Overview
Culture in Bali is rich and diverse, encompassing various art forms, cuisine, and architecture. Balinese cuisine stands out with its unique flavors and the inclusion of pork, unlike other regions in Indonesia. The art scene in Bali is vibrant, with skilled artists creating beautiful paintings, sculptures, woodcarvings, and handcrafts. The performing arts in Bali are also highly developed, with traditional dances like pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak showcasing Balinese influence and Hindu epics. The music of Bali, known as gamelan, is a sophisticated percussion orchestra.
In terms of architecture, the Balinese have a unique spatial orientation system called kaja and kelod, which represents the orientation between the island's largest mountain, Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). This system also carries connotations of good and evil, with gods and ancestors believed to reside in the mountains and demons in the sea. Balinese buildings, including temples and residential homes, are designed with the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the less sacred areas nearer to the sea.
Temples typically have inner and outer courtyards, with the inner courtyard being the most sacred and serving as a venue for wali rituals dedicated exclusively to the gods. The outer courtyard, on the other hand, is where bebal rituals take place. Bali's cultural heritage is showcased through thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, and public performances, making it one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world.
THINGS TO DO IN BALI INDONESIA