"Outlying Balinese villages" a Bali Travel Page by Ramonq

Mention the word Bali, and it conjures up images of exotic mysticism set in a tropical paradise. Bali is the most popular destination in Indonesia for tourists, and it is home to the largest Hindu population in Southeast Asia. While most of Indonesia is Islamic, Bali has retained it's Hindu culture that dates back to an era before Islam. The influence from India arrived when Hindu empires reached the shores of Indonesia earlier than the Arab merchants who have converted most of Indonesia into Islam. Bali's culture has set it apart from the rest of the country and one can visibly see the architecture, rituals and arts are uniquely Balinese. This has made Bali an attractive place to visit because of its culture and spirituality.

Bali is a classic Asian destination which Westerners love to experience. It's lifestyle is so different that it attracts so many curious travellers from the West. Plane-loads of tourists descend into the island to enjoy the Bali experience. Tourism has become Bali's biggest industry and many have lamented that it has changed the culture completely. In the city of Denpasar and the popular beachside town of Kuta, you can forget the image of the exotic Bali. The area has been modernised to cater for tourists, such as shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and resorts. Many tourists hang around these popular beach resorts to take advantage of the nightlife and entertainment that would cost more than double back home. Kuta, Jimbaran, Seminyak and even Legian are the centres of mass tourism in Bali, and they are all located on the southeastern part of the island.

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Then there the quieter tourist spots such as Sanur and Nusa Dua (the upmarket area for foreigners), which are located on the southwestern part of the island. But these enclaves for the tourists belie the reasons for what makes Balli unique. It's in the hinterlands in the Central and northern highlands where one can witness the Balinese rural lifestyle.