Bali Facts
Bali Facts

27 Wonderful Bali Facts

James Israelsen
By James Israelsen, Associate Writer
Published May 29, 2022
  • Bali uses two different calendars, one based on the lunar cycle and one based on rice-growing cycles.[3]
  • Most Balinese children are named according to their birth order, so many people share the same small group of names, such as Wayan, Kadek, and Nyoman, among others.[3]
  • In Balinese lore, evil spirits move in straight lines, so visual signs and spaces are often filled in with zigzags and swirls.[3]
  • The average salary earned by a Balinese worker is $100 a month.[1]
  • Balinese and Indonesian are the two major languages spoken in Bali.[4]
  • Bali is often mistakenly thought to be its own country, but it is actually an island-province in the nation of Indonesia.[2][4]
  • The Balinese eat a diet heavy on rice, fresh vegetables, spices, meat, and fish. China and Australia have both been culinary influences.[4]
  • Bali has been nicknamed the "Island of the Gods" because of the many Hindu deities that are worshiped there.[4]
  • Balinese Gamelan
    There are many different types of Gamelan used throughout Indonesia
  • The Balinese believe that their traditional musical instruments, a percussion ensemble called the gamelan, are spiritual entities who must be revered in order to enlist their cooperation in the music.[3]
  • Bali has a population of almost four million people.[2]
  • Bali's Mount Agung is an active volcano; its 1963 eruption killed over 1,500 people.[2]
  • Bali is currently the only predominantly Hindu population in the entire Indonesian archipelago. The rest of Indonesia is largely Muslim.[2]
  • The culture in Bali is deeply religious, with Hindu rituals and worship that have been influenced by Buddhism and pre-historic traditions.[2]
  • Balinese people observe the Hindu caste system, which separates people into different hierarchical social roles, although not as strictly as it is followed in India.[2]
  • The province of Bali is made up of three islands: Bali, the main island, plus its sister islands, Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.[4]
  • Bali Islands
    Bali is full of beautiful vistas to explore and enjoy

  • Bali is home to thousands of temples dedicated to various Hindu deities.[4]
  • The capital of Bali is Denpasar.[2]
  • Rice is the main crop grown by Balinese farmers.[2]
  • In order to feed their growing population, Bali imports food on a regular basis.[2]
  • Cockfighting is popular in Bali, where gambling is a favored pastime.[2]
  • Bali Black Sand
    Bali's black sand beaches are both otherworldly and picturesque
  • Bali has both white and black sand beaches.[4]
  • Stage plays and dancing, which serve both magico-religious and entertainment purposes, are popular in Bali.[2]
  • The first Europeans to visit Bali were the Dutch in 1597.[2]
  • Bali is considered to be one of the world's best yoga communities.[4]
  • Bali is a popular location for world-class surfing.[4]
  • Many Balinese women leave traditional "canang" offerings for the gods—flowers, herbs, and incense placed in banana leaf baskets—in front of their homes three times a day.[4]
  • Bali is located only 8 degrees south of the equator.[4]
  • Cultural Bali INFOGRAPHIC
    Bali Infographic Thumbnail
References

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