Bali

Bali is the most famous tourist destination in Indonesia, and was awarded one of the most fascinating tourist destinations by many travel magazines: there are stunning white sand beaches and warm sunshine in the south. Kuta and Nusa Dua are the most popular areas for the tourists. While the eastern and northern parts are more attractive to those who like outdoor activities: Tulamben is one of the best dive sites in Indonesia and Gunung Batur is favorable for the climbers. Traveling in the central part of Bali is a journey of art: Batubulan, the home of stone carving; Celuk, the village of silverware; and Ubud, the art center where tourists can feel the religious and artistic atmosphere.

Best Time to Travel

Located in the equator, the island of Bali is typical of tropical rainforest climate with the annual average temperature at 28℃. There are two seasons a year: dry season and rainy season. From April to October is dry season and there are little rain, especially from June to September, when it seldom rains and it is cool at night, which is a good time for traveling. While from December to March is the rainy season. It rains heavily almost every day, but most of which are showers. So most time of the day is sunny and has little influence on travel there. However, the air is humid and you will feel a little uncomfortable. Ubud and mountainous areas in the hinterland of Bali are always cloudy and rainy all the year round and the temperature here is a few lower than that across the coast. In regions with relatively high altitude like Kinta Mani, jackets and sweaters are needed after sunset.

• 1. Tanah Lot
  Tanah Lot is one of the most significant sea temples around the Balinese coast and was built in the 16th century. Tanah Lot means “Land in the sea” in Balinese language. The temple sits on a large offshore rock. When the tide is coming, the rock is surrounded by the sea and isolated from the land leaving the temple stand in the sea lonely. Only when at ebb tide, the rock is linked to the land. The Tanah Lot has been a part of Balinese mythology and it is said that at the base of the rock poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders.
• 2. Tirta Empul Temple
  According to a legend in ancient times, in order to protect the villagers from the poisoned water by a wizard, Lord Indra stuck the ground with a spear, and then the spring gushed out. This is the origin of the sacred spring. There are ten odd outlets in the temple and the water is very clear even after thousands of years. Different water from different outlets has different functions: averting calamities, getting rid of illness or cleansing the soul. The residents nearby take bath here three times a day in the morning, afternoon and evening. In a hill near to the Tirta Empul Temple, a European-style building-- the palace for Indonesian President -- has once received the world leaders.
• 3. Blue Point
  “Blue Point” is located on the cliff of Uluwatu, where you can enjoy the unrivaled and romantic ocean view. At the foot of the cliff is the famous surfing site and the top surfers from European countries and America come here. It is stunning with endless sea view and a swimming pool which makes you feel the pool is in the sea. It is surprisingly beautiful. Besides that, the wedding church is very romantic. Except that the roof and structure columns are white, the other parts of the church are whole pieces of clear glass. Facing the vast and clear Indian Ocean in the church, you seem to be in a fairy tale world.
• 4. Kuta Beach
  Located in the southern Bali, Nusa Dua is a part of Bukit Peninsula. There are beautiful beaches, luxurious hotels and gorgeous sceneries, which make it a typical resort for the rich. In the southwestern corner of the Bukit--Uluwatu, where you can enjoy the famous view of cliffs, is very magnificent. The whole beach of Nusa Dua can be divided into different personal hotel beaches according to the location of the hotels. Strangers are not allowed to enter, so this is the quietest beach with fewest numbers of people among the three beaches in Bali. As a rest area for tourists after complete planning and construction, it is a good place to cultivate your mind and relax. At the same time, Nusa Dua is the perfect area to see the sunrise. The beach here is very peaceful and you can windsurf, sail in a skiff and swim.

The Indonesia cuisine is featured by various kinds of spices and sauces such as coconut milk, pepper, cloves, cardamom and curry. And the chili sauce is often seen in the dinning-table. They have a strong flavor. The staple food in Bali is rice and the steamed rice in the coconut shells is full of fragrance. Chicken, beef, fish, liver, eggs and all kinds of vegetables are made from Padang type cooking method (Padang is the main city of Sumatra Island). Babi Guling, Rost Duck, Tepi Sawah, Ayam Pepes, Ikan Pepes, Roast Chicken and tasty fruit platter are typical food. Coconut milk is a popular drink of Bali. Babi Guling roasts with slow fire, together with banana leaves, herbs and spices. Its golden sleek color, tender meat and fragrance will attract all the tourists.

• 1. Nasi Kuning
  Turmeric of Bali Island has high quality, such as bright color, being rich in flavor, and having the effect of warming the stomach. Nasi Kuning is a classic family dish which is often put into a pagoda-like design.
• 2. Bali Satay
  After sprinkling chili sauce to baked Satay, and adding a bowl of sauce with peanut butter as base, people all appreciate its rich sauces. Bali Satay sauce has a little curry flavor, and its meat is baked with banana leaves mostly, so it is very tender. With hot curry sauce and fried crispy onion and potato chips sprinkled around, Satay tastes very delicious.
• 3. Roast Chicken
  Bali Roast Chicken is famous for its special sauce rather than the chicken itself. Its sauce, which is made from coconut milk, wild pepper, fish sauce and other spices, has a special fragrance. Although the sauce is a little spicy but very appetizing, especially eating with plain rice, the flavor of chicken and rice becomes more prominent!
• 4. Bali Papaya
  Papaya is a kind of delicious food. There are two kinds of local papaya: one is the small kind, and the other is the big. Tourists can enjoy its flavor through drinking juice or eating directly. The taste is fresh and purely papaya sweet. Selection tips: it is better to buy the big kind because the big one is sweeter than the small.

Kuta is the traditional business, tourism and shopping center in Bali,with Matahari and Discovery Shopping Mall being the two largest shopping centers there. Matahari and the stores opened around it form a shopping mall close to the beach where KFC, MacDonald’s and Pizza Hut that are familiar to Chinese people can be found. The ground floor is a supermarket where you can find all kinds of cosmetic products and sunscreen, food, fruits and handicrafts.

Other recommended places besides malls

• 1. Pasar Ubud
  Located in the city center of Ubud, Pasar Ubud is located at the oppositeof the Puri Saren Agung. Jalan Raya Ubud, Jalan Hanoman and Monkey Forest, the three avenues nearby, are filled with various stores and this area is the best part of Ubud. There you can find all kinds of items, such as silverwares, wood carvings, plaited products, fruits and vegetables, clothes, saloons, leather products, shoes, souvenirs and musical instruments etc. There are many stores here and you can have a wide range of choices and bargaining. Here you can satisfy your desires for shopping as well as enjoy the local life
  Address: Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali
  Transportation: 90 minutes, Bemo from Denpasar directly to Ubud.Fee: 10000Dong
• 2. ATHENA VILLA
  Here you can find many high-end wood carving workshops and lamp construction workshops. The glaze lamps are especially exquisite and pretty at a reasonable price. If you want to buy some exquisite handicrafts, this place is your first choice.
  Address: JI, Athena II No, 3 Padang Sumbu, Denpaser Barat
• 3. Spice Market
  On the only way from Ubud to Lovina Beach, you can find sweet and delicious hard strawberries. They are very unique. You can also find varieties of herbs there. Especially for those in family tour, you can give a lesson of tropical biology to your children. A long row of snack stands is also located near the spice market. Tourists who are fond of the local snacks can enjoy greatly.
  Address: Candi Kuning, Bedugul, Bali Bedugul 81162

Bali is a well-known holiday resort, so there are many luxury hotels with world-class amenities and services. In order to protect the landscape here, local government stipulated that all buildings should not be taller than the coconut trees. Therefore, not being tall buildings, all the hotels have their own uniqueness and styles which attract many tourists to spend their whole holidays in the hotels.

Hotels are mainly located in the beaches of southern Bali: Sanur, Nusa Dua, Kuta and Jimbaran etc.

• Kuta: the busiest; relatively lower prices; many small hotels at lower prices
• Sanur: the earliest developed; quieter than Kuta; many five-star hotels
• Nusa Dua: luxury resort area; elegant environment; expensive
• Jimbaran: the best place to see the sunset
• Ubud: a concentrated area for accommodation in Bali; villa is the main form; land of idyllic beauty contrasting to the southern beach;

If you spend more than three nights in Bali, you can choose different hotels to enjoy different views and services.

• Melia Bali
  As ahotel with the world’shighest-levelauthentication -- diamond five-star -- Melia Bali's price is so generous. The 67% part of the hotel is covered by gardens. Besides, it also has family tour equipments, such as water slide, children's special zone etc. If you want to make your children happy, Melia Bali will be your best choice.
  Address: Benoa, Bali
  Price: the lowest price is 1,000RMB and 150 dollar.
• AYANA
  AYANA is Bali's most popular hotel. Its merits are comprehensive and cannot be expressed with words. These titles are enough to prove this, such as "Asia's best hotel" for five consecutive years, "the world's best resort" for three years in succession, “world’s best wedding locations" in 2010 and 2012. Of course, its price is also slightly high, but its cost performance will make you think it is worth the money.
  Address: Jalan Kahyangan Suci, Off Jalan Pantai Kuta, Kuta 80361
  Price: the lowest price is 130RMB and 15 dollar.
  Tel: （+62）361-702222
• Mara River Safari Lodge Hotel
  Located in Bali safari park, its main feature is the tropical rainforest atmosphere. The whole resort totally contains 39 rooms which are all named after animals.Wandering in the resort, tourists can also encounter stray animals. It is very suitable for parent-children travelling passenger to checkin. Tourists can have an elephant ride for freeif they stay at the hotel for more than 2 nights.
  Address: Jl. Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra Km. 19, 8, Gianyar 80551
  Price: the lowest price 900RMB and 100 dollar
  Tel: （+62）361-950000

Bali is Indonesia's most famous tourist area, and its transportation is very convenient. Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali is located at the center of Asia-Australia main route, with many flights. Besides, Bali also has developed maritime system, but because its classes are generally lower, there are very few tourists choosing conventional cruise ships to Bali.

• Aircraft
  Bali has its own international airport -- Ngurah Rai International Airport, and it has direct flights to more than 20 cities in nine countries, including Shanghai (Pudong Airport), Hong Kong (Chek Lap Kok Airport) and Taipei (RCTP) in China.
  For departing from Ngurah Rai International Airport, each passenger will be charged 150,000 Pupiah in cash for user charges.
• Cruise ship
  There are ships travelling between Bali and other places, including the island of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan Island, Malaysia, the Philippine Islands or even Vietnam, Thailand and other southeast line. These ships differ in class, and among them, ships carrying passengers and cargo are the main category, which have lower grade, poor quality and are always overloaded; tourists had better not take such long-distance sailing ship, even if its price is very low.
  Or you can choose flight to Surabaya, and then go to Bali by ship in half an hour.