Bali has long been known as one of the most exotic destinations in the world, enchanting visitors with its breathtaking panorama, unique arts and culture and deeply spiritual ceremonies. Located in the eastern part of Indonesia, Bali lies between Java island, to the west, and Lombok island, to the east. Beaches fringe most of Bali's coasts except in the south east where there are mangrove forests and in certain parts of the southern Bukit Peninsula, where high cliffs drop straight to the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean. Away from the coast, Bali is largely lush and green with wild maiden forests and rugged mountains alternating with gently rolling fields and dramatic sculpted terraces of rice paddies, which are especially striking in the centre of the island north of Ubud and in east Bali around Tirta Gannga. All of Bali's mountains are volcanoes, some long dormant and some still active. The magnificent Mount Agung at 3,142 metres dominates the landscape of East Bali and has not erupted since 1963. Much more active is smoldering Mount Batur, one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the whole of Indonesia, which takes only 2 hours to climb. The religious and the cultural identity that characterize Bali are unique in the Indonesian Archipelago. Occupying an area of 5.632 square kilometers, Bali's population of 3 million comprises 95% Balinese, who are Hindus, with a Javanese minority, who are Muslim and Christian.

Deeply spiritual, every aspect of Balinese life is suffused with religion. Most visible are the tiny offerings or sesajen found in every Balinese house, work place, restaurant and shop. These trays made of leafs contain flowers, food and burning incense sticks sprinkled with holy water, are offered daily to the Gods and spirits.

Bali's best-known attractions are its countless Hindu temples and there are an estimated 20,000 temples (pura) on the island. There are nine main directional temples (kayangan jagat) located at strategic points, on either rugged high ground or at the water's edge, across Bali and are designed to protect the island and its inhabitants from dark forces. Pura Luhur Uluwatu and Tanah Lot in south Bali are the most popular. However, for the Balinese, the "mother temple" of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung is the most important of all and sits above the nine. The other seven directional temples are: Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Pura Ulun Danu Batur, Pura Pasar Agung, Pura Lempuyang Luhur, Goa Lawah, Pura Masceti and Pura Luhur Batukaru.

Each village has at least three temples: the pura puseh (temple of origin), the pura desa (village temple) at the centre for everyday community activities and the pura dalem (temple of the dead) and each family compound has its own temple. The tiered, black thatched roofs of the temples are made from a palm fibre and this material is not permitted to be used for any roof other than those on temples. The elegant pagoda-like tiered structure itself is called a meru (named after sacred Mount Meru (Mahameru), the home of the gods) and the most dramatic of them can consist of as many as 11 tiers. Balinese dance and music are also justly famous and a major attraction for visitors to the island. Throughout the day, the island is enveloped in the melodious tunes of the Balinese gamelan orchestra, a gong-chime musical ensemble consisting of bronze gongs, metallophones, cymbals, and a time-beater, add to the island's enchantment. The wayang or shadow puppet is the most prominent theatrical expression in Bali. In a wayang kulit performance, flat cut-out figures are silhouetted against a translucent, white screen, with a coconut-husk lamp as its source of light. The shows are mostly enactments of religious mythology.

In Bali, dances are central to religious ceremonies and are an integral part of life. Extremely visual and dramatic, the most famous dances include:
1) Barong or "lion dance" - a ritual dance depicting the fight between good and evil, with performers wearing fearsome lion-like masks.
2) Kecak or "monkey dance" - actually invented in the 1930s by resident German artist Walter Spies for a movie but a spectacle nonetheless, with up to 250 dancers in concentric circles chanting "kecak kecak", while a performer in the centre acts out a spiritual dance. An especially popular Kecak dance performance is staged daily at Uluwatu Temple.
3) Legong Keraton - perhaps the most famous and feted of all Balinese dances. Performed by young girls, this is a dance of divine nymphs hailing from 12th century Java.

Art, both traditional and modern, is central also to Balinese culture and is seen everywhere in Bali. Ubud, the artistic capital of the island, is home to several museums and a whole host of home industry workshops and retail outlets. Ubud's museums showcase the works of internationally renowned local and foreign artists, who had fallen in love with Bali and made it home. Bali offers a wide range of activities from sight seeing, art and culture tours, adventure activities, shopping, leisure and recreation activities. Popular recreational activities include golf, paragliding, hiking, rafting, snorkeling, diving, deep sea fishing, bungee jumping, Balinese dance and cooking lessons and of course spa treatments.

Options for dining and nightlife in Bali are myriad. From fine dining to local food stalls, Bali offers a wide range of international cuisines and local delicacies from across the Indonesian archipelago as well as night clubs abuzz with the latest pop, rock, house, jazz and lounge music.