Loading...

BASIC INFORMATION OF BALI

LOCATION

Bali is one of over 17,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago and is located 8 to 9 degrees south of the equator or just over 2 kilometers from the eastern tip of the island of Java and west of the island of Lombok.

Flying time to Jakarta is about 1.5 hours, to Singapore and Perth (Australia) 2.5 and 3 hours, to Hong Kong about 4.5 hours, and to Sydney/Melbourne about 5.5 to 6 hours.

The island, home to approximately 4 million people, is approximately 144 kilometers from east to west and 80 kilometers north to south.

map of indonesiamap of bali

























*image source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/

HISTORY

The first Hindus arrived on Bali as early as 100 BC, so it's easy to understand why the island has had some time to develop its own culture. Divided among a number of ruling rajas, occasionally batting off invaders from Java to the west and making forays to conquer Lombok to the east, the north island was finally captured by the Dutch in a series of brutal wars from 1846 to 1849. Southern Bali (Denpasar area) was not conquered until 1906 and eastern Bali (Klungkung) did not surrender until 1908. In both 1906 and 1908, many Balinese chose death over disgrace and fought en masse until the bitter end, often walking straight into Dutch cannons and gunfire. This "fight to the death" is known as puputan. Victory was bittersweet as the images of the puputan highly tarnished the Dutch in the international community. Perhaps to make up for this, the Dutch did not make the Balinese enter into a forced cultivation system as had in Java, and instead tried to promote Balinese culture through their policy of Baliseering or the "Balinization of Bali".

Bali joined the new republic of Indonesia in 1948. In 1965, after the failed 1965 coup d'etat, allegedly backed by the Communist Party (PKI), state-instigated, anti-communist violence spread across Indonesia. In Bali, it has been said that the rivers ran red with the reprisal killings of suspected Communists — estimates of toll vary from 50,000 to 200,000. Most estimates say 80,000 - or 5-8% of the population at the time.

The current chapter in Bali's history began in the seventies when intrepid hippies and surfers discovered Bali's beaches and waves, and tourism soon became the biggest income earner. Despite the shocks of the terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005, the magical island continues to draw crowds and Bali's culture remains as spectacular as ever.


CLIMATE

Bali is always warm, humid and tropical, remaining around 86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. The April-October dry season and November-March rainy seasons are only relative, with plenty of rainfall around the year, but the Balinese winter is cloudier, more humid and with a higher chance of thunderstorms.

A more important consideration is the tourist season, as Bali can get packed in July-August and again around Christmas and New Year's. Australians also visit during school holidays in early April, late June and late September, while Indonesians visit during national holidays. Outside these peaks, Bali can be surprisingly quiet and good discounts on accommodation are often available.


TIME

Bali is in the UTC+8 time zone (known in Indonesia as WITA, Waktu Indonesia Tengah), same as Singapore and Hong Kong, one hour ahead of Jakarta.


ELECTRICITY

Electricity is supplied at 220V 50Hz. Outlets are the European standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko" or the compatible, but non-grounded, CEE-7/16 "Europlug" types. Generally speaking, U.S. and Canadian travelers should pack an adapter for these outlets, if they plan to use North American electrical equipment.


LANGUAGE

Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and most Indonesians, the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual. There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan membership, but this tradition is diminishing.

English is a common third language (and the primary foreign language) of many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry.


ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS

The province is divided into 8 regencies (kabupaten) and 1 city (kota) as follows:

* Badung, capital Mengwi
* Bangli
* Buleleng, capital Singaraja
* Denpasar (city)
* Gianyar
* Jembrana, capital Negara
* Karangasem, capital Amlapura
* Klungkung
* Tabanan


HOW TO GET TO BALI

By plane

Most visitors will arrive at Denpasar's Ngurah Rai international airport (IATA: DPS) . Despite the misleading name, the airport is actually located between Kuta and Jimbaran, roughly 30 mins away from Denpasar.

You can fly to Bali from major cities in Indonesia (Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar etc) or from major cities in Asia and Australia.

Note that if you are flying internationally into Ngurah Rai, most nationalities are now required to purchase an Entry Visa. ASEAN citizens are exempted. Entry Visas cost US$25 or EUR20 or Rp 250,000 in cash for 30 days and US$10 equivalent for 7 days; see the main Indonesia article for details. Few other currencies are accepted so it's a good idea to play safe and have the required dollars on hand. Flying internationally out of Bali, you are subject to the airport tax (150,000 Rupiah effective from 1st November 2007) which you would need to pay for in Rupiah so save some bills for the trip out. The domestic departure tax is Rp. 30,000.

ATM machines are available at Airport Departure Lobby which accept Cirrus and Plus cards for withdrawals.

Some hotels organize free transfers from the airport, but there are plenty of other taxis also available. Approximate price for getting from Ngurah Rai to Legian is Rp. 40,000. If coming from the airport ignore touts offering rides. After years of abuse, the airport and legitimate taxi companies dictated that fixed prices be offered. There is a dedicated booth at the airport for arranging rides to town (and any other location on the island). This is on the right just through the arrival doors for international.

Since the second bombing, security at the airport has increased considerably and be prepared for rigorous scrutiny of luggage, including carry-on items.


By bus

There are direct bus services to Bali from all major cities on Java as well as Lombok, which use the ferries to cross over. These are cheap and easy, but slow.


By boat

Ferries cross from Gilimanuk in western Bali to Ketapang on the island of Java every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, and the crossing takes just 30 minutes (plus waiting around, loading, unloading, etc).

A number of speedboats and catamarans operate from Benoa Harbor near Kuta (~2 hours) and Padangbai (80 min) to the Gili Islands of Lombok. These are expensive (~US$60 one way) but convenient, see the Gili Islands article for details.

There are also public slow boats from Padangbai to Lembar (Lombok) every few hours, with the trip taking around 3.5 hours.

Cruise ships occasionally stop so that passengers can tour or shop. Some ships still anchor off-shore toward the southeast side of the island, and tender guests to shore. Modest-sized ships can choose to dock at the port of Benoa, on the south shore, not far from Denpasar or Kuta. The dock area is basically industrial, with few amenities and no ATMs, and the area nearby is somewhat rough. Masses of taxis are usually ready to whisk you to nearby destinations at a moderate cost.


GET AROUND BALI

Bali's a fairly big island and you'll need a method to get around, if you plan on exploring more than the hotel pool. The traffic is chaotic. There is a daily traffic jam in Denpasar, Kuta, and major tourist centers. Driving is on the left side.

For different excursions around the island sometimes, it is common to buy a trip via a hotel or at one of the street agencies (they are seen everywhere in special tents marked "Tourist Information").

Once you arrive at your destination, you may encounter difficult walking conditions if you need to walk along streets. Sidewalks in much of Bali are simply the covered tops of open ditches and in many places only 2 ft wide. This makes for extremely uncomfortable single-file walking next to traffic. Often the sidewalk is blocked with a motorbike or caved-in section, necessitating dangerous darting into traffic. Many of island's conventional streets are simply not pedestrian-friendly. Beach areas and major tourist areas are easier to walk around -- Sanur in particular has a wide beachfront pathway with many cafes and bars.

By taxi

Metered taxis are very common in southern Bali up to Denpasar but not available elsewhere. The starting fee is Rp 5,000 for the first two km and the meter ticks up Rp 5,000 per kilometer afterward. Waiting time is Rp 20,000 per hour. Trips outside southern Bali will incur an extra charge of 30%, as the driver has to go back empty — if day-tripping, it's often cheaper and more convenient to arrange for your driver to wait and take you back.

You may also rent a car with a driver for half a day or for the whole day in order to travel around the island. You pay approximately Rp. 375,000 for the whole day and tell him what you want to see. The price is fixed and to be discussed before your trip. Do not pay until the end of the day.

By bemo

Bemos, minivans which serve as a flexible bus service, are Bali's "traditional" form of transportation, but they have largely given way to metered taxis in the south. Fares on shared bemos can be very cheap, but drivers will often insist that foreign tourists charter the entire vehicle, in which case they'll usually ask for taxi prices or more.

By car or motorbike

Car and motorbike rentals are also available, but may not be safe for drivers used to more formal traffic rules. Consider hiring a car and driver as you can relax, be safe, and not get lost. If you rent a vehicle, good bargaining skills should allow you to rent a car for about Rp. 80 - 120,000 per day, depending on the length of the rental and the type of car. Newer, large cars will cost more, but are of dubious value on Bali's narrow roads. Motorcycles, typically 125cc, some with automatic transmissions, rent for Rp. 30 - 35,000 per day. A proper-fitting helmet should be included, and its use is compulsory in Bali. Guide books state that Bali is no place to learn to ride a motorbike, and this is good advice. In areas outside of the tourist enclaves of south Bali, a motorbike is a wonderful way to see the island, but in south Bali, with its crush of traffic, the chances of an accident are greatly increased. An International Driving Permit is required for vehicle rental, with motorcycle endorsement if renting a motorbike. The IDP is seldom requested by the person renting you the vehicle, but will be required (along with the vehicle's registration papers) if stopped by the police (Typically a 50,000Rp "fine" will allow you to keep driving). An IDP is easily available from motoring clubs in your home country (AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance in the United States provides them for around $15) and it is valid for one year.

By bicycle

Travel by bicycle is quite possible, and provides a very different cultural experience to other means of transport. You should bring your own touring bike, or buy locally – there is at least one well stocked bike shop in Denpasar, but with a racing/mountain bike focus. While traffic conditions may appear challenging at first, you can acclimatise after a few days, especially once you escape the chaotic heavy traffic of southern Bali.

By rental car

Rental car services owned by individuals or companies are easy to find in Bali. For first timers, it's better to hire a rental car with drivers including gasoline. Using rental cars is for sure cheaper than taxi, and more efficient than using other public transportation. The drivers are usually English speakers, and they can also act as a tourist guide who will recommend you some good tourist destinations and good restaurants. Using rental cars from rental car companies is more expensive, but you can hire a cheaper rental car owned by individuals. You can ask a hotel staff or a security officer to recommend you a good individually owned rental car. Price is Rp. 400,000 - 500,000 for 1 day (10 hours) depending on your negotiation. Make sure the price already included gasoline and driver. Petrol costs, with the removal of some government subsidies in recent years have escalated dramatically, distance will be a factor in total costs. Entrance tickets of tourist destination and parking fee will be charged to guests. To visit most of the entire tourist destinations in Bali, you will need about 3 days.


WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN BALI

Click the link for further details:
- Beaches in Bali
- Temples in Bali
- Villages in Bali
- Lakes in Bali
- Mountains in Bali
- Diving spots
- Water sports
- Foods
- Beverages
- Monuments in Bali


WHERE TO STAY IN BALI

Click the following link for further detail on accomodations in Bali.


Sources:
http://www.baliguide.com
http://wikitravel.org/en/Bali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali

0 comments: