10 Fun Facts You Need to Know about Bali

Indonesia is a country of thousands of islands and while Bali is considered an island, it's also a province with a few smaller islands in its territory. Off its southeast coast, there are Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan where you can go for some snorkelling, surfing, or just lounging on their stunning beaches.

Bali's waters are teeming with marine life with at least 2,000 species of fish and other creatures including coral reefs, dolphins, turtles and much more. This is due to the fact that Bali sits in the centre of the Coral Triangle, the world's centre of marine biodiversity, also dubbed "the Amazon of the seas".

Although Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, Bali is largely a Hindu community. That means Balinese observe various Hindu festivals such as Galungan and Kuningan. There are also active Hindu temples all over the island which you can visit to experience the local culture and religion for yourself.

Bali has two active volcanoes; Mount Batur standing at over 1,700 metres tall and Mount Agung which is 3,000 metres tall. Hiking up these mountains will give you a stunning view of the island that no Bali souvenir can replace, so don't miss a tour to one of them on your Bali trip.

Nyepi, meaning "silence" is a sacred day, usually in March, when the whole island falls silent. On this "Day of Silence", the Balinese people practise self-reflection and limit the emission of light and sound. Even businesses and tourist destinations are closed for the day.

In Bali, you may come across many locals that go by the names Wayan, Made, Nyoman, and Ketut, which mean First born, Second born, Third born, and Fourth born, and can be given to boys or girls. Oftentimes, personal names are attached to them as well.

With a long history of silver- and goldsmithing, Bali is home to numerous artisans who can custom make you a piece of silver or gold jewellery. You can often find them at galleries and boutiques in Ubud and Sanur. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind souvenir from Bali, why not get some personalised jewellery?

Bali has dining options for various diets including vegetarian. While you can find vegetarian food in many places around the island, Ubud is the best place to go as there's a large number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the area. Once you've filled your stomach, you can get authentic Bali souvenirs at the Ubud Art Market or explore the lush Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

Rice terraces such as the famous fields in Tegalalang are prevalent around the island and are so integral in Balinese culture. The unique irrigation technique called "Subak" was developed in the ninth century and manages to effectively transport groundwater to the paddy fields through various water temples.

Besides white beaches, Bali has multiple beaches with black sand as well. Thanks to the island's two active volcanoes, you can have a one-of-a-kind experience at black sand volcanic beaches such as Lovina and Amed Beach during your Bali trip.