5 FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BALI

TRAVELING TO BALI IS THE JOURNEY OF YOUR LIFE

Balinese people are warm and friendly. They will do everything to make you feel comfortable and to provide you with the best service. A particular thing about them is that they are very tolerant of tourists trying to witness their ceremonies and forget that it is still a private and religious gathering. Their behavior is related to their religious beliefs. Indonesia is mostly a Muslim country with 87.2% of the population. Bali is the only island in Indonesia where the Muslim religion could not thrive. The Balinese adhere to Hinduism, but it is not the same Hindu you will find in India. Balinese Hinduism has been heavily influenced by the neighboring Javanese culture and thus created its type of belief.

In the Balinese Hindu, many religious ceremonies are not tourist events. On some occasions, tourists are welcomed. There are certain rules though if you are invited to one of those ceremonies. You should always wear a sarong when you attend a Balinese ceremony. Sarongs are given at any temple entrance, but if you are invited to a ceremony, or cremation, for instance, you need to have your own sarong. You can buy one in the many shops around or from the women in the street that will approach you to buy one for 100K IDR (6-7€/USD) and take it home as a nice souvenir.

Before traveling to Bali, you need to learn more about their culture, their traditions, and their way of life. To help you with that, here are

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1. The Local Liquor Can Be Lethal

Like many other cultures, Bali has its own production of alcohol, which locals love very much. Bali’s local drink is called arak. It’s usually homemade and is a sweet wine made from coconut palm flour. Being homemade can have its advantages like you know what’s inside because you made it, but sometimes, it has its perks as well. If you go to a bar that servesarak from local production from a “bad batch,” you could end up with a lethal case of methanol poisoning. So just make sure you don’t exaggerate with arak shots and you should be fine.

2. There is an actual Day Of Silence

This day of Silence – is a Hindu celebration, but in fact, it’s mostly a Bali thing.
On this day of silence, it’s all about self-reflection and fasting, when you take time for yourself to reflect on the beautiful things you have in your life and be thankful for your life’s journey.

On this Holy Day, the airport closes, lights shut down, and all businesses close. The day of Silence is commemorated every Isakawarsa (New Year) according to the Balinese calendar, so if you plan on spending New Year in Bali you will have the opportunity to experience this Balinese holy day of silence.

3. Bali has just two seasons – dry and wet

Yes, they only have two seasons and they both are hot. Nevertheless, natural hazards may occur in Indonesia, starting from occasional floods, and severe droughts and finishing on a more dramatic note with tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and forest fires.

This doesn’t mean that Bali is not a safe island to visit. On the contrary. If you plan according to each season and get informed about the potential natural disasters, you are good to go on the most beautiful island in the world. Bali can be experienced all year round. Nevertheless, the best time to travel to Bali is during the dry season. The dry season is from May to September, and there’s no rain during this period.

Bali’s wet season is from October to April, the rain only lasts an hour or two. Because Bali has a distinctly tropical climate. Regardless of the season, you will rarely need anything more than a light jacket.

4. You Can Drink Coffee Made From Civet Poop

Poop coffee is a real thing and I’ve tasted it!

Origins of the Poop Coffee Luak:

Native farmers, prohibited by Dutch colonists from trying the coffee they were farming, started noticing something unusual. Near the farm, there were several civet cats (called luak) that were eating and then pooping out the beans of coffee, intact.

Intrigued, they prepared the coffee from the civet’s excrement and the world’s most expensive coffee originated. A cup can go up to $50.

Read more about the most expensive coffee in the world here.

5. They only perform ceremonies on A GOOD DAY

Before performing a ceremony, they need to ask the elders that know how to read the Balinese calendar if it’s a good day. If the Gods do not bless that day, they need to wait until the elders will tell them it´s a good day.

Traditions are very important for Balinese people and they respect their elders. Balinese families live like in the old times, altogether. This was something I particularly liked about them. They respect the community traditions and the elders of the village, who are believed to be very wise and offer spiritual guidance. Their houses are formed as cluster compounds inside a wall, where each extended family lives in its compound. Most houses have their own temple where every member of the family goes each morning and pays their respect to the Gods and the ashes of their ancestors. The Balinese people believe in reincarnation, and the deceased have to be cremated within the next seven years of their death, to liberate their souls and be reincarnated.

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Tell me in the comments section if you liked (or not) these 5 Balinese facts. Were you aware of them? Do you know other interesting facts about Balinese culture?