Bali Tourism website proudly and gently implores the tourist to come visit Bali for its famed beaches, the beautiful year round weather and the lovely cuisine. It also claims Bali to be the ‘Land of Gods’. It is certainly true that once you are in Bali, whether on a Bali honeymoon package or for a holiday, you are certainly bound to feel as if you have reached a place that is out of this world and in a land truly created by God. Here’s a list of why Bali is known as the Land of the Gods and what are the places that are worth a visit in this beautiful island of Indonesia.
Location of the Paradise: Bali is located between the islands of Java and Lombok in the Indian Ocean and is very close to the eastern tip of another well-known island called Java. In terms of relative distances, Bali is located around 1,600 miles north of Perth in Western Australia and 600 miles east of the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. Although Bali is the name of an island itself, the province of Bali has several other smaller islands included in its territory, the most significant of which are the islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Menjangan Island. The capital of Bali is a city called Denpasar which is located in the south of the island.
Fame Pointers
Bali is famous the world over for its rugged and beautifully preserved coastline, Bali is also very famous for the snorkelling destination along with other water sports. Bali was ranked among the top 10 beaches in the world by the Conde’ Nast Travelers Readers choice awards in 2015.
Island of the Gods
Bali is described by many as the ‘Island of Temples’ or the ‘Island of the Gods’. The island of Bali gives an exuberant spiritual feel as soon as one comes here. There is the mellow smell of incense floating in the air with renditions of mantras in various Hindu temples that can be heard. There are Hindu priests that can be spotted performing Hindu rituals with great care and dexterity.
Almost all the houses in Bali, which has Hindu residents, have a small temple outside their houses where they pray every day. The Balinese people are quite spiritual and are devout to their religion Hinduism that they practice with great ritualism.
Must visit Temples
There are various sightseeing tours conducted in Bali and temples of Bali regularly feature among the top tourist destinations. Although there are thousands of temples all around the island, we will highlight the top five that are most visited by the locals and the tourists alike and understand their significance and value.
- Uluwatu Temple
The Uluwatu temple, known in the local language as Pura Luhur Uluwatu is among the most popular and significant temples of Indonesia and is famous for its stunning location which is on top of a cliff, about 70 m above sea level. This temple has some of the most beautiful Balinese architecture and is dedicated to the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. In the local Balinese Language, Ulu means the ‘top’ and Watu means a ‘rock’ or a stone. There are several archaeological findings that have derived that the temple is really an ancient one and was built in the 10th century. The temple is said to protect Bali from evil sea spirits. The temple itself has two separate entrances from the south and the north. The temple is so expansive that it can almost take an entire day to see the whole of it.
2. Tanah Lot
Tanah Lot is among the most frequently visited temples by tourists in the island of Bali. In most picture postcards depicting the spiritual side of Bali, you are sure to find a picture of this stunningly beautiful temple that is located on the coast of Beraban village in the Tabanan Regency. The setting of the temple is really breathtaking with it being perched on top of a hillock with constantly crashing waves. The best time to visit this temple is during the holy day of Kuningan on the 15th of April and then on ‘the day of the temples’ anniversary, which is five days later. This temple is always on the list of not-to-be-missed destinations of all tourists and is only a 45-minute drive from Kuta.
3. Ulun Danu Beratan
Located in the central highlands of Bali, the temple is located on the western side of the magnificent Beratan Lake and is amongst the most surreal and beautiful temples of Indonesia. The temple creates a unique floating illusion and has a beautiful lakeside garden. Apart from the temple itself, there are various other water sports and recreational facilities available.
4. Besakih
Besakih is a grand complex of various temples and is considered the holiest shrine in the whole island. It is also known as the Mother Temple and is located at an altitude of 1,000 meters above the sea level. The temple is so grand that it can easily take a full day to completely see the various smaller temples within the complex. There are various celebrations and festivals conducted in this temple throughout the year.
5. Gunung Kawi Temple
This temple complex, located in the region of Tampaksiring is on top of a hill that has 371 stone steps that need to be climbed on foot to get to this beautiful shrine. Thought to be the burial complex of King Anak Wungsu and his wives, the temple complex is among the oldest temples in the island of Bali and is regularly used for various rituals.
The above discussion proves beyond doubt that the beautiful island of Bali is, truly ‘the Land of the Gods’ and there are very few locations, the world over that can boast of the grand temples and the spiritual lifestyle that Bali offers. Apart from all this, of course, Bali also has all the offerings that make great holiday such as great water sports opportunities like surfing and also has quaint markets and glorious beaches. Book your beach holiday in Bali packages now!
