Explore A Rich History And Culture With Bali Holidays

By Author: Amanda Sutcliffe
Total Articles: 85
Comment this article

The beautiful Indonesian province of Bali includes the Bali island and the neighbouring smaller islands. You can find many awe-inspiring temples in this province as a majority of the population in this part of the world are Balinese Hindus. One of the major tourist destinations in the country, Bali has witnessed a considerable rise in tourism since the late 20th century. The attacks of 2002 and 2005 had a severe impact on tourism, but there has been an increase in the number of tourist arrivals in recent times. While holidaying in this island destination of Indonesia, you'll get to know its fascinating history.

During your cheap holidays to Bali, you'll get to visit its famous temples. Hinduism had its presence in Bali since ancient times. Inscriptions dating back to the 10th century mention the name of a king, Sri Kesarivarma. They also describe Bali as an independent region where the people practised Buddhism and Shaivism. The marriage of a Bali king, Udayana Warmadewa and the great-granddaughter of Mpu Sindok, Mahendradatta in the late ...
... 10th century brought Hinduism and Javanese culture to Bali. Inscriptions from this period also mention the region as 'Bali Dwipa', which literally translates as Bali Island.

While visiting the villages during your Bali holidays, you'll also come across an ancient method of growing rice, called wet-field cultivation. Several traditions like these are practised in this part of Indonesia even today. A Balinese colony was founded by the Hindu Majapahit Empire in the mid-14th century, which continued until the early 16th century. After the fall of this empire in 1520, mass immigration of the Javanese people occurred in the following century. During this period, Bali became a land of several independent Hindu kingdoms under the union. Culture, arts, and economy flourished in the region during this time.

You can witness the remnants of the cultural traditions of this period while enjoying your Bali holidays. The rule of the local kings ended in the early 20th century when the Dutch took control of the province. However, their rule did not end the religion and culture of this region. When Indonesia became independent on the 29th of December, 1949, Bali became a province with Anak Agung Bagus Suteja as its first governor. The volcanic eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands of inhabitants in the year 1963, forcing many of the Balinese to migrate to other parts of the nation. Political conflicts in this region followed but were brought to an end by General Suharto.

In recent times, the tourism industry of this region is primarily focused in the southern parts of the island of Bali, while it is also quite developed in other parts of the province. Kuta, Seminyak, and Legian are the major tourist areas. Ubud, Nusa Dua, and Sanur are also the tourist hotspots and are quite popular among tourists for their countryside charm. Tourism has once again witnessed healthy growth in Bali after the travel warnings were lifted by many countries beginning with the United States. As a result, the real estate industry has also grown in this region with the construction of many hotels and resorts.