Bali: interesting facts. Interesting and shocking facts about Bali! What should a tourist know? Interesting facts about Bali for tourists

small island 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 an 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.

Pain can be described in different ways. It aches, pricks, pierces, presses, cuts, drills, drives you crazy. But at the same time, there is no life without pain. Remember the old joke: if you wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, it means you are dead.

Below are the most Interesting Facts about pain:

1. Scientists have calculated that every day every homo sapiens experiences more than a hundred pain attacks, it’s just that the consciousness does not record all of them. In our brain there is a so-called “pain center” that controls pain impulses and rejects the weakest ones. This area is called the insula, and it is located deep between the hemispheres of the brain. Sometimes the “pain center” malfunctions, and then a person may experience asymptomatic pain all the time. A variation of this problem is called fibromyalgia, or “flying pain.”

2. On globe There are approximately 500 people who never experience pain. But don’t be so quick to envy them. The absence of pain is a rare disease called syringomyelia. This disease can be inherited or occur as a result of severe brain injury. In this case, a person lacks the sensitivity of nerve endings. Usually these people rarely live even to 40 years of age. After all, the absence of pain does not mean the absence of injury. Just imagine how much damage these people cause to themselves without realizing it. Insensitivity to pain makes their body much less protected.

3. Despite the fact that the brain receives signals about pain from all parts of our body, it is the only organ that is not able to sense it, since it is completely devoid of nerve pain receptors.

4. Psychogenic pain is a symptom of depression. For example, a person thinks that his heart, his head, or his stomach hurts, but when examined, no diseases are found in him. 68% of people suffering from psychogenic pain begin to experience pain in the middle or towards the end of the working day, and 19% - in the early morning. Moreover, no analgesics help them get rid of pain. But motherwort and validol cope with this task perfectly.

5. Women have a higher pain threshold than men. This is due to the fact that estrogens, female sex hormones, have a natural analgesic effect. In men, the stress hormone adrenaline is responsible for suppressing pain. That is why a man is able to receive, for example, a fatal injury in a fight, but continue to fight. However, in peaceful life he can be knocked down by an innocent prick.

6. Our body has a “pain memory”. This is evidenced by phantom pain. When a person loses a leg or arm, the brain at a subconscious level refuses to perceive this and searches for the lost limb, irritating it with the help of nerve endings that no longer exist.

7. It turns out that you can feel someone else's pain. True, this does not guarantee that you will be able to alleviate it. For example, you may feel the same pain that another person feels, albeit in a mirror image. This is because the pain center processes the visual signal and projects it onto your body. This is called the phenomenon of empathy, and only humans can experience it.

8. Hot peppers can help relieve pain. Scientists found in it the substance capsiacin, which is a blocker of pain impulses. Capsiacin is also found in mustard and horseradish. Doctors recommend eating these foods for people with chronic pain syndromes (arthrosis and neuralgia). Recently, scientists have been actively working on creating an anesthetic with capsiacin molecules.

9. There are a number of foods that irritate nerve endings. For example, Parmesan cheese, vinegar, smoked meat, chocolate and foods containing monosodium glutamate (sausages, canned food, instant soups) can cause headache attacks.

10. Gemstones help get rid of chronic pain. There is even a technique called lithotherapy (from the Latin litas - stone). Of course, psychotherapy plays an important role here. However, topaz and malachite help get rid of pain in the kidneys and joints, sapphire and amber - from headaches, emerald - from heart pain, and jewelry with amethyst will help relieve hangovers.

1. Place, which shouldn't have happened.

Amazing and nothing like it similar island"thousands of temples" in the land of "thousand islands". Why is his existence so unusual? Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world by population. And how did a small island among 13,000 other islands (the largest and most densely populated of them radically Islamic) manage to preserve its unique religion and centuries-old traditions? Personally, this question haunts me; the whole issue seems to really be about some invisible forces protecting the island.

2. How did this happen?

Hindu-Buddhism (namely, this is the official name of the religion in Bali, and its local subtype “Agama Hindu Dharma”, although rather it is a mix of Hinduism, Buddhism, pagan ancestor worship and ritual rites) came to the island from neighboring Java (and there from India). On the island of Java in the 15th century. AD The Islamists began to actively oppress the ruling ruling families, and they had to hastily flee to a nearby, sparsely inhabited island, taking only the bare essentials (close servants, good artisans and doctors, among others). Many clergy also moved to Bali.

The Balinese consider themselves direct descendants of those rulers and their entourage who fled from Java. It was at this time that the culture and religion of Bali were formed almost in the form in which it still exists. Since the settlers were mostly talented and gifted people, all types of art flourished in Bali. And now every Balinese, if he doesn’t draw, then carves wood or bone, or sews, or makes something else. Fine motor skills and anything done with the hands are truly excellent for all residents. For example, I have never seen such fine, elegant woodwork anywhere. I’m already silent about Balinese massage.

3. It’s difficult to say how many gods there are in the Balinese religion., they all have different ranks and meanings. What can be said about all of them is that no one is clearly good or bad. The main thesis and ideology: to find a balance between good and evil, and one cannot exist without the other.

The Hindu famous trinity Brahma - Vishnu - Shiva on the island of Bali is fused into a single person, Shiva. This is one of the differences between Balinese Hinduism. Religiously, the Balinese are quite “promiscuous” or “receptive”. Their beliefs actively absorbed the innovations that came with the colonists. Buddha is perceived by the Balinese as the “younger brother” of Shiva. And Christian missionaries tried to bring teachings about one God to the inhabitants of the island, and it was also accepted and transformed. The equivalent of such a God has become Sanghyang-Vidi-Vas a, which “cannot be seen or imagined.”

4. Holy water religion.

Balinese Hinduism is also called the "Holy Water Religion". Water plays a key and symbolic role. The sources of fresh water on the island are volcanic lakes on the tops of sacred mountains. But, nevertheless, only the local population can drink this water. Literally! The reaction of tourists’ bodies to it can be extremely unpleasant and unpredictable. In all tourist places They use only bottled water and it is also recommended to wash fruits and cutlery if you are not sure about the quality of the water purification.

5. Island of 1000 temples, but it can’t be!..

Maybe, maybe even more, on this moment 6,000 temples (!) are considered official, and in total there are about 20,000 of them, including home ones.

6. Why so much? Many, because they perform different tasks. Each village has 3 temples with different functions: 1) Pura Des a, the first, central temple in the village. Here the residents gather together and ask for the favor of the gods in ordinary daily affairs and for the general prosperity of the village. 2) Pura Puseh- a temple of a more general meaning, dedicated to the spirits of the earth, ceremonies related to fertility are held here. 3) Pura Dalem- this temple is located next to the cemetery and accordingly is considered a temporary refuge for souls before cremation.

And also temples outside villages, in every house, in a hotel, near sacred springs and in other most unexpected places.

One of ancient temples in the "heart of Bali", the city of Ubud

7. Why is the island called that and how to pronounce it correctly?

The name of the island of Bali comes from Sanskrit and means “hero” or “strongman”. The country was originally called Bali-angka - " cradle of heroes", and simply Bali for short.

How to say B correctly A Lee or Ball And. Dictionaries give the first option, which sounds a little strange to our ears. The Balinese themselves say something like “Ba-a-li?”, but it’s hard to tell where the emphasis is. In addition, there are a lot of city names in Russian that do not match the pronunciation by native speakers, for example Fl O Rida-Flor And yes, Rome in other languages is Roma, and Beijing in general is Beijing. And this doesn't shock anyone. So say whatever is most convenient for you, time will tell which option will take root.

8. Castes.

Surprisingly, the island still has a caste system (echoes of Hinduism), although they are not as rigid and strict as in India. A transition from caste to caste is possible in principle. But in traditional villages it is still not allowed to take a husband/wife from another village. Divorce is strictly condemned. If there is a divorce in the family, then the wife returns to her parents and can only take her personal belongings with her; her rights are so limited that very few women decide to do this. Children, for the most part, remain with their father (and his family), especially if the child is male.

Although some softening is already felt now (the pernicious influence of the West), our driver admitted that at the wedding his wife was already pregnant, 15 years ago - it would have been a shame and a stain on the whole family. It seems completely appropriate and logical for the islanders to ask strangers “ do you have children, how many, and if not, then why?" I wouldn’t say that they worry about their children and overly pamper them, but in their coordinate system, marriage and the subsequent necessarily having offspring is such a logical, understandable and variable process that there is nothing to discuss.

9. Appease the spirits immediately after brushing your teeth.

Offerings- This is a daily ritual that is learned from childhood (especially girls). Usually this is a basket of palm leaves with flowers and a handful of rice, but on holidays ( and, in my opinion, there are half of the days in the calendar) can be expensive rice (red or black), fruits, and animals. Traditional suckling pig on a spit- it's not just food. They are slaughtered with deep meaning: by killing a pig, a mystical ritual act is performed, along with it a sacrifice is made to the spirits, and deliverance from anger, hatred and other harmful emotions.

10. At the ceremony, a Balinese spends a quarter of his life and half (!) of his salary. Religion regulates absolutely all life-determining areas. From the moment of birth to death and even later (more on this later), a Balinese resident spends every smallest stage of his life in rites and rituals. Without an offering, not a single small task begins. No tree is cut down to build a house without the approval of the village elders (and they will also choose the right tree on the right day).

Dancing plays a huge role in ceremonies. All of them, of course, are not just a set of movements, but a ritual performance that tells some local legend. Basically, the main leitmotif is the struggle between good and evil and, most often, a draw. During the dances, with the help of special instruments, a special rhythm is set and the participants and spectators fall into a state close to trance. In some cases, dances can last 5-7 hours!

11. Cockfighting.

Also, in a sense, sacrifices and one of their favorite entertainments for the male part of the island’s population. For these purposes, special fighting roosters are raised in almost every yard, their combs are cut off and they are kept outside so that they get used to the noise and are not afraid of it (and during the fight, the blades are tied to their paws). A good fighting cock can cost as much as a decent bike (another thing that a Balinese cannot live without). In cockfights there are real money stakes and excitement, and heart attacks from excitement, many Balinese lost their fortunes, after which the fighting days were regulated and shortened, but their popularity did not decrease one bit.

12. Volcanoes occupy a very special, physically and metaphysically central place in religion. The center of the world is Gunung Agung (3142 m) - the most sacred mountain. Other mountains and volcanoes are also a place where the energy and protective forces of the island are concentrated, the abode of good spirits and gods. The coast and especially the ocean surrounding the island - haven of demons and evil spirits. Locals near coastline they don’t like to live, they look at tourists who are also willing to pay to live there with distrust, and they themselves prefer to settle higher in the mountains, but not too high (deities live on the peaks and close to them and people don’t belong there) . ( On all volcanic islands I observe a similar trend, although not everywhere with a religious justification :))

Balinese legend says that the island was originally flat. But when Java was converted to Islam, the Hindu gods decided to move to Bali. In the new place they needed to live somewhere, naturally high, in order to correspond to their position. So they created mountains, one for each depending on their rank.

13. Is it dangerous to relax there?

Of course, eruptions and tsunamis are rare, but they do happen. But what about the island, which is volcanic, and is also located geographically in the region where Indian and Pacific Oceans, and tectonic plates move. But now tracking and monitoring systems are well developed (there are even special websites (this one, for example), so the risk for tourists is minimal.

Although the volcanoes are active (Batur and Agung) and sometimes show their character!

In 1963 on the days of the sacred religious ceremony for the Balinese, Agung began violent eruption volcano, which in its strength surpassed volcanic eruptions throughout the world in the 20th century! Lava erupted from the eastern side of the mountain, wiping out several villages. Because of this eruption, all the beaches turned dark east coast, where it used to be White sand Now it’s gray-black and has lava stains. The Balinese believed that such wrath of nature in sacred place- this is an omen. In a sense, it was like that, after a couple of years it began Civil War with massacres and repressions, as the Balinese themselves say: “the rivers overflowed their banks because of the bodies dumped in them.”

14. The islanders have their own special "feng shui and compass". All orientation on the island runs along the axis up - Agung volcano (towards the gods), down - to the sea (towards the demons). All construction on the island corresponds to this principle, everything is more important and sacred, closer to the gods, in the direction of the volcano.( Even the beds in the house are invariably set according to this rule, with the head facing the mountain.) Every temple, every house is laid along these axes. The direction to the east is also endowed with a sacred meaning; the sun rises there, which, of course, is one of the divine incarnations.

15. Difficulties in translation.

All local residents can speak national Indonesian. But the island also has its own language, which, like religion, is a crazy fusion, starting with Sanskrit and ending with Dutch.

Particular complexity and difficulties arise due to the fact that Balinese is 3 languages at the same time, not particularly intersecting with each other. This is the speech low level", "average" and "higher". For each situation and for each interlocutor (depending on age and caste), the correct version of speech must be chosen, otherwise serious offense can be caused!

16. It's hard to believe, but Bible translation Balinese people saw it only in 1990. ( work on this scripture lasted more than 80 years). And its application is limited due to the fact that most Balinese people do not speak sufficiently to understand the text " highest level” language, which was chosen for the book because of its highly spiritual themes.

17. And you say it’s difficult to learn English...

Writing. Traditionally, the Balinese use the Aksara Bali alphabet, a modified version of the Javanese alphabet. This is a syllabic letter, where the symbols represent a syllable of 2 (less often) three letters. Currently, in addition to Balinese, the obligatory written language of the Balinese is Indonesian, which they begin to learn from junior classes. The entire population owns it to a greater or lesser extent. In addition, there is also the Balinese alphabet, but based on the Latin alphabet, it is increasingly found in publications and street design.

18. About finances.

Until recently, residents lived mainly by subsistence farming and exchange. With the flow of tourists, the situation, of course, has changed. Although salaries still remain low and the average resident of Bali can afford almost nothing (all their investments are motorbikes, in my opinion), has never left the island and has almost no equipment at home (a refrigerator is a luxury).

People come from neighboring Java to work for $100-150 a month, creating additional competition. It’s true that prices in Bali are low. But the cost of housing is inexplicably high; almost no one can afford to buy a plot of land, even the smallest one (rent - please, but buy - no). The fact is that all the buildings in Bali are low; residential, so generally a maximum of 2 floors. And not because they don’t know how to build. All the Balinese we asked answered the same thing. “It’s wrong to sleep higher than coconuts grow.”.

19. Bury me twice.

In Bali, it is customary to cremate dead people, and not just cremate them, but with honors, dances, dances, tambourines and plentiful treats. But such a ceremony is very expensive, so mass cremation ceremonies are widespread. The deceased villagers are buried in a special cemetery, and then, when a sufficient number has accumulated, they are dug up and burned, and I arrange one ceremony for everyone.

20. Indonesian money printed on Russian paper. They are slightly smaller in size. And on Indonesian coins there are flowers and parrots and dancing girls.

21. This year Bali has become the center of political and cultural life. So many events at once: the WTO conference (and rallies associated with it), World culture forum, APEC 2013, Miss World 2013, Putin also celebrated his birthday there.

22 . Balinese calendars.

In addition to the Gregorian calendar, there are two more in force in Bali. Gregorian time is used mainly to communicate with tourists and the outside world. The Indian calendar is considered to be the true calendar. moon calendar, where the base unit is the solar year, starting from the vernal equinox. And the Javanese-Balinese calendar is the Pawukon calendar. Brahmans) - the highest caste, people of this caste are engaged in spiritual work, they also calculate holidays, days for ceremonies and lucky days for weddings/construction and anything on all these calendars. Pawukon lasts 210 days and has a rather complex and interesting structure: the first week in this calendar lasts 1 day, the second - 2 days, the third - 3 days, and so on until a ten-day week. The week itself and the day of the week on which one was born are of great importance to the Balinese, much more than the date and year.

23 . Simple human joys.

Balinese smoke a lot and often smoke special Kretek cigarettes, in which tobacco is mixed with cloves. It’s quite sad with alcohol: although it would seem that it would be worth growing grapes and making wine or importing them from Australia/New Zealand. But no. Only arak, a local strong drink made from rice (terrible for my taste), is on sale.

The distribution and use of drugs is punishable by death, however, in some places they sell quite openly " special mushrooms"(on Gili they offer it right away, before you even have time to unload from the boat).

24. Also joys, but already past. Until 1908, women did not wear tops and went topless. The Dutch “closed the shop” in the literal and figurative sense; they considered this look of girls indecent and provocative... But in all the bas-reliefs and paintings women are depicted in exactly this form.

25. And not joy at all. Just literally 20 years ago, men on the island did not work at all. All the roads, administrative buildings and everything else were built by women. The men were " for beauty”(in their own words) and for active participation in cockfighting. Until now, the attitude towards women is a little strange for our European worldview. Women carry all the weights, almost always on their heads. Any family business, be it a cafe or a massage parlor, is mostly served by women.

26. Balinese healers.

Everyone knows about Filipino doctors, but few know about Balinese ones. But there is practically no official medicine on the island. I didn’t see a single hospital and noticed a pharmacy once(!). Local residents prefer to be treated by sorcerers; there are white and black ones with obviously different ranges of services.

The prototype of a healer-teacher-mentor in book "Eat, Pray, Love"" is a real person living near Ubud. He still holds receptions for all those who suffer. For those who haven’t read the book, in short: the girl lost the meaning in life, her “own self” and money just because of an ordinary divorce, which she herself provoked. First I ate for 4 months in Italy, then I went on a diet and meditated in India, and then for balance I went to Bali. Found what I was looking for here: sexually transmitted infections, a cheating girlfriend, a man who is 15 years older and didn’t even agree to move for her sake. That's it, happy ending in American style. But the film and book are strangely popular and part of the filming took place in Bali, and the highlighted places have become a place of tourist pilgrimage.

27. Bali is the most calm, peaceful place and practically heaven on earth.

This is the tale our tour operators tell, with, as I understand it, the Indonesian government actively supporting this image.

This, unfortunately, is not entirely true. More recently, there was active military action on the island in the past.

At the beginning of the century, the Dutch invaders, during the East India Company, tried to capture the island in several approaches. The most striking and saddest story of these attacks: in 1906 The Dutch demanded the voluntary surrender of the islanders and recognition of defeat. The Balinese did not have firearms and had nothing to resist the armed squadrons with. The islanders chose death shameful surrender and several families in the central square committed mass suicide ( according to evidence, among them was the king and representatives of noble ancient families).

The Dutch occupation did not last very long; during the Second World War, Japanese troops carried out a series of brutal attacks and captured the island. After the surrender at the end of the Second World War, Japan was no longer interested in the small island. Bali finally received the freedom it wanted, but then brutal civil wars followed with massacres.

Only in 1965 military action was more or less over on the island and it finally became open to tourists. But even here there were tragedies. Just recently in 2002. and in 2005 Islamic extremists carried out terrorist attacks in places popular among visitors, resulting in the deaths of many tourists. ( The tourist places were not chosen by chance - everything was done to attract attention).

28. But, if you don’t know the history, then Bali really looks like a piece of heavenly Earth. The soils here are so fertile and the climate is mild and humid that almost anything grows. Coffee, cocoa, spices ( Did you know that the Indonesian islands are the birthplace of cloves? Wherever it is now grown, these are artificially planted plants. Previously, it was exported only from here, and for a few kilograms of this spice you could get a whole fortune).

Fruits, vegetables (including the usual tomatoes/cucumbers/radish) - all of this is growing and active. (Naturally everything is eco/bio/organic, etc.). But the most basic agricultural industry is, of course, rice. Many people come to Bali to admire the amazing rice terraces, many of which are several centuries old.

The fauna is also extremely diverse, there is no point in describing it, I will only show you an amazing animal, I have never seen it before.

Meet:

I diagnosed the animal incorrectly the first time, it’s not bear couscous, but Binturong. Often it is also called bear cat (cat-bear), for some similarities with both animals. Active at night like a cat. Walks clumsily like a bear. Lives in trees. Eats fruit.

29. I’ve already heard this somewhere...

Balinese name children by birth order, the names for boys and girls are the same: Wayan-first child Made- second, Newman- third, Ketut- fourth (Wayan, Made, Nyoman, Ketut). If the fifth is born, then the cycle ends and he is again called Vayan.

In Bali, until the child is six months old, he does not participate in any ceremonies and for the first three months of his life, children should not touch the floor with their feet, because... It is believed that until this time the child still has a divine essence, and gods, as we know, do not walk on earth.

30. Nowhere else have I met so many extraordinary, talented and unusual people as in Bali. And not only local residents, but also tourists ( except for those who travel to Nusa Dua area and lives exclusively on the territory of beaches/bars/clubs.)

In 2 weeks, for example, we met an American woman from Los Angeles, who has traveled all over the world, but considers St. Petersburg her favorite city (we were wary of specifying which one, but no, that’s right, our St. Petersburg charmed her),
a refugee from Java, who lived there on the brink of poverty, almost swam to Bali, worked 3 jobs to learn languages and eventually knows several languages, including Russian (!).
A young Russian couple who almost abandoned the benefits of civilization and bonuses in the form of plastic everywhere and chemical food, and voluntarily left Moscow “into the wilderness”: they built themselves a house there, raised children and grew organic vegetables.
A Dutch woman who has a very interesting and unusual farm in Bali, where she is experimenting and trying to create a closed, self-sufficient bio-house, in the off-season she provides free housing and food to sympathetic young people from Europe, although in return she asks them to collect garbage in public places on the island.
A local resident from a traditional, tradition-honoring village. Monkey Man, as he called himself, in the morning his duties include collecting bananas/coconuts from the village palm trees, and then he restores and redraws the calendars that his grandfather drew on bamboo leaves. He really wants a family and children, but there are only 400 people in their village and there are no available girls...

I could go on for a long time, the energy and unusual relaxed atmosphere set this island apart from others. Unusual people come here, and ordinary people too, but unnoticed by themselves, they discover something new and unknown. Try it and see.

P.s. At the same time, I congratulate everyone on the upcoming holidays. May you have unforgettable experiences in the New Year, trips to the city/country of your dreams, finding harmony (no matter what you mean by this concept: financial well-being, meeting an ideal partner, or just inner peace in the future) - may everything come true !

The island of Bali is home to surfing and diving, religious, environmental and beach tourism. Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations all over the world, but despite this, much of the life of the local population is not known to the general public. Interesting facts about Bali will help you discover and learn something new and even useful. Bali is part of the Islamic state of Indonesia. Bali is located here on the world map.

Bali is Island of the Godswith a very varied landscape: hills and mountains, beautiful coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and bare volcanic slopes. Surfing and diving, unique cuisine, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological attractions - Bali has a lot to offer the tourist market, and the market really likes this offer. The island of Bali boasts big amount interesting places from a tourist point of view. A variety of excursions await you: sightseeing and thematic excursions, exciting walks, yacht tours, and even cooking courses. Current prices for excursions in Bali, as well as a list of private Russian-speaking guides, can be found on the website of a special project for tourists “Experts.Tourister.Ru” - experts.tourister.ru.

It is believed that the very first settlers in Bali emigrated from China in 2500 BC.
It is noteworthy that in Indonesia, Islam is professed by more than 88% of the population, while on the island of Bali, which is part of this state, 83.5% of the population professes a special version of Hinduism. That is why pork dishes can only be tasted in Bali; in Indonesia, pork is not eaten, since this food is prohibited in Islam.
Subak is an irrigation system rice fields in Bali, was developed over 1000 years ago. Considered an objectUNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bali is just one of more than 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia.
One of the most expensive types of coffee, Kopi Luwak, is produced in Bali.
The Balinese believe that a newborn baby is the reincarnation of one of the family ancestors, and therefore the baby should not touch the ground until 3 months.
The child, regardless of gender, is usually given one of these four names: Wayan, Made, Nyoman or Ketut. This can be translated as: born first, born second, and so on. If you have more than four children, you simply start over with Wayan. Descriptive nicknames help avoid confusion. This rule is true for the lowest caste. Yes, there are 4 castes in Bali, similar to those in India.
Bali was the host of the competition Miss World 2013 . This was the first time that an International Beauty Pageant was held in Indonesia.
The climate on the island is tropical and is divided into two seasons.The dry season lasts from April to October, and the rainy season from October to April. The best time The dry season is considered to be the best time to visit, which is also more crowded. For inspiration and peace, many people go during the rainy season, when the tourist flow is insignificant.
The Balinese menu consists of white rice, pork, spicy vegetables and exotic fruits.
One of the most sacred temples in Bali - Pura Ulu Watu, p. located high in the cliffs on the southwestern tip of the island.
Seminyak is the center of luxury living in Bali. Hereyou will find boutiques, restaurants, cafes and fashion shows.
Ubud is the artistic heart of Bali, the center of spiritual life.The streets are filled with galleries where artists of different generations do their work. The view here is indescribableto the rice terraces. Thisgreen landscape is often chosen as best place for yoga and meditation.

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 for 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: Brahmans (clergy), Kshatriya (military personnel and government officials), Vaisya (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 per 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 birth - 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).

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