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Get to know: Bali

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Global good news

Get to know

BALI

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ULUN DANU BERATAN TEMPLE

What’s it all about?

Dubbed ‘the island of the gods’, Bali is one of the smaller land masses in Indonesia’s vast archipelago, but its top tourism hub. With its surf-flecked beaches, lush rice terraces and unique culture, Bali attracts party animals, thrill seekers, romantics, spiritual types, culture vultures and art lovers alike.

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DIAMOND BEACH

Ancient culture Bali

Ubud

Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population, but Bali is mainly Hindu. The island was also influenced by Buddhism and its religion is very different to the Techicolor Hinduism you may have seen in India. All over Bali you’ll see canang sari, religious offerings which sit outside every house or place of work – a tiny palm leaf basket carefully filled with a beautifully presented combination of flowers and food. Immerse yourself in Balinese culture by visiting some of its intricately-carved stone temples (there are 20,000), watching theatrical dances with dazzling costumes, or discovering its rich arts and crafts scene. Kuta

Underwater love

Scuba divers and snorkellers, prepare to be enthralled by coral gardens and vivid reefs. Highlights include great chances to see the weird and wonderful mola mola, the largest bony fish in the world (up to 14 metres from face to tail), and the Liberty wreck, a torpedoed U.S. Army ship now home to barracudas.

BALINESE DANCERS

o o k a holiday to Bali B

The must-see sights...

TEGALALANG RICE TERRACES These sculptured and impossibly green rice paddies curve and cascade around the natural hills and are dotted with palm trees.

UBUD MONKEY FOREST A holy site, this forest is home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques who are also considered sacred. Watch out for thieving monkey hands as you explore moss-covered temples.

ULAN DANU BERATAN The thatched 11-storey temple floats serenely on the west side of Beratan Lake.

ULUWATU TEMPLE Staring out at the ocean, this cliff-top pagoda is a beautiful place to watch the sunset.

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Surf’s up Surfers think that Bali is swell. Despite its diminutive size, there are around 60 breaks. Waves here cater for total beginners up to worldleading pros. If you want to join (or watch) the latter, head to the Padang Padang break, known as the ‘Balinese pipeline’ for its long and fast barrelling waves. And if you want to learn you’re in luck, there are scores of schools and surf camps.

Niklas Weiss/unsplash.com Kharl Anthony Paica/unsplash.com

Relax to the max

The pervasive vibe in Bali is relaxed. The laid-back surfer culture on the beaches and yogi lifestyle inland contribute to this but it really comes from the locals. They have an unhurried attitude and deeply spiritual culture – shrines are so ubiquitous that the air is perfumed with incense.

Bali is a unique island because the resorts inland are just as appealing as those on the coast. The Hanging Gardens of Bali in Ubud has an extraordinary infinity pool clinging to a hill smothered in orchids and bamboo, dropping into a green abyss with river and temple views. The Ubud area is also renowned for its spas and wellness retreats.

Don’t forget the beach though. Amankila resort’s thatched umbrellas sit on sparkling black-sand where waiters clad in white linen will attend to your cocktail needs. Bali beaches range from the buzzing bar-heavy Kuta to secluded Gunung Payung, a virgin stretch of white sand hugged by tall cliffs.

Take a wander around the Bali Botanic Garden, home to a giant banyan tree and a bamboo forest

Hit the turf as well as the surf

Hiking is the ultimate way to appreciate Bali’s natural beauty. The highest point on the island is the sacred peak of Gunung Agung, an active volcano reached via a challenging six hour hike but worth it for the views, which include the neighbouring island Lombok. Gentler walks include the Campuhan Ridge, with views of river gorges and tropical forest. There are also many cycling trails and you can white water raft on the Ayung River.

Postcard from PUERTO RICO

k a trip to Puerto Rico B o o

Puerto Rico means Rich Port in Spanish, but this American outpost in the tropical Caribbean is also known as La Isla del Encanto – the Island of Enchantment – and it’s certainly enchanted me.

I’m not sure if it’s the history and culture here, most palpable amongst the cobblestone streets of old San Juan. Perhaps it’s the friendly people who are so keen to share their exotic food and rhythmic music. Or it could be the dreamy scenery – the lush mountains and fine white beaches. Whatever it is, I will find it hard to leave this Island.

To the hills

Today I quite literally woke up and smelt the coffee, with a trip to the Utuado region and an eco-farm which belongs to a popular Puerto Rican singer. Sadly he wasn’t home but I got to join a horse ride tour through the forest and around the organic crops, taking in the fresh air before enjoying a sublime cup of coffee surrounded by the nature it was cultivated in.

From here it was a short hop to the Caribbean’s most important archaeological site, the Centro Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana. Looking at the vivid petroglyphs I got a glimpse into the lives of the indigenous Taino that inhabited this region before the Spanish arrived.

San Juan & Castillo San Cristobal

Do you like pina coladas? Fun in the sun

Back in San Juan’s Old Town I had a sense of déjà vu as I wandered past the crumbling pastel casas. It had me recalling

scenes from The Rum Diary, a movie set here, starring Johnny Depp as a hedonistic journalist in 1950s San Juan – and that made me crave a cocktail!

The pina colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico and San Juan’s lively Barrachina restaurant and bar is the place that claims to have invented it. After a couple of these I needed dinner and Chocobar, where everything is made with a hint of chocolate, hit the spot. I even manged to work off the calories with a Salsa lesson after sunset.

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