Bali

Geographically
Bali is volcanically active and extravagantly fertile. Bali has an area of 5620 sq km, measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and is just 8 degrees south of the equator. Mount Agung known as the 'mother mountain' is over 3000 meters. South and north of the central mountains are Bali's fertile agricultural lands. The southern region is a wide, gently sloping area where most of Bali's abundant rice crop is grown. The south-central area is the true rice basket of the Island. The northern coastal strip is narrower, rising more rapidly into the foothills of the central range, but the main export crops, coffee, copra and rice, are grown here. Cattle are also raised in this area.

Climate
Bali has a climate that is tropical all year. The average temperature hovers around 30 degrees Celsius year-round. There are dry and wet seasons -dry from April to September and wet from October to March- but it can rain at any time of year and even during the wet season rain is likely to pass quickly. In general May to August are the best months in Bali. At that time of year the climate is likely to be cooler and the rains lightest. Around the coast, sea breezes temper the heat and as we move inland we also move up so the altitude works to keep things cool. It can get very cool up in the highlands and a warm sweater can be a good idea in mountain villages like Kintamani or Bedugul.

Population
With 2.5 million people, Bali is a very densely populated island. The population is almost all Indonesian, with the usual small Chinese contingent in the big towns, a sprinkling of Indian merchants, plus a number of more or less permanent visitors amongst the Westerners in Bali.

Culture
Each stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life the average Balinese leads. There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last cremation ceremony is the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful, noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own dead on their way at the same time. Brahmans, however, must be cremated immediately. Apart from being yet another occasion for Balinese noise and confusion it's a fine opportunity to observe the incredible energy the Balinese put into creating real works of art which are totally ephemeral. There are a lot more than a body gets burnt at the cremation. The body is carried from the burial ground (or from the deceased's home if it's an 'immediate' cremation) to the cremation ground in a high, multi-tiered tower made of bamboo, paper, string, tinsel, silk, cloth, mirrors, flowers and anything else bright and colorful we can think of. The tower is carried on the shoulders of a group of men, the size of the group depending on the importance of the deceased and hence the size of the tower. The funeral of a former rajah high priest may require hundreds of men to tote the tower.

from : indonesia-tourism.com

Top 10 Bali Green Choices

Bali Barat National Park
Almost the whole of Bali's western tip, an area of over 750 square kilometers, has been baptized as a conservation area. The park boasts open savannahs, rainforests, mangrove swamps, coral reefs and a deer island off the north coast. The park is a sanctuary for a wide range of animals, especially for the endangered bird, the Bali Starling. Although most of the park is not accessible to the public, there are a number of trails open to the sightseer. 'Pulau Manjangan', home to the rare Java Deer, can also be visited and offers great diving and snorkeling. Get your ticket at the National Park Headquarters in Cekik, about three kilometers south of Gilimanuk.

Bali Bird Park (Taman Burung)
Taman Burung houses more than a thousand birds from allover Indonesia. One of the park's objectives is to try and breed endangered species; the Bali Mynah for example. If ornithology doesn't interest you much, you will be impressed by the two hectares of tropical gardens.
Bali Bird Park (Taman Burung) Indonesia's only Butterfly Park helps study, breed and preserve many kinds of butterflies from all over the Indonesian archipelago. JI. Batukaro, Sand a Wanasari, Tabanan Regency.

Elephant Safari Park in Taro . . . .
Nowhere else in Bali can you awaken to awe-inspiring views of Sumatran elephants starting their day, from your very own balcony. All of the twenty-seven magnificent creatures were rescued from deforestation in Central and Southern Sumatra to live in this internationally acclaimed sanctuary where the meaning of "Respect for the animals is the most important thing." is sincere and obvious. Bali Adventure Tours Office: JI. Bypass Ngurah Rai, Pesanggaran.

Blahmantung Waterfall
Dropping from a hundred meters, this waterfall is no less than spectacular, especially during the rainy season. Be prepared for a bit of a trek up a steep, and at times rough, track to get there. Near Pupuan, West Bali.

Sangeh Monkey Forest
This forest of approximately six hectares, near the village of Sangeh, is filled with vast nutmeg trees that can grow up to forty meters in height. The main attractions here are the hordes of Balinese monkeys that inhabit both the trees and the temple on site. Visitors should be aware that the monkeys are attracted to shiny objects, so cameras and jewellery are to be left behind or well hidden under clothes before setting off to explore.

Ubud Monkey Forest
This forest is smaller than the one in Sangeh but the monkeys are just as wild. Therefore, take care of your belongings.

Botanical Gardens (Kebun Raya Eka Karya, Bedugul)
Established in 1959, these gardens cover over 120 hectares on the slopes of 'Gunung Pohon' (Tree Mountain). The gardens contain a huge collection of trees, nearly 500 varieties of orchids and a rich bird population. The gardens boast a herbarium and library.

Taman Buaya & Reptil (Reptile & Crocodile Park)
This park houses not only four of the famous Komodo Dragons but also a large collection of crocodiles, lizards and snakes within lovely tropical gardens. 'Feeding time', snakes, a magic show and even crocodile wrestling add to an unforgettable experience. Werdhi Bhuana, near Mengwi.

Gitgit Waterfall
Not far from the main road, Gitgit is an impressive 40 meter waterfall that gushes into a deep pool. Swimming there is wonderfully refreshing; although a local legend has it that couples bathing in the pool together will eventually separate... 10 kilo meters south of Singaraja.

Source: Gude to Bali by American Express

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Bunaken National Marine Park

Bunaken National Marine Park is off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.




Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive areas, and it draws scuba divers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen,Montehagen, Nain and Nain Kecil.

The park is famed for the clarity of its water (35m visibility is common in the summer dry season), the abundance of coral and fish, and for the precipitous "walls" at some sites. Bunaken Timur, right off the east coast of the island and featuring all of the above, is according to some the best dive site in all Indonesia.

Except for the very largest pelagics, nearly everything can be found at Bunaken. Reef inhabitants include white and black tip reef sharks, giant sea turtles, napoleonfish and dugongs.
You may frequently run into dolphins, and occasionally schools of whales

Bunaken is about 45-60 minutes by boat from Manado. Most resorts will arrange transfers from the airport for their guests. Alternatively, a public boat leaves daily except Sunday at 2PM, or you can charter a boat anytime.

As of 2006, entry to the park costs either Rp 50,000/day (US$6) or Rp 150,000/Calendar year (US$17), usually paid at your lodgings. As proof of payment, you will receive a plastic tag that must be carried at all times; it is waterproof and can be attached to your diving gear.

Tourism on Bunaken has been very much geared towards divers over the years, but the trend seems to be changing and more and more snorkelers are visiting the area as too are those who wish to just relax immersed in nature...away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Possible activities for landlubbers include:
1. Beach-combing, especially at low tide when the reef top is accessible
2. Hiking to some of the secluded coves on the Eastern and Northern part of the island, but trails are poorly marked
3. Fishing, but only outside of the park boundaries: hire a boat or join one of the local fishing boats.

The thing to do in Bunaken is dive, dive and dive! However, the steep walls and occasionally strong, rapidly changing currents mean that many sites cater more to the intermediate/advanced diver, although there are beginner-friendly sites too and all dive shops can arrange intro dives and Open Water Diver courses. The North Sulawesi Watersports Association offers oodles of detail on diving in the park. The park also offers outstanding snorkeling!
All dive shops in the park are affiliated with resorts, so see Sleep below for listings.

Loadging :

1. Bastianos Dive Resorts, [1]. Located in Bunaken Island. 30 minutes from Mainland Manado.

2. Bunaken Cha Cha Nature Resort, tel. +62 813 56930370 (Skype: bunakenchacha), [2]. On the clean and tranquil eastern side of Bunaken with 10 cottages, all tastefully decorated, en-suit bathrooms (hot water showers), large balconies, 3 Cottages are equipped with A/C. Private white sand beach, house reef for snorkelers, massage treatments available. The beach top restaurant serves a variety of Indonesian/Asian dishes with emphasis on "Healthy Eating", Vegetarians are welcome. Wifi available in the Bar and Restaurant area. In house Multilingual PADI affiliated Dive Center meets the needs of diving guests of all levels of experience. Room & full board from US$60 per person/per night; room, full board and dive packages from US$130.

3. Bunaken Village Resort, [3]. Located along the Pangalisang beach on the east coast of Bunaken. 8 cottages, restaurant, dive shop, beach bar and swimming pool. Rooms 20-25€, 2 boat dives 40€.

4. Froggies Divers, [www.divefroggies.com]. A high quality dive operator with comfortable bungalows and excellent food.

5. Living Colours, tel. +62-812-4306063, [4]. Diver-oriented resort run by the shop of the same name, the bungalows are spacious and clean, but simply equipped (fan, mosquito net, cold water) and there is no beach to speak of. Rooms 30€/person, including three excellent meals and free Internet surfing. Two dives a day from 50€, gear rental 10€/day. Airport transfers 30€/one-way.

6. Lorenso's Bungalows, [5]. 5 min down the coast from Living Colours, offering cheaper but even more basic digs for around 10€/night.

7. M.C. Dive Bunaken, [6]. Located near the Bunaken Village Has a very nice beach and offers relaxed diving with experienced guides and good diving-equipment. Also offering Padi Dive Courses and Specialty's, Basic cottages 14€, more luxurious bungalows: 20€, including all meals, coffee, tea and water. 2 dives 40€, third dive 15€

8. Siladen Resort & Spa, tel. +62-431-856820, [7]. Small exclusive international resort on Siladen Island across from Bunaken. Multilingual PADI dive center, gourmet restaurant, lounge bar, Spa, large salt water pool. Located on the secluded western side of Siladen on a 300 meter stretch of white coral beach facing Manadotua Vulcano. Only 15 villas. PADI courses and full packages available.

9. Two Fish Divers, tel. +62-811-432805, [8]. Small and friendly PADI Gold Palm IDC Resort based on Bunaken Island. Cottages are basic but comfortable, and are right in front of the beach. Offers fun dives for experiened and inexperienced divers, with small groups of 2-4 divers per dive guide. Also offers a full range of PADI dive courses from Open Water Course through to Instructor.

source : http://wikitravel.org/en/Bunaken