Bali continues to dazzle visitors with a festivals and fun year-round
Indonesia's jewel continues to dazzle visitors with festivals and fun. Reports byEd Peters
Bali has attracted a host of nicknames down the years as generation after generation of visitors have discovered one of the most magical islands in the entire Indonesian archipelago.
Variously called The Morning of the World, The Emerald Isle and The Island of the Gods, Bali has a vast array of attractions. Fringed by golden-sand beaches lapped by rolling waves, infused with Hindu culture and age-old traditions, watched over by mountains and carpeted with stunning rice terraces, Bali is alluring, amazing and unique. And above all, the Balinese remain courteous, welcoming and intensely proud of their homeland's worldwide reputation of being just one step removed from paradise. Not only is Bali one of the most popular destinations in Indonesia, but it also regularly tops polls of travellers' favourites the world over.
One of the best ways of gaining an insight into Bali's culture is via its festivals, and it's a rare month when some sort of celebration does not take place. In June, the Bali Arts Festival kicks off with grand, supremely colourful parades in Denpasar followed by a month-long programme of performances including traditional and contemporary dancing, shadow puppetry and music competitions. One of the strongest attractions of the festival is that rather than just being a tourist spectacle, it's very much a local event attended by thousands of Balinese spectators.
At around the same time, depending on the wind, the Bali Kite Festival turns the sky above Sanur into a vast circus. The festival started as a simple tribute to nature to render thanks for a good harvest, but it has turned into a friendly contest as village teams from all over the island converge to pit their design and acrobatic skills against one another. For visitors, this is a highly photogenic and enjoyable festival.
Come September, the Balinese celebrate their new year, and villages across the island are transformed as men erect decorated bamboo poles known as outside their homes. They are hung with fruit, coconuts and other edible items. Whole families in traditional costume carry offerings of fruit to the village temple that they consume once they have said their prayers. As Bali uses a 210-day calendar, a similar "new year" celebration is held in February.
November sees the final of a sporting contest that has been rolling for months - the Makepung Buffalo Races. In addition to being assessed for their turn of speed, the buffalo are also dressed up from hoof to horn, competing for a best-dressed award. The actual races are a thrilling sight, with pairs of buffalo hurtling round the circuit guided by jockeys mounted on slightly modified wooden ploughs. The prizes on offer are well-received by the winners, but equally important is the kudos attached to having trained and raced the fastest buffalo in Bali.
Of all Bali's many attractive destinations, Ubud is one of the most alluring at any time of year, with a host of arts and crafts on display and plenty of opportunities for visitors to try their hand at painting, pottery and numerous other skills.
