• A terrace rice paddy is an iconic feature of the Balinese landscape.reisfeld auf bali image by Carsten Meyer from Fotolia.com
  
  Bali is one of the top tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. With just over 3.5 million residents, the island draws 2.5 million tourists every year. Known for its unique form of Hinduism and the vibrant culture that accompanies it, Bali continues to develop and fine-tune its tourist infrastructure and offers a wealth of activities for tourists of all budgets, nationalities, and ages.
  
  

Adventure Activities

• Bali is surrounded by coral reef. Although some of it is disappearing, there are still many locations around the island with beautiful coral that offer excellent scuba diving and snorkeling. On the east coast, the village of Tulamben has become a favorite spot for scuba diving because of the American Liberty ship sunk during World War II. The ship is only a few meters offshore and offers stunning examples of the sea life around Bali. The small, protected island of Menjangan on the north coast is superb for both scuba diving and snorkeling. The vertical reef teems with fish, including sharks and barracuda. Boats with guides take tourists out to the island on a short 20-minute ride. Another water activity for the adventurous is white-water river rafting. The Ayung River offers an hour trip through beautiful countryside. There are a number of companies that provide rafts, safety equipment, and guides. The Ayung River is safe for rafting with children as young as seven years of age. Of course, Bali is famous for its surfing, especially along the southern coast around Kuta Beach, as well as along the west coast around the village of Medewi.
  
  

Sightseeing

• The island of Bali is filled with beauty, both man-made and natural. Bali is home to thousands of lovely temples, but a few stand out because of their cultural significance, like the Mother Temple in Besakhi, or because of the beauty of the architecture and surroundings, like the Pura Ulun Danu in the mountainous Bedugal area. This Hindu-Buddhist temple, built in the 17th century, is a thatched, multi-roofed architectural beauty frequently seen in photographs of Bali. The temple is located on the shores of Lake Bratan. To see how the Balinese have shaped and molded their physical surroundings, take a leisurely stroll along the small roads and pathways in the villages surrounding Ubud to view Bali's terraced rice paddies. Stop along the way for a refreshing drink at one of the many small food stalls alongside the roads.
  
  

Cultural Activities

• Colorful ceremonies, dances, drama, and music are key elements of Balinese Hinduism. According to the Bali Tourism Board, "Traditional Balinese dances are the oldest form of performing arts in Bali." Balinese dances are either for sacred purposes during ceremonies at temples or for entertainment at social events. Sacred dances, such as the Pendet Dance, can only be performed by special dancers for ritual ceremonies. Tourists are often invited to watch these dances at village temples by tour guides, restaurant workers, or hotel employees. Non-sacred dance performances are regular occurrences around the island. These may be for a person's birthday, as part of a marriage ceremony, or to welcome guests. The Kecak dance is an especially popular dance with both Balinese and foreigners. This dance features all-male dancers who sit on the ground and move only their heads and hands. The dance is usually performed in the evening although it has become common to hold special performances for tourists in the late afternoon.