About Bali - Paradise Island
Bali Island is a beautiful island. Bali is a part of Indonesia archipelago. It own the panorama and unique culture that make this island is exclusively than others. It is located in the tropical situation that has stated this island as Dream Island for a vacation. Bali Island has many kinds of places to visit like rice paddies, beautiful panorama, volcanoes soaring up through the clouds, tourism activities and attractions, dense tropical jungle, long sandy beaches, warm blue water, crashing surf and friendly people who don't just have a culture but actually live here, daily community ritual and a lot of things make your holiday unforgettable.
View Map of Bali
In Bali, the spirits is coming out to play in the moonlight, every night is a festival and even a funeral is an opportunity to have a good time and the day you will get the enjoy of the sea breeze from the blue sea water which completing your dream holiday. Bali is an Island of God in Paradise that is perfect destination for your holiday, enjoy the paradise with your family and collages and meet Bali will offer something for everyone. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in day-to-day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces.
Some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.
The Bali Aga - The Original Balinese
The original Balinese or Bali Aga, are a unique ethnic group that still live and practise a way of life that pre-dates modern civilisation. The Bali Aga are thought to be the original inhabitants of Bali who fled imperialistic invaders, eventually finding refuge in the solitude of Bali's remote mountains. Only two villages remain - which until recently, were firmly shut away from the rest of the world, hidden in the hills of East Bali.
Located just west of Candi Dasa lie the villages of Tenganan and Trunyan, isolated across the vast Lake Kintamani. The villages, home to the Bali Aga, are shut off by a solid wall surrounding the entire village. The wall is only broken by means of four gates, each facing north, south, east and west. Within these walls lies a massive Banyan tree surrounded by a low wall of uncut stones, making up a small enclosure for a very sacred temple. Tenganan has only recently opened up to outsiders although strict rules still apply, especially concerning marriage to outsiders. Tenganan has wonderful fabrics, including the renowned double weave ikat cloth.
The villagers of Tenganan are tall and slender with very pale complexions and refined manners. The men folk still wear their hair long and have a communistic system which does not recognize individual ownership of property. Every house in Tenganan looks exactly alike, with a flight of steps leading to a small gate opening into a courtyard with sleeping quarters, kitchen, and a long house for storage. A small empty shrine, signifies a place where spirits may rest when they visit their descendants. Tenganan owns huge tracts of fertile and well cultivated lands capable of satisfying the needs of the village; and also making Tenganan one of the richest in Bali.
A people known for their filed and blackened teeth, the Bali Aga are said to bring the spirits of their ancestors down to Earth for protection through sacrifices. The Bali Aga leave the bodies of their dead in the jungle to be carried away by the spirits, and they are believed to have possibly eaten parts of their headmen's bodies to absorb magic powers. Family clans are ruled by a council of elders who are also religious priests. The Bali Aga revere the forces of nature and the spirits of their ancestors, with whom they continue to live as a great family of both the living and the dead.
