Bali Frontier · About Bali
About Bali
The essentials on the island itself, where it sits in Indonesia, who lives there, the languages and the faith, the money and the food, and the land that runs from volcanic peaks and crater lakes down to the surf and the coral coast.
- ~4.4M
- people
- 87%
- Balinese Hindu
- 3,031 m
- Mount Agung, high point
- Rp
- Indonesian rupiah
Bali is a small island with a deep and distinctive culture, and a rewarding place to know before you go. These short reads cover the background worth having before a trip, the geography and the people, how to get by with the languages and the money, and what fills the table.
Where Bali sits and what shapes it
Bali is one island province of Indonesia, set in the chain of islands east of Java and west of Lombok, a little south of the equator in the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. A spine of volcanoes runs across the north, topped by Mount Agung and Mount Batur with its crater lake, and the land falls away in terraced rice fields to the beaches and coral of the coast. The offshore Nusa islands lie a short boat ride to the southeast. The climate is tropical, with a dry season and a wet season rather than four seasons. For the full picture see where Bali is, the map of Bali and the guide to the land and nature.
The people, languages and faith
Around 4.4 million people live on Bali, and the culture stands apart from the rest of Indonesia, shaped by centuries of Javanese, Hindu and local tradition. The national language is Indonesian, used in school and business, while Balinese is spoken at home, and English is widely understood in the tourist areas, so most visitors get by easily. Bali is the one Hindu-majority province in a mostly Muslim country: around 87 per cent of Balinese follow Balinese Hinduism, and its temples, offerings and festivals shape daily life and the calendar. Read more on the people, the language and religion.
Money, food and everyday life in Bali
The currency is the Indonesian rupiah, and Bali stays good value: a meal at a warung, the small family kitchens found on every street, costs a few dollars, though beach clubs and resort restaurants in the south charge far more. Cards work in hotels and larger places, but cash carries you through warungs, markets and drivers. Food leans on rice and rich spice pastes, from nasi goreng and mie goreng to spit-roast babi guling, slow-cooked bebek betutu and lemongrass sate lilit. Our guides to the currency and Balinese food cover the practical side of eating and paying your way.
About Bali: common questions
What is Bali known for?+
Bali is the best-known island of Indonesia, famous for its clifftop and lakeside temples, its terraced rice fields, its surf and swimming beaches, and the artistic towns of the interior. Highlights include the water temples and rice terraces around Ubud, the sea temple at Uluwatu, the volcano and crater lake at Kintamani, the cliffs and beaches of Nusa Penida, and the diving off Amed. For most visitors it is the mix of temples, landscape and the warmth of Balinese daily life that leaves the strongest impression.
How is Bali organised?+
Bali is one province of Indonesia, a single island a little larger than a small county, divided into regencies but easiest to read through its areas. The south holds the busy beach towns of Kuta, Seminyak and Canggu, the Bukit Peninsula and the airport; the centre around Ubud is the cultural heart; the volcanic north and the mountain lakes sit inland; and the quieter east and the offshore Nusa islands round it out. Distances are short, though traffic in the south can make them feel long.
What language do they speak in Bali?+
The national language is Indonesian, which everyone uses in school, business and signage, while Balinese is the mother tongue spoken at home and in temple life. English is widely spoken in the tourist areas, so most visitors get by with ease, and a few words of Indonesian, such as terima kasih for thank you, are always welcome.
What currency does Bali use?+
The currency is the Indonesian rupiah (Rp). Notes run into the tens and hundreds of thousands, so prices can look large at first: a simple warung meal might be 30,000 to 50,000 rupiah, roughly US$2 to US$3. Cards work in hotels, larger restaurants and shops, but it is worth carrying cash for warungs, markets, temples and drivers, and ATMs are easy to find in the towns.
What is Balinese food known for?+
Balinese cooking leans on rice, rich spice pastes and grilled or slow-cooked meat and fish. Well-known dishes include nasi goreng and mie goreng, the fried rice and noodles found everywhere; babi guling, the island's spit-roast suckling pig; bebek betutu, duck slow-cooked in banana leaf; and sate lilit, minced satay pressed onto lemongrass. The everyday place to eat is a warung, a small family kitchen where a plate of nasi campur, rice with a spread of sides, costs very little.
Do I need a visa to visit Bali?+
Many nationalities, including visitors from the UK, US, Canada, Australia and much of Europe, can buy a visa on arrival that allows a 30-day stay and can be extended once for another 30 days. It is paid for at the airport or online beforehand. Rules vary by nationality and can change, so check your own government's advice and Indonesian immigration before you travel.