Adelaar Cruises
Contributor
Heck YA!! (There Are LOTS of Reasons!!) The Island of the Gods has everything from culture and customs, temples and tradition, pre and post diving, warm and welcoming locals, festivals and festivities, waterfalls and walking tours, luxury and local dining. There are a many luxury resorts and local home-stays to choose from and inexpensive spa experiences all the way up to inclusive yoga retreats. If you’re looking to shop till you drop Bali offers everything from Burberry to Bintang singlets.
We understand people, who only want to be underwater during their holidays, and we’ll talk about that later in the blog but if you also like to explore the places you dive, a Bali stopover has options to please just about every budget and interest.
The following list by no means includes all there is to see and do in Bali; we’ve tried to give you some idea of what’s available. After 20 years of operating in Bali, we have found our dive guests often come away with enjoyable experiences from the following places.
Temples and Traditions
You don’t want to bore your non-diving friends and family with 500 underwater photos. Stopover in Bali and see a few Balinese temples during your dive holiday.
Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot Temple is one of Bali’s most important landmarks, famed for its unique offshore setting and sunset backdrops. An ancient Hindu shrine perched on top of an outcrop amidst constantly crashing waves; Tanah Lot Temple is among Bali’s iconic places.
Uluwatu Temple, or Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of six key temples believed to be the spiritual pillars of Bali. It sits perched on top of a steep cliff approximately 70 meters above sea level with commanding sea views to the west. This makes it a fantastic place to watch the local Kecak (fire dance) at sunset followed by a sumptuous dinner.
Goa Gajah
Dating to the ninth century, Goa Gajah (‘Elephant Cave’) is an archaeological site of significant historical value; but it’s also a really cool place to explore. Take an hour to descend to its relic-filled courtyard and view the rock-wall carvings, a central meditational cave, bathing pools and fountains.
Gunung Kawi Temple Complex
One of Bali’s most unique archaeological sites comprising a collection of ten Candis (ancient shrine reliefs) carved into the face of a rock cliff. The main site overlooks the sacred Pakerisan River, which also flows by the Tirta Empul Temple a kilometer to the north.
Pura Ulun Danu Batur
Built in 1926, it is the second most important temple complex of Bali, after the mother temple Besakih. The temple is dedicated to Dewi Batari Ulun Danu, goddess of lakes and rivers. “Ulun Danu” literally translates as “head of the lake.”
Tirta Gangga
The lavish water gardens owned by the royal Karangasem family feature 120 yards of pools, ponds, and fountains surrounded by neatly cut lawns adorned with stepping stones, ornate statues and tropical gardens.
Besides watching playful monkeys in their natural habitat, swinging through canopies, lazing along pathways or feeding on bananas, the site offers cool walks along paved pathways through a leafy nutmeg forest. Beautiful ancient temples with guardian statues covered in moss also feature throughout the forest.
Culture & Customs
Balinese culture is a mix of Balinese Hindu-Buddhist religion and local customs. It is perhaps most well known for its dance, drama and sculpture. Even in poor rural villages, beautiful temples are a common sight and so are skillful gamelan players and talented actors and dancers. The Balinese Culture is truly awe-inspiring and the locals are some of the warmest, friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere. Bali Magazine’s calendar of events is a good reference for ceremonies and performances both large and small.
Melasti – March 25, 2017
Pilgrims take heirlooms on long walks from temples towards the coastlines where purification rites take place. Parasols, banners and small effigies paraded along the horizon make for a stunning and only-in-Bali scene.
Saka, New Year’s Eve March 27, 2017
A night of merriment and noise, every Balinese household starts the evening with blessings at the family temple and continues with a ritual to ‘chase away’ malevolent forces, known as bhuta kala, from their compounds – hitting pots and pans or any other loud instruments along with a fiery bamboo torch. These ‘spirits’ are later manifested as the ogoh-ogoh to be paraded in the streets. As the street parades ensue, bamboo cannons and occasional firecrackers fill the air with flames and smoke.
Nyepi, Day of Silence – March 28, 2017
Nyepi Day in Bali is a New Year celebration unlike anywhere else on the planet. This day of silence is ultimately the quietest day of the year when all of the island’s inhabitants abide by a set of local rules, which brings all routine activities to a complete halt. The airport and roads all over Bali are devoid of any traffic and nobody steps outside of their home compounds
Gulangan and Kuningan – April 4th & November 1, 2017
Galungan enlivens the whole island of Bali with locally made Penjors (beautifully decorated bamboo poles) lining all the roads on the island. For 10 days this festival celebrates the creation of the universe; the victory of the good Dharma against the evil Adharma. It is believed that the gods come down to earth and ancestors’ souls pay a visit to their families.
Bali Arts Festival – June 10th through July 8th
The Bali Arts Festival is a cultural treat for lucky visitors who are in Bali around mid-July. It is the perfect moment to witness Bali’s wealth of artistic creativity together with various cultural highlights from other islands in Indonesia. It kicks off with a parade that showcases traditional costumes and culture from regions throughout Indonesia.
Smaller cultural performances are held regularly throughout the island but Ubud’s a great place to start looking, as it is Bali’s artistic heart.
Kecak and Trance Dance – The kecak is a ritual dance that was created for the 1933 movie “Island of the Demons” by the German painter and intellectual Walter Spies, Victor Von Plessen and Friedrich Dalsheim. The dance combines the chorus of the “Sanghyang” trance dance with a dance story from the Indian epic poem “Ramayana.”
Barong and Kris Dance – The Barong is a triumphant display of graceful movement and vibrant color. The dance is a contest between the opposing forces of Rangda, representing chaos and destruction, and Barong, representing order.
Ramayana Ballet – This highly entertaining dance form plays out the epic legends of the Ramayana. The ballet tells an adventurous tale broken into four scenes that include kidnapping, travel, and death. The dancers do not converse with each other. The story is narrated only by the “sinden”, a female singer present throughout the piece.
Due to limited space on Scubaboards posts the pre and post diving portion can be found on our blog page.
There are so many options for a stopover in Bali before or after your dive holiday that we can’t possibly cover them all in this blog. While we started our Bali dive tour in the Northwest, Part II will cover dive areas on Bali’s east coast and outlying islands. Part II will also have more information on trekking and sightseeing the natural wonders of Bali and of course, our favorite restaurant experiences and fun shopping ideas (some that are as much about culture as they are about souvenirs and locally made items). Link to our list of sailing dates to help plan your Bali stopover.
