It's summer and if you think about, you definitely have a wanderlust-loving buddy or family member who is either, travelling to or returning from Bali. You know it's true. Bali has increased greatly in popularity over the past few years as a destination for singles, honeymooners or families. But what has made it so incredibly popular? We think it's these five reasons that have made Bali the most famous island on the Indonesian archipelago.
1. Temple Spotting
There are said to be over 20,000 temples across the island of Bali. Visiting them all won't be possible on a vacation so dropping in to the main ones are a must-do on every traveler's list. The most popular, Tanah Lot temple is atop a hill and surrounded by the sea. Uluwatu is another well-known sea temple besides a cliff with an amphitheatre and fire dancers. Besakih is another, the largest of the Balinese temples known as the 'mother temple'.
2. Delectable Cuisine
Being an island, it is seafood that is most delectably prepared on the island of Bali. Balinese cuisine includes a lot of coconut and spices with meats and seafood. Some of their most finger-licking dishes are satay (marinated, skewered meat), babi guling (spit fire roasted pork), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) and lawar (traditional mix of spices, coconut, meat and rice).
3. Rice Terraces
Some of the most photogenic pictures of Bali come straight from the rice terraces across the island. The popular ones are Ubud's Tegalallang and Tabanan's Jatiluwih's rice terraces. The wide expanses of lands are covered in the lush greenery of blooming paddy fields and also have high vantage points for better visibility.
4. Bali Swings
Imagine swinging merrily, except you're 20 metres in the air looking over forests, sea and sky. This heart-stopping activity is possible at Ubud's Bali swings. These single swings are possible at four different heights and the spot even includes a butterfly garden and trekking. Adventure seekers can't get enough of this thrilling spot.
5. Ubud's Monkey Forest
Comments
The scared monkey forest of Padantegal is a natural forest sanctuary that is home to many breeds of monkeys. Visiting this spot allows tourists to take walks through the peaceful forest as well as watch and feed the monkeys in their natural habitat.
