BALI, Indonesia - WELCOME & Beach - Day 1 (1 of 3)

Prior to our arrival at noon, we did trivia, listened to music and a lecture on DNA & Genealogy.

Yes, we have created a lot of postings for BALI today and tomorrow. We enjoyed 2 wonderful day here. Note: We had been in Bali on 1/1/19 (sorry it was BF-Before Findpenguins) and visited the main sites in order to experience the main city of Ubud and one of their major Temples, Pura Puseh Singapadu. This visit, 7+ years later we put together our own 2 day itinerary of other places to see and things to do, a little off the beaten path, and hired a driver for 2 days.

Bali is a magical place with so interesting history, beauty and religion. We had a royal welcome. Bali is an Indonesian Island and province (East of Java and West of Lombok) 8 degrees south of the equator that is 95 miles by 50 miles. The Capital, Denpasar, is a busy city and Ubud is the cultural center and the largest tourist area (which makes up 80% of their economy). On the slopes of mountains here, they grow coffee, copra, rice and other vegetables.

Bali is the only Hindu-majority province, with more than 86% of the population adhering to Balinese Hinduism. I found a few differences between Indian Hinduism and Balinese Hinduism: Balinese Hinduism are centered on one God vs multiple supreme forms (Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti). They do not have Temple idols like traditional Hinduism, they have extensive ancestor worship, and focus on daily offerings. Lastly, they prioritize a three-way harmony between humans and God, humans and nature, and humans with each other.

Other religions include 10% Islam, 5% Christianity or Protestantism. The most common spoken languages are Indonesian, Balinese, English and Chinese.

Bali is renowned for its arts, including traditional and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, woodworking and music. Culturally, the Balinese seem closely related to the people of Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines (and strongly influenced by Indian, Chinese, and Hindu culture since 1st century AD). The first European contact was in 1512, with the Portuguese and then 1597, when the Dutch arrived at Bali. The Dutch expanded its control across the Indonesian archipelago in the 1840s. The Japanese was in control here in the war and in 1945, Bali was liberated by the British and was handed over to the Dutch making it one of the 13 administrative districts of the State of East Indonesia and in 1949 became part of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia with its first President Sukarno in 1958 and Bali became a province. In 1965 under a new President Suharto, Bali became a modern paradise and a destination for Western countries.

In the 1970s, the Balinese economy was largely agriculture-based but now tourism is the largest single industry making Bali a wealthy region in Indonesia. For example, in 2025, Bali received 6,948,754 international tourists. "Bali Ha'i", although about a fictional place, is a famous song from the 1949 musical South Pacific, about an island of dreams was obviously influenced by the “real” Bali. Since 2006, Bali is often associated with Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love book and movie, which took place at Ubud and Padang-Padang Beach in Bali. We really enjoyed our time here and learning about the culture and arts they embrace.

Our first stop is Mengiat Beach, described as “a hidden gem, a serene paradise with pristine sands and calm waters, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty and tranquility”. Well it sure was! It is situated in the picturesque Nusa Dua region of Bali. We had our guide take us here and leave us off for a relaxing (albeit short) visit and a nice walk on the beach and swim in the waters. After strolling around, I saw the coolest “ship kite”, which of course I don’t need but since I haven’t bought anything but a tee-shirt in 2 months, I treated myself to PURCHASING a SHIP ... the only one that I could afford.

(includes (1 video of our WELCOME)Read more