Interesting facts about Bali. Interesting and shocking facts about Bali! What should a tourist know? Unusual Facts About Pain

Paradise Island Bali is very popular among tourists eager for an exotic holiday in the hot tropics. And it’s not surprising - there are few places else where you can see such wonders of nature without overpaying a lot of money for your vacation. Of course, Balinese hotels are not very cheap, but in any case you can relax here much cheaper than, for example, in the Maldives or the Canaries. And there is definitely something to see here.

Contrary to popular belief among Russian tourists In pronunciation, the emphasis in the word “Bali” is on the first syllable, not the last.
The population of Moscow is three times larger than the population of Bali.
Even during the rainy season there are no prolonged downpours here. The rains are usually short and almost always occur only at night.
More than 80% of the Balinese profess their own religion, based on Hinduism, despite the fact that Indonesia, to which the island belongs, is a Muslim state (see).
Shamans enjoy greater authority among the local population than doctors. That is why there are few pharmacies and hospitals here - due to the lack of clientele.
There is no wallpaper in houses in Bali. The walls are simply painted, even without plaster. And the windows are very small, and are often located right at the ceiling.
Cutlery is also not held in high esteem here - the Balinese usually eat with their hands.
A religious ceremony in your home village in Bali is a good reason not to go to work.
Raising your voice in Bali is strictly not accepted. Whoever shouts is a priori wrong. Just like in Thailand (see).
Public transport the island is extremely poorly developed. The best way transportation for a tourist who does not want to overpay for a taxi - rent a motorbike. If, of course, he knows how to drive it and is not afraid of chaotic local traffic on the roads.
There are more than 20 thousand temples in Bali, including many “home” ones. Official temples there are just over 6 thousand here.
The word "Bali" means "hero" in Sanskrit.
In traditional Balinese villages, there is still a ban on seeking a spouse from another village. You can only use your own.
The caste system is in use here, as in India, although not as strict (see).
Not a single important action in Bali is performed without accompanying rituals. There are more of them here than in any other country in the world.
There are many volcanoes on the island. For obvious reasons, this is quite dangerous in the long term.
Balinese has three different levels, with the right one depending on who you're talking to. A mistake can be considered an insult.
Cockfighting is extremely popular in Bali, as in the Philippines (see).
The Bible was first translated into Balinese in 1990.
There are practically no buildings taller than two floors in Bali.
The dead here are cremated and not buried, as in most other countries.
The Balinese use three calendars at once. The Gregorian we are used to is mainly needed to communicate with tourists.
In local cigarettes, tobacco is sometimes mixed with cloves.
Even at the beginning of the 20th century, women in Bali went topless, but with the arrival of Europeans this began to be considered indecent.
Men became the “workforce” here only a few decades ago. Before this, all major work, including heavy work, in Bali was done by women. And even now it is noticeable that mostly women work, while men sit in front of the TV or relax in the shade of a palm tree.
In 1906, the Dutch fleet occupied the island. The royal family, like representatives of many local noble families of Bali, chose suicide over surrender.
White, black, red and yellow are considered sacred colors in Bali.
The name of a Balinese directly indicates his belonging to a particular caste. Among the Shudras, a working caste that makes up about 80% of Bali's population, there is no distinction between feminine and masculine names.

Bali is a small island in the Indian Ocean, the country of Indonesia. If you are planning to go there, then I suggest you read 20 interesting facts about Bali.

1. The area of the island is 5780 km², its length is 150 km from east to west and 80 km from north to south.
2. There are only two big ones in Bali active volcano: Gunung Agung (3142 m.) and Gunung Batur (1717 m.) are located in the northeastern part of the island.
3. The largest eruption of Gunung Agung was recorded in 1963.
4. There are only two seasons on the island: dry (June-October) and wet (November-March), the greatest amount of precipitation falls in January-February.
5. Bali has a total population of 3,890,757 people (2010).
6. The majority of Balinese (83.5% of the population) profess a local version of Hinduism called Agama Hindu Dharma. 13.3% of the population are Muslims.
7. There are about 20 thousand temples in Bali.
8. Denpasar is the capital and The largest city islands. Kuta is a city of eternal parties. Ubud is the center of Balinese artistic and creative life.
9. The most common transport among the local population is a moped or scooter.
10. The bulk of today's Balinese are descendants of people from the Javanese Majapahit Empire, which collapsed under the pressure of Islam at the beginning of the 16th century. The indigenous inhabitants of the island are a people called "Bali Aga", which means "inhabitants of the Balinese mountains", although they themselves do not like this name and prefer to be called "Orang Bali Mula" ("original Balinese") or "Bali Turunan" ("Balinese") descended from heaven").
11. When a girl gets married, she moves into her husband's family house. She becomes a member of his family, helps his older relatives, takes care of his family temple and honors his ancestors.
12. A man can have up to four wives, however, he can take a second one only with the permission of the first, a third, with the permission of both first ones, etc. But the basic rule is that he must provide for them all equally.
13. In Bali there are only four names, the same for both boys and girls: Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut, which literally means “first”, “second”, etc. according to birth order.
14. There are 4 on the island freshwater lake: Batur, Beratan, Buyan, Tamblingan.
15. Bali has 230 official holidays per year.
16. It’s 1940 in Bali now.
17. On the island there is a ceremony for filing teeth at the age of 16-18 years. This is done with the aim of pacifying the 7 most important vices in Bali in a person - lust, greed, anger, sadness, arrogance, jealousy and drunkenness.
18. The right hand is a sacred part of the body among the Balinese. For example, you can take and give an item only with your right hand
19. Volcano Agung (3142 meters) in Bali is considered the most sacred place on the island. All the temples of the island face in its direction and all Balinese sleep with their heads towards this volcano.
20. Balinese celebrate New Year in complete silence (Nieppi). For 24 hours, no one on the island leaves their house. All restaurants, offices, schools and shops are closed.

Hotel deals in Kuta

Read other articles on the island of Bali:

Excursions to Bali - popular excursions to Bali, description and cost, reviews
Lake Bratan and the main “water” temple of the island - Pura Ulun Danu
Green Bowl beach - spot only for professional surfers
An abandoned hotel in Bali and our visit to the hotel during a thunderstorm

1. In Bali, the use and distribution of drugs is subject to the death penalty and at the same time, hallucinogenic mushrooms are freely sold (absolutely legally) in Bali.

2. Polygamy is allowed in Bali - up to four wives. For the second and subsequent wives, the permission is signed by the first wife. Currently, polygamy occurs mainly among the Balinese from the upper castes.

3. A resident of the island of Bali always eats using exclusively his right hand, since he considers the left hand to be defiled. The left hand is never used to receive or give things. Moreover, a Balinese will not allow himself to wave his “unclean” left hand at someone.

4. Dancing and performing arts are an integral part of the life of any Balinese. Regardless of their occupation, every resident of Bali considers it their duty to be able to dance well and participate in theatrical performances.

5. The vast majority of the population (Hindus) believe in reincarnation. Babies less than 6 weeks old receive special respect from adults. It is believed that a child at this age is a living embodiment of the soul of some ancestor.

6. On the island. In Bali you can still find real natives. Locals call them "Bali Aga".

7. The Balinese are real geniuses at carving stone and wood. People come here from all over the world to buy something for their interior.

8. In Bali, there is a ceremony of filing teeth - flattening the two upper teeth, which most closely resemble animal teeth, canines and four incisors. This is done with the aim of depriving a person of demonic character traits and pacifying the 6 most important sins in Bali - lust, greed, anger, sadness, arrogance, jealousy and drunkenness. Typically, this ceremony is performed at a Balinese wedding. It is interesting that without filed teeth, a Balinese cannot fulfill his duty and karma. The most common age for this ceremony is 16-18 years old. But, if a person suddenly dies before this procedure, the teeth filing ceremony will be performed on the corpse. The teeth fragments are placed in a yellow coconut and buried in the family temple as a shrine.

9. In 1906, hundreds of Balinese came out to meet Dutch soldiers dressed in white and committed mass suicide. This moment in history is called "Puputan".

10. In Bali, it is not customary to express your feelings in public by kissing. The only day, after the "day of silence", selected youth of the village can kiss in public to please the gods.

11. All residents of Bali belong to one of four castes. The lowest caste, Shudra, is the most numerous. Shudras are the poorest of the Balinese people. Representatives of the nobility form three other classes: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (military personnel and government officials), Vaisiyas (merchants).

12. The Balinese language is divided into three levels (also depending on caste): high, middle and rough. People from a particular caste can use the language that belongs to their status. You cannot address someone in Balinese without identifying the caste of the interlocutor.

13. What immediately catches your eye in Bali is the many colorful umbrellas located in different places. Umbrellas in Bali have a creative, protective meaning. They are called “tedung”, which means “protection”. The color of the umbrella can vary and carry different meanings, mainly the colors reflect the colors of the castes.

14. The religion of the Balinese is called "Agama Hindu Dharma", it is a mixture of Hinduism and Buddhism, pagan faith and the worship of ancestors and nature spirits.

15. Balinese houses are living creatures. His head is a family temple (looking at the Agung volcano), his arms are residential buildings, and his legs are a kitchen and a barn.

16. Most Balinese go to bed with their head towards sacred mountain and the family temple always faces towards Agung.

17. A Balinese gate without a top is called Candi Bentar, which translates as “split gate.” The Chandi Bentar Gate symbolizes the cosmic mountain of knowledge, split into two parts - half good and half evil - forces symbolizing the fundamental energies of the Universe.

18. On the territory of almost anyone Balinese temple there is a multi-tiered tower - this is a symbol sacred mountain Balinese Agung. It is also a symbol of the holy Mount Meru. Meru towers can be 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 tiers high, depending on the status of the deity to whom they are dedicated.

19. On the island 230 (!) official holidays of the year. Therefore, numerous ceremonies and festive processions can be seen on the streets of cities and villages almost every day.

20. Canang offerings are handmade bamboo baskets filled with gifts for the spirits. Absolutely all Balinese women can make such offerings; they are taught this from the age of 6. Baskets are made from banana and bamboo leaves using weaving techniques.

21. An important and indispensable product in Indonesia is Nasi rice. Rice is food and a gift from the gods. Here in Bali there is a cult of rice, all rituals and ceremonies include rice product. The rice panicle even appears on the Indonesian flag. Rice is included in all offerings to good and evil spirits, rice is planted everywhere, in general, rice is the head of everything here.

22. The Balinese are very gambling people. One of their favorite pastimes is cockfighting. For these purposes, special fighting roosters are raised in almost every yard, which are groomed and nurtured, treated like little children - the roosters have their own diet, they are washed and bathed. Often, on the streets of the island you can meet a group of Balinese sitting together and each has a cockerel sitting on their lap, which the owners lovingly stroke. In cockfighting, the stakes are monetary. Many Balinese lost their fortunes in these games, after which fighting was prohibited and covered up... but cockfighting is allowed on special ceremonial days and on the full moon, which everyone takes advantage of.

23. There is an important duty for the Balinese - this is marriage. And the most important thing in marriage is to have children, only then can the Balinese attend important ceremonies and perform rituals intended for the dead to purify their souls, which are necessary for further reincarnation. Childlessness and impotence are grounds for divorce

24. Balinese people love children, especially boys, because sons traditionally look after their elderly parents and home. And, also, it is boys who can inherit lands, farmland and houses. Girls get married and go to their husband’s family, so they have no right to inherit anything from their family.

25. If there is a divorce in the family, the wife returns to her parents and can only take her personal belongings with her. Her rights are so limited that few women dare to leave their husbands. It is interesting that most children stay with their father, as they are considered to belong to their father. And after a divorce, the mother loses almost all rights to them, especially if the child is male.

26. Traditional Balinese childbirth is carried out surrounded by all immediate relatives. It is believed that in last month pregnancy, during childbirth itself and the first 42 days after childbirth - both the woman and the baby are most vulnerable to sorcerers, witches and other “dark forces”, because they are between the worlds - between earthly and heavenly space. Dark forces are activated at this time, trying to gain access to the child's pure energy. Therefore, the father of the child all this time (and especially during childbirth) is next to his wife and protects her from evil spirits with his presence and special rituals.

27. In Bali they believe in the invisible world, in light and dark spirits. And, accordingly, into white and black magic. Therefore, witchcraft is highly developed on the island. There are special black sorcerers who can cast spells on a specific person, an entire family or house. Everyone respectfully fears black magicians and often turns to them when sorting out relationships. There are white sorcerers who people go to to recover from an illness, to receive material benefits, or simply to tell fortunes for the future. They are called healers. The main path of healers is massage, fortune telling by hand, fortune telling by the stars, and the preparation of magical mixtures.

28. Traditional Balinese dances - Legong, Barong and Kecak. The Barong dance is a whole performance that shows the opposition of good and evil, which symbolize the characters Barong and Rangda. A real Barong dance can last for several hours.

29. Water in Bali is sacredly revered. The religion of the Balinese in ancient times was called “Agama Tirta” - “religion of sacred water”. The element of water is deeply revered for the Balinese and always carries creative and cleansing power. Many ceremonies in Bali are dedicated to the element of water.

30. In Bali, it is customary to cremate dead people. The cremation ceremony is usually noisy and fun. Especially if it is massive. A cremation ceremony is extremely expensive, so it is not uncommon for a family to split the cost with neighbors and cremate in batches at once. For example, in 2001, the remains of 830 people already buried in the cemetery from 37 villages were added to the cremation of Ida Tjokorda Mengwi, a member of the 13th generation of King Mengwi (note: until the required number of deceased is reached: those who died before the ceremony cremation - buried in the ground for a while, then dug up).

The small island of Bali, part of Indonesia, is well known throughout the world as a first-class resort. Millions of tourists visit it every year, and they strive to return here in the future for positive emotions. The island amazes with its superb nature, beautiful beaches and numerous entertainments.

What's interesting about this island?
In the local language it is called Pulau Kahyangan, which translates to Island of the Gods.

Every Balinese simultaneously exists in a pair of worlds. Sekala is the visible environment around a person. The invisible world of Niskala can only be felt during the performance of national rituals that have a centuries-old history.

There is no time to work on the island, as there are 230 days off each year.

The religion of the locals is called “Agama Hindu Dharma” and is an amazing mixture of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs mixed with pagan ideas about the world and belief in various spirits.

Bali law allows polygamy, with a maximum number of wives limited to four. It is curious that a man can remarry only after receiving written permission from his first wife.

One of the local traditions involves filing teeth. It is given to young people aged 16-18 years. It is believed that such a procedure allows one to calm down the six main spiritual sins (lust, greed, and so on). By the way, if you are interested in this and other traditions in Bali, the company Gidnabali.ru conducts excursions on the island with a Russian-speaking guide, and also organizes wedding ceremonies. Wedding ceremonies from GidNaBali.ru - will become unforgettable moment in your life together. Believe me it's worth it.

The Balinese home is a full-fledged living being. The role of the head is played by the temple, which is necessarily turned towards the Agung volcano. In place of the arms are living quarters, and the kitchen and outbuildings are located instead of the legs.

There are three calendars in Bali. The first is accepted throughout the world and used in everyday life. The second is called Pawukon and is the calendar of the Javanese-Balinese peoples. The third is called Saka and is common to all Hindus.

Based on the chronology of the Saka calendar, today the island of Bali lives in the year 1936.

For any Balinese, the right hand is sacred. Only she can transfer any things to each other.

The linguistic features of the island provide for the division into three castes, the indication of which is mandatory when addressing a person.

Gunung Agung Volcano – highest point Bali, its peak is at 3142 meters. At the foot is Pura Besakikh, the most revered temple among local residents.

Rice is the most common product on the island. Residents consider it the food of the gods, so you can find dishes made from it at any celebration.

When it comes to entertainment, cockfighting has no equal in popularity. Fighting birds are cared for as if they were their own children.

It is curious, but during a divorce, the children remain with the father, and the woman takes with her only the things that she had before marriage.

The picturesque island of Bali is located on the largest Malay archipelago, in Indonesia. The island is part of the group of small Sunda islands. The area of Bali is 5780 m2, the population is 3,890,757 people. The island of Bali is one of the most visited tourist resorts. The island has everything for have a nice rest: picturesque landscapes, friendly people, beautiful beaches, ancient culture with beautiful temples, well-developed infrastructure.

Like all countries, the island of Bali has its own traditions, culture and mystery.

The island of Bali is washed by the Quiet and Indian Ocean. The island has a peculiar topography, where there are mountains with volcanoes and lowlands.

There are four types of forest on the island: savanna, deciduous, mountain and evergreen.

The island of Bali is called "Pulau Kahyangan", which means "island of the gods".

The island was opened for recreation by hippies who lived for some time on the territory of Kuta. As a result of the “hippie pilgrimage,” the Indonesian government decided to develop the resort and trism. The World Bank and the UN contributed to the successful development and invested funds for the tourism development of Bali.

The architecture of the island is unusual; the houses of the indigenous inhabitants can very easily be confused with small temples. The Balinese are very religious and they decorate their houses. big amount statues on a religious theme.

Oddly enough, Indonesian is one of the most popular languages in the world; it is spoken by about 200 million people.

In Bali, the spoken language is divided into three levels, depending on caste, sublime, middle, rude. Residents from a certain caste can only use the language to which they belong by status.

In Bali in the northeastern part there are two large volcano: Gunung Agung (3142 meters), Gunung Batur (1717 meters)

The island has a length of 80 kilometers.

Temperatures on the island can fluctuate. The temperature on the beach exceeds 30 degrees, and at the mountains or the foot of the volcano reaches 15 degrees.

Indonesia is a densely populated Muslim country, but on the island 90% of the inhabitants profess Hinduism. In Bali, gods such as Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, as well as the supreme god Sang Yang Widi Vasa are revered.

The locals are very religious, which explains the large number of temples on the island. According to some sources, there are about 11,000 of them. Some temples such as Uluwatu and Tanah Lot are architectural monuments.

Each house has its own small temple where the inhabitants perform their religious rituals.

The Balinese consider the house to be a living creature, the head is the family temple (the home temple must look at the Agung volcano), the hands are residential buildings, the legs are the barn, the kitchen.

Bali is a holiday island, 230 days a year are filled with festive processions, colorful events, interesting customs. Residents living on the island have different nationalities and religions, so both Islamic, Hindu and Christian holidays are celebrated here.

One of the strangest traditions of the island is the teeth filing ceremony. The meaning of the tradition is to shorten the fangs, so that a person is deprived of resembling demonic entities and to pacify the six main sins in Bali: greed, lust, anger, jealousy, drunkenness, arrogance.

Most residents are not Muslim, but polygamy is still allowed. A man can take four women as wives, while the first one gives permission for the second, third and fourth wife. On given time There is polygamy in Bali. But it is mainly common among upper caste Balinese.

On the island in different parts you can find statues dressed in black and white skirts and hats, so local residents They believe in magical powers and the ability to come to life at night.

Childlessness and impotence are grounds for divorce.

The Balinese love children, especially boys, they continue the family line, care for elderly parents, and inherit lands. Girls go to their husband's family and have no right to inherit anything from their family.

The most famous drink is the elite Kopi Luwak coffee. Method of preparation: the raw material is collected from the excrement of a civet animal that eats ripe coffee beans.

On the streets and the coast you can find many colorful umbrellas, they are called “tedung”, which means “protection” and each color has its own meaning, indigenous people They believe that umbrellas have a protective function. There are four sacred colors in Bali: red, green, white, yellow.

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