Live the dream on the island paradise of Bali
As the fourth most populous country in the world, Indonesia is a behemoth of a country and one that is often overlooked as a holiday destination hotspot ' except, of course, for those in the know.
With 206 million people spread across almost 18,000 islands, there is a great degree of diversity throughout the country and this is perhaps best exemplified with the tiny island of Bali, which is one of Indonesia's 33 provinces.
Although Indonesia has the world's largest population of Muslims, Bali goes against the grain by being a largely Hindu region, though they coexist peacefully with the 7% of the island's population that follow Islam.
Bali is the largest tourist destination in the whole of Indonesia and on arrival at Denpasar Airport it's easy to see why. While many of the island's visitors head straight for the hedonistic heartbeat in the town of Kuta, for those seeking a more tranquil time, Bali is unparalleled in the whole of Asia and perhaps further afield for relaxation opportunities.
So rule number one on any cultural visit to Bali should be to avoid Kuta ' though it's perhaps pencilling in a night there at the very end if you fancy a little party action. So where to start in this tiny island paradise?
Well, first thing to remember is that the island is very small and it's easy to drive around. It's also very cheap for those earning in pounds or Euros, meaning you can hire a taxi for a whole day to take you around the main sights. First thing's first though: on arrival at Denpasar, make a beeline straight for Sanur which is a 30 minute drive from the airport.
A couple of nights in this quiet little beach resort village will help you recover from your flight, ready to take on some of the island's splendid sights. Of course, whilst staying in Sanur, it's probably worth getting up early one of the mornings to catch the spectacular sunrise.
Next, head up through the middle of the island to Ubud, which is the island's cultural heartbeat, with fine art, dance and music in abundance. It also has ancient temples, palaces and perhaps the region's biggest draw, the Ubud Monkey Forest, which is a sacred nature reserve that his home to ' yes, you guessed it ' more than 300 Macaque monkeys.
Then, head up to the Besakih Temple, which is the biggest and holiest of all the temples on the island. Known as 'The Mother Temple of Bali', it is over a thousand years old and is set in a stunning mountainside location just a short drive from Ubud.
For more coastal tranquillity, head to the north coast of the island to the Lovina Beach area, which contains a cluster of small villages and is a most stunning place to unwind after sampling the sights of Bali.
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