Five Reasons to Visit Bali

I've spent a lot of time in Asia. I lived in Japan for a year teaching English, have family in India and did the whole backpacking tour throughout Thailand and the Philippines in my twenties. Now that my little boy is three and has already been to India, I'd love to return to Asia with him and explore more of the beautiful continent. The combination of stunning beaches, amazing sunsets, delicious food, diverse cultures and ethnicities and wonderful historical sites is all incredible. India will always have a special place in my heart since I have family there and I hope to return as much as I can. I’d also love to return to Japan and the stunning island of Bali, where I visited many years ago. With a population of over 260 million people, the fourth largest in the world, and some 14,000 islands, there is a lot to see in Indonesia! I have really fond memories of Bali and want to focus on five reasons to visit this beautiful island.

Stunning Beaches

Although I live close to the sea in Brighton, the beaches in Asia are something else entirely. With a coastline of over 80,000 km you are spoilt for choice in Indonesia. From personal experience I can say the beaches in Bali are absolutely beautiful, a picture postcard image, and one of the most picturesque places I've ever been to. Whether you’re interested in swimming, surfing, snorkeling or just relaxing there is something for everyone in Bali. The list of stunning beaches includes Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Jimbaran (a personal favourite of mine) and Sanur as well as many more choose from.

The People

With six official religions and 300 ethnic groups, Indonesia on the whole is incredibly diverse. Bali has a population of 4.2 million made up of the Balinese, Javanese, Baliaga and Madurese ethnic groups. Bali’s main religion is Hinudism with Christian, Muslim and Buddhist minorities. Being half-Indian with a Hindu father I’ve visited India many times but visiting Bali was my first experience of seeing Hinduism in a new light.  Some things are very similar such as the main gods being Vishnu and Brahma yet Balinese Hinduism is unique with many different deities and festivals. There are still countless traditional villages which have preserved their unique cultures. Some of these welcome tourists and you can get a taste of Indonesian life. Indonesians on the whole are known for being very friendly and this is one of the things that stood out in Bali.

Things To See And Do

Other than beaches & wonderful rice terraces there are countless things to do in Bali. Indonesia is famous for its many intricately designed temples and historical sites. Bali has many of them including Tirta Empul Temple and Uluwatu as well as the famous Tanah Lot Temple, a pilgrimage site in Bali. In terms of nature, Indonesia is well-known for its Komodo dragons, the Sumatran Tiger and Anoa (small buffalo) and many more unique animals. In Bali there is the Komodo National Park, the beautiful Sekumpul Waterfalls and the stunning rice terraces in Jatiluwih Green Land in Tebanan. As well as cultural and sightseeing tours, there are plenty of attractions to keep the kids entertained including the amazing Waterbed Waterpark and Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. 

Amazing Hotels

When I stayed in Bali I was lucky enough to stay in a friends holiday home. It’s probably the nicest holiday home I have ever stayed in, complete with stunning views into the valley and a swimming pool!  There are some amazing places to stay in Bali including the Bebek Tepi Sawah Villas and Spa that you can book through Traveloka. Based in the popular Ubud, this popular relaxing retreat includes two restaurants, a swimming pool and spa with stunning surroundings.

The Food 
I remember being pleasantly surprised by the food in Bali. Actually, I wasn't expecting too much for some reason and it turned out to be delicious. Some of my favourite meals were the peanut based dishes or where peanut sauces were put on top of the main dish. I really enjoyed the sticky rice, fresh fish and sumptuous freshly squeezed mango juices. Yum yum! There are countless other tradional Indonesian dishes to try.

I’ve mentioned the main attractions in this post but there are so many wonderful things to do in Bali and writing this post has really made me really want to visit again. Have you been to Bali or any other destination in Indonesia? Where would you recommend?

*This post contains a sponsored link. All words and opinions are my own.