is at 3142 meters. At the foot is Pura Besakikh, the most revered temple among the locals.

Rice is the most common product on the island. Residents consider it the food of the gods, so you can meet dishes from it at any celebration.

Of the entertainment, cockfights have no equal in popularity. Fighting birds are cared for like their own children.

It is curious, but during a divorce, the children remain with their father, and the woman takes with her only the things that she had before marriage.

Bali is a small island in Indian Ocean, the country of Indonesia. If you are going to go there, then I suggest you read 20 interesting facts about Bali.

1. The area of ​​the island is 5780 km², the length is 150 km from east to west and 80 km from north to south.
2. There are only two big ones in Bali active volcano: Gunung Agung (3142 m) and Gunung Batur (1717 m) are located in the northeastern part of the island.
3. The largest eruption of Gunung Agung was recorded in 1963.
4. Only two seasons are distinguished on the island: dry (June-October) and wet (November-March), the largest number precipitation falls in January-February.
5. In total, 3,890,757 people live in Bali (2010).
6. Most Balinese (83.5% of the population) profess a local variety of Hinduism, which is called "Agama Hindu Dharma". 13.3% of the population are Muslims.
7. There are about 20 thousand temples in Bali.
8. Denpasar - the capital and The largest city islands. Kuta is a city of eternal parties. Ubud is the center of Balinese artistic and creative life.
9. The most common transport among the local population is a moped or scooter.
10. The main part of the current Balinese are descendants of people from the Javanese Majapahit empire, which collapsed under the pressure of Islam at the beginning of the 16th century. The indigenous inhabitants of the island are the people called “Bali Aga”, which means “inhabitants of the Bali mountains”, although they themselves do not like this name and prefer to be called “Orang Bali Mula” (“original Balinese”) or “Bali Turunan” (“Balinese descended from heaven").
11. When a girl gets married, she moves into the house of her husband's family. She becomes a member of his family, helping his older relatives, taking care of his family temple, and honoring his ancestors.
12. A man can have up to four wives, however, he can take the second only with the permission of the first, the third, with the permission of both of the first, etc. But the basic rule: he must provide for them all equally.
13. There are only four names in Bali, and they are the same for both boys and girls: Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut, which literally means “first”, “second”, etc. in order of birth.
14. There are 4 freshwater lakes on the island: Batur, Beratan, Buyan, Tamblingan.
15. Bali has 230 official public holidays in a year.
16. Now in Bali 1940
17. On the island there is a ceremony of filing teeth at the age of 16-18 years. This is done in order to pacify the 7 most important vices in Bali - lust, greed, anger, sadness, arrogance, jealousy and drunkenness.
18. The right hand is a sacred part of the body among the Balinese. For example, you can take and give a thing only with your right hand.
19. Volcano Agung (3142 meters) in Bali is considered the most sacred place on the island. All the temples of the island are turned in its direction and all the Balinese sleep with their heads towards this volcano.
20. Balinese celebrate New Year in complete silence (Nieppi). For 24 hours, no one on the island leaves the house. All restaurants, offices, schools and shops are closed.

Special offers for hotels in Kuta

Read more articles on Bali:

• Excursions in Bali - popular excursions in Bali, description and cost, reviews
• Lake Bratan and the main "water" temple of the island - Pura Ulun Danu
• Green Bowl beach (Green Ball) - spot only for professional surfers
• Abandoned hotel in Bali and our hotel visit during a thunderstorm

The paradise island of Bali is very popular with tourists looking for exotic vacation in the hot tropics. And it is not surprising - there are few other places where you can see such wonders of nature, while not overpaying a lot of money for a vacation. Of course, Bali hotels are not too cheap, but in any case, you can relax here much cheaper than, for example, in the Maldives or the Canaries. And yes, there is definitely something to see here.

1. Contrary to what is common among Russian tourists pronunciation, the stress in the word "Bali" is placed on the first syllable, and not on the last.
2. The population of Moscow is three times larger than the population of Bali.
3. Even during the rainy season, there are no torrential downpours. The rains are usually short, and almost always fall only at night.
4. More than 80% of Balinese profess their own religion based on Hinduism, despite the fact that Indonesia, which owns the island, is a Muslim state (see).
5. Shamans enjoy greater prestige among the local population than doctors. That is why there are few pharmacies and hospitals here - due to the lack of clientele.
6. There are no wallpapers in houses in Bali. The walls are simply painted, and even without plaster. And the windows are very small, and are often located under the very ceiling.
7. Cutlery is also not held in high esteem here - the Balinese usually eat with their hands.
8. A religious ceremony in your home village in Bali is a good reason not to go to work.
9. Raising your voice in Bali is strictly not accepted. Who screams is a priori wrong. Just like in Thailand (see).
10. Public transport the island is extremely poorly developed. The best way transportation for a tourist who does not want to overpay for a taxi - rent a motorbike. Unless, of course, he knows how to drive it and is not afraid of chaotic local traffic on the roads.
11. There are more than 20 thousand temples in Bali, including many "home" ones. There are over 6,000 official temples here.
12. The word "Bali" in Sanskrit means "hero".
13. In traditional Balinese villages, there is still a ban on finding a spouse from another village. You can only from your own.
14. Here the caste system is in use, as in India, however, it is not so rigid (see).
15. Not a single important action in Bali is performed without rituals accompanying it. There are more of them here than in any other country in the world.
16. There are many volcanoes on the island. For obvious reasons, this is quite dangerous in the long run.
17. There are three different levels in Balinese, with the right one depending on who you're talking to. A mistake can be regarded as an insult.
18. Cockfights are very popular in Bali, as well as in the Philippines (see).
19. The Bible was first translated into Balinese in 1990.
20. In Bali, there are practically no buildings higher than two floors.
21. The dead are cremated here, and not buried, as in most other countries.
22. The Balinese use three calendars at once. The Gregorian we are used to is needed mainly for communicating with tourists.
23. In local cigarettes, tobacco is sometimes mixed with cloves.
24. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, women in Bali went topless, but with the advent of Europeans, this began to be considered indecent.
25. Men became the “labor force” here only a few decades ago. Before that, all the main work, including heavy work, was done by women in Bali. And even now it is noticeable that mostly women work, while men sit in front of the TV or relax in the shade of a palm tree.
26. In 1906 the Dutch fleet occupied the island. The royal family, like representatives of many local noble families in Bali, preferred suicide to surrender.
27. White, black, red and yellow colors are considered sacred in Bali.
28. The name of the Balinese directly speaks of his belonging to a particular caste. The Sudras, a labor caste that makes up about 80% of Bali's population, do not distinguish between female or male names.