Flora
Balinese
flora include majestic, holy Banyan trees, swaying
palms, the versatile bamboo, acacia trees and flowers,
flowers, flowers! Flowers can be seen everywhere;
Balinese love beauty and their gardens, roads and
temple grounds are delightfully adorned with all
kinds of blooms imaginable. Hibiscus, bougainvillea,
poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, roses,
begonias, magnolias, orchids and hydrangeas can
be found and enjoyed throughout Bali. Ubiquitous
frangipani flowers with their exotic perfume blend
well into the picturesque scenery.
Fauna
Wildlife
flourish in Bali. Inquisitive monkeys with outstretched
hands forever beseeching a treat, lizards living
harmoniously with humans and it is purported to
be a fortuitous omen if one hears the lizard call
seven times. The elusive Balinese tigers still roam
the remote northwest part of the island but a sighting
is indeed rare. Bats, squirrels, iguanas, civets,
barking deer, mouse deer and more than 300 species
of birds share Bali's lush greenery. You will also
see schools of dolphins near Lovina, Candidasa and
Padangbai, and there are colorful coral and small
reef fish, moray eels, crustaceans, sponges and
plankton-eating whale sharks along the east coast
of Menjangan island, near Gilimanuk. Of course,
we must not ignore our domestic friends, who wake
us up in the morn or bark at night. Roosters, chickens,
ducks, pigs, buffaloes and cows form the complete
picture of a Balinese farm life.
History
Bali,
island of a thousand temples- charming, beautiful,
captivating and alluring. Images of lush, green
paddy fields, ancient temples, exotic beauties performing
traditional dances, friendly people, peaceful beaches
and intricate carvings arise when one thinks of
Bali. It is this combination that makes Bali so
special and memorable.
It
is certain that Bali has been inhabited since early
prehistoric times. Fossilized human remains have
been discovered from neighboring Java, which are
dated to be as old as 250,000 years. Stone tools
and earthenware vessels, which were estimated to
be 3000 years old, were unearthed near Cekik (west
Bali). Other artifacts also show that the Bronze
Age began in Bali before 300 BC. Hinduism spread
its influence around 400 AD followed by Buddhism
in 500 AD.
Bali
and West Java then underwent several episodes of
conquering that includes conquering each other until
the Dutch arrived and established themselves partially
in Bali in 1850. Dutch troops landed in Sanur Beach
in 1900 and Bali was then completely occupied by
them. Many prominent families committed suicide
due to this defeat.
After
the Japanese occupation in the Second World War
from 1939 to 1945, Bali became an Indonesian province
but was able to maintain its own unique culture.
Population
Most
of the 3 million Balinese are Hindus but at its
core is animism, bound with threads of Buddhism.
Their caste system is adapted from the Hindu traditions
on Java, which dates back to 1350, but is not nearly
as strict as their Indian counterparts. Being in
a certain caste means that your roles in religious
rituals and the form of language used in every social
situation have been predetermined. However, this
ancient practice is diminishing with time as status
is achievable through education, economic success
and community influence. Only in traditional villages
is the caste system viewed as important during religious
practices. Bali is an island of religious tolerance
- Christianity, Buddhism and Islam coexist in harmony
in respect of each other's regulations and customs.
The
majority of Balinese are farmers but this is altering
as tourism and associated businesses, such as souvenir
manufacturing and selling, have become more important.
The recent 1997 economic downturn affected Indonesia
badly and the country had to resort to rescue packages
from the International Monetary Fund totaling to
about USD40 billion. This move did little to alleviate
the countless bankruptcies, widespread unemployment
and the plummeting of the Rupiah. The economic crisis
had hit Indonesia hard and prices of staples have
risen fivefold although wages remain unchanged.
Regardless,
Bali is a paradise worth visiting. It is indescribably
breathtaking, embellished with natural beauty and
charms - you will be bewitched.
Geography
Bali
has an area of 5,632 sq. km and measures only 140
km by 90 km. It is dramatically mountainous especially
in the western region, and the center of the island
is dominated by a number of volcanic mountains.
Many people had perished in Gunung Agung's 1963
destructive eruption and a lot of wreckage took
place in the eastern parts of Bali. The north and
south of the central mountains are agricultural
lands and the terrain is wider with gentle slopes.
Bali is also encircled by coral reefs, and black
(volcanic) sand blankets the beaches in the east
and north.
Paradise
is not even in the Balinese vocabulary but this
island is a likely candidate for paradise. Located
near the equator, Bali is a perpetual tropical haven
with a temperature range of 32 to 35 degrees Celsius.
Bali is usually less humid during the dry season
from April to September, which would be the ideal
time to visit the island when rainfall is light
and infrequent, whilst complemented by lower humidity.
Rice
remains the ancient staple that has sustained generations
of Balinese, and therefore a complex and amazingly
breathtaking patchwork of rice terraces will usually
meet the eye. On their own, the rice paddies are
a complete ecological system, supported by an elaborate
irrigation network. This significant crop has contributed
greatly in changing the natural landscape of Bali
and making it ever so beautiful. Other agricultural
produce are corn, tamarind, cloves, coffee, tea,
tobacco, cocoa, copra, vanilla, soy beans, chillies,
fruits and vegetables.
