Bali Travel Map

There are “Do and Don’t” while your are traveling in Bali;

DO

• Change your money at a reputable money changer. Use your own calculator and recount your money in the counter before leaving it.
• Take care of your belongings atl all times.
• Bargain when shopping except on fixed price tagged goods.
• Wear lots of sunscreen when traveling around or swimming.
• Drink a lot of water. Drink only boiled, distilled or mineral water.
• Wear light, airy, casual clothes for your comfortable.
• Make sure that you have personal or travel insurance that will cover any accidents.
• Be careful when driving and crossing the road in Bali.
• Wear a sarong and sash when visiting temples and attending ceremonies.
• Wear your most respectable clothes if you want to go the immigration office.
• Take off your shoes when you enter someone’s house.

DON’T

• Forget to bring your IDs along with Bali Freemap! and have a photocopy of your passport, return plane ticket and travelers’ check number and keep them separate from the originals.
• Swim outside of the designated areas.
• Do drugs! It’s a death penalty.
• Enter a temple when menstruating.
• Use flash cameras during ceremonies.
• Take valuables to the beach. (Bring your camera only if you’re not going to swim or if you are in pairs and one can swim while one watches).
• Step on ceremonial offerings in the street.
• Use the left hand to eat or to give or receive anything. (The left hand is considered unclean and impolite).
• Touch people’s head. (It’s very offensive to Hindus)

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.

But with the important role of Hindu Religion experts in Bali, these different views and belief is united in a unity of interpretation and then compiled into a book entitled “Compilation of Seminar Decisions on Interpretation of Hindu Religion Aspects I - XV. This book was published by Local Government of Bali in 1999/2000.

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.

Hindu Religion

This book stated that Kahyangan Jagad in Bali is divided into two different conception (Rwabineda), such as, Besakih Temple in Karangasem Regency as Purusa (masculine) and Batur Temple in Bangli Regency as Pradana (Feminine).

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.

The belief of Balinese society

The belief of Balinese society on the existence of main temples termed as Kahyangan Jagad of Bali, in Balinese society itself, moreover in spiritual groups, has various and different concept. The difference also happens on the literature of Balinese classic, so there is different perception with different reference.

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