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| Image by Chris Mitchell |
BALI—DISCOVER A CULTURE PRESERVED
HISTORY
Bali, an island that in the past conjured exotic images of mystery, has developed into a burgeoning tropical tourist destination. But it's been a long time coming and that may have been fortunate for the Balinese. As a result, much of their native culture and history has been preserved for present-day explorers to discover.
The Original Inhabitants
Some sources say the island was originally inhabited by the Chinese. Early Buddhist influences can be seen today, but the vast majority of Balinese are of Hindu beliefs. When the nearby island of Java was invaded by Islamic believers, the Java aristocracy fled to Bali, starting a period of increased cultural, artistic and religious development.
Discovery
Dutch seaman were the first reported Europeans to set foot on Bali in 1597, but not much was done with the island until 1846, when the Dutch decided to colonize Bali and other Indonesian islands. By 1911, all principalities within Bali were controlled by the Dutch. During WWII, the Japanese briefly ousted the Dutch and ruled for about three years, but in 1945 Bali declared independence and was finally recognized as an independent nation by the rest of the international community in 1949. Find out about Bali and its people at balitourismboard.com or baliguide.com.
For links to other Bali resources try bali.com.
CLIMATE
Bali is very close to the equator, and the climate is much like it's larger neighbor, Java, with daytime temperatures ranging between 70 and 93 degrees year-round. Surprisingly, for a small island of just over 2,000 square miles with a width of just 90 miles and a North-South length of just 55 miles, there is diverse climate depending upon which coast or how far inland you might be. Here are some interesting facts about Bali's climate:
- There is a chain of volcanoes going west to east with the highest point being 10,000+ feet high
- The terrain is varies with lush tropical mountain forests, crater lakes, rice terraces, green rolling hills and pristine sandy beaches
- Beaches can be either silky white sand or gray or black volcanic sand
- The rainy season is from December to March
- From June through July, it is drier and cooler in the evenings
- One area is generally sunny all year --"Bukit" or the hill south of Jimbaran Beach
- In Ubud and the mountains, it will be cloudy and rainy all year
For more on Bali and it's climate, check out Indonesia-tourism.com and baliguide.com.
