Explore Why Bali’s Culture is Fascinating

While most of Indonesia is Muslim, Bali is unique in that most of its local people are Hindu. However, you may notice that Hinduism in Bali is not quite the same as Hinduism in India and other parts of the world; you can see the stark differences even in the architecture of Bali’s temples. This is because the practices of Balinese people, while strongly influenced by Hinduism, are also influenced by animism, local traditions, as well as Buddhism. This results in a unique type of Hinduism that cannot be found outside of Bali, and that is part of Bali’s fascinating culture.

That being said, some core Hindu beliefs remain the same in Bali. Balinese people believe in a Supreme Being that manifests as Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer), something of the Holy Trinity in Hinduism that helps maintain order in our cosmos. They also believe in the law of karma, moksha (liberation), as well as reincarnation within one’s ancestry. It is these fascinating differences that inspire visitors to look inwards within themselves to find a spark that connects them to the universe and find greater things in life.

The usual introduction to Balinese culture for most tourists is Balinese dances. These elegant, whole-body dances often leave audiences enthralled and excited. This is why these dances are not to be missed; it is an essential part of your Bali tourism experience. Club Med Bali has a dance-focused excursion as well. Join our Uluwatu temple excursion to enjoy a sacred but entertaining dance in the evening.

While Balinese dances are often part of a tourist’s experience, that does not mean all the dances are the same. There are three main types of Balinese dances:

Wali dance: This is the most sacred types of dance, done not for entertainment reasons but to make contact with spiritual deities. This dance is considered an offering to different entities, in exchange for things like counteracting negative forces, protection, or strength. Wali dance is usually performed on the inner courts of Bali’s temples.

Bebali dance: This dance is not purely entertainment, but not purely sacred either. Therefore, it falls in between Wali and Balih-balihan dances. Instead of making contact with deities, this dance is done to entertain deities as well as devotees (and in ancient times, royalty).

Balih-balihan dance: Secular dance meant for the entertainment of the masses, this type of dance is often done on the outer courts of Bali’s temples or outside the temples. The popular Barong ket dance falls under this category.

Regardless of the type of Balinese dance, they are all fantastic to watch. Dancers elegantly move their whole body to the beat of the music, and a lot of the time, the dance portrays a story that invokes emotion in the audience. It’s no surprise then that Balinese dances are one of the things that fascinate others about their culture.