The Hindu Business Line : Say Bali ho!

Consider a popular tourist resort visited by more than two million people a year. Surely, everything from accommodation to artefacts and souvenirs in it will be expensive. Now the surprise. There is actually a famous tourist destination where you can hire a cottage with ground and upper floors, set in a lovely garden and large enough to accommodate four persons, for a daily tariff of just $50, which includes an American breakfast with airport pick-up and drop thrown in! Impossible but true in the beautiful island of Bali in Indonesia.

And the reason for the low rates — the steep depreciation of the Indonesian currency from about rupiah 3,600 for a dollar before the East-Asian crisis in 1997, to around 9,500 when I visited the island. (It has since crossed the 10,200 mark, making the place even more inexpensive.)

Unlike in India, hotel tariffs in the East-Asian countries are in the local currency. Its depreciation against the dollar lowers costs for the foreign visitor, while encouraging tourism to the country. Thus, Bali is a tourist heaven as much for its breathtaking natural scenery, culture, art and myriad land- and-water based activities, as for its low-cost tourist industry.

Petrol costs in Indonesia, at rupiah 1,150 per litre (around Rs 4.75), is just a third of that in the US and one-sixth of the price in India, owing to a subsidy provided by the Government.

The taxi that my wife and I engaged cost us the rupiah equivalent of just $10 (about Rs 480) for a day-long sight-seeing trip lasting over eight hours. Besides the driver, we also had a knowledgeable guide to drive us around.

In comparison, a single ticket in a tourist bus in Japan, the US or Western Europe would cost two to three times more. Engaging a taxi in any of these locations is, of course, prohibitively expensive. And, whether it is the taxi fare or shopping, the visitor is well advised to bargain ... by none other than the Balinese themselves!

Indonesia is an archipelago of 13,000 islands. However, only eight islands are inhabited. Of these, Java which has just 7 per cent of the geographical area, accounts for 60 per cent of the total population.

Bali is another heavily populated island, with a density of 520 persons per sq km. Ninety five per cent of the population on the island is Hindu. The spread of Hinduism in Indonesia can be traced to its cultural and commercial contacts with India over two millennia.

After the Islamic conquest of Java, the local Hindus migrated to Bali. Though basically similar to the religion observed in India, Hinduism in Bali has evolved some variations over the centuries.

Picturesque Bali and a Barong and Kris dance recital.

Some of the old customs, no longer strictly observed in the mother country, are adhered to in Bali, which sometimes gives the impression of being caught in a time warp.

The four-fold caste system is prevalent among the Hindus in the island. My enquiries revealed that priesthood is reserved for the Brahmins (called Brahmanas locally). Inter-caste marriages are common, particularly among the young. Social relations among the people is harmonious.

We flew from Singapore to Denpasar, the headquarters of Bali, where immigration, luggage clearance and customs formalities were smooth and hassle-free.

Having made our reservations on the Net, we booked into a hotel in Ubud, which is an hour's drive from Denpasar. It is the place for those interested in temples and places of arts, crafts, music and dance. Those who like the sun, sand and swimming would prefer the Kuta and Nusa Dua areas.

Our taxi driver advised us to change currency in Kuta. Money-changers from other parts of the island get their supplies from here and hence add a margin to the rate. We were also told to avoid changing money in the morning when the rates in Java are still not available in Bali, and hence could be unfavourable.

There is much to see and do for the tourist in Bali. A few highlights are listed here:

Balinese dances: At least one Balinese dance recital is a must for the visitor. The kecak dance form, based on the Ramayana, covers the Maricha (golden deer) episode through to Rama's victory over Ravana. It is performed by a group of around 50 men who dance in a circle around the central figures like Rama and Sita. The recital ends with a fire dance when the dancer, who becomes entranced, is able to dance on hot charcoal. The Barong and Kris dance portrays the victory of good over bad and reminds one of the Odissi dance form.

Temples (pura-s): Bali is dotted by temples. In a rather curious custom, the main deity in the sanctum sanctorum is kept in the residence of an authorised person for safe-keeping. It is brought to the temple on festival days. The Mother Temple in Besakih, which was built in the 11th century and is perched at an altitude of 1,000 metres, is one of Bali's most revered temples.

Monkey Forest: This is a popular tourist spot and abounds in friendly monkeys, who are treated to peanuts by almost everyone.

Tanah Lot: If the monkeys of Monkey Forest are gentle, those in the vicinity of Tanah Lot are ferocious and visitors are advised not to get to close to the animals. But Tanah is more famous for its spectacular view at dawn and at sunset. It also has a beautiful temple built on the southern tip of the island. Surrounded by the sea, it can only be approached during low tide.

Among the other places of interest are Kintamani volcano, beaches, museums, shops selling handicrafts and paintings, besides bird, reptile and elephant safari parks.

Pictures by the author

Fact file

Getting there: Denpasar, the headquarters of Bali, is well connected by international flights. From India, one can fly to Denpasar via Singapore.

Accommodation: A variety of accommodation is available. One can hit upon bargains with some Internet surfing.

Food: Denpasar, Ubud and Kuta have several good restaurants, including Indian with vegetarian meals costing around $5.

Best season: As Indonesia lies on the equator, it enjoys a uniform climate throughout the year without seasonal extremes. The dry and wet seasons last from May to September and from October to April, respectively.

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