Serene Bali

As you go through Bali packages, you need to keep in mind the ideal season to visit this tropical paradise. April to October is a good time to visit Bali in Indonesia as it is a dry season in the island. The weather is perfect for visitors though it can get a tad muggy in the afternoons in case you are venturing into a beach. It is a good time for window shopping, bargain hunting as the tourist footfall begins to go up and shops often announce attractive sales and discounts. There will be ample rain showers too with the sky remaining overcast for much of the time. The window from June to August gets quite windy in Bali, though it is also the time the Balinese fly their kites and it makes quite a sight to watch so many colourful kites take on the skies. This time is popularly called the kite season in Bali. December is otherwise the peak season to visit Bali owing to the festive cheer in the air and the pleasant weather, bringing in boatloads of holiday-season travellers from all over the world.

Before zeroing in on one of the Bali tour packages, make sure your itinerary is well-rounded and encompasses its major towns and villages including Ubud. Ubud is the island’s cultural heart. Visitors from all over the world flock to Ubud to experience its culture scene. The little town has several cultural venues where classical dance recitals are performed regularly in the evenings. On the other hand, if you just wish to stroll down its quaint streets, you will come across a motley clutch of cafes, souvenir shops, artist studios, craft shops, art galleries, bistros and yoga studios. Apart from its arts and culture scene, it is Ubud’s picturesque setting actually, amid paddy fields and ravines in the foothills, that draws visitors to it. Ubud is atmospheric and a great place to stay in and browse its art museums and experience a chic dining out scene. When staying in Ubud, don’t miss a Tek Tok show, basically a traditional Balinese dance accompanied by body movements and sounds. Attracting bibliophiles from all over the world is the annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, attended also by several best-selling authors.

All Bali holiday packages are choc-a-bloc with temple visits, because the island is known for its smattering of temples and their unique architecture and history. Among them the one that takes away the cake is the Pura Tanah Lot Temple. It is the unique setting of the Tanah Lot Temple and the legends surrounding it that lend this clifftop temple its aura of mystery. Nestled precariously on a promontory lapped continuously by the waves, off the coast of Kuta, this is easily Bali, or for that matter Indonesia’s, most vivid site. The beach in the front is a black sand one adding to the atmospherics of the breathtaking multi-tiered shrine that is one of the greatest reasons for tourists to stop by in Bali. Sunsets are a spectacle at Tanah Lot, with an apricot sun bathing everything in its light including the shadowy temple. The temple goes back to the 16 th century, belonging to a revered Hindu priest Nirartha. It is easily Bali’s holiest shrine, allowing devotees to climb up the rock-cut staircase in order to enter the complex.

Bali is fairly a safe tourist destination, even for solo female travellers. There is little violent crime in Bali. However, as a visitor, be careful while crossing the roads as motorbikers swarm the streets. Swimmers should be mindful as not all the beaches are safe because of riptides. Be cautious against pickpockets and scams. The threat of volcanoes, tsunamis and earthquakes are always there, but so far, Bali has not faced any outright devastation. It’s still business as usual in this tourist hotspot.