Indonesia People

Well what can I say. Was an interesting place didn't really go the narrow streets etc. Was quite a dirty place. However if anyone ever heads that way the tours were excellent especially the Kintamani volcano Tour and the Monkey Forest and Temples Tour. Be wary if offered a friendship bracelet or the like as my friend and I were ripped off $280AUD each the first day we were there if you do find yourself in this situation and not knowing the value of their Money all you need to do is say the word police and they back right off. Great weather, really hot. We stayed in Kuta at cheap accommodation but if you go there i would recommend going for something around the 3.5 - 4 star mark as the accommodation we had was only 2.5 star and the sheets were washed daily but they were kinda brown and blood on the walls of our unit. Kuta Beach was lovely but they have a lot of people selling stuff that tend to hound you. lol. The shopping absolutely amazing and very cheap. We were offered drugs by some guys .............no we didn't take them neither of us were into that but however if you are game to purchase off of them do be warned that as soon as you buy it they go to cops and report you then you have the balinese police on your back. Overall was a great place especially the tours, kids ride moped thingees to school and the balinese drive crazy.........yes there were times we thought we weren't goin to make it back to NZ. Was a real eye opener for us. These people work so hard for so little.

Padang Bai is a beautiful, small friendly fishing village on the east coast of Bali in about 54km from Denpasar.

Not all but, sadly, a lot of people dont stop to enjoy the life of Padang Bai. Padang Bai is also the main ferry port for heading east to the island of Lombok.

Most people on a limited time rush through on their way to the Gilli islands of the coast of Lombok and beyond.

When wanting to change money on the streets around Bali, don't always look for the place offering the highest exchange rate, as more often than not they will be trying to rip you off.

Find out what the going rate is online, (xe currency convertor is one of the best), to get a general idea of what the current market exchage rate is, as a guide.

If, for example, the online rate is Rp7500, then look for a money changer offering around Rp50 either side of that amount. Occassionally you'll come across a "nest" of changers sitting around Rp7800, which is too high above the going rate.

I have had, and heard of several experiences, where trying to change money at these higher rates has led to the customer being ripped off, or if you uncover the scam during the exchange process, they pack up and cancel the deal. This happened to a friend of mine just recently using the above exchange rates as an example.

The vast majority of Money Changers are good, honest people, but there's unfortunately a few that will try and pull one over you. Be on guard!

High on the slopes of Bali's Mount Agung sits Pura Besakih, widely referred to as the "Mother Temple" of Hinduism in Bali. Pura Besakih, or Besakih Temple in English, is the largest of the island's 11,000 or so Hindu temples; its 35 shrines and halls draw devotees from all over Bali in massive numbers each year.

The world is lucky to have Besakih. In 1963 Mount Agung, a volcano, erupted and destroyed several nearby villages. Besakih was untouched.

The temple is generally agreed to date back to prehistoric times in Bali. It is named for Naga Besukian -- the dragon-god thought by pre-Hindu Balinese to inhabit this, the highest mountain in Bali. But at the beginning of the 11th Century Besakih became the state temple at a time when Bali was no mean kingdom. It has remained the state temple in some form or another ever since and is state supported today.

Like most Balinese temples, Besakih is not a closed building but a mostly open-air affair. It is made up of courtyards with altars and shrines devoted to a number of gods. And those gods have better things to do than just hang around a temple; the Balinese believe that the gods visit a temple on particular dates -- and on those dates the Balinese hold festivals to honor (or placate) the gods. Of all the temples on Bali six are "supremely holy:" Pura Besakih, Pura Lempuyang Luhur, Pura Gua Lawah, Pura Batukaru, Pura Pusering Jagat, and Pura Uluwatu. Of these, Besakih stands higher than the others -- not because it sits some 3000 or so feet above the ocean on the mountain's side, but because it is more sacred to the Balinese. It is said to be the only classless, casteless temple on the island where any Balinese Hindu can come to worship.

Bali's Hinduism is unique. Many scholars believe it gives us a view of Hindu beliefs much as they existed 1500 to 2000 years ago. Hinduism was once the dominant religion in much of Southeast Asia and empires in the region where ruled by god-kings -- empires like Funan, Sri Vijaya, Angkor, and Bali.

The Hinduism of Bali is less fragmented than that of modern India. Balinese are generally said to worship one god, Brahman, who manifests himself in various forms or personalities.

Lee Arnold, in his article on The Temples of Bali, quotes an anonymous Balinese who explains their views: "I am just one person; someday I might be a farmer, another a driver, yet another a cook, but I am still only one person." In the same way the Hindu "gods" Siva and Vishnu (Siwa and Visnu in Balinese) are really just different manifestations of the one god, Brahman, in Balinese theology. While this may be true, temples generally end up serving as places where one of Brahman's manifestations is worshipped; and Besakih is dedicated largely to Siva worship.

While the Hinduism of Bali may provide a glimpse into the religion's past it is by no means pure. Balinese religion has kept Islam at bay, but has absorbed aboriginal animism and Malay cultic ancestor worship along with aspects of Mahayana Buddhism.

The temple's anniversary, Odalan, is an excellent day to visit if you are looking for pageantry. But you should expect a crowd of several thousand people. That ceremony comes in the tenth month of the Balinese calendar, usually in April.

Located 180 kilometer southeast of Jakarta, Bandung is the capital city of West Java province. It takes only 2 hours by car from Jakarta via Cipularang highway. Or you can also take a three-hours train ride with nice mountain scenery.

Bandung is surrounded by mountain range gives the city a cool climate throughout the year. With population of over two million, everything moves in a little bit slower pace here compare to metropolitan life in Jakarta. Bandung is an important city of education that lures many students to study in various universities. Now, Bandung is one of the most popular city in Indonesia for shopping and tourism.

Bandung's prosperity is in part due to vast tea and coffee plantations around the vicinity. However, high tech industries such as textiles and aeronautics are increasingly playing greater role the city's economic.

There are short drives up to the mountain resorts of lembang and bosscha observatory, and higher to the volcanic crater of Tangkuban Perahu, the only crater in Java accessible all the by car as far as its rim. It is an awe inspiring sight of emanating sulfur fumes.

Bandung city itself is very exciting place. Crowded, but Bandung have many old art deco buildings, beautiful parks, and fine landscapes. In the past, Bandung well known as "Parijs van Java" because of the beauty of this city.

Bandung is the capital city of snack, you can taste the various kind of snack with low price. Beside that, Bandung is well known as the city of fashion. You can shopping in many factory outlets and boutique around the city.

The people of Bandung, sundanesse, possess an uncommon warmth along courtesy, friendliness and politeness. They have a strong sense of helping each other when in need. Moreover, the women of the Bandung region are known for their beauty. All of that makes you feel at home when you are in Bandung.

Beside those, Bandung still have many interesting place to see...