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With its fine beaches, pounding surf, emerald-green rice terraces and exceptionally artistic culture, the small volcanic island of Bali - the only Hindu society in Southeast Asia - has long been Indonesia's premier tourist destination. As a result, it has become very much a mainstream destination and suffers the predictable problems of congestion and commercialization. However, Bali's original charm is still much in evidence, its stunning Hindu temples and spectacular festivals set off by the gorgeously lush landscape of the interior. Bali's most famous and crowded resort is Kuta beach, a six-kilometre sweep of golden sand, with plenty of accommodation, shops and nightlife. Nearby Sanur is much quieter, but most backpackers prefer the beaches of peaceful east-coast Candi Dasa and traveller-oriented Lovina on the north coast. The island's other major destination is the cultural centre of Ubud , a still charming but undeniably commercialized overgrown village, where traditional dances are staged every night of the week and the streets are full of arts-and-crafts galleries. In addition, there are numerous elegant Hindu temples to visit, particularly at Tanah Lot and Besakih , and a good number of volcano hikes, the most popular being the route up Gunung Batur , with Gunung Agung only for the very fit. Transport to and from Bali is extremely efficient: the island is served by scores of international and domestic flights, which all land at Ngurah Rai Airport just south of Kuta beach, as well as round-the-clock ferries to Java, thirty minutes' west across the sea from Gilimanuk , and frequent ferries to Lombok, two- to four hours' east of Padang Bai and Benoa. The Pelni ferry KM Dibonsolo also calls fortnightly at Benoa Harbour . Prices throughout Bali rocket during the peak tourist seasons from mid-June to mid-September and over Christmas, when rooms can be fully booked for days, if not weeks, in advance. Bali was a more or less independent society of Buddhists and Hindus until the fourteenth century when it was colonized by the strictly Hindu Majapahits from neighbouring Java. Despite the subsequent Islamicization of nearly all her neighbours, Bali has remained firmly Hindu ever since. In 1849, the Dutch started to take an interest in Bali, and by January 1909 had wrested control of the whole island. Following a short-lived Japanese occupation in World War ll, and Indonesia's subsequent declaration of Independence in 1945, Bali became an autonomous state within the Republic in 1948. But tensions with Java have continued: following the 1965 Gestapu affair in Java, some 100,000 actual or suspected members of the Communist Party on Bali were killed in reprisals. More recently, there has been growing concern about the number of wealthy entrepreneurs from Jakarta who have exploited Bali's considerable attractions for their own ends, with the Balinese starting to lose control of their own homeland.
Tour Bali On Line (Video + Stills)David Mundstock says "My film "Gamelan, Garuda & Ganesh" can be seen on the web, if you have a high speed internet connection.
This Bali and Java (Indonesia) video features Balinese dance, music, masks, shadow puppets, a cremation ceremony, Java’s Buddhist & Hindu World Heritage Sites, the Ramayana Ballet, and much more, including digital effects.
This is a free, non-commercial, streaming video on the Windows Media Player. No ads and no strings attached. I sell absolutely nothing.
The Bali and Java still photo gallery can be viewed with any modem.
There are over 30 of my other free, amateur travel videos on-line covering all seven continents. Visit Italy, Japan, England, Antarctica, Peru, Hawaii, China, Russia, Mayan Temples, Greece, or Turkey; see whales, penguins, or polar bears.
The planet is yours, including my Home Page giant galaxy of still pictures.
To watch the videos and view the stills, ask a search engine for: Intrepid Berkeley Explorer"
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