See-Bali.com

About Bali

Bali is an island province in Central Indonesia, with a population of approximately 3,000,000.

While Indonesia's predominant religion is Islam, Bali's dominant religion is Hinduism with Buddhist influences, known as Hindu Bali. Bali's religion, culture and history makes it culturally unique in its region.

Historical Background

Bali's strong Hindu and Buddhist influences date back to ancient Javanese & Balinese Hindu kingdoms.

From 1343 till 1515 AD, Bali was ruled by the powerful Hindu Majapahit kingdom of East Java. When the Majapahit dynasty fell and East Java came under the control of the Islamic Mataram empire, many of the Majapahit's Hindu priests, royalty, craftsmen and artists fled to Bali, entrenching Hindu and Buddhist culture and influences.

From this time until the early twentieth century, Bali was ruled by various dynasties decended from the Majapahit kingdom.

Rather than rule under a single kingdom, Bali was divided into 9 kingdoms. Remnants of these kingdoms in the form of palaces, temples and architecture remain all over Bali, adding to the diversity of the island.

These 9 kingdoms now are reflected in the 9 districts of bali today: Jembrana, Tabanan, Badung, Gianyar, Karangasem, Mengwi, Klungkung, Bangli and Buleleng.

Modern Bali

Since 1945 when Indonesia became an independent nation, Bali has been a province of Indonesia.

Bali has since become Indonesia's premiere tourist destination, attracting roughly 2,500,00 visitors per year. While the travel warnings since 2002 have slowed down visitor numbers, tourism in Bali has undergone a resurgence since 2007.

Bali is widely regarded as a safe destination and its people are warm, friendly and welcoming.

Bali has a mix of bustling urban areas and tranquil rural scenes - the island is so diverse, there is literally something for everyone.