Bali Island

The very name of this lovely unspoiled island conveys an aura of magic - a favoured sea kissed haven of volcanic mountain, lakes and rivers, terraced rice fields, giant banyans, palm groves and sun-dappled roads that lead past peaceful villages and markets to tucked away bays, bordered by white sandy beaches.
Bali is a great stopover enroute to Downunder, travelling around the Pacific or around the World.Bali is also a fabulous one-stop vacation destination. Let us custom make an escape for you that also includes the best airfare.


A trip to Bali can be filled with culture, nature, art, the spiritual or, even better, all of these. Apart from the spectacular beaches of Kuta, Nusa Dua and Seminyak, or Ubud’s cultural heart and picturesque terraced rice fields, the northeastern coastal towns and Lombok Island are hidden gems awaiting discovery.

The west coast of Bali is still off the beaten path, with tapering ranges of mountains covered in lush forests, wet rice fields and bountiful vegetation. Historical sites and buildings that stand the tests of time, and a range of museums and art galleries all offer a different glimpse of Bali for the curious traveller. Honeymoons are also spiced up in Bali.

Besakih Temple - Pura Besakih

Besakih Temple has been known as Bali’s ‘Mother Temple’ for over 1,000 years and is perched 1,000 metres high on the southwestern slopes of Mount Agung. Besakih is an artistic and unique complex that consists of at least 86 temples which include the main Pura Penataran Agung (the Great Temple of State), as well as 18 others.

Besakih is the biggest and holiest amongst the temples on the island and is surrounded by breathtaking and scenic rice paddies, hills, mountains, streams, and much more. It is said to be where the very first revelation from Balinese Hindu’s God, Hyang Rsi Markendya, was received.

Pura Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot (Pura Tanah Lot), one of seven temples along the Balinese coast, is perched atop a gigantic chunk of rock jutting out into the sea that is only accessible during low tides. It is one of the temples that used to be starting points for Hindu priests to conduct their missionary activities and holds an important position as a place of worship dedicated to sea deities.

Sunset at Tanah Lot has become one of Bali's major tourist attractions and the area itself features other temples, great facilities, and cultural venues. The temple's anniversary is held every 210 days on the Balinese Pawukon calendar, which coincides around the Galungan and Kuningan day celebrations.

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu Temple, or Pura Luhur Uluwatu, one of six key temples believed to be Bali's spiritual pillars, is renowned for its magnificent location, perched on top of a steep cliff approximately 70 metres above sea level. This temple also shares the splendid sunset backdrops as that of Tanah Lot Temple, another important sea temple located in the island's western shores.

Pura Luhur Uluwatu is definitely one of the top places on the island to go to for sunset delights, with direct views overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean and daily Kecak dance performances. Balinese architecture, traditionally-designed gateways, and ancient sculptures add to Uluwatu Temple's appeal.

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

Ubud is famous for its beautiful scenes of rice paddies involving subak (the traditional Balinese cooperative irrigation system) which, according to history, was taught by a revered holy man from India named Rsi Markandeya in the eighth century. The most splendid terraced landscapes in Ubud's shared region are in Pejeng, Campuhan and Tegallalang.

Tegallang alone has an outlook that spreads down before you and away to the rice terraces on the slopes across the valley. The high roadside location is cool and breezy and it is a well-known spot for tourists to stop and take photos. Painters and nature lovers also enjoy visiting this spot.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana

Garuda Wisnu Kencana, or GWK for short, is the name of a cultural park on Bali’s hilly southern coast famous for the ongoing construction of a gigantic statue of Vishnu riding on the back of a ‘garuda’ (a supernatural eagle-like being). The completed part of the statue is of the upper part of Vishnu’s body, the head of the ‘garuda’ and Vishnu’s hands.

The cultural park has become one of the favourite places in Bali for art and cultural performances, exhibitions, and conferences. GWK, once completed at 145 metres, will be one of the world’s tallest statues and erected on the top of the hill, with a magnificent panorama of Bali.

Elephant Safari Park of Desa Taro

Bali's majestic elephants can be found at the Bali Elephant Safari Park of Desa Taro, north of Ubud. This park, managed by Bali Adventurer Tours, offers visitors a chance to get up close and personal with the peaceful giants and also to go for a sightseeing expedition on the backs of these towering pachyderms.

Facilities include a full reception and information centre, a safari park lodge, a spa, a comprehensive museum, with a large collection of elephant memorabilia and the only mammoth skeleton in Southeast Asia.

Kecak Dance

The captivating Tari Kecak dance, also called ‘the monkey chanting dance’, was created around 1930 and is now internationally recognised as one of Bali’s top-three signature dances (along with Barong and Legong).

It steals the spotlight and is unique in that it has no other musical background but the chanting of a male chorus intoning a “keh-chack” polyrhythmic sound during most of the performance. Kecak’s storyline is taken from the Ramayana Hindu epic and it’s on the entertainment schedule of almost every Balinese arts and culture venue.


More Information:
Bali Guides in PDF file
Bali Website