DISCOVER BALI

Today, Balinese live essentially on tourism. Previously, rice culture was the main source of wealth, alongside with fishing, and they remain sources of income for the poors.

The island benefits from a very particular quality of rice culture, that allows three harvests of rice a year, a unique advantage.

It also became one of the most popular destinations in the last few years, and in 2017 Tripadvisor – the travel reference – rated it the first destination in the world, before Paris.

All these aspects make Bali the richest island in the country (per inhabitant).

Bali is a country of delicious dishes. « Nasi goreng» is the traditional rice dish, personalized by each cook. Balinese usually eat very spicy dishes but they know how to adapt to occidental tastes. You can try « sates », small spicy meat skewers, cooked over a wood fire, with a peanut sauce. Balinese are fond of pork too, « babi » in Indonesian, and of duck « babek ». You can eat fish, shrimps, lobsters, delicious vegetables and fruit. There are many restaurants in Bali, ranging from « warung », the cheap local restaurants, to gastronomic ones. Food is really good there, and you can find local as well as occidental (or « western ») dishes.

Balinese speak Balinese and Indonesian, their official language. Today, because they learn it at school, almost all inhabitants can speak English too. Thanks to their foreign clients, many Balinese can speak other languages, such as French, Chinese, Spanish or Russian.

On the religious point of view, Bali is very different from its muslim neighbour islands, because 95% of the population is hinduist. It is very nice to walk around Bali and see adults and children praying, dressed in « sarongs », with the typical belts and lace shirts Balinese women wear. There are many hinduist temples in Bali, very beautiful places full of traditions and history. Even if Bali is modernising rapidly, ancestral traditions are stil preserved there.

You will also discover religious diversity in Bali, with several nice churches, mosques, temples. Everyone has the right to practice his religion freely. No wonder the country’s motto is « Unity in Diversity ».

It feels good to live in Bali ! An outstanding treat.

Indeed, the weather is very nice on the Island of the Gods (hot and humid). The so-called « dry season » spans from March to october (around 27°) and the « wet season » the rest of the year (32°).

There is no real monsoon, like in Thailand for instance. Depending on the altitude, the temperature can reach 20°, especially in the mountain. The sun raises at 6am and sets at 6:30pm.

In Bali, the money is Indonesian rupees. It is very simple to change euros or any other currency in Bali. You can also use your credit card.

There are no mandatory vaccinations to go to Bali. It is recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid. Make sure that your vaccinations against diphteria, poliomyelitis and tetanus are up to date. There is no need for an anti-malarian treatment.

There are very good hospitals in Bali, and excellent doctors who speak perfect English. The best hospitals are located in the South of Kuta island (for instance BIMC and Siloam hospitals are very good).

In Bali, everybody likes to move around on a scooter. If you want to do so, you must have an international driving license. You can also drive a car a take a taxi, a very cheap option in Bali.