Bali. Indonesia

Best time for a visit: It is important to know that this region is known for its monsoon level downpours of rain from October till March. The rainy season lasts just as long, so you may want to plan your visit around those months! Higher Hotel rates are noted during Easter week and the Chinese New Year. The absolute prime and best time to find the best deals for this region is between September to December. The dry season is April through October.

Transport: To travel by Taxi or to rent a motor bike is the best method of travel in this city as public transportation in the city is scarce and hard to come by.

FYI: The sunrise expedition to the summit of Mount Batur is a must for Bali travelers and something worth experiencing! You can find some of the islands most sought after and spectacular views in the middle of the night at this destination.

Bali is noted as the most famous and widely known island in all of Indonesia. The friendly locals and out of this world mountain scenery and landscapes are part of what makes this destination so amazing and sought after. Bali attracts thousands of tourists every year in the holiday season. The island is full of spectacular spots for surfing, dive sites, and sacred temples, all to be experienced.

Here is a shortlist of some facts you probably never knew about the island of Bali…

• Bali is home to the world’s most expensive coffee. Kopi luwak is not your average coffee bean. The beans are actually collected from the digestion area of a Civat cat! The cat actually eats the ripest coffee berries but does not fully digest the bean, so there you have it! The finest coffee bean in all of Bali!
• Bali is actually known for beaches with black sand! That’s right these beaches aren’t only white sand and crystal clear waters, but there are also beaches with actual black sand! The black sand originates from the cooled lava of volcanoes in the region. This beach is worth a trip to Bali to experience!
• The island was ranked second among some of the world’s top regions by the Lonely Planet’s best of travel 2010! In the year 2009 it was ranked the world’s best island by Travel and Leisure Magazine! But this is no surprise considering all of the greatness and amazement that is to be experienced on the island!
• A mind blowing 80% of this region’s economy is related to tourism. Tourism ranks alone as the largest industry in Bali in terms of actual income received.
• An interesting fact about the island is that the Balinese New Year starts in absolute silence. In the first day of the new calendar named Nyepi there is no one allowed to even be on the streets of Bali. Even noise and light are to be kept at minimum. These rules are expected to be followed by everyone residing on the island during this time.
• Bahasa Indonesia is the main language spoken on the island. The Balinese are mostly known for speaking 3 different languages: Balinese, Indonesian and English. English speaking is mainly reserved for tourism on the island.
• Balinese babies are so treasured that they are actually carried at all times everywhere they go for the first few months. These babies are not allowed to touch the ground during this period of their lives. They are considered to be little angels at this time. When the time comes around they are able to touch the ground.
• At the reaching of puberty for a young person there is a big ceremony celebrating this fete. This ceremony is called the tooth filing ceremony.
• The four most popular names given to Balinese people are Wayan, made, Nyoman and Ketut. These names mean the birth order from first to fourth born. Interesting concept, don’t you think?
• A mind staggering 3,000 different species of fish live in the Balinese waters! That number is exactly double the amount of fish that there are in the entire Barrier Reef!