Bali is an island and province of Indonesia. The province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan. It is located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Its capital, Denpasar, is located in the southern part of the island.
With a population of 3,890,757 in the 2010 census,and 4,225,000 as of January 2014, the island is home to most of Indonesia's Hindu minority. According to the 2010 Census, 83.5% of Bali's population adhered to Balinese Hinduism, followed by 13.4% Muslim, Christianity at 2.5%, and Buddhism 0.5%.
Bali is a popular tourist destination, which has seen a significant rise in tourists since the 1980s. It is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music.
Bali is part of the Coral Triangle, the area with the highest biodiversity of marine species. In this area alone over 500 reef building coral species can be found. For comparison, this is about 7 times as many as in the entire Caribbean. Most recently, Bali was the host of the 2011 ASEAN Summit, 2013 APEC and Miss World 2013. Bali is the home of the Subak Irrigation System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A trip to Bali is a journey through an exquisite landscape of mountains and hills that are complemented by sandy beaches as well as stunning coastline. The place is also known for beautiful rice terraces, archaeological attractions and an amazing culture of welcoming locals. There are many things that make Bali a great island destination for tourists to visit at least once in a lifetime. It is guaranteed that once someone visits this beautiful land, he or she is bound to come back again. The popular province of Indonesia houses many cities that are important from both cultural and natural aspects. Kuta, for example, attracts many surfers as well as boasts of many shopping venues and exciting nightlife. Seminyak is known as a place that is quieter and offers upscale beachside villas and resorts. Other major cities of this Indonesian province are Candidasa, Sanur, Jimbaran, Denpasar, Padang Bai, Ubud and Lovina. Indonesia tour packages include all or most of these cities. Bali offers a whole bunch of natural attractions like Mount Agung and Mount Batur, as well as historical sites like Pakerisan Valley, Jatiluwih Rice Terraces and Taman Ayun Temple, which always figure in the itinerary of Bali tour packages.
Mount Agung and Mount Batur, located in the north-central part of the island and featuring crater lakes, rivers and rainforests, attract travellers for nature-trek. The region also allures visitors around the world for its long list of idyllic beaches that include names like Kuta, Dreamland, Lovina, Padang Padang, Geger, Jimbaran, Seminyak and Sanur. Hindu temples of Bali are popular sights and due to a large number of such temples, it is sometimes known as the Island of a Thousand Temples. As per a popular belief, these temples are said to guard the land against the dark forces and have been built mostly on water edges and rugged cliffs. Besakih Temple, also popular by the name of Mother Temple, is more than a thousand years old. Tanah Lot is another major temple that is constructed off the coast on a rock and serves as a great sunset point. Other popular temples that must be included in the itinerary of a holiday package of Bali are Taman Ayun, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Pura Pasar Agung, Goa Lawah, Pura Masceti and Pura Luhur Batukaru. There is much more to Bali than temples and beaches, such as the famous Balinese massage and delicious cuisine. And tourists can explore all the different aspects of this Indonesian province by opting for a suitable Bali tour packages