Only 8 degrees off the equator and basking in sunshine, Bali is one of the world's most popular island destinations and it's easy to see why. In no Particular order HOT! has compiled 19 reasons why you should visit now... if not sooner!!!
1. Weather
Bali is blessed with a long hot dry season so reliable that weather reports are redundant. Hot and sunny, hot and sunny with more hot and sunny to follow. Ideal for lying on the beach. Sure, there is the summer rainy season but the downpours are brief and beautiful and the best excuse to head inside for that refreshing Gin & Tonic!
2. Culture
A Hindu island in a sea of Islam, Bali has a unique and rich blend of traditions and culture inspired by centuries of history. Fiercely guarded by a proud people it is as much a part of the waking life as it is ceremony and ritual. Everywhere you look you will see deep elements of Balinese culture being practiced in people's day-to-day lives. Watch, feel, admire and respect it all. It is the cement that holds together the foundations of what Bali is, has been and will become.
3. Accessibility
Right on the doorstep of some of Asia's biggest cities. Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong or Sydney, Bali is the perfect choice for a tropical getaway. Never more than a few hours flight time away and only a couple of hours time difference, there is no need to waste your energy or time on jetlag. Spend it wisely lazing right here on the beach.
4. Resorts
All the major players have a showing in Bali. Bvlgari, Aman, Conrad, Four Seasons, Alila, Ritz-Carlton. Everyone! That has to tell you something. Dotted all over the Island, in the green rice-terraced valleys of Ubud, on the dry dramatic cliff tops of the Bukit and fronting the white sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean, there is 5-Star beachside or jungle draped luxury wherever you want to look.
5. Underwater
Bali's seas have some of the best diving in the world. The deep waters of the Lombok Strait and surrounding seas create strong up-welling currents that make the waters of Bali some of the richest feeding and breeding grounds in Asia. Manta rays, whale sharks, sunfish, sharks, barracuda or turtles, Bali's waters give you the chance to see everything you want to be awed or scared to death by.
6. Rice
FieldsMountainous and with a lack of flatland, rice growing is confined mainly to terraced rice fields on the rich alluvial slopes of the island's volcanic terrain. The ubiquitous rice terraces are famous worldwide, not only for their colour and beauty but also for the ancient water management system that makes it all possible. No camera has ever left these shores alive without a huge cache of photos of the rice, Bali's lifeblood.
7. Affordability
Backpacker, heiress or wage slave, everything is as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be in Bali. The foods, the shopping, even the roof over your head. From street stalls to gourmet restaurants, traditional markets to Prada boutiques and $15-a-night cheapie hotels to $5000-a-night, 5-star ultra-luxury resorts, Bali can please any credit limit.
8. Surfing
Since the heady days of the 60s when the surf pioneers went out in search of the perfect wave, Bali has been a mecca for surfers the world over. Bali is unique for the huge swells that rise deep in the Southern Ocean and travel hundreds of miles north to die, creating some of the most spectacular breaks in the world. With a 360 degree coastline the surf wraps around the island ensuring that somewhere, sometime, somehow there will always be the perfect wave.
9. Suntan
There are many who still want for nothing more from their tropical holiday than to laze for hours under a tropical sun in pursuit of a rich golden tan. Bali is for people who aren't afraid of the sun. People who refuse to cower in the shade and give in to the belief that a pale complexion is the height of fashion. In fact, Bali has almost too many hours of uninterrupted sunshine to easily satisfy anybody's lust for the sun.
10. Shopping
So many creative minds call Bali home. Artisans, painters, jewelers and traditional craftspeople and all the fruits of their labours are produced right here in Bali at low cost and high quality making it almost too easy for you to look your best and surround yourself with beauty. Furniture, fashion, fabrics, antiques and luxury brands - real and imagined - all combined with a blackmarket underworld of extremely cheap knockoffs from DVD's to Gucci. All major credit cards willingly accepted.
11. Romance
Honeymoon, anniversary, or even travelling alone, let the sunsets, moonrises, and beautiful energy of Bali ignite or rekindle your deepest passions. Allow yourself to be caught up in the tropical island enchantment that has bewitched lovers for centuries. Whether it's for a lifetime or a short time, all love is heaven-sent, and Bali is the Island of the Gods.
12. Nightlife
Well entrenched as a primo destination on the international DJ circuit, Bali offers up some of the best, most sophisticated nightlife to rival anywhere in the world. From Sunset till well after sunrise Bali's restaurants, bars and clubs offer a staggering array of delights to sate every hunger. Be it food, drink, music or love, everyone goes to sleep satisfied.
13. Beach
The endless surf of Kuta, the dazzling whiteness of Nusa Dua and the coral seas of the Northeast. It's all here in Bali. Palm-fringed and soaked in sunshine. A no-brainer really!
14. Adventure
Fancy yourself as a modern-day Hemingway? Catch a marlin or spike a barracuda. Wrestle crocodiles, snakes and dragons. Shoot the rapids on the Unda river, climb to over 3700m up Mt. Agung, then bike vertically down again at MACH 1, parasail at Nusa Dua, or simply do a 2am Bungy at Double Six into a pool surrounded by crazed party people, the most dangerous of all the animals in Bali.
15. Taste
Rich volcanic soils and bountiful seas combine to provide Bali kitchens with a seemingly endless supply of fresh top-quality ingredients for their dishes. With the huge numbers of top-class international restaurants on offer, diners will find themselves in gourmet heaven and eating in a different country every night of the week. Home to some of the best chefs and most critical diners in South-East Asia, we know that you'll be spoiled for choice.
16. Spa
Holidays should be all about relaxation, and being covered in mineral rich mud, bathed in essential oils and massaged with strong knowing hands is about as relaxing as it can get. Bali is the ultimate spa destination and prides itself on the use of exotic tropical ingredients and luxurious environments designed to enliven your body and soul and give a totally holistic and nurturing experience that will change your day, if not your life.
17. Sunset
The daily ritual of the Balinese Sky show draws hundreds to the waters edge each evening to watch the changing shapes and colours of the clouds and sky over a flat and fiery ocean. The end of a perfect day or the beginning of an uncertain night? It doesn't matter, just kick back, enjoy the moment and let the day's fading beauty wash right over you.
18. Architecture
What constitutes Bali Style? Pavilions in walled courtyards? Alang alang roofs supported by ornately carved pillars? Not so long ago this was the case, but Bali Style is an evolving animal heavily selected for by the global interest of designers and architects the world over. Traditional elements of Bali are mixing with and reflecting a disparate range of design philosophies resulting in a haven for connoisseurs of architecture and tropical style everywhere. Be you eccentric or traditional, Bali and its artisans can create a dream house for you.
19. Service
Bali's service industry is its money train. Anywhere, anytime, anyhow and always with a healthy dose of slow pelan pelan island time. You will always get what you want or at least someone who will help you find it. The service may not always be as fast and efficient as your home city but the smile is genuine and it's the biggest that you will ever see in your lifetime.
