Take a trip to Bali, Indonesia
It may be small in size, but the Indonesian island of Bali has plenty to offer travellers of all tastes.The country boasts a stunning array of natural scenery, including endless sandy beaches perfect for surfing, picturesque rice terraces and towering active volcanoes – some up to 3,000 metres high.
It also has a rich cultural history, which can be explored in one of its 20,000 temples and palaces or during one of its many colourful festivals.
And because it's possible to drive around the entire island in a day, travellers can easily experience the wide range of attractions Bali has to offer.
Getting around Bali
Travellers searching for cheap flights to Bali will find the island's Ngurah Rai Airport, which lies just south of Kuta is well served by international airlines.
Many tourists believe that the best way to get the most out of the island is to hire their own car or bike to enable them to reach the real hidden gems off the beaten track.
There is also no need to worry about getting lost, as Bali Navigator has recently launched a range of satellite navigation tools to buy or hire, pre-programmed with more than 12,000 points of interest to explore.
For those who would rather make use of the local public transport, there are bus services connecting Denpasar, Singaraja and Gilimanuk and the more up-market tourist buses offer a more comfortable ride to Kuta, Sanur, Ubud, Lovina, Padangbai and Candidasa.
Cultural history of Bali
Bali is an ancient land, thought to have been occupied since early prehistoric times and has influences from Hindu, Dutch and other European conquests.
The island gained independence from the Dutch shortly after the Second World War and began gaining popularity as a tourist destination in the 1970s. The region is now popular for its many cultural festivals.
Every June, Bali Arts Festival brings a month of performances and other traditional events to the island and traditional dance can be witnessed at the Tanah Lot festival.
The island's Balinese Hindu culture is also celebrated each year during the Tumpek Kandang festival.
Bali beach fun
For many people flying to Bali, the island's picture-perfect beaches are the perfect place to try a spot of watersports.
Most hotels in the glamorous resort of Tanjung Benoa arrange swimming, snorkelling, banana boat rides, water ski and parasailing excursions, while experienced surfers will relish the monster waves at Ulu Watu.
There is no need for surfers to burden themselves with taking out heavy gear, as Billabong has just opened a brand new concept store in Nusa Dua.
For those who prefer their beach pursuits a little-more low energy, there is also a wide range of relaxing spa and beauty treatments on offer.
Visit prehistoric ancestors
Travellers heading off on an adventure to Bali can also take advantage of the chance to see the world's largest lizard – the ancient Komodo dragon.
Cruises to see these survivors of the dinosaur age on the Komodo National Park are available from Bali and the island can also be reached by plane, which takes around one hour and 40 minutes.
Besides the dragons, Komodo is home to a wide variety of other exotic species to entice wildlife watchers, including a number of rare bird species, deer, wild pigs and long-tailed macaques.
Bali also has its own rich wildlife population and those who do not wish to island hop can take a trip on the Elephant Safari.
Visitors can ride through the cool jungle to Taro sat atop an elephant in a teak wood chair and can even hand feed the gentle giants.
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