Location Information

Bali, Indonesia
Language: English
Currency: Rupiah (IDR)

The Republic of Indonesia is a nation in Southeast Asia. Comprising 17,508 islands, it is the world's largest archipelagic state.

Fossilized remains of Homo erectus, popularly known as the "Java Man", suggest the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited two million to 500,000 years ago. Austronesian people migrated to South East Asia from Taiwan. They arrived in Indonesia around 2000 BCE, and confined the native Melanesian peoples to the far eastern regions as they expanded. From the seventh century CE, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished as a result of trade and the influences of Hinduism and Buddhism that were imported with it. Although Muslim traders first traveled through South East Asia early in the Islamic era, the earliest evidence of Islamized populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra. The first Europeans arrived in Indonesia in 1512, when Portuguese traders, led by Francisco Serrão, sought to monopolize the sources of nutmeg, cloves, and cubeb pepper in Maluku. Dutch and British traders followed.

Indonesia has a Tropical climate that varies from area to area. The eastern monsoon brings the driest weather (June to September), while the western monsoon brings the main rains (December to March). Rainstorms occur all year. Higher regions are cooler.

The capital city of Java is Jakarta which has retained much from the colonial Dutch and British periods, with many fine colonial-style buildings and the recently restored ‘old quarter’. The National Monument towers 140m (450ft) above the Merdeka Square and is crowned with a ‘flame’ plated in pure gold. Around 13km (8 miles) from Yogyakarta is the Prambanan temple complex, built in honour of the Hindu gods Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, which includes the 10th-century Temple of Loro Jonggrang and said to be the most perfectly proportioned Hindu temple in Indonesia.

Unofficially known as ‘Orchid Island’, Sulawesi is a land of high mountains, misty valleys and lakes. In the south is Bantimurung Nature Reserve which has thousands of exotic butterflies. The island has geysers and hot springs, the most celebrated of which are at Karumengan, Kinilow, Lahendong, Leilem and Makule. Torajaland is known as the ‘Land of the Heavenly Kings’ and its people are noted for their richly ornamented houses and custom of burying the dead in vertical Cliffside tombs.

The staple diet for most Indonesians is nasi (rice), which is replaced on some islands with corn, sago, cassava and sweet potatoes. Indonesia’s spices make its local cuisine unique. Indonesians like their food highly spiced – look out for the tiny and fiery hot red and green peppers often included in salads and vegetable dishes. Seafood is excellent and features highly on menus.

Jakarta nightclubs feature international singers and bands and are open until 0400 during weekends. Jakarta has loads of cinemas and some English-language and subtitled films are shown. There are also casinos, and theatres providing cultural performances. Dancing is considered an art, encouraged and practiced from very early childhood. The extensive repertoire is based on ancient legends and stories from religious epics.

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago, comprising five main islands and a multitude of smaller archipelagos, with about 17,000 islands strung across the equator. Bali lies between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. With a reputation as being one of the most beautiful and diverse tourist spots in Asia, Bali attracts almost 1,000,000 visitors a year, from all around the world.

East to west, the island is approximately 153 km wide and 112 km north to south (95 by 69 miles, respectively). The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west black sand. Bali's main volcano is the still active and sometimes explosive. Gunung Agung, which is considered, sacred among local people as it is believed to be the center of the universe.

Bali boasts a tropical climate with just two seasons a year and an average annual temperature of around 28°C. The rich volcanic soil and healthy monsoon season make this island extremely fertile and a range of crops is grown here.

Picking the "right" beach for you can be a challenge. If you want to be right in the middle of it all and nightlife is an absolute must, then the Kuta / Legian area is for you. If you want a nice beach near the nightlife but not in the middle of it, then you may want to consider Seminyak. Sanur is the place to look at if you'd rather have a good beach for sunbathing and an ocean good for swimming, and aren't really interested in nightlife beyond a good restaurant. For true isolation, consider Candi Dasa or the black sand beaches of Lovina on the north shore.

Medical Precautions:

Recommended Vaccinations:
Polio.
Hepatitus A and B.
Typhoid.