Vacapedia Vacation Rentals Blog

The Indonesian island of Bali is located east of the island of Java and west of the island of Lombok. This gorgeous island retreat is world renowned for its azure seas, white sand beaches which are excellent for surfing, lush teaming jungles and volcanic peaks.

Balinese Dancers welcome you to paradise photo credit ZeePack

Bali is famous for its always smiling gentle inhabitants and it attracts visitors in droves for it has something for all, the back packer, the surfer, the spa lover as well as the well heeled isolation seeker. The last kind of tourist, has actually been immortalized in best-selling American novelist, Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 autobiographical oeuvre Eat Pray Love which spent several weeks on the top of the New York Times best seller list in 2006 .

Bali is the sole Hindu enclave in predominantly Muslim Indonesia and the Hinduism that is practiced in Bali is quite different from the Hinduism that is practiced in India as the Hindu religion that is practiced here has evolved from a combination of Buddhism and Animism. In fact the first Hindu first settlers arrived in Bali as early as 100BC and since then Hinduism has been practiced and followed on the island.

Such is the lure of Bali that several foreigners even travel to Bali to get married according to Balinese rites at its many Hindu temples that are called pura. Bali has more than 20,000 temples and the Balinese are devoutly religious people. Temples and temple festivities in fact form an integral part of Balinese life. The ‘Mother Temple’ of Besakih located on the slopes of Mount Agung is the most important temple in Bali though another temple also worth visiting on any trip to Bali is the ‘Uluwatu Temple’ which is located on a limestone cliff which is a ninety meter drop over the Indian Ocean. This temple was built in the eleventh century by a Hindu priest from East Java who named the temple ‘Uluwatu’ meaning ‘Head of Stone’.

Pura Besakih photo credit sean mcgrath

The topography of Bali differs greatly and the island as such is made up of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides. Some of Bali’s main tourist centric spots are Kuta Beach, Ubud, Jimbaran, Seminyak and Kerobokan, Canggu, Nusa Dua and Sanur.

You have a choice of a wide array of vacation rentals on the island of Bali and if you have never been there before it is advisable for you to do some research on the type and location of vacation rental that you want to book for your vacation on this beautiful ‘Island of the Gods’.

Your beach side vacation rental on surfer mobbed Kuta Beach

If it is beaches that you desire, then Bali doesn’t disappoint as it has scores of beaches like its most famous beach, the surfer mobbed Kuta Beach which has excellent waves all year round .If surfing is your true passion then you can conveniently choose to have your vacation rental in the heart of Kuta Beach.

Similarly Seminyak is another beach which is located close to Kuta but is slightly more is more up-market than Kuta. Kuta beach is highly commercial and is dotted with shops that sell touristy wares such as body massages, tattoos and cheap souvenirs while Seminyak is more exclusive and is the abode of the well heeled traveler. If you do enjoy beach activities but would like a more tranquil setting then a luxurious vacation rental on Seminyak is for you.

Peace and tranquility at your vacation rental at Seminyak

Nusa Dua is another tranquil white sand beachfront that is located on the south eastern tip of Bali which is much sought after by those tourists who want a quiet, peaceful but exclusive holiday in Bali. An added attraction of Nusa Dua are its excellent surfing facilities so if you would like to escape to a tranquil haven in Bali then a vacation rental located in Nusa Dua is for you.

So next time you want a bit of peace and quiet and crave a respite from your intensely busy life why not head to the tropical paradise of Bali which has a wide array of vacation rentals suitable for every kind of traveler.