Overview

Bali is one of a handful of islands whose very name conjures up the exotic. The centerpiece for visitors to Indonesia's 17,000-plus island chain, Bali's luxuriant landscape is graced with terraced rice fields, volcanic mountains, forests full of monkeys, and sublime beaches.

Ever since the first European tourists arrived more than a half- century ago and became enthralled with Balinese arts & culture, the islanders have catered to the whims of visitors, all the while preserving their own unique worldview. Today the traveler who comes to the island looking for a rich, timeless cultural experience -- from touring Hindu temples to studying traditional dance -- will find it, just as the visitor who can't imagine a tropical holiday with- out swim-up bars and bungee jumping won't be disappointed: One observer has noted that in resort areas like Kuta, "Everything you want as a tourist and everything you hate about tourists coexists."

What inevitably captivates most visitors is the way the Balinese have managed, seemingly without effort, to hold on to a way of life in which everyday tasks, art, and religion are all intertwined. The so-called Bali Way just may reshape the way you see the world.

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BEACHES

The island's white sands have long been a big draw for visitors. Sanur, a favorite with early European travelers, and Nusa Dua, a more recently developed high-end resort area, are popular spots. The most famous beach, though, is at Kuta, a long, broad shore discovered by Australian surfers in the 1960s, thronged with backpackers in the 1970s, and a major destination for package travelers until the October 2002 bombing that claimed 200 lives. Now it is slowly once again returning to a place where the focus shifts from sun and sand during the day to a vigorous nightlife after dark.

GOLF

The greens most people associate with Bali are those of the terraced rice fields. But golfers will appreciate Nirwana, which was designed by Greg Norman and has three cliffside holes that over- look the famous temple Tanah Lot. Or there's Handara Kosaido; blessed with cool mountain air and views of Lake Buyan, it has been ranked among the world's 50 top courses.

CULTURE

It has been said that every Balinese is an artist, and whether the vehicle of expression is painting, dance, or wood carving, a sense of beauty seems to permeate the air. That's especially true in the arts center of Ubud, but religion underlies the aesthetic every- where: Just as wood-carving on Bali originated as decorations for temples, so island dance is related to Hindu myths and festivals.

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