10 Things You Didn"t Know About Bali
Bali's status as a relaxed, sunny tourist destination with lovely beaches and great Bali accommodations is well known.
See how many of these other intriguing facts you were aware of: 1.
Balinese People Commonly Have One of Four Names - Wayan, Made, Nyoman and Ketut Theses names are used for the first, second, third and fourth born respectively, so don't be surprised if you keep meeting people with the same names! Putu, Kadek, and Komang can also be used for first, second and third borns.
2.
Bali Is Known As The "Island of the Gods", With An Estimated 20,000 Temples and Shrines With such a large amount of temples, it is not surprising to note that Balinese Hinduism pervades most facets of traditional life, with ornate rituals regularly seen around these temples and shrines.
3.
Bali is a Predominantly Hindu Island, in a Predominantly Muslim Country.
Around 93% of Bali's inhabitants are Hindu, with around 5% being Muslim.
This is the reverse of Indonesia overall, where 86% of the population are Muslim, and only around 3% Hindu.
Bali became a Hindu refuge centuries ago, as Islam gained influence in Java.
4.
Mount Agung, an Active Volcano, and Bali's Highest Peak At 3,142 m (9,426 feet), Last Erupted in March 1963.
It is possible to climb Mount Agung, though it does still cough up smoke and ash on occasion.
The 1963 lava flows amazingly all missed the temple perched on Agung's side, Mother Temple of Besakih, despite killing 1500 people.
5.
Bali Has Been Colonised by the Dutch and the Japanese.
The Netherlands' control over Bali from the 19th century continued until Imperial Japan occupied it during World War II.
The Netherlands subsequently regained control until 1949 when they recognised Indonesian independence including the territory of Bali.
6.
Bali's Fauna is Representative of the Indomalayan Ecozone, Whereas Nearby Lombok, Just to the East of Bali, Has Fauna More Similar to that of Australasia.
Bali is the southernmost island of note in Asia to display very few environmental influences from the South Pacific.
7.
Bali Counts Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites Within Its Shores These are the archaeologically and historically important Pakerisan Valley in Central Bali, the Pura Taman Ayun temple, built in 1634, and the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in the Tambanan area.
8.
The World's Most Expensive, And Most Unique Coffee, Can Be Found in Bali - Kopi Luwak.
It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract, yielding a unique coffee with no bitterness.
A cup of this coffee has retailed for as much as US$100 overseas, but a "relative" bargain may be available locally.
9.
Many Balinese are Trilingual, speaking Balinese, Indonesian and English.
Balinese is the local tongue, Indonesian the unifying national language, and English the language to serve you, the tourist.
10.
Babi Guling, a Local Version of Suckling Pig, is a Balinese Specialty.
This delicious dish can often be found outside the main tourist areas, so keep a lookout along the road for signs with a pictured pig! Some Bali hotels will be able to arrange tours or car services to experience some of these interesting aspects of Bali.
See how many of these other intriguing facts you were aware of: 1.
Balinese People Commonly Have One of Four Names - Wayan, Made, Nyoman and Ketut Theses names are used for the first, second, third and fourth born respectively, so don't be surprised if you keep meeting people with the same names! Putu, Kadek, and Komang can also be used for first, second and third borns.
2.
Bali Is Known As The "Island of the Gods", With An Estimated 20,000 Temples and Shrines With such a large amount of temples, it is not surprising to note that Balinese Hinduism pervades most facets of traditional life, with ornate rituals regularly seen around these temples and shrines.
3.
Bali is a Predominantly Hindu Island, in a Predominantly Muslim Country.
Around 93% of Bali's inhabitants are Hindu, with around 5% being Muslim.
This is the reverse of Indonesia overall, where 86% of the population are Muslim, and only around 3% Hindu.
Bali became a Hindu refuge centuries ago, as Islam gained influence in Java.
4.
Mount Agung, an Active Volcano, and Bali's Highest Peak At 3,142 m (9,426 feet), Last Erupted in March 1963.
It is possible to climb Mount Agung, though it does still cough up smoke and ash on occasion.
The 1963 lava flows amazingly all missed the temple perched on Agung's side, Mother Temple of Besakih, despite killing 1500 people.
5.
Bali Has Been Colonised by the Dutch and the Japanese.
The Netherlands' control over Bali from the 19th century continued until Imperial Japan occupied it during World War II.
The Netherlands subsequently regained control until 1949 when they recognised Indonesian independence including the territory of Bali.
6.
Bali's Fauna is Representative of the Indomalayan Ecozone, Whereas Nearby Lombok, Just to the East of Bali, Has Fauna More Similar to that of Australasia.
Bali is the southernmost island of note in Asia to display very few environmental influences from the South Pacific.
7.
Bali Counts Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites Within Its Shores These are the archaeologically and historically important Pakerisan Valley in Central Bali, the Pura Taman Ayun temple, built in 1634, and the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in the Tambanan area.
8.
The World's Most Expensive, And Most Unique Coffee, Can Be Found in Bali - Kopi Luwak.
It is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passed through its digestive tract, yielding a unique coffee with no bitterness.
A cup of this coffee has retailed for as much as US$100 overseas, but a "relative" bargain may be available locally.
9.
Many Balinese are Trilingual, speaking Balinese, Indonesian and English.
Balinese is the local tongue, Indonesian the unifying national language, and English the language to serve you, the tourist.
10.
Babi Guling, a Local Version of Suckling Pig, is a Balinese Specialty.
This delicious dish can often be found outside the main tourist areas, so keep a lookout along the road for signs with a pictured pig! Some Bali hotels will be able to arrange tours or car services to experience some of these interesting aspects of Bali.
